Organize your shopping list!

I love my new Smartshopper! It makes grocery shopping so much easier. I am not an organized person by nature but I am trying really hard to get organized and this little machine is perfect!

It is an electronice list maker that can be put on the fridge. All you have do is press a button and speak the item you want added to the list. For example, when I am running out of coffee, I go to the fridge, press the button and say coffee.

It categorizes everything into dairy, canned goods, etc.

It comes preloaded with several foods and you have to program it, but once you do, it is so easy to use. I programmed different lists so that I can have seperate lists for each store I shop at. For example, I like to have a grocery list and then a B.J.'s (wholesale club) list.

Chocolate ice cream banned

..... only from our house!

I have decided that if anyone in our house wants to eat ice cream, it will be a flavor that I do not like. I can pretty much pass on any other flavor, so they have a lot to choose from!

I have found that when I am stressed or tired, a big dish of chocolate ice cream is so yummy. Therefore, it is banned.

I am sorry chocolate ice cream, you are no longer welcome in my house. I am replacing you with a fruit smoothie with maca root.

Putting together media kits

I put together my own media kits with the help of a list that my copywriter gave to me on what to include. I decided I wanted to keep it as simple and straight forward as possible. I wanted the magazine editors to be able to open the package and have all the info they needed in front of them without having to sort through too much info.

These are the things I decided to put into my media kit package:

Press Release
Current Product Reviews
Q&A Sheet (or FAQ)
Product Photo Shots
Retail Price List
CD with high resolution images
Samples
Hand written note to editor
Business card








So far, I haven't had any requests from major magazines like Cookie or Parenting but I have pretty good responses from local magazines across the U.S.

And no, Ellen Degeneres still has not contacted me!

Press

I recently hired a copywriter to write a new press release, but not only does he write them, he sends them out to a custom media list. I even have the list to make follow up phone calls.

I just had this done and it's only been 2 days. I got about 15 good responses, although I was hoping for more before the weekend. I am going to give it another week or so and then as suggested I will start making calls on a daily basis.

The custom media list included magazines, talk shows, and freelance writers. The contacts I have made so far have requested samples, as well as extra samples if I wanted to be included in reader giveaways. I looked at my inventory and said, sure why not!

The biggest contact was the Tyra Banks show which gave me great feedback and was super nice about everything! The most annoying response I got was asking me to pay a really hefty fee to advertise in their magazine. I told them I was looking for coverage first and they responded, "we need to made a living too... it would be like asking you to give away your products for free." Well, yes, actually I do give away my products for free in exchange for free publicity.

That's a big lesson in this business when you are just starting out: everyone tries to convince you that you need their services. But no matter how good it sounds, you really have to look at what the costs are and if it will really benefit you.

Back to work!

The holidays are finally over and it's time to get back to work in full gear! Is it just me or do the holidays start way to soon, so by the time the holiday actually comes, you wish it was over already..... It seems like it lasts for months!

I have to get motivated to finish some of the projects I was working on, like organizing and several things I am working on for Bubele. I have 2 reps now.... which I can't believe took me this long to find! I am looking forward to the Januarary shows which will be my first. I am not going to get my hopes up because I heard you don't get a lot of sales from shows, but I am hoping the reps I have can sell my products well. I am relying on the fact that I have 2 unique items and that my items are reasonably priced (good in this economy).

Over the break, I worked on social networking through Facebook and LinkedIn. I am amazed at the connections I have found on LinkedIn. Everyone has been so helpul! One connection I made knew I was looking for more reps and send my info across and ended up going through 2 of her connections I believe to a woman who told me to call her. I called today and she had a name of a rep for me in New Jersey! I really hope that call goes well tomorrow :)