Going Beyond Business As Usual This Holiday Season
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- AlainaFrederick 0 comments
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This looks interesting! I'm looking forward to the ideas and tips to work into this year and to improve on for next year!
about 1 year ago
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- Jenrab 0 comments
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I'm super excited about participating in this chat. I always appreciate Barbara's honest advice when she's on the Today Show.
about 1 year ago
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- v2br 0 comments
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This comes at exactly the right time for me. Thank you!
about 1 year ago
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- Cooper 0 comments
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So excited for our talk with Barbara today! Be sure to share pics of your PictureItPostage stamps - we'd love to see!
about 1 year ago
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- Mishelle Lane 1 comment
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Here's my Picture It Postage business stamp! I love it!
about 1 year ago
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- Erin O 0 comments
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Can't wait to chat with all of you! Come with questions for Barbara - she has great advice on how to best take advantage of the holidays to thank clients, among other things!
about 1 year ago
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- juliepippert 1 comment
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I wish I could be here for this -- but I'm definitely checking it out after I get back from both of my kids' Thanksgiving Feasts at school today. What a great topic -- I'm sure there will be so many awesome ideas!
about 1 year ago
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- Grace Hester 2 comments
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I do not have my order yet but here's a screenshot of what I ordered. It's to promote my personalized family holiday cards and includes my website address. Can't wait to receive it!
about 1 year ago
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- Erin O 0 comments
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Here's the list of AMAZING bloggers who are co-hosting our Talk:
- Audrey McClelland, Mom Generations: http://momgenerations.com/
- Candy Tai, Mommypalooza: http://www.mommypalooza.com/
- Clarissa Nassar, Diary of a POSHpreneur: http://www.theposhpreneur.com/
- Dawn Camp, My Home Sweet Home Online: http://myhomesweethomeonline.net/
- Ellen Parlapiano, Mompreneurs Online: http://www.mompreneursonline.com/
- Grace Hester, Grace Hester Designs: http://gracehester.typepad.com/
- Jen Rabulan-Bertram, Next Kid Thing: http://nextkidthing.com/
- Jodi Grundig, Mom's Favorite Stuff: http://www.momsfavoritestuff.com/
- Kate Marsh Lord, The Shopping Mama: http://theshoppingmama.com/
- Melissa Angert, Girlymama: http://www.girlymama.com/
- Mishelle Lane, Secret Agent Mama: http://secretagentmama.com/
- Nicole Feliciano, Momtrends: http://momtrends.blogspot.com/
- Piera Jolly, Jolly Mom: http://www.jollymom.com/
- Stacey Ferguson, Mama Law: http://mamalaw.com/
about 1 year ago
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- Audrey 0 comments
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Can't wait!
about 1 year ago
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- MompreneurEllen 0 comments
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Hi Everyone, I can't wait to join the chat either. So happy to be one of the co-hosting bloggers
about 1 year ago
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- MompreneurEllen 0 comments
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My stamps didn't come yet, but I made them using our logo
about 1 year ago
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- Kate 0 comments
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Mine just arrived... Here's a screen shot of the order.
about 1 year ago
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- Kate 4 comments
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And here's a photo of the real thing. They look great!
about 1 year ago
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- JollyMom 4 comments
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Hi everyone! Excited to be here : )
about 1 year ago
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- Audrey 0 comments
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JUST GOT MINE!
about 1 year ago
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- MompreneurEllen 2 comments
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Hi everyone! Glad to be part of this
about 1 year ago
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- Erin O 0 comments
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Hi everyone! Thanks for being here – we’re looking forward to a very fun and informative chat!
I want to welcome Barbara Corcoran, who will be here to talk with us. She is the spokesperson for PictureItPostage (http://www.pictureitpostage.com ), real estate contributor for the TODAY Show, and author of "Use What You’ve Got," an awesome bestselling business book.
She has fabulous ideas about ways you can reach clients during the holidays, so let’s get started! :)
about 1 year ago
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- Mishelle Lane 1 comment
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Hi Everyone!! I'm here, holding (caressing and loving on, really) my new lens. LOL Don't mind me, just happy that my business is becoming successful enough for me to add to my lens collection. The stamps with my logo are an added boost.
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 8 comments
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So nice being here with all of you!
about 1 year ago
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- MompreneurEllen 0 comments
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Hi Barbara, Welcome!
about 1 year ago
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- Audrey 0 comments
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HI Barbara! So nice to "meet" you!
about 1 year ago
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- Melissa 4 comments
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Mine aren't here yet, but here's a screen shot!
about 1 year ago
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- Cooper 0 comments
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Hi all, welcome! Thank you so much Barbara for being here! We are big fans! and a big thank you to PictureItPostage.com as well! Your stamps rock! So looking forward to everyone's creativity!
about 1 year ago
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- Steph 0 comments
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Hi Barbara, I can't wait to get some new ideas... this is great timing since we are entrenched in holiday marketing! -Steph
about 1 year ago
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- Momtrends 2 comments
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I cannot wait for mine to come in the mail. I'm going to use them to send my holiday cards out to my writers and other supporters of Momtrends!
about 1 year ago
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- Erin O 0 comments
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Barbara, how important is it to thank clients during the holidays? It seems like a great opportunity at least to remind people about your business.
about 1 year ago
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- Audrey 5 comments
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Here's mine!
about 1 year ago
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- MompreneurEllen 2 comments
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Not only will I use the stamps for my biz holiday cards, but will use them for the virtual Secret Santa we do over at MompreneursOnline.com
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 6 comments
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The hardest part about the holidays is there's so much clutter. When I say clutter I mean a lot of competition from businesses, family, commerce all vying for your attention. So whether you're a mom at home just trying to manage all the extra stuff that lands on your plate over the holidays or whether you're a young business trying to get noticed over the holidays, or even more trying to sell your wares over the holidays you'll have quite a challenge making yourself heard.
about 1 year ago
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- Audrey 0 comments
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I'm ordering tons of them for all of my Holiday cards. I love them! My SIL bought a bunch this past weekend.
about 1 year ago
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- Laura 5 comments
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Hello, sorry I am new to the talk and cannot seem to hear. Any tips?
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 2 comments
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Beyond reminding people about your business Erin, for a lot of us it's the most crucial time of the year to sell the products we make. So you have a double challenge, so much more than the rest of the year. That being said, every clever entrepreneur manages to find a way to reach their market during the holidays and let me tell you about a recent success I had using PictureItPostage!
about 1 year ago
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- debontherocks 0 comments
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I'm ready for some innovative inspiration for my business' holiday plans!
about 1 year ago
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- JollyMom 8 comments
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I also think it's important to include a personal message to your clients/associates and not rely on preprinted cards, etc. I think it makes you stand out above everyone else.
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 4 comments
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Obviously, quite a few of you out there are familiar with the product and I'd love to hear from each of you how you creatively took advantage of it. Here's my story: I had been trying very hard to start a club of sorts among real estate brokers across the U.S. I knew it would prove a good business if only I could reach out and invite the brokers to join my new group and actually BE HEARD.
about 1 year ago
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- Erin O 8 comments
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Does anyone include little gifts in their mailings? Magnets, small calendars, etc...
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 2 comments
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I tried a variety of means and spent far too much money experimenting on the best way to reach my target market. Because I had so many real estate brokers' email addresses it seemed sending an evite was the most economical and practical way to reach out, but I was in for a surprise!
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 8 comments
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I sent 2,000 evites out to everyone to join my organization and hired the best person I could find to design the evite that would get everyone's attention, make them smile, react with "how clever is this!" and simply sign up with the click of a button. But two days later we had a total of 3, yes THREE responses, and I was shocked.
about 1 year ago
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- Dawn Camp 7 comments
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I don't have mine, yet, but I chose a photo that seemed distinctly Christmas, for the time of year, plus one that is getting extra attention right now as the (in)courage November calendar shot:
about 1 year ago
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- Mishelle Lane 8 comments
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Barbara, I am looking for ways to market my photography business. Right now, so much of it is word of mouth. I am thinking about ways to market, and would appreciate any advice!
about 1 year ago
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- Melissa 14 comments
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I have a blog design business, so I'm sending out cards offering 20% off a blog redesign! Hoping a coupon code will make people hang on to the card ;-)
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 4 comments
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Back to the drawing board! And I designed beautiful printed invitations tucked into very expensive, great looking envelopes and hired some kids to hand write the envelopes in calligraphy. Result: 12 responses out of the next 2,000.
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 18 comments
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Let me tell the end to the story, which is a happy ending using PictureItPostage. Alas! I put my smiley face, the same one you see in the blue blouse looking back at you, on the stamps and sent out the same printed invitation and a miracle happened: the real estate agents who never opened my first envelope saw my face, had the hoped for response that had previously escaped me, and overwhelmingly replied with "wow, how clever is that?!" Most importantly, they opened the damn envelope and actually read the invitation! To date I've had over 300 people signing up and I know the only difference between my failed attempts and the last one was using the PictureItPostage. Let me not forget to mention the other very important reason I got the successful ending to the story, was because I was willing to try a bunch of stuff until I landed on something that worked. I'm sure you've met this word before: persistence!
about 1 year ago
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- Erin O 0 comments
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Hi everyone! Just a reminder about the awesome giveaway from PictureItPostage! If you use the code MOTHERHOOD to get $4 off an order at http://www.pictureitpostage.com , your purchase will enter you to win a $500 prize!! See rules below.
PictureItPostage Giveaway with TheMotherhood.com
OFFICIAL RULES
1. PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia™ is conducting a $500 prize giveaway. All PictureItPostage customers who enter code “MOTHERHOOD” upon checkout for purchases made on PictureItPostage.com from November 17, 2010 through December 15, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time will be entered to win one (1) $500 cash prize giveaway.
2. One (1) winner will be selected at random on December 20, 2010 by PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia, or DYMO Endicia’s designee. Odds of winning will be determined by the total number of eligible entries received. Winner need not be present at drawing to win. Winner will be notified by phone or mail no later than December 31, 2010. Entry into contest constitutes entrant’s permission for Endicia to contact entrant for sales and marketing purposes.
3. The prize package consists of one (1) $500 cash prize.
4. Contest is open only to PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia customers who are legal U.S. residents 21 years of age or older except employees of DYMO Endicia, its affiliates, subsidiaries, sales representatives, distributors, or advertising and promotion agencies and the immediate families and household members of each of the above. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law.
5. No prize substitutions allowed except that DYMO Endicia reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if an advertised prize becomes unavailable. All taxes on prizes are winner’s responsibility.
Sponsor: PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia, a Newell Rubbermaid company, Palo Alto, CA
about 1 year ago
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- MompreneurEllen 13 comments
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Barbara, I'm dying to hear what kinds of holiday gifts you've given your clients. What's worked? WHat's bombed?
about 1 year ago
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- Audrey 2 comments
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What I loved about the stamps was that they really made you smile. It was different enough to make someone's day. And I love that about them.
about 1 year ago
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- Angie 11 comments
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I LOVE my stamps! I'll be using them on some business mailings (I have a children's toy company).
about 1 year ago
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- Erin O 5 comments
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Has anyone already sent out mailers?
about 1 year ago
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- Erin O 3 comments
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I can't believe how fast that 30 minutes went by!! I saw a ton of GREAT suggestions, and we will pull out all the highlights and put together a summary of the Talk as a resource for you!
Barbara, thanks again for being here! Everyone feel free to stick around and keep chatting if you'd like.
One more reminder about the giveaway from PictureItPostage - use the code MOTHERHOOD to get $4 off an order at http://www.pictureitpostage.com , and your purchase will enter you to win a $500 prize!! See rules in my post below. :)
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 3 comments
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I thought I should mention that I built my first big business over 25 years using the cheapest form of advertising I could muster and I learned early on that the single best way to build your brand identity all year long is by publishing a statistical report under your own name for the industry you're in.
about 1 year ago
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- Emily 4 comments
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Thank you so much Barbara for leading this great conversation!!! We all got such good ideas.
Thank you wonderful bloggers for co-hosting and sharing your insights and experiences and creativity!!
And thank you, thank you PictureItPostage for sponsoring today's conversation!
about 1 year ago
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- JollyMom 0 comments
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Thanks for all the great tips, ladies and thank you Barbara for being here and sharing your knowledge!
about 1 year ago
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- Melissa 0 comments
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Thanks everyone! Best of luck with your mailings!!!
about 1 year ago
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- Kate 0 comments
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Nice to chat with all of you - and nice to see your stamps. :) Thank you everyone, and thank you Barbara for your great insights.
about 1 year ago
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- Justice Fergie 4 comments
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Ugh! Am I too late? Got sucked into a meeting. Sounds like the talk was fun!
about 1 year ago
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- MompreneurEllen 1 comment
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If anyone's interested, here's the blog post I wrote about PictureItPostage...it also includes what's worked for me in the holiday biz gift department www.mompreneursonline.com/blog/
about 1 year ago
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- Steph 0 comments
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Happy Holidays, all! Talk to you at the next Live Chat!
about 1 year ago
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- MompreneurEllen 0 comments
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Good chatting with everyone! Good luck with your mailings! See you soon!
about 1 year ago
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- Angie 0 comments
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Thanks for the tips, Barbara!
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 7 comments
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Before I sign off let me give you just a little more detail on why a statistical report might sound boring but is the most powerful way to get noticed and build your brand. Reporters write stories every day and frankly they don't really need many opinions about what they're writing about. What they are desperate for are statistics that support the stories they're writing. One of our bloggers here today is in the photography business, another is in the design business, and I'm sure there are as many businesses represented here today as there will be ornaments on your tree next month. I was in the real estate business and published hard statistics on everything I could think of, and updated the statistics every six months, slammed them onto a piece of paper with items like "the profession of who's buying 1-bedrooms in NYC," "the average price of a penthouse," "the list of celebrities who recently moved from Hollywood to New York," etc. etc. By simply sending out that report under my company name, The Corcoran Report, I became the source of every statistic that was needed to write any story on New York City real estate. It didn't cost me much to send them out, and I wish we had PictureItPostage then, but it got me millions of dollars worth of publicity over 25 years. The photographer who wrote in today could publish a photography report named after herself on research she could do on her own industry. Reporters might be curious to find out details about the industry that she takes for granted & that other people out there just don't know.
about 1 year ago
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- debontherocks 0 comments
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Thanks for the inspiration. Chick entrepreneurs unite!
about 1 year ago
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- BarbaraCorcoran 2 comments
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The web designer is in a perfect seat to publish a statistical report on the new blogging industry - how many people blog, what's the most popular subject, how long is the typical post, how much can bloggers sell their ad space for, etc. Even if you're the smallest guy in your industry the best way to steal the market from your largest competitor is to steal the limelight. I had to run like crazy to keep up with my very public and powerful image in my industry, created by my report, and that forced me as a little business to grow faster than everybody else. Hope that's helpful! Keep pluggin' knowing I'm cheering you on!!
about 1 year ago
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- Erin O 0 comments
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Going Beyond Business As Usual This Holiday Season – Highlights from the Talk
Business expert and PictureItPostage spokesperson Barbara Corcoran joined TheMotherhood today to discuss ways to cut through the mail clutter during the holidays to reach current and prospective small business clients. She was joined by a number of co-hosts, social media moms and small business owners, who all shared their collective wisdom!
Barbara shared amazing insights and personal success stories to highlight her fabulous tips and advice - built on years of trial and error, persistence and success - many of which are shared below.
Thanks to PictureItPostage for sponsoring the Talk and providing this special offer – use the coupon code MOTHERHOOD to get $4 off an order of custom stamps (offer expires Jan. 31, 2011) at http://pictureitpostage.com/ !! Your purchase will enter you to win a $500 prize! (See entry rules below.)
Custom stamps happen to be an excellent way to brand your mailings and catch your recipients’ attention! Read on for more great suggestions:
- Why to Send Holiday Mailers: It’s important to thank both clients, for their business throughout the year, and anyone who has worked for you. People will appreciate your effort, and it’s a good way to remind them about your business – and sell your product!
- Get Started Now! Send holiday mailings and gifts during the Thanksgiving season – the week before or after. People get fewer mailings during this time than they do around Christmas.
- Cut Through the Holiday Clutter: A lot of businesses send thank-yous and small gifts to customers during the holiday season. To ensure your mailing gets noticed and opened, use vibrant colors and personalize each handwritten message. Branding your envelope with a cute custom stamp, like the ones from PictureItPostage, is another great way to catch the eye!
- Tuck a Small Gift Into the Envelope: Items like magnets, pens, calendars or other small, useful items that are tastefully branded with your logo are a great way to keep your name in front of your customers all year round.
- Snail Mail is Best: Sending an electronic card to customers may seem easier and more economical, but it is less likely to be seen and appreciated. Many such emails are deleted unopened or caught in spam filters.
- Showcase Your Product: If you are a photographer, send holiday photo cards, using your photos – and order photo postage to put on the envelope. If you design personalized stationery, use your own work when you create your holiday mailings. It is a built-in advertisement for what you do.
- Be Persistent: If your mailings don’t drum up the business you had hoped for the first, second or even third time, don’t give up! Keep trying new approaches until you find something that works for you and resonates with your customer base.
- Personalize, Personalize, Personalize: If you give nicer gifts to regular clients, be sure to get them something that acknowledges their interests. In Barbara's words, if someone likes flowers, send them bulbs directly from Holland. If someone adores their children, have a photo of them printed on a custom deck of playing cards – or give the gift of custom stamps from PictureItPostage at http://www.pictureitpostage.com !!
Another BIG thanks to PictureItPostage and our incredibly talented blogger co-hosts!!! Don’t forget to use the coupon code and order your custom postage to make your holiday business mailings pop this season!!!
LEAD EXPERT, Barbara Corcoran: http://barbaracorcoran.com/
- Audrey McClelland, Mom Generations: http://momgenerations.com/
- Candy Tai, Mommypalooza: http://www.mommypalooza.com/
- Clarissa Nassar, Diary of a POSHpreneur: http://www.theposhpreneur.com/
- Dawn Camp, My Home Sweet Home Online: http://myhomesweethomeonline.net/
- Ellen Parlapiano, Mompreneurs Online: http://www.mompreneursonline.com/
- Grace Hester, Grace Hester Designs: http://gracehester.typepad.com/
- Jen Rabulan-Bertram, Next Kid Thing: http://nextkidthing.com/
- Jodi Grundig, Mom's Favorite Stuff: http://www.momsfavoritestuff.com/
- Kate Marsh Lord, The Shopping Mama: http://theshoppingmama.com/
- Melissa Angert, Girlymama: http://www.girlymama.com/
- Mishelle Lane, Secret Agent Mama: http://secretagentmama.com/
- Nicole Feliciano, Momtrends: http://momtrends.blogspot.com/
- Piera Jolly, Jolly Mom: http://www.jollymom.com/
- Stacey Ferguson, Mama Law: http://mamalaw.com/
PictureItPostage Giveaway with TheMotherhood.com
OFFICIAL RULES
1. PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia™ is conducting a $500 prize giveaway. All PictureItPostage customers who enter code “MOTHERHOOD” upon checkout for purchases made on PictureItPostage.com from November 17, 2010 through December 15, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time will be entered to win one (1) $500 cash prize giveaway.
2. One (1) winner will be selected at random on December 20, 2010 by PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia, or DYMO Endicia’s designee. Odds of winning will be determined by the total number of eligible entries received. Winner need not be present at drawing to win. Winner will be notified by phone or mail no later than December 31, 2010. Entry into contest constitutes entrant’s permission for Endicia to contact entrant for sales and marketing purposes.
3. The prize package consists of one (1) $500 cash prize.
4. Contest is open only to PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia customers who are legal U.S. residents 21 years of age or older except employees of DYMO Endicia, its affiliates, subsidiaries, sales representatives, distributors, or advertising and promotion agencies and the immediate families and household members of each of the above. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law.
5. No prize substitutions allowed except that DYMO Endicia reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if an advertised prize becomes unavailable. All taxes on prizes are winner’s responsibility.
Sponsor: PictureItPostage by DYMO Endicia, a Newell Rubbermaid company, Palo Alto, CA
about 1 year ago
Attention, entrepreneurs and small business owners! Join us for a live chat on creative ways of showing clients your appreciation this holiday season. Barbara Corcoran, spokesperson for PictureItPostage, real estate contributor for the TODAY Show, and author of "Use What You’ve Got", a bestselling business book, will lead the chat. She has some great tips on creative ways to thank your clients and break through the clutter to reach new customers. Talk with Barbara and a group of incredibly imaginative and successful mom bloggers who are also business owners themselves about their ideas and yours for taking extra special care of your clients this year! We'll have a special offer from PictureItPostage to give you the opportunity to increase your brand exposure and make your mailings pop - so don't miss this awesome, informative Talk!

