In just a few short weeks, Rockin’ Mama is going to have a brand new look!  I’m so excited about 2010 and I hope you’ll join me again for another great year.  Here’s a little summary of what I’m doing in 2010:

I’ve just signed on to be a Buzzmama…which basically means I get to tell you all about Mabel’s Labels, a company I’ve been working with for a long time now.  But you already know how fab they are right? As an ambassador for the company I’ll be sharing my experience with their products and give you an insider’s look on up and coming products.  But why wait?  You can get your read on right now:

Holiday Gift Tags (#2)

My 411 Wristbands

Custom Neat Freak Combo

Holiday Gift Tags (#1)

Sticky Labels

With a new baby and a toddler in the house, I’m excited to share with you my personal experience with Plum Organics, an organic, all-natural line of foods for babies, toddlers, and children.  My son was raised on their frozen baby food and my daughter will follow suit.  These days the company has expanded their product line to include finger foods and snacks for toddlers.  As a Plum Parent, I’ll be sharing more about the company’s products and why I’m raising my children on food free from harmful pesticides, chemical additives, and overly processed, genetically engineered ingredients. For more information, you can friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and take the Generation Organic Pledge.

For your reading pleasure:

Plum Organics Tots

I have much more to tell you about my involvement with Bumble Bee Foods as a member of their Bee Squad.  Stay tuned as I’ll have more exciting product and company news next week.

My Favorite Tuna Recipe

Finally, if you’re looking for an effective way to use Twitter, check out the 75 Top Twitter Tips from Today’s Small Business Moms.  Twitter is an effective way to network, build relationships, market, and promote your brand.  If you look closely, you might recognize one of the tips listed.    : )

If you have questions about any of the companies I’ve partnered with, please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment or email me.

I did not receive compensation for this post.  As a a brand ambassador for the above companies, I do receive product information and samples in order to provide feedback.

I recently wrote about the importance of relationship-building when working with public relations representatives.  And just like any relationship, growth and development occur when that relationship becomes face-to-face, rather than simply via email or even phone conversation.  It would be impossible for you or I to meet every single company and their representatives.  But when given the opportunity, I do try to make an effort to further the relationship with companies I support by meeting their representatives in person and learning all I can about the company.

If you’ve noticed, I’ve been to a fair number of events over the past few months (most of them local).  And if you can believe it, I have also graciously turned down a number of events.  Whenever you see a post about a company on my site, you can be certain that I’ve spent some time researching and learning more about the company and have evaluated it’s fit for both my family and you, the readers.  The same is true for the events I attend.

So what happens at a blogger event?

Really, they’re all different.  Some are family-oriented, so I’m able to bring my husband and son which makes for a very different dynamic than an event geared solely towards the press (i.e. bloggers).  I always prefer that a company at least attempt to make the event family-friendly.  It’s not to say that I won’t attend an event, simply because my son or husband are not invited.  But it definitely makes it more likely that I’ll be able to attend, considering I stay home with my son.  One company, in particular, actually arranged child care (included with the event) so that we didn’t have to worry about that conflict.

When the event is more “formal,” there will likely be some sort of presentation (history, introduction, etc.) which details information about the company.  What I’ve found however, is that most events are casual.  There is no set “schedule” and plenty of time is allowed for networking.  My favorite events are those that are highly interactive.

Why attend a blogger event?

I believe I answered that question above, but in essence, it’s one more step towards building relationships.  It’s an honor to be invited to an event and I always remember that when deciding whether or not to attend.  This is an opportunity (which may or may not present itself again) to initiate or further develop a relationship with a company.  It’s also a step towards opening the lines of communication between yourself and the company (again…do I hear the word relationship?)

What about your family?

As I mentioned above, I am a huge advocate of family-friendly blogging events.  I’m not one to say that my husband and son should be invited to every event.  However, if a company truly wants me to attend an event, offering some sort of child care is definitely an incentive to attend, if it’s not feasible to bring a child.  As a side note, I feel the need to mention that my husband is 100% supportive of everything I do with regards to my blog.  In fact, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  If my husband tells me that it’s too much (and he has said that on occasion), then I respect him.  I would not be blogging at all if my husband was not supportive.  We actually do much of this together (he just stays behind the scenes most of the time).

Taken at the Disneyland Holiday Parent Blogger Event

What questions do you have about blog events?  What insight can you share about the events you’ve attended?

This is a post I’ve been wanting to write for a long time.  And I do want to start by saying that I, in no way, claim to be an expert on public relations, marketing, or blogging.  What I do have experience with, is people.  If you’ve read my bio, then you know I’m an RN.  So why is a mom who works in the healthcare industry writing about public relations and marketing?  I ask myself the same question.   What I do know is that I’ve been blogging for over 2 years, and all of the conferences, seminars, briefings, research, and relationships I’ve developed with public relations representatives have taught me a thing or two about what we all like to call ” blogging.”  I hope that this opens up discussion to talk with each other and learn from each other. 

I never started blogging with the intent of reviewing products.  In fact, I had no idea that people (women, moms, dads, etc.) utilized their blog for such a thing.  Blogging to me was about writing…writing about my son…keeping my family updated on what we were doing…sharing my experiences with parenting as a new mom.  And blogging was never started for the sole purpose of product reviews.  Blogging started as the digital age took off and more people were turning to the internet for everything from online banking, recipes,and shopping to online journals (i.e. blogs).  

And then I stumbled upon Mom Central.  At the time, Mom Central offered moms like me an opportunity to test and keep products in exchange for candid feedback.  Since then Mom Central has grown tremendously and offers bloggers like myself opportunities to work with companies we might not get a chance to work with (i.e.Frigidaire).  

It started with one email.  I don’t remember the product and I don’t remember the specifics of the email.  What I do remember is that someone had read my blog, liked what I had to say, and wanted me to review their product.  I was surprised and honored.  Two years later I’ve had the opportunity to work with some incredible companies…too many to list…but several noteworthy, including Kodak, Frigidaire, Nintendo, Walmart, HP, Seventh Generation, General Mills, Hoover and so many more (one day I may make a list just for fun!).  I don’t have the most traffic…or the highest page rank…but what I *think* I offer is authentic, well-thought out, well-researched reviews on products that have been tested personally by myself and my family.  

I could write pages and pages about blogging…the why…the how to…  But mostly I want to write about relationships with public relations representatives.  There are millions of blogs online (I don’t have a specific number…maybe I’ll research it one day).  How are you going to set yourself apart?  How are you going to make your blog attractive to those companies you’d like to establish a relationship with?  

First, I highly recommend evaluating your perspective on this thing we call blogging.  Why are you blogging?  Is it to review products?  Is it to express yourself and develop your writing skills?  Do you have a talent you’d like to share with others?  Whatever your reasons are, make sure you’re clear within yourself of your purpose…what motivates your writing?  To be clear, I firmly believe that if you don’t make one of your goals to establish relationships, you will never experience all that you can when it comes to blogging.  

This post is geared towards those of  you whose goal is to review products.  As I write this post, I realize how much I really have to say on the topic of blogging.  But I’ll try to stay focused.  How do you interact with companies?  How do you “get in” with the “big” companies?  How do you get to the point where you are sharing your opinion on a DSLR camera or are asked to go on a cruise to provide feedback on their services?   While I believe there are many many factors that go into answering this question, one thing rings true.  The key is relationships.

I remember a time when I would NEVER approach a company.  I was afraid of being rejected…hearing the dreaded no….that my blog wasn’t “big” enough or I wasn’t “influential” enough.  And then…after finally getting approached by companies I wanted to establish a relationship with, I got the courage to write my first “pitch.”  Again, I don’t remember the name of the company I approached.  And I remember that I fumbled through the email (I’ve re written that email over and over again since).

 I’ve pitched many companies since that day.  And while I’ve had my fair share of rejections, I’ve also had a number of yes’s!  One of the things I believe is key, is the desire to build a relationship.  If you’re pitching a company simply to receive a product, you’ll end up going nowhere quickly. In fact, if that is your sole purpose, you’d do better to purchase it yourself.  A true “reviewer” spends time researching the company and the product.  A true reviewer is transparent and provides constructive criticism when necessary (because you can’t love everything about every product you review).  A true reviewer doesn’t end the relationship when the review has been completed.  Writing a review takes time and effort.  Anything less than that and both you and the company are wasting each other’s time.  Companies are looking to build relationships…with you and with your readers.  If you approach your product reviews and pitches in that manner, you’re more likely to be trusted, valued, and respected as an influential blogger.  

Perhaps you read the title of this post and assumed I would give you a step by step account of how to write “The Perfect Pitch.”  Maybe one day I’ll write my tips on what I’ve found to be successful.  Companies want to know who you are and how you’re going to work together to mutually benefit both their company or client and your readers.  It’s important to remember that even though you’re a mom, for them, this is still as much business as it is relationship-building.  In the future, I’d like to write a post to companies on how to work with bloggers.  For now, if you leave with one thing…I’ll have felt that this post was worth writing.  Just like in “real life”, the key to working with public relations representatives is to work towards establishing relationships.  Stay tuned for more blogging meanderings.

Image Courtesy of Jason Rogers Fotographie

Sundays at the Baileys:  

Sleep in

Make breakfast

Go to church

Eat lunch

Nap

Laze around

Sundays are my lazy days.  These are the days I spend resting up for the week ahead.  

I’m not a meme person (you’ve probably gathered that already).  It’s not that I don’t like memes per se.  It’s that I don’t have time for them.  I could spend all day, every day online if I wanted to.  The internet is a never-ending wealth of interesting information.  But I have a family…an active two year old who wants and deserves every second of my undivided attention…and a husband who works incredibly hard for us and needs his wife to be there for him when he gets home.  So, while I would LOVE to participate in every meme, blog event, and twitter party…it’s simply impossible for me.  

So, I’m about to contradict myself.  I’m starting something that may resemble a meme, at first glance.  But really, it’s an opportunity for all of us to promote each other.  I don’t have a button (yet) and it’s going to be VERY informal.  I don’t even want to call it a meme because then it becomes this formal event.  Rather, I simply want this to be a weekly place for all of you to share something that inspired you or made you think during the week.  This is about promoting someone else’s writing…someone else’s work.  

With that, I’ll leave a Mr. Linky up each week (unless I’m tired, or in labor, or don’t feel like it…hehe).  So tell me, what have you read that made an impact on you this week?  I’ll start!

Every week, Shannon from The Mommy Files, highlights a blogger for her Featured Blogger Friday series!   I love the opportunity to get to know bloggers on a more personal level…to find out why they blog, to glean blogging wisdom…  It’s a popular weekly feature and I was so excited that she asked to feature ME this week *blushing*.  If you want to know all about why I blog or what my favorite dessert is, head on over to her site (which is awesome and filled with tons of interesting articles!).  Thank you Shannon!  HUGS!

In a little over one week, we’ll finally know whether our little baby will be wearing pink or blue!  I am so excited.  I’m finally starting to feel regular kicks (at night of course) and the nausea is mostly gone.  I am still getting migraines, but otherwise, I feel good.  I definitely find that I have more energy, which is good for all three four of us.  If you look at my sidebar, you’ll see that I’m about 10 days away from the halfway mark (which really is more than half way since my c-section is scheduled for 39 weeks).

While I will be honest and say that I’d love a little girl, I think that my husband and our son would love a little brother.  Our prayers are simply for a healthy baby.  Once we find out, I’ll be holding a fun little “guess the gender” contest!  I’ll be sure to give you some clues to help you out along the way.  And maybe a belly pic!

And, be sure to come back on Monday, August 24th for what I think is one of the biggest giveaways ever on Rockin’ Mama.  Shhhh…it’s a surprise! And summer isn’t over so be sure to visit often for summer giveaways and back to school tips and product picks (which will finish out this series).

Oh…and one last thing…as if I wasn’t busy enough…I am getting ready to launch a new venture!   Again….more deets to come…  But I will say this…if you know what I’m passionate about, then you’ll likely guess what this new project is all about.  Stay tuned….

Whew…I’m exhausted.  I’ve been home for over about 24 hours, and to be honest, I’ve been a little distracted with my sweet little boy who I missed terribly.  So much so that I ended up bawling on Saturday night at BowlHer as I was talking to a rep from Pepperidge Farm (I am so sorry and I can’t remember your name!).  But those tears of homesickness and remorse over leaving my little boy were replaced with tears of joy when the announcement came that I had won a Toshiba laptop from 5 Minutes for Mom and Toshiba.  Can you say SQUEE? I’ve never won anything like that and it was a little surreal.

I have a lot to share…both good and bad (but mostly good because I try to be positive that way).  I doubt I’ll get it all written in one post.  Maybe it will take 3 or 5.  I just don’t know.  All I know is that this year was different.  Since I had attended last year, I thought I knew what to expect.  I thought I was a BlogHer pro.  Boy was I wrong.  All I have to say is that I’ve learned a lot this year.  Many changes to come (good, of course!).

I’ll start with day one today and post over the next week.  But before I do, I want to thank my sponsors once again.  I hope that I promoted them appropriately and tactfully.  I definitely did not want to be annoying and believed that I promoted them with both tact and professionalism. I will be posting my thoughts about the brands that helped make BlogHer a possibility for me in the next week.

Going to BlogHer this year was difficult in every imaginable way.  My husband had planned on coming with me so that we wouldn’t have to leave my little boy with the grandparents, but ended up having to work at the last minute.  We also didn’t expect that I would be pregnant at this point.  Or that I would have been so sick for the first 3 + months.  Up until about a month ago, I wasn’t even certain I’d be going because of how sick I was.  You may remember I was initially planning on carpooling.  My OB thought that was a bad idea, seeing that I’m 4 months pregnant and high-risk. Oh…and did I mention that Chicago is half-way across the country?  So yes…going to BlogHer was a struggle…financially, emotionally, physically, geographically… But then I remembered last year.  I remembered the friendships that were solidified in person and the networking that resulted in relationships, and I decided that it was worth it to me to go.

Blame it on pregnancy hormones if you’d like but I almost didn’t go through security at LAX on Thursday morning. When my little boy looked at me with tears in his eyes, his arms outstretched, and cried out to me not to leave, it was heart wrenching.  With tears streaming down my face my mother made me get on that plane because she wanted me to go and “have a good time.”  I would have stayed that day had it not been for her.  So mom, I owe my first born thank you, to you.

I went through security, joked with the workers about not needing a pat down in my pregnant state (apparently that is an available alternative to metal detectors for pregnant women), and went to meet Liz, Steph, and all of the other LA bloggers on the #partyplane.  I have to say THANK YOU to Southwest and @SouthwestAir for putting up with us accomdating us (oh, and for getting us there and back safely!).  I also want to thank Megan for arranging a LIMO from O’Hare to the Sheraton (which is gorgeous by the way).  It was awesome cramming 20 bloggers into one limo.  But back to the plane ride.  It was wonderful meeting so many funny, smart, and talented bloggers who are all right here in LA/OC.  Why does it take a blogging conference half-way across the country for us to meet?  Jennifer is so smart and I have to apologize to her formally for bombarding her with “green” questions.  She finally gave me her book to read since I left my copy at home (was that a hint? LOL!).  I also had an opportunity to chat with Heather and her husband on the plane.  We talked about pregnancy and well…life.  She has this quiet spirit about her, yet she’s not shy.  It was a joy talking to her.  And Liz?  She’s so down to earth it’s refreshing.  And we clicked in seconds.  Steph truly is the kind of friend you want to stick around forever.  She’s kind and gracious and giving…and super smart!  And Kim?  She’s just a riot!  And an incredible writer (read her blog!)  I met so many people just on the plane which really helped ease my nervousness about traveling alone (something I rarely ever do).

Landing at Midway was a bit overwhelming.  I’m from LA so I’m used to large, international airports.  But seriously, the only word to describe my experience there was chaos. Thankfully we had a limo waiting for us so I didn’t have to hail a taxi or catch the train to the city.  The President was in town so what should have been no more than a 30 minute drive, ended up taking almost 2 hours.  But we had lots of fun chatting (all 20+ of us).  The result was that those of us who had aspirations of attending the Swiffer Social Luxe Lounge did not make it.  That’s ok…I’m reliving the experience through their amazing photo stream on Flickr.  I did, however, have a chance to catch up with some of the Mom Central team for a chat.  It’s always nice to put names with faces.  Their get-together was relaxed and small enough to actually converse.  Some of the parties I attended were so packed with people that it was impossible to connect, let alone hear anyone speak.

I was invited to a Crocs party to preview their new line, so with Liz and her roomie in tow, we ventured via cab to the store (that was closed for the party…how cool is that?).  As a nurse, I wear Crocs for work on the unit.  If you’re thinking that Crocs are limited to the clog-style they launched with, I’ve got a surprise for you.  From casual flip-flops to dressy heels, and everything in between, Crocs‘ new line will change your opinion on the company.  Check out some of the pictures I took at THE largest Crocs store ever:

Next up, a much needed and appreciated dinner with the crew from Team Mom at Phil Stefani’s 437 Rush.  It was wonderful meeting Stephanie and Marie from Team Mom.  I think one the best things about BlogHer (which I mentioned last year), is meeting the people you’ve worked with and connected with over the past year in person.  I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to Nicole, Angela (who is also pregnant with her second!), Christine, Mariana, Vanessa, (her and her sister are from France!), CanCan (in her lovely dress), and Deb (if I missed you my sincere apologies).  Thank you girls for making sure I the baby had enough calamari!  We were sent home with some kid’s products from Safeway’s new line entitled Eating Right (more to come when I actually receive it since I had to ship it home to myself).  We had high hopes of attending the Room 704 party but I was exhausted and there were way too many people so I went back to the room. And I learned from my roomie about the “swag” and I was more than ok not going or getting it.

Despite the fact that it was a long day it was very rewarding.  I was able to meet so many incredible people and overall we just had a great time.  I definitely overdid it.  But more to come on subsequent posts.

Things I learned today for next year (provided we can venture across the country):

1.  Don’t over commit/overbook/over schedule.  Unless you have a twin!

2. Wear comfortable shoes. I packed a pair of heels for the evenings, put them on for 5 minutes, then stuffed them back in my suitcase where they still remain.

3.  Get in a day before the conference (to rest!).  It was very stressful trying to get to events I had RSVP’d for. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone.

I’ve taken a few days off to rest and spend time with my son.  It was very difficult leaving him and he and I have needed a few days to get back to our routine.  If you have emailed me, I promise I’ll respond just as soon as I am able.  Tons more to come. I also have some exciting ideas on the horizon which I’ll share just as soon as they’re starting to come together.  Oh…and winners?  I haven’t forgotten you!

Tomorrow morning, I leave for Chicago with a plane full of Los Angeles bloggers bound for the largest women’s blogging conference ever.  As I sit here, typing this, my little boy lies sleeping next to me.  He’s been sick…nothing major…nothing we needed to take him in for…just not feeling well.  And my excitement is clouded just a bit since I am leaving him for 3 days.  Three days…it’s just a brief moment in time.  But leaving my son is heartbreaking.  He has always traveled with me. I don’t remember being away from him for this long. So while there are parties to attend, PR personal to engage with, and new and old friends to meet…I may seem just a bit distracted.  After all, I’m first and foremost a mom.

Just a few housekeeping items…  Giveaway winners will be chosen next week.  Be sure to watch your inbox!  Review and giveaway postings will be light this weekend and very much BlogHer oriented.  For all the latest happenings, be sure to follow me on Twitter.  And I apologize in advance if I’m a little slow responding to emails.

I’m very much looking forward to meeting many of you who will be attending!  Please catch up with me if you’d like.

I am really enjoying the comments I’ve already received. Thank you so much for your input!  One of the questions posed was whether or not extra entries would be given for things that have already been done on current giveaways.  The answer is yes.  Nothing has been changed as of yet.  There are only two giveaways (specifically for the $50 Visa cards) that are not allowing extra entries (unless you use Twitter) and those have been stated since the posts went live. I’m just trying to make giveaways fun and fair for everyone!  I’ll be using your feedback to revise how giveaways are conducted so stay tuned!

You may have noticed that a couple of my giveaways are only accepting extra entries for “tweeting.”  I’ve read several bloggers share their opinions on the matter so I thought I’d try it out to see how you, my readers, like it.

Here are my thoughts….

When I enter a giveaway, it’s usually for something I’d really like to win…something useful…something I may not necessarily have the means to purchase myself.  I like multiple entries.  I like increasing my odds of winning.  That’s why I enter in the first place (when I do).

The discussion around the blogosphere surrounds the motivation behind a blogger’s multiple entry method for giveaways.  Obviously, each blogger has his/her own reasons as to why he/she offers multiple entries and I cannot judge anyone but myself. Here is what I hope…  I hope that if you subscribe to my blog or tell others about it, it’s because you really enjoy it.  Maybe it’s the pictures…or my writing style…or my charm and wit (hehe).  Maybe you like reading about going green or you’re looking for honest opinions on the latest baby and child products.  Maybe you just really like giveaways and you don’t want to miss a single one.  Whatever your reason for subscribing/telling others…thank you!  And know that I value your readership and love connecting with you.  But also know that you can stop by, enter, and leave…no strings attached…no hard feelings.

So that leaves the question…what do you, as readers, like when it comes to giveaways.  Extra entries?  No extra entries?  Somewhere in the middle?  I will take your feedback to heart and revise the way I conduct giveaways if I feel like a majority of you are asking for that!

When I first started my blog (on blogspot almost 2 years ago), I really had no idea what direction I was heading. One thing was certain…blogs helped me get through my 5 months of bedrest and I loved the community I found through them.  I also wanted some way to keep my family in the loop with their first grandchild. So, since it seemed like the “thing to do,”  I started a blog.  We had moved down to Orange County at the time and I was craving social interaction, but afraid to take my newborn baby anywhere, less I have to change his diaper or nurse him in public (yes, I did eventually overcome that and relinquished my hermit-like tendencies).  The funny thing is that I’m a very social person.  But having a baby changed so much of me. I wanted to protect him from the world…so I stayed home.  Eventually, I found myself in some ways, absorbed in “blogs.”  When my newborn was sleeping, I’d get on my computer in true Meg Ryan fashion and see what was going on in the blogosphere.

Fast forward a few months. I distinctly remember posting about the first time we tried to make our son’s baby food.  It was hilarious!  We ended up purchasing a local, organic refrigerated brand since we could not get it right.  My son liked it so much, I made a mention of it.  Somebody, somewhere read that and liked what I had to say.  It was around that time I stumbled upon Mom Central.  At the time, they did not do blog tours (not that I would have known what a “blog tour” was anyway!).  They would have sign ups to try products, and if chosen I’d receive the product and then fill out a survey with my thoughts.  All that to say, I started writing “reviews” on my blog.  Never in my life did I think my blog would turn into a review blog.  But, in many, many ways, that is what it has become.  So why am I rambling on and on?  What’s my point?

The point is…I have settled on the fact that I’m probably considered a review blog.  But…I am hoping over time that you see that I’m not ONLY a review blog.  I love review blogs…truly.  There are some truly fabulous review blogs that I turn to when I want an honest opinion about a purchase I’m considering.  But, I’d like to be MORE than a review blog.  Maybe I’m not there yet.  That’s ok.  What I’m trying to say is that I plan on blogging (in the true sense of the word) more.  There is so much about ME that you don’t know…that I want my children to have recorded somewhere in time.  I want them to know that mommy loves writing and travel and photography and music and dancing and so many other things.  I want them to read about mommy’s hopes and fears and dreams.  I want them to get a glimpse of *me* through this blog. I’m just getting back to the basics…back to where I started…

Don’t worry!  I still plan on bringing you truly fabulous products and giveaways.  You just might see a bit more of *me* in between!

By the way, I felt hungry for the first time in weeks yesterday…and then I paid for it later that night!  Go figure!

This photo was taken BC (before children) in Amsterdam.  I promise I’m happier than I appear!  *Smiles*