Direct Sales, Member Contributions
It’s fascinating, the phenomenon of trends.
Who sets them, and how do they come about? Are they really just a result of our current social progression?
We can chew over what came first, the product or the current. Or we can create our own trend based on what our current society is in need of…or um, ahem…what we are in need of! Imagine the power we have to create a global movement simply by working together and using our commonality as parents to drive our ambitions.
You already know that I am on a mission to bring 1 million parents home…but I am also on a mission to support the ones who are already at home. In the past, I’ve given specific steps that will help you see yourself and value that you were intended to bring your community. But lets go a step further by implementing a simple method that could begin a sweeping new trend immediately.
Stay-at-home parents make up the largest group of consumers in America today – so by catering to their needs, you have a greater chance of success. Our most valuable asset in our modern society as parent entrepreneurs is each other. Why? Because we sell to one another. We are not only networking to grow our businesses, we are each other’s target demographic!
Community, Resource Articles
Parents, our generation is not over, it’s just beginning!
We are radically reshaping the world we live in, not only by creating new business practices and the economical climate, but for the first time in decades, thanks to the booming home business trend, our children have the opportunity to watch us in our professional elements.
An effective and innovative way to educate, today’s youth is no longer oblivious to what will be expected of them once they hit adulthood. For this reason alone, it is important that we embrace, and not deny, the human condition and all the emotions that go along with it.
Our children have the opportunity to experience first hand how acting with courage will reward us at the end of each day, and that the reward is not the money, but the journey itself. By maintaining at home presence, they are able to see the importance of having courage and perseverance without the vulnerability.
It’s important that our children fully realize the pride that comes with being able to behave fully human.
Everything worthwhile comes with hard-work and tenacity. Nothing is a guarantee in life, and furthermore, it’s simply not healthy to live with a false sense of entitlement. Besides, those who have earned greatness appreciate it the most.
Now go make the world a better place!
Family, Uncategorized
Nearly a year ago I made a new years resolution that I would be more conscious of and limit my need to apologize for everything. Along with this new initiative, came a new desire to embrace myself without vindication for the things that make me who I am.
In my tiresome “need to be liked by everyone and not to make waves where there needn’t be any,” I admit I had allowed my Jewish heritage to become somewhat invisible through the years. Being Jewish in the current society had just become more trouble than it was worth. I’d married a Catholic man who had always wanted to support my traditions, but even so, celebrating my culture’s customs had become such a chore amidst a Christian holiday society. Being non-religious, I didn’t really see a need to make it a priority. As far as I was concerned there were more important things to fight for, and quite frankly, I didn’t feel like fighting anyway.
So for a while I took the easy way out, jumping into the celebration of Christmas with both feet, dressing the tree, hanging the stockings and telling stories about Santa and his elves. It was so much easier to celebrate without the fear that I would be targeted. I guess you could say I conformed to fit in.
Through the years, I’d think back to Hanukah, spin a driedle or two in remembrance, but the truth is it felt a bit like I was letting a part of myself die a little. It saddened me, but I wasn’t sure of what I could do about it. The area we live in is sparsely Jewish and what little Jewish circles there were, I didn’t run in.
This year, along with swearing off my addiction to apologize, I realized I no longer wanted to deny my Jewish Heritage. Religious persecution in a less diversified suburb might have led me to choose not to worship at all, but this was no longer about religious beliefs. This was not a choice. The same way a Chinese or Italian person cannot deny their ancestry, I cannot deny mine, nor would I teach my children to deny theirs.
This year, Hanukah came earlier than Christmas, a perfect time to celebrate it without the chaos or the competition of Christmas. By gosh, I was going to take advantage! Hanukah is not yet over and already we have had a wonderful time spinning dreidels, making latkas, hiding presents, and telling the story of the Macabes and the miracle of the burning oil. In honor of my reborn heritage, my husband and I brought our boys to the Skirball Center for the Hanukah celebration this year. It was such a wonderful time for all of us!! Full of laughter and celebration.
It felt like home.
We learned such things such as the correct title for what most of us call a Menorah: The Hannukiah. The most wonderful revelation is how many of my non-Jewish friends and neighbors have taken part in helping me celebrate. They have set aside any preconceived notions and have seemed genuinely interested in learning about my heritage and all of its traditions.
What a glorious time all of us have had!
If only I’d realized earlier the importance of pride, I would not have spent all those years being afraid to be my very self, my only self, and all the things that make me exactly who I am. I didn’t choose to have frizzy kinky hair and freckles, I did not choose to be born in a free country and I did not choose to be Jewish. But I am grateful that each of those choices were made for me.
New Years Eve is still a month away, but I already know that my resolution this year will be to embrace my birthright and honor myself in love and festivity!
Uncategorized
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At times, throwing together an entire email marketing campaign can seem daunting. How does one even know where to begin? Well, the best place to start is by learning. Once you know the simple 5-step process for fail-proof permission-based email marketing you have the road map that you need to simplify the email marketing process and execute successful campaigns.
Step 1:
Begin by using permission-based email software (such as iContact) that allows you to easily create newsletters, automatically manage subscribes, unsubscribes, and bounces, and view reporting statistics like opens and click-throughs.
Step 2:
Decide on the type and frequency of the email communications you will be sending. We recommend sending at least one newsletter per month. You can send multiple newsletters if you sell different types of products. You can also send promotional messages offering a discount or a coupon for a product or service.
Step 3:
Add a sign-up form to your website so you can start collecting subscribers and import any existing lists of subscribers that have already requested your communications. It is generally also safe to import the names of anyone who has done business with you in the past year, provided you will be sending content relevant to what they purchased.
Step 4:
Choose a good email template by using the templates provided within the email software, having your in-house team create one, or by using the custom design services of your email software company. iContact provides over 300 design templates within our software that can be used free of charge, and we can also develop custom templates for a nominal charge.
Step 5:
Develop relevant and high-quality content for your newsletter or message, and send it out to your list. Continue sending your newsletters, announcements, or promotions with consistent frequency. As your list grows, you will notice increased traffic (and if applicable, increased sales) on the day of and the days following an email send.
So if you are ready to start benefiting from email marketing without having to worry about where to begin or how to progress, then sign up for a free trial of the iContact email marketing software today.
Questions?
If you have any questions or need help, please contact our Support Team or call us at (877) 968-3996.
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Email Newsletters, Autoresponders, Surveys, Blogs, & RSS Feeds!
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Family, Member Contributions
I admit that sometimes I am a hypocrite.
Along with that mea culpa is the acknowledgment that I am far from perfect…and while I strive every day to improve myself a little more, perfection is simply not the goal.
Yesterday was a perfect example of my hypocrisy: While writing for my weekly column in Tidbits magazine, I let my frustration get the better of me and yelled at my kids for interrupting me while I was attempting to work.
The ironic hypocrisy is that I was writing a column about how important it is not to attempt to work when you should be parenting, which may very well result in lost concentration, unnecessary yelling, and the resentment of everyone involved.
I was so caught up in my determination to get my task completed that I nearly failed to see the paradox…which borders on amusing.
Perhaps admitting to you now that I am an imperfect mother, full of hypocrisy makes me less of a liar, but the truth is, I am no different than you.
Before you take offense, let me re-phrase. As parents, we do the best we can- and for that we shall be commended. Every day that we are alive is a new opportunity to learn and grow, slip and fall, and get back up again.
I have good days and bad. I am capable of extreme laughter as well as misplaced crankiness. I feel guilt and shame just as often as I feel pride and joy. If there is any lesson in life that keeps presenting itself to us over and over again- it is that the world is constantly balancing itself out.
Everywhere we look there is yin and yang. I am comforted by thoughts such as these, as I hope for you to be. After all, how would we know what a good day is without having a bad day to compare it to?
Hypocrisy is not so bad. It is merely a catalyst for our sincerity. At least, that is how I am justifying my imperfection at the moment.
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