Make it Great

With this Yahoo group I am in, I get to “meet” lots of wonderful business owners and WAHMs. Its called The MomPack, greatest group, EVER. Well, I ran across someone who wanted to do an interview with me for my blog. I looked at her website and lo and behold she is and advertising guru! She is the owner of Baby Swags and she can tell you the rest!

My interview with Phyllis:

Me: What do you do?

Phyllis: I own a company called Baby Swags.  I started Baby Swags in September 2006.  Baby Swags is an Entertainment Marketing company that specializes in promoting Entrepreneurial Women and the products they create.  Baby Swags offers small businesses the opportunity to participate in events, print advertising, and celebrity giftings without the corporate price tag.  Within the last 1.5 years Baby Swags has been making great strides and have been able to get client products seen on TV, and print.  I am now expanding the business to gifting lounges for big events such as the Oscars!  Baby Swags is moving full steam ahead and I couldn’t have done it without all the hard working women who have in one way or another touched my life in such a positive way.

Me:Why is your business beneficial to those trying to get their products in the right hands?

Phyllis:The primary goal of Baby Swags is to bring the ‘buzz’ to your business and/or product.  Baby Swags is to be considered as a marketing tool that will link your product to celebrity.  Of course, the best gift in return is to receive a thank you note or spot a photo with a celebrity actually using your product.  There is no guarantee that will happen, so we will photograph the contents of the basket and include each company in the press release that is distributed.  Each company is allowed to use that photographed image and press release as a part of their own press page, and are strongly advised to distribute their own press release announcing their affiliation with Baby Swags and shout out to the world that the celebrity has been gifted.  It is important to note that the celebrities that are gifted are not endorsing the products they are sent, we are simply stating that gifts were sent to them.  A great deal of time is spent verifying that the gifts sent are going where they need to be going.  If at any time a gift basket is returned, we contact the companies directly and they can either place their products into another basket or they are returned to them.   I basically will take the leg work out of it for you. 

Me: What are some of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to marketing their products?

Phyllis:I have found that many people get discouraged and tend to give up after a short time.  People need to realize that marketing your product or service is an on going venture.   You have to work very hard at it on a constant and consistent basis.  If you think that by placing an ad in a printed magazine for one month will bring you great sales, you will be set up for disappointment.  I have found that in order to really start to see sales increase you need to be in that magazine for a good 6 months before anyone even bats and eye at you. It is costly to be a part of a printed magazine, so you really need to do your homework when it comes to your target market.  As in any advertising campaign, nothing is a sure thing, however you can take measures to insure you are getting the best exposure for your company by doing extensive research.   

Me:  What are some low cost ways to market/advertise products?

Phyllis: There are some wonderful low cost marketing tools out there.  For example, you can submit your products for blog reviews, write up a press release and distribute it on the web (don’t forget to send one to your local editors), submit your website to search engines, make sure you have excellent keywords and meta tags set up, leave business cards around your town at various hot spots, offer products for giveaways, provide items for silent auctions in your hometown, and the list goes on.  You can be really creative with your marketing and it won’t cost you your life’s savings.  

Me:  What are some low cost ways to market/advertise, that are a waste of time?

Phyllis: I don’t believe any marketing or advertising should be considered a waste of time.  What does not work for one company may bring sales and exposure to another.  I do believe companies should try many different forms of advertising and marketing.  When you find a medium that works for you, and you comfortable or at ease with your results, keep doing it until it doesn’t work anymore.  When it just doesn’t feel right, or is not bringing you the results you had hoped for, that necessarily isn’t the right formula for your success.  If that is the case, consider it a lesson learned, but don’t rule that method out completely because at a later date, it may bring you greater results.

Me: If you could tell someone one thing to help them market their products better what would it be?

Phyllis: In this day and age, the internet is a huge, powerful tool.  Do not skimp on the appearance of your website.  You literally have 3 seconds to capture a potential buyers attention.  If you are using a free website, or have not invested the time or money to developing a eye stopping website you may have just lost a sale because of it.  People are very visual where the internet is concerned.  Your website should be free of advertisements (if you are selling a product), easy to navigate, no broken links, be appealing to the eye (color wise), have photos professionally enhanced, and be sure you have a fully functional shopping cart that will accept credit cards.  I cannot stress enough, that is your image.  That is what people see first.  If it doesn’t meet their expectations, no matter how great your product is, you will lose their business.  Save yourself a big headache and hire a professional, you will not be sorry!

Me: Do you have any advetising tips you can share? 

Phyllis: My biggest advertising tip is very simple, write and distribute a newsworthy press release at least 3 times a year.  There are many reasons for a press release such as a new product, a giveaway,  or perhaps you are participating in a celebrity gift basket (shameless plug)!  Your main goal is to start to get people talking about your product.  Don’t be afraid to step outside of the box.  If you are passionate about what you are doing or what you have created, don’t be afraid to shout about it because you never know who will be listening!

Phyllis Pometta
Founder/CEO
Baby Swags- http://www.babyswags.com -Marketing/PR for the WAHM