During the past year, I've seen many small businesses close. We all have. One thing I have noticed about these businesses is that they send out a distress call without even realizing it.

What is the distress call? They stop advertising.

I'm not saying they stop AN advertisement or pull their ads from ONE publication or website. I'm saying they stop ALL advertising in order to save money. The plan (though not well supported) is to save the money they would have spent on advertising for a few months, then start advertising again when they have more money. Or they will start advertising again once the business is making more money.

Does anyone else see the flaw in this thinking? As a seasoned marketer, I understand advertising to be an investment. Like all investments, you put money in and (hopefully) get more money out. But it also works in reverse. If you're not investing (growing your money), you're spending it. In the business world, your business doesn't grow without advertising, so the plan to wait until your business grows is inherently flawed.

So what is the remedy? Is there a middle ground where a distressed business can save money and still salvage their advertisng? The short answer is yes.

If your business is feeling the pressure of the economy, try this:

1. Scrutinize ALL your advertising mediums (including print, online, radio, email, etc). If you track response, great! If not, start tracking it. Ask your customers how they heard about you. Keep the ones that work (or seem to be working well). Question the ones that don't. But hold on... don't toss them to the side just yet (unless they were a bad idea in the first place).
2. Once you see which ads are not pulling their weight, review your message. Are you running the same message in all your advertising mediums? If so, the message may not be the problem. If not, take note of which messages get the best response. Consider changing the message of your ads in those that are lagging behind. You may just be missing the mark.
3. Downsize if needed. Don't jump right into pulling all your ads. There's another option (for most advertising mediums). Find a more affordable alternative. If you pay for a half page ad, ask about downsizing to a 1/4 page ad for awhile. If you pay for a banner ad on a website, ask if they have a smaller sidebar ad. If you're sending out one direct mail piece each week, try sending them every other week instead.

There is almost always a way to save money in advertising without sacrificing your "top of mind awareness." And this is the key to survival when the chips are down. So before you send up the white flag, spend a little extra time making adjustments. Do your research, and find the solutions that best fit your situation.

What was your "New Year's Resolution?" Was it to be more motivated? Get more things done around the house? Want to be a Motivated Mom?

Check out this AWESOME resource for moms! It's a planner, but it's SO MUCH MORE than that! It has daily chore lists, and more specific chore lists for each day. I know what you're thinking... "why would I want a planner with a CHORE LIST?" Here's why: As women, we LOVE checking things off our lists! It keeps us motivated. And the best bonus: your house will look wonderful, AND more importantly, you will feel GREAT about what you accomplish each day! Talk about motivation!

It's not just about the chore list (though I think that's a really neat feature since I never know where to start!). It includes things like "spend time on a craft/hobby," "pamper yourself," meal planning help, and more! One version also includes Bible passages to help you read through the Bible in one year!

Check it out! It's only $8, and it comes in a convenient, downloadable E-book format. You can print off one day or week at a time, or print the entire book and stick it in a binder or planner you already have! Multiple versions available.

 Click here to visit Motivated Moms.

You are invited to a FREE Kindermusik class at Kindermusik of The Woodlands! 

January 4-15

Come and experience Kindermusik with your child, newborn to 6 years, and discover why Kindermusik is the leading early childhood program and why Kindermusik of The Woodlands is the top program in Texas. Kindermusik Music & Movement classes focus on your child's development in these areas: Music, Physical, Cognitive, Language, Aural, Emotional and Social. 

Kindermusik Sign & Sing is a sign language class for 6 months to 3 years.  Kindermusik of The Woodlands is in its 22nd year and has been awarded the Kindermusik Maestro Conductor Award as a Top 1% program.  Kindermusik prepares your child for success in school and future formal music instruction.  Come and meet other moms and dads.  You'll have fun too!

               Schedule your first preview class by phone, email or submitting the online free preview class request on our website. Visit the website for class descriptions, schedules, fees & online registration. Please mention Kidstuff Directory when scheduling your free class!

 of The Woodlands 
a good beginning never ends!

Nancy Hall, Director
25218 Grogan's Park Drive, The Woodlands, 77380  
281-367-0545 
www.kindermusikofthewoodlands.com
infokindermusik@aol.com

Now that Christmas is behind us, soon many businesses will be thinking about how they can re-vamp their marketing plan in 2010. As business owners, we're constantly looking for something better, something easier on the budget, and new ways to reach potential clients.

Take a look at the Kidstuff Directory (if you're not already advertising with us). We have a proven record, and our parent company is the one that started it all. Follow this link to see all our sister publications across the nation. Trust me, Kidstuff Directory is not a new concept... but it's one that works!

No matter where you are placing your advertising dollars, remember to take some time to evaluate each one. I remind my clients to do this with their ad in the Kidstuff Directory as well. If you have a method of tracking advertising (example: coupon codes, referrals, etc), then be sure to keep it well organized. If you don't have a method of tracking, I suggest you try to implement one as soon as possible.

Keep in mind that tracking your response doesn't always yield perfect results. Some customers may forget where they saw your ad, or perhaps they saw it in several places and only mention the most recent. Also keep in mind that a "word of mouth" referral had to start somewhere. That "mouth" that mentioned your business to them saw your advertising somewhere.

Contact me if you'd like to schedule a brief meeting to discuss your advertising options. If you need extra help organizing your marketing plan, find a marketing consultant that specializes in your type of business.

In honor of this special time of year, let's not forget the real meaning of Christmas! Here is a cute poem called "The Legend of the Candy Cane."

A friend emailed this to me, and it's just too cute! The title of the email said "Redneck Baby Chair."

In a couple days, I'll be reminiscing over the past two years. See, the first issue of North Houston Kidstuff Directory was distributed September 2007, so I consider this to be our birthday (although the operation truly began in June 2007). It's hard to believe it's already been TWO years!

I've had so much fun publishing the Kidstuff Directory. I've met so many wonderful people over the last two years... business owners who love kids, families who love local businesses, and lots of wonderful parents who tell me how much they love the Kidstuff Directory!

We've been a part of many great family events as well... the American Baby Faire, the Houston Children's Festival, the Watermelon Festival, the Home, Health, and Business Expo, and soon the Media Expo and Woodlands Children's Festival. We've truly enjoy meeting all the wonderful families who attend these events. Your kids are so precious, and your kind words mean so much to us.

But what I enjoy most about this family resource guide is the opportunity I have to spend time with my own family. The most important things to me in this world (apart from God) are my husband and two beautiful children. In fact, this very moment, my son is asking me for a snack. And I get to be the one to get it for him. I love sharing these moments with the ones I love!

I want to thank all of the local businesses who support this Directory as well as the loyal readers who enjoy its resources. I couldn't do this without you, and I count myself blessed to have such a wonderful network of people in Spring, The Woodlands, and surrounding areas. Thank you so much for all your support, your kind words, and your faithfulness to the Kidstuff Directory.

Are you hosting a family-friendly event in North Houston? Kidstuff Directory would love to be a part of your event. Whether it's media sponsorship of your event or simply donating copies of the Directory to fill your goodie bags, we're here to help! Contact us with details of the event and what you'd like from us. We'll take it from there.

Want More Help Planning Your Family Event?

Consider these questions as you're planning:

What is the nature of your event - outreach, activity, educational? Why do you have this event? How is it missional?

Will you have sponsorships? How will you obtain these sponsorships?

What's the highlight of this event?

Who would be most likely to attend this event?

How do you get the word out to the community and encourage attendance?

What have you learned from other events?

How will you follow up with visitors and sponsors?

Don't forget to post your event to the community calendar on this website. Submission is free, and once we approve your submission, your event will be posted on our public calendar. You only need to submit your event once. It won't show up on the calendar until it is approved by our admin. Need to get it posted asap? Contact us directly right after your submission so we know to expedite the posting.

If you're interested in advertising your event to parents in Spring and The Woodlands, consider placing an ad in the Kidstuff Directory. This requires advance planning, but it's sure to boost your attendance and help spread the word to local parents.

Lastly, don't forget to HAVE FUN at the event!  Enjoy the fruits of your labor, even if everything doesn't go exactly as planned.

What a great idea for a gathering!

Invite some friends, neighbors, or family over for a game night. It's good, cheap fun, and you'll get to spend some quality time getting to know your guests.

So, go pop some popcorn or open a bag of pretzels, get out a few of those dusty game boxes, and have a fun night staying in playing games!

Then email me a photo of your get-together and I'll post it on my blog! 

The Kidstuff Directory will have a booth at the Watermelon Festival in The Woodlands. This is the first year for the event, and we're really excited to participate. This is the ad running in the July/August issue of the Directory:

Our booth will be in the Kid Zone, and part of the Kid Zone requirement is that we have a game for kids to play. We came up with the idea to bring Lasso Golf (what some people call Ladder Ball) and have prizes for the kids. I've spent the last two days looking for prize material, and I think I've finally come up with a couple prize items. Come by our booth and your kids can play Lasso Golf to win these prizes:

We'll also have a special gift for moms who sign up for our email list. If you're already on the email list, just come to the booth and tell us you're on the list. We'll give you your special prize.

Don't miss the 2009 Watermelon Festival on August 2, 2009 at Northshore Park in The Woodlands!

Kevin Koloian of the Spring Observer wrote a very nice article about the new networking group, Kidstuff Konnections. Check It Out:  http://www.hcnonline.com/articles/2009/06/26/spring_observer/news/27sokidstuffwv.txt

After two years, we've retired the old website and completely remodeled the place! I'm so excited about all the new features and resources.

Make sure to check out the informative articles, money-saving coupons, links for kids, list of our advertisers, kids eat free restaurants, and interactive community calendar.

More to follow...