Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I received a call last week from the Women`s Business Development Center (www.WBDC.org) asking if I`d donate a WEDGIE for the gift bag for the keynote speaker at their 21st Annual Entrepreneurial Woman`s Conference on Sept. 26th.  The speaker? Martha Stewart.  I said I`d be down to deliver it with bells on!  

Anyone have any ideas on how I can follow up on this or should I just be glad that this will put WEDGIE on Ms. Stewart`s radar screen & do nothing?  

Cookie, How exciting is that??!! Usually you have to pay for any type of celebrity product placement, in gift bags.  And you only have to place one, right in Martha Stewart`s bag?  Sounds like your product is something she`ll love too, right up her alley!  Craig`s idea of sending the personal note is perfect.

Good luck with Martha loving it!!:)  Maybe YOU can benefit from Martha being the keynote speaker.

Cookie! That is awesome. I agree with Craigs advice. Congrats!

Erin

Thank you for the suggestion to write MS a short note.  I haven`t done it yet which I guess means I`m not sure it`s the way to go.  I`m sure celebrities know that everyone is dying for their endorsement.   I just hate to be pushy so I`m going to wait awhile. 

And now Seattle Sutton is coming to speak at the Smart Women Smart Money Conference.  May call the folks in charge & see if they`re going to have a gift bag for her.  If so, I`ll offer to donate WEDGIE. 

Yes, Janie, it was just one for Martha`s gift bag.  But I also donated one for their Silent Auction so WEDGIE was out on display for all attending to see.  I feel everyday like I should be doing something to have WEDGIE out there in the public eye.  I used to wonder why the big guys (Waste Mgmt., Com Ed) bother to advertise but I guess even THEY feel "Out of sight, out...." 

Now that would be great!  I guess it just feels like I`d be fishing to start a dialogue in order to get an endorsement if I wrote to her.  I imagine celebrities are bombarded with folks trying to get something from them & that turns me off. 

Cookie,

Congratulations on taking a risk to get your product out there!  There are many opportunities out there that some businesses don`t, or can`t afford, to take advantage of.  The WBDC has obviously been a good resource for you.

As far as a Thank You.  I recommend sending a nice note.  The odds are that she won`t read it but her assistant will.  What I really recommend doing is to also send a press kit on your product/company to a producer at the MS show with a pitch letter regarding your business and the hope they will contact you when planting season starts.  If you have something relative and timely now, in the next few months, (i.e. people are sitll planting somewhere, or just to pitch for spring), add that into the mix.  Don`t be afraid to mention that MS received a WEDGIE when she was in Chicago last. 

Go for it!  This is a great chance for you to potentially be on air, or more importantly, have your product on the show.

Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions.

Good luck!

Jennifer

And you`re right here in Chicago, Jennifer!  Small world. Thanks for the input. 

I agree that there are lots of opportunities to promote ones business which aren`t taken advantage of.  One priority for me is getting out there every day & talking to folks & being sure I make some WEDGIE calls every single day.  When you`re a home-based biz it`s very easy to get caught up in the minutae of running a household, running errands ....  I`ve been known to pass out my business card to those standing around me in line at DQ, near flower beds in the park.... I`ve taught classes for adult education, had booths at conventions & markets, anything that gets WEDGIE in front of the buying public. The percentage of the population that consider themselves gardeners is staggering so I seldom can go wrong talking to folks about my planting tool.  I think everyone has to stay alert for every possible venue for promoting her/his biz.