Be a Green Grocery Shopper

Womentorz and Esse Reusable Bags are celebrating Earth Day the entire month of April, and with that we are periodically providing green trips to our fans and follows to help make our planet a healthier and cleaner environment.

Here are some important green shopping tips:

We often have options as the supermarket to buy items that are “conveniently” packaged in individual units to make packing lunches and eating-on-the-go easier. Food such as yogurt, pudding, granola bars, soft drinks, juice, cereal, and snack foods may come in packages of multiple single-serving sizes in addition to larger, “bulk” sizes. Even though the individual sizes do seem more convenient, they also produce more waste with their packaging than the larger sizes. You can buy the larger sizes and then divide up the food at home in reusable containers to avoid the excess garbage.

Instead of allowing the bagger to bag your groceries in disposable plastic or paper bags, bring your own bags made of cloth, mesh, or other recycled material to reduce the garbage produced by grocery bags.

The Esse CarryAll Tote ~ Making a difference just got a little easier... with a complete 7 bag shopping system designed to replace paper, plastic AND flimsy produce bags all in one stylish tote!  http://www.womentorz.com/shop/view/Esse-CarryAll-Tote/ 

The CarryAll Tote comes in many fashionable style options, so you can be a green fashionista!!!

Bypass the plastic in the produce aisle and wait until you get home where you can store the food in a reusable container.  Esse Reusable Bags also makes a reusable Produce Bag.  The Produce Bag replaces the flimsy plastic bulk produce bags.  They are washable, lightweight nylon mesh bag with drawstring closure.  Click Here To Purchase Produce Bags



Green Tip: You may want a few more…keep some in your CarryAll while others are in the refrigerator or wash. Be sure to check out the 6 Pak!

Many items today are packaged in recycled paper or plastic, which is labeled on the bag or box. Look for items that are labeled as such, and that have a high percentage of recycled content in their packaging. Also look for items that are packaged in recyclable containers – either ones that you can drop off at a designated point, or ones that you can use yourself at home to reduce your own garbage.

Green Fact: over 500 BILLION plastic bags are produced each year~ bags that do not break down. Less than 3% are recycled appropriately. They end up as garbage, in our trees, lakes and oceans harming thousands of birds, animals and marine life daily. They clog our gutters, sewers and streams costing us plenty in taxes with their cleanup.

We know that using reusable bags is just one small step towards taking better care of our earth and Womentorz and Esse Reusable Bags wants to help make it more convenient and just a little easier to do so

Inventor Showcase: Dangled Expressions - Open Stems Dangle-link

Do you love the look of hook earrings, but your earlobes just can't wear the style?  Well, Dangled Expressions Open Stems Dangle-link, invented by Connie Young, is your answer!!!  Connie has solved a problem that many women encounter through no fault of their own.  Now they can have the look of dangley, hook earrings with this innovative and beautiful solution.  I am pleased to introduce the talented and sweet Connie Young:

 Q. What brought about your idea for this unique earring design?

It really transpired over a few years.  I’d be admiring dangle earrings and saying to myself, ‘why don’t they put those on a post earring instead of earwire?’ The designs I liked always seemed to be displayed from earwire and I’m not a huge fan of earwire for myself.  At a time when I really needed a creative outlet, I got to thinking, ‘why can’t I be “they”’ and started bending wire and penciling sketches.  At the same time, I had picked up Tamara Monosoff’s The Mom Inventor’s Handbook. I actually finished it in a weekend and I am not an avid reader.  It was really a culmination of several things all coming together at once.

Q. I can see that your invention would benefit many women who have seen better days with their pierced ears, but your design is so beautiful that really anyone would love your earrings.  Can you tell us all the features your earrings have?

These earrings have several features.  They can be worn alone, without anything displayed from them, if that is the preference - they look just beautiful alone.  However, their design allows you to link dangles or charms over the open end of the stem.  Here, the possibilities are endless!  I have a friend who purchased a pair of earrings that were on earwire, took the dangle component off the earwire and now links them onto her Open Stems dangle•links. Most important to me, though, is that they are an alternative to earwire from which to display dangles or charms. I wanted to conceal my stretched piercings, so I placed the post centrally on the stud portion of the earring.  For many people, these designs may conceal their stretch or disfigurement entirely.
Q.  Please tell us more about the various design options.  Two designs are currently on the market with a third on it’s way!  Rosy has a coil-shaped stem and is a little larger on the front.  The second design, Amanda, is slimmer on the front and the stem is U-shaped.  This is a very delicate option.  The third design is gorgeous as well and offers more silver and design.

Q.  What was your experience like in the actual design and manufacturing of your product? 

The original picture and design that I had in mind is very different from the designs that I have actually brought to the market…the design definitely evolved.  In the beginning, finding a manufacturer was difficult, due in part to the fact that I was so new to the process.  The process of manufacturing is certainly not something one is born knowing.  I had a good idea, but then had to figure out how to bring the idea to reality…quite a learning process!  I spent many hours on the phone and doing internet searches for manufacturers that met my needs and would work with someone who had virtually no experience in the industry and small orders to start.  It was important to me to keep the  manufacturing of the earrings in the U.S.  I am thankful to all of those that shared their expertise and knowledge.  I gleaned what I could from each of them, whether it was a five minute phone call or an hour long phone call!  And I still have so much to learn! The most important thing I learned…the value of networking.

Q. How do you balance running your business with family?

A very supportive family!  I couldn’t embark on a journey like this without that support.  I believe such an undertaking is truly a family decision and it is essential that everyone knows as much as possible of what is/could be involved from the very beginning.  I take my daughter with me to many meetings and events that I have to attend.  I think it gives her a learning opportunity not otherwise received to experience such discussions and decision-making.  Hopefully, it will be to her benefit in the future.

Q. What did you do prior to your invention?

I’m still working my ‘day’ job. I am an RN and work in clinical data management for a contract research organization.

Q. What fact would readers find interesting about you?

I never ever in a million years would have dreamed that I would be doing this. I never thought I would have the endurance to take on such a ‘project’, let alone caring for a family and working as well. I have to say that I love it, though. There are the exhausting days that I wonder, ‘what in the world am I doing?’, and then there are the days when I have people (women and men!) tell me what a fantastic idea this is and ‘why didn’t I think of that?’. And the repeat customers…well, they make it all worth it – thanks so much to all of them for that!
 

Remember: April 15th is the Womentorz Twitter Party with Mommy Perks

It’s almost time for our the Womentorz Twitter Party hosted by Mommy Perks!

We’d love for you to join us. Here are the details:

Date: April 15th

Time: 9pm ET (8pm Central, 7pm Mountain, 6pm Pacific)

Place: Twitter, of course!

Hashtag: #womentorz

Who are we celebrating?

—–> Womentorz.com

What are we celebrating?

—–> Our re-launch!

What is our theme?

—–> “I wish there was an invention for…”
(you finish the sentence!)

Who is invited?

—–> Anyone! Moms, Dads, Grandparents, business owners, men, women, friends…YOU!

Will there be PRIZES?

—–> Yes!  27 in all with DOLE contributing to the party!

Click here to see a list of the amazing prizes in store

Inventor Showcase: The Chair Bib

I am so pleased to be showcasing Aimee Purcell, the inventor of The Chair Bib, which is the invention that most people say, "Why didn't I think of that?"  It has been such a pleasure getting to know Aimee and watch her GO FOR IT!  She has been getting out there with her invention going to trade shows and receiving wonderful reviews!!!  Lets all get to know Aimee and her awesome invention:

Q. How did you come up with the idea of The Chair Bib?
I came up with the idea for The Chair Bib when my son was "graduating" from the high chair to the booster seat.  We placed the booster seat onto my new wooden chair.  Everything was great until I realized that the booster seat was scratching my new chair!  We tried placing a towel under the booster seat but it never stayed in place.  I looked on-line for a solution and couldn't find one.  I knew I wasn't the only mom in America with this problem and at that moment I decided to invent The Chair Bib.
  

Q.  What unique features does The Chair Bib have?

In coming up with the patent pending design I knew I wanted it to be simple and easy to use for moms (and dads).  The Chair Bib is unique because it does not require the use of any velcro, ties, snaps or fasteners.  The elastic band allows The Chair Bib to stretch up and over the back of the armless chair and then onto the seat!  The fleece patterns are also a unique feature, the kids love them!  My "little" customers are proud of their special chairs!
 
Q. What was your experience like in the actual design and sewing of your product?

Designing for The Chair Bib was no small task.  I knew exactly what function I wanted The Chair Bib to have but to actually make it work to fit most armless chairs was very difficult.   It took about a week and a lot of wasted material but I'll never forget when I finally did it!  I was rushing to pick up my oldest daughter at soccer.  Before I left I made the design work and I had butterflies because I knew I had just invented something very special!  It was a surreal feeling.
 
Q. How do you balance launching a new invention with family?

I have three healthy, beautiful, active kids and the most amazing husband any women could ask for.  To say my life is busy is the biggest understatement of the year!  In order for me to stay home my husband works two jobs so I basically do everything else.  Now with this new exciting chapter in my life I have realized that I am great at time management!  It's amazing what I can get accomplished in 3 hours while my youngest is in pre-school.  Being a mom is without question the most difficult job in the world and for me that comes first.  Without the support and love from my husband I would not have been able to invent The Chair Bib, he has without question made the difference.
 

Q. What did you do prior to your invention?

Before inventing The Chair Bib I was (and still am) a stay at home mom.  But before kids I worked as a comptroller for a commercial real estate developer.  They inspired me to go to college at night, it took me 5 1/2 long years but I finally received my bachelor's degree in Business Management from Northeastern University. 
 

Q. What fact would readers find interesting about you?

Staying active and healthy are very important to me.  I try to eat right and work out at least 3 times per week, usually walking or jogging outside.  I do not belong to a gym, I'd much rather be outdoors enjoying the beauty of nature.  I was always an athlete in high school playing field hockey, basketball and softball.  Now during the spring/summer months I play on a women's softball team in my home town of Wakefield Mass.  Lastly, my husband Brian and I are both the same age, both from Wakefield and starting dating when we were 16, high school sweethearts!  We've been together for 24 years and will celebrate out 15th wedding anniversary in August.

Infomercials – is there really money to be made with your product?

Written By: Jim DeBetta

We all know about Infomercials…the stuff of late night TV legend.  It slices, it dices, and wait…there’s more!  Selling products on TV is a decades old business and some of the great products we know today were Infomercial items like the Ab-Roller and the Ginsu Steak Knives.  It seems more and more that inventors want to get their products on TV so they can potentially make millions with very little risk but the truth is the risks can be great and the costs even greater. 

The stats are kind of scary….just a handful of the thousands of items that are tested on TV actually perform well according to a couple of the industry leaders.  Everything has to be just right.  You must produce a great sales script that gets people excited and willing to “buy now.”  You also must secure the right airtime and have just the right price for your product.  How do you do it?  What does it cost?

There are many companies that can assist you but you must be careful about who you do business with.  I personally like the firms that do not charge anything up front but they will take most of the revenue the product earns leaving you with just a few percent in the form of a royalty.  Think of it like a licensing deal where you get 5% or so of the sales.  However, these firms front all of the costs to produce the Infomercial, secure the best airtimes, and provide the personality who sells the product on TV.  It can cost hundreds of thousands to do this correctly so it is no wonder they wish to earn most of what sales are generated and rightfully so.  They took the risk….and so they should reap most of the reward! 

There are also many companies that charge tens of thousands and up to do this work for you but you then earn much of the revenue that comes from the sale of the product.  However, some of these firms may not handle the business correctly, can’t get the prime airtimes, and do not have big personalities that get people excited and motivated to buy.  These companies may have a selection process but are usually not as picky as the above mentioned firms who front the costs.  Why?  Because you are bearing much of the costs and hence the risk as well.   Just be careful about companies that promise great results because the fact is most products do not perform very well and there are often much more effective ways to spend your marketing dollars to expose your product and grow your business.

To learn more about Jim DeBetta please visit www.jimdebetta.com 

Womentorz.com Version 2.0 is Live!!!!

As you may already know, Womentorz.com has relaunched with an entirely new platform and price structure!  The past couple of days have been extremely busy with former and new members loading their products.  It's exciting to visit the site and see all of the fabulous inventions already available for purchase.  

Why Use Womentorz?

Womentorz brings a level of exposure to your invention that is difficult to achieve on your own.  By coming together to form a destination for visitors to see all the latest gadgets and concepts along with product reviews you are creating an environment where there are power in numbers. 

Womentorz members have formed a unique community of women who support and inspire each other every day.  Lets face it...it's nice to not feel alone.  Getting your product out there can be a scary process.  Womentorz provides the support and security for very little investment.

Another perk to the new format is that it opens up a marketing research platform for inventors to test the waters before investing an arm and a leg on an invention that the public may or may not be interested in purchasing.  With the unique discussion board, visitors can comment and rate your invention and give you valuable feedback.

Rates:

$20 per month for your own store front and custom marketing

$20 to be on the homepage

$10 for an additional product

Banner Advertising: $350 Non Members / $250 for Members

Promotions for Members:

-For every member you bring to Womentorz you get a free month subscription.

-If you bring an advertiser to Womentorz you will receive a 20% commission on an ongoing basis as long as the advertiser is still on the site.

We Provide One on One Marketing

Beyond providing a marketplace, all members receive one on one marketing assistance to promote there product to the max.  For instance, last month Womentorz celebrated Young Goddess Day to help promote the concept of The Goddess Box invented by Marianne Impal of Raecole.  We throw a huge twitter party and had a blast highlighting a very important message!  This month Womentorz will be celebrating Earth Day to help promote green products on the site such as the amazing Esse CarryAll Tote.  The month of May will be celebrating National Mom's Night Out and will highlighting products on the site relevant to this even such as the DivaGirl Board Game.

Womentorz members were given huge exposure when an opportunity to present the products on the site to the Rachael Ray Show production team came to us.  This was a wonderful opportunity brought to everyone because of Ro Wagner's, inventor of Carry-Her, connection with the producer.  Besides providing a sample, this opportunity was automatically available to all members who wanted to be involved, which as you can see in the picture was just about everyone.  The Rachael Ray Show is still watching us and was extremely impressed and overwhelmed with the gift basket sent to them.  Now that the site is back up now is the time to get on so they can see your product!  We will be following up soon.

Mark your calendars for the April 15th Twitter Party being hosted by the amazing Mommy Perks!  For more information visit their blog at www.mommyperks.com

Be sure to follow the site for all of the new inventions being loaded on daily basis.  It's an exciting time for Womentorz and everyone involved!  It's good to be back!!!

LadyUmbrella Designer Ladies T-Shirts

I came across LadyUmbrella on Twitter and really wanted to share their awesome t-shirt designs with all of you.  I'm sure you will all be as impressed as I was.  I asked Robert Ryan, co-owner of LadyUmbrella, to give me some background on the company and how they came up with their unique look.  

Here's more about LadyUmbrella in Rob's own words:

There are two of us involved in LadyUmbrella, myself and the co owner and designer, Elena Montes Casado. We set up the company towards the end of 2008 and spent a lot of time researching, developing and designing our brand and t-shirts. We launched on the 20th of January 2010 and have been shipping our t-shirts worldwide since.

The idea for the company and the brand LadyUmbrella came to be when Elena first arrvied in Dublin, Ireland from Madrid, Spain. She was not accustomed to seeing so many umbrellas on the streets (or the amount of nasty rain we get hehe) and this gave rise to the notion of a lady with an umbrella for a head - LadyUmbrella. All of our designs feature our leading lady in a variety of scenes and scenarios and are discharge printed on our custom made 100% combed cotton t-shirts.

So, as I said, we launched the online shop on the 20th of January and so far have been having a really great time with lots of exciting things happening. We've shipped tshirts to Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Australia, South Korea and America so far and can't wait to find out which will be the next new territory for us. Our t-shirts are also currently being used in the recording of a new British film called Booked Out which is due for release later this year. Our t-shirts have also been sent to SXSW for some of the performers and our fingers are crossed that some one will actually wear one on stage - time will tell. We have also been nominated for an Irish Blog Award and have our t-shirts stocked in a boutique called EMMA Boutique in Dublin. We've also been mentioned in 2 national newspapers which is really staggering as we're not even open 2 months yet but we are delighted with how things are going.

They are offering a 15% discount code, which can be found at http://bit.ly/lumail

Even though LadyUmbrella is a relatively new company, it's obvious that we will be seeing their designs all over the place very soon.  To learn more about LadyUmbrella and to see more designs please visit their website at www.ladyumbrella.com. 

Inventor Showcase: Esse Reusable Bags

To kick of the Earth Day celebrations Womentorz is proud do be showcasing Esse Reusable Bags.  These are a must have for the next time you go grocery shopping.  I just received the CarryAll Tote and cannot believe all of the innovative elements within the product itself.  You can't appreciate the quality of this invention until you see it in person.  I was truly amazed!!!  There are so many parts of the bag that makes being green convenient and fashionable.  

I have had the best time getting to know all about the inventors of this important product that's cleaning up the Earth one grocery bag at a time.   

Q. How, why and when do you and your partner come up with Esse Reusable Bags?

In 2007, I was standing in line at my local market when I realized that, once again, I had forgot my reusable bag! I thought how great it would be if I had a bag that could be small enough to be stored in my purse. I got home, called Dawn and said "I have an idea..."she said "uh, what's new" (haha) and then, "me too". The following week, not knowing each other's idea, we sat down at my kitchen island and whipped out our prototypes. Hers was a cute version of the cheap, polypropylene grocery bag (the ones with all the advertising on them) and mine was a cut up, taped up version that served as a pathetic starting point for our Everyday Bag. From there, we decided that the next biggest dilemma we had was never having enough reusable bags when shopping for our family... and the CarryAll Tote was born.

Q. How does your product make grocery shopping along with being conscious of the environment easier?

We tried to cover all the bases when designing our line by making them convenient, stylish and hopefully, unforgettable. We chose to use recycled PET (plastic bottles!) material where possible and designed them to be used individually as well as together in the CarryAll Tote or Pak bag. We have one of the first ever complete lines of reusable bags to replace all paper, plastic and the flimsy produce bags at the grocery store.  The Everyday Bag is also the perfect bag for the mall, department store, convenient store... everywhere you shop, every day.
Q. What role does each of you play in the running of the business? Dreamer (me). Doer (Dawn). We really do have a great balance in that Dawn does what I tell her to and she tells me if I can spend money.

Q. What was your experience like in the actual design and manufacturing of your product?

The design part was great. We had a lot of fun and tweaked everything until we were both totally satisfied. Some would say we're still tweaking because one of us in never fully satisfied... but I'm not sayin' who. Choosing the right fabric, colors and patterns is much more difficult than we had ever imagined but thankfully we have similar taste. Manufacturing was even more difficult. We spent over year trying to find a Stateside sewing company but with 7 bags sold together as one set, we found our retail price would exceed $200! We've finally found a trusted vendor and are in full production mode.

Q. Who or what motivates you through challenging moments all businesses have?

Each other, our passion for our product and our husbands wanting to know when they can retire (or at least be "shipping managers"). We have always been recycling, resourceful women with a dream of someday having our own business. Esse is a perfect fit for us both.

Q. What did each of you do prior to your invention?

Dawn was, and still is a part-time business manger for a small courier company. She says that I am an artist (mosaics and interiors). We've both always been pretty involved in our children's school and their many activities and try hard to keep our families as a #1 priority.

Q. What an interesting fact about both of you we wouldn’t know by just talking to you?

Dawn's birthday is 5-5 and mine is 7-7, in the same year. Both our mother's names are Linda. The first time we met each other 17 years ago (right after our 18th birthday...he he) we talked about our desire for owning our own businesses and how cool it would be to do something together, someday. And now, here we are!

You will be able to learn more about Esse Reusable Bags when the new Womentorz site is relaunched on April 1st.  You can purchase this product on their website at www.esselife.com.

Womentorz is Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day

Earth Day falls on Thursday, April 22, 2010--and it's the 40th Anniversary of the holiday. It's a great time to learn about our planet and how to take care of it!  Womentorz has a number of green products on the site, and with the site's relaunch scheduled for April 1st, what better time to celebrate than showcasing these products as well as ideas on how each one of us can make the planet a little greener.

The entire month of April will be dedicated to this cause with lots of fun events.  To kick the month off, we have a wonderful interview with Holly and Dawn, the inventors of Esse Reusable Bags.  Stay tuned for tomorrow's posting.  Here's to being lean, mean and green machines!!

The Cricket Toy Celebrates that Awkward Moment – Chirp! Chirp!

I believe in supporting all entrepreneurs, both men and women alike, and when I came across the CRICKETtoy™ I just had to share it with all of you.

We’ve all had those awkward moments and wish there was a way to break the ice.  This hilarious device was invented by Jeff Anderson, a father of three, freelance songwriter, composer and producer in Spring Hill (Nashville), TN to celebrate those moments where words just don’t work.

TheCRICKETtoy™ is for any awkward situation. Simply push the button on the CRICKETtoy™ and you’ll hear crickets chirping.  To purchase this device visit www.thecrickettoy.com.  Chirp! Chirp!

Young Goddess Day Twitter Party is a Huge Success!!!

As you've probably noticed, there hasn't been a lot of changes to the blog over the past week so the focus was completely on the Young Goddess Day Twitter Party and all of the fabulous prizes!  The attention to YGD was completely worth it because the party was a huge success.  

We were able to meet a lot of new ladies and celebrate the positive message of honoring the time when young girls become women.  In this day and age this message gets lost in all of the day to day noise. Raecole and the Goddess Box celebrates this time in a girl's life and helps open up the communication between mother and daughter.    

Marianne with Raecole, a member of Womentorz  and dear friend, did such an amazing job hosting the twitter party.  The trivia games were so well thought out and fun for everyone.  To top it off, we were able to give out THE most amazing prizes.  Both Marianne and I feel very fortunate to have had so many generous contributors to the party.  

The party was very fast paced and even ran longer than the scheduled hour, so we wanted to make sure that we list all of the winners along with the fabulous prize they have won:

@Stayingyoung2 – winner of girls Lizzie Lou Flip Flops
@Justicecw – winner of an Opalite and clear quartz bracelet by High Strung Beads
@frugalgirl – winner of an original Reillyland roll ‘em up mat from Spooneez
@missaacmom – winner of a doll backpack by Carry Her
@LittleEsMomma – winner of Grill Charms and Key Chain 4 a Cure
@mmc67 – winner of the Dot Girls First Period Kit
@Ziggywag – winner of an original JoeyFiveCents butterfly necklace
@shawnmn – winner of an Heirloom Bijou Bracelet by Templeton Silver
@Graylee – winner of two sets of Ficklet design eye glass charms
@amberlou24 – winner of a unique baby bowl by Baby Dipper
@gis4girl – winner of 2 Azula pool lounge mats by MyAzula
@shelleyls – winner of Award Winning book Beauty Secrets by Debra Gano
@mommy_to_2_chris – Grand Prize winner of the Goddess Box by RaeCole

We would like to thank everyone who participated and contributed to the YGD twitter party.  It was because of you that it was such an amazing success.  Here's to looking ahead to YGD 2011!!!!

You're Cordially Invited to Celebrate YGD and Win These Amazing Prizes!

Celebrating National Young Goddess Day 

with a Twitter Party and Prizes!!!!
(See Below For Prizes)

We're inviting YOU to join the Young Goddess Day Twitter Party, bound to spark Mothers and Daughters to connect all over the world!

When: Saturday, March 20th
@ 4:00 EST

Where: Twitterville, Online Everywhere!

Why: Thought you'd never ask! 

How to Participate:
First.....comment below with your name and twitter tag in order to be in the running to win a prize even if you've told us you're going to be part of the party.  Contributors to the party don't need to be on the list...obviously you will be there. :  )  THEN, login to Twitter (4pm EST, 3pm Central, 2pm Mountain and 1pm Pacific) and follow the #YoungGoddessDay trend typed like this at the end of your tweet. Here we will post giveaway questions and available prizes for you to win for one full hour!

YGD or Young Goddess Day is a day dedicated to spending good ol' fashioned quality time with your dauther for at least 1 hour on March 20th or any day during March, where you can provide her with full blown, undivided attention; without the distraction of cell phones, video games, ipod, dvd's or anything that would take attention away from her. Can YOU support that?

In order to win, we ask that you stay with us that full hour to Tweet and ReTweet the #YoungGoddessDay trend to answer any questions or stay in the conversation. The more you Tweet #YoungGoddessDay the more you increase your chances of winning one of the amazing prizes below! You'll want to stay the full hour for the Grand Prize Giveaway that just may be for YOU!

Twitter parties are a fast, easy, fun and FREE way to connect with like-minded people all over the world!

Here are the prizes that YOU  could win:

Sippy Straw Cleaner - Value is priceless

Joeyfivecents, One of a kind Jewelry – Butterfly pendant necklace valued at $30.00

High Strung Beads Etc., Quality Handcrafted Treasures – Beaded Bracelet (Style and value may vary)- estimated value at $60.00

Lizzielou Shoes (Style may value may vary) - Value $95 - $117

The Dot Girls First Period Kit – valued at $19.95

Spooneez, Roll Up the Mess – original Reillyland valued at $16

Carry-Her - Valued at $21

Azula - Roll up Summer - Valued at $14.50

Beauty's Secret, A Girls Discovery of Inner Beauty 
Winner of numerous awards, including the Moms Choice Award and
Best Children's Book of the Year (twice!) - Valued at $17.95

Tempelton Silver – Cats Eye Heirloom Bijou Bracelet- Valued at $40

Ficklets -  (2) Childrens Eyewear Charm Huggers (Style and value may vary) - Estimated value $16 

Grill Charmers – grill charm gift set valued at $19.95

Key Chain for a Cure – Priceless

Baby Dipper - Value $12.95

RaeCole – Goddess Box valued at $74.99

Good luck!!!!  These are all great prizes.  

Thank you to our contributors!

Introducing Mommy Perks - An important partner of Womentorz

Womentorz has been working with Mommy Perks since our inception and have been so impressed with the level of professionalism and support received.  Shara Lawrence-Weiss, Owner of Mommy Perks, is an extremely talented writer and entrepreneur providing an array of promotional opportunities for your business with very reasonable PR and advertising packages.

With the relaunch of the site scheduled for April 1st, I really wanted to have a way to get the word out quickly....and what better way than with a big Twitter Party.  Our first Twitter Party was such a huge success that I know how much of an impact this social media tool can be.  I came to Shara to see if she would be interested in providing this service on top of her already popular PR and advertising packages.  I was so pleased that she was up for the challenge.  What she has done already to make the party a success is phenomenal.    


I will be posting more information about the Twitter Party, scheduled for April 15th, but wanted to introduce Mommy Perks and what a special partnership we have created.  For more information about the scheduled Twitter Party please visit: http://www.mommyperks.com/vip/?p=4681

Joining the Mommy Perks Community

On top of all of affordable promotional packages, joining the Mommy Perks community is free.   Here are just some of the "perks" in joining:

• A one-stop shopping experience offering unique and tested products & services
• Free membership to shop the discounts (use code M2005 when shopping unless otherwise noted)
• Free ads for mom's groups and non-profits
• Our popular VIP Blog: free business reviews, giveaways, freebies and more
• Enter to Win contests each month for members
• Informative and content heavy eNewsletters sent just once per month
• Newsletter giveaways exclusive to members
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• Affordable advertising and PR for any family friendly business or service
• List your family friendly blog graphic on our BLOGS page, no charge

To learn more about Mommy Perks please visit www.mommyperks.com.  They are a partner every business should have!

What retailers want to know about your invention

Written By: Jim DeBetta, Retail Product Placement Specialist

When you call on retail buyers, you must be prepared!  When I started calling on buyers years ago, I had little knowledge about what buyers expected from me and even less knowledge about what could happen when I finally earned a face to face meeting.  I spent many days and lots of dollars flying all over the country to meet with buyers – only to be told to come back when I was properly prepared.  Why go through that when everyday is important to bringing your invention to life!  Here are some of the “checklist” items you need to be aware of BEFORE you make that call:

•    Have retail ready samples to demonstrate and if your product is electronic don’t forget batteries.  A buyer cannot make a final decision to purchase a product that is a rough prototype or is incomplete.

•    Have your pricing prepared – wholesale and suggested retail pricing that allows you and the retailer to earn substantial profits.

•    Make sure you dress well as you can never be overdressed.

•    Be on time for your meeting.  I can’t believe how many people show up late for buyer meetings!

•    Visit one of their stores BEFORE your meeting so you are knowledgeable about their current product assortment and how your product fits in.

•    Know everything about the retailer including store count, who their competitors are, and what their goals are as a company.

•    Be prepared to answer questions about your manufacturing capabilities as buyers must feel confident that you can produce enough product should it sell very well.

•    Buyers simply cannot replace an item that is currently selling well unless you can convince them that your product will earn them more profit margin and provide a faster turn (how quickly the store sells out of the item) so be sure to let them know if you are currently selling your product elsewhere successfully to give them confidence – even if it is on a local level

There are many important steps to consider when preparing for these meetings but being fully prepared is critical to having that opportunity to getting your products placed.

To learn more about Jim DeBetta please visit his website at www.jimdebetta.com

BE A PART OF YOUNG GODDESS DAY - MARCH 20TH

Whether you're a business owner wanting to promote your product or a mother looking for interesting and fun ways to communicate with your daughter about difficult subjects you'll want to be a part of the  Young Goddess Day Twitter Party on March 20th at 4:00 EST!

Here are the ways to participate:

• Send us a picture of you celebrating Young Goddess Day with your daughter to be entered into a drawing to win the Goddess Box.  The winner will be announced during the Twitter Party.  Please email your photo to info@womentorz.com.
  
• Email your logo and and a picture of your product to info@womentorz.com if you would like to offer a giveaway during the Twitter Party. 
  
• Even if you don't have a give away, but would like to be a part of a fun event we would still like to let everyone know about your business and that you will be participating.  Please leave a comment to show your interest.
  
• We would like see who is participating in the Twitter Party in general.  Please leave a comment below with your name and Twitter account.

For the businesses offering a give away, Womentorz and Raecole will be offering a free platform to increase traffic to your site.  Just send us your logo and a picture of your product and we'll link it to your website through our blogs.

We already have quite a few businesses that would like to partner up for this fun event.  We will be announcing some of the great give aways and promotions offered during the YGD Twitter Party shortly. 

Remember, on March 20th at 4:00 EST be sure to tweet #younggoddessday to be a part of the party!