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Monetizing Mommyhood and a Soundbite from Me

January 4, 2012 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

Back in October, some of you will remember I went to Blissdom Canada, thanks to Annie Urban offering me her ticket after she was asked to speak. I had the chance while I was there, to speak with CBC’s Ira Basen about my blog, sponsorships, and working with brands. It was a cool conversation that happened as I was with Mom Central Canada applying to be on the expanded Fisher Price Mom Panel. He even got my pitch to Fisher Price on tape. I did not get selected to be a Fisher Price Mom, after all I am not the mom of a small one, but I am a ECE of many years, and many young moms do ask me what brands I use.

Well to sum it up you can tune in this Sunday to CBC Radio’s The Sunday Edition to see how it all turned out. Here’s the aperçue from the Sunday Edition web site:

There are four million mommy bloggers in North America, women sharing with other women the trials and tribulations of bringing up babies and making more and more money at the same time.

In the past decade, social media for mommies has gone from a nurturing, supportive, chat-across-the-back-fence virtual village to a massive marketing vehicle for everyone from toy companies to the makers of minivans.

On the CBC site there is even a brief promo. Thanks to Judy Gombita on Google+, here’s a list of some of the others featured in the documentary:

Postcards from the Mothership – Danielle Donders http://danigirl.ca/blog/
PhD In Parenting – Annie Urban http://www.phdinparenting.com/
5 Minutes for Mom – Janice Croze http://www.5minutesformom.com/
Common Cents Mom – Hollie Pollard http://commoncentsmom.com/
Crib Chronicles – Bonnie Stewart http://cribchronicles.com/
Mom Central Canada – Cora Brady http://www.momcentralcanada.com/
Fisher Price play panel http://www.fisherpriceplay.ca/moms/
Child’s Play Communications –Stephanie Azzarone http://childsplaypr.com/
Blissdom Canada http://blissdomcanada.com/

When I saw the list of bloggers that were interviewed I am the small blog in the mix, these other women are among the goddesses of blogging Canada and if you want a new blog to read I recommend any of them and all of them.

Now the show is scheduled to start at 9:13 all depending on what is going on in the news world. So tune in and see what is said about mom and blogging and advertising. You can even stream it online.

Category: Social Media / Tags: Blissdom Canada, blogging, monetizing

Lessons from She’s Connected

October 5, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

It has been almost a week now since I have been home from She’s Connected and I wanted to share some lessons that I learned while hanging out with some pretty connected women and a few connected men too.

The Red Carpet..we all like feeling like a star if even for a minute while playing dress up. When was the last time you helped someone feel like a star? It made me think what am I doing to encourage others.

While having fun racing with Ford Canada it got me thinking about the races we are in every day. Just like in real life, there were times when I ran this race that I crashed along the way, but the most important thing was to get back on course, mistakes are forgivable, what is important is getting back in the race.

Had a great conversation with the gang the Royal Canadian Mint about coins and well since I write about saving cents this was a brand I wanted to make sure to connect with. We talked about coins, collecting, and investing. Have you ever thought of your coin collection as an investment? What about investing in a gold or silver coin? Got me thinking more about the change in my wallet and what can be done with coin.

One of my favorite talks of the 2 days was from Elisa Camahort, founder of Blogher. She shared her story, and the story of Blogher. Elisa is a wonderful story-teller, it got me thinking do I tell stories or simply try to help, and how can I tell money stories in a way that is genuine and helpful. Story telling is an art, and well all have a story inside us that should be shared. Thanks Elisa for making your first trip to Toronto for us digital women.

So from basking in the red carpet fun, to realizing mistakes on the path are ok, to making connections with brands, to learning to become a better story-teller there were many lessons to take away from She’s Connected. Many connections were made both to brands and with fellow attendees and for that I am thankful. Hope I get to see many again soon.

Category: Social Media / Tags: blogging, conference, lessons, She's Connected

How To Participate in a Twitter Chat

October 4, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

Twitter Tree © by pandemia

If you have been around twitter awhile you know what a hashtag is ( if not the # symbol followed by words or letters that link tweets from different individuals) it is pretty easy to get involved in twitter chats and twitter parties.

A Twitter Chat is when a group of people talk on Twitter using the same hashtag to link it all together.I recently started the #cdnmoney chat and to join the conversation, you Tweet what you want and add #cdnmoney to the end of it. It is a great way to network, learn and share what you know. My purpose with this chat is to have Canadians talking money. Now there are hundereds of other chats that do go on each week and the same rules basically apply.

To Follow the Chat – Please do not use the Twitter interface itself.Twitter chats can get very busy and generate hundreds if not thousands of tweets so use an interface such as Tweetchat . You can also use Hootsuite or Tweetdeck, just make a separate column to follow the conversation.

Get a feel for the conversation. You can do so by lurking just reading what others are tweeting and when you are ready just jump into the conversation.

Use Replies Generously – Things go quite quickly in a Twitter Chat, and if someone posts something you want to comment on, they may not notice your post. Hence, you need to use the @ symbol in spades. This puts your reply in the person’s mentions bar, making it easier for them to reply.

There are a few general rules you should follow when in a twitter chat or party. The biggest rule is Don’t spam your blog/website – Now if you have just written a post on topic to the conversation going on, or have a tool that could be useful please do share those links.

Otherwise, just use good old fashioned common sense. Be polite, share, and enjoy. Now I really do hope I see you as we talk money on Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8 pm EST on Twitter.

Category: Social Media / Tags: #cdnmoney, Twitter, twitter chat

Everyone Matters

September 17, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / 3 comments

Everyone matters!

This week was the first Canadian #140 Conference, while I didn’t get to be in the room I was able to listen and take in the conference from the playroom while taking care of the boys.

You could feel the energy in the room even when you weren’t there. They had a great list of speakers, some are even friends of mine so I was looking forward to listening in.

There were a few that personally impacted me more.

When @CocktailDeeva shared about strangers in her stream, it got me thinking about online safety and how much information I put out for the world to see.

When @KarmicEvolution shared I was taken back in time. I know what it is to be homeless and to give birth with no home but a shelter. I know what it is to be a welfare mom, and to be lonely and to reach out online. I know what is not to have a decent pillow. I know what it is to be lonely, and then to have some wondeful online friends become real friends who give a hand up.

When @TJ shared about how the internet has changed his life in a short amount of time, I couldn’t help but think of all the ways the internet has changed mine.

When @tjzmommy shared about the loss of her son, and his love of Elmo, and the fierce fundrasing she has been able to do the room was inspired as was I. It also did bring back memories though of my own loss. Our children are forever with us.

When @JeffPulver spoke at the end of the day, I think that impacted me the most as he shared his job loss, and then what happened afterwards. When he shared about mattering and that every word typed matters, it really made me think. Everyone really does matter and so does what they type, the imprint of who we are is left online. What we type today matters, everyone matters and what we leave online is our legacy.

Category: Social Media / Tags: #140ConfONT, blogging, Social Media

When Social Media Leaves You in Tears

September 7, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / One comment

Have you ever had your words twisted online, so much that it left you in tears?

Have you ever felt under attack because of something you posted online, whether it be a Facebook update, a post, or a tweet?

I have.

Literally now more than once now, I sat at my computer in tears.

So many times words, inside jokes, something meant in jest can be taken and made into something it is not.

So how do you handle it, when your words get twisted?

Here is how I handle it:

1. First I breathe and let the tears flow. Sometimes I have even been known to go take a hot shower, a walk, or make a cup of tea.

2. I don’t get defensive, and if it came across and was misinterpreted I apologize quickly and get my real point across as quickly as I can. Words are easy to twist. The emotion and intent behind the words are not always at the surface, unless you know the writer very well.

3. Sometimes I realize it is okay to take a break away from Social Media, in fact on this blog I have taken long extended breaks when I needed to step back, look after stuff that really mattered to me and then was able to give back in the blogosphere.

4. Surround yourself with real people who know you both on and offline, so when you say something, they know how you meant it, and know your heart. They can be great friends and supports especially when you feel already bad enough.

5. Remind yourself to think twice about what you tweet, update, or post as how you say it, that joke, or tease, may seem hurtful to some and those harsh words of criticism they too can leave someone in tears.

These are the ways I get through those moments when people think I am rude, unkind or even worse, because if you know me well you know my heart and intent is never to be unkind, because in my opinion kindness, consideration, thoughtfullness all matter. Just sometimes it needs to be applied a little more. How do you get through them?

Category: Social Media / Tags: conversations, kindness, Social Media

The Road to Bliss and Blissdom Canada

September 2, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

Me at Blissdom Canada 2010 with Catherine Connors

I had a dream that I actually got to Blissdom Canada and actually got on stage and sang during the final costume party…well that can’t happen if I don’t get a ticket.

My road to Blissdom Canada 2011 began last year before Blissdom Canada. I was on the wait list last year too, but I got lucky and got one of the very last tickets sold but then I had an employer who said NO.

So instead of using that ticket last year I sold it to another blogger who got to go and I know she had a blast.

Now I did get to go to the final event of Blissdom Canada last year.I got to the party and let me tell you those girls know how to throw a bash. It was party time central and I could tell the women there had an amazing time, and even with only a few hours with all these great women in the room, this mom did some networking. Because we know we want to meet the faces behind the blogs we read. I know for me I was thrilled to finally meet Erica, Catherine, Allyson, Laura, Tanis and so many other wonderful women that night.

So becaue I didnt get to go last year and really get the most out of it I planned for this year. I set a budget, I even got roommates, and even blogged how you could do Blissdom Canada frugally.

Then a speed bump happened…Blissdom Canada sold out in 90 minutes! Leaving the frugal planner without a ticket.

Then another thing happened I had been training to do a half marathon —guess when? Blissdom Weekend. So I thought since my good friend and blogger Wendy cant go Friday I will be her for the day (SH!–don’t tell), and then rest Sat and be prepared to do my best in the half..but then because of some medical stuff going on the doctor has said no half for me, so that leaves me really wanting to go and experience all of Blissdom.

I even helped some newbies out who are going for the first time with this post . You see I am a team player and I like to help, heck that is what this blog is all about.

So that leaves me at the mercy of the contesting Gods as I have also entered the Go Girlfriend contest for a ticket by writing this post about the great host city of Toronto.

Now for the hopefully last stop on the road before my arrival at Blissdom Canada –the wonderful One to One Network‘s contest for a ticket and even a night’s stay as I am a member of thier site. If you are not first of all let me give them a plug. JOIN now! If you are a blogger do check out thier great material in the Learning Resource area. It really is a wonderful resource for us bloggers.

They said to write about why you wanted to go..so I thought about it, even asked the same question on Twitter. What value comes from a blogging conference, especially this one.

So here are my reasons:

Last year I met my online friends, I really WANT to hang with this amazing network of wonderful women, I want to get to know them more and guess what this year there are others to meet for the very first time and I am excited about that.
I want to take my blog to the next level so I need to learn. I want to grow as a blogger.
I want to have fun while learning and networking.
I want to be a good hostess, after all this is my city.
I want time away from the day to day grind to be taken to the magical land that is bliss. That land for me is a room full of smart, sassy, fun women who I share the blogosphere with.

I can go on and on but let me just say this I want some BLISS! I need some bliss! and if I win this contest I will come with a bliss Tattoo…yes a BLISS TAT! so if you want to see that..tweet this post and say “Let’s send @commoncentsmom to #BlissdomCanada so she can have some bliss and an adventure to boot!”

Category: Social Media / Tags: #BlissdomCanada, Blissdon Canada, blogging, networking, One to One network

A Blissful Staycation in Toronto

August 24, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / No comments

This summer has flown by for me. I have had several visitors and even got married this summer. With all this I didn’t get away but that is quite okay with me. You see I love my city, the city of my birth, the city of Toronto and the home of Blissdom Canada. So I stayed home.

I got to stay in my city this summer and be the hostess with mostess. What an adventure that was.

First my best girlfriend came from Nova Scotia..Gloria and I had a blast exploring the city. It was great to hang with her and visit and show her my city. We hit the Scarborough Bluffs visiting the Hilltop Park..nothing like this view.We joked around seeing who could get closest to the edge. I won.

Yes this kind of beauty exists right here in Toronto.

We also hit the beaches..Did you know Toronto has many beaches that you can choose from? We choose the Rouge Valley beach..did you know that beach has a back area that is perfect for canoeing and fishing? We loved exploring the conservation area of this park.

We also hit up Yonge Street for dinner, and some shopping. If you haven’t shopped and ate on Yonge Street what are you waiting for? Later that night we attended a show that was going on at the University of Toronto. I love visiting this campus. I love the old buildings, and I love the energy you feel when you are on a campus.

A couple of weeks later it was time for my honeymoon and for the adventure of married life to begin, and since my man is from out of town..we choose to stay in town..right on Queen St in the heart of downtown. We stayed at the Sheraton downtown. We took advantage of the Club Level extras and absolutely loved our stay.One of our favorite things in the hotel was the lounge on the top floor. We loved the view, we could see much of the downtown from the lounge and the free breakfast and appetizers in the evening were a wonderful treat. We also ate brunch in the hotel and was it ever yummy, a blissful treat. Hard to believe but in just one month I will be hanging out here again with a bunch of socially connected Canadian women. This is not the hotel for Blissdom Canada but it is near by.

My man and I explored downtown, shopped at Eaton Center where I happened to meet the men who are blogging at 500 Extra Hours. You can read what I said to them here.If you want to see what I bought clothing wise find me at Blissdom Canada. I found some great sales in The Bay. Any idea how many years The Bay has been a shopping destination downtown? Founded in 1670 by King Charles II, the Hudson’s Bay Company played a vital role in building Canada as a nation. One of the first places it set up shop was here in Ontario. So The Bay has been in Canada just a wee bit longer then my family who settled here before Toronto was a city.

We also hit China Town. If you are coming in from overseas and have currency that needs exchanging the place you want to go to is right at Dundas and Spadina beside the bank. There is lots to see on Spadina, trust me you can get lost in the crowds here. As we walked from the hotel to China Town and back again we got to admire the CN Tower from another angle. Look way up folks and you will see it.

We explored downtown restaurants eating Indian, Thai, Canadian, Lebanese and more it can all be found within walking distance of where Blissdom Canada is being hosted this year at the Hilton Hotel.

Talking of Blissdom Canada, it is a great blogging conference that is coming once again to Toronto in October. Tickets for the conference sold out in 90 minutes. 300 Canadian women get to gather, learn, share, and grow together. I want to be there, I want to be one of them. Why?

Last year I managed to get one of the very last tickets sold, but due to starting a new job I was unable to attend the whole conference, and sold my ticket to another blogger who did get to enjoy the event. With karma I am due.

I did get to the Costume Party. I had a blast meeting and greeting women from across the country, several have become friends and I want to hang with them, I want to learn from them, I want to party with them, and not just for a few hours. So I am entering this post about my great city and my choice of staying in my city this summer in Go Girlfriend’s Follow Your Bliss Contest. Blogging has brought bliss into my life in many ways and taken me on many a journey and adventure..may that journey just continue in this beautiful city of my birth.

For those of you coming to town for Blissdom Canada, if you haven’t been here before ..I promise to be a proper hostess, and thanks for visiting my city.

Category: Social Media / Tags: #GGbliss, Blissdom Canada, go girlfriend, Toronto, travel

Are you a Blog Conference Newbie? 6 Tips To Help You Out

August 18, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / 15 comments

I am just getting ready to attend 3 blog conferences. One is by invite only, She’s Connected, Blissdom Canada and then Word Camp. So how should a newbie get ready for a conference?

First of all I remember the nerves I had last year. Last year I got invited to attend She’s Connected and attended the final party for Blissdom Canada. So how does a newbie get ready for an event where there are hundreds of bloggers and brands that you want to connect with? Here are some suggestions.

1. Breathe! It is so easy to get excited and paniced at the same time. So take some time to simply breathe and enjoy the getting ready and the day of as well. Remember most of us have nerves going on, you are not alone. Even big name bloggers have nerves, trust me on this one.

2. Business Cards Bring more then you need. Last year I didn’t bring any. What a mistake that was. You need them. As you meet and greet they are a great calling card. As well in expo areas biz cards are often how u enter giveaways etc.

3. Clothing Some bloggers think you need to dress to impress at all times but really now who can remember who wore what last year unless they look at pictures? My suggestion, be comfy but be looking good at the same time. Suggestions: jeans and nice top, maxi dress, skirt, and top combo..be yourself most of all.

4. Devices Bring them and do not forget your power cords, as trust me you will need to recharge these.

5. Shoes Think comfort first. For a party or two you might want a pair of heels but trust me you want shoes you can walk in.

6. A Bag There is always swag (gifts) at these events so bring an extra bag or room in your suitcase. Lat year as I left She’s Connected I was carry 3 bags.

If you are attending any of these evnts this fall, I would love to meet you so if you see me please do say hello.

Category: Social Media / Tags: #BlissdomCanada, #SCCTO, Blissdom Canada, blog conference, blogging, Word Camp

Spheres of Influence and Lists

May 16, 2011 / Common Cents Mom / One comment

Yesterday Zach Bussey posted a list of the 150 Toronto Top Twitter Influencers. When I first saw this list several thoughts came to mind.

First, was oh no not another list. Whenver I see a list thoughts come to mind like who really decides who is on the list. This list is supposed to be based to Klout scores. So it is supposed to be objective. If you don’t know Klout does-it measures your influence on Twitter, Linked In and Facebook, and gives you a score. I happen to think there method of giving scores is a little off but that is my opinion, after all it is simply one measure and in no way shows a person’s value or real clout.

I have a Klout score of 64 today. That puts me in the top 50 influencers in the city. I am in the top 1/3 of Zach’s list. But there is a huge problem with the list. It is missing several influencers. All who have major Klout scores and clout in real life.

Does this list matter? No in reality it does not. Unless you want something to talk about or want to compare yourself to others. This list could of also been broken down into niches. Many who are on the list work in social media so one would hope by now they know how to play the number games. Several bloggers – especially Mom Bloggers were left off the list. According to Zach’s list I would be in the top 10 of Mom bloggers in the Toronto. I know I am not. I would also be the number 1 Muslim Twitter personality in the GTA. I know neither of those things are true. I am good just not quite that good yet. Klout you see measures just part of the picture. It does not measure the whole picture so we really need to take this list with a grain of salt.

Who’s missing from the list? Who has Klout and clout, especially with me. They influence what I read, and talk about and I have learned much from each of the 21 that should of been on the list. Many over my years on Twitter have become personal friends meaning for me there influence matters just a we bit more.They are those that really have an impact and can move me to act, share, talk about.

1. @unmarketing (pictured when I finally met him after Tweeting with him for 2 years). Scott has the highest Klout I can find in the GTA. Scott started on Twitter not as a brand but as a listener and conversationalist.His score is 81 today. (*I have been told that Scott doesn’t qualify for the list because he is a celebrity-meaning he has a verified account with Twitter-although I think it is important to note he does have the highest klout score I can find in the GTA)

2. @ThatEricAlper- Eric Alper leads those I listen to for music tweets and job leads. His score is 73.

3. @YummyMummyClub- Erica leads the great Mom Bloggers that make up the Yummy Mummy Club. Her tweets are all her own. She is a great gatherer of women who rock this city.Her score is 70.

4. @Journeywoman. Evelyn is the CEO of largest online travel resource for women. Her tweets are mostly about travel. Her score is 68.

5.@herbadmother – Catherine is a great Mom blogger who know social media and blogging. I have listened to Catherine for 5 years now. Her score is 67.Yes that means I listened to Catherine before Twitter.

6. @WonderMoms_CA- I have really gotten to know Tamara the last few months as we have met up at events. She is a sweetheart who happens to own a website. Her score is 67.

7. @Clippo- Alexandria is another sweetheart who gives to the Mom blogging community big time showing that she cares on a regular basis. Her score is 66.

8. @ChickyMara- Mara is a great friend who I happened to sell my Blissdom Canada ticket to last year. She is also one of few people in the blogosphere who have met my daughter in person. Her score is 65.

9.@KelliDaisy- Kelli is another mom blogger who gets the social media game as well. Her score is 65.

10. @nummiesbras- Alison is another mom blogger who owns her own biz, and shares great info and insight online as well. Her score is 65.

11. @lovelaughshop- Sarah’s blog is Wall Candy. Just the name makes me want to shop with her.

All the above have higher scores then me and would knock anyone with a score of lower then 59 off Zach’s list.

Let me go on to note there are another 9 that I follow who all live in the GTA and have Klout scores of 60 0r above.

They are @joannewallace, @moeturner, (both who have scores of 64-the same as mine), @soulwhispers, @marcyberg, @joshmatlow, @partymummy, @aurielacotta, @TeacherMomofTwo, @SandraEMartin, @ivanvector. They are all real people who tweet for themselves. I have been influenced by all of them. Each has a different niche.

Does the list matter or is it comprehensive? No it is not, nor can be as Klout does not keep a geographic locator so we who try and make lists are at the mercy of knowledge. But we all know knowledge is limited. Where I may know alot about saving money, Aspergers, IT support, and being a mom I do not know every Twitter Influencer in Toronto and either does Zach so the list will always have some biases and some who should be on the list will be left off each and every month he decides to do this.

Does any list matter? Yes and No, a list of any sort will always have biases, and there will always be people left off. I think of Globe and Mail’s list of the best Canadian Money bloggers and I think they have not shared enough options to vote for. Many good money bloggers were not on their list. Yet, It does give a blogger an idea though of where they stand in the community. It also can give those who wish to engage influencers an idea of what they can get for their dollar.

For me yes being on the list strokes the ego. Does it matter when I go to bed?No. Should it matter to you-I think not. But do let me know what you think.

Category: Social Media / Tags: bloggers, Influencers, lists, PERSONAL, Social Media, Twitter

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