Hello, good evening and welcome.

Where has the week gone? I am so tired, but at the same time, thinking about some amazing opportunities that have come  my way this week. I feel guilty that I’ve not been blogging properly for a while, but I just can’t seem to get into it again, with everything that’s going on.

There’s so much that I’d like to be able to put down in words, but either can’t as it wouldn’t be appropriate or, because the deals aren’t done yet. So what I can write about is this.. Things I’ve learnt or re learnt this week:

1. When something feels like a big deal, it’s probably not. Sit on it for 48 hours. See if you still feel the same about it.
2. Be prepared to take a risk. Even if other people are telling you not to. If you don’t have a sense of intuitive “yes or no” on something, go along with it, be open to the possibilities, until you’ve made your mind up.
3. Be wary when people are overly flattering of you and offer you things that are too good to be true.
4. Phone trusted friends when you are happy, not just when you are sad. It’s good to share good news.
5. Pick your friends wisely. Do not trust people instantly, this will save problems and make 4 possible.
6. Help someone out when you can. Not because you think it will bring you more money, presence or prestige, just because it’s nice to do it every so often. But don’t give away your best contacts.
7. Stick up for yourself. Work out whether you are going  to respond to criticism of your business or ignore it as being the spouting of desperate people who are jealous of your achievements and want some of  it for themselves. 
8. Be yourself. Whether it’s the Chairman of Mothercare, a Trustee of Wellbeing of Women or a mum at pre school, be yourself. You’re fine as you are. In fact, more than fine.
9. When you get given lovely smellies that are lavender based and you don’t like them, pass them on to someone who will appreciate the thought.

I won’t stretch this to ten, because that’s my thoughts. I haven’t got one more, so I’ll leave it there.
What have you learnt or re learnt this week?

Liz Weston with the New Baby Guides in an NHS setting

As a rule, I don’t use my blog as a platform for blatant sales pitches, but we’ve had so many emails in asking for more information on the New Baby Guides, that I’ve written this as information for people whilst they are waiting for their samples and info packs to arrive.

This is the short version of our pitch to potential advertisers:

The New Baby Guides are published by Cambridge marketing and pr company, Weston Communications. One of our specialisms is in baby marketing, for both profit and not for profit organisations. We have a range of experience in the baby products market and marketing to families. We know our stuff. More than 104,000 New Baby Guides are printed annually, and go to pregnant women or new mothers at varying antenatal or postnatal stages, depending on each local NHS Maternity Unit. Marketing baby products is very sensitive area. Few businesses do it. Along with Bounty, we have the strictest guidelines we know of. All businesses have a local presence and are WHO and UNICEF baby friendly compliant. There are no major national brands. If editorial is accepted, it is generic rather than product/service led and has to be educational and for the benefit of the reader. Unlike other baby advertising, we have a strict policy on ratios for content to advert and every single advert is approved by each NHS Maternity Unit we work with.

Here’s some more detailed information, taking the Chelmsford edition of the New Baby Guide as an example.

The Official Chelmsford New Baby Guide 2010/11

1. What is it?

The Chelmsford New Baby Guide will be a free, comprehensive and official guide for parents of new babies to provide them with help in their first year as parents. It is fully supported by the midwifery teams at the Chelmsford Hospital and in the community. When asked for her views on the new guide and the opportunities for advertisers, Bernie Rigden, Acting Head of Midwifery said:

“The Chelmsford New Baby Guide provides a unique opportunity for local suppliers to support the Chelmsford parenting community. They also benefit from the unrivalled promotion of their goods and services to a very specific audience. In taking an advertisement, suppliers will facilitate the provision of vital early days information for all new parents and aid our fundraising efforts as a percentage of every advertisement will be donated to the Maternity Unit.”

Telephone contacts within the Hospital are available to verify this support, if required.

2. Who will it go to?

The A5 Guide will be published in January 2011, with copies being given free to expectant parents of all new babies in Chelmsford during the following 12 months. The Mid Essex NHS Trust expects 4,500 new babies to be born in that period, including babies being born at home with the support of community midwives.

3. How will it be distributed?

Copies of the Guide will be given to pregnant women at 36 weeks of pregnancy. This will include all women who are intending to use the Maternity Units at Chelmsford, Maldon or Braintree, or, to have a homebirth.

4. Why should I advertise here rather than somewhere else?

It is a pure readership audience ie: entirely and 100% new parents, so there is no wastage on exposure to any superfluous readers. Instead your advertisement will be read solely by nearly 4,500 new parents all within easy reach of you, and every one of them is a potential new client.

5. What will be in the Chelmsford New Baby Guide?

The Guide will include editorial on topics including: Taking your baby home from hospital Post-natal care Health advice for mother and baby Contraception

Child development Registering the birth Naming ceremonies Baby care and bringing up your child

6. What will it cost to advertise?

A limited number of pages are reserved for appropriate advertising and features and will be sold on a first come first served basis. Adverts start from £185 and go up to £1,200 for the back outside covers.

Testimonials from advertisers in the New Baby Guides after we won the Future 100 Award for social entrepreneurship:
“Brilliant news Liz you deserve this for all your hard work. Thank you for letting us be part of this success. Best wishes Tamsin from Water Babies”

“We are so thrilled for you and the team Liz. Well deserved. bras4mums are proud to be part of the New Baby Guides as we too are socially responsible in what we do.” T-J, Bras4mums

“Liz, that’s brilliant and much deserved! A very professional job well done. It’s great that mums and dads-to-be can have access to all this helpful and genuine information, and what is available to help support them and their babies throughout pregnancy and postnatal period – and in such a great booklet they can keep for future reference. I am really happy to be part of the New Baby Guide in my area, and wish you continuing success” Pippa from Karma Birth, Active Birth / Yoga

“Liz, I was waiting for you to call to ask me about rebooking for the advertising in the Chelmsford New Baby Guide. It has worked so well for Aiken Bodies that I’m only going to be advertising with you, in the Chelmsford New Baby Guide this year.” Karlee Aiken, Aiken Bodies.

With their glossy covers and professional design, it’s no wonder that we’ve got a waiting list of NHS Units wanting to work with us. If you are within the NHS and would like information on how we can work together, email liz@westoncommunications.org.uk
If you would like to be considered as a potential advertiser in the New Baby Guides, contact liz@westoncommunications.org.uk for more information and we’ll pop a sample in the post.
Find out about the national award which we won for the New Baby Guides recently.

DISCLAIMER: I have been working on this blog post for 90 minutes now, trying to get the fourth sample of a Guide to go below the other three. So I know this is not perfect and it’s driving me nuts, but I really want you to be able to have this sneak peek, so I’m going to post this anyway.

We thought you may like to see some of the new designs Tami Brown, our Cambridge designer has come up with. She does such a good job of making them visually appealing whilst still have  a professional look and feel to them, that retains something of the NHS about it, in a good way.

For those of you who don’t know what the New Baby Guides are, here’s the short version of what we usually tell people who are looking to advertise in them:

The New Baby Guides are published by Cambridge marketing and pr company, Weston Communications. One of our specialisms is in baby marketing, for both profit and not for profit organisations. We have a range of experience in the baby products market and marketing to families. We know our stuff. More than 104,000 New Baby Guides are printed annually, and go to pregnant women or new mothers at varying antenatal or postnatal stages, depending on each local NHS Maternity Unit. Marketing baby products is very sensitive area. Few businesses do it. Along with Bounty, we have the strictest guidelines we know of. All businesses have a local presence and are WHO and UNICEF baby friendly compliant. There are no major national brands. If editorial is accepted, it is generic rather than product/service led and has to be educational and for the benefit of the reader. Unlike other baby advertising, we have a strict policy on ratios for content to advert and every single advert is approved by each NHS Maternity Unit we work with.

Sample 1: This is one for Chelmsford, who like things to look classy and sleek

Sample 4: The Luton and Dunstable edition of the New Baby Guide is representative of the most popular cover image of 2010. Heads of Midwifery, staff, lay groups and the general public all love this image. The baby looks straight at you, and is on a neutral background which allow the text to work neatly with it, rather than in contrast to it.

We would be pleased to hear your thoughts on the covers. Do you like them? Would you open one of these Guides?

We appreciate your opinion on this as they are very much a work in progress.

The sales bit:

With their glossy covers and professional design, it’s no wonder that we’ve got a waiting list of NHS Units wanting to work with us. If you are within the NHS and would like information on how we can work together, email liz@westoncommunications.org.uk
If you would like to be considered as a potential advertiser in the New Baby Guides, contact liz@westoncommunications.org.uk for more information and we’ll pop a sample in the post.
Find out about the national award which we won for the New Baby Guides recently.

Things are perking up here at WCHQ (that’s Weston Comms HQ, I’ve decided to give us a title…) Why? Because I’ve finally listened to what people are telling me. I know,  funny eh? Yesterday Karlee Aiken, of Aiken Bodiestold me that she’d been waiting for me  to call her as  she was so keen to rebook  her advertising in the Chelmsford New Baby Guide. She advertised in the New Baby Guide, and one other place in the last 12 months.

The Chelmsford New Baby Guide has worked so well for her business that it’s all she’s going to do for the next 12 months. That’s such a powerful testimonial isn’t it?

I was so pleased to hear Karlee tell me that. We’ve never actually met, but I’ve told so many people about her classes and what she does, as she’s a great example of really working positively with women to help them get out of the house and exercise whilst keeping their babies with them. I’d never told her this of course, as I didn’t want to sound too cheesy with a client…

So today I’m going to email three people with testimonials:
1. Debi Hogston of Waterbabies - for making my littlest excited at the prospect of “Debi swimming” rather than sobbing at the mention of the word swimming…
2. Tracey Jane Hughes of Bras4Mums - for uplifting my boobs (literally) and uplifiting my business (through her support and advice)
3. Natasha of Buxton Press - for being reliable, smart and cost effective printers

Actually, there’s a number 4. Weleda baby- Jacqueline told me that she’d finally tried the Weleda Baby range as I’d been “going on about it” – the calendula shampoo and body wash has sorted Samuel’s skin out nicely and the nappy cream is their no 1 choice now for bottom care. You can’t get much better than that can you? Wait, you can! You can get free stuff from them – check out their facebook page and see what you can win! I’ve had a lush Rose Soap. It is lovely…

Who could you write a testimonial for today? Who do you use, like or appreciate? Tell them about it!!