I am often amazed that businesses, in times of economic difficulties, cut back on their advertising.  While it is important to look after the customers you already have, it is also important to continue your search for new business and one way of doing this is through advertising.

When you have limited funds, however, how do you avoid paying a fortune for an advert that doesn’t bring results?  A lot can be gained from research but sometimes you just have to weigh up the cost and the risk.  I know many businesses who have ‘wasted’ money on advertising in the wrong publication, either the wrong audience or just not well read at all, and your research should help you avoid this common mistake.  You need to be clear who your target market are and then find publications that aim at that market.

A free way to gain advertising is to write a Press Release, find out who to send it to at your target publications and then cross your fingers that it is something they are interested in.  A good resource for PR advice and tips is Antonia Chitty’s website http://www.prbasics.co.uk -Antonia is friendly, professional and very knowledgeable.  You could also look at responding to press requests – I have had a lot of national coverage from responding to these over the last two years.

Something new I am working on is a local magazine aimed at mums in business.  Already running successfully in the Midlands and Dorset, the Business Mums Journal is spreading across the UK by a network of local editors.  All the printing and layout design is done centrally to ensure quality and consistency and they are attracting some big names in the business world as well as getting support from Mothercare.  I know that advertising in the regional parenting magazines is good for business and this magazine is set to sit nicely alongside as a resource for mums in business.

Whatever you do to cut costs in your business, please think twice before you slash your advertising budget and look for ways to get more for your money instead.

I have had an idea for a while now, well since I started thinking about events around 2 years ago.  The growth of smaller regional baby fairs seems to be following the rapid expansion of wedding fairs across the country so the time is right for something a little different.

As a mum with two gorgeous, exasperating, wonderful, demanding girls I know how much of a change the step from a couple to a family can be.  With the trend for new couples to move away from their extended families, the support network of years ago is no longer there at such an amazing and scary time.  This is what happened to us, and while I only live an hour away my parents were not handy for advice and support so I had to wing it.  Fortunately my girls have turned out well, but wouldn’t it be lovely to have somewhere to go to speak to parenting advisors, to see the latest gadgets to help you through this wonderful time?

This is how the idea started but since that first seed planted itself in my brain it has developed and grown into a fun filled family day out with lots of activities.  With a fashion show, outdoor fun fair and lots of shopping to do the Yorkshire Family Show is turning into the must see family event of 2011.

So, here we go with just over a year till our provisionally booked August date and the search for exhibitors has started.  There are lots of opportunities for relevant businesses to get involved and I am hoping that my excitement will prove to be infectious!

If you were involved with Darlington Pregnancy, baby and toddler fair you will know how well it went – estimated visitor numbers at 400, lots of fun and definately going to be repeated!  The two weeks run up to the actual day was frantic, lots of last minute alterations and even some bookings.  This is what I thrive on, having lots to sort out and rushing from one job to the next.

The only problem with being so busy is seeing my children having to cope with a rushed mummy who can’t spare five minutes to play or read a book with them.  They see how snappy I get when things are quite going to plan and I see the disappointment on their faces as once again mummy has to work instead of spending time with them.

This week has been fantastic.  It did take a while for me to get used to the change in tempo, I’ve lost count of the times I have refreshed my email and been disappointed that there were no new messages.  Helped by the lovely weather I have spent days instead of minutes playing with my children, out in the sunshine listening to their excited giggles.  Today we have a picnic packed up and when Daddy has finished work we are going off out on an adventure.

So what if the postman hasn’t brought lots of booking forms.  So what if the phone isn’t ringing, the emails aren’t coming through.  I am a mummy and I am lucky to have two wonderful daughters who just go with the flow, and this is their time.

Networking is key to business, so why do so many events not cater for the growing number of mum run businesses?  We have to juggle work around childcare, school runs, housework and grocery shopping so why should we miss out on networking?  Social networking goes some way to filling the gap but nothing beats face to face contact with other mums in your area.  This is why I have decided to launch my very own face to face networking specifically for mums in business but we won’t turn away anyone – especially if they share our love of cake!

We will meet once a month in a child friendly location near you, so please register your interest now.

I’m so pleased that Breastvest (as seen on my favourite daytime programme This Morning) are exhibiting at Darlington Baby Fair on 30th May.  Some of the best ideas are those that you think “why didn’t I come up with that?” and the Breastvest is one of them.  Initially designed to hide that post birth tummy whilst breast feeding the vest now also doubles as a pregnancy bump cover up when your normal clothes no longer meet in the middle.

Breastvest will be supporting our breast feeding area so now there is no need to leave the event when your baby gets hungry!

… and I am trying to get to grips with it.  Leaflets, newspaper ads, website ads, radio, the options are endless but with a limited budget how do you work out which options to use and which to ignore?  I’m sure I’ve made some expensive mistakes, who hasn’t when trying to get the marketing right, so this time round I am getting some advice.  11 weeks till Darlington baby fair and I would normally be thinking well I have ages yet but experience has told me I don’t!

My marketing has now been split to target exhibitors and visitors instead of a ‘one email fits all’ approach, and I have a survey running for the visitors from Middlesbrough so I can see where they heard about us and what they liked and didn’t like about the event.  All important things I need to consider for future events.

So the hunt is on for exhibitors for this exciting event, the plans for the day are pretty much all in place with a lot more going on during the day.  Birthday Buddies are providing characters to walk round at regular intervals and there will also be the chance for kids to have their pics taken with them, and we have more class demonstrations which will be running all through the event.  So all that is left is to get the marketing right – and it will be right!

I would like to say I have been really busy and that is why this blog hasn’t been updated recently and largely that is true.  So much has been happening both with Coochie Cou and my other ventures but I really do need to keep you all updated!  In case I ‘forget’ to renew this blog why not join us on facebook, we have a fan page and group as well and do try hard to keep that up to date.

Anyway, back to what has been going on.  We are well underway with plans for Middlesbrough Baby Fair following the success of Northallerton in November.  Middlesbrough baby fair is going to be a celebration of mothers to tie in with Mothering Sunday on 14th March and so we are looking for any businesses that can provide a pampering treatment or some samples for the goody bags.  Please get in touch if you can help.  We have three fantastic event sponsors in Raring 2 Go, Waterbabies and Baby Brite as well as lovely exhibitors booked in – we still have some spaces so it’s not too late to get in touch.  We have the lovely Anita attending from Huckleberries who will be doing facepainting and balloon models on the day as well as a demonstration of her party entertaining (I can personally recommend her!)

We have also added another new event this year.  Darlington Baby Fair will be held in the Dolphin Centre on 30th May.  We will be bringing all the fun and shopping opportunities to Darlington so put the date in your diary now and keep checking the website for more details of who will be exhibiting on the day.

I have just received the pic that was taken when I called in to the SCBU at the Friarage to donate the money raised from Northallerton Baby Fair – I hate seeing photos of myself but I have added it to the press page on the website.

So, it is all fun here at the moment with goody bag inserts and advertising bookings coming in along with the exhibitor bookings – please contact me if you want to be part of it all!

I can’t quite believe how quickly the past 8 weeks have gone.  I am now in the final preparation stage for Ripon Mothers Market and despite a few hiccups in the last week things are back on track and going well.  We have around 20 wonderful exhibitors – all mum run businesses from the region – and we have handed out almost all of our 10,000 leaflets advertising the event.  I can honestly say I have thoroughly enjoyed arranging this event, even the sleepless nights with a head filled with ideas, and I am now looking forward to meeting all the inspirational business mums on Tuesday.  If you are near Ripon Racecourse please pop in and say hello and perhaps make a start on your Christmas shopping?

If you want to take part in Business Mum Week (which kicks off today with a fantastic conference in Birmingham) then check out the website for events in your area.

We are thrilled that Make an Impression, a baby fingerprinting and casting company, have agreed to become sponsors of both Northallerton and Middlesbrough Baby Fairs.  The company produce lasting keepsakes of your baby as either jewellery using a fingerprint or castings of hands and feet.  The results are gorgeous and can be given as a gift or kept for yourself.  We are really looking forward to seeing examples of their work!

With Middlesbrough Baby Fair being quite a way off yet it is a little on the back burner planning wise.  We have the venue arranged, and are happy to take bookings from exhibitors.  We are particularly looking for a professional baby photographer who would be interested in our photography sponsorship deal.  We do have some provisional bookings already from Barefoot Books, Talking Tots, Rhythm Time, Phoenix Trading, Jamie at Home and Signing Tots, and our facepainter has agreed to cover this event for us too.

So what else is there to sort out?  Well we will be making some special Mothers Day goody bags up and we are also looking to have someone do a pamper treatment or two for our mums/mums to be on the day, so it must be pregnancy safe.  Maybe a manicure or makeover?  Anything that will spoil our mum visitors.

We are also on the lookout for companies interested in sponsoring this show.  With such a dense urban area we expect a fantastic turnout for this event so it would be an excellent chance to get your brand out there.  Don’t forget we will be producing at least 20,000 flyers and posters which will be sent all around the region to attract visitors.

Nearer the time we will be working harder on this event, to keep updated with everything going on please subscribe to our newsletter through the main baby fair site.