The Mumszone Brochure 2008

[Daffs]

We compiled a brochure/directory last year that featured adverts from approx 26 of our WAH business regular members. I was very pleased with the booklet that we produced and feedback about it was great.

Some members got orders that resulted directly from it which is fantastic, whilst other websites may have had more visitors, who can ever tell? Anyway, we are thinking about doing another soon so I shall be getting printing quotes and working out some prices for slots in the brochure.

It has been suggested to include articles and more content other than adverts, in the hope that recipients might hold on to the brochures, making it more like a mini magazine I suppose. Whilst we are more than willing to do this, it will push up printing prices, so any suggestions on the content or adverts will be appreciated as well as raising funds to help with costs.

I will be offering an ad design service again at a much lower cost than I charge for my own clients.

There is no need to register an interest as yet, I am just letting you know we will be doing another. gd12

[smirnoff]

I thought it was lovely! It was brilliant!

[scaramatic]

:clapping::happy72:

[*Yvonne*]

I liked it & placed a few orders from it, I still have mine & I know MIL keeps referring to it too.

[LittleSnuggler]

:interesting:

[ann0024]

Didn't see last years but sounds like a great idea.

[Tanya]

Daffs maybe you could interview a couple of WAHM's and put that in the 'mini mag' too

[Daffs]

Daffs maybe you could interview a couple of WAHM's and put that in the 'mini mag' too

I like that idea, will put it on the list.

[Tanya]

I like that idea, will put it on the list.

:happy72:

I will probably advertise again, might do the 'other' site this time

[nicholamarie]

i will be happy to give some out for everyone

[Chell]

I'd like to see the prices before making a def decision. An article about baby signing with a link to my site might be better than an advert.

[naturalnursery]

I would be happy to advertise again.

Axx

[Rubyiris]

I think I am interested but depends on price etc. I am trying to be really tight this year!!

Anj x

[Bay-Bee]

I would be interested in the prices and doing it again. I got alot of good feedback from it too.

[Chell]

I think I am interested but depends on price etc. I am trying to be really tight this year!!

Anj x

Snap :cheesy:

[Seren]

ditto chell

[curlywurly]

Oh, would love to see a price list gd12

[soapnutter]

What they said, great idea and deff interested but am being really tight so price would be crucial.

Happy to do an interview either on soap nuts or writing for you.

[lajlaj]

I'm interested but can I throw something into the equation. Whilst I agree something with articles would be great I sent out about 500 last year and the problem is that they are expensive to post. In almost all instances it pushed our postage rate up to the next price band and tbh I see this being a real problem for me to post out if it is too heavy. Our postage as it stands is extortionate, more than extortionate it is bordering on the ridiculous and is our single biggest outgoing expense month on month. I'm not being stingy but we are currently considering how we can make a saving on postage (by maybe sending 2nd class instead of 1st included in the price which is something I really really don't want to do but in 5 years we have seen the price of sending letters go up almost 50%), I really want to support the project but I honestly can't afford to send these out if it is much bigger.

Sorry, I know how that sounds but for me, more than the cost of advertising, the cost of sending them out has to be a huge consideration and I so want to support you all.

[littlesheep]

I'm interested but can I throw something into the equation. Whilst I agree something with articles would be great I sent out about 500 last year and the problem is that they are expensive to post. In almost all instances it pushed our postage rate up to the next price band and tbh I see this being a real problem for me to post out if it is too heavy. Our postage as it stands is extortionate, more than extortionate it is bordering on the ridiculous and is our single biggest outgoing expense month on month. I'm not being stingy but we are currently considering how we can make a saving on postage (by maybe sending 2nd class instead of 1st included in the price which is something I really really don't want to do but in 5 years we have seen the price of sending letters go up almost 50%), I really want to support the project but I honestly can't afford to send these out if it is much bigger.

Sorry, I know how that sounds but for me, more than the cost of advertising, the cost of sending them out has to be a huge consideration and I so want to support you all.

That's a fair point the cost of posting them - I've been thinking about it and I don't think I'd be any more likely to hold onto something with articles in as it'd feel more like a magazine and therefore disposable whereas if it was a 'shopping guide' then I'd keep it on my desk next to the PC (well that's if I had a desk!) to refer to when I was shopping.

[Chell]

That's a fair point the cost of posting them - I've been thinking about it and I don't think I'd be any more likely to hold onto something with articles in as it'd feel more like a magazine and therefore disposable whereas if it was a 'shopping guide' then I'd keep it on my desk next to the PC (well that's if I had a desk!) to refer to when I was shopping.

Not more likely to keep it but more likely to pick it up and read rather than bin it without looking.

[soapnutter]

we are currently considering how we can make a saving on postage (by maybe sending 2nd class instead of 1st included in the price which is something I really really don't want to do but in 5 years we have seen the price of sending letters go up almost 50%)

I've been thinking the same, especially as often the delivery times between first and second class isn't that much different. Customers can always pay a bit on top if they want first class, or recorded or whatever.

[BellaMiller]

I'd be interested in knowing more about it all :)

[Tanya]

Do you think we should get more made this time, they seemed to go pretty quickly last time. :unsure:

[littlesheep]

Do you think we should get more made this time, they seemed to go pretty quickly last time. :unsure:

Maybe - I guess we need to look at the costs... I think we also would need to discuss where / how they are being distributed to try and ensure that they are being received by people likely to use them.

[naturalnursery]

I can see where Nadine is coming from re the postage and I think that it is a very valid point. For me, adding them to the parcels wasn't a problem as most of ours are quite heavy anyway, so it didn't really make any difference.

Just because someone has an ad, doesn't mean to say that they HAVE to give them out with their parcels. Obviously, the more people that do give them out the better. Perhaps those who can't put them in a parcel could do a drop off to their local nursery or toddler group and contribute in that way.

And anyway I am sure we all agree that Nadine has helped so many of us in so many ways that I wouldn't feel at all put out if she didn't manage to distribute any.

Axx

[lajlaj]

I don't mind giving them out, I did a box of 500 last year, it is just if it gets too thick it becomes non-viable in terms of that number iykwim because the cost becomes too steep.

[Chell]

Personally I'd rather they went out in parcels than handed out. At least then you are sure that they are going to people who use the internet to order things.

By giving them out at toddler groups, etc then they are possibly being given to people who don't even use the internet.

I can distribute much more than I did last time as I have more orders per week now.

[littlesheep]

Personally I'd rather they went out in parcels than handed out. At least then you are sure that they are going to people who use the internet to order things.

By giving them out at toddler groups, etc then they are possibly being given to people who don't even use the internet.

I can distribute much more than I did last time as I have more orders per week now.

I agree - I'd be more likely to look at something that came with my parcel than something handed to me at nursery / toddlers.

I can distribute more this time too :woot:

[naturalnursery]

I don't mind giving them out, I did a box of 500 last year, it is just if it gets too thick it becomes non-viable in terms of that number iykwim because the cost becomes too steep.

Sorry - I wasn't trying to say that you wouldn't help - you are the last person that could ever be said about. I do know what you mean about the weight but was only trying to say that for me, the weight doesn't matter so much cos our parcels are so heavy to start with. Or am I not making sense? Been doing some very dull spread sheet work for the last 3 hours and I have lost the will to live.

Axx

[Daffs]

Thank you for your feedback so far :kisshands:

[nicholamarie]

I agree - I'd be more likely to look at something that came with my parcel than something handed to me at nursery / toddlers.

I can distribute more this time too :woot:

i'd look at it if it came from school or playgroup. i would even pic it up and browse through at a gp surgery and take down web addresses if i saw something i liked

[Miranda]

I'm interested in advertising abd can distribute, and in the same boat as Arabella, if it weighs under 80-100g then we could easily pop one in each because our average weight daily tends to be somewhere between 380-440g per parcel = we're in the under 500g bracket. I can see if your average weight is say 60g that's not going to be so good as adding 80g could push it over to the next bracket = more cost.

[Chiggs]

I'm also interested in advertising again.

[antonia]

I'd join in again too.

I think we need to weigh up the nice quality paper used last time vs more pages.Better quality paper can encourage people to keep it - but then we need to restrict the page count to keep the weight down.

WRT adverts vs articles, I guess it's like those 'propmtion' pages in magazines. If you booked a full page, say, you could choose whether to have a regular ad or whether to write a few hundred words on a topic of interest and simply link to your site at the bottom.

A lots of publications get round the paper quality vs weight issue by having heavier covers and lighter weight paper inside. I can;t remember what happened last time, but this does add to the reasons to charge more for a cover position.

Dunno if this gets us any further forward!

[Chell]

. WRT adverts vs articles, I guess it's like those 'propmtion' pages in magazines. If you booked a full page, say, you could choose whether to have a regular ad or whether to write a few hundred words on a topic of interest and simply link to your site at the bottom.



That was what I was thinking, sort of an article and advert combined.

[marsupial_ma]

Oh, I would love to be in as well!

Andreja

[blush]

I din't see the last onem but sounds good. What about opening it up a bit though, to try and fund it, and offering advertising space to a wider group. I know the object is to promote wahms on here etc and their businesses, but there must be businesses we could target that do not have any competition on here and may be interested in paying? Just a thought?
Also features and interviews are a good idea too.It s nice to see the face behind the site sometimes!. But can you do touch ups? you know erase the wrinkles etc:D

[Chell]

I din't see the last onem but sounds good. What about opening it up a bit though, to try and fund it, and offering advertising space to a wider group. I know the object is to promote wahms on here etc and their businesses, but there must be businesses we could target that do not have any competition on here and may be interested in paying? Just a thought?

It would be even thicker/heavier then. Last time there was plenty if us to fill it.

[judithbl]

I wouldn't mind some pricing...I did see on and it did look really impressive
xx

[Ravenfire]

I think it probably depends on how many want to take part on what sort of format we can do, particularly bearing in mind postage costs.

It's a bit swings and roundabouts because without knowing how many are taking part and what they want we obviously can't begin to work out costs.

Shall I just put a poll up for now to help us gauge interest and take it from there?

[Daffs]

I think it probably depends on how many want to take part on what sort of format we can do, particularly bearing in mind postage costs.

It's a bit swings and roundabouts because without knowing how many are taking part and what they want we obviously can't begin to work out costs.

Shall I just put a poll up for now to help us gauge interest and take it from there?

A rough quote can be done, waiting to hear back. I can work out how much a full page ad is then subsequent size ads. I have asked for 12 and 16 side quotes.

[Daffs]

:update:

Waiting on samples from a printer with a fabulous price list and if the samples are fine then we will have a printer sorted.

I'm hoping they will come by midweek so watch this space for prices!

As I already have the template kind of sorted from the last brochure, the turnaround should be a lot quicker this time. :D