Abbott All Agency Day

I had a great experience yesterday. Collective Bias,( John Andrews and Amy Callahan) took myself along with two other bloggers, Kim @craftymamaof4 and Debba @girlfriendology to tell Abbott Corporation about blogging.  They didn’t realize I lived in Columbus when I was first asked by Monica @mommybrain to go. When I asked where this was that they wanted to fly me in and out of for the day …..they said, “Columbus”. I said, “Well, you won’t have to fly me very far because I live there!” Abbot was having a seminar and part of what they were discussing was how social media affected businesses.  They wanted to hear from us what bloggers were about, why we do what we do…what is the benefit for them and why is it all important?

We were the panel in the same session two different times. (They had 2 different groups that came in)  We had some different questions from each group but they were all very gracious and seemed interested (unless they were really good at faking it.) LOL

Here is the whrrl story that Kim started as she traveled to Columbus. The rest of us added our pictures into the story along the way.  Just click on the picture to start the slide show.

Collective Bias, Whrrl and 20 Bloggers…Bring you Black Friday Deals.

Collective Bias is an interactive marketing company that fits the brands with the bloggers (or those of us who actually do the shopping). They accomplish this by building relationships with us. Pretty cool. Collective Bias has partnered with Whrrl. Whrrl is the application that I have been using to make these great slide shows. You can do them directly from your iphone or blackberry phones. They are working together to help you find great deals on Black Friday.

They have chosen twenty bloggers (I’m one of them!!) led by the Consumer Queen, Melissa Garcia and Courtney Velasquez of Giftfully Simple. What we are doing is searching for the best deals for you. We are putting them on the www.mybfdeals.com site and also whrrling them. On this Black Friday we are going to be out in the masses whrrling the craziness just for you!

We are wanting visitors to check the website frequently up through Black Friday and then throughout the day on Black Friday which is November 27th, 2009. You will have the best chance to find the best deals….and then follow right along with us. Hopefully you are out there yourself…and you can whrrl your own story by going to www.whrrl.com and signing up. Visitors can vote for the deals they like the best, and the participating blogger with the most votes on a deal will receive Google Analytics training or tech/design assistance for his or her blog. (so vote for my whrrl story because I can REALLY use the training! LOL

Quote from John Andrews who is the Managing Partner of Collective Bias, “We wanted to integrate a strong social media campaign to show the power that the average person or blogger has to reach so many others. By working with bloggers, Whrrl and social media sites, we can effectively spread this idea like wildfire.”

You can also find My Black Friday Deals on channels like Flickr, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

About Collective Bias
The first company of its kind, Collective Bias offers an alternative to the traditional agency model. Formed at the nexus of and Social Media and Shopper Marketing, we address the need for a comprehensive approach to facilitate ongoing conversations amongst brands, retailers and consumers. Our philosophy is to build true relationships between brands and consumers that make those consumers “part of something” and engender a sense of ownership that manifests itself in advocacy.

About Whrrl
Whrrl v2.0 lets us take pictures as they happen and share them with a wide based group of people, via our phones or computers. Whrrl is a product of Pelago, a Seattle-based company led by an executive team from companies including Amazon, RealNetworks and Yahoo. Pelago is backed by pioneering Internet and mobile investors including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Bezos Expeditions, T-Venture, Trilogy Equity Partners and Reliance Technology Ventures.

Disclosure: Collective Bias has reimbursed me for my travel time to do my Black Friday shopping. This post was based upon the information that went out in a Press Release that I have permission to use.

Collective Bias Dinner at Las Vegas…and More

Click on the screen to see some more of my pictures from Vegas.

Honestly I haven’t forgotten you!

I’ve been really busy…oh wait….or taking pictures with Marilyn!  This was taken on one of my tours around Vegas with Melissa @consumerqueen and Kim @craftymamaof4.  Kim has never been to Vegas before.  I am presently at Blog World Expo in Las Vegas and have been having a great time along with learning lots!

I have so many ideas in my head!!   I have had the priviledge  of being able to meet with several really great brands and although they may not necessarily fit in the Organizing part of my life….they fit in other areas of my life.  I really want to be able to bring some more information to you and reach out to some other readers in more ways than just organizing (although you know that is my passion).

So what other aspects of my life do I have that may relate to your life?  Let me count the ways….. aging, children ranging in ages 26 down to 8 years old, triplets, step children, divorce, remarriage….how is that for starters?  So when I talk to Genesis Today about all the excitement they have going on and I hear Dr. Lindsey Duncan’s story and all the health benefits for people…I want to tell you.

When I hear  Deb Friar from Catalina Marketing  (they put the coupons on the back of the store receipts) talk about wanting to help you us meal plan or have a system for our coupons or better yet figure out how to match up the sales and coupons to get the best deal…..I want to tell you!

When I talk to E.L.F. cosmetics (Eyes Lips Face) discuss their cosmetics (and of course I am thinking….help me with my ever increasing wrinkles)…I want to tell you.  Or Crocs or Healthy Choice,  Whrrl, USA Weekend, Soy Joy, Natures Choice….I want to share!!

I am in a unique situation that through my blog and through Collective Bias, networking and social media  I  am getting the opportunity to meet some really cool people. These are the  people behind the products or services that either invent, own, run, or represent a  company or Brand.  So what is so great about that?  Because if you know the people BEHIND a product or service and build a RELATIONSHIP with them…then you have a LINE OF COMMUNICATION.  They really do care what you and I think about their products….and believe it or not they want to improve it many times based on the feedback they get from you and me! the product….or the people BEHIND the products/services.  I want to bring that to you.

So…..my mind has been going a thousand miles per hour while I have been here……and I think we will both be able to benefit from what I am learning and what I am thinking.  But as always….I will be honest with you.  I am not going to bring you a product or service that I don’t think is worth telling you about.  Just thought I would share with you….now I have to think of a fun name……

Genesis of a Great Idea Contest!

You need to stay tuned for Friday’s big launch of the “Genesis of a Great Idea” contest for Genesis Today.   They are sponsoring a huge contest for $10,000 for the best Social Media Idea for their company.  There are many great features of this contest…some of which have not been announced, but to me the best one is:

It is Totally Anonymous!  There are no “vote for me” features, there are no “favorite  bloggers” that stand a better chance of winning this as to someone who has a blog that no one follows or reads.  It is your imagination against theirs….thats it!

I am thrilled to be working with Collective Bias and Genesis Today to help bring you all the information.  I leave for Blog World Exp 09 tomorrow, but will be keeping you updated on my blog (with whrrl pictures again…hope you guys like when I do that) and with information about the contest.)

I will be tweeting live during the launch of the contest around 2:30-3:00 est (11:30-12:00 in Vegas).  So you can watch for this on twitter:

@organizersandy  @genesistoday  @katjapresnal @craftymamaof4  With the hashtag #cbbwe

You can follow the contest on Facebook. Or go to the Genesis of a Great Idea Site.

It is worth check out!!

Working with Genesis Today – So how does that Help in Organizing?

I have to share some news that I am really excited about!!  I am going to be working with Genesis Today. They have signed on with Collective Bias, whom I am a member of.   Genesis Today has a line of Super Fruit Juices.

When John from Collective Bias first asked me about working with Genesis Today I told him I wanted to check it out first. My first impression was not a good one.  I think I was on the wrong site.  They did have the juice on this site, but was completely different than it is now. My first thought was…it seemed like a multi level marketing site.  I told John that too.  I also told him that it did not seem like it would be a fit for my blog as I have an Organizing blog. So how does juice work with organizing?  It certainly didn’t seem to be a fit to me at first.

I did research it (because I knew nothing about it)  and found only positive things.  I actually got on the correct site and that made me feel better right away.  I was feeling like it was something that I wanted to try for myself even if I didn’t work with them as a blogger.

Then yesterday it all seemed to fall into place.  I remembered my sister and brother in law (he is a oral & Maxillofacial surgeon in DC) had told me about some kind of “super juice” they had been taking for several years.

I called her and asked her about what juice they used.  She said it is made by Genesis Today and you can only get it at Health Food stores or online. They use one called Acai 100. They only use 1 oz per day (it is not sold at Walmart…at least not yet)  Not knowing why I was asking her about it, she went on to tell me that since they had been using it her husband had not been sick even once. (That was 3 years). She said she completely believes in it.  My sister and brother in law also research everything like that, so for health purposes I felt completely safe for the fact that they used it. (I know that sounds kind of dumb…but if you knew my brother in law like I do….you would understand).

I know it helps with healthy living, and I am still researching it on anti-aging properties, but my sister loves to ask people when they see the two of us together who they think the older sister is. She is almost 4 years older than I am, but weighs less (we are the same height), has less wrinkles and yes…looks younger (happy sis? LOL)

Ok…so now I am totally getting psyched.  I know I want to try it myself…but now I am thinking..how does this fit with my Organizing blog?  Well…I can say that you need to be healthy and have energy in order to organize, but that sounds like a “line” (although it is the true).  Truth is…I am a mom, wife, woman…(aging woman..soon to be 50 …aghhhh!!). I am also a nurse. I have several of the issues going on that this super juice is supposed to help.

I am going to be coming to you not so much as an Organizer, but as a woman, mom, wife  and nurse.  I would not be working with this brand if I didn’t feel it would be something worth while for my readers and myself. I will be keeping you filled in on all I am going to learn about it. I will be getting to meet Dr. Lindsey Duncan when I go to Blog World Expo next week. I am thrilled that Collective Bias and Genesis Today are sponsoring me in full  for this conference.  (disclosure policy)

We were also provided with a gift card to shop for some of the juice that they now have at Walmart. See my Whrrl Story here for my shopping adventure.  Just click on the slide to see the whole slide show.

Sponsors at Type A Mom Conference – Thank you!

I have to say there are some great Sponsors here at the Type A Mom Conference. Here is my take on many of them:
For the first time Creative Memories is at a Blogger conference. I had to gravitate towards talking to them because I used to be a Creative Memories consultant (pre-their digital scrapbooking days) and being a Professional Organizer..one of my favorite thing to organize are scrapbook/craft rooms. I can’t wait to use the software they gave us for digital scrapbooking! I also love the laptop sleeve they gave us. What a great idea!
Mabel’s Labels gave us the cutest ever dog tags. I was so bummed when I couldn’t find mine at first…but they found it.
HP was there and it was the first time that I really looked at their products. I fell in love with the post it notes and messages portion of their large touch screen computer. (Anytime you want me to review that…just give me the word!)
COZI has a family calendar and many features that I will be working with soon. I am going to be doing a review on it and I am anxious to see all it can do. It was nice to see some of it first hand.
Little Debbie is here with more of their goodies and they have a mini they are giving away. Although I was bummed they didn’t have the 100 calorie products this time, but those cupcakes were awesome. Loved the mini Little Debbie car too.
Collective Bias provided us with a great lunch and love Becca, Lucetia and John. Thanks for being there and helping us bloggers to connect with the Brands.
Weight Watchers introduced me to a new product. I love the Candy Bar ice cream…that tasted just like snickers ice cream bars. I already eat the fudge bars, but am going to be asking my Kroger to get the other ones in the store. I used it on my Weight Watchers Wednesday too.
Thank you to the Savoy restaurant and Martini Bar…we had a wonderful meal there with Amy and Shannon.
Chick-fil-A gave us a great lunch. I have to admit that I have never had Chick-fil-A before. (No honest). I loved that sandwich. So much so that we stopped at a Chick-fil-A on our way home from Ocean Isle (Hubby met me and we went after the conference). He had never had Chick-fil-A either and I told him about our lunch….he had the original one like we had at conference. I tried to be good for all the bad (good) eating I had done over the last week and got the grilled chicken sandwich.

There were plenty more sponsors and thank you all…these were just the ones that really seemed to hit me.

My Trip To MARS!

I drove to Detroit to go to a tweet up with people from MARS advertising, Whrrl, Collective Bias and #GNO. I had a great time and was so glad I went. A group of us went across the street to get some pizza afterwards. I had a car there, so drove several of them to their hotel…and then got lost getting back to mine…at almost MN. LOL