Marketing 101

[karen ann]

Deb,
Start with everyone you know! I know you and I had to wait for Elizabeth to invite me:( Just kidding! But, seriously ask everyone you know and ask that they each invite new members as well!

[Caviar and Codfish]

I'll send it to some friends/family. Also, maybe we should get on other sites, like YELP and ask the NJ members to join!

[Debz]

Oh, yey, help in spreading the word. Thank you, thank you. I think this could be such a fabulous network and information portal for New Jersey foodies.

I am pretty internet savvy, but I have to admit, never heard of YELP.

[Debz]

Went to Yelp. You're right, it will be a great resource for recruiting members. Just got the word too that I will be a new blogger at newjerseymomsblog.com which will actually be a big deal once it grows like SiliconValleyMomsblog has.

I'll take all the help I can get spreading the word. Thanks.

[johnandlisa]

Funny you should mention the New Jersey Momsblog- I heard about it on the South Jersey mom bloggers group I joined on yahoo (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SJMomBloggers/ , if you want to join). In fact, I emailed them weeks ago to see if I could write for them (I know they are still in need of bloggers), but never got a reply. The only address I had for them was a general email address, so I'm not sure if anyone reads it or ever received it). Can I ask how you connected with them and if they're still looking for bloggers? I agree- I think they're going to be big for this area, too. Read your piece and LOVED it- I have the same damn nightmares-sometimes I even just get a wrong number, like my parents answer instead (hmmmm..very Freudian)! Hope to see you at the Ice Cream Festival-too bad your kids can't make it-my son would love to have other kids to get into trouble with :) !
-Lisa

[Debz]

Hi Lisa,

Good to hear from you and I'm glad you like my post on NJ Moms Blog. I just contacted them and sent them a couple samples of my writing, that's how I got accepted. At the time, which was in May, she said she was only going to accept a couple more bloggers and then cut it off. You should definitely email Jill Asher. She is one of the founders. Just use their contact information on the site. If you can't find it, email me and I'll find her email address.

It's a really, really great group to get involved with. They are having big parties at the Blogher conference in San Francisco (unfortunately, I can't afford to go this year.) Plus they negotiate all kinds of freebies and special offers for their blogger moms. They're planning a get-together for all the NJ bloggers this summer, so hurry and get on the list.

Deb

[johnandlisa]

Deb,

Thanks for the info. If possible, could you give me Jill Asher's email address? All I can find at the site is a general mailbox, and I have no idea if my messages are getting to anyone. I will definately try it. My personal email is [e-mail] (I'm sure you'd want to keep her email address quiet!)
-Lisa

[Bill]

There are these kids that graduated with my son from Brick High about five years ago that started the Bennie's Go Home site. They have done pretty well generating cash with their sale of stickers and t shirst. Their stickers are on every sign post and toll both around here. Stickers is part of the local music scene here and it is how all the kids get the word out. What would be something like that that would get the word out about this sight that would fit it's demographic?

[Debz]

I'd like to hit the grocery stores with flyers. Some day, I'd also love to get the big upscale stores like Wegmans or Whole Foods to let us have some kind of promotional thing, in my big dreams.

[johnandlisa]

Someday we should also have T-shirts that have the Jersey Biters badge on one side and 'Bite Me' on the other. :)

[Debz]

Hi John,

You bring up a question I've had for a while. Is everyone cool with the Jersey Biters name? or do I go with something like JerseyFoodies.com? I like Jersey Biters because its a little gritty, just like New Jersey, but I wonder if people will understand the meaning or the purpose of the group just from the name. It also obviously ties in with JerseyBites. I do want to buy a domain name soon for the network and upgrade the network to remove the .ning from the URL.

Feedback?

[johnandlisa]

I'm fine with Jersey Biters.

I have mixed feelings about the term 'foodie'. I mean, I use it and have used it to describe myself, but I think some people see that term as being a bit snobbish. I'm more comfortable with the term 'food enthusiast'. Jersey Biters sounds less pretentious and affected, and that we're not taking ourselves too seriously.

John

[Debz]

Thanks John. I really enjoy the tongue and cheek double meaning of Jersey Bites and people really seem to respond well to it. I had one guy at the Chili cookoff see our T-shirts and yell "Hey, Jersey Bites, I love you guys." I'm like, this guy does not even know us, but he thinks he does, which was a good sign to me.

I agree with the foodie thing. It's also way over played.

Deb