Items tagged “Education & Development”

If you’ve been reading my columns, you already know I watch too much TV. I’ve confessed my addiction to “Shark Tank” and “All on the Line” here before. And now, I’m on a new trip: “The Pitch.” In this one, viewers travel along as two advertising agencies vie for the same client. The show isn’t perfect, but it’s a nice bit of escapism grounded in reality. During each episode, the client introduces its company and ad dilemma — like how to create one campaign to suit multiple brands or how to build excitement around a new product launch. Then it’s up to the agencies to pitch a winning idea.

We assume those who are quite persuasive are those who can “sell umbrellas in the desert.” When we think about an umbrella, we think of rain and then jump to the conclusion that if someone is able to sell something that is useless to a group of people, as with the umbrellas for desert dwellers, they must be good — right? Wrong! People who manage to convince us to buy items we don’t need may be persuasive, but they won’t hold our trust for long. On the other hand, those truly persuasive individuals who are able to sell umbrellas in the desert are people who can see our true wants and needs and either offer or repurpose a product to satisfy those desires.

It has long been said that imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery. But in business, unauthorized “imitations” cost companies immeasurable sums in lost sales and damage to their reputations. Most companies likely will not find it particularly flattering when a counterfeiter imitates or incorporates a valuable brand name or trademark in a domain name with the goal of misdirecting consumers to its ersatz website. Like in a Whack-A-Mole game, cybersquatters keep popping up.

Anyone who has ever traveled with children dreads the inevitable “Are we there yet?” and longs for a way for the kids to be occupied during the journey. Retailers can answer this yearning with great travel games for kids from Smart/Tangoes USA, a company that produces puzzles which amuse kids (and their adult companions as well.) Tangoes is based on the ancient Chinese Tangram puzzle that not only entertains but also helps develop problem solving skills and creative thinking. Perfect for out and about, Travel Tangoes is available in animal, people or object versions and fits neatly in a backpack or purse.

Reading books together is a great way for parents and children to talk about important issues. Author Sabrina Panfilo, a graduate of NYU and an elementary school teacher, has molded her professional expertise in journalism, education, and psychology into one passion — creating a literary world for children that reminds each and every one of us that we are indeed unique and beautiful –– and, undoubtedly, loved. Sabrina’s two new books from Vantage Press, Cosmo’s Crave and Guppy’s Gall and Tomey and the Caterpillar are inspiring books that convey these essential messages.

For shoppers wondering what to bring to a baby shower or to take along on a visit to a new tyke, here are a few unique ideas from a company that takes itself seriously burnished with a sense of humor. No bunny rabbits, teddy bears or airplanes: The Tiny Universe has produced The Picture Book for the Finest of Babies, a hilarious “first book” with more than a dash of fun. The Picture Book will make adult recipients laugh out loud with pictures of necessary nouns for the one percent like “yacht”, “polo” and “diamond”, to say nothing of “caviar.”

Recently style watchers have been preoccupied with Coachella, the music and art festival that wrapped up last weekend. These days the event is almost as well known for its see-and-be-seen street style snaps as it is for mashing up different genres from hip hop to electronica. But while everyone was preoccupied with what starlets like Kate Bosworth were wearing, I took note of the cross-promotional opportunities these events afford artists.

Show off the newest, coolest entry in the world of reading and watch your shoppers grab up these books! Popar Books offer an interactive reading experience that let kids see 3D objects and animations pop off the page. Even readers who need a little cajoling thrill to seeing butterflies fly smack into their faces or caterpillars slithering across the desert and off the computer screen complete with special sound effects. Popar Books, created by Digital Tech Frontier, are designed to change the way children interact and experience stories, adventure and learning.

In sales, the end goal is to close the deal and write that order. Sadly, many sales professionals and novices alike are so fixated on the order that they overlook the process and are often shut down mid spiel. If you’re looking to get to the close, you have some homework to do before you approach the retailer. There will be some thoughtfulness to consider before and as you talk to the retailer, as well as some hustling to do after you leave the retailer. To help remember this process, I’ve broken down the word C.L.O.S.E.

Merged Industry Not-for-Profit Trade Association Dedicated to Promoting the Interests of the Entire Industry on the Horizon

MOUNT LAUREL, NJ and SAN ANTONIO, TX March 28, 2012 – The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), a non-profit association dedicated to promoting the industry and the safe selection and use of juvenile products, and All Baby and Child, Inc. (ABC), creators of the ABC Kids Expo, announce an industry unification.

Contact: All Baby & Child, Inc. (ABC Kids Expo) / (210) 691-4848

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the most important person of all? You are, especially when you’re a kid. Youngsters are the centers of their own universe which is why I See Me! books are such a huge success. Introduce your customers to these books that enhance little ones’ sense of self as they learn to recognize letters, spell their names, celebrate holidays and accept new siblings into their families. Nothing stimulates the desire to read more than reading about yourself — the most famous celebrity of all. For a young swashbuckler, display a set that includes the My Very Own Pirate Tale, a personalized storybook about life on the high seas

Today’s economy makes it challenging for businesses to survive. Of the companies that are able to survive, many are faced with tough choices to keep their businesses in the black. It is a sign of true success for companies or retailers to expand and grow. A promising example of a company that has been able to do just that is KooKoo Bear Baby & Kids in Atlanta. Recently voted one of the top 10 kid’s retailers in the U.S. by Kids Today magazine, KooKoo Bear Baby & Kids is an online e-tailer, mail order catalog, and retail store marketer of designer kids’ rooms and exceptional baby gifts.

Login:

Username:
Password: