Baby Shop Magazine

e-Newsletter Archives

2008 Fall/Winter

• Publisher's Column

• Features
• Beat the Big Box Stores with a Better Gift Registry
• Anticipating a Very Difficult Holiday Selling Season
• Free Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Website

• What Goes Into Making A Good...
• Baby Stroller
• Nursing Pad
• Convertible Crib

• Marketing & Management
• Retail Window Displays: The Impact They Have
• Three Important Rules of Business: How Will They Help Your Business Out?
• Retail Associate Profiles: How to Hire the Best
• Don't Just Survive... Dominate in a Recession
• See Your Business With New Eyes
• Til Death Do Us Part... How To Survive as a Couple in Business
• A Three-Step Internet Plan for Improving Profits
• Communication! The Most Important Key to Success in Business Leadership
• Juvenile Product Stores Can Profit by Adding Nursingwear
• If You Were to Close Your Business Tomorrow, Who Would Care?

• Maternity Boutique
• Gender-Based Communication Styles: How They Differ and How They Affect Marketing
• 1-2-3 Easy Programs: Jump Start Your Marketing to Moms’ Efforts!
• Marketing Your Business on a Budget

2007 Fall/Winter

• Publisher's Column
• A New Beginning: Store Design and Construction
• Seeking Strong Vendor Partners
• Why Family Business Succession Plans Fail: Planning Strategies That Work
• The Stages Of Learning
• Green Products Equal Greenbacks
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
  • Child Restraint
  • Safety Gate
  • Swing
• Marketing & Management
  • Keys To Search Engine Marketing Success
  • You Control the Message
  • How to Manage Your Staff to Provide a Superior Customer Service
  • Use Today’s Web Technologies to Connect with Your Customers
  • 6 Steps to Service Recovery
  • It’s All About The Customer
  • The Power of Keeping Promises
  • When Good Customer Service Rules Go Bad
  • “NOW HIRING”, Requiring NO Experience
  • Feeling Stressed? Treating Your Job Like Your Own Business Can Help
  • 7 Questions to Ask Before You Advertise
  • Trade Show Time Management
  • The Most Neglected Ingredient in Business Growth
  • Don’t Be Surprised if the Credit Card You Love Bites You
  • Six Ways to Listen for Consumer Needs and Expectations
  • Marketing Tips For Autumn Profits
• Maternity Boutique
  • Ten Basic Categories Every Maternity Apparel Boutique Should Offer

2007 Spring/Summer

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
  • Reusable Diaper
  • Glider Rocker
  • Stroller
• Calming "Customonsters" and Other High-Maintenance Clients
• How the Independent Retailer Can Succeed in the Big Box World
• Handle Customer Objections as Implied Needs
• Budgeting: How to Maximize Your Results
• An Excerpt from The Art of Celebrity Service
• 350%
• Tapping into Today's Consumer-Driven Parents
• The Art of Persuasion: Get the Edge You Need to Reach Your Goals
• Product & Store Displays: How to Capture the Developmental Toy Market
• Hiring and Training Professionals from The Specialty Shop
• Rock a Buy Baby
• Great Expectations Maternity: Building a Community Around Your Boutique
• Expecting Moms Set a New Standard for Maternity Wear

2006 Fall/Winter

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
  • Baby Monitor
  • Nursing Pillow
  • Support Garment
• 12 Boring Ideas That Make Copy Sell
• Boomer Grandmas: Involved, But Overlooked
• Add a Spark to Your Store with Holiday Decor
• 7 Questions to Ask a Potential ECommerce Merchant Account Provider
• The Art of Running a Sale
• Selling Cloth Diapers
• Stretching Your Marketing Dollars
• Practicing Core Values Will Improve Your Bottom Line
• What are the rights of an employee in the military?
• Holiday Countdown! 6 Critical Questions That Could Make or Break Your Season
• Pay More, Expect More, Get More
• Adding Birth Announcements to Your Inventory
• Trunks Shows–Everyone Wins
• When Baby Deserves the Best
• Never Underestimate The Power of Personal Service

2006 Spring/Summer

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
  • Breastpump
  • Diaper Bag
  • Nursing Pad
• A Whole New World: Attending International Trade Shows
• Bringing Up Baby Sales
• Educating Customers: An Appealing Activity
• Should I trademark my logo?
• Customer Attracting Cross-Promotions
• Creating an Exciting Shopping Environment
• Baby Care Products
• 7 Small Business Marketing Tips
• What needs to be fixed in your business
• One, Two, Three, Four - How many customers walk through your door?
• Small Business Marketing: Raising Your Business Profile
• Interviewing Prospective Employees of Your Small Business
• Modern-Day Postcard Marketing

2005 Fall/Winter

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
  • Bath
  • Convertible Crib
  • Scale
• Make Sure You're Holding the Right Cards
• So, You Wanna be on Cabale TV?
• Effortless Introductions: How to Build a Simple, Attention-Grabbing 30-Second Commercial
• 4 Dynamic Marketing Tactics
• Five Marketing Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make
• Marketing to Mom - Eleven Ways to Infuse Your Business Establishement with "The Mom Factor"
• Marketing with Music: Using Music to Create Brand Image and Memorable Purchasing Experience
• Expecting Moms Set a New Standard for Maternity Wear
• The Five Keys to Effective Trend Merchandising
• The Myth of Mutlicultural Marketing
• Measuring the Success of Your PR Firm
• Rattles
• Retail Display and Merchandising
• Why Effective Self-Promotion is Critical to Your Success
• Little Known Tax Deductions that Can Save You Big
• Trade Show Tips
• Training Who Needs It? How important is training...really?
• Low-priced Television Advertising Strategies for Small Businesses

2005 Spring/Summer

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
  • Booster Seat
  • Crib Mattress
  • Infant Mobile
• Help Your Customers Decorate!
• Sponsoring Infant Sign Language Classes Can Bring In New Customers
• Know Your Market and Learn Your Potential
• Coaching the Seasoned Sales Associate
• Creating a Layaway Plan
• When You Need a Merchandising Consultant
• Building Your Store's Brand Equity
• Maternity Wear: What Real Women Want
• Implementing a Baby Show Registry
• The Biggest Crime In Small Business
• Know Your Customer
• Retro Boom In Children's Wear

2004 Fall/Winter

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
  • Safety Gate
  • Shopping Cart Cover
  • Swing
• In-Store Events Can Drive Your Sales
• Selling Seasonal Baby Items
• Testimonials Convert Prospects Into Buyers
• Juvenile Products Stores Can Profit by Adding Nursingwear
• A Cash Flow Key: Think of Inventory in Terms of Times
• Knowledge is Power
• Intimate Apparel for Expectant and Nursing Mothers
• Hunters and Gatherers: Are You Serving Both Their Needs?
• Planning to Relocate? Marketing Musts
• Joining a Buying Group—Good or Bad Idea.
• Marketing to Dad
• Know Your Market and Learn Your Potential!
• Exploiting Need Gaps for Potty Profitiability
• Color Trends in Juvenile Markets
• 4 Marketing Myths Threaten Your Sales
• Creative Ways to Add Power to Your Marketing
• Understanding Your Target Market

2004 Spring/Summer

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
  • Bed Guard
  • Cradle
  • Stroller
• Tips for Creating a Well-Rounded Marketing Plan
• Setting Yourself Apart—Storefront and Store Planning
• Adding Safety Products to Your Store Shelves
• The New Challege: Marketing Children's Furniture Today
• Emerging Trends in Juvenile Textiles are Anything but Kid Stuff
• Seven Highly Effective Marketing Tactics
• Using Videos to Increase Retail Sales
• Marketing Musical Toys in Your Store
• Advantages of Joing a Franchise System
• From the Customer's Perspective: Defining Loyalty
• Build Your Marketing Plan Upon Multiple Pillars!
• Including Technology in Your Retail Business
• Real-time Retailing
• Christening, Baptism, Blessing, Naming or Bris...

2003 Fall/Winter

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
• Why Web?
• The Retail Doctor's Makeover—10 Steps to Merchandising
• Hiring Basics
• Is My Baby Ready for the Franchise World?
• Grandparents Go Out to Shop
• Survey Suggests Small Business Retailers Sell Products That Meet Their Moral Code
• Getting Your Customer's Attention
• What a Trade Show Can Do For You
• Boost Sales — Host a Video Event
• Succession Planning for Family Owned Businesses
• Focusing Only on Growth Can Be a Perilous Strategy
• Children's Sleepwear Regulation
• Hong Kong Companies Supply Toys to the US
• Nursing Clothes for Nursing Moms: What Women are Wearing

2003 Spring/Summer

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
• Planning Your Way to Success
• Business Survival Tips to Keep Your Business's Lights ON!
• Ten Marketing Mistakes Small Businesses Make
• Slow-Moving Merchandise: A Bane or an Opportunity?
• Basic Tips for Better Visual Merchandising
• Elements of Display
• Becoming the Store of Choice
• Foot Traffic Flow
• When You Need a Merchandising Consultant
• Color Cravings
• The Right Light - It's Part Theater, Part Therapy, and All Promotion
• Creating a Pearl-Maximizing Your Small Store Space
• Tips on Purchasing Store Fixtures: Look at Quality, Cost, Capacity
• Making a Statement with Plush & Infant Gifts
• Dr. Toy Speaks to Retailers, A interview with Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D.
• The Hidden Hazards in Children's Coats

2002 Fall/Winter

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...
  Swing, Cloth Diaper, Mobile
• 40 Easy Ways to Improve
  Retail Profit
• Organizing Your Baby Shower Gift Registry
• How to Advertise Your Business on Cable TV
• The 10 Mistakes Retailers Make
• 5 Principles to Cement Customer Trust
• Succession Planning for Business Survival
• Tips for Selling Youth Bedding
• Getting the Best Results from Your Print Advertising
• Promotions and Free Publicity for Your Specialty Store
• Yellow Pages for Juvenile Product Retailers
• Creating a Layaway Plan
• Just the Facts...on Bunk Beds
• Child Passenger Safety Training for You and Your Staff
• Small Time Marketing Ideas with Big Time Impact
• Small Business "Vital Statistics"
• Tips for Marketing and Selling Undergarments
• What’s Hot in Children’s Fashions (0 to 24 months)?
• The Trend Toward Green

2002 Spring/Summer

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes into Making a Good
• The Rain Maker
• If You Dont See It, We Don't Have It!
• How Positive Public Relations Can Help Retailers Increase Sales
• Credit Unions Can Help Your Business Prosper
• Respect Your Elders
• How are You Doing? The Status of The Independent Retailer Today
• Challenges of a Youth Furniture Store
• Guiding Customers Through Your Store
• Top Ten Secrets of Motivation
• Marketing Custom Bedding
• Seven Direct Mail Secrets
• How Retailers Can Manage Costs When Doing Direct Mail Promotions
• Five Easy Steps to Client Delight
• Ten Basic Categories Every Maternity Apparel Boutique Should Offer
• Small Time Marketing Ideas with Big Time Impact
• Consider Carrying Preemie Clothing
• Tips For Displaying Toys
• These Toy Are Keepers!

2001 Spring/Summer

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes into Making a Good...
• Networking Wisdom...
• Filling the Glass: The Skeptic's Guide to Positive Thinking in Business
• Making Product Selections for Your Store...
• Store Design Tips to Enhance Marketing and Increase Sales
• Bath Time Bonding
• Good Night. Sleep Tight.
• Is Fashion Important in the Juvenile Products Industry?
• Successful Retail Product Training
• Design & Copywriting for Effective Print Advertising
• What "Retail Snoops" Wished Store Management Knew!
• Changes and Trends in the Baby Product Marketplace
• Sales for All: Working with Customers From Every Generation
• Small Time Marketing Ideas With Big Time Impact
• Children's Fashion Trends in Europe
• New Guidelines for Children's Sleepwear
• Toys for Blind or Visually Impaired Children
• Puppets...Toys With Value

2000 Fall/Winter

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes into Making a Good...
• Creating A Safety Product Section in Your Store
• Interviewing Hourly Employees
• How to Create Organizational Trust
• Common Mistakes Made by Businesses in Financial Crisis
• Traffic Flow:Make it Work to Maximize Sales
• Bunk Bed Safety Update
• Selling Solutions
• Online Retailing: Is it for You?
• Create a Better Bundle
• A Guide to Simplified Retirement Plans
• Generation X is Having Babies: Do You Know How to Market to Them?
• Catering to Your Customer's Tastes
• Design a Store to Work for You
• Q&A with Totally Fun Toys
• Web Sites of Interest

2000 Spring / Summer

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes into Making a Good...
• Is Mystery Shopping Beneficial for my Store?
• New Employee Orientation Programs Key to Starting Employees Off Right
• Thriving in the New Millennium with Employee Training
• Start Your Search Engines
• The Building Blocks of Branding
• Gift Baskets & Sets: How Convenience Can Profit You
• After the Crib: Trends in Youth Furniture
• The Importance of Customer Service: A Retailer's Perspective
• New Parents/New Children: Trends in the Young Children's Market
• Managing Cash Flow: How to Make Your Business Financially Fit
• Selecting the Right Advertising Agency
• How to Deal with Irate Customers and Solve Problems More Effectively
• Anatomy of A Direct Mail Letter

1999 Fall / Winter

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...Bunk Bed, Child Safety Gate, Mobile
• Merchandising for the Senses
• Children's Videos...
• Retailer Turned Inventor
• Surviving Staples-The Rebirth of O'Donnell's Stationery
• The Magic of a Positive Attitude
• Licensed Products: Are They Profitable for Me?
• The Adventures of Steve and Stacy
• Multiple Focus Inventories
• Help Your Customers Decorate!
• Effective Database Marketing
  
• Making Word of Mouth Work for You
• Getting Your Best Deal from Vendors
  
• Small Time Marketing Ideas with Big Time Impact
• Sleepwear Flammability Regulations
  
• Maternity Trends for the Millennium
• Merchandising Your Toy Department
  
• Supplying Information and Support for Pre-Nursing Moms

1999 Spring / Summer

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...High Chair, Nursery Monitor, Thermometer
• What Specialty Stores Can Do to Keep Customers
• How to Keep Your Service Edge
• Big-Time Marketing On A Small-Time Budget
• Promoting Baby Safety Month
• Infant Toiletries
• Hand-painted Furniture is an Heirloom Waiting to Happen
• Marketing to Multiples
• The Information Super-highway: A Vehicle for Your Success
• Is My Baby Ready for the Franchise World?
• In the Year 2000, Will You be Ready?
• Four Proven Ways to Get a Grip on Great Retail Employees
• Is It Time to Reevaluate Your Credit Card Processor?
• Shirley Reminisces
• Tips for Successful Display and Merchandising
• Profitable Potty Training
• World Wide Web Sites
• Maternity's Strong Suit
• Nursing Apparel...A Natural
• In-Store Communications in the Juvenile Market
• Preemie & Infant Burial Clothing
• Age Appropriateness in Toys

1998 Fall / Winter

• Publisher's Column
• What Goes Into Making A Good...Cloth Diaper, Humidifyer/Vaporizer, Stroller
• How to Get Your Press Release Published
• Dallas Directory
• Safety in the Nursery
• Infant Bedding Trends
• Creating & Maintaining an Identity
• Creative Ideas for Display and Promotion
• Boost Customer Loyalty
• Tips for Obtaining a Loan for Expansion or Working Capital
• New Guidelines Create Opportunities...But Does Safety Sell?
• Medical Savings Accounts
• M2-Raising Marketing to a Higher Power
• Fixturing & Lighting Tips
• Technical Challenges for Child Passenger Safety
• The Role of the Independent Sales Rep
• Business Valuations...Why You Should Know How Much You Are Worth
• Selling Infant & Preschool Toys: Licensing Abounds, but Safety Rules
• The Logistics of International Buying
• Family-owned Businesses
• Merchandising Tips for Maternity Apparel
• The Trend Towards Maternity Fitness Wear
• Ideas for Children's Wear Store Displays
• Should You Include a Shoe Section in Your Store?

1998 Spring/Summer

• What Goes Into Making A Good... Bassinet, Training Cup, Toddler Bed
• Should You Be Selling Software?
• Developing A Marketing Plan
• Is Your Yellow Page Advertising Effective?
• Tips for Merchandising Soft Toys Developmental
• Expanding Your Marketing Horizons With Industry Trade Shows
• How Effective is My Advertising?
• Creating a Child Friendly Environment
• The Hispanic Market: The Fastest Growing Market in the U.S
• Tips for Merchandising Maternity and Nursing Bras
• Tips For Carrying Plus Size Maternity Clothing

1997 Fall / Winter

• What Goes Into Making a Good...
• Crib Safety Update
• Time Management for Retailers
• How to Creatively Handle Surplus Inventory
• Selling to Grandparents
• Create the Excitement of Theater in Your Store
• How to Write a Good Press Release
• Small Time Marketing Ideas with Big Time Impact

Issue #27 October 2008

1. Zia and Tia
2. Seeking Strong Vendor Partners
3. Customer Attracting Cross-Promotions
4. Supplying Information and Support for Pre-Nursing Moms Results in Sales
5. Quadruplets Announced! 2009 Due Date

Issue #26 August 2008

1. Baby Light & Clip®
2. When You Need a Merchandising Consultant
3. What's Special About Your Specialty Store?
4. Tips for Carrying Plus Size Maternity Clothes

Issue #25 June 2008

1. Amy Maurer Creel, Smart Mom, LLC
2. Seeking Strong Vendor Partners
3. How To Make More MONEY In the Baby Business
4. Ten Basic Categories Every Maternity Apparel Boutique Should Offer

Issue #24 March 2008

1. Renee Raab Whitcombe, Budding Family Publishing
2. Joining a Buying Group—Good or Bad Idea
3. Stretching Your Marketing Dollars
4. Great Expectations Maternity: Building a Community Around Your Boutique

Issue #23 December 2007

1. Feature: The Art of Running a Sale
2. Did You Know: Including Technology in Your Retail Business
3. Meet the Maker: Balboa Baby LLC
4. Trade Show Info: ABC Kids Expo, China Sourcing Fairs, Kind + Jugend, MOM2B

Issue #22 July 2007

1. Feature: Planning Your Way To Success
2. Did You Know: Marketing to Dad
3. Meet the Maker: Belli Cosmetics
4. Trade Show Info: ABC Kids Expo, AmericasMart® Children's World, China Sourcing Fairs, JPMA, Kind + Jugend, MOM2B

Issue #21 June 2007

1. Feature: Boost Sales–Host a Video Event
2. Did You Know: Purchasing Store Fixtures: Look at Quality, Cost, Capacity
3. Meet the Maker: Nature's Baby
4. Trade Show Info: ABC Kids Expo, AmericasMart® Children's World, JPMA, Kind + Jugend, MOM2B

Issue #20 February 2007

1. Feature: Making Product Selections for Your Store
2. Did You Know: Infant Toy Marketing
3. Meet the Maker: Grandma El's
4. Trade Show Info: ABC Kids Expo, JPMA, and Kind + Jugend

Issue #19 October 2006

1. Feature: Color Cravings
2. Retailing Tips: In-Store Events Can Drive Your Sales
3. Meet the Maker: Ergo Baby
4. Trade Show Info - ABC Kids Expo, JPMA, & Kind + Jugend

Issue #18 February 2006

1. Featuring - Christening, Baptism, Blessing, Naming or Bris...
2. Meet the Maker - Loving Baby
3. The Aliens Have Landed...Understanding Your Generation "Why" Employees
4. Trade Show Info- ABC Kids Expo, JPMA & Kind + Jugend

Issue #17 December 2005

1. Featuring - 10 Secrets to Online Success (Its all About the Customer)
2. Meet the Maker - The Brainy Baby Company LLC
3. Did you Know - When You Need a Merchandise Consultant
4. Trade Show Info- ABC Kids Expo, JPMA & Kind + Jugend

Issue #16 October 2005

1. Featuring - Website Marketing for Today's Small Business Owner
2. Meet the Maker - Nava's Designs
3. Did You Know - 5 High Impact Marketing Tips
4. Trade Show Info- ABC Kids Expo, JPMA & Kind + Jugend

Issue #15 July 2005

1. Featuring - 4 Easy Ways to Boost Your Sales
2. Meet the Maker - Baby's Bliss GripeWater MOM Enterprises
3. Did You Know - Basic Tips for Better Advertising
4. Trade Show Info- ABC Kids Expo, JPMA & Kind + Jugend

Issue #14 Feb 2005

1. Featuring - Gift Baskets and Sets: How Convenience Can Profit You
2. Meet the Maker - Joppa Kids
3. Did You Know? - Five Principals to Cement Customer Trust
4. Trade Show Info- ABC Kids Expo & Kind + Jugend

Issue #13 Oct 2004

1. Featuring - Four Marketing Myths Threaten Your Sales
2. Meet the Maker - Baby Inspired Business
3. Did You Know? - Three Keys to Crafting Successful Print Ads

Issue #12 June 2004

1. Featuring - 11 Powerful Marketing Tips
2. Meet the Maker - Up & Away, Inc.
3. Trade Show Info - Kind + Jugend & JPMA

Issue #11 February 2004

1. Featuring - Five Questions You Must Ask About Your Business
2. Meet The Maker - Mom Inventors, Inc.

Issue #10 October 2003

1. Feature Article - Relationship Marketing
2. Meet the Maker - Prenatal Cradle
3. Did You know? - Infant Toy Merchandising

Issue #9 July 2003

1. Customer Service: It's All In Your Head
2. Did You Know? ABC Kids EXPO Announces 2004 Dates

Issue #8 February 2003

1. How To Tame the "Sales Monster"...
2. Meet the Maker - Mommy's Cheeky Minkey

Issue #7 November 2002

1. Ten Ways to Jump Start Your Business
2. Meet the Maker - Fresh Baby
3. Did You know? - AISS Show Another Success

Issue #6 July 2002

1. The Aliens have landed...Understanding Generation Why
2. Meet the Maker - Badger Basket Company
3. Did You know? - Retail Industry Leading American Business Back From Crisis of Trust

Issue #5 May 2002

1. Letting Go
2. Meet the Maker - The History of Kel Gar
3. Did You know? - What's on the Agenda for the JPMA Trade Show?

Issue #4 February 2002

1. Gift Wrap: Utilize This Powerful Marketing Idea for Extending Your Store Image
2. Meet the Maker - The History of the Mary Meyer Company
3. Did You know? - CPSC's What's In & What's Out for a Safe New Year

Issue #3 December 2001>

1. Six Ways to Jump-start Your Holiday Sales
2. Meet the Maker - Mommy's Helper...
3. Did You know? - AISS Show a Huge Success

Issue #2 October 2001

1. 20 Maxims for Small Independents
2. Meet the Maker
3. Trade Show Updates

Issue #1 July 2001

1. How to Make More $$$ in the Baby Business
2. Meet the Maker