In Women We Trust

To Review or Not to Review...

Could you do it? Could you turn down a FREE NEW REFRIGERATOR in exchange for three months of (hopefully) positive reviews? How honest could you be at that high of a freebie price tag? Below is how Diane handled it.

Moral Marketing (to each other) is the new concern of social media marketing. When Neilsen tracks 10,000 women bloggers for their mass media appeal just like they do magazines and newspapers, you know the tide has turned. Because the influence of the blogging woman is so high, because high product praise from a friend carries so much influence, companies are doing whatever they can to get women to endorse their products in writing. 

By the time I was done writing "In Women We Trust" it was apparent that in Women we better trust as we find our voices and do online what they've been doing off line for generations - sharing experiences about food, products and life.  

Many in our green women group have set policies for reviews. My policy is that I'll only review products or books that serve the triple bottom line of people, planet and then profits. The products must be certified as sustainable like Forbo's Marmoleum (SMaRT certified) and books must offer insights into how to turn the world greener and safer. 

What's your moral marketing policy? Will you blog about anything, or does the product/service need to hold itself to higher standards first?What is your standard for changing the world? Are you a change agent or an enabler?

Did You Catch Elisa's Mommy Blogger tips?

 

I'm really missing the BlogHer's Summer Conference this year... all my pals are there, but I'm not. Bummer. BlogHer conferences always energize me in the same way that an art fair gets me going. All the ideas and passions that swirl about are both exhausting and enlightening.  

Even though I'm not attending, I've been pitched non stop on products leading up to it today's conference opener. I've turned products down in the past as nicely as I can, but now it's just getting annoying. I guess I'm not the only one who is annoyed, and yet we do want to play nice and help promote good products and people.

Elisa Camahort Page was interviewed by Ad Age to give companies ideas on what are the do's and DON'Ts of pitching blogger. Go HERE to listen to the full interview.

90% Trust Recommendations from Known People

In women bloggers and reviewers we trust. The article in Adweek on July 7 cited a Nielsen survey of 25,000 online opinions - 90% of consumers trust the opinions of others that they know and 70% trust the opinions of that are posted online. 

The results were taken from a global survey of 50 countries. What goes around is going around the world.  

So, let's do the math once again - 90% of consumers trust people that they know, 80% of those influencing consumer purchasing are women, which means that women are listening to women and seeking their advice FIRST. What happens offline, happens online.

Learn how women think and respond to what you're selling. For a clue, pay attention to the causes they champion and the business models that are starting. Look to see what they are doing to change the world and then get your product in step with the direction. HINT: if you aren't serving the family or the planet, you are not appealing to the majority of women consumers. 

Judith Helfand takes on Vinyl.

My thanks Mario for flagging this older but very poignant film called Blue Vinyl by Judith Helfand and Daniel B. Gold  on the same day that the Plastics Industry announces a $10 million campaign to tell us how safe plastics are. 

I haven't seen the campaign and can't comment on the types of plastics it covers, but after watching this film, I'll be watching the campaign with a new level of questions.

 

Below is a snippet of the whole documentary. (thanks again Mario)

Watch it for the subject matter.

Watch it for how to create award winning documentaries.

Watch it for how the spin factor happens when direct questions are asked.

Then keep that in mind when watching the $10 million worth of commercials.

BTW, SMaRT is only one sustainable standard that I know of that will not certify products as "sustainable" if they have any PVC's in their supply chain.

Blue Vinyl - Documentary Highlights of the Toxic Plastic from Mario Vellandi on Vimeo.

Smart Mama is out to create a LOT of Smart Mamas...

If you've been following this blog, then you've read the increasing trend in topics around toxic households. Included in that group are endocrine-disruptors that can mess with your sex life. 

Last week in the  Sunday's NY Times, Kristof's opinion piece provided a long write up on the short comings of all males, not just human, due to endocrine disruptors. While he gave fact after fact on where the stuff was coming from, he didn't provide answers. It must have hit a nerve, however, as 171 people commented on his blog on the same topic.

What's a mother to do? These chemicals and more are messing with our bodies and our children's bodies. 

Then along comes Smart Mama's Green Guide: Simple steps to reduce your child's toxic chemical exposure, by Jennifer Taggart

Jennifer is part of the Green Mom Carnival crowd and also practices environmental law. Instead of covering all the eco-bases in her book as others have done, she focuses on ONLY toxins - from how they got into her body to what she's doing to keep her home free of them for her children. 

Toxins are the #1 eco issue when it comes to green moms. If you're a marketer of consumer goods and you need to know what will put a customer over the edge, I suggest you get a copy of Smart Mama's Green Guide and keep it in the department library.

Jennifer does not sugar coat anything. She cites example after example of how bad some highly marketed products are for your home. If fear is the best motivator, then this book is will leave you very motivated. She also is very clear on what the government is doing and NOT doing to protect citizens. 

 

Jennifer exposes us to new terms such as body burdens, i.e. how much can a 5-pound bundle of joy handle? Small bodies, large risks. Watch Jennifer on FOX News testing toys here. 

She covers some sustainable product standards that are beginning to get toxins out.  I'd like to hear more from her on what standards (if any) are the best.  

Anyone who isn't afraid to find out what's in their carpets, clothes, foam and cleaning chemical will find this well documented book will have an accumulating effect on them. 

Go Ask Alice to do your Shopping

You want easy? Go ask Alice.

You want green? Go ask Alice.

Alice.com is the new shopping site that promises to deliver the best priced items that you routinely buy to your door. The green items aren't there in mass yet, but that's ok, at least "Alice" has made it easy for you to find them and buy them along with your other purchases.

That's what I like about Alice. 

In a few years the world will be green and we won't need to have a special spot for such things. On the other hand we will need excellent service and a way for manufacturers to sell directly to the consumer, by-passing retail and saving us cash. It finishes what Amway started only with a better business model. 

If you are a greenie and concerned about toxins in your stuff, you can click on the expanded information label and read about the ingredients. The carbon footprint for hand delivery is high for now, but again, the future for transportation is also greening up. My one wish? Add some organic, fair trade whole bean coffee. 

Check it out. It's part personal shopper and all convenience. Who needs 47,000 choices at a mega store when all you want is a decent soap?  

Once you've made your choices, Alice sends you reminders based on your projected need. It's the perfect choice for busy moms or shut-in grand parents in the middle of winter. Hummm, on top of that SunnyGram in the last post, this could make a very nice monthly present for eldest in our society.