MomImpact

Yes, MomImpact has a Type-A Mom Conference ticket to give away!

Kim is speaking at the conference and is giving away the pass she purchased earlier this year.

But wait, there’s more!

The MomImpact scholarship consists of:

• a conference pass,
• $100 to help offset expenses (to be paid out at the conference)
• and a MomImpact t-shirt (no, you don’t have to wear it the whole time).

To enter, you must be a MomImpact member prior to August 18, 2010. To throw your name in the ring, post an entry about your power as a blogger. As a blogger you have a platform, you have an audience (even if it seemingly only consists of your mother or your best friend), you have power.

How will the Type-A Mom help you feel your power? Or how will you use your power to make Type-A Mom an incredible conference (see this post for inspiration)?

Entry deadline is 11:00 PM CST on September 2, 2010. And the scholarship winner will be announced by Labor Day, September 6, 2010. This scholarship is intended for a blogger that does not currently have a pass.

Be sure to drop us a note at info (@) momimpact (dot) com so we can stop by and read your entry. Entries will not be considered if we have not been properly notified.

If the first chosen winner is unable to attend the Type-A Mom Conference, a runner-up will be granted the scholarship package.

MomImpact provided strategic insight as well as event and logistical support for the Kenmore Style National Blogger Summit. Headed up by Richard Goldsmith, known in the blogosphere as @KenmoreConnect and to traditional businessfolk as the Community Engagement Manager, the event was a huge success.

Kenmore brought twenty influential parent bloggers to Chicago and then out to the Sears headquarters in Hoffman Estates to meet with designers and managers behind the Kenmore brand. Bloggers learned about Kenmore’s new sense of style. The brand has been revamped from top to bottom, that is from washing machines that “talk” directly to service technicians in Texas via Kenmore Connect service to a new logo with custom-designed font used across the brand.

The brand folks also learned from the bloggers as the day included a paid focus group, where bloggers shared their appliance insights and desires.

The day was capped off with a party at the Kenmore Live Studio, where many Chicago bloggers gathered for the foodie face-off of the summer, three “mommy bloggers” competing against three” foodie bloggers” to create healthy dishes that kids will love. (Alas, the foodies won, but Moms Amy Clark, Kris Cain and Stephanie Precourt did the moms proud.)

Kenmore Style Blogger Summit Participants included (not all pictured above):

Chicago’s next big blogger event takes place in just a few weeks. The Social Media Masters’ Summit will kick off with brand/blogger speed dating event and VIP cocktail party on August 23. For the speed dating portion, brands looking to connect with bloggers will be matched with a hand-picked selection  Likewise, bloggers will be matched with representatives from major brands that would be a good fit with for their stated interests and needs.

The Summit proper will take place on August 24th. MomImpact’s Kim Moldofsky will be speaking alongside Esther Crawford*, Danielle Smith, and Miss Lori* on a panel moderated by Weber Shandwick’s Senior VP of Digital and Social, Adam Keats. The panelists will be sharing experiences and actionable tips about how bloggers and brands can work together.

In addition to great bloggers, there’s a top-notch group of corporate social media and marketing pros on the agenda, too- GM’s Christopher Barger and Chicago’s own Liz Strauss to name a few. Read more about the sessions.

*MomImpact member

Chicago bloggers are fortunate that the city has hosted the BlogHer conference two times, but in 2010 it was held in New York City. A handful of Chicago bloggers who opted to stay back in the Second City during BlogHer10 decided to hold a meet-up of their out here in town. Chicago social media mavens Hope Bertram, Sara Fisher, and Kim Moldofsky organized an evening of networking, conversation and fun at Theory Chicago.

The group of nearly two dozen women was treated to a private screening of Melissa Pierce’s film, Life in Perpetual Beta, a crowd-sourced documentary that explores the ways technology is changing our culture. Melissa, a mom of three who created the most of the film while her young ones napped, celebrated her birthday with the group.  Chicago singer and newbie blogger, Jan James, wowed the women with her soulful rendition of “Happy birthday.”

Inspired by the Tutus for Tanner 5K at BlogHer, attendees posed wearing the (now) official Chicago tutu in exchange for a small donation to the cause. Nicole of Help! Mama Remote called the get-together “a night of fun, laughter, hope, and inspiration,” that left her wondering how a few hours together with people she’d never met before could be so impactful.

There was little in the way of swag, no dance floor, and the party was over by 10:00, but there were many cards exchanged, lots of laughs shared, and several friendships forged during the event.

Tracey from Just Another Mommy Blog

On July 28, Yahoo released a groundbreaking marketing study regarding women online. The study explored the personal needs women are trying to fulfill via their time online and the channels they use to meet those needs.

In short, the study indicates that many types of women (old, young, married, single, moms, non-mothers) have surprisingly similar needs and they meet these needs through various online channels. Examples of different channels include blogs, online communities, lifestyle sites and social networking sites.

All channels are not created equal. In one analysis of the results provide by Yahoo, they note that an online community is the metaphorical equivalent of a book group, while instant messaging is more like a coffee break. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

So what?

By understanding the needs that get met through different channels and the types of information that are shared out and received on them, marketers can better tailor messages to fit those spaces, rather merely create a broad campaign and insert the same ad across a variety of channels.

MomImpact’s Kim Moldofsky was part of an expert panel that talked through the some of the implications of this study at a recent Chicago Connectonomics event. The morning at Ivy Studios kicked off with an overview of the study by Yahoo’s Dr. Radha Subramanyam. Panel moderator, Yahoo! Shine editor-in-chief, Brandon Holley, kept the conversation flowing with Kim, Edelman Digital’s Danielle Wiley, Sara Lee’s Philippe Schaillee, and Erik Logan from Harpo Studios.

The hot event swag was a Connectonomics: Women’s Edition booklet (pictured) that you’ll want to get your into your hands. But if that’s not possible, check out the Yahoo! Advertising Blog to download the next best thing.

BlogHer is a fabulous conference. I’ve learned a lot and had a great time during the three years I attended, but this year I’m focusing on smaller conferences. (Note to self: I have a ticket to give away to The TypeAMom Conference next month.) I’m sure the women will have a blast in NYC this year, but that doesn’t mean us homebodies can’t have a good time, too. I’m working with a few of Chicago’s leading social media ladies to put together a little something-something.  Sign up below if you’d like to hear more as the plans come together.

Kim

Able who? Skeevy what? MomImpact president Kim Moldofsky was impressed when she met the Minneapolis-based folks of Aunt Else’s Aebleskiver at the Housewares Show. Chad and his team impressed her with their passion for their small business which makes a mix and sells special cast iron pans used for making this Danish pastry.

Kim was intrigued. She knew she’d be passing through Minneapolis in June and that there was a wonderful group of bloggers there to meet, so….

Thanks to Aunt Else, Local D’Lish, Jennifer of Unplanned Cooking, Liz of Kitchen Pantry Scientist and the Blog Pantry ladies, we’re having a make-your-own aebleskiver party. Kim will also be talking to the group about brand-blogger relations.

Even if you’re not from Minneapolis, you have a chance to join in. Watch for #MNBlogPantry on Twitter the night of June 10, from 7-9 CST. And want to try you hand at aebleskiver?

Enter to win your own cast iron pan and Aunt Else’s mix, based on a 100-year-old recipe.

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations @MommyNeedsTherapy!

Do you feel like your to-do list is longer than you can manage in one day? Are you struggling to balance the needs of your family and Twitter your work?

Laura Vanderkam, journalist and mom of two young boys, says you and I have more time than we realize and she’s out to prove it with her hot-off-the press book, 168 Hours: You have more time than you think (Portfolio, May 2010).

MomImpact founder, Kim Modofsky, says that Laura changed her worldview with her previous book, Genius Denied, and thinks 168 Hours may lead to a paradigm shift, too.

Laura is smart, insightful, provocative and… she’s leading a free webinar for MomImpact members and friends on June 4 from 1-2 EST!

The webinar, 168 Hours: Finding Time For Your Business, Family and Twitter Self, covers time management for busy moms, particularly those who work at home. How can you manage competing priorities to boost your career while preserving downtime too?

In this webinar, you’ll learn:

* How to identify your “core competencies” — what you do best and others can’t do nearly as well.
* How to create a flexible schedule that works for you
* How to get your work done and have time for fun

We’ll also be giving away a two copies of the book to participants!

Register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/155885273

Some of our favorite peeps are coming to town!

Join Blogalicious and MomImpact for a fun and fabulous get-together on Sunday, June 13 from 3:30 – 5:30. Click for details and registration.

The Blogalicious Conference will take place October 8-10, 2010 in Miami, Florida. Last year’s conference was fun and informative, and this year’s even will be even better.

Last week, MomImpact worked with Kenmore to host an event at the Kenmore Live Studio in Chicago. 

We were pleased to assist with Kenmore’s first momblogger event and even more pleased that the party was a big hit. Among the highlights of the evening was the chance to hang with Kristen Chase of Motherhood Uncensored, AKA The Mominatrix, while sipping Mominatrix signature cocktails.

Here’s Melisa’s recap of the Kenmore event. Check out Miss Lori’s photo story, “The sexy side of Kenmore” and learn who walked away with the big prize of the night. Technically, she did not walk away with the prize, it will be shipped to her house; it’s a really big prize!

Check out this video of the event, produced by the Kenmore folks.