Posted by Gabe on December 31, 2010 under Kids are Heroes | 
Well it’s that time of year again. As you get older you wonder why the years seem to pass by just a little faster than they used to. This is a great time to look back on the highlights of 2010, especially as how they relate to Kids Are Heroes. And I can’t wait to see what unfolds in 2011!
Without further ado, here are the top ten (in random order of importance) accomplishments of 2010 for Kids Are Heroes:
- In March we were granted our 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
- Launched the ambassadors program which recruits superstars to help us get the word out.
- Featured two heroes from overseas.
- MaryMargaret won the status of being featured as a role model in an international tween magazine.
- Held a Kids Are Heroes Day in June in Gettysburg.
- Established a relationship with a company that will set up video conferences with our heroes and schools in the US and Canada.
- The name “Kids Are Heroes” was successfully trademarked.
- Broke the 25,000 follower mark on Twitter and 2500 fans on Facebook.
- Had our best Kids Are Heroes Day ever in October of 2010.
- Connected with a production company that is going to shop our stories to networks.
As I look back things went pretty much the same way as they did in 2008 and 2009. We are gradually getting more recognition, getting bigger and each event gets better. We are looking for MUCH bigger things to happen in 2011 however. Thanks to all of you for your continuous support!
Posted by Gabe on December 20, 2010 under Kids are Heroes |
What do Dustin Hoffman, Evangeline Lilly, Justin Bieber, Alex Rodriguez and Oprah Winfrey all have in common? They are just five of the 120 celebrities we are asking to help us gain worldwide recognition. This has been in our vision from the beginning, and that is to have Kids Are Heroes become a household name someday. For fans of the reality show “Cake Boss”, Buddy Valastro (The Boss) said on a recent episode, “I told my Dad a long time ago I would make ‘Carlo’s Bakery’ a household word, and I did!” So if Buddy can do it, why can’t MaryMargaret? And yes, he is also on the list of celebs we are contacting. It would be awesome if he baked us one of his signature cakes for next Kids Are Heroes Day!
One way or another this is going to happen. Of the 120 celebrities we are contacting, how many of them will actually have the letter get in front of them? Of those, how many will read the letter? Of those, how many will believe in us and take action? That is hard to say and maybe it’s a long shot, but you can’t get a hit if you never go up to bat. Sooner or later our cause is going to land in front of someone who just might be the spark to help us go viral. It’s just a matter of time. Every rejection we get is more motivation for us. We are working day by day towards the tipping point. We are confident it’s going to happen so we come up with these crazy programs knowing that one of them one day will work. Who knows, it just might be this one.
I admit I might have to come up with a new name for our campaign. It’s a spoof on “Shock and Awe”, although clearly it’s a stretch. The ‘Rock’ part comes from our new partnership with GameRaise.com, a new and refreshing way to campaign for donations. You create a customized benefit rock concert and get people to donate to your cause. The ‘Awww’ comes from, well you know, the kids are simply amazing.
We have also beefed up our online press kit and are campaigning to get radio interviews all across the country. Our first new interview is set for next Wednesday on WBTN in Vermont.
Do you like what we are doing? Would you like to see us grow in a big way? Do you have connections that can help us? Or maybe you just have a better name for our campaign. We’d love to hear about it.
Posted by Gabe on December 13, 2010 under Social Media |
Sometimes people feel pressured to enter the realm of social media. I heard this very statement from someone recently, “I broke down and got a Facebook. My clients and friends were telling me they couldn’t get hold of me because we were not on it. So we just got an account.” Well, simply “getting a Facebook” is not necessarily the solution. Having a presence on Twitter, Facebook or any other social media platform does not guarantee you additional revenue, awareness, or anything else you might think comes from it. As a matter of fact it can be detrimental if you do not go about things properly. What I am seeing more and more is that once people get their Twitter and/or Facebook accounts, they update them, put links on their websites, and try to do all the right things. Then time passes and the social media accounts do not stay updated. People visit the main website and want to connect with someone so they click on the social media link. Or even worse, saw the Facebook or Twitter link in an ad. Hmmm… It hasn’t been updated in months. This plain and simple looks bad and makes whatever you are representing look unprofessional.
Entering the realm of social media is an endeavor in and of itself, albeit an extremely valuable one if executed properly. It should be well thought out in advance and expectations must be set. Too many think of it as a ball and chain on their business; something they feel pressure into doing but cannot foresee the benefit. It is important that you come into it with a positive attitude. It’s just like anything else — if it feels forced or negative people will not respond to it. The ones who are gaining a lot from social media do not see it as a ball and chain — it’s more like a competitive advantage that is embraced from the start. New business connections are being made that would never have been forged if it weren’t for social media. If you think you don’t have time for it, watch how you make time when it starts to benefit your cause.
