Marketing Tips
From IAFCS Members, For IAFCS Members
Maybe you will find an idea (or more) that will help your business!
Mark LeBlanc from Small Business Success presented and led breakout groups about marketing at the
2009 Annual Conference. These are the questions that he asked IAFCS members.
1. If I had to do it all over again, what would I do differently?
2. What have you tried in your business that ended up working out better than you imagined?
We added these questions to IAFCS membership renewal in 2010 so that other IAFCS members could
contribute, along with another question.
3. Do you have any additional marketing or advertising tips to share with IAFCS members?
Mike Bost, Palmetto Childproofing
1. I have had the opportunity to “do it all again” since I started my second childproofing company
and the thing I focused on doing differently was getting my company image ready to go from
the start (website, business cards, ads, graphic van, etc.) , business plan and marketing strategy
from the start; Establish an organized customer referral program.
2. Sending my customers notifications of product recalls via email. Advantages – visibility,
credibility, reverse communication, etc. and writing press releases; Sponsoring a playgroup with
over 400 members; Writing online press releases; Establishing a referral network with other
local business owners in the baby industry (maternity boutique, 4D ultrasound, cloth diaper
service, baby planner, etc.).
3. Utilize Web 2.0 social media--Facebook, Twitter, etc.
Yehudah Franken, Babyproofers
1. Charge for services based on a fee per item vs. hourly rate, plus travel fee.
2. Had my website optimized to increase traffic to website.
3. Put your contact info on gates and tot lok keys
Steve Weinstein, Royal Baby Safety Corp.
1. Better Phone Number
2. Picture Frame Magnets for the fridge. People keep them and refer to my number on them.
David Sarner, Child Proofers
1. I would focus more on website and internet marketing, instead of print. I wasted a lot of
money on print and yellow page that didn’t pan out.
2. Free lectures at mommy groups
3. It sounds corny but 'Be nice to customers'
Todd Sriro, Arizona Childproofers
1. Give customers fewer options.
2. Delivering rack cards to doctors offices/kids stores, etc. and hiring intern from local college to
help with marketing.
Alton Chen, Safety 1st Squad
1. Spend less on print media
Kenn Macfie, Oh Baby Child Safety Services
1. Better bookkeeping for less annual accounting headaches. More accurate database creating for
future use in marketing ; start business in larger population
2. Connection with retail store in competition with me re: product sales. Many leads monthly –
qualified leads.
Ana Mistrello, Lok-Lok
1. Learned more and faster about products from the right sources.
2. Sign on van and Google Ad words pay per click; Asking if client would like to reserve an
installation date when he/she calls to schedule the first visit. They usually keep the date and go
ahead with installation.
3. Provide free service such as gate adjustment after guarantee has expired and just ask client to
tell her friends about your company.
Patti Laird, Safer Kids and Homes
1. Do more in person presentations. Ask to do them and do them regularly; would have spend
more money up front to create a good website.
2. Monthly e-blasts; Printed cards (postcard size; information on one side and ad on the other;
inexpensive to print for large quantity); partnering with related services (nanny referrals) and
offering back-and-forth referrals-no cost to either of us.
3. E-blasts to existing customers giving safety tips and asking for referrals.
Amber Watters, Heartland Baby Safe
1. Research printing prices. I spent too much on brochures that turned out to be worthless. I
would not have ordered expensive brochures so quickly. I found that I made many changes
very quickly and the brochures had to be reordered.
2. Advertising in a local children’s/baby magazine. Google ad words for internet advertising.
Highlights words like gates, babyproofing, etc. Internet searches for the words you highlight
bring your site up. Using Google Ad Words
3. Advertising in local children's publications has been helpful.
Kenny Lynerd, Child Safe Home
1. Less money on ads, more on education
2. Service Magic/Website visibility
Tom Connelly, Safe Solutions
1. Bigger website presence
2. Service Magic
Clay Henry, Safe First Steps
1. Started earlier without over thinking/trying to know every little thing before I launched.
Nelson Bartley, Home Safety Services (NC)
1. Participate in more local Home, Family, and Safety Shows
2. Childbirth group classes
3. Register with Service Magic
Todd Sessler, Allsafe Childproofing
1. Not spend as much on printed publication ads.
2. Updated website and search engine optimization; Networking
Bill Brooner, Babyproofing Montgomery
1. Design a better website initially. Use a professional web designer
2. Toys R Us gift cards for referrals. In my home assessment package, I include a postcard size
referral card. New brochures and web site that is coming soon
3. Try your local BNI group for networking
Howard Applebaum, Baby Proofers Plus
1. Huge marketing to doctors (pediatricians) and child exercise classes (Gymboree); Trademark
Company Name
2. Internet marketing
3. Networking/Collaboration
Peter Kerin, Foresight Childproofing
1. Not spend as much money marketing in the early days of the business.
2. Public speaking, it always yields a new string of clients; books for referral gifts.
3. Spend wisely and be consistent.
Rachelle Gansky, Kidproteq
1. Exclude Google Pay per click
2. Facebook,
3. Strong follow up.
Jeff Gansky, Kidproteq
1. Concentrate on babyproofing only, instead of e-commerce and brick and mortar store.
2. Service Magic referrals. I get about 1 a week as a voicemail or email (small fee for referral).
Bob Baulac, Safe Surroundings Childproofing
1. Purchasing a larger vehicle to accommodate magnetic signs; started doing presentations earlier.
2. Making presentations in front of Moms Groups
3. Sign up with a company that can supply you additional leads like Service Magic or Sales Genie. I
am working with both.
Louie Delaware, Colorado Childproofers
1. A full business plan with marketing strategies
2. Installing other products that are overall family safety and convenient item; Mothers Groups
3. Magnets for refrigerators
Bob Wydra, A Safe Child
1. Redo business plan
2. Gift Card referral
Kevin Cohen, Baby Boundaries
1. I would have trained a bit more with other childproofers and purchased financial software
sooner; try to get into pediatricians’ offices sooner.
2. Linking to related business websites. Ex: ultrasound business, children’s room artist.
Jeff Baril, Safe Beginnings
1. I would have made a greater effort towards having multiple installation crews for greater
capacity.
2. Sending thank you cards to clients one week after job or the same; on the same card a personal
note hand-written asking for referrals.
Dan Piett, Babyproofing Richmond
1. Invest in professional service vehicle (daily advertisement/marketing tool)
2. Participate in Bon Secours Love and Learn Program. Showcase products and services to
expectant parents. This plants the seed for future business in 12 months/18 months later.
Hospital relationship is outstanding; client referral program
3. Presentations & Brand your business
Jay Martel, Childproofers Network of CT
1. I would ask for referrals, rather than hope for them; Car seat and CPR certification
2. Created a character/mascot that people can remember. Smiling All the Time
3. Visualize Success
Tom Treanor, Babyproofer New York
1. Pick another business name. I changed to “Babyproofer New York”
2. Had a baby. Helped me connect with clients. Moms are very interested in talking about my
baby; Blackberry purchase
3. Make your customers happy so that they will recommend you
Rick Leviton, Precious Baby Protectors
1. Stay small and do it myself (no employees)
2. Wrap trucks and parking in good areas for visibility; rolling billboards
3. Leave a thank you gift. It goes a long way.
Fred Israel, Home Safe Home
1. I would probably be more assertive
2. Speaking to mommy groups
3. Be honest and courteous with people.
Lindsey Gillispie, Oklahoma Childproofers
1. I would get out to Mom’s groups and hospitals to speak about child safety and our services
faster to educate a childproofing naïve community about what we do/why they need us.
2. Facebook has generated referrals to spread “word of mouth”. It gained us TV appearance (fan
was a newscaster) and we have it linked to our website. We keep fans updated on safety
issues/specials, etc.
LaVonne Ries, Keepin’ Baby Safe
1. Hire a professional web designer
2. Networking with Safe Kids Canada and AORP
Kim Finkbeiner, Babyproofing Pittsburgh
1. Become more educated business owner regarding the marketing of the business so that your
marketing plans can start to pay off earlier.
2. I sent out PR kits to local media (including press releases) – radio, newspapers, tv. I ended up
getting many positive responses from my recipients and got radio interviews, newspaper
articles included in our local Pittsburgh Business Times Newspapers (feature article). Gave me
lots more networking contacts, including other Pr contacts.
3. Market brochures, etc. to mom's groups, hospitals and pediatrician's offices, children's
furniture stores, consignment shops, schools, shops that market to new moms, etc.
Carrie Kelly, Heart and Home Baby Safety
1. Tried harder to maintain the marketing momentum I had in the first few years
2. Used Mark Leblanc's 'target 25' method
3. Establish relationships w/ moms groups by giving educational presentations, advertising in their
newsletter, donating to their auctions and authoring safety articles for their
newsletters/websites
Don Bowlin, Kidsafe Pool
1. Pay less on magazine advertising and hit up more pool companies
2. Craig’s List
3. Just be consistent
Sebastien Amy, A+ Childproofing
1. Try to do more presentation; take a course on business and accounting
2. Asking my client to talk about me on their moms’ group blog
James Schmidt, Child Safety House Calls
1. More time talking to child-oriented business owners
Nancy Reynolds, BabySecure
2. I have tried it all and over 25 years, and there is nothing which comes to mind which worked
better than I imagined. Advertizing, T.V. appearances, talks to mummys groups, discount card
networks/community resource sites, teaching CPR/First Aid, pool fencing, baby fairs, flyers in
community health outlets, parenting program places all create some awareness of my business
but none strikingly wonderful.
3. Update first aid training and connect with your communities teaching agencies, Red Cross,
Heart & Stroke Foundation
Hal Norman, Home Safe Home Childproofing
1. Attend more trade/baby shows
2. Just joined a Networking Group
Nida Saavedra, Children’s Safety Care
1. Advertise more regularly
Mike Dana, Dana and Sons
1. Tudget more towards advertising
2. Targeted mailings
Tom Brino, Pool Safety Systems
1. Added more dealers
2. Seminars
David Cooperberg, Childproof America
1. NA
2. Cross-referrals from childproofers in other locations
3. Google Ad words
Robert Carter, PrepareFirst Family Safety
1. Greatly reduced print advertising
2. Asking current clients for referrals
William Stewart, Protect-A-Child Pool Fence Company
1. Credit cards
2. Website
Kimberlee Mitchell, Boo Boo Busters/Safety 1st Squad (CA)
1. Not waste cash on too widely targeted advertising
2. Speaking engagements
3. Guerilla Marketing is key
Eve Akroyd, Safe and Sound Babyproofing
1. Would not waste money at trade shows
2. Corporate Mom's guide, yellow pages, blogging
Bobbi Alpert, The Baby Proofers
1. I would have spent more time on competing my web site sooner and I need to spend more time
improving it.
2. My website. It is my best source of leads.
3. I provide a very complete, looseleaf binder Child ID Kit for each client's child. I fingerprint each
child. Not only is it a good value added service for my clients, it also ensures they have my
correct name and and phone number when they refer friend and family. The Phila. Inquirer,
the largest daily newspaper in my geographic location did a two page article with pictures and
an interview from me and a client in their Friday Home and Design Section. It provided an
unbelieveable stream of leads that lasted about a year, since people kept the article until they
needed my service. I really need to pursue the same thing with them again since it's been
several years. I also need to pursue it with the smaller papers in the area.
Christopher Dimon, Safe Hampton Childproofing
1. Not spend so much on worthless advertising and stick to online and word of mouth.
2. Car Seat Instruction and Installation. CPST certification
3. I have been trying to get the business more involved with the community. Providing classes and
tips. That has worked well.
Patrick Kinyon, Home Safe Home
1. Spend more time marketing
2. The Expectant Mothers Guide
Gwen Trowbridge, Baby Guru
1. This year I plan to market myself more as the ONLY trained babyproofer in Hawaii, not just the
company overall which offers multiple parenting workshops.
2. Hosting Mommy Groups at my home and talking about what I do casually and also when the
topic of safety comes up.
3. Social networking, including Facebook, Twitter, etc. are a must. More people check those sites
for my company updates than my website.
Robert Hambly, A+ Pool Fence
1. We would not do direct mailers
2. Door Hangers
Jeff Jacobstein, Crumb Crunchers Baby Proofing
1. Advertise more than I did in the beginning.
2. For pool fencing: changing and advertising my website at sacramentopoolfencing.com rather
than crumbcruncherspoolfencing.com. People like local businesses.
3. Ads work better if coupon incentive is on them.
Amybeth Engler, Safe Steps Childproofing
1. Market to similar businesses/services more
2. Safety seminars for mothers groups
3. Don't spend too much money on ads
Mark Hinkle, Lifesaver Pool Fence of Northern California
1. Avoid the phone book like the plague. In my area, no one uses the phone book. It's all on the
Internet.
2. Attending IPSSA (Independent Pool & Spa Service Association meetings. Over 50% of my
referrals come from them.
3. Get yourself into Google & Yahoo & Bing search engines.
Sam Spigelman, Protect Enfant
1. Open several stores
2. CPR courses
3. Elderly home proofing
Todd Schaneville, Schaneville Enterprises
1. Face to Face with businesses
2. Mailings
David Spigelman, Wonder Years Babyproofing
1. Have clothing that has your name and business logo on it
2. Consistency in print ad
3. Being on the web is a must
Michele Spahr, Safe Start Babyproofing
1. Carry less inventory
2. On-line discussion boards
3. Post safety information on local discussion boards without promoting your business, but
include your signature with contact info.
Buck Bowhall, Safe Baby
1. Even though my business is referral based, some form of advertising and promoting is essential
2. Increasing my product costs
3. Attend the IAFCS conventions
Martin Simenc, Home Safety Services (CA)
1. Hire better
2. Going digital
Steve Berger, Lifesaver Northeast
1. Answering service
2. Working with old customers
Russell Levine, Baby Safe Child Proofing
1. Not have spent money on print ad; worked with other companies first to be better at
marketing.
2. Working with birthing centers; Meeting with churches and temples to find out about newborns.
Mark Gottlieb, Safe at Home
1. Advertise on tv
2. Using a referral service
Robert Baker, Kids Safe Childproofing
1. More press releases
2. Press releases
Steven Finkelstein, HomeStep Safety
1. NA
2. Online advertising.
3. Do good. The rest will follow.
Linette Palmer, Family First
1. Visit more pediatrician offices in person
2. Speaking at mommy & me classes
3. Yellow pages and direct marketing didn't work at all
Terry Cheramie, LifeSaver Pool Fence of Louisiana
1. NA
2. Home shows and website
David Escosa, Protect-a-Tot
1. Not spend advertising money and build a great web site and do payclick
2. Web site
3. Don’t do mass mailing
Chad Collier, Childproofers of Wisconsin
1. More publicity
2. Direct mail
3. Press releases
Mike Radel, Safer Baby!
1. NA
2. Internet website
Matt Anderson, Baby Proofing Pros
1. Pool fences
2. Google
3. Pay for the Google ads print; marketing is not working well for me.
Craig Smith, Life Saver of Nevada
1. Not try high priced magazines.
2. Web page
Sherri Albert, Safety for Toddlers
1. NA
2. Web enhancements / we have lots of techs in this area
Cher Holcomb, Carolina Baby Safe
1. Added pool fencing
2. Speaking events
Amy France, Bay Area Backyards
1. Not waste money on Yellow Pages (the book)
Stevie Rufener, Silverwood Restoration
1. NA
2. We just understand that customer service is key
Daryl Gregory, Mr. Babyproofer
1. NA
2. Speaking at baby classes
Kiki Joslin, One Stop Safety Shop
1. Not waste so much money on trade show exhibits - I never received enough business from
them to recover my fees
2. Speaking at MOPS, day cares, & other parent groups
3. Personal lectures/discussions with Moms/Parent groups (costs are your time).
Kevin Cameron, Pool Guard of Central Texas
1. Spend smarter on advertising
2. Working with realtors
James Hirtenstein, Baby-Safe
1. Hire more sales reps
2. Mommy and Me groups
3. Seeing is believing
Thank you all for sharing to help members in our industry!