Open Call for Guest Bloggers

WANTED:  Guest bloggers who want to share ideas, tips, tricks and advice on products and all things beauty, fashion, travel, cars and green living.  You want to talk about your obsession with lip gloss? Go ahead!  Love the new models rolling out of Detroit?  Tell me about and share with MPR's readers. 

I'm looking for bloggers who want to submit a post or two and reach a new audience.  Email me at veamason AT gmail DOT com.

Tips for Getting Product Reviews on Your Blog

Spend any time at all immersed in the blog world and you’ll begin to notice that some bloggers get to review different products from time to time, and some bloggers to get to review different products all the time and some bloggers get to review products none of the time. And yet, you’ve never been offered a chance to review any products. Why is that? How come some bloggers have so many different opportunities to review products and some have none at all?

1.      Make your contact information easy to find

Companies are constantly perusing the web to find different places to promote their products. However, if they can’t find any way to get in touch with you, they’ll never reach out to you to try their products, which is why it’s imperative to have a Contact tab on your blog that gives a valid email address and explains that you’re open to discussing honest product reviews.

2.      Reach out to companies you’re interested in promoting

If there’s a particular company or product that you really believe in and want to promote you should email their marketing person and ask them about coordinating a review or sponsoring a giveaway on your blog. You don’t have to wait for someone to find your blog, and a lot of companies are more than happy to work with bloggers and get some additional exposure.

3.      Join a blogging network

There are a lot of different blogging networks out there that will partner with you to create a mutually beneficial relationship – they’ll place specific ads on your website and in turn will promote you as well. A lot of companies find blogs to utilize for product promotions through these types of networks.

4.      Review products on your own

If there’s something you’re passionate about – whether it’s in a positive or negative light – review it on your blog! This will help show others that you’re the type of blogger that does open and honest reviews, both of which are qualities that companies appreciate. No one wants to read glowing reviews all of the time, they want to read truthful reviews. This will also show marketers that your blog is a place for credible information and good exposure.

5.      Use social media to your advantage

Promote, promote, promote. Promote your blog, promote any reviews you’re doing, link to companies on Twitter, tag companies on Facebook – do whatever you have to do in terms of social media promotion to get people’s attention. Social media is a free and easy resource to connect with others, so use it!

It might be a little intimidating at first to contact a company, but most are more than willing to at least talk to you about sponsoring a review, and once you have one it becomes easier for other companies to find you and utilize you. Reviewing products is fun and informative, and readers love unbiased opinions on products. If someone knows they can count on you to give a candid review of something, even if it’s not necessarily the most glowing review, you immediately become a credible source of information and will become more and more likely to be contacted for product reviews on your blog.

Author Bio

Nancy Parker was a professional nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, and Babysitting, find a nanny tips etc. You can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com.

Deal for Dad: Free Shipping on $99 at Macy’s

Yes, it’s that time of year again! June is here which means Father’s Day will soon be here! It’s Sunday, June 19th to be exact. Now is the time to shop for the best gift for Dad. So many great stores are offering special sales and discounts on men’s apparel, cologne, tools and other awesome items for men. Since he’s worked hard to give you the best, you’ll want to buy gifts that will help him relax from his hectic work schedule and gifts that will make him feel like the special guy the family knows and loves. Macy’s has some really great options this year. There are a lot of great items on sale like this Hotel Collection "Cotton" Long Bath Robe now $99.99 marked down from $135! That will save you about $35.



Dad will definitely enjoy his special day while lounging around and being waited on by all who love him. This plush rob is made of 100% cotton, machine washable and looks delightfully cozy. Macys.com online shoppers gave it a 4.3 out of 5 stars review! All he needs is his comfy recliner for an afternoon of rest and relaxation! Mom might be a bit jealous, so remember to tell her where she can get her own for this awesome price.

When you spend $99 you automatically will get FREE SHIPPING! This is nice and is offered year-round. No one wants to pay shipping costs, but online shoppers love the convenience so it’s nice to have this option as an incentive. You should also look around for Macy’s coupon codes and printable Macy’s coupons as they will likely be giving out some great ones closer to Father’s Day.




*Guest post by CouponMountain.com

Delicious Deal: 10% Off Harry & David Gifts for Dad

I don’t know about your dad, but mine has a killer sweet tooth. He’s a sucker for frozen yogurt, ice cream, chocolate covered nuts, delicious fruit and other yummy treats. The man has everything and every year I struggle when deciding what to get him for Father’s Day (which is coming up quickly)! If he wants it, he buys it. Something that he can never get sick of and something for which he can never get sick of buying are his favorite snacks!

If you’ve ever received a Harry and David gift basket, you know how awesomely succulent their fruit is and the variety of goods they offer. Walking into a Harry and David might seem overwhelming at first as there are so many options. If you are the type that would rather put a custom touch to your gifts, I suggest selecting your dad’s favorite items and having one of their friendly customer service reps create the perfect gift basket. Not only does Harry and David have fruit, chocolate and snacks, but they also carry wine, pasta noodles (sometimes in holiday shapes), pasta sauce, cheese cakes and even floral arrangements.

They online site allows you to select a pre-made gift basket or tower which might be a better option for those who’d rather shop from the convenience of their sofa. Their Father’s Day section has some great finds. I think my dad would like something like this Great Expectations Double Discovery Gift for $59.95.




If you use this Harry and David coupon code for 10% off select Father’s Day gifts, you will save $6 on this particular gift which should knock out some of the shipping costs. Go to HarryandDavid.com before Sunday, June 19th to take advantage of the coupon and check out the other great gift baskets and goodies available.



*Guest blogger today courtesy of CouponMountain.com

Tips for Hiring a Nanny

Candi Wingate, founder of Nannies4Hire, is a guest blogger today at MPR.  Her wonderful site offers loads of advice, tips and ideas on caring for your children, finding good childcare and so much more.  She offered up the following tips for hiring a nanny. 
Top 9 Tips When Hiring a Nanny

In today’s society, finding quality childcare is important to so many families - no matter where you live. Here are some of the most important things for you to consider when selecting a new nanny for your children.

1. The nanny should be able to relate easily and bond well with your children while also maintaining a clear distinction from them. Nannies must be able to play with and enjoy your children (which can often be construed by the child as peer-level interaction) while also maintaining discipline. It is easy for a nanny (and a parent) to feel more comfortable in one role or the other: to be most comfortable being friends with the children, or to be most comfortable supervising the children and redirecting their errant behaviors. Parents and nannies must have a shared understanding of how to navigate both roles successfully and strike a balance between peer-level interaction and parent-level interaction with the children.

2. The nanny must be able to relate with your family and administer discipline to your children in a manner that is appropriate and consistent with your family’s boundaries. You and your nanny should discuss, prior to hiring, the discipline style that your family would like the nanny to use.

3. The nanny should have years of experience, solid references from prior employer-families, a clean background (pursuant to background checks), and completed training on nanny basics (CPR, first aid, the Heimlich maneuver, basic nutrition and food preparation, and general personal and home hygiene). Background checks may be obtained through Nannies4hire.com. If you need your nanny to drive, then your nanny should have a valid driver’s license and a clean (or as close to clean as possible) driving record.

4. The nanny should be able to develop and carry out fun, creative, and educational experiences for your child.

5. The nanny should be capable of handling small “crises” on his/her own. You and your nanny should come to an agreement about what issues may warrant a call to you and what issues the nanny is authorized to handle on his/her own. Your nanny should be able to act comfortably within the boundaries you have provided.

6. The nanny should be able to commit to your family for an extended period of time (unless your needs require less). Children often become attached to their nannies. When nannies leave, children often experience grief associated with that separation. Therefore, it is advantageous to hire a nanny who will be able to stay with your children for an extended amount of time.

7. The nanny’s expectations regarding terms and conditions of employment should be close to the terms and conditions of employment that you are offering. If you are seeking a live-in nanny, a prospective nanny that seeks a live-out arrangement may not be a good fit for your family. If you wish to hire a nanny in a smoking home, a non-smoking prospective nanny may not be a good fit for your family. Pay rates for nannies should be discussed up front to ensure that the prospective nannies are willing to work for the income you offer.

8. The nanny should not have fears or concerns about the non-negotiable aspects of the job with your family. If you have a cat, and your prospective nanny is severely allergic to cats, the prospective nanny may not be a good fit for your family. (Side note: some allergic reactions can be treated with over-the-counter or prescription medications or other accommodations that may be used by the allergic nanny.)

9. The nanny should be a positive, loving influence in your household.
 
About Nannies4Hire:



Nannies4Hire, a booming online database registry that matches families, nannies and babysitters across the United States and Canada, was recently named to the Inc. 500 List of fastest growing companies. Care4Hire is a database registry that provides a variety of other valuable services, such as last-minute babysitters, personal assistants, tutors and eldercare.

As the former nanny for a couple with five children, Candi Wingate quickly learned about the needs of a modern day family. Based on that experience, Wingate, now a wife and mother, purchased her very own nanny placement agency. Based in Nebraska and serving the U.S. and Canada, Nannies4Hire’s booming online database registry serves more than 500,000 families, nannies, and babysitters. The rapidly growing agency has developed ongoing relationships with The Dr. Phil Show, Supernanny, Good Morning America and TLC’s hit show Jon and Kate Plus 8. Ready for the next level, Candi recently launched Care4Hire.com, a database registry for personal assistants, tutors, eldercare, and other services. For more information, please visit http://www.nannies4hire.com/.

Disclaimer:  This is not a sponsored post.  MPR was not paid for this post.