Thursday, March 17, 2011

Random Acts of Kindness

Random acts of kindness.

I went to a business seminar today at Hunter Business Centre. 
As usual I came out with my head buzzing with ideas, but one piece of advice made me really think. Random Acts of Kindness.
Nana’s Weighted Blankets actually has a long history of RAOK but never really sprout about it.
 It’s kind of a feel good thing for us. 
But I was advised today by Quinita from the HBC that part of relating to clients is letting them know that we are a caring company and that we do RAOK.
 So I’m sitting here at 1.30am unable to sleep, thinking of some of the things we have done.
One of the first that comes to mind for me is when a mum who had ordered a blanket emailed me to let me know how well it was working for her son, it turns out he had been diagnosed with leukaemia and was having  trouble sleeping in the children’s ward and the blanket had worked a treat. 
I was thrilled to hear it was such a success for her, but I felt I wanted to do more, It hard enough having a child on the spectrum, but to have to go through cancer as well is just so unfair. 
So I asked her what toy her son would like, and we sent him a crocodile, I am told he loves his crocodile, and I am happier for having sent it. 
I have not told this story before as it was not something I considered a promotional thing, but I am advised people like to hear these feel good stories, so I thought what the heck ill spill it all.

The next one that comes to mind is when we went to a Tony Attwood conference on Women with Asphergers, he had a few ladies doing a talk about their journey. 
One of the ladies speaking so touched my heart, she had earlier in the day expressed a love of a certain blanket with had with kittens all over it and fluffy on the back but she was on a pension and couldn’t afford it. 
After hearing her talk I had decided in my head that we would give her that blanket she so loved, but what made my heart really melt was that my son 16 at the time, who was helping me at the conference came up to me after she spoke and said, “mum, you should give that cat blanket to that lady” how proud I was, needless to say I gave the honour of giving her the blanket to my son.  
He was shocked when she hugged him, very non Asperger’s thing to do!!!

My son Toby (7) classroom at Aspect has 4 single blankets donated, plus 2 weighted vests and 2 weighted toys. 
Pretty much anything my sons classroom wants, they get, if you can’t look after your son and his peers then what’s the point.

When his teacher last year left to go to another Aspect class, we gave him a weighted blanket to take with him he was thrilled and said it would come in very handy.

My son has been part of Aspect since he was 3, in that time we have donated thousands of dollars’ worth of weighted items for various fundraising events, including, Sounds of the Spectrum and Frock On.

Every single time we attend a conference or talk we donate a weighted toy for a lucky door prize, regardless of whether we pay to be there or not.

We gave away a blankets last year when we did a survey, we found it a great way to get people to fill out the survey form which helped us to know where to spend our advertising money, but it was surprising how many people helped us with information but didn’t enter for the toy, they wanted to do their own RAOK.

We recently attended a Conference by Occupational Therapist Diana Henry, she was a specialist from America, specialising in sensory issues and autism. 
She adored our weighted toys but said she couldn’t get one because it would be too heavy on the plane trip home. 
So after the event we told her we will post to her home address her favourite weighted toy. She was thrilled.

As you can see, sometimes when we do things, its promotional as well, we get to put a sign up or hand out some brochures, but many times, no one knows what we do, it’s just a feel good thing for us.

so

When was your last Random Act of Kindness?

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Weighted Toys and Christmas a great combination

Im happy to report many people are buying weighted toys for their children and grandchildren  for Christmas.

It really is the perfect present for a child with special needs, it fulfils their sensory requirements while being a special friend.

I went out and bought a heap of new puppies for our range, when i bought them home Toby saw them and wanted one, so it went of to Nana's to be modified, now he has a puppy called 'Cuty Booty' and he adores him.

Most children latch on to one toy at some point in their life, and as i have personally learned it doesn't matter how much you pay for a toy, how incredibly beautiful it may be, how soft, or just cute.

The Child will choose what he or she wishes to latch onto.

Fortunately we are finding our Weighted Toys seem to be favoured as 'the special toy' i keep getting feedback saying they have to take it everywhere with them, some have even bought a second one to keep at school or pre school. ( spares are a good idea!!)

Toby my son, now 7 has two now, the cow he got when we started making toys, and now he has the fluffy puppy too, you should see him crammed into bed with all his toys, its quiet silly but if i try and move them he has a fit!!

Like i always say, 'Whatever keeps him happy"

Monday, November 8, 2010

Patience is a hard virtue, im struggling.

I desperately want my new website, i feel like it is taking forever, Im so impatient. I want it, and i want it now!!!! haha.

 I have so many things i want to put on it, utube testimonials, quiz's, the opportunity to receive e news. maybe even the odd quiz.

 Ive learned so much from Newcastle Business Education Centre and i am frustrated that i cant put it on my page as quick as i want it.

Do you think it will help if i hold my breath and stamp my feet..... hahah...

Monday, November 1, 2010

The importance of feedback.

This is the most recent feedback we received.
Comment: Hi Nana,
I just want to say thanks so much for our weighted "pirate" blanket.
My son Zachary was diagnosed with Asperger's disorder, he has had trouble sleeping since he was a newborn and usually wakes early, we have used the blankets now for 4 nights and not only has he slept right through the night ( and woken at 7:30) but he has also been dry every night!!!! this is a small miracle for us because he has always been wet at night (always), to have 4 nights of dry beds has been FANTASTIC...
THANKYOU NANA..</p>
Whats really important about this is, not only does it make me and Irene aka Nana feel really good, warm and fuzzy inside, with the knowledge we have helped yet another family, but also, other families, who think it might help, but just arent sure, things like this help them to see the benefits. 
I am a true believer in our blankets, but its not always easy to 'sell' the benefit to others, if you see it and feel it your convinced, but with only the internet and some pictures, not so easy. 
This is why feedback is so important, 
thankyou to all that give us feedback, it means a lot to us. 
Sharon

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Change is as good as a holiday

Well our webpage is going a major revamp, its very exciting it will have all the social media attached including Facebook, twitter and utube, yes we will be making videos. wow.
We have a nice Novacastrian, Jeremy,  doing our website, and i am using the mountains of information i am learning at the Online Marketing course i am doing.
There will be some big changes, some price changes, (we will still have the bottom line price tags) but will have more options.
And NEW as of today we now do FaHCSIA Packages they contain a Single Weighted blanket, 2.5kg, value $170.00 and a Large Lap Blanket, 2kg value $130.00 and a Weighted Vest Size 4 to 6 with 1kg of weight, value $140.00 AND a weighted toy, value $55.00.
all up the value is $495, but we are doing it for $450.00 AND WE THROW IN A TAG RAG FOR FREE. Value $15.00.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

"Attitude" is Awsome

Last night i went to a talk by Justin Herald, he is the guy who invented the 'attitude' brand.
Starting out with $50. borrowed of his brother he is now a multi millionair. Rarely do you meet someone so down to earth, What a great speaker, so inspirational. Ive learned things  i will put into practice that will help my business.
Nick Bowditch is a very similar case, i saw him talk a few weeks ago, another down to earth guy, incredibly interesting.
Dont you love to see people make it big despite the odds.
My dream is to oneday be the person giving the talk, how we started out with nothing and built our business, blanket by blanket.
I want to be that millionaire everyone is impressed with.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Mad Frantic Dash For Toys.

We are off to the Tony Attwood Conference via Aspia next weekend, Looking forward to it, but madly making toys, toys, toys.

Toys always go well at conferences.

I am going with my 16 year old son James, Im really looking forward to it.