How to promote babywearing in Malaysia?

Hi Shida,

Flyer is pricey but nor impossible. The price is mainly because we need to print in bulk... like at least 5000 copies. That is actually why even Peekaroobaby doesn't have a flyer yet. Simply not enough budget. Point is, we have to really decide what we want with a flyer as once it is printed... it can mean 5000 copies of useful, informational handouts or 5000 copies of useless wastes, if that makes sense.

Wrt IBW08, I have enquired with Little Penang Street Market and yes, we can have booths and use the space to promote IBW08 for free at October's market ;) Now, just need someone to remind me to remind them in August/September ;)

Booths in plazas would do well but there would be charges involved. Though it could be possible we could use the space for free once our organisation is registered... still a long way to go, I'd assume ... not impossible, though.

Then again, will everyone on the team be keen on wearing their babies with them as we pass out the promotional flyers? I was thinking... if only a few of us would wear our babies together at the same place, same time, that would really attract some attention.. ;)

Hi Jess,

What about business cards? You don't have to print them. Just put it in here. Whoever wants the cards, they can print out for themselves and pass it around whenever they like. I think you can do the same way with the flyers too. That's my opinion.

I'm going back this July, maybe we can meet at Queensbay and all of us can wear their babies and give out the flyers :)

once we have a logo, put them in each of our blog. I'm sure all of us have many loyal visitor/reader.

will there be an official website as well? if yes, link the logo to the site.

sorry, i cant login to facebook much lately..so please update me if i'm a bit blur :P

Me & Justin are ok to distribute the flyers. You know, I'm always with my boy anywhere I go. Haha! Queensbay is the nearest shopping complex to my house. Make it our 1st station is good coz most of us are from Bayan Lepas area. No need to go to town. I'm always lazy to go town. :P

Hi Tze Shin,

Thanks in advance! With Malls and all, will need to try to arrange with Mall management. Don't know how friendly or not they will be.

In terms of IBW08, what is more fixed is that we will definitely need people to be present at October's Little Penang Street Market... since they are the ones who has agreed to let us use the space for free. Mark your calendar, if possible... it's on the 26th October 2008 ;)

Hi Aizura,

Biz card also in my mind. Just have to work out the logo first ;)

It's great idea to put them online for people to download and add their own names. Just wondering what others think about it? Of course, the cost may set some back... thinking hard about funding, too

Looking forward to see you in July... would u be back by the second week of July? We shall be having our babywearing gathering then at the Penang Caring Society. Great if you could join. I'm sure we can learn lots from you... especially about wrapping ;)

Hmm... would be a good idea just 'shopping' in QB while we all wear our babies one day... will create commotion and we can just pass out simple flyers... not too big a scene, though... walk around and wait for people to show interest... otherwise, might get in trouble with management.

Can't wait to see you now ;)

Hi Farid,

Yes... looks like I shall work on the logo more than anything else now. Putting them on our blogs and linking them to the Malaysian Babywearers website would be good.

I see that forgot to put it down here that Malaysian Babywearers will have our own website. A friend of mine has agreed to set it up for free. Will just need to pay for hosting and domain... that could come from Peekaroobaby... so, no worries at the moment... other than the logo ;)

In terms of wearing our babies and walking around together to create 'commotion'...

we might be restrained by the limitations with the mall management but... just wanted to check if you will also be keen on wearing your babies to the Youth Park, Botanical Gardens etc.... (where else do babies in Penang go for outings?)

Also, those who frequent QB in Penang, is it really packed with babies during the weekends? I usually go to Gurney and yes... lots of babies there... just thinking... if we were to do it without the Mall's prior approval.. also possible.. just shop around as though we are out for a casual outing.

Any thoughts?

dear jess

it is good idea too if we create commotion at youth park or botanical gardens. never been there since i lived in penang (slap head!)

as far as i concern, QB mall is really packs with babies. with me n anis in pouch already make up some steer. but i dun have any material to give to them as knowlegde purpose. the IBW fact sheet would be good to be use in the meantime. ill try to check with qb mall management about this if we need some approval before doing some commotion.

even though we dont get the aprroval, maybe we can hang around together. if somebody is interested, then we go for next level (giving broucher/leaflet)

let me know when you guys (i mean girls) come down to KL.. we go to KLCC park :)

Hi Shida,

Would be great if you could check with the management. For a start, I am already printing out simple flyers that we can pass on to promote our gatherings. Will show them to you when we meet next and probably give some to you to pass on ;)

Hi Farid,

I am already thinking of the next babywearing gathering next time I'm back in KL. June will be a busy month for me in Penang. Targetting July now...

I agree with you 100% on getting a proper website for Malaysian Babywearers. Something with articles, forums, contact details for people who can teach, etc.

I think that the website should also have a mailing list, an easy way to promote gatherings to existing members. Oh, and maybe a Yahoo! group would be a good idea since its like a combination of all these things. But a proper website with articles and pics and all that would be best, and we could easily link the Y! group, Fbook group, etc on it.

As for getting new members and getting more people interested in BWing, magazine articles and website articles that feature BWing could be feasible. I can write up all our press releases and we can collaborate on a mission statement, history/biography of the organization, brief description of the org to include in press releases. I can make up an entire press kit, basically, and we can send it out to the media. This may take a little time on my part, considering I am out of touch in regards to the Malaysian parenting media, but I can catch up pretty quick I think. And then there's the issue of logos and images...I can create something but if there are any members willing to use their professional talents to create such things, it'll be better ;)

Mostly I can help with public relations and promotions. It would be lovely to have members who would be willing to donate their time, energy and talents for desktop publishing (creating logos and images as the org's identity), photography (this is important, as we want BWing to appeal to the mainstream), finances (this is you, I'm assuming ;D), event planning (I can certainly help with this if others can't, but it'd be nice to have a whole team to plan larger events like IBW08), begging for money (hahaha...there's always someone in any organization who is stuck doing this). Maybe when we meet up we can discuss what "job posts" we need to fill up and put up a "wanted ad" up in our Fbook community and Peekaroobaby forum. I'm hoping that a lot of our mamas are willing to work for free, since all of these are volunteer positions (I'm assuming, since we are a non-profit)...and are willing to do GOOD work for free, you know what I mean?

I think that our top priority right now, obviously, is IBW08. What about a week-long "pameran" type thing at a big mall like MidValley (in KL) and also a big mall in Penang? We could get members to be there, wearing their little ones. Maybe have some vendors there as well (although we should probably work on getting some MTs, SSCs. and/or wraps in addition to the ample supply of pouches and RSs). And of course, we can have demos. And plenty of pictures of babywearing around the world (malaysia,africa, china, india and even hollywood ;p).

I love the ideas all you other mommies have outlines – biz cards, flyers, etc. I think that Wiera’s idea is great – just have the PDF form available, and members can print out as little or as many as they want. Other than saving on costs, it cuts down on our carbon footprint too ;)

i've tried to email (forum-mail) sharon from red communication, the production house which produce the 123 programme on TV3. but no reply.
i believe, there would be a new season for that programme.
it would be great, if they can do a coverage about babywearing.

another programme i have in mind is the Wanita Hari ini. but i have no contact with TV3. anyone?

i've a good news! i just called my cousin. she works with TV3 as a marketing. i talked to her about promoting babywearing in m'sia. she said she can help us. just email her the details and mention that i gave her email add to you all. here is her email add : ldheidi@yahoo.com.

Hi Aizura

This is great!

Hi Farid,

Would it be possible for you to contact TV3 through the email address that Aizura posted? Since you are already trying to contact TV3.. once we get a go ahead, then we can get Adriana to write up something formal.. Just need to know what they need first.

Thanks so much!.. for now, let's try to tell people it's for International Babywearing Week in November cos I doubt they will give us a slot soon.. so, let's tell time it would be great if we are in around Oct/Nov...

Everyone,

Please ask them about the costs if you are also trying to contact any media... best if it could be free otherwise, we need to think about it. We just don't want to agree to something, not knowing the cost and then, be in deep financial trouble.

That sounds fantastic, Jess! And I completely agree about asking about the financial details. Although most press coverage should be free since we are a non-profit organization and common practice is that we shouldn't have to pay for air-time, you just never know what a specific media outlet would do. So just ask ;)

I can totally write something up for a TV spot. It'll be neat to have some of you ladies modelling some carriers too!

What about in the newspapers? And those parenting mags like umm... what ARE parenting mags in Msia? (Ooh, doesn't help that I'm one who doesn't read them.. :P I'm too hooked to the Internet for info lah!)
Even Women's Weekly has a parenting section. Umm.. also that free Parenting mag distributed by the Malaysia Paeds Association (or something like that)
I'm not sure, but is it difficult to like, let's say, come up with an article, and submit it to The Star, or something? Like a feature for the weekend section?
Malay, English, Mandarin papers/mags?

ive got bad news.......... just confrim with queensbay mall. their rate to set up booth is veryyyyy expensive... rm1k for 2 days. they are really taking profit on this events. even if under Hospital xtvt also, only gor discount few hubdreds...not free. they dont allowed any commotion to spread out the flyers to any visitors..

Aizura,
I have emailed your cousin, but no reply. is there any other email address?