A little different thought for today

The last week of October during a routine mammogram, my wife learned that she had cancer in both breasts. Surgery followed a month later, Chemo began the first week of January and today marks the last day of radiation.  Her spirit and quiet strength is inspiring. Early detection and treatment is everything.  As Mother’s Day quickly approaches I encourage every mother and daughter to schedule their mammogram.

Kansas Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Chris and Alison

Introducing Kansas Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Chris and Alison.

They are hoping to adopt a baby in Kansas.  Their adoption agency is Catholic Charities Kansas in Salina, KS. You can view their profile on parentfinder.com by clicking here www.parentfinder.com/Lecuyer10

Your adoption profile - telling a better story

As a parent who has already written your adoption profile once or twice, look at rewriting as an opportunity to tell a better story.  Having spent 13 years writing professionally and another 15 writing for business I come at this with finger tips calloused from rewriting.

Think about this, when you get together with friends and begin telling stories, it’s probably not the first time you've told that story.  Each time you tell it, you refine it, cutting out the fat while sharing the best parts.  Your adoption profile is no different.  The gems of your story deserve to be told, those are the nuggets you want to share with an expectant birth mother and ultimately a child. 

Is your Adoption Agency's Website Mobile Friendly?

Google has changed the way your agency is ranked during searches.  More weight is given to agencies who have a mobile friendly site.  Currently 65% of expectant Birth Moms navigate the web using a mobile device.  If your site isn't mobile friendly you’ll need to create a new site. Retrofitting your existing site isn't something that works.  Here is a free test from Google that lets you test check to see if it’s responsive.   

https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

Reach out to me if you’d like some help.  There is a strategy involved in laying out a successful adoption agency/law firm website.  Knowing the right strategy makes a huge difference in expectant birth mother contacts.

Your Adoption Profile Outreach

Pete and Mary are hoping to adopt a baby in Michigan.

Introducing Michigan Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Pete and Mary.

They are hoping to adopt a baby in Michigan.  Their adoption agency is Adoption Associates in Jenison, MI. You can view their profile on parentfinder.com by clicking here www.parentfinder.com/PeteandMary

Adoption Profile Tip - from Parentfinder.com

When writing your adoption profile think about your family traditions and the connection that is passed on from one generation to the next.  Capture an anecdote for the expectant Birth Mother to read.  Paint the picture without being wordy.

My grandmother learned to make jam from her grandmother.  It was something they did every summer.She passed that tradition to me.  Our Cherry tree blooms in April.  In June I would go to my grandmother’s house and climb the ladder to the tallest branches.  She would tell me stories of her childhood as we picked cherries.  We’d wash them, pit them, she froze some for pie and we made jam with the rest. 

Here is a picture of our cheery tree.  I took this last Saturday.  We'll be picking in June :-)

Pete and Mary Have uploaded their adoption video profile in Parentfinder

Pete and Mary with Adoption Associates, Inc in Jenson, MI have uploaded their new adoption video profile in Parentfinder. You can view their video by clicking here http://www.parentfinder.com/PeteandMary/about

Why some Adoption Agencies are Expanding

It was great meeting with the Catholic Charities Parentfinder focus group yesterday.  The question that came up first, comes up often when speaking with agencies about the Parentfinder Profile Creation Process: Can you show us proof that Parentfinder works better that traditional profile outreach programs? The simple answer is: YES.  

I can provide you with names and phone numbers of agencies who have added staff to accommodate the increase in expectant birth mother contacts.  

How?  It’s a 4 step process

       1.  Your website should be mobile friendly & as responsive as the old yellow pages ad

             a. Clear calls to action

             b. Trusted information

             c. Availability of staff

             d. Easy to navigate

    2. Advertising that links expectant birth parents to a page set up for them

     3. Increase content to boost your organic SEO

            a. Consistent content updates

            b. Social media connections

            c.  Back links

      4.  Recognize that your Hopeful Adoptive Parent profiles are an extension of your
           agency

           a.Demand quality

           b.Diversify their outreach

           c.Don’t expect Expectant Birth Parents to conform to your way of viewing profiles

Don't understand the terminology?  The clients we help didn’t either.  They are focused on adoption not web marketing. 

They hired us to be their trusted partner and it paid off.  I look forward to our follow up conversation with Catholic Charities. We can do the same for you!

Your adoption video profile - Begin with the end in mind

When it comes to your adoption video profile I’m going to borrow a principle from, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, “Begin with the End in Mind.”  Said another way, “See the bigger picture.”  Parents will record segments, play them back, and get derailed by tiny insignificant details like blemishes on their face.  My friend calls it, “Majoring in Minors”.  Expectant parents are interested in what you have to say regarding your life and how you plan to share it with a child, not a minuscule pimple or the way you crossed your leg.  Here is a news flash – be real, not perfect.  Don’t be so hard on yourself.  Expectant birth moms will connect with you because who you are and what you show resonates with them.

Introducing Maryland Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Kerriann and Tamara

Introducing Maryland Hopeful Adoptive Parents, Kerriann and Tamara.

They are adopting with Adoptions Together in Calverton, MD. You can view their profile on parentfinder.com by clicking here www.parentfinder.com/Kerriann_and_Tamara

Adoption Video Profile - Tip

Video Profile tip - Make sure you replay everything you record saving only the best segment in each series. Example- Record 3 different intros saving the best one. This way our video editors will know exactly which clip you liked best and get your video back to you for approval in a timely manner.
Also as you are talking about hobbies, interests and family, make sure we have footage or photos from your profile to add.  That way your voice narrates the additional footage showing the viewer exactly what you are discussing.

For Hopeful Adoptive families Matching and Placing - It's all in the detail

I mention to Parentfinder families that when it comes to your profile, it’s the detail that is important. Detail on your photos and story.   Resting on adjectives when you describe yourself or your spouse robs the reader of the anecdotes that add the color of your life. The person writing the story knows the nugget behind the word “sharing” or “active”.  The reader has no idea what that means.  Those are the pieces of your profile that help you match and place. 

Jodi is looking to adopt a baby in New York

Introducing New York Hopeful Adoptive Parent, Jodi.

She is adopting with Deborah Steincolor Esq in Montclair, NJ. You can view her profile on parentfinder.com by clicking here www.parentfinder.com/Jodi_adopts

Adoption Profile Q & A

Q: Can I increase the resolution of one of my photos for my printed profile?

A: Sorry - But you can’t increase resolution on something. Don’t let people tell you that you can no matter how much you’d like to believe them. I say that with 15 years of experience working in commercial printing. I also say that because we (Parentfinder and your agency) want you to have an amazing printed profile! J

 If the information is not there in the image you have, then Photoshop or some other freeware isn’t going to find it and add it in. It just can’t. The result is blur or pixilation seen in this photo of a water lily.  The blur is caused by missing information within the photo of the flower. If you’ve got a photo that measures 4” x 6” (physical) and 300dpi - you blow it up to 8x10 - it's going to be less than 300dpi no matter what you try to do to increase it. The opposite however it will work great. So you can take away size and be fine, you just can't add to it. 

Suzanne has uploaded a new video in parentfinder

Hi ! I'm Suzanne and I'm hoping to adopt a baby in Indiana. If you'd like to see my new video profile or learn more about me please visit my parentfinder profile by clicking here: http://www.parentfinder.com/suzanne_adopts

Adoption Video Profile Tip from www.parentfinder.com

As we edit your video, the narration you provide is helpful for us when it corresponds to your still photos or video footage.  If you include narration that isn't supported by photos or footage it lengthens the video editing process which ultimately delays your video profile. Why?  We spend a great deal of time combing through photos or footage looking for a match. Remember, if you’re going to talk about it…we need video footage or photos to support it. :-)

Introducing Michigan Hopeful Adoptive Parents, David and Heidi

Introducing Michigan Hopeful Adoptive Parents, David and Heidi.

They are adopting with Adoption Associates in Jenison, MI. You can view their profile on parentfinder.com by clicking here www.parentfinder.com/davidandheidi