Memorial Day Special

 

MEMORIAL DAY SPECIAL! Starts today and ends Monday at midnight! Join Club HM and I'll pay for your 1st month! Sign up for Bronze Club HM, I'll put 30 points ($30 value) in your account! Over 3 months, you'll get 120 points for just $60! CAN'T BEAT THAT!

From my website www.MyStoryBookLady.com, create your FREE account. Sign up for Club HM from your account or give me a call! Need to know more about Club HM? Use this link to watch a quick video! ~ Betty

Sneak Peek: New Art for June

Here is a sneak peek of the art that will be added to HM Studio for June. Be sure to join Club HM so you will have access to all of it including the templates! ~ Betty

Thank You, Oprah!

Today marks the final broadcast of the beloved Oprah Winfrey Show. After the countdown of special guests, show surprises and fanfare, the grand finale is here. Today we can all watch the final chapter of a 25-year media phenomenon.

Heritage Makers would like to take this opportunity to salute the enormous contributions of Ms. Winfrey and the legacy of inspiration, compassion, empowerment, and understanding she has established and encouraged. It may have started out as just another television talk show, but it soon became so much more. Millions have been impacted in positive ways, and as heritage makers, we count ourselves as part of that group because Oprah helped us introduce countless readers to the magic of storybooking.

In December 2008 she listed Heritage Makers storybooks as one of her “Top Ten All-Time Favorite Gifts” in her O, The Oprah Magazine holiday gift guide issue! Shortly thereafter, her best friend and magazine editor-in-chief Gayle King talked glowingly about HM products to Robin Roberts on a Good Morning America holiday gift segment. It was wonderful exposure for a young and growing company based in Utah.

How did Oprah Winfrey know about Heritage Makers? The answer lies in the inventiveness and moxie of a single mother of two from Waterloo, Iowa. In 2007, Brenda Ebel Kruse read an editorial by Oprah describing her grief over the accidental death of her dog, Gracie. Brenda was not a “dog person” but resonated with the life lessons Oprah was able to glean from the tragic experience.

Using the editorial content and photos from the article, Brenda created a simple tribute to Gracie in the form of a 5 x 5 storybook. Brenda was certain Oprah would appreciate the gesture, but how to deliver the finished project?  She first tried sending it to the celebrity’s dog trainer thinking she would see that it reached the intended recipient. After several months of no response, Brenda decided to send it directly to Harpo Studios in Chicago with the hope that the right person would put it into Oprah’s hands.

On May 28, 2008 at 5:46 p.m., Brenda was unpacking groceries in the kitchen when the phone rang. She picked up the receiver, but hearing no voice, set it down and returned to the groceries. A minute later the phone beeped with a voice mail notification and Brenda got the surprise of her life as she listened to a message from Oprah Winfrey herself! The rest of the story is best told in Brenda’s own words:

“I listened to that famous voice say how thankful she was for the ‘lovely, lovely book’ and how it was “such a treasure. She talked about how she had gotten the book just in time to honor the one-year anniversary of Gracie’s death and said she’d read it on that day as a memorial to Gracie.

Oprah went on to say that she loves the idea of everyone having a story and even quoted the tag line on the book sleeve: “‘every story deserves a book of its own,’ you know I believe in that!”

After hearing her minute-long message, I was scared to death that I was going to hit the wrong button and delete the proof that she really did call me, so I carefully hit the save button and then screamed, jumped up and down, and called my family and friends with the unbelievable news.

At first I was disappointed I didn’t get to talk to her but then realized that I probably would have either been speechless or just rambled on nonstop. Plus, I wouldn’t have been able to remember exactly what she said. Now that I have her voicemail recorded forever, I can’t ever forget this memorable thank-you!”

Brenda’s thoughtful gesture will forever be part of the lore of Heritage Makers. To this day, one of the first things you’ll hear from a consultant is that “We are one of Oprah’s favorite things!” This is both a tribute to an epic communicator and opinion leader AND the power of story.

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See a preview of Brenda’s storybook and hear the actual recording of Oprah’s thank you message here.

from blog.heritagemakers.com

Heritage Makers Introduces New Line of Business Supplies

Print on demand options will help small businesses increase market exposure and cut costs.

May 19, 2011 – Provo, Utah – Heritage Makers today announced a new addition to its successful line of custom printed hardbound books and photo keepsakes. The company debuted a new line of business products, including business cards, flyers, booklets, and wire-bound books. The business product line is aimed at helping the small business owner create personalized business tools while reducing inventory expenses.

“We’re thrilled to introduce business supplies to our product line,” states Justin Biggs, Heritage Makers General Manager. “We have seen a need in the market for affordable, high-quality business products that will help small business owners succeed.”

Now, in addition to personalized hardbound books, greeting cards, and canvas prints, customers can custom print single and double-sided business cards, 8.5 x 11 flyers, 8.5 x 11 magazines/booklets, address labels, and 8.5 x 11 wire-bound books. The new collection features traditional, as well as unique print formats that will serve to increase visibility of businesses in all markets. The 8.5 x 11 magazine-style booklet is especially attractive as a promotional tool for realtors, photographers, retailers, travel agents, and other entrepreneurs. “We have developed these products with the small business owner in mind, however many of the items are completely adaptable to personal and family projects,” states Biggs.

 

Every entrepreneur is striving to compete and survive in their specific industry and each is looking for the same thing—to stand out; to be faster, cheaper and better than their competitor. Heritage Makers is now able to partner with small businesses by printing company ID and promotional tools on demand and in small quantities. This allows them to grow and adapt to the market and reduce the waste associated with outdated inventory.

All Heritage Makers business supplies are easy to personalize using the company’s online design software. Customers can start from a blank page or access an existing template and simply add their own photos and text. Personal publishing consultants are readily available to any customers needing assistance. For more information on the Heritage Makers business products line, visit MyStoryBookLady.com.

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About the Company: Heritage Makers helps consumers showcase their favorite photos and experiences through custom-published books and other printed keepsakes. The Heritage Makers publishing platform is easy to use—anyone with photos and a story to tell will enjoy the process. With Heritage Makers’ unique online publishing tools, including a searchable database of over 52,000 digital art pieces and 5,200 pre-designed templates, photos and memories can be shared with family and friends preserved forever. In addition, Heritage Makers offers a unique income opportunity fueled by a strong sense of mission that resonates with consumers.

from blog.heritagemakers.com

Connecting People with Their Pictures After the Tornado

I got this note from a fellow consultant on my team and wanted to share...

"I also wanted to share a remarkable story I heard from a contact I met at the Time Out For Women in Atlanta in October.  She called me out of the blue last week and I have been sharing her story every since. Her story truly touched my heart and I want to share it with EVERYONE.

My contact lives in Alabama and she was only 20 minutes from her dear friends who lost EVERYTHING in the tornadoes and 60 min away from the HUGE devastation we are all seeing and hearing about on the news. She said her friends 20 min away jumped in their car and outran the tornado, only to come back to there home completely gone. Everything including their photos, photo books, etc. She said people are finding photos 150 miles from their owners and reconnecting them on FACEBOOK. This is what pushed her over the edge to start Heritage Makers. She said she knew, if she used Heritage Makers she would never have to worry about having to find her babies photos in the ditches or woods of Alabama (which you would never recover them if they were in there). With Heritage Makers she would just have to go in, publish another book, and that would be that. All her books, projects and photos would be preserved for a lifetime!!!

I had tears in my eyes hearing this story. I told her that is why I am Heritage Makers consultant. I wanted to help others to not have to worry about their story not being told or their photos lost. I offered to bring my scanner to Alabama and help others get their pictures preserved. I'm going to remain in contact with her and see what else we might be able to do as a family.

So I just wanted to share this story with you. I thought it might make a difference in your life too and maybe you might decide today is the BEST time to start telling your story and preserve your photos. We really don't know what tomorrow will bring!"

~If you would like to start saving your pictures and memories or better yet help others do so, head to my website: MyStoryBookLady.com to get started!  Click Here to watch a quick video about Heritage Makers.
~ I live outside of the Atlanta area and have access to a high speed scanner (30 pic per minute) and can help anyone that was affected, by scanning in their remaining pictures.
~ We are looking for consultants to help us spread the word about our mission to preserving photos and memories!  If you would like to help us, please call me: 404.729.0388 or send me an email to Betty@MyStoryBookLady.com

New Products for Businesses

Heritage Makers has introduced a new line of products that are perfect for promoting your business as well as creating personalized family projects. When you click on the “shop” button in the HM web site you’ll notice the product categories have been slightly reorganized. “Business supplies” has been added as a new category and links to specific information on the new items which include business cards (single and double-sided), an 8.5 x 11 flyer, an 8.5 x 11 booklet (saddle-stitched), and an 8.5 x 11 wire-bound book.

All of these products offer unique applications for home or office, but the 8.5 x 11 booklets are especially exciting! If you are a real estate agent, travel agent, retailer, photographer, etc. imagine how you could use this format to build your business. On the home front, imagine how this product could be adapted to showcase a sports team, school activities, or a family vacation. Father’s Day is coming up. Can you think of a better way to pay tribute than a 16-page, full color magazine? ~ Betty

Show Your Patriotism!

Just 2 weeks until Memorial Day! Can you think of a veteran or someone currently serving in the military you’d like to thank on this patriotic holiday? Take 10 minutes to customize a greeting card template and direct ship it to them or their loved ones. Let them know you support them for supporting our country’s freedoms! Search the template gallery for “military,” “USA,” or “patriotic.” ~ Betty

Gifts & Greetings for Father's Day

Need ideas for ways to show Dad how special he is? Watch the recorded webinar presented by Studio Product Manager Lynda Angelastro here. Check out many one-of-a-kind gifts and greetings, including décor for his man cave at MyStoryBookLady.com!

Wedding Projects

Know any brides-to-be this summer? Did you know Heritage Makers has 255 pre-designed projects under the “wedding” category in the template gallery? Invitations & save the dates, thank-you cards, guest sign-in books, canvas prints, love storybooks, change of address card decks, shower gifts & much more! Give a gift that’s more meaningful than any off the couple’s registry! Either make it for them or give them a gift certificate to create their own! ~ Betty

from blog.heritagemakers.com

Studio Tips

Here are a couple of helpful tips from Heritage Makers Studio Product Manager Lynda Angelastro: