As a busy mom with 3 kids at home, it isn’t often I get a chance to spend the day with grown ups, so the Child’s Play L.A. Bloggers Brunch (#LABrunch)was a pleasant variation in my routine. I won’t admit how hard I had to search for something to wear that looked even remotely appropriate for any sort of business meeting and I definitely won’t admit that I had to give myself a little pep talk beforehand so I’d remember to avoid talking about my children’s bathroom habits. We’re new to the Southern California so I looked forward not only to meeting with several companies that I’ve had relationships with in the past (and a few new ones) but I was really excited to meet local blogging moms.

I have worked at home for 6+ years now so actually speaking to people (at least adults) in an in-person professional environment is a little bit of a stretch for me. I have a problem thinking and talking at the same time and I tend to talk about potty training when I’m nervous, which is why writing is perfect for me – I can proofread before putting myself out in front of anyone.

I’m branching out a bit though. I attended the ABC Kid’s Show in Vegas last year and the New York Toy Fair in February. BlogHer is definitely on my radar but between moving and trying to raise (and homeschool) 3 kids, finding a sponsor hasn’t made it to the top of my to-do list yet. Having worked with hundreds of companies who market to moms over the years and seen several of them in action at trade shows and other PR events, I really appreciate when I see companies using social media to effectively reach moms.

As a mom, I can’t stand being pressured into products that I don’t need, but I love the way social media allows me to connect with companies that are a good fit for my family and participate in authentic conversations with companies that I’m interested in. Social media is more than connecting with family and friends on Facebook. Using social media to effectively market a product to moms is really about giving people, moms in particular, something to talk about. Companies who create quality products and promote them in a way that gets moms talking are the ones who are really going to succeed.

A few of my favorites from the LA Bloggers Brunch

Backyard Safari – I had the chance to speak with the CEO of Backyard Safari at Toy Fair and I was really impressed by his energy and real enthusiasm for the products. The Backyard Safari representatives at the LA Bloggers Brunch shared the same enthusiasm and even took the time to deck out Hula Hooping Mom’s son. He’s going to have a blast exploring his backyard!

Backyard Safari prides themselves on giving children the tools they need to explore nature in their own backyard and as the mother of all boys, I can really appreciate that. I’d much rather see my kids outside getting dirty and exploring their world than sitting in front of the T.V. on a beautiful day. Backyard Safari is doing a little exploring of their own by breaking into the world of social media and I expect to see great things from them in the future once their products make it in front of more and more moms.

Dyson – Dyson is a legend among moms and even though I have never owned one, I have consistently heard that it is the king of all vacuums. Dyson demonstrated how effortlessly even the handheld vacuum cleans household messes. To date, my kids have managed to kill every vacuum we have ever owned. They are currently working on killing our Roomba, which considering my 2 year old likes to ride on it will probably not take them long. As I talked with Dyson at their booth, every mom blogger who passed by made the same comment, “I have a Dyson and you can not kill it”. The challenge is tempting. I have a 4 year old with asthma so I was impressed by the filtering system that is built into all full sized Dysons, and when they say full size they include an adorable vacuum that looks like something my 6 year old could use with ease (which that by itself could prove useful).

Temptress Cosmetics – With a name like Temptress, you’d better be good. Temptress grabbed the attention of every mom blogger at the L.A. Blogger’s Brunch by offering makeovers. If I’m being completely honest, makeup is by no means my specialty. Some days I’m lucky to even put my makeup on before noon simply. In my defense, my kids think I’m beautiful no matter what I look like. I aim to impress though so I’m never without makeup in public. I do know what I don’t like though and I’m not a fan of chemicals in my makeup, which is why I generally stick with mineral Brenmakeup. I was thrilled to hear that all of the cosmetics Temptress makes (and you would not believe how many color options they have available) are created from a mineral base and contain only natural ingredients. I couldn’t resist having

Bandai – Meeting with Bandai is always a pleasure. Bandai is a little boy’s dream with favorites like Ben 10 Alien Force and Power Rangers, but their Harumika fashion toys make me wish I was young enough to get away with having my own stash of toys. You may remember Bandai’s Kid Reporter from Toy Fair. What a great way to get people talking!

We can’t forget the bloggers though. The LA Bloggers Brunch added some great new bloggers to my reading list. You’ll definitely want to check out Angry Julie Monday, Savvy Sassy Moms (who won the great Dyson I was keeping my fingers crossed for), and Angela from Nine More Months.