Vator - News Bites - Famplosion

David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

soft launched Channels this week. Now you can save venues to your personal list and access that list through your personal profile. Next will be saving specific events to that list and then email newsletter publishing... on July 09

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Launched a new newsletter format today called MyPicks. Parents can select venues they want to keep track of for new events and get those updates in an email newsletter format. on June 09

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

We launched our newsletters today! Big plans for how this will evolve over time to include personalization of the newsletter, so we're excited for taking the first step! on May 11

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Question for folks following Famplosion...with limited resources, what should we focus on first: expanding content coverage into new cities or adding new features/structure to the current product platform? Check out our site and let me know your thoughts in Comments. on April 30

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Bambi Francisco Roizen at 02:40pm May 03

Have you surveyed your core users? What do they want?

David Gehring at 03:02pm May 03

Core users have not actually been asking for a lot of new features. We get more requests from people in other parts of the country asking for us to cover their region than anything else....which is nice, but it's a classic question of which should grow faster breadth or depth?

Bambi Francisco Roizen at 02:35am May 04

Personally, I think new features can be overkill. In many cases, it's not new features that matter, but how you present the existing features. Nonetheless, if you're getting requests from people to cover their region, I'd say follow the demand.

David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

We also have Birthday spot lists! My favorite, any "Pump it up" location. And they didn't even pay me to say that....it's that awesome for parents needing to exhaust their kids! on April 16

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Need to figure out summer camp plans for the chillins? Check out our lists if you live in or around any of the cities we cover. on April 16

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Regionalization of the Famplosion platform is complete! Now we can launch new markets covered with the flick of a switch....but first comes scaling the content organization. on March 30

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Am very excited about how much faster and more accurate the new search framework is in Famplosion! Definitely worth the effort to upgrade the system. Next comes regionalization and we're ready for prime time! on March 17

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Kyle Kemper at 02:21pm March 17

We're in Toronto...vPost is working great on WM...look out microsoft, here we come

Kyle Kemper at 02:22pm March 17

Oops, that was meant to be a company update...sorry David & followers

David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Just linked up my vatot.tv updates with my twitter's company updates! Pretty cool, thanks Bambi! on March 09

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Local venues have been asking for greater editing control over their own listings in Famplosion...which is great! Today we gave it to them....phew, now our editors are freed up a bit to find even more great stuff to do around town with the kids. on March 05

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Sent out our very first ad sales proposal last week to a local advertiser. Would love to chat with folks who have local advertising sales experience...anyone in the Bay Area out there with relevant experience want to get in touch and let me pick your brain for a beer? on March 03

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Kedric Van de Carr at 07:19pm March 03

Hi David, I have done some sales. I'm happy to chat.

Matt Covington at 09:34am March 05

David, I've helped develop strategies for start-ups like Whitepages.com, Jobster, Brightcove and Delve Networks as well as larger companies like Amazon.com. Feel free to contact me, more than happy to assist.

David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Great call with the whole Editor team across the US today...these folks are fired up to provide the best resource possible for parents looking to spend more time with the chillins... on February 27

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Hello Emmetsburg, IA! Famplosion is not covering that market yet, but it sure is fun to get emails from folks there asking how soon we'll be expanding the service to cover family events in that town! Hopefully real soon... on February 26

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

We're also supporting links within a Comment regarding a venue or event in our listings. If you're a mom/dad/family focused blogger, feel free to cross link with us using that tool! on February 13

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Pushed our very first "Letter from the Editor" early this morning to the list of registered Famplosion users. We've added a lot, so there was a bit of a discussion on what to write about and what to leave off the list! Plenty more to write about in the next Letter! on February 13

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Got the share feature turned on today....from a detail page, parents can share event information with friends...now only 999 features on the "to-do" list left. Making progress though! on January 30

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Had a great call today with Salvation Army in Nashville about listing some service projects they coordinate...very cool to think of listing these opportunities for families in the other cities we cover. on January 28

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Vator exclusive! we got a few new features turned on this week including commenting, ratings, and the price filter. families can find stuff in their price range to do with the kids and then rate the venues and comment on the experience...more features to come next week! on January 18

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Bambi Francisco Roizen at 01:08pm January 18

nice! When can you give me a demo?

See remaining 2 comments...

David Gehring at 02:19pm January 19

which works better for you? noon on Tues or Weds?

David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

We also added a price filter so parents can filter the list of local events according to price ranges...I have a feeling "free" is going to be a pretty popular selection right about now! on January 09

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

We added comments last night! Now parents can post comments regarding venues and events and photos to the site! on January 09

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

We're looking for a part-time social marketer based in San Francisco Bay Area to work a day a week spreading the word...any referrals send 'em my way! on January 07

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

just got off the phone with the Editor team...fun to see the team grow as we pick up new markets to cover for families! on January 06

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

We're excited about the initial response from some limited social marketing efforts since launching the site a couple weeks ago. Homeschoolers in particular seem to really appreciate the way we organize local educational event information! on January 05

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

If some of you know investors that may be interested in learning more about Famplosion and our local family market content business, let me know. We're lining up meetings for January to hit the ground running! on December 19

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

spending today polishing up the pitch deck and marketing plan. Let's just say current conditions drive some crazy creativity! on December 19

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Don, our engineering lead, and I nailed down product goals for January...lots of stuff in store for our users! on December 17

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

just got off the phone with a new friend who's going to facilitate introductions to a bunch of potential local media partners...good call! on December 16

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

Had a great call with the editorial team this morning. Good to get everyone on the same page when we're spread all across the country! on December 16

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David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

I've got a first call today with a new contact to discuss possible cross promotional campaigns with local radio stations in our lead off markets. The idea sounds promising! on December 16

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Michelle Fryer at 12:23pm December 16

That is great! Don't forget about how powerful bloggers are and their following.

David Gehring at 12:47pm December 16

absolutely! Hey, give me a call when you get a moment to talk more about a concerted effort with the bloggers.

David Gehring (Managing Director, Digital Media/Internet & Mobile)

excited to have received several partnering contacts through vator the last few days. most look promising from a traffic generation perspective as well! on December 15

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Kedric Van de Carr at 07:33pm December 15

This is great David! Please keep us posted as these relationships develop. There could be a great story here.

Fernando Poniente at 11:17pm December 15

I think Homeschoolers like my self can really benefit from famplosion here in Wisconsin. it's worth blogging.

Famplosion News Bites