Everyday Systems

I've been leaning more and more towards amazon ads instead of google ads because I can control exactly what products appear and users won't be insulted with ads for diet pills and other automatically selected poison.

The only problem is explicit selection takes time. And I'm finding myself with less and less of that commodity these days.

So I thought I'd open up the selection process to you guys.

Any suggestions for amazon products that you think might interest users of this bulletin board or that you just can't contain your enthusiasm for? If you have a link to something, that's great, but don't worry if you don't or aren't even sure if amazon carries it. And it can target any or all everyday systems, not just No-s.

If this experiment in "democratic advertising" works maybe I'll come up with some more formal mechanism to solicit input.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions,

Reinhard

reinhard wrote:I've been leaning more and more towards amazon ads instead of google ads
because I can control exactly what products appear
and users won't be insulted with ads for diet pills and other automatically selected poison.
Reinhard

I have the same problem with Google Ads at my DietHobby.com
I'll be interested in seeing your solution.

I would suggest Leslie Sansone walking DVDs. They are perfect for days when the weather (or season) is too bad for Urban Rangering (or for people who just don't have a good place to walk outside). If you want specific DVD recommendations, please let me know!

Books by Michael Pollen. Brian Wansink's Mindless eating. Younger next year and Younger next year for women by Crowley and Lodge.

Books recommended in this thread:

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=7262

Any of the cookery books recommended by people in this thread:

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=6196

Yoga equipment: mats, blankets etc (very popular in the UK). Pilates equipment. Exercise DVDs.

Thank you for asking us! Running Everyday Systems is a financial burden for you, so I hope that this may help to to reduce the costs.

How about clothing? Workout clothing is good, but also just regular clothing. I know amazon sells a lot of the major brands, and needing new clothes is often one of the side effects of the NoS diet. I'm not sure quite how the amazon advertising works (if you have to pick a specific item or if you could do a clothing brand for example), so I guess that might get tedious.

Again, not sure exactly how the advertising works, but you might consider ads for major dvd releases. It wouldn't take a lot of thought on an ongoing basis, just flip through the new release section of Amazon and pick a few that seem popular every so often. And its my understanding that they sell pretty well.

Oh, and flowers would be a good one with mothers day coming up in a month (in the US).

I like the ads for cookbooks and specific foods like oatmeal, tea, dried fruit, pasta, granola and so forth. Added benefit of reminding you that on No S you can actually eat all those things.

I am also a fan of Leslie Sansones DVDs but would also think any exercise DVD would be a good choice. Another good choice would be stuff for walking outside like watches, timers, music devices, gps, etc. Some walkers and runners love their gadgets.

You could always go with the harmless, too, like books, music, computer software, etc. I really like everyone else's suggestions, too. We've all gotten used to ignoring those things.

I'll get back to you more later, but where are there ads now?

I thought you used to have ads for pedometers, at least, but I've been jumping around a bit on the site and see only the ad for the book and the few No S products. Where will these ads appear?

Sledgehammers?

oolala53 wrote:Sledgehammers?

Oh, of course! It this were FB, I'd "like" this post!

Thanks for asking for our input, Reinhard. It's good to have the opportunity to do something to help you. I agree with everyone else who suggested products that support the Everyday Systems lifestyle. A focus on products that support health, promote realistic outcomes, and encourage enjoyment of life would be a refreshing change from the 'lose 10kgs in 5 minutes' misinformation that we are often subjected to online.

Exercise equipment and DVD's (lots of people I know are into the Zumba DVD's), cook books (I like amake616's suggestion), pampering stuff - non-food 'rewards' for being healthy (helps me to stay in track). Good luck with the amazon ads. I hope you get the results you are after.

Another thought is to advertise those items that we need to cook the basics: pots, pans, measuring cups, baking dishes, etc.

In the exercise category, I concur with the Sansone walking DVDs but there are others, including several with titles like "10 Minute Strength Training" or "10 Minute Cardio Workout". I have one of these and really appreciate the no-nonsense, do-it-and-be-done approach.....

Also, I don't know if you are picking actual products or just categories of products but I love my Donvier yogurt strainer (homemade "Greek" yogurt for pennies!), kitchen scale, Lodge cast iron pans, and Microplane zester--all available from Amazon. I use these things just about daily and they bring a smile to my face because they work so well.....

HTH,

I took a look at this, and suggestions for cook books is excellent! As you state, any real cookbook is perfect for No-S, so that hooks into what you've already said.

If you can target a SPECIFIC book, the Small Batch Baking book would be great for S-days.

Exercise DVDs are a good choice, too.

I agree with many of the posts above!

• Cookbooks (REAL cookbooks, not diet ones)
  Kitchen gear
  Walking shoes and socks (I have merino wool hiking socks that I love ...)
  Bike gear, especially utility biking accessories like panniers and baskets that turn biking from an amusement into "purposeful movement"
  timers (for those 14 minutes of exercise)
  Moderately sized wineglasses that make it easy to pour a four-ounce drink without measuring
  Windowsill herb garden kits
  Lunchbags, bento boxes

If you want specific products:

Marcella Hazan, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking
Deborah Madison, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
The Bread Bible, Beth Hensperger
Bistro Cooking, Patricia Wells
How to Cook Everything, Mark Bittman
And heck, you need a classic like Joy of Cooking
My Life in France, Julia Child (she actually talks in one chapter about how she and her husband maintained their weight -- walk a lot, don't take seconds -- sounds pretty familiar!)
Honey from a Weed, Patience Gray

Thorlo and Smartwool hiking socks
The Bollywood Dance Workout with Hemalayaa DVD (less like the gym, more like actual dancing!)

I can't find the exact insulated grocery bag I have for my bike, but this one looks nice: http://www.amazon.com/Avenir-Excursion- ... 451&sr=8-3
Another good grocery pannier: http://www.amazon.com/Avenir-Metro-2-0- ... 976&sr=8-2
This might be similar to the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/Avenir-Excursion- ... d_sbs_sg_4
A utility bike needs a good onboard bike pump: http://www.amazon.com/Topeak-Pocket-Roc ... _sim_sg_17
A bell or horn is also handy: http://www.amazon.com/Mirrycle-Incredib ... 268&sr=1-1

Some favorite cooking gear:

LOVE my Vollrath skillets - and the larger sizes weigh a ton, so it's an upper-body workout into the bargain. http://www.amazon.com/Vollrath-Tribute- ... 914&sr=1-7

I've been happy with everything I've tried from the OXO Good Grips line. This is a peeler, but the can opener, whisks, citrus zester, and everything else are nice little pieces of functonal design: http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Good-Grips-Sw ... 959&sr=1-4

Great suggestions! Thanks, all (and keep em coming!)

I'll start sticking them in the rotation next week. Get your click fingers ready.

Regarding sledgehammers, I actually sell about 1-2 a week already through amazon through links that appear on the shovelglove board. Maybe I'll pepper a few into the rotation here as well. Somewhat astonishingly, Amazon has free "super saver" shipping on many sledgehammers.

Reinhard

Heavy Hands book and weights. Would fit in with the urban rangering quite well.

Heavy Hands book and weights. Would fit in with the urban rangering quite well.

I'd actually like to see fun, random, everyday life type stuff. Having been a crazy crash dieter since my mom put me on my first diet in the first grade (I'm now 36), I'm sick of being inundated with diet, health, fitness. I don't want my world to revolve around food and fitness (or attempts) any more.

How about products that inspire creativity, or teach new hobbies? Give me other stuff to focus on. It seems the more you think about food the more you want it and the more you focus on exercise the less you feel like you'll ever succeed.

Well, that's my 2 cents anyway. Spend it how you want!

elastic bracelets that have the logo on them, possibly something like these.

http://www.poundpuncher.com/

I would suggest self help books about building good habits - not necessarily diet related. Like "7 Habits of Highly Successful People" by Stephen R. Covey - (first one to come up when you search 'habits').

Thanks all -- I just added a bunch of your suggestions to the new lineup and replace the google ads with amazon ads on the "forum topic" pages (like this one).

Feel free to post feedback about existing ads or keep suggesting new ads here (or contact me privately).

Fingers crossed it brings in about as much money as the google automated diet pills etc...

Reinhard

sorry to say that I totally ignore the ads.. maybe I should take a look....

How about MP3 players for listening while walking and for the "strictness" podcast when temptation strikes?

Amazon keeps sending me coupons for a new venture called MyHabit.com, would they pay you for a link to that? It turns out this is a clothing site, but the name sure works.

Connecticut just passed a sales tax law that caused Amazon to cancel its affiliate program in the state, and the same thing has happened in 20 other states. I hope Massachusetts doesn't pass this law, or you'll be back to the Google ads (which so far they haven't figured out how to tax).

I like the mp3 player suggestion. Also, Audible.com (for great audiobooks to listen to while walking about).

The series on What the World Eats by Faith D'Aluisio and Peter Menzel. (I was surprised by how much packaged food I saw in picture from Italy.) Stunning and sobering, at least for me.

BTW, here is the link to one of the photo essays: http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0 ... 19,00.html

I don't know how to make it a one-word link.

another product: either mugs or T-shirts that have before and during pics on them along with the logo. But not regular T-shirts for women. V-neck or scoop neck, please! Might as well be flattering.