On that note, you’re right. I’ve learned so much – maybe more than I wanted to know – about mold and its insidious effects. As in most cases, and this one too, knowledge is power and protection! Thank you again for your thoughtful ideas.

A blog would be a great idea as well as a press kit sent to magazines like O, Real Simple and others that have a large amount of mothers in their readership.

Doug, Wow! You threw out the motherload! Wonderful resources and information, thank you so much.

Thank you again Hounds. You’re a breed apart: all best in show!

Pat Culpepper owns Progressive Foam Technologies and is networked with everyone in the building trades whether its new construction or remodeling. He is a good guy and can connect you with others. Maybe even include something about you in his own website. He has been well connected with the EPA is the past. http://www.progressivefoam.com

The National Association of Remodelers is involved with the leading residental remodelers in the US. Can contact the Executive Director, Mary Busey Harris, to find out what events, workshops, newsletters, local chapters, etc are available. http://www.nari.org

The National Association of Homebuilders is one of the major players in the country on clean air and the environment. They have a Green Building Program that is accomplishing a lot. I am sure they have plenty of opportunities to speak at workshops at regional and national conventions. http://www.nahb.com

Owens Corning is probably the leading supplier of materials of all kinds to the building and remodeling trades in the US. Contact headquarters in Toledo, Ohio. They just recently had products designated as GREENDOOR Indoor Quality Certified by the Greenguard Environmental Instiltute. http://www.owenscorning.com

All of these companies/groups have consumer outreach programs.

Hope this helps.

Doug

Connie can buy a subscription to “Expertclick: the Online Yearbook of Experts” at http://www.Expertclick.com.

It allows her to post up to 52 press releases per year and have them distributed, and get a profile in their online yearbook of experts as a “mold expert.”

Journalists visit this site frequently and look for specific types of experts. Tell them I sent you and they’ll knock $100 off the price of a subscription. Full disclosure: I’m an affiliate and earn a commission on sales.

Joan, Fabulous advice. It’s true she really needs to leverage her “expert” status in both mold and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) issues. I mistakenly got the impression that she didn’t want to be called an expert. When checking back, per your recommendation, I learned she didn’t want to be known as an expert “witness,” i.e. hired gun. Thanks for helping us clear that up.

Catherine, all good! Thank you. And you’re right about the lumber issue. Connie often says, “green is not always clean!” Good points.

And back to Karen’s post on mold allergies: Connie would love to hear more about where these attacks occur, as mold is everywhere. However, the dose and type can make a difference. Many molds that grow indoors on damp buildings are more problematic than outdoor molds.

Mold and mildew is not only caused by flooding, but by rain and any very humid conditions. For example: If a building was poorly constructed, and there are heavy rains and driving winds (creating horizontal rain), then water penetrates and mold/mildew can start developing.

So, in addition to all of the residential advice, your client may get more leverage by looking to the commercial markets as she has done in the past. Building owners and facility managers (associations for all) are a source of people to address. Either speak at their conferences or write articles, advertorials, and other lead gen materials for their publications.

Almost any commercial building is a candidate, including office buildings, schools, universities, apartment complexes, government facilities, etc. Again, seek out the associations that serve these people to make it easier to reach them en mass.

Also, labs (national and regional) that test the samples for mold and mildew may be another avenue for her to “partner” with. Maybe they can do something jointly. The labs want more business so how can she help them get that business? They team up on a project of some kind.

As an aside, I’m reading a book called “Made to Stick,” which is all about how to sell ideas simply and vividly. It might be helpful in developing a “sticky” marketing message.