Survey Says!

We just finished another seminar with our agency, Bethany Christian Services.  This one was about dealing with the wait and how we can network to find an expectant mother considering adoption that is interested in us as adoptive parents.  Some of the families have been waiting almost 3 years to be placed with a newborn.  I am not going to lie, this makes me really nervous.  I keep telling myself, when it is meant to be, it will be.

Bethany had some interesting ideas of how you can network and reach out to expectant mothers thinking about adoption.  Our one-year milestone of waiting is coming up in late August and I thought this would be a good time to revamp our efforts.  We can update our profile, add some new pictures, re-work the storytelling style of our life, add video, create one of those websites like "Jenn and Marlon want to adopt", maybe place ads or create touch cards (like a business card with our adoption info) to leave in various places and expand our search outside of the tri-state area.

But before we do all of this, I want to do a little focus group research. I hope you can help.  The potential target age for an expectant mother would a teen, college age or young woman in her 20s.  If you fit that age group, would you be willing to answer a few hypothetical questions? What I really want to know is; what is the best way to reach a young woman in this age group? Please email me your answers and thoughts at twocatsandacradle@gmail.com.  The more responses the better, so please share with your friends and family too. I really appreciate your feedback, as this will help focus our search for a potential birth mother.

As focus groups normally go, you put yourself in the situation presented and answer accordingly. I am not implying that you'll ever be in a situation where you are pregnant and are considering adoption; I just want to know how a woman of this age will respond. Don't over-think it, there are not any right or wrong answers.

1. Where would be the first place you'd look for information about adoption?
2. Who would you discuss your options with? your doctor, pastor, guidance counselor, etc.
3. Would you answer an ad placed in a newspaper?  What kind of newspaper?
4. Where would you pick up a touch card? On a bulletin board at your school, laundromat, grocery store, coffee shop, etc.
5. What information would you want to see on a touch card? Picture of the couple? Expenses paid? Open Adoption? Counseling available? QR square? Other?
6. If you were doing a Google, Facebook, YouTube, etc. search, what exact words would you type in?
7. What social media sites would you search for adoptive parents? Facebook, YouTube or other social media sites?
8. Would you feel more comfortable about a family by viewing an agency's web-page for potential adoptive parents or a personal one?
9. What information would you want to see in a perspective adoptive parent's profile?
10. What other factors would you consider in selecting adoptive parents?
    

I cannot thank you enough for taking a little time to help us. If you ever hear of anyone considering adoption, please think of us.  Expectant mothers can call Bethany Christian Services directly at 1-800-Bethany and speak with a pregnancy counselor about "Marlon and Jennifer in New York" profile. No last names, please.  If you are interested in receiving our touch cards to hand out or post in your local area, please let me know. You don't need to be in the New York tri-state area.  Stay tuned for our new and improved profile in late August 2012, thanks to you!

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