Exploring North Portland

Gloria and I went out on an adventure after school yesterday. We got off the 5 on Rosa Parks Way and stopped by the Peninsula City Park that was overflowing with young families. After we had made two new best friends we decided it was time to continue our adventure.

Just down the street from the park, in a charming neighborhood filled with vintage homes, we saw an open house and decided to stop in. We were greeted by stunning details, gorgeous hardwoods, and a friendly sales representative with fresh cookies. Gloria loved the home, especially the attic! I loved the fact that this new home had such a classic and authentic vintage look--when I first saw it I thought it was a remodel because it blends so well with the rest of the neighborhood. The home was oozing with charm and with the upstairs laundry it is really perfect for the modern family! If you are looking for new homes Portland Oregon you should definitely stop by!

After snacking on cookies and exploring all four levels of that gorgeous vintage home we decided to explore more of North Portland. We saw the sign for Eddie's Flat Iron Pizza and decided that sounded like something worth trying. The biggest problem at Eddie's is deciding what to order ... we decided on cheese pizza and some of their fresh bread and we were not disappointed!

What neighborhood should we explore next?

Save Money: 10 Hot Tips

The stock market is on the rise, the unemployment rates are falling .... Hooray! All the reports are saying the last people to see the effects of the improvements in our economy, however, are the small business owners. With that in mind I did some research and found 10 things that I thought could help myself and other small business owners save money.

1. Have a Plan! I think making a plan is the most important way to save money. When you are on a budget you would not go to a store without a list, running your business shouldn't be any different. There are a variety of resources available to small business owners to help create the most effective business plan.

• Find a Mentor. Locally, there is SCORE Vancouver which is a free resource for business support that will match you with a successful business owner.
  
• Take Advantage of Great Online Resources. The Small Business Association has an abundance of resources.
• Hire a Marketing Agency. For some great tips on how to find an agency that works for your needs check out THIS link.
  

2. Go Green! Not just to tap into one of the hottest trends in business right now. Not just to improve your bottom line. Not just to improve the environment. Going green is good for you and for your business for all those reasons. Energy-efficient technology will save you money over the life span of your computers, phone systems and other tech tools. There are often tax benefits to green technology, too. Not to mention it'll help out the environment.

• Turn off lights & equipment that you aren't using.
• Use a laptop, not only do they use 90% less energy but you can take your work on the road with you.
• Buy recycled ink cartridges and enjoy the same quality printing as the more expensive version.

3. Travel Less! Not only will you put less miles on your car, but you will save time and money by setting up online meetings. Join Me has a great free version that will work for many of your business needs.

4. Redecorate Your Office! This may surprise you, but giving your office a fresh look with a lighter color of paint will save you money in the long run because you will use fewer lights. Add motion sensors to your remodel and save even more on your light bill.

5. Hire a Freelancer! With modern technology there are possible freelancers for just about every position ranging from accounting to graphic design. Freelance workers bill by the hour so you don't wind up paying them for 40 hour work weeks when your business load is lighter. Save money on overhead by hiring a quality freelancer.

6. Barter! The days of trade are not behind us. Many people are willing to barter services, it is a great way to save on the bottom line as well as get your name out there in ways you might not have. Some of my best clients started out as a barter situation!

7. Membership Rewards! Maximize your rewards points by double-dipping on programs for many of your office and electronics purchases. You can get points from your credit card provider as well as stores like Best Buy and Office Max.

8. Clean Up Your Mailing List. The U.S. Postal Service will clean up your mailing list for free, correcting addresses, noting incomplete addresses and adding ZIP+4 numbers so you'll be eligible for bar-code discounts.

9. Take Advantage of FREE Advertising! In an age of multi-media marketing there are many ways to advertise your business at no cost to you:

• Start a blog. You can advertise, review your offerings and give free tips as often as you’d like without worrying about running up your budget.
• Use YouTube. YouTube is a great free way for you to get the word out about your business. Note: Video searches come up higher than text or images in search engines.
• Communicate on online forums and message boards. You’ll interact with potential clients and customers — for free.
• Use email. Similar to the newsletter, email marketing campaigns will let you interact with specific customers about new products that might interest them.

10. Love Thy Neighbor! Well at least get to know your neighbor businesses. They might be interested in forming a co-op to save on things like advertising and insurance.

Happy Tuesday . . . Now Make it Monday!

Portland Cardiologist and Author of the new book The Flex Diet, Dr. James Beckerman, has a motto that "Today is Always Monday" when it comes to your New Year's Resolutions. Of course, he is talking about your diet & health goals, but I was thinking this can easily apply to your business practices as well.

Did you forget to enter your receipt into QuickBooks right away? Did you put off filing the paperwork and it is piling up on your desk? Are you behind on your blog entries? Don't worry about it ... make today your new Monday and start fresh. Each day as a small business owner we take on so much I feel it is important not to be too hard on ourselves regarding the small things, but to keep trying to constantly improve ourselves and our business practices.

See Dr. Beckerman on KGW Portland!

Tips For Successful Printing

Image Quality: When providing images whether they be print ready files, photos for a postcard design, or your company logo it is important to understand what will provide a quality final product.

“The image looks fine on my computer monitor so it must be just fine for printing.” This statement seems logical, but is wrong. Requirements for printing and your monitor are very different and for the highest quality of results in your printing it is important to adhere to printing standards.

When designing digital files intended for commercial printing, it is essential that all of the photographs and images in your in files are high resolution (300 DPI or Dots Per Inch). If you have ever seen printed material that contains blurry or blocky images which often provides a bad presentation, it was likely caused by incorporating low resolution images. Ensuring a high quality printed job is as simple as making sure all photos and images in your digital files are all high resolution.

Color mode is another factor important to printing. RGB is the ideal mode for the web, however, when printing it is ideal to have the full gamut of colors available through CMYK mode. If you are not sure how to convert your RGB image to CMYK this is something we can do for you.

Image Size: Aside from resolution, color mode, and image size how you save the file is also important. Ultimately any file that meets requirements as detailed above will work, however to improve the quality of your final product please note that logos are best as (.eps, .ai, .psd, or if you don’t have those formats available .jpg, .pdf) and photos are best saved as (.jpg or .pdf).

All layouts need to include a bleed in order to print properly. This means if you have a 4”x6” postcard the final print ready size should be 4.125”x6.125” in order t have the color go all the way to the edges.

If you have any questions about resolution, color mode, or image size don’t hesitate to ask. I am always glad to help because we want you to have the best final result possible.

*Unlike DPI image size will vary based on actual size and components of your image. Image size shown to illustrate the difference between the two.

The Year of Honeysuckle: 2011 Color of the Year

Pantone has selected the bold, reddish-pink Honeysuckle as its 2011 Color of the Year, calling it "a brave new color for a brave new world."

While Turquoise, 2010's Color of the Year, served as an escape of sorts, Honeysuckle confidently goes a step further to encourage and uplift, according to Pantone Color Guru Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman. It's a hue that's meant to scream, Recession be damned! We will prevail!

"In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits," said Eiseman. "Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues."

Fashion designer James Mischka, half of the famed Badgley Mischka duo, is already incorporating Honeysuckle into his spring collection and told the Associated Press he hopes it does, in fact, provide a sense of hope and renewal in the year ahead.

"It's a positive, strong, affirmative color, and I think that's what hopefully everyone's attitude is going into [2011]."

While Honeysuckle may help ward off the blues, it isn't trying to ward off the beautiful blue-green that is turquoise. Eiseman said turquoise isn't going anywhere anytime soon, just like Mimosa didn't suddenly disappear last year.

"As I always say to my students and audiences, the color of the year for this year does not fall off the ends of the earth at the end of the year — it is simply combined in with other colors where the 'newest' color of the year becomes more dominant," she said. " As I demonstrate in all of my books, there is a 'pecking' order of color: dominance, subordination and then accent or touch."

So turquoise becomes the subordinate to Honeysuckle, and yellow the accent.

Alone and paired with other colors, Honeysuckle has a bit of a retro vibe to it even as it inspires a new beginning.

"All colors travel in waves and cycles [and] there is truly nothing 'new' in color," said Eiseman, adding that it's all about how it's combined with other colors. " That seems fresh and new, but there is still a feel of nostalgia and retro that is somewhat reassuring to people in difficult times such as these."

Just as Turquoise enveloped the design world last year, from scarves and bar stools to product packaging and websites, expect to see Honeysuckle popping up vibrantly not only in fashion but also home décor, print ads and web design.

We talked to a couple of web designers who are currently using Honeysuckle in their designs about why they chose this particular shade of pink. Plus, a look at some of Badgley Mischka's Honeysuckle-inspired pieces for spring.

Read more from Lee Eiseman on her website www.colorexpert.com and her blog http://Eisemancolorblog.com.

New Years Resolution: Bringing My Work HOME ....

My resolution for the New Year .... Bring My Work Home!

Yep, you read that right. Now, let me clarify. As a project manager I have always had a very efficient system in place for work. Everything organized and done in a timely fashion. On the flip side, when I look at my life I see chaos and a bunch of open projects that don't get done ... at least not on time. So this year I decided to apply the same approach to my home & family life.

The first thing I had to do sounded simple, but I spent the better part of January 2nd making a schedule of daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. I detailed out the time and days I would do just about everything ranging from things like cleaning the house and paying the bills to volunteering at my daughter's school and pedicures.

Then, I figured out my meal plan for the upcoming week. (This on my schedule for something I will do every Monday.) I have made meal plans in the past because it is a great way to save money, limit trips to the store, and eat healthier. . . If you have a healthy meal planned out and shopped for you really are less likely do opt for the quick/greasy fix.

As someone who works from home I found it was also important to schedule my work hours. I have threatened to do this for the past few years, but never really sat down and done it. Now with my schedule in place it will afford me the opportunity to have a better work life balance and not spend every night in the office on the computer. Yes, tonight was on the schedule!

I would love to hear about your resolutions for work & for home!

Where Do You Work?

You are called many things: Entrepreneur, Freelancer, Work From Home Parent, Telecommuter, and even a Green Office. One thing we can all agree on, if you have chosen this line of work you are dedicated to working despite the noise and distractions .... working from home there definitely can be a lot of them!

So the question I am posing today is: Where do you work? When you need to meet a client or just need to get out of the four walls you call home, where do you go?

Walk into any Starbucks and that seems like the obvious answer. Looking around you are pretty much guaranteed to see at least one person pecking away on their laptop, plus that woman in a track suit chatting on her cell phone ... well she just might be closing a $30,000 deal. I try to avoid Starbucks because they are crowded, but there are so many it does make a convenient meeting space.

In my quest to find the greatest escape from my home office I found the following places:

1) Main Street Coffee House in Vancouver, WA

Main Street Coffee is a great place to work, meet with a client, or simply enjoy some amazing fresh baked cookies. They have a great loft area above the hustle and bustle of the day to day business where you can easily get a great deal of work accomplished. An added bonus for me is that they are owned by a sweet married couple I met back when I was only 21 years old, it was a happy accident the first day I walked into the Coffee House and found them behind the counter!

2) Farrar's Bistro in Vancouver, WA

Farrar's is another favorite of mine, not just because they are less than half a mile from my house. But they have good food and a charming staff. The bistro can get quite crowded, but when I need some quiet I seek out their patio.

3) Corner Office, Inc.

This is not a service I have used, but I am researching it. They offer a conference room, discounted administrative services, and the use of physical address that is not your home all for a small monthly fee.

If you work remotely let me know where you go!

Newest Project Is Live!

http://www.thedmitriagency.com/index.html

Web Design, by Three White Daisies.

Off The Wagon

My last post on this blog was August 24th. How did that happen to me, I do this for a living? After talking to other small business on the importance of blogging and other fabulous FREE marketing tools I haven't posted on my own site in over three months.

Over the summer I hit the road hard with an aggressive marketing campaign that really paid off. Between the blog posts, postcards I both hand delivered and mailed, networking events, and the Facebook updates I was everywhere. At first, I didn't see any results and started to wonder does this really work ... then the phone calls starting coming in & I noticed my billable hours creeping up!

So it really works and now I need to get back to it! When was the last time you posted on your business blog? I challenge everyone to make one new post before Monday morning!

Blogging Slump ... It Can Happen To Anyone

The real question is ... What are you going to do about it?

Over the summer I hit a blogging slump which made me think I couldn't be the only one. After a quick google search with over 247,000 results and realized I was definitely not alone.

There are a lot of ideas out there on what you should do to get out of your slump. Pro Blogger says you can get your blogging groove back in just 7 days by following the tips below:

The Daily Tasks

Day 1 – Write a List Post
Day 2 – Answer a Question
Day 3 – Write a Review
Day 4 – Write a Link Post
Day 5 – Write a Tip Post
Day 6 – Ask a Question
Day 7 – Tell a Story

Be sure to read the entire article: http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/07/16/7-days-to-rediscovering-your-blogging-groove/

Another blog post I found 5 pages into my search was filled with great tips about "getting unstuck" that was really interesting was 20 Tips from Chris Brogan. These tips are just the thing small business owners need to be aware of with blogging. One of his suggestions is to think about the things you are personally struggling with and write about it, hence this post today!

I blog for several of my clients and I really enjoy it, but the only thing that keeps me on track is a strict calendar of what I am going to do and when. Today, I put myself on that calendar, too! As a small business owner it is so easy to put our clients needs before our own, but I am encouraging myself and anyone else reading this article to make sure to take time out for their own needs, whatever they may be.

If you have read other great ideas on curing the blogging blues please post them here ... I would love to read about them!

Thank You!

Summer in the NW is Almost Over ...

The past several mornings I have had to grab a sweater. By the early afternoon there is no longer a need for the sweater, but the crisp morning air makes me realize Fall is just around the corner. There was a time that this made me sad, but as a busy working mom I welcome the change in season's.

Since our summer's are so short we tend to try to cram too much into them. July and August has been a steady stream of BBQ's with friends, camping trips, and many other adventures. . . not to mention we are all still working! The kids may be home and the weather may be nice, but there is still work to be done.

I have had a great summer with friends and family, but welcome Fall with open arms!

Working parents .... what are some tricks you have for making summer's fun for you and the kids without feeling so overwhelmed?

Green Marketing Made Affordable!

We all are recognizing how important it is to do what we can for our delicate environment. Three White Daisies has made some efforts to make your marketing pieces both affordable, but also environmentally friendly. Many small companies believe that green practices are important, but they can't afford them.

As a print broker I work hard to find you the most affordable printing for your projects, but they must also meet the following criteria:

1) Keep it Local! In my search for affordable printing I will never select an option that is further than 2 states away. I believe in keeping it local, but also realize the importance of fuel economy. We might be able to find lower prices if we ordered something that was printed in another country, but then we have such a large "footprint" and the few dollars we might save is not worth it.

2) Soy Ink, really! They really can do anything with soy, it is amazing! All the printers I work with use soy ink. Soy ink is a safe and environmentally friendly ink because of its simple compound compared to petroleum–based ink. Soy ink also makes recycling easier and surprisingly produces even more vibrant colors.

3) Guilt Free Paper! This may sound funny to you, but not all paper companies will get their paper from legitimate sources. The only paper companies we will use paper is produced specifically for paper-making and is not produced from illegally deforested trees.

Working from my home office not only helps me keep my prices low for both design and printing needs, but it saves me from commuting to work every day. One less car on the road is a good thing. In my home office I keep things as green as possible by using environmentally friendly cleaners, turning off light switches, and using energy saving products whenever possible.

If you need some tips on how to make your office green check out this article!

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What Are You Wearing?

Do you still get up and put on the hose and high heels ... do you button up your shirt and wear a tie? What are you wearing to work when you are your own boss?

Most of the time when while working I am hidden behind my 19" monitor in my home office and you can't even see me. If you could see me you would most often find me in flip flops, jeans, and a t-shirt. Since my work is sometimes sporadic and in the rush to get a job done for a client I am working into the wee hours of the morning then I will allow myself to put on my fuzzy slippers and favorite three stripe sweat pants that are so well loved have on two stripes on the left leg.

I have seen ad's suggesting, "work from home and stay in your pj's all day!" When I see those ad's I wonder how they were raised. As a mom, I rarely let my daughter stay in her pajama's all day and it didn't matter that she didn't have a high powered meeting to attend. It is apparent even from ages as early as two that staying in pajama's for a prolonged period of time can encourage lazy behavior and cause one to want to spend too much time on the couch. (At least at my house!)

The other thing for me is that on more than one occasion it will be a day when I didn't have any client meetings set up, but at the last minute a client will need to meet with me. I would hate to not be there for a client because I was still in my pj's and couldn't get ready in time. With a quick change of my shoes and the addition of a cardigan I am ready for a client meeting.

I have a few clients that dress rather formal, but most of my clients are very casual even though they don't work from a home office. I might find them in red converse and shorts or jeans and an Ed Hardy tee.

I guess to sum things up: I think dress codes can be casual, but even if you work from home or in a small business you should get dressed in something that would be presentable in public. I am wondering what you think! Please share your opinions on dress code ... if you have one tell me about it! If you don't please tell me why!

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PS: My favorite tee right now is the Vintage V-Neck T from the Gap!

Why Am I Sad About Hollywood Video?

Seriously, I am kind of sad when I see all the Hollywood Video's closing down. Not sad enough to get up and go into the video store, however. I like to think if it were a local owned by some residents who knew me by name when I walked in I would still go to a video store, but I haven't seen one of those in years...at least not near my house.

I feel a loss, it is an era ending... I am thinking that my daughter may never know what it is like to go into a video store and argue in front of total strangers over the choice between a romantic chick flick or a shoot 'em up and then eventually settle on a comedy you can both agree on. Not even seven years old when she wants to watch a movie she asks me to download it or get it on demand.

As a small business owner I wonder what this means . . . It's not just Hollywood Video, but lots of long time well established businesses are unable to keep their doors open in this economy. Without such large overhead, maybe this is time for the small business to thrive!

I read some great tips online recently about operating in a difficult economy. To sum it up:

1) Reassess your business model: A simple reassessment can oftentimes lead to increased efficiency and revenue.

2) Invest in marketing, it may be even more important now!

3) Find ways to cut back the budget, there is almost always something that can go.

4) Keep positive!

Read the whole article!

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Meet One of the Most Interesting Men in Vancouver

Today I got to visit Reo’s Coffee & Hot Dog Emporium, located in the Uptown Village part of Vancouver, WA. Reo's combines two American passions, coffee & hot dog's. Sitting right next door to another shop that boasts about it's hot dogs from the window, I wondered what could this place have to offer that is so different? With a quite impressive menu including everything from "awful waffles" to "fabulous hot dogs" and an amazing barista I was surprised to find I was most impressed by the man behind the counter, Chuck Leidy.

Not only is he charming with great customer service, but he has a plethora of intriguing stories to tell. If you are a fan of that little movie Twilight he could tell you about his ON SET experiences when they were filming! Yes, ladies ... Chuck was on set! If you have an interest in small business he is overflowing with tips and interesting stories ... even about how Nike got it's start back when Converse were selling for only $3 a pair!

So if you are looking for a great cup of coffee, a truly kosher hot dog, or just an interesting chat Reo's should be your destination! Personally, I am looking forward to working with him and getting to know both him and his wife Gina!

Featured Small Business of the Month July 2010: Babyface Skin Care

The small for now, small business of Babyface Skin Care started only two years ago with just one product: Hyaluronic Acid Serum. Traci Tran, a woman with an amazing sense of fashion and appreciation for quality, brought it in to supplement a thriving boutique fashion resale store on eBay. Quickly it became evident that people were craving more and more of high end products at an affordable price and as a result she shifted her focus from resale clothing to beauty products. Tran says, “It has to not only work very well, but I have to be able to offer it at an affordable price. I decided long ago that I would offer the products at affordable prices and take smaller profits so that everyone can enjoy quality, not just those who have the money to buy a $300 jar of eye cream or drop $500 at the Spa or Salon on treatments.”

In less than 2 years this went from a small venture that featured one product on eBay to an online store with more than 20 products. How did this happen? Tran says, “The big boom has pretty much been just within the last year, and the majority of that within the last 9 months. I'd say we are pretty blown away at the growth.” With such dramatic growth in such a short time can we expect to see even more from Babyface? Tran says they are working to streamline production of current products and even looking to carry some new items based on customer feedback. Many different distributorships and business owners are trying to get in on the action at Babyface, but Tran is wisely waiting until they get all their processes in place before moving forward with a major change. The first goal is to get Babyface Pure Protein on shelves at Ulta stores across the US. Tran explains, that she likes “ULTA because they have the same philosophy as I do, they are affordable quality.”

The advertising that has gotten Babyface into just about every country across the globe: word of mouth. No joke. There is not a huge advertising budget, just consistent quality service and product, a perfect feedback score on eBay, and an informative blog. Some new branding efforts include custom packaging, brochures, and a website designed by us! They recently also added a Facebook fan page that will allow customers to provide input, keep up on trends within the company, and any special promotions. If you aren’t already a fan of the products I suggest becoming a fan to learn more about it!

Adventures in Vancouver ... (Part 1)

Today, I got out from behind my desk and got to enjoy the beautiful sunny day in the Northwest! I spent the day walking the streets of Uptown Village in Vancouver, WA! I introduced myself to many local business owners, heard some great stories, and enjoyed a few wonderful treats ... overall, it was a really great day and I was impressed to find that it looks like Vancouver is getting very cool!

The first place I stopped was Hopeless Ink, admittedly I was a little intimidated before I walked in. Not only is this the first time I have gone out to promote my business, but through the window I could see four men around the counter. It was daunting, but I took a deep breath and went in. Inside, I was immediately impressed with how nice the studio was with tasteful design and very private tattoo areas. The staff was also quite impressive not only for their obvious talent, but for how friendly they were ... my nerves were put to ease very quickly. Based on my experience and the reviews I have read online I say if you are in the market for a tattoo this might be a good place to visit before making your final decision.

I walked into many great businesses today, but I don't think anything really impressed me as much as Pop Culture on Main Street in Uptown Village. I have driven by many times in the past year and half since the business was given it's rebirth, but I had no idea what was really going on inside. Walking through the doors you are surrounded by awesome decor, some cool kids strumming on their guitar, and a wall of pop like I have never seen-truly a flavor and brand for every taste! I learned that they offer amazing entertainment for music and comedy lovers of all ages which is such a treat and a real gem for the residents of this great suburban city!

The icing on the cake, literally, was my final stop to Je T'aime Bakery. Walking up to the counter I saw the owner really putting the t'aime or love into her home made bread. The staff at this bakery is very friendly and everything looks absolutely divine. Now, I have always been very proud of my brownie recipe but when I saw the gooey, powder covered brownies they had on display I could not resist .... I suppose I should hang my head in shame because my brownies really could not compare to the scrumptious flavor Je T'aime is serving up!

I have lived in and loved Vancouver for more than 12 years, but never spent so much time walking around getting to know the area. Next, I will be cruising the Downtown neighborhood and can't wait to see what I find!

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New website is going to be coming soon .... www.threewhitedaisies.com

Take Advantage of FREE Marketing Tools: A Simple Guide To Getting Started With Facebook

Most social media marketing is free if you know how to use it. I have set this up with some basic tips that will allow you to harness the power of the social media for your business. Let's start with Facebook, tips for Twitter coming soon!

Do you already have a personal Facebook account? If not, set one up today for free! Not only is it a great way to connect with friends and family members it can do wonders for your business.

Once you have a Facebook account you are ready to begin setting up a page for your business. You can learn a lot about the best practices by a quick visit to Facebook Pages.

Now we are ready to get started with your new Facebook Page. You will need to decide what category you are in from Local Business to Public Figure, this will appear under your business name when people do a search on Facebook. Now you get to name your page , click on "Create Official Page" and you are done!



Once you have taken a moment to fill out information about your business and upload some photos start inviting people to be a fan of your page. This can be done quite simply choosing the "Suggest to Friends" option on the upper right hand corner. While this method will allow you to very quickly share a link to anyone you are already friends with on Facebook you might be surprised by how many people will choose to "ignore" this request. A personal message through Facebook with a link to your new page can be a lot more effective.

If you have at least 25 people who "like" your page you can customize the name of the page so the link isn't filled with a bunch of random numbers and spaces. For example, I changed the name of my page so the link was simply: http://www.facebook.com/threewhitedaisies. Naming your Facebook page isn't exactly intuitive, but once you know what to do it is very simple. Facebook has a page, of course, that will allow you to change your username.


Now you are really ready to do some marketing! Facebook has ways to advertise right on the site and it can be fairly affordable. Make sure you start adding links to your new Facebook page to your blog, Tweet about it, and add it to your signature line in your e-mail!

Post a link to your new Facebook page here as a comment and I will "like" it .. help you get enough fans!

Best of luck!

Riding the social media wave: a user's guide to Web-based communication

Who is using social media? What is it exactly? When and where do people tweet, post and blog? Why do people engage in social media?

Social media is everywhere. It encompasses blogs, social networks (such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace), professional networking avenues such as LinkedIn, and creative sites like Flickr, a photography-sharing website. People such as the teenager next door, grandma and celebrities are using social media outlets. Remember when Conan O'Brien made news by first breaking his recent public silence on Twitter? Did you know that there are more than 300 million active Facebook users who post nearly 1 billion photos monthly to their accounts? Additionally, it would take 7,000 years for all the photos on Flickr to be developed at a one-hour photo!

People use social media for a variety of reasons. What role does social media play in your life? What role should it play?

"The savvy social media user will know how to maximize social media use for their benefit," explains Ted Long, academic director of Web Design & Interactive Media at The Illinois Institute of Art - Schaumburg. He recommends pointers from www.kodak.com as a guide to social media beginners. Some favorites follow.

* Know what you are talking about. If you are going to work with social media, be involved in social media. Start your own Twitter account, Facebook page, read blogs and get engaged. That is the best way to understand the culture, tone, best practices, and protocol.

* Always be transparent. When you are communicating in social media say who you are and who you work for. Don't try to be sneaky and plant comments, don't hire people to go out and say nice things about you and stay away from ghost writing. Be genuine and be real.

* Post frequently. It's a lot of work, but don't post to your blog then leave it for two weeks. Readers won't have a reason to follow you on Twitter or check your blog if they can't expect new content regularly.

* Add value. Share tips, tricks and insights. People's time is precious and they need to get something out of the time they spend with you. Make listening to you worth their time.

* Respond. Answer questions, thank people even if it's just a few words. Make it a two-way conversation.

* Have fun. If you don't like what you are doing, others will notice it and won't enjoy interacting with you.

Vanessa Jackson, assistant director of career services at The Illinois Institute of Art - Schaumburg, reminds users that social media should always be appropriate for a professional setting. "Social networking sites are like the invention of fire for the 21st century. There is great power, possibility and functionality, but use it improperly and you can burn yourself," cautions Jackson.

Jackson advises:
* You can lock your profile, but remember that a lot of information can be derived simply by looking at your profile picture.

* Keep one clean profile per social media site. Don't bother having two profiles, one for friends and one professional.

* LinkedIn is for professional networking and shouldn't be used in the same manner that you use Facebook or MySpace, unless all of your social media profiles are business appropriate.

* Employers (and potential employers) really do check your social networking sites. Spell correctly, use proper grammar and don't be vulgar or degrading to others.

Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate, leaving many who don't use it feeling out of touch. To begin, start slow, learn as you go, and remember to represent yourself in a way that is appropriate for the world to see. Then you too can experience the benefits of being more connected than ever before.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Home Office Organization Journey

If you work from home or just have a busy family life good organization is ESSENTIAL. This is a lesson that I have learned the hard way and now that I am on the path to becoming more organized in life and business I want to share some of the things I have learned.

I think I learned the most important lesson from my Aunt Tracy when I was young about organization, but it too me a while to implement it. She would preach constantly about cleaning as you go! This is so important because those little piles can get out of hand in no time and when you face the reality of the fact you could have spent 30 minutes cleaning to avoid the situation it is a little depressing.

Sometimes you have to start small! Don't let a big mess overwhelm you, make a list of things you want to accomplish towards getting your home office organized and tackle one thing at a time. It helped me to set a finish goal date.

I also learned (I think from Oprah) that you should only touch mail once. This is so true! Thanks to modern technology there is no need to touch mail more than once and let it clutter up your office. Some tricks I have learned about mail:

Even if you don't intend on paying a bill right away you can enter it into your online bill payer with a post dated option. This lets you file it away immediately instead of letting it clutter up your desk, or get lost and cause you to be late on your payment.

How long do you save your bills? I save mine for one year, but the technical answer varies from bill to bill. With so much available online now, we really don't need to keep them at all, but for quick reference I like to have them on hand for one year. My dream is to own one of these scanners and eventually be rid of paper files.

No matter how pressed you are for space; keep your personal and business documents separate. Personal items are a serious distraction that will limit your efficiency and focus. I have two different file drawers in my desk, to the right I have all our personal files and then to the left I have all my Three White Daisies files. Sometimes personal and business overlap a little and thanks to some tips from Craft Warehouse I have created a stylish way to blend my schedules. I have a white board for all my business needs and one for my personal needs. Two magnetic area's to post recent work or notes, a calendar, and a cork board. The whole project cost me about $55. (Sorry for the fuzzy mobile photo.)

Once you've created an organized home office, take the time to see that it stays that way. Devoting a block of time each week to staying organized (I schedule time to organize each week!) will keep you from getting overwhelmed by the little details that hold chaos at bay!

Get more ideas from an expert! Ines can help you find that perfect starting point if you are overwhelmed. She is a professional organizer and a good person.

What are some of your favorite staying organized tips? We would love to hear from you!

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