You are here: Home / 2012 / Archives for June 2012

Lemon-Lime Italian Soda

June 30, 2012 By

Italian soda is a popular summertime offering at local coffee bars, and it would be a perfect iced beverage for a hot summer day picnic! Here is how to make this refreshing drink with only a few simple ingredients.

Italian Soda Recipe
32 ounce Ball canning jar or similar serving container
1 large lemon sliced
1 large lime sliced
4 ounces Simple Sugar or adjust based on personal preference (see recipe below)
Italian sparkling water

Squeeze lemons and limes into jar.

Add simple sugar.

Add ice, fill to top with Italian Soda and gentle stir.

Enjoy!

 

Simple Sugar
1 cup pure cane sugar
1 cup water
Heat mixture in microwave until sugar is dissolved

For more recipes, visit my blog at http://knowbeansaboutit.blogspot.com/

Everyone’s Articles – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

Filed Under: Inside919 Tagged With: , ,

Changes on Inside919

June 29, 2012 By

CHANGES IS GOOD! David Bowie has, Facebook and Google constantly changing, are you?

I recently looked at my ‘About Brenda’ page of my website and it seemed out of date. I took a few minutes to update with current events, add a few new tweaks, access my searchable key words and give a general new feel. This overall re-fresh does not effect my brand or my mission/vision of my business. You could possibly give the analogy of giving a new coat of paint to a room, not changing the size but just the feel of the room.

As a business owner, change and being able to adapt is essential to my survival in this & any market. I can decide today to change anything about my business, the payment method, the prices, the logo, or the website. If I was a huge company, I would have to assemble a committee, do a test-study, test market, analyze the changes and perhaps a year or two later we could initiate the changes.

You would not want to water-down or dilute your brand or image often, as you might lose your message. Too many changes too fast can be confusing and dangerous, especially if you already have your target audience. Stale is boring and not memorable.

Now that I have made those small changes, I plan on looking at my other profiles; Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. These are some of the venues clients find me. I want current and fresh information.

VERY soon, Inside919 is changing.  Pat Howlett is not diluting the brand but how members interact ;honing, perfecting and refining.  I have made changes in my profile.  I still have the same message, pen & ink artist.  I made a financial commitment to move from a participant to an INSIDER.  I post at least bi-monthly and participate in conversations.

What are your plans for Inside919?

Brenda Priest
Your Door & More

Everyone’s Articles – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

Filed Under: Inside919 Tagged With: ,

Keeping Your Visitors in Your Web Site

June 29, 2012 By

Getting people to your web web site is just half the battle. Keeping them there and accomplishing a desired result is another. Having high bounce rates (def. visitors who come into your site and immediately leave) costs you high search engine rankings and loses what should be good visits.

Here are some tips to improve your web site landing for more conversions:

  1. Design your web pages with a goal in mind. Is your goal to get leads, educate your marketing, build your brand or communicate information to your customers? Whatever your goal is, design your pages with the end in mind.
  2. Design your pages so that visitors recognize they are in the right place. Use photos, titles and branding so that it is obvious to the visitor that they are in the right site.
  3. Use social media buttons. Good social media allows visitors to peak in the back door to get real organic information about your company, giving you customers that qualify themselves. The social media buttons will increase the stickiness of your site to reduce bounce rates.
  4. Use animated images and videos to create stickiness. Be careful not to go overboard. Keep it simple. Have an image of a frame in the video at the top of the site, so that it stands out.
  5. Put information request form in the body of the site where it is easily seen. If your goal is to get prospects, make it easy for the prospect to see the form to request information, get a free offer or engage with a shopping cart. Keep the form very simple with no more that five or six fields.
  6. Keep your pages and navigation simple, and easy to find. White space is your friend. Do not overload the content in the web pages. While lot’s of text up to a certain point can help with the search engines, most people will not read but so much of it. Use bullets where possible. A complex navigation or one that is difficult to find will frustrate your visitor and cause them to bail out. If you have a large site, consider implementing a search window for the site.
  7. Use Google Analytics to check results. Check your results using Google Analytics and fine tune if necessary. Work on or eliminate unpopular pages that have high bounce rates or are not visited.

Remember…You are competing with the web universe for your visitors time. Make it so they want to stay.

Everyone’s Articles – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

Filed Under: Inside919 Tagged With: , ,

Put that FUN Back into Your Fundraising with The hCard!!

June 29, 2012 By

There is a slight panic in the air for fundraising committees and PTA members across America. It is the beginning of fundraising season and schools and organizations are getting ready for all the Fall and Autumn activities that will need a variety of revenue to be successful. But when we usually think fundraising, we think car washes, cookies, candle holders and bingo nights. Fundraising is typically hard work, but with the hCard it becomes so much simpler and the opportunities become so much greater.

At the hCard, we are your sole fundraising source that brings success. Purchase the hCard for $ 5 and retail the card for only $ 20 and earn up to a 75% profit. Sell 200 cards and receive $ 3000. It is easy to do. The hCard is a national, regional, and local “show and save” opportunity that integrates your organization or school with both business and community.

Our mission is an elementary one, to provide value to the community by helping support schools and local organizations. Check this video out today: Fundraising with The hCard.

You can customize your hCards with your school or organization’s logo and make it a visible marketing tool as well. Purchasing the card is very easy to do online at http://www/thehcard.com and you can track sales in our password protected online back office.

With yearly renewals you can make continuous fundraising FUN and a major reality. There are no quotas to meet or inventory to maintain. You do not need a location to do your fundraising and there is really no door-to-door; the hCard just makes sense as soon as you bring it up.

With growth, and new daily and weekly discounts added to the main site, everybody wins. Purchase the hCard and make your fundraising an immediate success with no headaches and no overhead.

Discounts every day
Promos continually added

Show and Save is the best and simplest way to go

Community is the foundation of fundraising excellence

Check out the video and get started today; it is win, win for your band, your team and your activity! Put your funds into the right target!

Everyone’s Articles – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

Filed Under: Inside919 Tagged With: , , ,

Repurposing: Vacation Photographs

June 28, 2012 By

My dear friend Sybil Rhodes gives us a great idea to repurpose extra vacation photographs:

http://youtu.be/ZQGQ–0rUng

Everyone’s Articles – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

Filed Under: Inside919 Tagged With: , ,

What Losing Teaches Us

June 28, 2012 By

A few months ago, I was thrilled to learn I had been nominated for a Hometown Media Award for the TV show I did with fellow Inside919er, Diogenes Ruiz. I had the press release ready to send out announcing my win—-but then—this week I learned I did not win in my category.

Was I disappointed? Yes, but then I remembered an interview with Michael Jordan some years ago when he was talking about the years leading up to his NBA championships with Chicago. He said, “Losing teaches us those things that make us better.”

Losing is a necessary and important life lesson. Losing not only teaches us humility but it also teaches us how valuable it is to dedicate ourselves to something. If you are dedicated to your business—if you truly LOVE what you do, the accolades and praise won’t matter. No amount of awards can take the place of having satisfied and happy clients who walk away appreciating how much you’ve helped them.

Success is about what you do when you don’t win or when you don’t get the sale; it’s how you handle a loss.

Yes, there is still a press release to be written because being a finalist among hundreds of others is a victory in itself.

Everyone’s Articles – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

Filed Under: Inside919 Tagged With: ,

Writing About Bloopers

June 28, 2012 By

After the urging of a number of my colleagues, I decided to start writing a book. The topic: how not to start a business. It’s based on everything I’ve done since 2007 that taught me valuable lessons on entrepreneurship—through trial and a comedy of errors! The book was partly inspired by my Toastmasters speech that I posted to InSide919 awhile back.

Starting from my days selling protein shakes and vitamins in 2007, to the time I decided to go into business as a writer, up until present day, I did just about everything that a seasoned business owner would advise a budding entrepreneur not to do. The book is approximately 60% complete, and I can tell you that the experience of writing it has been a real eye-opener. Until I sat down to write this book, I didn’t see just how many times I had repeated the same things while expecting different results every time–the definition of insanity. I am exploring the patterns of behavior and decision-making that perpetuated this downward spiral, as well as the ways of thinking that led me into it.

I’m writing this book not because I think it will make me millions of dollars, but because I’m hoping to help out some folks who are where I was five years ago. I’m not claiming to have the formula for creating a seven-figure business. In fact, I barely managed to crack five figures in business myself. But in five years of starting, stopping, lurching, and doing U-turns, I believe that I’ve mapped out some of the common danger zones to avoid when going into business. In other words, even though I’m not a millionaire yet, I can still write the book that I wish someone had put in my hands back in 2007. That’s exactly what I’m doing.

I also am hoping to create a model that other business owners and writers can duplicate. I have read a lot of books and articles from people pretending to be experts on subjects that they have no business writing about. If I were to write a book today about how to make seven figures in business, nobody in their right mind should think about buying it. However, I don’t think you have to have impressive results to write a book. I think that what you do need is to get some time under your belt and do some experimentation–then, write about what you did, what your experience was, and how others can benefit from that experience. It may require sharing some things that make you uncomfortable, but I also think it can work. I’m testing out my theory with this book, and I’ll share about how it goes.

Side note: At present, I am working for Palsie’s Popcorn and Sweets in Wakefield (across from the movie theater), as some of you may have seen in my recent Facebook posts. I don’t have a lot to share about that yet, because I’m still in the process of working out a sales and marketing plan for the store. But if you haven’t tried the popcorn yet, stop in sometime and have a sample of Dill Pickle! (That’s our top seller.)

Everyone’s Articles – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

Filed Under: Inside919 Tagged With: , ,

How To Make your Backyard Unique and Useful

June 27, 2012 By

Your backyard may be a narrow alley or a huge space between your neighbor’s property and your house. You need not doom this area as a wasted space but you can attractively design it with umpteen ideas and make it an inviting haven to enjoy moments of solitude, or socialize or conduct many outdoor activities.

Some ways to make your backyard area unique and useful are:

• Your backyard can be turned into a cozy dining space where you can entertain guests. Consider creating a simple fire pit with slate which is equipped with a grill top.

• You can accessorize your backyard with lights, tables and settees. Beautiful and cheap luminaries can be created by using paper bags and when doilies are placed in their insides, they sparkle better and create more effect. Comfortable outdoor pillows thrown on your seating arrangement add more color to the scenario.

• Create your own private dining den for you and your family in your backyard, either under a tree or a hanging arbor. Place weatherproof furniture and hang some outdoor lighting. Keep your dining space accessible to your kitchen.

• You can wow your guests by going a little wild. Add native flower beds and climbing roses, wisteria, etc. along the fences.

• If your backyard is a small area with a lawn then consider having a play area for your children. Build an activity area or install a swing set. Add a pergola with seating nearby for you to relax while your children play.

• Having a small vegetable garden in your backyard brings in wholesome activity to the family. Your children become familiar with the plants’ natural growth cycles and you can grow low maintenance organic vegetable plants on your own. Thus you can make your meals more economical and enjoyable. Your vegetable garden size depends on the space available in your backyard.

• Adding a swimming pool in your backyard is an attractive proposal and an asset to your property. But remember that backyard pools though entertaining are risky to kids and young adults when they are left unsupervised.

A backyard pool carries added responsibility and hence consider having a pool fence additionally consider pool covers and alarmsthat meet the requirements of your municipal area’s safety standards

Thus take advantage of your backyard space and design it in simple ways to enjoy your private heaven to your heart’s content!

Everyone’s Articles – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

Filed Under: Inside919 Tagged With: , ,

7 Guidelines for Purging Craft Supplies

June 27, 2012 By

As a scrapbooking expert and crafting enthusiast, Lain Ehmann has quite a stash of supplies – but she’s also a realist who knows that as much as she’d like to, she can’t keep it all. I’ve invited her back today to tell us how she goes about deciding what stays and what goes.

x-x-x

I think it was the venerable Will Shakespeare who said, “All the world’s a stage.” I’d like to paraphrase that from the crafter’s viewpoint. When you are a truly creative individual – you know, the kind who can build an exact replica of King Tut’s tomb from an old egg carton and a handful of styrofoam peanuts – then everything you see around you becomes grist for your creative genius. In other words, all the world’s a craft project.

As I sit at my desk and write this article, a quick look around me shows a grocery bag full of empty Altoid tins given me by well-meaning friends, a stack of paint chips from the hardware store, a dozen empty exam test booklets I picked up a yard sale, and a Tupperware container full of ribbon scraps – and that’s only what I can see without swiveling my head! I have more raw material for my future crafty endeavors than I could ever hope to use.

Here’s the challenge: I never know path the creative muse will send me on, so I have a difficult time discerning between what I consider to be useful craft supplies and tools, and what my husband calls “trash.” Admittedly, there’s a fine line – one I work to define daily. After all, I can’t keep it ALL.

In my 10 years as a published artist and crafty-type, I’ve developed some guidelines that help me figure out what to keep and what to toss. If you suffer from “keep-it-all-itis,” as I do, try using it to evaluate your own craft stash:

  1. Do I have a clear project in mind? Do I know immediately what I’m going to use the item for? In the case of the Altoid tins, I have plans to make a lunch money box for my little one to stash in her backpack, and I also want to turn a few others into mini-scrapbook albums. Okay, that accounts for three of the 15; maybe I can let the other dozen go.
  2. How hard is it to get another one? I’ve met crafters who keep every piece of paper-based detritus that passes through their hands, from straw wrappers to receipts to bar coasters. But tomorrow will likely bring more receipts, more straw wrappers, more bar coasters. So it’s okay to let something go if you can easily track down another.
  3. Have I used something similar in the past? I have a soldering iron, which I’ve never even taken out of the package. This makes me sad because when I bought it, I had high hopes for making jewelry! Unfortunately, I’ve never gone further down that particular path than just saying, “Wouldn’t it be cool to…” It may be time to send the soldering iron (and the accompanying wire, etc.) to someone who will appreciate it and USE it.
  4. How much did it cost? There’s a big difference between deciding to toss a complete set of Copic markers (price: $ 6 each) and a complete set of Crayola crayons (price: $ 6 total). If you invested heavily in the supply or tool, give yourself the benefit of the doubt and hold onto it. If it didn’t break the bank or was free, toss with abandon.
  5. Do I have to talk myself into it? Oftentimes I’ll put something in the “toss” pile, knowing without a doubt that I am not in love with the object or the potential projects it represents. But then I do the double-think thing, telling myself, “Weeeelll, I could paint it yellow/take it apart/learn how to use it…” If you find yourself talking yourself into keeping something, stop. Let it go. Move on. There are plenty of projects and supplies to love without forcing yourself into a half-hearted relationship with Mr. Not-Quite-Right.
  6. Is it broken or dirty? If the item is not in working order, if it’s frayed, stained, ugly, or otherwise unsightly, think about moving along. (Note: Your willingness to restore it to working order or cleanliness is a good sign that you do absolutely love and want to use this item.)
  7. How long have I had it? If those Altoid tins are still sitting on my bookcase a year from now, you can bet your sweet glue gun that I’ll be more likely to send ‘em packing. If you’ve had something for more than a year and haven’t put it to use, it’s probably time to move on.


Hopefully this checklist will help you cut down on the amount of crafty “stuff.” And the cool thing is that when you have less, you actually become more creative and use things more.

Now, anyone want to buy a soldering iron?

Lain Ehmann is a scrapbooking superhero who inspires women to capture their family’s memories in a simple, fun, and fast manner.

She shares tutorials, project ideas, classes, and more on her blog at http://www.layoutaday.com.

Photo: © Stephen Depolo

Everyone’s Articles – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

Filed Under: Inside919 Tagged With: , , ,

Cleaning Your Own Carpet

June 27, 2012 By

It can be done–you can be very effective in maintaining your carpet with some simple tools.

The best thing you can do to keep your carpet clean is to vacuum as frequently as you can stand. A good rule of thumb is one time per week per occupant (and pets count!). Now, I don’t run into households with 7+ occupants where the carpet is vacuumed every day, but they are out there, and their carpets look fantastic and last for as long as they want to keep them.

Next, your carpet will thank you if you just don’t cause it too much harm. Not wearing shoes and not having pets live inside are both great ideas, from your carpet’s perspective. However, the carpet has to work for us, so the best advice I can give is, don’t use any chemical product that says it’s for your carpet.

Some of these products work, but many of them cause harm by either bleaching the carpet or by leaving residue that attracts dirt. You can’t go wrong with vinegar–it’s more effective than most specialty spotters you might buy at the store, and it causes no harm. Mix 1:1 with water, wet a white cloth with the mixture and dab (don’t rub! Trust me on that) the spot. You want the spot to wick up into the cloth.

The big exception to the above rule is with the use of enzymes. If you have pets living inside, it is worth investing in a bottle (or more) of an enzyme. There are many, most of which are effective. Most people have heard of Nature’s Miracle. You will think that name is accurate if your dog relieves himself on your carpet, and you see how effective it is against pet spots and pet odor. Spray or pour the enzyme where he went (depending on the volume–better too much than too little). The enzymes chosen are ones that break down organic waste material. They will consume the pet mess, leaving nothing behind. If you take care of it soon, you can solve the problem by using an enzyme.

Most of us have rented a carpet cleaning machine from the grocery store. Some of us own one of those. I’m not a big fan, because they don’t remove their water very effectively. However, if you must use a store-rented carpet cleaner, please do not buy the store detergent. This may be as much as the rental itself, and it will do more harm than good. Since the machine doesn’t rinse well and no balancing rinse is used, the carpet will remain in an alkaline state. Like soap, it will be attractive to dirt. You will wonder how your carpet got so dirty after you just cleaned it! Use water, or water and vinegar if you clean your carpet with a rented mini-machine.

In case you were skimming to the end, you will be most effective if you vacuum frequently, don’t use store-bought spotters, and do use enzymes to clean up pet messes (of all kinds).

When your carpet problems get out of hand, I’d love to hear from you!

Everyone’s Articles – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

Filed Under: Inside919 Tagged With: ,
« Older Posts