Even though I began my business in 2007, I look at February 6, 2008 as the true beginning of my home staging company... for that is the day I joined ActiveRain.
Working as a Home Stager means working on your own. We start out on our own, choosing our company name (I’d bet many wish we could that one over), designing a logo, getting business cards, and as in my case, building our own website.
When I started Room Service Home Staging, I knew nothing of SEO or Google juice. I had no idea how to work with text boxes or tag or keywords. I did know that I needed a website. That was it.
I had my cell phone and fax machine, I had a website, such as it was and was ready to start staging. Only problem was that no one knew who I was. And, Sellers in Palm Beach County were watching their property values drop. If they needed to sell their home, most knew it would be for a loss. The last thing they wanted to think of was putting any money into a house they would be leaving and on which they would make little or no money.
My marketing efforts consisted of joining the local Chamber of Commerce and having business cards printed. I was a Home Stager... surely they’ll call.
Hello... welcome to the new millenium …. Social Media and Internet Strategies!
ActiveRain gave and continues to give me the tools to compete in this 
Internet/Social Media/Google driven world......
1. How to write a blog that is not only informative but also good for SEO rankings.
2. How to use FaceBook, Twitter, Google+, Linkedin,Pinterest and any other Social Media to increase my Internet presence.
3. Learning opportunities every day at ActiveRain, not only about Blogging and SEO, but all aspects of Real Estate, mortgages, home inspection, and construction.
4. An amazing group of friends throughout the country and Canada to whom I can turn when I need help, advice or an opinion about my business.
The majority of my business comes from clients finding me via the Internet. When I began I paid monthly for Google Adwords. I received calls every week from companies wanting me to pay them to increase my Internet presence. What I learned from the Webinars, posts and ActiveRain contests allowed me to drop paying for Google Adwords and write the kind of blogs on my own for Google juice.
When I asked a client how she found me this was her response:
“The Internet...I had no choice...you’re everywhere.”
I no longer wait and hope the phone will ring. Using ActiveRain makes me more proactive in my marketing efforts. I can target areas using keywords.
My day begins with ActiveRain.... posting and taking a quick “hello” to my ActiveRain friends. And, it ends on ActiveRain with comments and “good nights”.
ActiveRain is so much a part of my business plan that I look at every part of my day... every event... every thought as a possible blog topic.
Take away ActiveRain? Not going to happen. It is my office... it is my mentor... it is where my “co-workers” are.... it keeps me accountable ….it challenges me to go one step further.
I know this may sound like I’m stating the obvious and pandering
when I say that ACTIVERAIN is the one tool without which my
business could not have grown or continue but that is the truth.
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Timeline.. sort of a “This is Your Life” for the Internet. It HAS been optional and please note that the operative word here is 
If you've been participating in the 
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