Actively Raining Thoughts-Room Service Home Staging

The National Park Service-Get Your Pass And Start Exploring!

Wed, 16 May 2012 03:54:49 -0700

This Saturday is National Kids to Parks Day but did you know our National Parks Service makes our parks available to you and your family all year long? The National Park Service, formed in 1916, cares for our parks......YES!...our parks! Working with park partners and volunteers, they help to care for and preserve over 84 million acres of land, over 4.5 million acres of lakes, reservoirs and oceans, over 43,000 miles of coastline, 68,561 archaeological sites and much more.

As part of the U.S. Department of the Interior the National Parks Service has over 20,000 employees and almost 2.5 million volunteers.

So with summer approaching why not make plans to visit our parks! There are passes you can get that will save you money! The Passes are good at over 2,000 Federal Recreation Sites covering entrance fees at the National Parks and Wildlife Refuges and standard amenity fees at National Forests and grasslands.

The pass covers vehicle fees or up to 4 adults for sites where there is a per person charge. Children under 15 are admitted free.

Annual Pass- $80 annual pass 1-888-275-8747

Free Annual Pass for Military Personnel and dependents.

Senior Pass- $10 Lifetime Pass for US Citizens or Permanent Residents 62+

Access Pass -Free for US Citizens or Permanent Residents with Permanent Disabilities.

Florida has 11 National Parks and in our own backyard of Delray Beach we have the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Find one in your State!

Don’t Be a Stranger to Your Parks!

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

My One Tool My Business Could Not Live Without...

Tue, 15 May 2012 04:11:55 -0700

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.

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

Choosing Flooring in Boca Raton? Read this first!

Mon, 14 May 2012 05:50:33 -0700

If you're considering the type of flooring you want to install, Debbie Gartner, the Flooring Lady in Westchester NY, has again provided us with some very useful information. Before you decide take a look at what Debbie lays out. It's not just about price per square foot, you have to consider the material, labor, and what the contractor will have to do to install your choice!

If you're not certain which flooring to get, contact your local flooring specialist.

Via Debbie Gartner - Westchester Flooring -Hardwood Floors Carpet Tile Refinish - (Floor Coverings International Westchester NY & Stamford CT):

How much does flooring cost? Which types cost more? Which cost less?

Now, of course, these are loaded questions, but I get this question often. I always hesitate to give per square foot prices because they vary so much and for so many different reasons...as you'll see.

Originally posted at Which types of flooring cost less and which types cost more

For example, let's take hardwood floors ... the cost depends on what species and grade of hardwood. It depends on whether it’s solid or engineered. It depends on how wide the planks are. Prices can vary based on installation method (nailed vs. glued vs. floated as well as whether it’s prefinished or unfinished hardwood). The cost depends on whether or not you have plywood subfloor. It depends if we need to do rip up and what surface we are ripping up (carpet or hardwood or tile). It depends if your floor is level and whether we need to do floor prep. Further, prices can vary on whether it’s a small, mid or large size area.

In addition, I don’t like giving per sq ft prices because customers will measure their room and do the multiplication and think that’s the price. But, they don’t realize that they need to account for many other factors including waste, acclimation delivery, transition pieces, whether we replace the base molding on the walls or just add shoe molding. As you can see there are MANY factors.

Also, many customers can be misled when they go to a store as they just see the cost for the materials. These prices usually do not include the labor nor the other factors I just mentioned above. So, I have many customers that mistakenly think some surfaces cost less. Please bear in mind that these are generalities, so it does depend on which item you select and the conditions of your floors. Also, this can vary a based on your geography. But, for the most part, these generalities should hold for Northeast, Mid Atlantic, Mid West. It is likely that the prices for tile are a lower in some of the warmer climates - especially in the South, West and Southwest.

So, here's a look at flooring prices from least expensive to most expensive – factoring in labor + material:

Carpet: In general, carpet is the least expensive surface. So, if you really need to save money, this is the way to go. The labor on carpet is lower and you can certainly find some less expensive carpets, especially when it comes to basement carpet.

That being said, carpet more than any other surface varies the most in price. As you get into much softer nylons, or multi-colored carpets or wool carpets, the prices increase and are sometimes even more expensive than hardwoods. But, as a general rule, carpet will usually cost you less than any other hard surface.

Laminate – Laminate flooring is usually more expensive than carpet but less expensive than hardwood. The materials for laminate are less expensive and labor is lower. In addition, pending on the conditions of the current floor, sometimes, you can install laminate directly on top of what’s there.so this reduces cost of rip up and haul away.

Hardwood flooring – I really do prefer hardwood flooring over laminate, but it does cost more. (It’s usually worth it since in the long run, it will usually last longer). Oak and bamboo tend to be the lower cost hardwoods. Adding hardwood to your home not only looks great (and most people prefer), but it also improves the value of your home, so it is a great investment. Oh, and it’s easier (and less expensive) to clean and maintain.

Tile flooring – In general, tile is the most expensive surface to install. That’s because it’s the most labor intensive. This is often a surprise to customers because they’ll see tile in Home Depot and think, wow, this is less expensive than I thought…and, that’s true…the material is not that expensive…it’s the labor that drives the price on this one.

So don’t be fooled by looking at the material cost. It takes much longer to lay tile and it's rip it out and haul it away. When it comes to bathrooms, there are a whole slew of other costs that come along with this. Usually when you tear up the walls, you need to resheet rock (and/or add durarock for the showers). Often a mudjob is needed for the floor and the shower. Oh, and don’t forget about the cost of a licensed plumber for toilet & sink removal as well as replacement of the shower pan.

So, the costs for tile flooring really do add up. Tile is clearly the best choice for the bathroom, but just be aware that there are a lot of costs there. For regular floors (such as kitchens and entryways), tile will usually cost more. In warmer climates, tile is more popular, so the labor costs are a bit lower – same amount of labor – just more competitive rates.

I hope this is helpful in providing some guidelines. As I mentioned, the prices will vary based on your circumstances and which material you are evaluating. This is another reason I like to go to customer’s homes. When I do, I can give them the prices for many different items and different surfaces so they can see the full price difference among their choices.

If you live in Westchester NY and would like some guidance on your flooring, give The Flooring Girl a call at 914-937-2950.

View Westchester Flooring in a larger map

Which types of flooring are less expensive? Which types cost more?

Hardwood Flooring - Carpet - Tile/Natural Stone - Laminate - Refinish Hardwood - Backsplashes

Debbie Gartner, President and Owner

"The Flooring Girl"

Floor Coverings International Westchester County

You can download our free flooring guide. Or, visit our flooring selector - 2,000 options.

We install hardwood floors, carpet and runners, tile flooring. Call us for a free estimate 914-937-2950.

"We bring the store to your door."

If you enjoyed what you are are reading, feel free to to my blog.

WC19920-H07, HIC619252

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

Tom's Place-The Boca BBQ Favorite is Back in Boynton Beach!

Mon, 14 May 2012 03:29:21 -0700

It’s always nice to find something you thought was lost, and that was the case when we re-discovered Tom’ Place on Boynton Beach Blvd. Larry and I were out the other day and stopped in to Tom’s Place for some Bar-B-Q. We weren’t sure if this was related to the Tom’s Place that we knew when we first arrived in Boca back in the late 80’s.

And I gladly report that yes... this is the reincarnate of Tom’s Place originally owned by Tom and Helen Wright. However it is now run by Tom’s son-in- law and daughter, Gerard and Belinda Harris, the Wright’s youngest son, Kenny, and his daughter Kentiana.

Located east of I-95 on Boynton Beach Blvd, Tom’s Place still has the famous BBQ sauce, cornbread, pulled pork sandwiches, rib dinners, and homemade sides liked black eyed peas, collard greens, potato salad, sweet potato pie and corn on the cob.

Don’t let the bright orange catering truck throw you off. You can drive up and order BBQ to go or eat inside. There are plans to expand this location to include an outdoor dining patio as well.

Tom and Helen Wright were not just about serving good BBQ, they were devoted to their family and their faith. The original restaurant closed on Sundays so that they could cook meals for those in need in their community.

The family still makes the famous Tom’s BBQ sauce which they sell at their restaurant.

Tom’s Place
400 East Boynton Beach Blvd
Boynton Beach FL

Wed-Sat

12 noon-9PM

561-843-7487

Catering, Dine-in, Take-Out

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

I Learn Something New at Active Rain Every Day- May 6- May12, 2012

Sun, 13 May 2012 05:02:08 -0700

I've Always Said I Learn Something New at ActiveRain Every Day and It's Time I Showed You. May 6 -- May 12, 2012

May 6: Peter Buchsbaum- The Week Ahead... What PPI, Consumer Sentiment, and Wholesale Trade Mean to You!
For those of you who missed that Economics class or can’t remember any of it, check out Peter’s post.

May 7: Mike Cooper- Another Great Source of Blog Illustrations.
Thanks to Lenn Harley we all know by now (or at least should know) that copyright should be a consideration when using clip art and photos, etc. Mike offers some additional resources for us.

May 8: Rebekah Radice Powerful Ways to Boost Facebook Fanpage Engagement.
We’ve all been told that social media means social. It’s so important if we are going to spend time on Facebook, Twitter, or whatever that we do it right! Read Rebekah’s great advice.

May 9: Borino- Get the Hell Out of My Race”
1967 seems like such a long time ago, and yet it wasn’t. I’d just graduated from High School (there... go grab your calculators and figure out my age) and getting ready for college. Thanks to those who pioneered our way.

May 10: Gayle Rich-Boxman A Tale of Love and Loss at a Lake.
I learned that using some beautiful photos coupled with heartfelt words can make for a perfectly written post and tribute to a family member.

May 11: Bill Fields Are You Going to Make a Difference Today
How many times have shrugged your shoulders and didn’t do something because you thought “what good would it do.” Read Bill’s posts.

May 12: Joni Staples Love a Mother Today.. It Doesn’t Have to be Yours.
There are many out there who are without their mothers and mothers without their children. Please thank any mothers that you know and even those who have a mothering nature.

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

Happy Mother's Day to All Mothers and Those Who Mother!

Sun, 13 May 2012 06:13:11 -0700

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and those who mother.

There are Mother's every where who care for the young.

May you have a very Special Day .

Thank you to all.

Thank you for your sacrifices, for your love;

Thank you for knowing when to step back,

And yet always being there.

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

National Kids to Parks Day-May 19th! Celebrate in Delray Beach!

Sat, 12 May 2012 04:12:16 -0700

National Kids to Parks Day- May 19th! Celebrate in Delray Beach!

May 19 is the 2nd Annual National Kids to Park Day created by the National Park Trust. The goal is encourage our youth to get out and enjoy the outdoors as well as to ensure the future stewardship of our parks. With the proliferation of electronic games and laptops, it’s important that our youth have the opportunity to experience the outdoors as we did when we were growing up.

More than 15,000 families participated last year, and they’re hoping for more on Saturday, May 19th.

There is a fun site (kidstoparks.org) where you can register and show your support of National Kids to Parks Day and learn about programs in your area. There’s the Buddy Bison program where children can get their own Buddy Bison and send pictures and share their experiences of their outdoor park travels with Buddy.

Did you know that already 68, 516 have pledged to

go to a park on May 19th!

Delray Beach will be participating with a free event on May 19 from 10 AM to 1 PM at Pompey Park. There will be field events, arts & crafts, free pool activities and much more.

Pompey Park

1101 NW 2nd Street

Delray Beach

561-243-7356

Don’t forget these other area parks:

Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge
Veteran’s Park-Delray Beach
Okeeheelee Park-7715 Forest Hill Blvd, West Palm Beach
West Delray Regional Park-10875 Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach
Riverbend Park-9060 Indiantown Road-Jupiter

You can go to the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation

site for a full list of parks.

Let May 19th be just the first of many days that

you and your family get out and explore the outdoors!

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

The Tricolored Heron-Green Cay Wetlands.

Fri, 11 May 2012 03:49:30 -0700

The TriColored Heron-Green Cay Wetlands

The first bird I had contact with at Green Cay Wetlands in Boynton Beach was the Tricolored Heron. I was walking along the boardwalk and there was one on the railing. When I pass a bird that’s hanging out there, I try very hard to give them their space. It’s not that I’m afraid of them but I feel like this is their home and they deserve not to be disturbed.

That’s what I was doing when I had my first (almost) encounter. Most birds that “hang out” will either fly away before you approach or will stand around and pay you absolutely no attention. Tricolored Herons very rarely will stay on the railing as you approach. And they have no problem flying across your path rather than away from you.

Have you ever been buzzed by a bird?

I do believe that just a few seconds separated the side of my head and this bird’s beak!

The Tricolored Heron (Ergretta tricolor) is about 22 inches high and has a wingspan of about 3 feet. The feathers are a beautiful slate blue with a white chest and belly. Their pointed yellow beak will turn blue during mating season.

The Tricolored Herons are very modern in their approach to family life. The male selects the nesting site but both male and female build the nest, sit on the eggs and care for the babies.

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

An Impromptu ActiveRain MeetUp... If Roy Can Do It, So Can We!

Thu, 10 May 2012 03:28:20 -0700

An Impromptu ActiveRain MeetUp..If Roy Can Do It, So Can We!

The Impromptu ActiveRain MeetUp!

I’ve been attending a monthly Women’s Networking Group in Delray Beach for several years. It’s not a hardcore leads group.... no restrictions like only 1 Realtor or 1 CPA ... and all women are invited, whether they’re working or not.

So imagine my surprise when I walked in and was introduced to Eileen Burns! Her back was to the window and with the glare all I saw was someone by the name of Eileen with a lot of glare behind her.

But wait.... Eileen Burns.... I know an Eileen Burns from ActiveRain down in Broward County!

What a treat! Eileen came as a guest of our speaker, Gina Bender, of The Reinvention Studio.

We’d met at the first ActiveRain MeetUp in September 2011. I’m glad she was at the Networking lunch and hope she’ll join us for more.

You just never know when you’re going to have an

Impromptu ActiveRain MeetUp!

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

10 Minutes a Day Can Help Your SEO-Stop playing games and get serious - Great SEO!

Wed, 09 May 2012 08:08:30 -0700

You know the old saying - if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it still make a sound- or something like that. Well that might be said of our blogs and websites...if we write a post and no one reads it, does it still exist?

Convoluted I know but with all of the work we do with our blogs and sites Joe Smith, a welcomed new Active Rain member, shows us how spending 10 minutes a day can help you with your SEO and Google.

If you haven't "met" Joe yet, I suggest you do and subscribe to his blog.

Via Joe Smith Great SEO Services that you can afford! (Nebraska Networks):

Hi Everyone,

Yes, it has been awhile since I put out a post. To be honest, my phones have been ringing around the clock since Google's last algo updates, or should I say "last muscle flexing" I thought about the millions of people who have been affected by what I would call mindless updates. Well, one thing for certain, they are keeping me in business! I told a long time customer some hard truth yesterday. I told him to stop playing games! I keep telling people that "what you got away with in the past won't fly anyjmore".

PLEASE DON'T READ THIS POST AND COMMENT JUST TO GET YOUR 10 POINTS. TAKE 10 MINUTES A DAY TO ENSURE THAT YOU SURVIVE THE NEXT GOOGLE UPDATE.

The fact is, the info I am putting out in this post would take the average person 10 minutes a day (consistently) to avoid being penalized or more likely TANKED by Google. This post will show you how to find out if you get to pass go and collect a paycheck, or if you go to jail while your competitors go on buying and selling.

My tips are completely FREE! All I ask is that when my tips work for you that you refer people you know who might benefit from using my services, or those who don't have a desire to become their own SEO expert to me. My tips work only if you invest the time to do them. Please subscribe to my blog for regular SEO Tips.

I guess the deal is I get tired of watching friends crash and burn because they refuse to take their websites visibility serously. In the popular board game "Monopoly" you are playing for paper money, and at the end of the day, regardless of how much money you won or lost, you laugh and go home. In the REAL game of "Business" we depend on the traffic from our websites to keep our businesses alive.

I have some good news, and some bad news for everyone. I will give you the bad news first so I can finish up with the good news and end on an encouraging note.

The bad news is that in the past few months, Google has released some very NASTY algorythms which have sent many people reeling, and many many websites tanked. Panda hit huge numbers of websites that were doing great into the depths of nowheresville (like page 20 or worse), Penguin followed up with what many felt was a death blow. What they DON'T know is that there is more coming.

This post will give you practical steps to take to tankproof your website. You can spend the time now to tidy things up, or you better be prepared to look to mailings and other forms of marketing while your websites are "recovering".

The best way to survive these algorythms is to understand what they do.

Here are some hints right from the horse's mouth. Here is what Matt Cutts of Google had to say about the Panda update.

"This update is designed to reduce rankings for low quality sites—sites which are low-value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful. At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high quality sites—sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis and so on."

Given the above statement, you can make the following assessment of the direction you need to go with your site in order to avoid being penalized. Just look at the things they targeted and avoid them!

They are:

Copy Content (duplicate content)... I know, I sound like a broken record!

Spammy keyword usage...

Sloppy linking practices

Mis-use of "anchor text" in links. (OVERUSE of the same anchor text)

There are more factors, but the above 4 are being the hardest hit on the internet right now. Save yourself
alot of time and money by checking to see if you violate these rules.

Here are the steps you can take GUARANTEED to find out if you are targeted.. Yes, I said GUARANTEED!

Go to Semrush.Com and enter your site name in the search box in the form of www.yourdomain.com
Look at the keywords semrush says your site is ranked for, and note the position they say you are in. Now go to google and search for those keywords. Where is your site? If it is not in the position semrush said it was in, you have been hit. Now it may not be that bad, but once you get hit, you can count on more scrutiny from them. A further check of your google analytics or your web stats will show you the same thing. Look for an UP-DOWN-UP-DOWN pattern in your traffic. Sometimes it can be as bad as daily. Don't just check once and assume you are fine. Check these regularly, especially if you see declining rankings.

I promised to end on a good note.. Here it is. If you detected a drop in your rankings, you can generally recover by simply fixing the issues. The number 1 problem I am finding in people's SEO is Duplicate content followed by bad link practices.

The GREAT news is that you can survive the google updates if you work smart and take the time to be proactive. Look at your SEO the same as you would returning a call from a lead.

My #1 rule for Great SEO is that you be PROACTIVE, not REACTIVE!

Have a great day, and here's to seeing you ALL at the TOP!

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

The Big Top "On the Ave"- Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach!

Wed, 09 May 2012 04:01:58 -0700

The Big Top “On the Ave” - Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach!

“On the Ave” is back and this time we’re celebrating the Big Top!! Mark your calendars for Thursday, May 17 on Atlantic Avenue in Downtown Delray Beach. Art & Jazz on the Ave morphed into “On the Ave” last year and each event keeps getting more exciting.

Thursday’s “On the Ave” will take us back to the Big Top... The Circus! You can stroll along Atlantic Avenue and enjoy our tropical South Florida weather, our unique shops along the Ave; music, and of course, circus acrobats; puppeteers, stilt walkers and so much more.

There will be performers from Ringling Brothers, Cirque du Soleil, and other international circus acts.

At Old School Square there will be a flying trapeze set up and you can sign up to fulfill your childhood dream. There is a 2 hour trapeze flying class from 3:30-5:30 which is $90** or from 6-10 there will be single for $20 (mini-lesson and 1 ride.)

And More.....

An Open Air Gallery-at the center of each block will be juried contemporary art for you to view.

“Live the Arts”-you can learn about about summer arts programs from booths along the avenue.

Old School Square- Shakespeare at the Pavilion-you can catch a preview of this summer’s Shakespeare in the Park from the Take Heed Theatre Company.

The Big Top “On the Ave”

Thursday, May 17th

6-10PM

Atlantic Avenue

from Swinton to NE/SE 6th Avenue

Admission: FREE!!!!

www.ontheavedelraybeach.com

**to register for the 2 hour Trapeze Class call 561-279-1380 x 17

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is May 8! Celebrate the Day!

Tue, 08 May 2012 03:33:18 -0700

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is May 8! Celebrate the Day!

Today is World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day and the 2012 theme is “Together for Humanity”. It is to place focus on the need for all organizations -local and global- to work together to face the growing needs of the communities.

You and I have grown up seeing the Red Cross and its symbol in times of war and disaster relief. Clara Barton is the name we associate with its founding. But the American Red Cross is just a part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement with over 100 million volunteers throughout the world.

These organizations are all legally independent but are joined by their common goals and principles. There are 3 entities through which the Red Cross functions:

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)- a private humanitarian organization with unique authority under international humanitarian law to protect individuals caught in international and internal conflict.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies-this organization coordinates activities between all of the National Red Cross and Red Crescent organization.
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies- there are currently 186 National societies throughout the world.

Facts:
The Red Cross and Red Crescent societies currently are present in more than 170 countries.
It is the world’s largest force of unpaid assistants
It has helped over 233 million people each year.

You can help by donating your time, money or blood. The South County Branch office of the American Red Cross in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast is located at:

825 Fern Street
West Palm Beach FL

561-833-7711

(the photo above is from the US National Archives and was taken May 21, 1918)

Check out my about.me profile!

Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

The Voice! No It's Not a Reality Show..But You'll Want to Find It!

Mon, 07 May 2012 03:43:59 -0700

The Voice! No it’s Not a Reality Show...But You’ll Want to Find It!

One of the many pieces of advice I’ve learned while reading “How To” posts here by seasoned bloggers was to write in your own voice.

Now.. what the heck does that mean? For many here, it seems to come naturally. You can read their post and come away with a feel for who they are.

My BARFF Roger Mucci is one who does just that. Read what he writes, and he’ll readily admit it’s often about nothing, and you feel as if you’ve just had a conversation with him. And, having met Roger in person and spoken to him on the phone, I can tell you this...what you read is what he is.

We write these posts for people to read. And, if we’re lucky, those who read what we write will like it well enough to follow us or subscribe to our blogs. Otherwise... why go through all of this??

Writing in your own voice means be yourself. “Speak” to us as if we were talking over a cup of coffee (or adult beverage). If you tend to be more formal in your everyday speak then write that way.

If you tend to speak in a more casual or off the cuff manner, then write in that tone. Obviously there will be times when a more formal tone is necessary or when you need to lighten it up a bit.

Two things to remember regardless of your type of voice:

1. Casual, formal and all points in between..... grammar and spelling do count. Your blog is a reflection of you, so be sure to proofread and check your spelling.

2. Content matters. What makes you continue to come back to someone’s blog? Exactly.... you’re interested in what they have to say.

It’s Not Always What You Say,

But How You Say It.

So, come on...let’s hear from you!

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Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

Home Staging Tips in Palm Beach County-A Dated Front Door Is Like Gray Hair On Your House - Color It!

Mon, 07 May 2012 10:25:31 -0700

Want an easy way to update your house and add to the curb appeal. My friend and Stager, Sharon Tara, wrote an excellent blog on updating a tired and dated Oak front door. When people drive up to your home they're already making up their minds.

The front door below is nice but dated; look at what a difference painting it can make. The house now looks fresh and "today".

And I know that some of you will hate painting over wood but do it. It's not doing you any good if it's holding back your house from being sold.

Via Sharon Tara New Hampshire Home Stager (Sharon Tara Transformations):

As a New Hampshire Home Stager I've seen many prematurely gray homes....older than their years.

Is your front door showing it's age? It's time for a color!

I'm here to tell you that you shouldn't be afraid to paint wood. For many people painting over wood is considered blasphemy, but not all wood is created equal.

Oak is dated and an oak front door is like gray hair on your house.

Paint the front door!  It really doesn't matter whether you go vibrant or play it safe, or whether you choose a color based on Feng Shui or fashion trends.

Call a home stager for a color consult if you feel you need professional advice.

For the cost of a quart of paint, you can subtract years from the age of your house and add thousands to it's value.

Don't be afraid to paint over wood!

While you're getting a color you might as well get a manicure too....

chances are the hardware also needs updating.

You don't have to buy new - we spray painted the existing door handle with great results.

Door color is Valspar Fired Earth

Hardware is Rust-Oleum Textured Black

fyi....this is my "new" home, and you can see more of our recent updates in my series:

New Hampshire Home Stager - Transforming My New Home

Dining Room,  Living Room, Master Bed & Bath, Kitchen, Built-In Bookcases, Powder Room, Grandkids' Room

______________________________________________________________________________



For More Information Visit My Website

Professional Home Staging services for the New Hampshire Seacoast

Portsmouth   Rye   Greenland North Hampton Dover Rochester Somersworth

603.661.8524

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Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com

Need Facebook help? Powerful Ways to Boost Facebook Fan Page Engagement

Mon, 07 May 2012 06:05:11 -0700

Like so many I'm on Facebook and have a Business page as well as my personal page. I need to spend more time on both to make sure I'm being "social" with my time there. I've never been sure how to go about doing it, but Rebekah has given us some good tips.

Follow Rebekah Radice's advice in her post to make your Facebook page more engaging.

Via Rebekah Radice Social Media Marketing, Management & Strategies (Manager of Industry Engagement, Better Homes & Gardens RE):

Drive growth, build momentum and increase Facebook fan page engagement with a few simple strategies.

Keeping your fans alert, involved and eager to contribute is imperative to your page showing up in their newsfeed.

These tips will help you stay in front of your fans and take them from fan to paying clients!

Use Images

Images are a powerful way to quickly earn reaction from your fans. They have the ability to excite, inspire, and delight. Images can generate an instantaneous and strong emotional response.

With the rollout of Timeline, images are more influential then ever. In a recent survey by Wildfire, it was found that posts with graphics garner a much greater response than those without. In fact, Wildfire stated that “Photos are the best at generating comments, outperforming the next best post type by 8.3%.”

This does not mean you need to include a graphic with every one of your posts, but it does offer important insight into capturing the attention of your fans. Your images can stand alone with nothing more then one or two words needed.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show employs this tactic with exceptional results on a consistent basis:

Another strategy is one that I use quite often when posting a blog or web article. Include your eye-popping image along with the link or URL at the end of your Facebook post.

Your image will immediately draw them in and hopefully entice them to click through to your article.

Use a Clear Call to Action

A strong call to action includes a simple request leaving no doubt in your fans mind what you would like them to do. Never leave fan reaction to chance. Give them a compelling reason to take action via consistent, relevant and beneficial content.

A few ways you can encourage a specific reaction is through open-ended questions. For example:

Fill in the blank: Have you ever _____?

We __________. What do you think?

What is your favorite __________?

What if you could _________?

Finish this sentence: ________

We love _________. What’s your favorite?

Another simple way to direct your fans is by spelling out the specific action you would like them to take. Do not assume that your fans know what you would like them to do. Tell them!

LIKE this post if…

Click LIKE if you agree, if you love, if you could…

SHARE if you love this as much as we do or if you’ve found this valuable

Tag yourself in this photo if you agree…

Use a Status Update

There is no denying that a simple status update still packs a punch whether you are a big brand or mom and pop shop. The status update is an easy way to relate to your fans in a fun and entertaining way without the complication of images, links or video.

One big brand that uses this strategy almost exclusively is Skittles. Their fans have come to know and appreciate the short, witty and entertaining way the brand endears themselves to their fans on a daily basis.

Use Video

While images are powerful, video can be just as effective. However, people are moving quickly when they are on Facebook so keep your videos short, informative and entertaining.

You want your fans to walk away feeling uplifted, encouraged or as if they have gained wisdom and knowledge from your video.

Set yourself apart by offering an enormous amount of value and watch your message spread like wildfire! What tips can you add to this list?

Powerful Ways to Boost Facebook Fan Page Engagement was written by Rebekah Radice.

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T: 719.387.1368 | Email: rebekah@rebekahradice.com | Website: http://rebekahradice.com

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate | Manager of Industry Engagement

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Room Service! Home Staging
Palm Beach County Home Stager

561-914-6224 Kathy@MrsHomeStaging.com
www.MrsHomeStaging.com