Making A Happy Life

LessMessMonday - Use colors to organize your WAH office

2008-06-30T05:17:00.001-03:00

A colorful life is a happy life, or at least that is what I think. The more color you have around you the more of your creativity you can let out and use.

My favorite colors are black and blue, not very uplifting colors actually. As a teenager I strongly disliked pink and would never in my life put on a pink garment. Today I really like pink and have several pink jumpers.

Decorating with blue and black might not be best choice when trying to create a creative workspace, thankfully the color rainbow is full of different shades so there are plenty of options. Select a few colors you really like and buy a set of different sized folders and pens in the same color. By doing this you can easily keep track of bookkeeping, important notes etc. Stack them neatly and you will have a well organized work at home office. Looking for soemthing? Just check for the designated color and you will find it.

A small and easy yet very effective tip! Less mess for your office.

Photo:Thiru Murugan

The weekend blogger

2008-06-28T14:09:00.004-03:00

If you are a homeschooling mom or work outside of home you might not have time to update your posts during the week. For Blogger bloggers that has been a real issue as there has not been a "future post" option to posts. Now the great news is that that has been added! For some time now Blogger bloggers can time stamp their posts. A very good feature which I plan to use myself the coming weeks.

With Revka being on a slightly earlier maternity leave than planned (baby came last Friday and was supposed to arrive July 4.) it means I have to keep up with all orders and RSD work myself. So now is a great time to try out he new future post option in Blogger. It also means that there are now not any excuses as to why there are no posts during the week. :)

I like blogging on weekends. Strangely enough I prefer it when the whole family is at home. I feel stressed when I have a lot going on but since I made a commitment to myself to not work during weekends I have also found more joy in writing. For me writing on the weekends and designing during the week works best. Designing on weekends is hard, I require more quiet time when coding. Somehow all the TV noise and chatter helps me when writing. Somehow just writing doesn't seem as work to me even though it is in a way (especially if you write articles and are being paid for them*lol*).

In a sense I guess you can say I am a typical weekend blogger, I blog best at weekends. What about you, when do you blog the best? Are you a week or weekend blogger?

Winter has come

2008-06-24T13:08:00.002-03:00

Just thought I'd write a quick note about the weather here in Brazil.It is cold. And rainy.

It is as cold inside my house as outside. I am not lying when I say that it is as cold inside as it is inside the fridge. Believe me, I do not feel the difference when opening the fridge. Which is good in a sense that I all of a sudden have more storage space- no need to only use the fridge for things that needs to be chilled. I do not have a wine refrigerator but if I did I wouldn't need to use it. I am sure that any wine would be at perfect temperature just by being in the kitchen.

These last few days I've used the oven more than I have in months, standing next to the stove is wonderful. Coffee doesn't keep me warm so I drink tea instead. Doing the dishes is a dreaded task as there are only warm water in the showers. (No, I do not do my dishes in the shower thank you) So if I don't want to freeze off my fingers I need to heat some water.

Winter began four days ago. It will be a long winter... buuuuuuuuurrr!

Learn as you go- the best learning experience

2008-06-24T12:31:00.006-03:00

Evolving a business is something that only comes with experience. You can be told everything there is to know but until you try to do it yourself you won't really know the in's and out's of it.

Perhaps you have decided to jump on a franchise opportunity, you will probably be given some training but when it comes to running it by yourself there are things that you learn as you go. Even if there are certain things everyone must do we all have our own ways of doing it. No matter what business you are in.

We have certainly experienced this at RS Designs. In the beginning there were lots of things we had no idea about or things we didn't realize. As our client base grew we also saw that there were a few things we needed to change, rules to set up, measurements to take.

Examples of things we've had to consider; Working hours? Should we have fixed ours or not? When is overtime? What can a client ask us to do? What are we not ready to do? Where do we want to go - what direction are we taking? Some of these questions have made us set up certain rules for our business. Although we are a very "open minded" company we still have families to care for meaning we reserve the right to be extra compensated for projects that require us to work over time, we will not work with "adult" projects and we now have a limit of what our packages include and other things that help us work more efficiently.

The learn as you go experience is great in my opinion, it helps you grow as your company grows. What you should not be afraid of is to grow with your company and set up new rules or change. It might mean you will work more, less, have someone who isn't happy or so but in the long run your company will benefit and so will you. We have never noticed any negative reactions to our changes.

We learn as we go in everything we do, we weren't made to know everything from the beginning. Life would be so boring then, some things you can study some you can't. I am loving growing with my new knowledge, how about you? Are you growing with your business?

Health supplements for tired moms

2008-06-23T21:49:00.004-03:00

I was reading an ad where the mother told how incredibly tired she was and how she fell asleep during bedtime stories. Now after taking some extra health supplement she has so much more energy. And it made me think of how energetic I am.

What I thought to myself was; "I should be taking some of that". But then I also though that I don't need it as I'm not that tired. I don't fall asleep during bedtime stories nor do I walk around like a zombie during the day. So I am not tired in that sense, what I lack though is energy. Energy to move more and a kick in the right direction to get moving.

Whenever I see these kind of advertisements I always think that it would be better if the person ate a more balance diet and exercised more instead, then s/he would have more energy. But that is easier said than done. I know a lot about having a healthy lifestyle but knowing is one thing, practicing another.

Of course these supplements are not only for tired moms but also for dads and men/women in general. Though being a mom is very tiresome. And thinking of that - all of a sudden I am not totally against the thought of taking something that would make me have more energy. Not as a long term solution but as a kick to get more active. Well I won't take any supplements but what I will do is drink more fruit and vegetable smoothies and get rid of the afternoon coffee.

How do you stay active and keep up the energy?

A Perfect Saturday Night

2008-06-21T21:56:00.002-03:00

A perfect Saturday night for some might be a night out on the town dancing, mingling and laughing in the company of many. Although I too do enjoy that occasionally for me a perfect Saturday night is something different; a nice dinner, a good film, some popcorn or something edible that has been prepared with love. All at home with my family in the quiet of our home.

Today I made "Pasteis de Nata"- Portuguese Custard Tarts, especially for my husband so that is what we will enjoy. Now all that is needed is to insert the film in the DvD, serve the tarts, make something to drink and sit back and enjoy an calm and cozy evening. That is my kind of perfect Saturday night.

Funny how popular it has become to get a good video card and a large monitor to watch film on the computer. We still stick to the TV but for some it might be worth investing in those things.

Oops, my DH is calling me, I better go and serve those Pasteis and watch that film. *lol*
Have a nice evening and a great weekend!

How do you prefer to spend a perfect Saturday night?

Bad bad blogger

2008-06-20T22:06:00.001-03:00

I feel like a really bad blogger for not posting for so long. That I've been busy I hardly have to mention but I'm not sure it's an excuse. Or is it?

I don't know where this week went actually. It just totally disappeared. It was Monday, which I spent most of the day looking at some horribly coded css without being able to do much about it. Tuesday came and Blogger went on strike. Wednesday and Thursday Blogger goes on light strike again but I finally manage to work some. And today - where did today go?

And lately I have been feeling like a swollen baloon so if I don't start exercising more I might have to look into generic Phentermine or so to get some of the excess off... *lol* It is so freezing cold here right now that walking isn't a priority. A pity as I enjoy walking, I only need to get out of the door first... Well first the blogs and then the exercise.

Animal lovers WAH job: Pet carer

2008-06-12T22:32:00.003-03:00

If you love animals you can turn your love into a real work at home job!

Being a pet carer is a wonderful career if you want to turn your passion into a way to make a living. If you thought it is only about taking care of the dog and let it stay at your house you are wrong and could be missing out on some good opportunities. By offering additional services you can gain more clients and get well paid for doing something you love.

Do I need a special education for this? Depending on what services you will offer you may want to take extra courses in animal care. If you have a veterinary background it would of course be excellent.

Can I make my own hours? The animals need to be fed a few to several times a day and if you care for dogs there will be a few walks per day.

Can I open my home for this? I would suggest talking to the local authorities to see what is allowed where you live. Registering as a small biz might be a good idea for tax purposes.

How will I find clients? Advertise in your local newspaper, put up ads in the library or at note boards. Talk to the local vet clinic and offer your services. They will surely like to have a reliable person to recommend the owners.

What additional services can I offer? Besides dog/cat sitting you can also offer dog walking, dog massage, recuperation, day care, weekly care, obedience training, courses for kids on animal care etc. Try to offer something others in your area are not offering.

What do I need? You should have an appropriate are for this purpose to make sure the animals have the best care. Animals need space so the more space you have to offer the better. If you live in a flat you may need to reconsider this wah option. If you will care for cats you should probably invest in a cat tree to make sure your furnitures stay intact. Various toys for animals will be appreciated by the playful kinds of animals. You may need to invest in putting up a fence or stable for the animals. By making each owner feel their animal is special you will win their trust by showing you take care to provide only the best.

These are only a few tips to get you started, if this is something that interests you and you have the appropriate home for it this could be your way to turn your passion into a living!

The new Mommy trend - Mommy cards

2008-06-12T21:06:00.005-03:00

How many times haven't you as a mom scribbled down your number on a spare piece of paper just because you didn't have anything else to write on? I have personally written on receipts, napkins, books, you name it.

Wouldn't it be great it you could just hand over a beautiful card with your name and telephone number on? As moms we are usually not know by our first name but as "...'s mom". As "only" a mom you may not want to have a business card, which is why there are now Mommy cards available for just moms.

A Mommy card will have your name, telephone, email and your kids name on it. It can be personalized the way you want it. If you are a blogging mom it can even have your blog's colors and layout on it!

The good news; Revka and I have just opened a brand new selection of Mommy/business/blog cards! You can read more about it at RS Designs!

You can either choose from our pre-made cards or let us create a custom design for you. We create the design for you, you get the file in an email and send it to VistaPrint or bring it to a local printer to print your cards. As easy as 123.

The images are of high quality and are thoroughly checked before sent to the customer. Your card will not be blurry as it may seem on these pictures!

What are you paying for?

2008-06-05T11:58:00.006-03:00

You need to invest if you are to gain anything back

This is what many seem to forget. Why is is so difficult to understand that you get what you pay for? Some might say no now but it is true!

I saw on a forum today that someone was looking for someone wot create a "really simple" website for her in one day and she would pay $25.

$25 and one day's work??

Now first of all, setting up a page may not take that long but there is a process in creating a website. Only going through what is needed or what the client wants can take day or two depending on emailing back and forth. And to only pay $25?

I have nothing against the person who placed the ad but I really felt like laughing when I saw it. I just thought; good luck! Hope you find someone who will do it for that price.

And s/he might even find someone to do it for that but what will the quality be like? Paying a low price is one thing but wanting it in one day? Now that is simply too much IMO.

There are new starting WAHM's out there who offers blog/web design for a very low price. Many of them do it for fun. RS Designs is a business and we do not do it only because we love it but also because it is our business. Our prices may be higher than those $5 headers you can find out there but we are also more experienced and we have guarantees towards our clients. Our work is unique and we are happy to assist until everything is perfect. Our prices are also very reasonable.

Even if I were totally desperate for money I would not do the above job, it would give me far more headache than necessary.

If you are buying a service, please consider what you are paying for. Cheap does not mean good. And even if it does, please do value the work of the one who is providing the service.

Everyday savings

2008-06-04T10:41:00.002-03:00

I have to say I think saving money is quite difficult. I am not wasting my money but with prices rising every day on everything it is difficult to save. Or perhaps I just don't know how to ...

My husband seems to have no idea what it costs to buy clothes, every time I go into town to buy something he says I am spending too much. And yet I come home with almost nothing, and believe me, I know how to find good deals.

I have however set up some small goals for us when it comes to house savings. I would like to save up for some patio furniture as well as add some plants to our yard. Even thought we repainted the house not too long ago it needs a few fixes here and there. As it is winter here now I figured it would be good to start saving now so we have at least a little saved up. I am going for a very low amount to make sure we are able to save at all.

And of course then the big saving I have - to go home and see my family in Sweden. I've been saving for this for a long time now and I still haven't got half of what I need. Well well..

Unfortunately Brazil does not have a coupon or rebate system so I can't even use that, which would have been nice. Well until then I'll just put aside my cents whenever I can and wait for the summer to come so I can buy new patio furnitures...

If you have a great money saving tip I'd love to hear it!

The friend trap

2008-06-04T09:01:00.004-03:00

I have fallen into the friend trap yet once again; the trap of charging less than I should for something because it is for someone I know. And it makes me so angry!

I agreed to do something for someone and now it is costing me valuable time and I am not even enjoying it that much. And I am earning close to nothing. Really!

While I could look at it like "well at least I am getting something" my mind tells me; "well you could use the time to find someone who will pay you much more than that"

How to get out of the friend trap

I'm still trying to figure this one out myself but as I see it there are two thing that can be done: tell your friend you need to charge more, you are a professional after all and need the money. Or simply let go of it and try and find something else that pays better. It's about valuing yourself.

Have you ever found yourself in a situation similar to this one? How did you get out of it?

*Funnily enough I just received an email saying: "How much do you charge" from Ed Gandia at The Profitable Freelancer. Is that a sign?? *lol*

Weekend trip

2008-06-02T14:53:00.001-03:00

I've learnt another reason to why planning is necessary; in case your husband suddenly decides you are going out of town. That's what happened on Saturday; my husband called me and said we were going to visit some relatives.

As a loyal wife I didn't have much to say. I quickly emailed a few clients and told them I would be out of town and went to pack. Although only a short trip it disturbed my planning for the weekend.

My husband's uncle had bought a new car which he proudly showed us, insisting that we took a ride in it we all got into the car. I think one of our first thoughts was that we wished we had life insurance because he clearly did not know how to drive properly. He stepped on the gas so hard that the car was jumping forward instead of rolling. My husband had to show him how he should drive and gave him a small lesson. We all laughed but after that he drove a little better.

It was freezing cold and I had four jumpers on and a blanket when we went to bed and I froze the whole night. It's funny because the weather is always extreme there, when it's hot it is very hot and when it's cold it is very cold while here where we live it's always "normal". Meaning not too cold or too warm.

Coming home was a relief as usual, I always get very tired going there and only a day is too much.

This week will be a good week! I am almost a single mom this week as hubby is doing a course at night so I need to shorten my hours a lot! Great to practice time management. I am looking forward to a week full of work! :)

Hope you had a nice weekend!

WAH idea: A career in Beauty

2008-05-30T20:12:00.005-03:00

Selling beauty products is a common route for work at home moms. It is something most women like to talk about and enjoy selling. While selling may not be for everyone it is possible to stay in the beauty area and make good money from home.

If you belong to those who always are massaging your friends for fun or helping them get ready for parties etc then why not try a career as massage therapist or make-up artist? There are many possible careers within beauty that is lucrative and fun. By contacting massage therapy schools in your area you can get a full list of possible beauty areas to work in.

Yes you do need to study, some courses are longer than others but it also means you have more time to prepare for your work at home change. If you are still working out of home your new career step can grow and you will get a solid ground to build on.

Providing your services to the public doesn't mean you need a big office and start a big business. By contacting your local authorities you can find out what is required for you to attend at home. You will need an area that is separated so it doesn't interfere with your home. With a little bit of creativity you can surely find a corner somewhere in your house that is appropriate.

Tell your friends about your new venture and there you have your first client list. Don't be afraid to ask them to pay for what you used to do for free, this is your new job.

Another bank holiday

2008-05-30T18:02:00.002-03:00

I have lived in Brazil for over three years now, you would think I know when a bank holiday is coming up wouldn't you? Well I don't and I have realized it is costing me valuable time.

So here is a tip for anyone thinking of migrating/moving to a foreign country; take note of local bank holidays and International holidays. In my case, Brazil and US holidays are important as that is where I live and where my clients live.

There was a bank holiday last week Thursday which meant my son's nursery took Friday off. He got sick on Tuesday and was at home Tue/Wed and now today is another bank holiday. Did I get much done this week? Nope. I got even less time as I had to sort out some things for my husband this week and had to go into town twice. Now had I actually planned a little better I would have gotten more done. Lesson learned!

Today we have done a general "house check": we've been checking the outdoor lights and changed a few bulbs, we've checked for unwanted animals in the back yard (rats and bugs which we thankfully do not have or have ever had any problems with but you never know), husband also climbed up the sidewalk tree and cut off a few branches, husband cleaned the car and I did some boring housework that had to be done. Things that should be done more often but usually is left for "another day".

Well the week isn't over yet, I still have two days to finish everything I need... *lol* Now I wonder when the next bank holiday is...

Do you plan for bank holidays or are you just as bad as I am to remember them?

Appreciating the moment

2008-05-30T15:10:00.004-03:00

The other day I was having lunch with my son and was waiting for him to finish so that I could go back to work. I kept thinking about what I needed to do and how time was flying away. Then it hit me: I was not appreciating the moment I had with my son. Instead I was thinking about what I needed to do.

I am so glad I realized that. I live in a constant "I need to work more" snowball that only grows bigger and bigger.But what can be more important than spending quality time with my son? We need to appreciate the moments we got with our family and friends. There will always be things to do, what comes first?

It is difficult to balance work and family. I have reduced the hours I work a lot to be with my family but it is still not enough, I want more. I want to cut down on my hours even more so that I can dedicate myself to my family and home. Unfortunately many of us do not appreciate the moments we have with our family but instead think of everything we "need" to do.

"What have I appreciated today?" That should be something we ask ourselves every day. We have so much to be grateful for!

How good are you at appreciating daily happenings?

Living with debt

2008-05-28T09:29:00.003-03:00

I am living in debt, and it is not a small debt.

In fact it is the biggest debt one can ever have and it can't even be resolved with debt relief.

I live in debt with myself. And it is not financial debt.

The debt I am referring to is what I am not doing for myself, what I owe up to myself. We all have responsibilities and things we need to do. And what about the things we want to do? What about our dreams? Do we really want to go through life with a big burden on our shoulders knowing we are doing the right thing but not what we want? That we provided for our families but never reached higher and took a chance to live our dreams?

I don't want to live a life with fear nor do I want to regret that I never lived my dreams. I want to live a debt free life!

How about you?

PS; debt is mentioned 8 times in this short post if you want to count *lol*

Workday interrupted

2008-05-27T16:55:00.002-03:00

I had just completed my list of only five items that I really needed to finish today. I kept the list short on purpose to make sure I could complete everything and still have extra time in case something happened. I was still holding the pen in my hand when the phone rang;

"Is it "Choriço's" mom?"
"Yes?"
"Your son is sick, can you come and pick him up?"
"I'll be right there"

Of my list of only five items I have not completed one single item.

This morning as I was making the list I could really see myself finishing everything. I was really determined to do a good job and get everything done and more. Today was supposed to be a very productive day!

I guess that will have to wait until tomorrow... Until then I leave you with a link to 50 awesome open resource tools for online writers. Enjoy.

No longer a teenager

2008-05-22T18:41:00.003-03:00

I always thought that after twenty the teenage acne I had would disappear as I "matured". Well that hasn't been the case and now I am closer to thirty than twenty so obviously there is something wrong.

Far from alone with this problem I have tried to find the best acne treatment but it has been difficult. I have tried various treatments but haven't really seen any results, except for one thing; pregnancy. When I was pregnant I didn't have one spot! So I would assume it is hormone related.

Last year I went to the doctor who put me in line to see a dermatologist. One year later I got an appointment and have now been to see her. She ordered me to buy the most expensive gel and sun protection, which I did to my husbands dismay. But if you are desperate... I have also taken some blood tests related to hormones and have yet another to take but I need to go private for that. I also had a uterus scan to see if there was anything there but thankfully it was all OK. So now my hope lies in the remaining blood tests. Did the expensive medicine help me? Nah... not as much as I'd liked actually.

Many women, and men, battle with acne as adults. I have yet to find the best treatment for me, but I would advice anyone who suffers from acne to seek medical help. My acne isn't severe and probably doesn't bother anyone but me but I still would like to get rid of it if I can.

Have you suffered from acne problems? How did you get rid of it?

Simple things made complicated

2008-05-22T18:22:00.002-03:00

Having a cellphone is today one of the most natural things and every year new phones enter the market with new functions and possibilities. Today you can even read your favorite blogs through your phone and twitter to let others know what you are doing.

When my husband got a new phone a few months ago he managed to lock the phone when he was exchanging SIM cards between our phones. It seems to me that most stores do sell unlocked phones but some models you need to get unlocked afterwards. Or perhaps it was only the model we got.

To get the phone unlocked was not as easy as it could have been. I had to go into town, contact the store where the phone was bought, go to the telephone company who directed me to another place where they had someone who unlocked phones. Only that the guy came and went as he pleased and after returning a few times and he was still not there I decided to go home. My husband later managed to get someone else to unlock the phone for him but it was still more hassle than if we had gotten an unlocked phone from the beginning.

This just make me think that some simple things are made complicated... Why doesn't all phones come unlocked?

Your business card - the Ace

2008-05-22T15:53:00.005-03:00

We all know that having an ace on hand when playing cards is very good and having more than one is excellent. But even with an ace you can lose the game. It is all about how you distribute your cards.

Getting a business card for RS Designs was not my first thought when I joined RSD in June last year. (jippie 1yr anniversary coming up!) Joining RSD was more for fun and some extra income and never had I thought we would grow the way we have. As we have grown and we are steadily getting more and more clients we have also realized that we need to get a business card. This has been on my mind for some time but not for RSD but more for my Language lessons and translating services but I have never taken the step to get some.

Now when the subject came up again, but this time to promote my web design skills instead, I felt it was time to take the plunge. And of course I wanted to design my own card :)

So when should you get a business card?
Very good question, like everything else there is no easy answer to that one. My advice would be; when you feel that you are absolutely confident with your skills and knowledge. There is no use of spending money on a fancy business card unless you get the opportunity to use it and distribute it. Many are those who have scribbled down their number on a piece of paper and gotten work through that. When you see that your business is growing (remember many give up after just a few months) then it is time to get your card.

Should I get a pre-made card or get someone to design one for me?
There is nothing wrong with pre-made cards and there are many "good" card templates out there for you to use. However personalizing your card will give you more attention and is not as likely to be put away and forgotten. So my suggestion is of course to get someone to design your card or do it yourself.

And when you have it - who do you give it to?
Now comes the fun part! Distributing your cards! It can be easy to just give your card to anyone who wants one but you should also remember that each card has a price and it can lead to work for you and your business. But then again you should not keep them to yourself and you never know who might need your services. Just giving for the sake of giving might not lead you far. Places to leave your card; Note boards; places that usually have a note boards include; libraries, coffee shops, culture places, theaters, schools, supermarkets, pet shops, shopping malls, news stands etc. You can also ask appropriate places if you can leave a stack of cards or simply walk into businesses ans give them your card for future references.

Get others to distribute your card.
We all know someone who knows someone who know someone else and so on. Think about who in your circle of friends and acquaintances would be able to distribute your card for you, preferably to someone who is likely to do business with you. I already have someone who will be giving my card to some highly influential people in my town. I did not ask him to do it though, he offered and wanted more cards. This may or may not lead to further business for me now but could do in the future.

Pretend your card is the Ace of all cards.
I read somewhere that when you hand over your card to someone you should do it in such a manner that it shows your card is special and you are proud of your card. Not to say that you should slooooowly hand over your card and look the person in their eyes saying "Here is my card- I hope you understand how valuable this is". Instead a smile and "Here is my card- please do give me a call" is enough.

Taking care of your cards
Don't just throw your card into your handbag, get a card holder. I bought a very simple little plastic card holder for not even 50 cents from a book store. Still being very simple it does store my cards and make sure they are not damaged, also showing I do take pride in my cards. It doesn't need to be fancy, the important thing is that your card is protected. Think of your card as an Ace- hold on to it, make sure you use it right and you can win the game!

Want a professionally and personalized card designed especially for you? RS Design can surely help you with that! Send us a mail for a quote! WAH discount available!

Have a special tip about business cards that has helped you get more business? Share!

Image:thunderchild5

Are you online yet?

2008-05-21T09:24:00.002-03:00

Everyday thousands and millions of people are searching the net for that best buy of the product they are looking for be it a hair dryer or camera. Those using the internet to shop today are not becoming less but growing with big numbers every day. That is why I am asking you wahms; Are you online yet?

If your answer to that is no then you should seriously consider getting online a.s.a.p! Even if you don't sell through the Internet you can gain customers and build a good reputation just by being online - which will end in you getting more sales of your product.

Help building your brand and educate potential customers
Wouldn't it be great if you had a page to direct your potential customers to so they can see the benefits of your products?

Now those who represent cosmetic products or other big brands may not be able to set up a page and sell the products, though what you can do is set up a page and write about your products. If you sell cosmetic you can tell about the product, the beneficial ingredients, what you can use the product for including new ideas, where to find the product, what to look for when buying a product, how to sell the product, and much more. And this goes for any kind of product!

You can basically sell your product even though you are not selling. What you need to remember is that even if the sale does not go to your pocket it will increase the amount of products sold for that company and that will increase the potential selling point for you.

What you want to do is build up a good relationship with your potential customers and show them the benefits of your products. Now I have seen a few representatives doing this but far from many. Can you afford to lose potential clients?

Need more ideas or help? Send me an email or discuss in comments.

FireFox add-ons to help you work better

2008-05-20T14:48:00.002-03:00

I cannot imagine working without FireFox! I can hardly stand it when I have to use IE for some reason. FF is so easy, I love the tabs and the easy clicking to get what you want. Of course now IE also comes with tabs but it isn't the same thing :)

Except for the tabbed browsing there is one thing that makes FF special and it's all the add-ons and plugins. There are a few things that helps me tremendously in my job as a web designer and also with daily tasks. Her iare a few of my FF add-ons that might help you too;

* The Google bar. FF does have a Google search bar as default theme but the toolbar has some extra options with easy access to flickr and gmail.
* MeasureIt- this little thing that adds a ruler to FF, very handy if you need to find out what size a header is or how large an image has to be.
* FireFox clocks- you will always know what time it is around the globe.
* ColorZilla- what to know what wonderful color that blog is using? The color picker will help you.
*Screengrab- yep grab whatever it is your screen is showing. Also referred to as screen shot. lets you save the whole page or as much as you want.
*TimeTracker- now this is one of the best tools! It will display how long you've been online or done a special task. You can reset it at any time and stop it if needed. Perfect if you are working on a project and want to know how long it took.
*LoremIpsum generator- no need to write lots of bla bla text- quickly get some lorem ipsum and add.
*WebDeveloper- Will help you see css, html and other valuable info for web developers.
* Firebug - tells you css and html info of websites.
*Google Calendar icon- a quick click and you get to your Google calendar.
* Morning Coffee- now this is an absolute time saver! And great for busy moms who are having trouble remembering what to do. Morning coffee will let you add daily tasks and in the morning (or later if you prefer) you click it and it will load the pages for you. For me I find it to be a great tool to help me remember to visit sites I sometimes forget and need to be reminded of. It is of course a great way to visit your daily "must go see" blogs. :)

As you can see I have not given you the links to each add on, instead I suggest you either google on the one you want to check out or simply visit the FireFox add on page and browse through all add ons. Mind you it will take you some time but will be well worth it. Also remember that adding too many add ons might make FF slightly slower so only add what you need.

Now these are only a few ones - there are many many more you can add just for the fun of it but we'll discuss that another day:)

Do you use FF add ons? Which add on would you not like to be without?

A new curtain for every season

2008-05-19T16:38:00.003-03:00

Let me tell you what I miss when it comes to interior designs here in Brazil; curtains. Really nice beautiful curtains. Now I'm not saying that they aren't to be found anywhere where I live but I haven't found them yet.

In my town there are some larger stores that sell domestic appliances and clothes etc. including curtains. So naturally if you want to buy curtains that is where you go. Their price is OK but the curtains are so boring! First of all most curtains are "rail curtains" and need one of these ugly roof rails which I just dislike immensely. Those are the most beautiful curtains though ironically. But the "normal" curtains comes in plain colors and have hardly any variation at all. I was lucky and managed to find a set of new blue beautiful curtains with elegant flower patterns on but that was the only time I've ever seen those types of curtains.

Now I would like some more colorful and beautiful curtains to decorate with, you know so that it is fun to change curtains. A new curtain for every season/month/week/day. *lol* As it is now I haven't got any extra curtains lying around so here we stick to what we've got. I have even considered ordering some curtains from abroad, I've seen some wonderful curtain designers. Obviously it is not the curtains that make the house but they do contribute to a nice atmosphere. Or, perhaps I should design my own- I have a husband that works with fabric...hmm*lol*

Technology news for Entrepreneurs

2008-05-17T17:57:00.002-03:00

Taking the leap into business and technology can be a scary thing for new business owners. As technology advance we also need to be aware of the changes that comes with them but keeping up with everything can be a hard task.

Browsing the Technology Channel on Business.com you can keep up with all sorts of business technology. With important updates for small and big businesses there are valuable information for most business owners. You can find out how to shift from papers forms to eForms, share business email accounts or see what your competitors spend online and much more.

From their experts you can find out about the latest office technology to help you with daily tasks and get advice on solutions for your business. Thinking of buying new supplies to your office? At the technology channel you will find business technology product reviews so that you know what products are worth taking a closer look at.

If you are not already using RSS to follow some of the biggest business sites and keep up on the news then it can be a good idea to get an account! You will never miss out on important updates and will always have access to information wherever you are. A quick search for RSS and you can find an account that suits your needs.

Many of us do not realize that even if we have a small business we need to stay informed of bigger events and changes in the biz world. Making sure you are updated can also help your small business more than you know.

I certainly cannot afford to miss out ion important technology news - can you?