ARA) - It’s no surprise that retailers predict technology will be at the top of many holiday wish lists again this year. But if you’re not techno-savvy, or not comfortable with the expense of high-tech gifts, there is very good news: low-tech and “no-tech” gifts can still fit every taste and budget, and they’re often a welcome change from more complicated gadgets.
“Simple, non-technology gifts will always be in style,” predicts Glenda Lehman Ervin, a gift-giving expert with Lehman’s old-time general store. “Items like food, linens, cookware, lotions and scents, and old-fashioned toys can be wonderful gifts – to give and receive – for people who are not necessarily plugged in to the high-tech trend. They can also be refreshing and fun alternatives for the tech-heads in your life.”
Lehman Ervin, whose family-run business has sold simple, technology-free gifts for 50 years, offers the following 10 tips for low-tech gifts sure to enhance any holiday wish list:
1. Low-tech doesn’t mean leaving good engineering behind. “Engineering existed long before circuit boards and silicone,” Lehman Ervin says. “The Swiss Army Knife, for example, is an engineering marvel and still a great gift for practically any guy in your life.” Tech-heads might enjoy the simplicity and elegant engineering of well-made mechanical devices, like a water-powered alarm clock.
2. Food is a very personal gift. “Nearly everyone loves to indulge a little at the holidays,” says Lehman Ervin. “While chocolate Santas are always welcome, don’t forget that your food gift can be anything the person loves, from their favorite homemade granola to something that may evoke memories of childhood and a simpler time, like Shoofly Pie or a selection of Grandma-style jams.” The Lehman’s store and catalog offer several sampler-type food baskets (including an entire pail of old-time candy) for a true taste of the past.
Kitchen aids are also a great gift for anyone with even a modest interest in the culinary arts. Items that help cooks make their own pasta, cider and ice cream blend a personal touch with practicality and nostalgia. Lehman’s hand-crank ice cream freezers and noodle makers are always popular sellers at the holidays.
3. Organic and “green” gifts make both the giver and the recipient feel good. “Giving a ‘green’ gift is not only sensible and caring, it’s also trendy and very contemporary,” Lehman Ervin says. Industries from home improvement to home goods are now marketing eco-friendly products and services, many of which are great gifts. “For example, our fairly traded gourmet coffee and organic cotton kitchen linens are both popular items that are made from products organically grown and harvested according to agricultural sustainability practices,” she says.
4. Everyone needs a little pampering now and then, and personal care items can do the trick. If you’re tired of giving the same old scented lotions, try something different, but still tried and tested, like Pure Emu Oil, which has been used by Australian aborigines for thousands of years to combat the signs of aging.
You can find something for even the manliest of men who might think “personal care” is too feminine for them. Lehman’s carries old-fashioned Bag Balm, the moisturizer of choice for decades for farmers and laborers whose work is hard on the hands, and Hardworker’s Hand Cream, specifically created to soothe and heal carpenters’ dry, cracked skin.
5. Choose children’s toys that exercise their imaginations and their whole bodies – not just their video-game control fingers. “The lowest tech toys – like an old fashioned wagon, kazoo or hand-made doll – can provide maximum stimulation and enjoyment,” Lehman Ervin says. “Plus, you’ll feel more connected to the child by giving them the kind of toy you played with yourself, like balloon-powered boats, a rocking horse or wooden Fiddlesticks.” Lehman’s stocks more than 50 toys made in the United States.
To find low-tech gifts like Shoofly Pie, organic cotton kitchen linens or nostalgic children’s toys, visit www.lehmans.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
(ARA) - As the popularity of organic food grows and people realize the benefits of a diet rich in natural ingredients for their families, parents are now looking for safe and healthy foods for their four-legged “kids” too.
“Pets are considered family members by most people, so it’s understandable that they want them to have the same high quality foods as everyone else in the household,” says Shelley Gunton, “Top Dog” and CEO of Castor & Pollux Pet Works, maker of natural and organic pet food and treats.
Diane Noble, mom to golden retriever Bailey and a short-haired cat named Kid, is one of these people. After the pet food recall last spring, she decided to start feeding Bailey a new brand of organic food, but didn’t realize that new food should be gradually introduced in order for her dog’s digestive system to acclimate.
“Poor Bailey’s tummy was so upset … she was running from the room because of the smells she was making,” remembers Noble. “I thought the food just wasn’t right for her. It never crossed my mind that I needed to take steps to switch her food slowly and safely.”
After learning how to do it right, Noble successfully switched Kid to the new organic food too. “During the change-over process, Kid would pick the organic pieces out from the others and eat them first because they were his favorite!” said Noble.
How to Switch
Dr. Edward Moser, veterinarian and animal nutritionist and advisor for several of the nation’s top pet food companies, has answers to some commonly asked questions about how to safely switch a pet’s food:
Q: I’ve tried to switch my dog/cat’s food before and it really messed up their digestive system. Why is switching food so disruptive?
A: Some dogs/cats have stomachs that are sensitive to a dietary change. It can be for a multitude of reasons relating to the food, the animal’s health, or sometimes to their eating behavior.
Commonly, digestive upset associated with the introduction of a new food is the result of the new food’s novelty — dogs and cats will wolf down the new food, overwhelming the digestive system. Or, it may simply be that the new food has a stronger flavoring system they aren’t used to.
Q: What’s the best way to switch my dog/cat to organic food?
A: The most cautious way of switching a dog or cat to any new food is to introduce the new food over the course of four to seven days by mixing in small amounts of the new while decreasing their current food. Each day add more of the new and remove an offsetting amount of the current food. Watch your dog/cat closely during the change. If some digestive disturbances occur, then take the changeover a bit more gradually, extending it over a few additional days.
Q: What will happen if I switch my dog/cat’s food too quickly?
A: If no problems occur then all is okay. Some dogs and cats switch quite easily.
If, however, your dog or cat is sensitive to a change in diet or dietary habit, then it is most common that feed refusals, vomiting, or diarrhea will be observed.
Q: My dog/cat’s food seems fine. She eats it when I give it to her. Why should I consider switching?
A: Switch diets if you feel the food is not meeting your pet’s nutritional, functional, or performance needs. You should also switch if there is concern regarding the origin of the food, its safety, freshness or consistency.
Q. I’ve heard that organic foods are “safer.” Are they really worth the extra money?
A: Organic certification is a “seal of approval” or “quality control check” for the ingredients and food preparation facilities used in the production of the pet food. This extra degree of scrutiny provides more confidence that no synthetic ingredients, preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, and other unsafe compounds have been added to the food.
The Safety of Certified Organics
“More people are looking at what’s in their pet’s food these days and finding that organics provide some peace of mind,” says Gunton of the rationale behind Castor & Pollux Pet Work’s newest creation, the Go Organic Kit, featuring Organix certified organic dry and canned foods and treats. “Because only ‘certified organic’ pet food and treats have gone through a regulatory certification process to ensure the utmost safety and quality, the Go Organic Kit will help pet parents be confident in what they’re feeding their dogs and cats.”
Housed in a reusable container, the Go Organic Kit contains everything needed to switch to an organic diet — including both wet and dry food, as well as treats — making the process easy and affordable. The kit is available at PETCO stores nationwide or online at www.castorpolluxpet.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Visiting Nurse Associations of America, Families Fighting Flu and The Clorox Company Team Up to Vaccinate Thousands of Children in October to Make Flu Season Less Scary
(ARA) – Ghouls and goblins are not the only things to be afraid of this Halloween; October is also the start of flu season. Influenza is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths for children, but according to a recent survey more than 75 percent of moms are still not vaccinating their entire families against the flu.
For the second year, the Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA), Families Fighting Flu (FFF) and The Clorox Company joined forces for the national Say “Boo!” to the Flu program to raise awareness of the importance of flu prevention and vaccinate children starting in October, before flu season peaks. Nationwide Say “Boo!” to the Flu events will take the ouch out of flu prevention with games and free giveaways — like T-shirts, trick-or-treat bags and Clorox Disinfecting products — and families will also learn other tips to help prevent the spread of the flu virus all fall and winter.
“Nearly 100 American children under five years of age die every year from influenza — the goal of this program is to give parents the tools to help protect their families,” says Richard Kanowitz, president of Families Fighting Flu. “We know families have a lot going on during this time of year, so this program makes it easy to get a vaccination and the activities add some fun for the kids, too.”
Many Moms Need Flu Fact Check-Up
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all children six months to five years old get vaccinated against the flu. They also recommend the vaccine for anyone in frequent contact with this group — meaning moms, dads and child care providers. A recent survey from the VNAA found moms of children in this age group need help fighting the flu. Say “Boo!” to the Flu will make flu prevention so easy, it’s almost scary!
Survey says…
* More than 75 percent of moms of children under five don’t get their whole family vaccinated against the flu. Many moms nix the needle because they don’t have time or their children are too afraid.
* The majority of moms say they are not very concerned about their child developing serious flu complications.
* Only two percent of moms are concerned about a member of their family catching the flu at home.
* 43 percent of moms say their approach to the flu season is to “let nature take its course.”
BOO Answers…
* Say “Boo!” to the Flu events make it easy and fun to vaccinate the whole family, all in one place.
* The CDC says children are at high risk of serious flu complications.
* With just one sick family member at home, more than 60 percent of household surfaces can harbor the flu virus, making it important to disinfect germ hot spots.
* Vaccination is the first step in flu prevention, but parents should also take these simple steps at home:
Sing & Scrub: Make sure kids wash their hands the right way. They should wash frequently with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice).
Disinfect Hot Spots: Kids can touch up to 300 surfaces in 30 minutes, so be sure to disinfect the surfaces kids touch most frequently — like doorknobs, light switches, faucets or toys. Use a disinfectant designed to kill cold and flu viruses, like Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.
Do the Elbow Cough: Teach kids to cough into elbows, not hands where they’re more likely to spread bacteria and viruses through touch.
Follow Good Health Guidelines: Eat right, exercise and get plenty of sleep to help boost your body’s ability to fight the effects of colds and flu.
SayBooToTheFlu.com
Say “Boo!” to the Flu hits the road October 1 in Boston, MA, and will travel across the country, ending in the San Francisco, CA, area on October 31. Visit www.sayboototheflu.com for the complete tour schedule and for other free, interactive tools and games to help families learn how to make the flu virus too scared to hang around their house, such as:
* Flu vaccination locator
* Hand washing reward chart
* “Cinnamon Magic” hand washing game
* “Yummy Bug Cakes” recipe
* “Spooky Soap” instructions
Scare Away the Flu
It is estimated that each year in the United States, more than 20,000 children less than five years old are hospitalized due to the flu, and children less than two years old are even more likely to be hospitalized by the flu. Among children who died from the flu in the 2003-2004 flu season, 44 percent were healthy and had no underlying conditions.
Influenza, or “the flu,” is an easy-to-spread viral infection. The symptoms include high fever, chills, cough, aches and fatigue. A simple cough or sneeze can quickly spread the flu virus from person to person. The flu virus can live on household surfaces, too.
For more information visit www.sayboototheflu.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
La gripe es la causa principal de muertes en niños, evitables con vacuna; Las madres siguen sin vacunar a sus hijos
En octubre, Visiting Nurse Associations of America, Families Fighting Flu y la compañía Clorox se unieron para vacunar a miles de niños para que la temporada de la gripe sea menos amenazante.
(ARA)–Fantasmas y duendes no son las únicas cosas a temer este Día de las Brujas (Halloween); octubre también es el comienzo de la temporada de la gripe. La influenza o la “gripe” es la causa principal de muertes en niños, evitables con la vacuna, pero según una reciente encuesta más de 75 por ciento de las madres siguen sin vacunar a sus familias contra la gripe.
Por el segundo año, Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA), Families Fighting Flu (FFF) y la compañía Clorox unieron sus esfuerzos en el programa nacional Say “Boo!” to the Flu que comienza en octubre, para crear conciencia en la importancia de prevenir la gripe y de vacunar a los niños, antes de que la temporada de gripe se intensifique. Los eventos nacionales de Say “Boo!” to the Flu aliviarán el dolor de la vacuna preventiva contra la gripe con juegos y premios – como camisetas, bolsas de “trick-or-treat” y productos desinfectantes de Clorox. Además las familias aprenderán otras formas de prevenir la propagación del virus de la gripe durante el otoño y el invierno.
“Todos los años casi 100 niños norteamericanos menores de cinco años de edad mueren de influenza. La meta de este programa es dar a los padres las herramientas para ayudarlos a proteger a sus familias”, dijo Richard Kanowitz, presidente de Families Fighting Flu. “Nosotros sabemos que las familias están muy ocupadas en este momento del año, por lo tanto este programa facilita recibir la vacuna, y además, las actividades agregan un poco de diversión para los niños”.
Muchas madres necesitan saber más sobre la gripe
Los Centros para el Control y Prevención de las Enfermedades (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC) recomiendan que todos los niños de seis meses a cinco años de edad se vacunen contra la gripe. También recomiendan la vacuna a toda persona que esté en contacto frecuente con este grupo—como las madres, los padres y las personas al cuidado de niños. Una reciente encuesta del VNAA halló que las madres de niños de este grupo de edad necesitan ayuda para combatir la gripe. Say “Boo!” to the Flu simplificará la prevención contra la gripe.
La encuesta encontró…
* Más de 75 por ciento de madres de niños menores de cinco años no toman las medidas necesarias para vacunar a sus familias contra la gripe. Muchas evitan hacerlo porque no tienen tiempo o porque sus hijos tienen mucho miedo a vacunarse.
* La mayoría de las madres dicen que ellas no están muy preocupadas de que sus hijos tengan complicaciones serias de la gripe.
* Sólo dos por ciento de las madres se preocupan de que un miembro de su familia contraiga la gripe en el hogar.
* 43 por ciento de las madres dicen que su forma de enfrentar la temporada de la gripe es “dejar que la naturaleza siga su curso”.
Respuestas sobre la gripe…
* Los eventos Say “Boo!” to the Flu de la gripe hacen fácil y divertido vacunar a toda la familia, en un solo sitio.
* Los CDC dicen que los niños corren alto riesgo de complicaciones serias de la gripe.
* Con más de un familiar enfermo en el hogar, más de 60 por ciento de las superficies en la casa pueden albergar el virus de la gripe, lo que hace muy importante desinfectar lugares propicios para la concentración de gérmenes.
* La vacunación es el primer paso en la prevención de la gripe, pero los padres también deben tomar los siguientes pasos simples en el hogar:
Cantar y lavar: Asegúrese de que los niños se lavan debidamente sus manos. Ellos deben lavarse las manos con frecuencia con agua caliente y jabón, por 20 segundos, por lo menos (el tiempo que demora en cantar “Feliz Cumpleaños” dos veces).
Desinfectar sitios con gérmenes: Los niños pueden tocar 300 superficies en 30 minutos, así que asegúrese de desinfectar las superficies que los niños tocan frecuentemente–como los pomos de las puertas, las llaves de la luz, los grifos o los juguetes. Use un desinfectante diseñado para matar los virus del resfrío y de la gripe, como las toallas desinfectantes de Clorox.
Toser hacia los codos: Enseñen a los niños a toser hacia los codos, no en las manos dado que tienen más posibilidades de diseminar las bacterias y virus en contacto.
Seguir buenas prácticas de salud: Coma debidamente, haga ejercicio y duerma lo suficiente para ayudar a reforzar la capacidad del cuerpo de combatir los efectos del resfrío y de la gripe.
Gira de Say “Boo!” to the Flu
El programa Say “Boo!” to the Flu se lanzará el 1º de octubre en Boston, MA, viajando por todo el país, culminando en San Francisco, CA, el 31 de octubre. Visite www.sayboototheflu.com para detalles completos sobre la gira, otras herramientas gratis, interactivas y juegos para ayudar a las familias a aprender a hacer que el virus de la gripe tenga miedo de invadir el hogar, como:
* El localizador de vacunas contra la gripe
* Cuadro de recompensa por lavarse las manos
* Juego “Cinnamon Magic” de lavarse las manos
* Receta “Yummy Bug Cakes”
* Instrucciones “Spooky Soap”
Ahuyente a la gripe
Se estima que todos los años en los Estados Unidos, más de 20.000 niños menores de cinco años son hospitalizados debido a la gripe, y los niños menores de dos años tienen más probabilidades de ser hospitalizados por la gripe. Entre los niños que murieron de la gripe en la temporada de 2003-2004, 44 por ciento estaban sanos y no tenían ninguna condición latente.
La influenza, o la “gripe,” es una infección viral muy fácil de propagar. Los síntomas incluyen fiebre alta, escalofríos, tos, dolores y fatiga. Simplemente toser o estornudar puede propagar rápidamente el virus de la gripe de una persona a la otra. Además, el virus de la gripe puede sobrevivir en las superficies en el hogar.
Para más información visite www.sayboototheflu.com.
Cortesía de ARAcontent
RALEIGH, N.C. — Sig Hutchinson, publisher of The Raleigh Downtowner, has sold his minority ownership of the publication to Crash Gregg, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief. Huchinson’s sale of the monthly publication will propel his advocacy of downtown Raleigh and the region’s economic development efforts. The Raleigh Downtowner has a circulation of 10,000 each month and is Sig Hutchinson available at 150 locations as a free publication. Gregg will now assume the publisher title.
“Seeing downtown gain momentum just prior to the Fayetteville Street opening, I invested in developing a targeted publication for downtown Raleigh,” said Hutchinson. “It is great for downtown, great for area businesses and was great for me. But now it’s time to turn it over and let it fly.”
Hutchinson has a 15-year history of advocacy of the Triangle and entrepreneurial activities including hosting an online radio program on the region’s tech industry. Hutchinson is the incoming chair of the Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) and is currently leading the effort for voters to pass the Wake County Open Space Bonds for $50 million on October 9. Hutchinson has led numerous efforts to improve open space preservation and greenways. Hutchinson looks forward to continued promotion of downtown Raleigh that could include a downtown transit station and the supporting development surrounding the station as a real complement to downtown’s growth.
“I have always been passionate about helping young entrepreneurs begin a business and continuing the growth of downtown Raleigh,” said Hutchinson. “In leaving The Downtowner, I hope to help improve an already electrified downtown through new ventures.”
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
RALEIGH, N.C. — As a reflection of its commitment to the communities it serves, Progress Energy (NYSE: PGN) today announced donations totaling nearly $1.3 million to promote energy education in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida.
Since 2001, Progress Energy has committed more than $14 million to public education.
“We recognize the importance of supporting the communities where our customers and employees live and work,” said Bob McGehee, chairman and CEO of Progress Energy. “These initiatives have a direct impact on thousands of teachers and children. In addition to supporting teacher scholarships and math and science mini-grants, we are expanding our reach to help students learn more about energy efficiency and renewable energy.”
As part of the new focus on energy education, the company is partnering with DonorsChoose to provide teachers with resources to teach their students about energy. Teachers can submit their ideas for energy education projects on DonorsChoose.org.
In addition, the company has provided a grant to the N.C. Agricultural Foundation (4-H) for the N.C. 4-H Electric Congress, and to develop an energy- conservation curriculum for students in the sixth grade.
In South Carolina, Progress Energy has donated to the S.C. Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM). The purpose of that grant is to expand the GSSM’s summer program for research interns, to include a focus on renewable energy.
“Today’s students will be the homeowners of tomorrow. They will be responsible for making wise energy choices,” McGehee said. “It’s important that they understand the benefits of energy conservation and understand that energy efficiency is one of the critical elements of a balanced approach to meeting the growing energy demands of our region.”
Progress Energy’s balanced solution to meeting the future energy needs of its customers includes a mix of energy efficiency programs, renewable energy sources, and investments in power plants, including new technology to upgrade existing plants and construction of additional power plants as needed.
“This balanced approach provides a more reliable energy supply, more stable electricity prices, less dependence on foreign fuel and a cleaner environment,” McGehee said.
Over the years, education foundations have been Progress Energy’s primary vehicle for supporting K-12 public schools, and the company is continuing that commitment. Grants to local education foundations support teacher scholarships, training and classroom mini-grants.
In Florida, the company granted money to education foundations serving 15 counties, including Alachua, Dixie, Gulf/Bay, Hernando, Highlands, Lake, Levy, Marion, Pinellas, Polk, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter and Volusia counties.
In North Carolina, the company granted funding to education foundations serving Asheville City and nine counties, including Buncombe, Chatham, Cumberland, Haywood, Lee, New Hanover, Pender, Sampson and Wake counties.
The company is continuing to support Teach for America, a national initiative that places top college graduates in the country’s less-affluent classrooms. These teachers have been successful in helping to achieve significant gains in student achievement in rural and inner-city schools. The company’s grant will provide support for services in eight N.C. counties, including Durham, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Vance and Warren counties.
Progress Energy, headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., is a Fortune 250 energy company with more than 21,000 megawatts of generation capacity and $10 billion in annual revenues. The company includes two major utilities that serve more than 3.1 million customers in the Carolinas and Florida. Progress Energy is the 2006 recipient of the Edison Electric Institute’s Edison Award, the industry’s highest honor, in recognition of its operational excellence. The company also is the first utility to receive the prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Founder’s Award for customer service. Progress Energy serves two fast-growing areas of the country, and the company is pursuing a balanced approach to meeting the future energy needs of the region. That balance includes increased energy efficiency programs, investments in renewable energy technologies and a state-of-the-art electricity system. For more information about Progress Energy, visit the company’s Web site at http://www.progress-energy.com
SOURCE:CarolinaNewsWire
RALEIGH - Raleigh’s debate over growth has gotten personal, with a City Council candidate fighting back against a fake blog that accuses her of selling out to the real estate community.Mary-Ann Baldwin, who is running for one of two pivotal at-large seats on a closely divided council, had her attorney send a letter to Google on Friday asking it to take down a blog — purportedly her own — because it violated the company’s profanity clause.
The blog included fake postings by “Mary Ann” beside actual pictures of Baldwin. One posting referred to the candidate as “Mary [expletive] Baldwin.”
“It was totally misrepresenting me and what I stand for,” Baldwin said. “This, I felt, was outside the standards of good taste.”
The blog has since removed the profanity and the photos of Baldwin but continues to operate.
The blog could be reached from a link on the local politics Web site www.belowthebeltline.org, whose anonymous authors defended its tone. Belowthebeltline has been a frequent critic of what it views as the growing influence of “Big Real Estate” in Raleigh’s affairs.
Baldwin, 51, the director of marketing for Stewart Engineering, is the best-financed candidate in the at-large race, having raised more than $58,000 so far. The at-large race is the city’s most competitive, with six candidates running, and the outcome could tip the balance of power on the council.
The current City Council, which includes five members from districts, two elected at large and the mayor, has been closely divided about how to manage Raleigh’s growth. A minority of three has favored raising fees on developers substantially to pay for new roads and parks.
A torrent of growth
The stakes are high for people on both sides of the debate. Over the next 20 years Raleigh is expected to grow by more than 70 percent, from 384,000 to 655,000.
To her online detractors, Baldwin is a target of ridicule and suspicion because of a donor list that includes many people with ties to real estate and development. Although the role of real estate money in local elections is not a new issue, it has become more prominent this year.
At recent forums, attendees have asked the at-large candidates whether they accepted money from real estate interests. Last week attendees at a forum in west Raleigh demanded that Baldwin answer the question, even though her group of candidates was supposed to answer a different question.
Baldwin is not the only at-large candidate who has received support from those in real estate and development. Incumbent Russ Stephenson and challenger Paul Anderson also have donors from the industry.
The three other candidates — Helen Tart, David Williams and Will Best — have received most of their campaign donations from relatives and supporters outside the real estate and development community.
A review of people who have given $500 or more to the campaigns of Baldwin, Stephenson and Anderson shows that Baldwin has received more than twice as much money as Stephenson from real estate interests, including architects, engineers and contractors.
Baldwin has received $18,000 out of her $58,725 total; Stephenson, $6,595 out of $41,908; and Anderson, $2,000 out of $13,700.
Baldwin describes her campaign as having a broad base of support. “I still feel I have a well-balanced portfolio,” she said.
She said her real estate money comes from responsible developers who have a good track record.
“These are people who want the same things we all want — quality development and environmental sensitivity,” she said.
Baldwin also sees a double standard, because other Raleigh politicians have taken money from real estate interests but have not been questioned so sharply about their independence
Read More: News & Observer
One of the newest, and most profitable retail business opportunities available today is the Video-DVD,CDs, Software CD-ROM Store. Profits from rental of DVD movies have doubled each year over the past several years, and industry experts claim this is only the beginning.
Not long ago DVD recorders (now widely referred to as DVD BURNERS) were being bought at a rate of one million units per year. Five years later, the sales rate had climbed to 12 million recorders per year, and sales are still increasing. Analysts say that within a few years there will be as many recorders in use as television sets. It follows that all these DVD recorders are in need of blanks and movies just as an automobile requires gasoline.
Generally speaking, the average Retail and Rental Store can be set up with an investment or line of credit in the neighborhood of $50,000. Utilizing good management techniques, and taking advantage of natural promotional opportunities, such a store will gross $250,000 per year. Some stores are realizing a net profit of 35 to 45 percent with these income figures.
The secret to achieving and maintaining these kinds of profits is in establishing and properly running a DVD club that offers really outstanding benefits to club members. These benefits should include special discounts on video tape and dvd rentals and purchases; a regular catalog or newsletter that tells your members about the new DVDs available; special workshops; get-togethers, and even outings.
Think about the potentials: DVD recorders are now within the price range of just about everyone in the country; new technology, better performance and greater development of the market will reduce the cost even further. (Don’t forget about the 29% or more that still use VHS videotapes in their VCRs) More and more people are switching from costly evenings out to the comforts of home and DVD, videotape entertainment; market surveys profile the typical VCR, dvd and computer owner as between 25 and 50 years of age with an income of $20,000 or more.
That typical customer will provide about 70% of your income, with the remaining 30% coming from blue-collar workers, college students, and singles of both sexes. It’s important that you be “in tune” with what the DVD, COMPUTER and VCR owners in your area want, and fulfill those wants.
In selecting a location, look for a storefront in an area surrounded by stores the typical DVD owner is likely to shop in. Six hundred to nine hundred square feet should meet your needs at first, but plan ahead for future expansion. The ideal location would be on a corner, affording visibility of your shop from several directions. The street fronting your store should ideally be four lanes with no median dividers, but with a posted speed limit of 35 M.P.H. or less. And by all means, make sure there’s plenty of parking space available.
The layout of your store should be planned with maximum efficiency in mind. Basically, a glass-topped sales and display counter across the front, separating the customers from the sales area, while at the same time conveying a feeling of openness, works best. Glass counters with shelves may be purchased at tremendous savings by contacting the rental fixture suppliers and used equipment dealers in your area. Check the yellow pages of your telephone and business directories for names and addresses of suppliers.
You should strive to make the customer space in front of the counter comfortable and relaxing. There should be an overall atmosphere of friendliness. Place a couple of chairs or stools in front of the counter so that your customers can sit and browse through your catalogs. You might want a coffee table, free coffee, and catalogs on everything from VCR’s, DVD BURNERS,COMPUTERS, to equipment accessories to special order movies.
One of the important secrets to success will be the way your store is perceived by the customers. You and your salespeople can dress casually and project an overall relaxed manner of doing business; taking care of each customer individually, using their first names (if appropriate), and relating to what’s happening in their lives. With this approach you will get to know them, and will establish long-term customer loyalty faster than by any drum-beating promotions.
The best idea for the display seems to be on wooden shelves lining the walls of the sales area behind the customer counter. These shelves can be built by a local handy man and either painted or stained. It’s important, however, that they be strong, be cause the weight of the videotapes, dvds, cd-roms and software can amount to 50 to 100 pounds per shelf, depending on the length of the shelf.
Arrange the dvds on the shelves, in book fashion. Stand them upright with the title art on the boxes clearly visible to the customers. It’s important that you not allow your customers to browse through your inventory, as they do with books on the shelves at the public library. In other words, your inventory of vcr tapes is money to you and should be seen, but not touched, by your customers until they either want to rent or buy.
An arrangement that works well with many stores is to remove the cd-rom from the jackets, and display the empty jackets in the viewing area for customers. Many of the jackets carry descriptive sales literature, which entices the prospect to either buy or rent. The movies themselves, which do not carry any out side printed message, should be kept behind your counters, in an area accessible only to your people.
You can locate your manager’s desk and files in front of the inventory shelves. Space partitioned off in the back of the store will be quite adequate for storage, packaging and/or whatever minor repairs might be necessary.
Our suggestion would be to allocate 60% of your store for the display-sales office area; 20% for the reception or customer area; and 20% for storage/work area. Check out a store. You should be able to assess the entire arrangement in a few visits, and pattern yours after it, or consider improvisations or changes you would make.
Use your imagination and utilize your in-store decorating as well as merchandising ideas to move your product. For help in decorating your store, talk to a few students in the art classes at your local college, or to the set designers for the local Little Theater group. Be sure to explain the mood you want to create. The customers will be coming into your store to rent or
buy movies and associated equipment. Keep this in mind, and decorate your store to make them feel as if they’re a part of the Hollywood scene. You can even be flamboyant with the use of poster-sheets relating to the movies you have available. These are actually called “one-sheets” and you can get them free or for a very small charge from your local theaters . If you run into any problems, simply write to the studios, get the names of the movies’ distributors, and ask for the ones you need. Colorful “billboard” posters, along with light colored walls, floor covering, and inventory storage shelves, will definitely help create a “Hollywood Mood,” and on the bottom line, sell more dvds for you. Remember, you’re wanting to create a mood conducive to persuading your customers to rent or buy your products.
Some of the imaginative tape rental store owners have even gone so far as put ting in a miniature movie marquee that lights up; spotlights and theater-style track lighting overhead. Another idea might be the use of old film reels, glossy pictures of movie stars and pictures, newspaper clippings or other memorabilia from original premiers.
Your display equipment should include one of the better brand name color TV sets and a video recorder. It’s generally best to go with a DVD system, because over the long haul, you’ll find most of your customers preferring this system because it has a longer playing time than the Beta, VHS, system equipment. You’ll need this minimum equipment in order to test your dvds and give your customers an instant preview of the movies they are interested in renting or buying. (If you can afford it have all avalible)
You should also plan to get a good typewriter that will accommodate several different styles and sizes of type, but a computer is the must have. This will be your key to the make-up of new pages for your catalogs and the preparation of your newsletter.
Be sure to organize yourself with a bank in order to handle at least the major charge cards. Simple advertising of the fact that you accept credit card purchases will almost double your volume. Since most of your sales transactions will be by charge card or check, you won’t need a fancy cash register. A simple metal cash box, available at most office supply outlets, will work very well for the first few months, and you can evaluate any needed change later.
You should either hire a person to be your store manager from the start, or else select a person you can train to take over your duties as store manager. The person you select needn’t be an electronics wizard, because there will really be no need to be an expert in the technical workings of the equipment. However, he should have a creative flair for retail management, sales promotions and selling.
In addition to yourself and a manager or manager trainee, you’ll need a part-time sales person to help out during your busy times. A manager trainee is paid about $14,000 per year, with commissions on gross sales once he becomes your manager in fact. You should expect to pay your sales people a bit above the prevailing minimum wage, with an opportunity for them to increase their earnings\via commissions on all sales over a certain dollar amount each month.
It will be to your benefit if you and your employees keep yourselves up to date on the industry by reading everything possible relating to videotapes, dvds, cd-rom, movies and the associated equipment. This means advertising; brochures, newsletters, trade papers, newspapers, online business directory and magazines from every available source. Armed with this wealth of information, you’ll be more knowledgeable than 99 percent of your customers, and be able to recommend movies according to preferences of the individual customer.
As dvd rental outlets increase in number, the industry as a whole will be come more competitive. To beat out the competition, the enterprising entrepreneur will develop a list of loyal customers, and pamper them with the benefits of an exclusive club membership. Word-of-mouth advertising from this select group will follow as a matter of course.
The basic benefits to the members will be first rights to rent or buy new cds, plus nice discounts on all rentals or purchases. Generally, club member discounts range from 30 to 50 percent compared to prices charged to non-members.
First-time membership fees range from $50 to $100 the first year, with renewal costs about half as much. Basically, club membership fees are predicated upon the benefits available to members, the need for cash within the business, and the pressure of the competition. You will also want to research the membership fee structure of other stores in your area, and be guided by current policies.
Each member should get a current catalog of DVDs available, a numbered membership card, a listing of club benefits, and perhaps a special VCR accessory or free rental. You can expand your market to statewide, nationwide, or even worldwide proportions simply by placing display ads in publications serving the markets you want to reach. When operating by mail you’ll need a set of rules (you might call it a contract) setting forth your policies. You’ll also want to factor shipping costs and any insurance charges into your “by mail” rates.
By all means have a sign made up for your show window inviting people to join your club. Display a similar sign on the customer counter, just to remind them. Have some flyers or circulars made up reiterating the invitation to join your club . Keep a stack of these handy on the customer counter, and make sure everyone who comes into your store gets one, perhaps by putting it into each bag/package that leaves the store.
Regardless of the popularity of software, the local demand, and whatever competition you have, you’ll have to promote your store’s special features and advertise skillfully. Plan to spend at least two-thirds of your initial investment money on advertising during your first six months in business.
Your most effective advertising medium will be your local news papers and your online city guide and business directory Regular display ads on the entertainment pages on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays will go a long way toward making your store known, and creating the traffic into your store that you want and need. In these ads you should stress the money-saving features, special membership benefits, and advantages of belonging to your dvd club.
A relatively low cost idea for the on-going promotion of your club might be to have a free-lance designer develop a special logo for you. Make patches out of this logo and have one of the advertising cap makers supply you with sports caps personalized with your dvd club’s logo. Your club membership might then be called elite, be cause you club members will be the only ones able to get the caps. The people they associate with will ask about them and growth of your club will be assured. Another promotional idea is simply to place a TV in your show window, running continuous showings of the vcr movies most in demand in your area.
The general idea is to be as “traffic-stopping” and creative as your local zoning laws will allow you to be with your storefront and outside signs. Sandwich boards plastered with movie “billboard” poster signs; bikini-clad girls “picketing” in front of your store (you might want to check this out with local regulations); simulated movie production scenes, are all attention-grabbing ideas that will cause people to notice your store, stop, come inside, and find what’’s going on - what you have available. Mission accomplished!
Think of your business as being part of the entertainment field, which it actually is, and gear your promotions accordingly. Be as creative and imaginative as you can. Take advantage of every promotional opportunity that comes along. Get news releases off to all facets of the media in your area. Keep sending them in, and keep dreaming up new angles for staging something the public will notice. Work with the TV and VCR equipment dealers if they will hand out advertising circulars to new cassette recorder owners to join your club, in exchange for which you will send new equipment customers to them.
Store hours for most video stores are 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. These hours will cover the demands of your customers, with your busiest days being Thursday, Friday and Saturday. These are usually the days when people are committing
themselves to entertainment plans for the weekend.
Daily operations usually entail signing up new members, taking care of those who want to rent vhs tapes, and selling vhs tapes to walk-in buyers. You may want to make “special order services” available, perhaps even a reservation list for especially popular films that may seem to customers to be always out on rental.
Determining how many copies of a film to stock will be a judgment decision based upon what you know about your customers. However, we feel it is better to have extra copies in stock than a waiting list more than three names deep. Whenever you have to put a customer’s name on a waiting list, you should always try to interest him in an other film. In other words, try never to let a customer leave your store without a cd-rom, vcr or dvd in hand - a good one, even if it’s not the one he originally sought.
Keeping track of your inventory on a daily basis will be necessary in order to know what the people are buying or renting, and which of your vcr tapes are not moving. Ideally, you would want to have 50 to 60 percent of your inventory rented out.
Each time a vhs tape is rented, a rental agreement should be filled out, and the rental fee collected in advance. You file the rental agreement in a “one-to-thirty-one” file under the date the tape is to be returned. Using this system, you look at the rental agreements filed under any given date, and know immediately which vhs tapes are due for re turn. This facilitates dealing fairly with your waiting list, by the way.
Usually, dvds are rented from 2:00 p.m. one day through 2:00 p.m. the next day. If a film is not returned by 2:30 on the date due, you should have one of your salespeople start calling on those customers who are overdue, theoretically to remind him that the dvd is due, but in such a manner that he can rent the dvd for another day if he wants (unless, with the most popular films, you put a limit on rental time).
Sometimes even the best customer will forget that a dvd is due. Probably the best way to handle this is not to make a big deal out of it, and if he gets it in promptly, don’t charge him an extra day’s rent (if he gets it in later in the afternoon). If this is a good customer, or a regular customer, you want to keep him.
Outright theft is very rare, but when a customer does lose or steal a dvd, bill his charge card number, and flag the rental agreement in his file. On all first-time renters, or people who aren’t members of your rental club, always collect a deposit on the rental, equal to the value of the dvd. Another thing: Don’ ‘t rent out more than one tape at a time until you get to know the
customer.
Your business income will be derived from several different sources. Stores operating rental clubs generally average about two new members per day. At $75 per member, this could amount to $3,000 per month. (Again, research the “going” membership fees in your area.)
By and large, revenue from dvd rental will be your biggest source of income. This money will be from club members and non-members, but your club members will be the biggest spenders by far. Rental revenues average anywhere from $3,000 to $ 15,000 per month.
You can probably count on another $1,000 per month in vhs, cd-rom sales to walk-in customers, as well as to your club members who want to buy vcr,vhs, dvd of certain favorite movies. The sale of blank tapes, editing machines, enhancers, stabilizers, software, cd-roms and other accessories will pretty much depend on how much you promote them.
Success will come from offering a wide variety of movies for your customers. How heavy you stock up on movies in any one category will depend mostly on your customers’ preferences. In other words, if your store caters mostly to families with children, then you would stock up heavily on family-type films. Checking out several successful dvd stores and seeing their stock will give you an idea, and you will alter your own stock as requests dictate.
Most stores open with at least 300 titles in stock, with an average of seven copies of each title. How many copies of each title you stock should be determined by the demand in your area for each movie title.
Whenever you realize you’ve got a “loser” in stock, you can either mark the price down and offer it on sale, or treat it as a -freebie’ for joining the rental club. You’ll avoid getting stuck with real disasters by keeping yourself abreast of what’s happening else where via regular reading of all the trade publications.
Whether or not to sell VCR’s or DVD Players to your customers is a personal decision, but if you do so, it will add to your income. Work with the area distributors. The will supply you with literally tons of sales materials and a display model. Then when a customer wants to buy one through you, you simply “special order” it for him.
Keep your systems simple, and make it easy for your customers to shop in your store. Rent your dvds at say, $3 for one day, $5 for two days, or $10 for a full week. About the only licenses you’ll need will be a local business license plus whatever state or city sales tax permits are required in your area. Check with your city and county clerks for information in these areas.
You’ll need standard business insurance. And because dvds and vhs tapes are hot-selling items on the black market, you should back up your insurance with a good security protection system.
There are a number of companies selling franchised DVD Stores. It really isn’t necessary for you to spend the extra money for a franchised operation. The main value of a franchise program is in the assistance they provide in getting better prices on the dvd you want to inventory. However, you can contact the suppliers directly and negotiate your own deals if you want to take the time to do it.
An alternative to the franchise operation is the “affiliate” program offered by Video Station, Inc., 12021 Wilshire Blvd, West Los Angeles, CA 90025. Founded by industry pioneer George Atkinson, the vhs stores belonging to this group retain their independence and pay no royalties. Yet, because they are a large group affiliated with one buying association, they can procure inventory purchases at tremendous savings for members.
GARNER NC CITY GUIDE & BUSINESS DIRECTORY
The video market is beginning to really boom. If you’re imaginative, organized and enjoy individual selling, this could be the vehicle to make you rich. You’ve got the plan, and if you’ve got the ambition, all that’s missing is the action on our part. Get with it, and the best of luck to you!
There are two fairly new, and very important conditions existing in the world today that have not only made the carpet cleaning industry a “billion dollar business,” but also practically guarantee your success as an entrepreneur in this field.
First, almost all homes and office buildings built since 1960 have wall-to-wall carpeting. Secondly, the replacement costs and the cyclical faltering of the national economy have caused people to want to make what they already own last longer, especially in the case of carpeting, which is a sizeable investment.
Most businesses employ janitors or janitorial services to vacuum their carpets after hours daily, and then “master” carpet cleaners to deep-clean them every three months or so. Homemakers also generally vacuum their carpets perhaps several times a week, and then hope to deep-clean every spring or fall, depending on the kind of household traffic, and on their budgets.
It’s true that people everywhere try to save money by handling these jobs themselves. However, empathy with the people, and an understanding of this trend, should be neither cause for alarm nor a deterrent to your success in this business.
Most people are just too busy to handle all their do-it-yourself projects. They continually put off until later any chore that requires special equipment . This is especially true with carpet cleaning, because deep down, they’re fearful of botching the job. Thus, they’re more than willing to pay an expert or a specialist to do this kind of work for them
It doesn’t take any special education, skill or experience to operate a professional-type, deep-cleaning carpet cleaner. Yet, from, your first job onward, you should project the image of a thoroughly experienced expert in your field. And, we’re going to show you how you can get started in this business, and make $600 or more per working day, with virtually no investment!
The important part of this business - or any other business - is the owner-operator’s “sense of marketing” and salesmanship. Make no mistake about it, all businesses succeed through marketing strategies and salesmanship. You won’t be selling a product with this business; you’ll be selling a service. And the selling of services is often more difficult than product sales.
Your success in this business will be predicated upon the sales effort put forth. Getting if off the ground will require a great deal of selling expertise on your part. You’ll have to sell yourself AND your services.
Therefore, it will be to your benefit to learn all you can about selling. Then, you should continue to add to your knowledge through an ongoing program of learning. Keeping up to date and being aware of successful selling ideas and methods will add to
the total success of any business person.
Even before the acquisition of equipment, you need customers. Your prospects are all the businesses and homes with carpets in your area. Your problem is going to be in reaching these prospects, impressing upon them the benefits of your service, and getting them set up with an appointment for you to do the work.
We have found that the least expensive and most productive method of reaching these people is by way of neighborhood “hand-out” flyers or announcements, delivered door-to-door by Brownies or Cub Scouts, or members of other youth organizations. These flyers are advertisements or announcements of a “Carpet Cleaning Special,” printed on 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 sheets of paper that invite the recipients to call you for an appointment.
Study the carpet cleaning service ads in your local newspapers, the yellow pages of your telephone directories, and any similar flyers you may have received or seen. Make a pencil sketch of your own flyer, emphasizing customer benefits and your capabilities of doing the job take your ideas to the advertising class at a local college. Explain your project and ask for volunteer help. In most cases, you’ll be favorably impressed with the work, and will only have to pay with a copy of the finished flyer for the student’s portfolio, and a recommendation or testimonial about his work for you. Even if there should be a charge for the work you have done at the college, it will be a reasonable one.
Contracting with an advertising agency will probably take longer and will cost a significant amount of money. However, you might be able to contact a staff member who does free-lance work on the side. But you should set a specific date for completion of
the project, and agree to pay no more than half the total estimated cost until the job is finished, and meets with your approval.
The next step is to take this original of your flyer to a printer, and have printed whatever number of copies you want to start. Most quick print shops will be able to print up to 20,000 copies, and deliver in a reasonable time, with nominal costs. If you decide to start with more than 20,000 copies, you will do better by going to a regular commercial printer. Larger quantities that would take a quick print shop all day can be handled by a commercial print shop in a few hours.
While your flyers are being printed, you should be lining up your delivery people - local Brownie or Cub Scout Troops. No big problem here. Either look up their local headquarters office in your phone book or call a friend or two with children about the
right age and ask for the name and phone number of troop leaders. Arrange to pay these scout troops $10 for each thousand circulars they hand out door-to-door.
One other thing before you start handing out your flyers - be sure that you have someone available to answer the phone and set up appointments for you. It’s usually best to have a woman do this; it makes the caller think of your service as an established business. You can pay an answering service to handle these calls for you, but if your wife or a friend is available, that would be even better. It is, however, imperative that a “live voice” answer your phone. People have some strange ideas about answering machines, and most businesses find they do much better not using them.
Your “secretary” should have a set pattern of answering your calls, and an appointment book. Usually, your flyer will advertise a special such as “Your living room carpet deep-cleaned for just $40. Get all the ground-in dirt and unpleasant odors out. A professional job by experienced master carpet cleaners, and we can do it all for you tomorrow. Give us a call; set up a carpet cleaning appointment with us now; and we’ll have your home sparkling clean, ready for company in no time at all!” This special offer should take you no more than an hour in the customer’s home, meaning that your secretary can book appointments for you at the rate of one every ninety minutes or less, depending
on the travel distance between appointments.
By setting your first appointment for 8:30 in the morning, and working thorough the whole day, allowing 30 minutes between appointments, you’ll be able to handle seven appointments per day. At $40 per call, you will gross $280 per day. Your secretary
should book you solid from 8:30 through 5:30 each day. Naturally, some people may want you to stop by at a certain time that’s already booked. In that case, you set them up for their requested time on an open day. You’ll also find that as you gain experience, you can cut down considerably the time it takes you to handle each job, as well as your travel time between jobs, enabling you to book more appointments.
Just as soon as you have job appointments lined up, hurry over to your local carpet cleaner distributor, your local rent-all store, or even some super markets and rent a steam-clean carpet cleaner. Most of the time, you won’t have to pay until you return it, but even if you do have to pay at the time you take it, the cost is usually $25 or less for twenty-four hours. Read the directions and make sure you know how to operate it. Then load it into your car, van or pickup, and set out for your first appointment.
You should bear in mind that carpet cleaning is a type of service business that takes you into the homes of your customers. Therefore, how you look, dress, and handle yourself - particularly in the presence of your customers - will have a direct bearing on the success of your business.
Be clean, and conduct yourself in a business like manner at all times. Dress neatly. In fact, one of the best ways to get off to a fast start is to purchase a working uniform from Sears, Ward’s or Penney’s. Drop by a “pennant shop” and have them make up a special oval name tag which can be sewn over the left breast pocket. At the same time, have them make up a large oval with the name of your business and your phone number to sew on the back of the uniform. When you hire people to help you with the work, outfit them similarly.
Go out of your way to be polite and friendly with your customers, but refrain from being fresh. Avoid getting involved in extended conversations - if you are to keep on schedule, you won’t have time for a lot of talk.
Keep your equipment clean, properly maintained, and operating smoothly. Have your supplies organized and within easy reach. Don’t allow yourself to be caught in a position where you have to make excuses because the equipment won’t function properly, you can’t find what you need, or you suddenly find yourself out of certain supplies.
When working these advertising specials, just concentrate on doing the job and moving on to your next customer. If the customer questions you about the cost to do the other rooms, give an estimate and set up a tentative appointment, which you should later confirm with a call-back after checking your schedule. Don’t try to sell your complete carpet cleaning services on this first call, but do be sure to leave a business card with the name of your company and your phone number.
Your service is the “deep-down shampoo cleaning” of carpeting in your customers’ homes or places of business. Always strive to use the best equipment that’s available. Later on - possibly in a month or six weeks - you’ll want to buy or lease your own equipment. Your business will grow and flourish as a result of your doing a good and complete job every time. It may take you a few minutes longer - especially when you are learning the equipment and establishing a procedure - but in the end this will pay off with satisfied customers; and a group of satisfied customers is the key to your becoming wealthy in this business.
You want your customers to call you again and again to clean their carpets. Being pleased with your work, they’ll spread the word about your service for you, free of charge! And this, of course, will generate an almost unlimited amount of ongoing work for your new business.
The average price to the customer to have a 12 by 18 foot wall-to-wall carpet “shampoo cleaned” is about $50. Your materials to do that size job will cost about $5.
The typical job involves more than just one room, and the average period of time spent on the typical job is about two hours, with an average billing to the customer of $80 - materials for each $80 job cost you about $10 all of which means that with just five appointments per day, five days per week, your gross income before expenses will be approaching $2,000 to 2,500 per week.
Most people who set up carpet cleaning businesses manage to gross $50,000 or more the first year. We’ve described to you how to get started with virtually no real investment. However, we do advise you to either purchase or lease your own carpet cleaning equipment just as soon as you can possibly afford it.
Several equipment manufacturers have financing plans available. It would be well to check out several of these plans before purchasing your equipment. Even better than the financing plans offered, some of the manufacturers have business start-up programs to help you along the way. They will provide you with a complete carpet cleaning business plan, numerous advertising materials, a regular newsletter featuring business ideas from all
the buyers of their equipment, and low cost supplies.
Before actually starting work in your carpet cleaning business, you should register your business or company name with your county clerk. The cost for this is nominal, and you will receive a registration certificate or card, which you will need to open a bank account in your company name. You should also talk to a few business insurance agents to get complete business insurance against damage to any of your customers’ carpets or ac
cidents in their homes. Being able to state “All work fully in sured,” will greatly add to your business image.
Think seriously about buying or leasing a van for your service calls. A uniform with the name of your company emblazoned on the back, plus a late model van with your company name neatly painted on the side will do just about as much to build your image and your business as a full page advertisement in the Sunday paper.
On the subject of advertising, so long as you don’t erect a sign on your front lawn or your roof, proclaiming for all the world to see the fact that you’re operating a carpet cleaning business, you won’t have any problems operating your business from your home. Sooner or later though, you’ll have to buy a City or county business license. So, the sooner you do this and are approved by the licensing agency in your area, the better you’re
going to feel and the more confidence you’ll exude in all your business dealings.
Definitely plan to run a quarter page ad in your local business and telephone directories. You’ll really be surprised at the number of calls you get from these ads. At least in the beginning, you should run a regular ad in your newspaper. This should be a display ad, at least 2 columns wide by 4 inches deep, and should appear in your Wednesday and Thursday papers. As you become established, it won’t be necessary to run more than an ad every other week in your Wednesday papers and before the holidays
such as Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, when people always want to spruce up their residences.
Radio or television advertising really doesn’t pull that well for this kind of business when you compare the costs to the number of jobs you get from it. I would suggest, , that you contact these media and try for a trade or barter agreement. You
clean their carpets on a regular basis, and they allow you to store up advertising credit to use in the spring and fall when people are really serious about spring cleaning, and and Christmas preparations.
It’s also recommended that you register as a “probationary member” of your Chamber of Commerce. This will add prestige to your business, and enable you to associate on equal terms with the various other business leaders in your community. Joining and attending civic club meetings, participating in their causes and events, will also result in long-range business income for you.
Something else to keep in mind: Get the word about your being in business out to the people in your area. Get the Chamber of Commerce to mention you in their newsletter; send “blurbs” about your business and service to all your area newspapers, TV and radio stations; arrange to put on an all-day demonstration of your work on the carpeting in the covered mall areas in your city’s shopping centers, and hand out brochures to all the people watching; rent a booth and hand out brochures at all the home building, remodeling, and home improvement shows. Do the same thing at your county fair, and hold seminars on the care of fine carpets. The ideas for free publicity and promotion are
limitless, so use your imagination and -push” to get your name in the paper and on radio and TV as often as possible.
There’s always going to be competition. Some of it will be good for you, and some of it will be bad for you. Accept it as a part of life. Just keep in mind that you’re in business because you feel you can do a better job; you can do it more efficiently; and you can do it with greater satisfaction to your customers than anyone else. Be aware of the competition, but don’t worry about it. Just stick to your own business plan, and you’ll be okay.
Depending on the population of your area, you should be planning for additional carpet cleaning machines and the hiring of people to do the work for you within three to six months - that is, unless your original motive for a business of your own was to see how fast you could work yourself to death. Assuming that all goes well with you, within a couple of years you should have “hired help” running the business while you enjoy the fruits of all the hard work you put in at the outset.
I personally don’t see the need for you to even consider buying a franchised operation. There’s just too much real help available for the “independent” to go to the considerable expense and obligation of a franchise. Starting from scratch, and as an
independent, this is most assuredly a low-investment, low-overhead type business - the kind we recommend for anyone and everyone who’s determined to make it on his own.
A carpet cleaning business of your own is one of the easiest of all small businesses to start. You’ll find the initial start-up costs well within your reach, and the margin of profit most astounding! It’s an easy business to operate, and yet one that can be called necessary to today’s standard of living. It carries a very high rating on all business evaluation stability charts, and it’s a business that will grow rapidly to bring you the monetary rewards you desire and your service for you, free of charge!
Top Designers Offer Simple Home Décor Ideas for Fall
(ARA) – Let’s face it: Most of us can’t resist a good home decorating show.
And after we’ve got a few episodes of “ReDesign,” “Room by Room” or “Find Your Style” under our tool belts, we feel confident that we, too, can make equally inspired decorating changes in our homes. But where to start?
Here are some simple ways to make big home improvements from some of the nation’s top designers and manufacturers:
Kenneth Ludwig — president and creative director of Kenneth Ludwig Home Furnishings, Ltd. in Chicago — is a huge proponent of textiles and fabrics. “The addition of two or three pattern fabrics in the same color story, along with different textiles (throws) in great textures adds visual excitement to a room,” says Ludwig. “It also softens the edges of the corners and hard lines, and warms up a room to make it more livable.”
An additional fabric element that many people forget is adding small upholstered or slip-covered ottomans for additional seating or as decorative items to fill up a room. Ludwig also suggests a skirted table with an under skirt of a plain fabric (great solid color with no pattern) with an additional patterned fabric draped on top.
Decorative wallpaper murals can add pizzazz and personalization to any room. “Adding a wall mural can transform a room from ‘fine’ to ‘fabulous,’ ” says Todd Imholte, president of Murals Your Way by Environmental Graphics. The company produces a line of custom wallpaper murals (www.muralsyourway.com). “The variety of styles lets you reflect your unique tastes and memories, whether it’s with a sports motif in your son’s room, a custom mural made from a family photo in your family room, or a wine theme in your kitchen. The possibilities are truly endless.”
Steven Southgate couldn’t agree more. As design supervisor for “Divine Design with Candice Olson,” he has used wall murals several times on the show’s room makeovers. According to Southgate, “the Birch Trees and Pebbles murals give a high impact graphic feel, while the Sequoia mural offers outstanding graphics and superb color.”
Updating your window treatments can quickly change the look and feel of any room. Ian Gibbs, window treatment design expert and founder of TheShadeStore.com, recommends that your window treatment rod be hung a few inches above the window molding to visually extend the window’s height and make the ceiling appear taller. To make windows look bigger and brighten a room, drapes should be hung “wide,” outside of the actual window frame, so that when drapes are pushed back, the entire window is visible to maximize the amount of light let in.
Adding greenery is also a nice way to bring the outdoors in and give a feeling of life in a room. Melissa Galt — interior designer, author, speaker and owner of Melissa Galt Interiors — suggests you keep it simple by limiting silk florals to no more than one per room. Be more generous with greenery, placing fresh plants on every third shelf of a bookcase, on top of an armoire, or near a hearth or fireplace. Containers can range from bright brass, silvery aluminum and sparkling glass to more casual ceramic or terracotta.
Think ceiling fans are just for summer? Think again. Switch the blade to reverse, and you can pull the hot air down from the ceiling and dramatically reduce your heating bills during the cooler months. Emerson Ceiling Fans product manager Zeynep McLeane sees dark colors and natural finishes as particularly popular this season, with dark finishes such as Oil Rubbed Bronze, Aged Walnut and Bronze Heritage nicely complementing existing dark touches throughout the home in furniture, hardware, plumbing and lighting fixtures.
Speaking of lighting, “jewelry” will be displayed on more than the human body this season. Kichler Lighting’s new Light Accents come in 70 different designs, shapes and sizes — including classic teardrops, organic leaf-forms, grape clusters, beaded crystal strands and Swarovski crystal pendalogues. Attach them to your chandeliers, pendants, wall sconces, lamps, lamp shades — even curtain rods and candle holders — to add extra sparkle and let your room glow.
And no interior designer would dispute the value of a simple coat of paint to kick an already nicely designed room up a notch or two. Davis Remignanti of Furniture.com suggests selecting one wall of your room for a quick, total makeover using color and accent pieces.
“Paint the wall with a hue from today’s trendy color palette, such as a deep, rich chocolate brown that will pick up the color from your furniture,” suggests Remignanti. “Don’t be afraid of dark colors for accent walls, especially in rooms with a lot of natural light. Then replace the existing artwork on the wall with a bold, grand scale piece such as the retro prints that are so popular these days, and swap your area rug for one that better picks up the tones in your upholstery.
“These small changes can take your room from already-beautiful to drop-dead gorgeous,” he says.
Courtesy of ARA Content
(ARA) - A cozy home is the perfect escape when temperatures begin to dip. Unfortunately, rodents think so too.
According to pest control professionals, cooling temperatures and dwindling food sources send rodents scurrying into 21 million American homes each winter.
“Rodents normally feed on seeds and plant life, but when these are eliminated by freezing temperatures or drought, rodents are forced to invade human structures in search of food,” says Stoy Hedges, entomologist and director of technical services for Terminix.
Mice and rats enter homes through small exterior openings. A 1/2-inch opening is large enough for a rodent, and mice can squeeze through voids as small as a 1/4 inch.
Rodents are also great climbers and can scale rough surfaces like trees or vertical pipes to gain entry to homes through vents and utility openings.
Living with rodents can be harmful. They are considered a fire hazard because of their habit of gnawing through electrical wiring, and they are a health threat because of the diseases they spread through their bites and excrement.
Rodents are known to carry more than 200 human pathogens. Some of these diseases, such as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome and the plague are potentially deadly.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPS, which is spread through the airborne urine, saliva or fecal material of infected deer mice, has been identified in 30 states during the last 14 years. Of the 465 reported cases, nearly 35 percent have been fatal.
Although rare, approximately 12 cases of the plague are reported in the United States each year.
“Rodents and human health have long been connected,” says Hedges. “Rodents were a vector for the plague in 14th century Europe, and the diseases they carry still pose a risk today.”
Although few diseases carried by rodents are deadly, Hedges emphasizes that a rodent infestation should be taken seriously.
Contrary to what some believe, rodents are not a sign of unsanitary conditions. Experts agree that clutter and access to food can make a home more appealing, but rodents are opportunistic and will invade any structure that provides easy access.
If you suspect you have rodents, look for these signs. Rodents often leave evidence of their presence.
* Dark-colored droppings, 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch in length
* Gnawed boxes of food in cupboards
* Oily “rub marks” along walls caused by their habitual use of the same paths
* Gnawed door frames or furniture legs
* Sounds of movement in pantries, ceilings and behind walls
If homeowners believe they have an infestation, Hedges recommends they contact a trained professional.
The most common elimination methods used by pest control experts include a combination of traps and the use of rodenticides. Theses options, when implemented by a professional, can provide better results than by doing it yourself.
To help prevent rodent infestations, use the following tips to help prepare your home for the cooler temperatures ahead.
* Store firewood as far from the home as possible, and keep it off the ground.
* Remove any piles of debris, stones, bricks, etc. If these are near the foundation of the home, they provide shelter and can conceal rodent entry points.
* Seal any hole or crack in your home larger than 1/4 inch. Large openings should be stuffed with steel wool or wire mesh before sealing.
* Ensure attic and foundation vents are covered with tight-fitting 1/4-inch hardware cloth. Regular insect screening will not deter rodents.
* Install a tight-fitting weather strip on the bottom of all doors.
* Trim tree branches to prevent them from overhanging the home and cut shrubbery back away from the side of the structure.
For more information about controlling seasonal pests, visit www.terminix.com or call (800) Terminix.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
