WAKE COUNTY, N.C.
Coastal Federal Credit Union has offered a unique challenge to Habitat for Humanity of Wake County via a 1,000 Fans Campaign. The local credit union will donated a $1,000 grant to Habitat Wake’s affordable housing mission if the organization can reach 1,000 Fans on their Facebook page by the end of the year. Both organizations will promote the campaign using social media tools—status updates, e-mail newsletters, and Facebook messages asking their contacts to spread the word to their Facebook connections.

“We’re trying to share information about the need for affordable housing in every way that we can,” said Habitat Wake’s Executive Director Kevin Campbell. “Facebook gives us access to a unique and diverse audience and helps us talk to people who may not be otherwise involved in the Habitat mission.” 630 people have become “Fans” of the Habitat Wake Facebook page to date. These fans receive updates about affordable housing, home dedications, and Habitat Wake events on their own Facebook pages.

“The real hope,” said Coastal’s Joe Mecca, “is that the mission of Habitat becomes viral online, and that then translates into affordable houses for families and healthy neighborhoods in our community.”
Source:MyNC.com

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Family budgets stay on track with new and convenient coupon sources

(ARA) – If smart savings and cost-cutting measures helped keep the family on budget throughout the recession, continuing on the same track through the recovery could help one get ahead in the long run. For better or for worse – more likely for better – Americans are embracing the concept of living within their means.

Collecting coupons remains one of the best ways for families to save on everyday expenses – from cleaning supplies and health and beauty items to food and paper products. Coupons are found in some new and innovative sources as well as from those that are tried-and-true. Here are some ideas for finding and using great coupon savings:

* The promise of a prize inside product packaging – in the form of a coupon – is already available. Now, what if it was not for the same product, but instead it was a coupon with big savings for another favorite brand that you already know, love and use regularly? Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) has begun inserting multiple brands’ coupons inside specially marked products. Now through September, brands like Luvs, Olay, Pringles, PUR, Tampax and Tide will offer coupons for savings on other P&G products. Values combined typically range from $5 to $55 in savings. You can learn more and find additional coupon deals at www.pgeverdaysolutions.com/inpackcoupons.

* It may pay to clip or save a coupon even if it’s for an item you don’t use. You can exchange the high-value coupon you don’t want for another that you can use if you get involved in coupon swapping with friends and family. There are many ways to start a coupon exchange in your area – get family members involved, cooperate with neighbors, or simply encourage your kids’ daycare center to set up an exchange box by the front door where moms can drop off coupons they don’t need in exchange for ones they can use.

* Searching online is a good way to find samples and coupons, but don’t overlook more tried-and-true coupon sources like newspapers and magazines. Before coupons went virtual, you had to clip and keep paper versions, and many of those sources are still offering great coupon deals. You can also find paper coupons on special product displays in stores, on cash register receipts and even through in-store sample giveaways.

* Finally, it’s important to get organized; knowing what coupons you have and when each expires will help you to use them before they become out of date or alert you when a particularly great sale will make them even more valuable. Coupon organizers are found in stores, but you don’t have to go fancy; you can create your own simple envelope system, arranged by date or product type just as well.

To learn more about coupons, savings and deals, visit the P&G website at www.pgeverydaysolutions.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Patty Duke Family Reunites for Dinner: Medicare on the Menu (285) (NewsUSA) – Patty Duke is back -; and this time she’s brought the entire family. The cast of the Patty Duke Show reunited for dinner and to create a series of public service announcements to promote Social Security’s new online Medicare application. You can view the television spots at www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly. Patty Duke and her television family entertained American households on the Patty Duke Show in the 1960s. Now, they want to serve families again -; by telling them just how easy and fast it is to apply online for Medicare -; even if they are not ready to retire. The application takes less than 10 minutes. Even if you decide to wait until after you’re age 65 to apply for retirement benefits, most people should start getting Medicare at age 65. If you’d like to begin your Medicare coverage, you should apply within four months of reaching age 65. It’s important to note that people who already receive Social Security retirement or disability benefits do not need to apply; they will be automatically enrolled in Medicare. Why apply online? Because it’s fast, easy and convenient. You don’t need an appointment, and you can avoid waiting in traffic or in line. You don’t even have to do it all at once. Our secure technology ensures your information will be kept private. If you’re within four months of turning age 65 or older, what are you waiting for? As Patty Duke and her television family will tell you, it takes less than 10 minutes! Just visit www.socialsecurity.gov and select the “Retirement/Medicare” link in the middle of the page. And be sure to catch TV’s most famous identical cousins and the whole family for dinner at www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly.

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Social media: The best advertising money can’t buy for your small business

(ARA) – Used to be, a diligent small business owner with a great idea and plenty of gumption could grow a business through word of mouth alone. In many ways, that’s still true.  Yet today, much of the “word of mouth” conversations and recommendations, which can make or break a business, are happening online, not face to face.

Small business owners still recognize the value of word of mouth – 63 percent say it remains the most effective way to market their business and find new customers, according to a recent survey by Citibank. Yet that same survey found that 81 percent of small business owners do not use social media – word of mouth in the technology-driven world.

“Many small businesses have yet to really harness the marketing and communication power that online tools can provide them,” says Raj Seshadri, head of small business banking at Citibank. “Our survey  of 552 small business executives throughout the country reveals a huge opportunity for many businesses to begin using some of the basic online tools, such as e-mail marketing, to drive their sales.”

Moreover, business owners should utilize a variety of social media and online platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, their Web site’s homepage and even blogs, experts say. Profiles on multiple networks expand your business’ reach and help engage current and potential customers.

Studies show that after a purchase, online shoppers “friend” or follow businesses more than 50 percent of the time. Reasons include an affinity for the business, allegiance to a company, and the opportunity to receive invitations to special events and/or exclusive offers and promotions through social media.

Here are some tips for using some of the top social media options to help grow your small business:

Blog about it

Short for “weblog,” a blog allows you to speak directly to customers and establish yourself as an expert in your industry. You can use your blog as the main source for information about your business, to feature customer testimonials, answer frequently asked questions, or even to resolve problems. Blog posts are usually short and pithy – you don’t have to write the great American novel for each post. Just make each interesting, useful and brief.

Facebook is your “friend”

Facebook is the largest social network, with more than 450 million users around the world, and another 100 million logging on from mobile devices. Create your free Facebook account and begin inviting customers (through direct e-mail, signs posted in your store and other communications) to “friend” your page. Use it to interact with your community of customers, offering them specials and deals. You can also share customer reviews online, feature a “customer of the month” and even chat directly with customers during scheduled chat times.

You should know YouTube

Smart companies use this online video library to distribute news of their products and services to a broad community. Create a quick video that spotlights what’s special about your product or service, new products or to highlight your product in the context of current events.

The buzz about Twitter

Twitter accounts are also free. More than 105 million users  post in excess of 50 million “tweets” daily – short posts about current events or what’s going on in their lives at that moment. Use Twitter to relay stories of positive customer experiences, mentions of your company in other media, product announcements and updates, links and photos from your blog, or even to directly thank a specific customer in a public way.

Linking up with LinkedIn

Think of LinkedIn as the professional version of Facebook. The networking site allows you to post information about your qualifications, your work experience and your business, and to connect with other professionals.

To learn more about Citibank small business services that can help your company grow, visit www.citibank.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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RALEIGH, N.C. – Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina is now accepting nominations for the 2010 Torch Award. The award recognizes companies and charities that are committed to exceptional standards for ethical business practices and service to their customers, employees, suppliers, and communities.

Customers may nominate potential winners. Companies and charities also may nominate themselves. The award will be presented at a ceremony in January, 2011. Nominees must be in good standing with the BBB; however, BBB Accreditation is not a requirement.

A panel of volunteer community leaders will select the new recipient.

BBB is looking for businesses and nonprofits that others will want to emulate. Nominees must show creativity in their ability to manage customer expectations, provide excellent customer service and resolve disputes. They must demonstrate the ways they inspire their workforce to adopt and communicate their ethics and further their mission. They must embody truth in advertising and help foster ethics within their industry and community.

Benefits for winners include:
•Winners’ names will be used in promotions for the Torch Award event in 2011.
•Winners will be recognized at a ceremony in January, 2011. They will receive a personalized award that can be displayed in their offices.
•After the event, winners will receive a Torch Award logo and details on how they can promote their status as a winner in advertising, marketing and on websites.
•Being named a BBB Torch Award winner may add to an organization’s reputation and prestige, confirming the confidence placed in it by its stakeholders.
To be considered, an organization must be nominated for BBB’s Torch Award, and submit an application along with all supporting documents before 5pm on Tuesday, November 30, 2010. If you have any questions about the form or need assistance in applying for the Torch Award, please contact BBB at: csmith@raleigh.bbb.org, or 919-277-4220
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

Apex and Greensboro, N.C. — The Triangle’s leader in convenient home delivery of pet food nutrition, The Pet Pantry, has expanded its service area, now providing dog and cat owners in Greensboro, High Point, Thomasville, Lexington and Winston-Salem with direct access to customized home delivery of all-natural, holistic dog and cat foods at dot-com prices.

Pet Pantry delivery vans will be covering 2,773 square miles of the Triad beginning June 1st, adding to the 3,700 square miles the company services in the Triangle through its staff of trained customer service associates.

“Growing demand for the convenience of home delivery is driving this expansion,” Thor Wendland, president of The Pet Pantry, said, adding that his company already delivers to hundreds of Triad customers via UPS.

“Our Triad customers have been asking for home delivery directly from The Pet Pantry, but I did not want to go forward with expansion until I was sure that we could offer the same level of customer service that the Triangle area customers receive,” he said.

“UPS is great, but our drivers go the extra mile of delivering any amount of food, big or small, wherever customers want it – on the front steps, on back decks, or in standalone kennels for the many breeders who use our blends,” Wendland added.

According to Wendland, the explosion of online retailing has helped pet owners realize they no longer needed to leave their homes for arduous, back-breaking trips to get quality holistic dog and cat food. The growing popularity of The Pet Pantry’s website, FeedYourPets.com, has enabled customers to set-up individual profiles, view nutritional information and individual ingredients, and order large or small quantities of The Pet Pantry’s own holistic blends which are less expensive than comparable boutique pet foods available in crowded big box retail stores. Additionally, customers can order any of the well-respected national lines of dog, cat, and small animal food available on the website, including Oxbow Animal Health, Dave’s Pet Food and Pet Naturals of Vermont.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

Garner North Carolina is growing, “as they say” like a weed, well in the mist of all this growth a number of area businesses has found a little hidden treasure that most businesses have over looked, Local online advertising and marketing, meaning locally owned and operated.

Garner NC City Guide has been competing, not only with the online and off-line local newspapers, but other local online business directories and the Internet giants, “Most of the major search engines” for Garner NC business customers for the past few years and Garner NC and the surrounding area’s answered by a 600% increase in free and paid listings since 11/15/2007.

Garner City Guide is nothing fancy, like Other Directories with pop-up all over the pages, other ads all around your listings, promotional music and graphics screeming on your screen, but what Garner City Guide is, is a well managed local online key-word business directory,that brings more traffic to Garner businesses and websites, Free. Silver & Gold Members pay a small affordable yearly fee.

If the search engines can’t find Garner NC business directory and local City Guide, then its of no use to our Garner NC Businesses.

Garner North Carolina Business Directory!

The goal is to provide community businesses and residents with a low cost way to advertise and be seen by many people in and around our growing area. Now with our City Guide Site businesses can finally get the exposure they deserve.

City Guide, business directory, event calendar and free classifieds allows local residents, as well as anyone around the world, to find information about businesses ranging from a wide variety of categories in Garner, North Carolina. Offering a free business listing is nothing new, but wtat is the traffic you receive. Best of all, gold member businesses are evenly rotated and featured on the home page below, as well as on the top of their respective category page. Therefore, receiving the highest level of exposure for their business, plus even more exposure with a new personal webpage on our server. You can also use our MARKETPLACE for buying and selling your products and services in the CLASSIFIEDS ADS Section. Classifieds are Totally FREE, Garner NC City Guide more than just a place to advertise your business or promote your products and services, Find information, useful information about Garner NC and surrounding area’s that you and your business are looking for.

You should use Garner’s Event Calendar, it’s also free, “list your events” -Crafts, Government, Charity, Sports, Holiday, Business, Church, Theater, Party, Networking. Lots of things are happening in Garner NC.

Local Crafts Birdhouses Made In Raleigh NC

RALEIGH – After decades of hosting and producing home and garden television programs, Pat Simpson has earned the reputation as “Television’s Most Genuine and Trusted Home Improvement Expert.” Show guests visiting this year’s Southern Ideal Home Show, which runs April 9-11 at the NC State Fairgrounds, can enjoy that expertise firsthand.

Thanks to James Hardie Building Products, Simpson will appear Sunday, April 11 at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. in the Jim Graham Building.

At 12:30 p.m., Simpson will present his entertaining and educational program entitled “Name that Tool.” Using an interactive game show approach, he’ll test audience knowledge, award prizes and use fun and humor to teach the best application of various tools and building gadgets.

Simpson’s 2:30 p.m. talk called “Little Projects … Big Impacts” is another popular offering, which he says especially resonates with audiences in the current economy because so many are choosing to keep their homes. “Everyone is interested in learning about projects they can complete on their own in a reasonable amount of time and with a reasonable amount of money,” he said. “The home projects we’ll talk about are all under $1,000, will go a long way toward making a big difference – and most anyone can do these upgrades and improvements,” he said. When Simpson is not on stage, show guests are invited to meet him between presentations at the James Hardie exhibition area nearby.

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire

Garner North Carolina is growing, “as they say” like a weed, well in the mist of all this growth a number of area businesses has found a little hidden treasure that most businesses have over looked, Local online advertising and marketing, meaning locally owned and operated.

Garner NC City Guide has been competing, not only with the online and off-line local newspapers, but other local online business directories and the Internet giants, “Most of the major search engines” for Garner NC business customers for the past few years and Garner NC and the surrounding area’s answered by a 600% increase in free and paid listings since 11/15/2007.

Garner City Guide is nothing fancy with pop-up all over the pages, other ads all around your listings, promotional music and graphics screeming on your screen, but what Garner City Guide is, is bring traffic to your business and website at an affordable yearly fee.

If the search engines can’t find Garner NC business directory and local City Guide then its of no use to our Garner NC Businesses.

Garner North Carolina Business Directory!

Our goal is to provide community businesses and residents with a low cost way to advertise and be seen by many people in and around our growing area. Now with our City Guide Site businesses can finally get the exposure they deserve.

Our City Guide, business directory, event calendar and free classifieds allows local residents, as well as anyone around the world, to find information about businesses ranging from a wide variety of categories in Garner, North Carolina. garnernc-online.Best of all, gold member businesses are evenly rotated and featured on our home page below, as well as on the top of their respective category page. Therefore, receiving the highest level of exposure for their business, plus even more exposure with a new personal webpage on our server. You can also use our MARKETPLACE for buying and selling your products and services in the CLASSIFIEDS ADS Section.Local Basic Classifieds are FREE, however we offer a more advanced level for more exposure for your advertising. Garnernc-online is more than just a place to advertise your business or promote your products and services, we offer information, useful information about Garner NC and surrounding area’s that you and your business are looking for.

We invite you to use Garner’s Event Calendar, it’s also free, “list your events” -Crafts, Government, Charity, Sports, Holiday, Business, Church, Theater, Party, Networking. Lots of things happening in Garner NC- List Your Business Today!

Local Crafts Birdhouses Made In Raleigh NC

Garner, N.C. – Triangle East magazine’s new editor, Nancy Pardue, has put together a holiday issue brimming with tips, tricks and recommendations for the holiday season.

“It’s one big celebration in the newest issue of Triangle East, as we rejoice in the delights of Christmas and the promise of a new year,” said Pardue. “I’m glad to have this new beginning with our readers and hope they’ll love our holiday issue.”

In the article “Winter Wonders,” readers will learn how to spruce up their homes by bringing the outdoors indoors with tips from Tony Avent, owner of Plant Delights Nursery. Gardening expert L.A. Jackson also offers tips on extending the life of poinsettias in his Garden Adventurer column.

“Christmas Treasures” offers tips on holiday collectibles such as Department 56 Christmas Villages, Mark Roberts Christmas Fairies, Buyer’s Choice Carolers and more.

To stave off the winter chill, “Get Fired Up” profiles three great fireside-friendly dining establishments and offers secrets on getting that fireside seat.

Two recent college graduates received makeup, hair and fashion makeovers to get them ready for a new year in “New Year, New You.”

“Giving Back in 2009” reports how students at Vandora Springs Elementary in Garner are participating in two charity projects, and provides a guide for plenty of volunteerism opportunities in the local community.

In this issue, readers can also learn about how two Miss Garners are vying for the Miss America crown, what Butterball CEO Keith Shoemaker thinks of the company’s new corporate headquarters, and what Christmas goodies and gifts will tempt shoppers this year.

The December/January issue of Triangle East magazine is available now at more than 100 locations throughout eastern Wake and Johnston counties. Subscriptions may be ordered directly by visiting www.triangleeastmagazine.com or by calling (919) 674-6020.

Read More:CarolinaNewsWire