Female Friendly Businesses’s Blog

{November 9, 2009} The Perfect Thanksgiving Table Setting

With an increasing number of holiday festivities being held in the home this year, we’re all looking for creative and cost effective ways to spruce up our table settings and create a look that will impress our guests. When it comes to setting your Thanksgiving table, options for the adventurous host are limitless. What are the hottest trends for you to bring to your table this year? Here are a few ideas that will take your Thanksgiving table from ordinary to extraordinary:
Color, Texture and Mix – Match:

In table linens and accessories, this year we are seeing rich, saturated colours. We are also seeing a lot of texture and the mixing and matching of patterns with solids. There are a lot of options out there to do something warm and inviting.

Color Trends

Warm tones have always been popular for Fall and that continues with some of the biggest trends in colour combinations this year. Some of those include:
- Deep Spice and Aubergine with muted Gold accents – Dark Chocolate with Blues and Gray accents – Olive Green, Aubergine and softer greens as accents – Dark Chocolate, Taupe and Natural

Tabletop Decor

- Use things that you already have in your home – pull out your 3 or 4 of your favourite vases of different heights. Use complementary colors of fresh flowers for a simple and stunning arrangement. Fill three or four vases and/or glass bowls with different colors and sizes of ornaments, fruits, leaves – anything with color and texture that will create visual excitement.

- Your guests are all unique – why not celebrate their individuality? Use different patterns and/or colors of napkin rings that match their unique personalities. Are they simple or sophisticated? Fun or formal? Unpredictable or conservative? Show them you care with a little customization to complement your table linens.

- Candles are always a dramatic and cost effective way to make a statement – use votives at each place setting with a name card and emphasize beautiful table linens for a classy and simple look. Or go more dramatic and cluster your favourite candle sticks of varying heights and looks as a centerpiece. Use colors that complement or match your dishes, glasses and table linens.

- Nothing brings subtle sophistication to your table like a well-selected runner. Use one the length of the table plus 12 inches to hang over the edge (usually a 90″ or longer) as the perfect centerpiece. If you are using a solid tablecloth or placemats, make sure to jazz it up with a festive pattern. If you have a patterned look already, use a vibrant solid runner that picks up on one of the colors in your runner.

- Use 2 napkins instead of one with a napkin ring. With a solid napkin inside, and a more decorative napkin on the outside.

When setting your table, just remember: do what feels right for the mood. A casual gathering calls for a relaxed setting. A formal meal should feel that way at the table. Either way, it doesn’t take much to elevate your in-home dining experience. Replacing an old tablecloth with something fresh an exciting, and adding a few simple table accessories can go a long way to impressing your guests. It’s that time of year when family gatherings abound and everyone spends countless hours congregating around the dinner table. With the hours spent preparing the perfect meal, make sure you don’t forget to finish it off with the perfect setting..

{November 3, 2009} HOW ONLINE FORUMS CAN BOOST BUSINESS by Megan Corwin

Did you know that by simply participating in various forums and posting your views, ideas and answering posted questions, even asking questions, can potentially bring new growth and life to your website and business?
What is an Online Forum?

It’s an online community with an open discussion that allows you to ‘Post’ questions and answers related to a specific topic (similar to what you’re looking at). You can find Forums online related to any topic under the sun. Use Forums to:
~ Post questions and get answers.
~ Establish yourself as a subject matter expert as you post answers and advice.
~ Drive traffic to your website.

Regardless of the subject matter, there is a Forum out there with hundreds or thousands of members ready to give you helpful Tips and Advice to answer your questions.

Using Forums to Promote Your Business
Using online forums, also called message boards, can be a fun way to promote your business in a low key way.

Benefits:
You cultivate relationships with others.
You learn about all kinds of topics.
Your marketing message is presented without screaming advertisement.
By answering questions related to your topic, you are positioned as an expert in your field.

Next, “lurk” or just watch the activity for a few days to get a feel for the tone of the forum. When you feel confident this is an appropriate place to represent your business, introduce yourself. Often message boards have a ‘New Members’ place to post your first, introductory message.

After you have been welcomed, scan through the topics and post answers to questions others may have about your area of expertise. Repeat daily or weekly.

Tips:
Of utmost importance is to have a signature line that is added to the end of each message you post. This is like your calling card, and is what makes this method of business “promotion” so subtle. You may be posting a famous recipe, but everyone who checks it out will see your business name. Most forums have an account setting or options area where you can set up an automatic signature

Don’t spam Forums by visiting once and posting a promotional message everywhere. It will give you a bad reputation.

Check the regulations of the board to be sure signature lines are allowed. Some forums strictly prohibit marketing of any type.

Revisit your posting frequently to address any replies. Also, add new postings of interest every few days to keep your business in the Forum participants’ eyes.

Message boards and forums can be a very valuable marketing tool. While you’re at it, be sure to check out the fun topics, too!

{October 12, 2009} KEEPING F.O.C.U.S. by Andrea Costantine

In this day and age when we are receiving over 10,000 messages daily through the radio, Internet, email, television, blackberries, iPhone’s and more, the term “focus” seems like something of the past. Adults seem to be riddled with their own ADHD-like tendencies by checking emails incessantly throughout the day, answering midday unexpected phone calls, and getting interrupted every so often by co-workers, urgent emails, instant messages and texts.
With all that interruption, no wonder we feel scattered, disorganized, and have complete lack of control.

I have created FIVE keys to help you keep the F.O.C.U.S.

F: Finish what you start – make time to finish anything that you start. If you are checking emails, respond to the emails right away. If you get your mail, go through it right then and there. Finish whatever project you are working on before moving on to the next item. Finishing what you start will leave you feeling like you accomplished a lot more in each day than half-heartedly doing multiple tasks.

O – Organize your life – a clear office and workspace will keep you on task and less distracted. Keep up with administrative tasks by scheduling one day monthly to file, type up, organize, tie up loose ends. When you are organized you will be more productive and will have a clear head to start every day. Clean your desk at the end of every workday, never leave with a stack of papers or anything messy that can start off the next day in a frenzy.

C- Create the top six – Know the six most important items for you to work on, plan your day the night before and do those six items before you do anything else. Planning your day the night before gives your subconscious mind time to figure out how to complete those tasks you want to finish. Some people don’t even allow themselves to check emails or anything else until their top six items are completed. (These are highly productive, successful people!) Start with the top three if six is too much.

U – Use time blocks – Use blocks or chunks of time for specific activities and tasks. Perhaps Monday is creation day, Tuesday’s are networking meetings, Wednesday’s are marketing days, etc. Even within those days you can block your time out even more narrowing down each task throughout the day and then having only a limited number of time to work on an ongoing project. When you block your time and don’t allow interruptions, you can be more focused to get work done more timely.

S – Schedule wisely – schedule appointments according to your schedule, not everyone else’s. If someone wants to see you on a Tuesday, but you only do appointments on Monday, wait until the following week to make that appointment. Schedule everything including email time, working out, lunch, etc. Keep to a schedule and move along from task to task easily and effortlessly.

Consider this… when you are scattered and jumping from one thing to another, you can actually feel dissatisfaction at the end of your workday. True focus is tough. I am surely not perfect at it but getting better and better. I do know how great I feel when I have had a truly focused day.

Sometimes focused work may only be an hour or two, but that hour or two could be leading you to a more prosperous life and business.

Andrea Costantine is the ConsciousPreneur Connection Specialist, helping conscious-minded business owners shift from selling to soulful service by integrating whole person and spiritual marketing strategies. Visit her website for your free ConsciousPreneur Kit today! www.andreacostantine.com.

{October 5, 2009} What Keeps You From Reaching Your Goals by B. Hopkins

Anyone who is driven and wants to accomplish something in their life has goals. The more focused and detailed the goals, the more likely they will be achieved. Our goals are like our destination in a trip, and the detailed game plan is like the road map. With a known destination and a known game plan, then why do some of us get derailed along the way? What is it that stands between us and our goals? We do everything the books say about writing down our goals, but sometimes, we just don’t make them. There are other factors at play when it comes to reaching our goals. Here is one that isn’t commonly mentioned, yet determines how successful we are in reaching our goals.s.
1. Our Highest Priority Doesn’t Match Up With Our Goals

We are always creating our reality or our experiences from our highest priority whether we are conscious of our highest priority or not. If we consciously want something and it is the same as, or very close to, our highest priority, we will always achieve it and very quickly. However if our highest priority is completely the opposite of what our conscious goal is, we will never create what it is that we want because 90% of our creative ability is going against our conscious desires.

This is why vision boards don’t work for some people. Their highest priority goes against what they consciously want. Even though they create a focus of what they want with 10% of their creative power (the conscious mind), the other 90% is in the process of creating something completely different.

2. How Our Highest Priority Works In Our Lives

Our highest priority expresses itself in our lives in both subtle and obvious ways. Suppose someone wants to create a better relationship in their life with their significant other. They may want to reduce the amount of fighting that goes on in the relationship. To improve their relationship, they may read books about what they can do to reduce the fighting, and it may begin to work at first. However, if their subconscious highest priority is to create drama in their life, whether they are conscious of it or not, then either the reduction in fighting won’t last, or there will be some other place in their relationship where turmoil is created. This usually ends up in frustration for that individual, because they are doing all of the things they feel they should be doing, but they are not getting the results they want.

3. What Can We Do About Reaching Our Goals?

Unconditionally looking at our experience means looking at our experience without judgment, blame, shame or guilt. It is just looking at the experience with an innocent eye. No right or wrong, it is what it is. The power of this approach is that you can allow yourself to look at every aspect, and not beat yourself up for anything. It doesn’t mean not being responsible for your role in the experience however. If this situation has caused upset or harm to someone else, you still stand in the responsibility of what you have done to affect them, but you don’t judge yourself as bad or good. Judgments cause lack and loss for all parties involved. From this understanding, you will begin to see patterns in your behaviors and experiences and you will begin to see what your highest priority is. Your awareness is your key to consciously changing your experience.

The concept of your highest priority and how it works in your lives is a powerful one. This article gives you a brief overview of how it affects you in reaching your goals, and to give you insights on how this concept works. While there are other steps that need to be taken to re-align your highest priority to match your goals, this insight gives you a powerful first step. To ground this concept and make it a permanent benefit in your life, you need to follow this insight with HOW TO strategy.

B. Hopkins, an Internet Business Strategist, develops revenue generating web strategies for businesses and also writes on various personal development and personal transformation subjects. To ground the strategies that you have received in this article, invest in the 2 volume course The Choice Is Mine.

Psiphon Consulting
Taking Your Business To New Horizons
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www.psiphonconsulting.com
bhopkins@psiphonconsulting.com
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{October 2, 2009} Hello

Hello my name is Tara and thank you for stopping by Female Friendly Businesses com.

Our goal here is to inspire, educate and empower you with tips, ideas, and resources thru our website & video clips of the week. Did you know that over 85% of all major purchasing decisions in the US are influenced by women? We want to support & recognize companies that understand and respect the buying power of women – companies that are Female Friendly!

So stop by often, print out our money saving coupons, check out our video library, participate in our weekly poll and support our advertisers. Is there a topic you’d like to see? A video you liked and want to see more of? Email us! We hope this website becomes a community of support for women around the US so tell your friends to check out FFB….female friendly businesses .com!

{July 28, 2009} Female Friendly Businesses WomenOf.com

www.FemaleFriendlyBusinesses.com

Joins Tara as she interviews Jamie Roberts, from WomenOf.com. Hear about how Women of is a free magazine that manage to be a green magazine. Find out about how you can get set up with our Media partner WomenOf.com

You can contact Jamie Roberts at:
303-424-9011
WomenOf.com

{July 27, 2009} Female Friendly Businesses Building Strong Business Relationships

www. FemaleFriendlyBusinesses.com

Join Tara as she interviews Karen Saunders from MacGraphics.net. Hear about how Karen builds great business relationships through, contact, cards, and gifts. See how Karen takes a step back from technological marketing methods, to a more simple, yet effective; form of marketing.

You can contact Karen at:
MacGraphics.net
SendOutCards.com
303-680-2330S