De-Clutter Project 2014 - Week 2

Note to self: Do not purchase any more shampoo, conditioner, face cream or shower gel for the foreseeable future.

I decided to clear out and reorganize the bathroom cabinets this week. They were packed full of those products, LOTS of those products! I obviously have been unable to pass up a good sale on these items for quite some time.

I also found so many expired products (vitamins, analgesic rub, peroxide) that it was frightening. Into the garbage bag they went, along with the empty or dried out jars of face cream! All the nail polish got tossed out too, I don’t even wear nail polish anymore! And if I don’t use nail polish, why do I have nail polish remover (which only causes me to have an instant asthma attack)?

Here is the before and after photo of one of the cabinets above my sink.

Before

After

What area do you intend to tackle this week? What do you think you will find? More importantly, what will you do with it?

Social Media Tools - Twitter

I have to admit that Twitter is still a bit of an enigma to me. Even after attending a small business seminar on how to use it to promote your business, it is still one of the less utilized tools I use. I think that needs to change this year. I’ve read many articles online extolling the virtues and benefits of Twitter as a business strategy that works.

My Twitter username (or handle) is @jasper_moon. Jasper Moon is the name of my company. If you type that into the search box, my name/company comes up. That is what you want, for people to be able to find you. Keep it simple and straight forward. If your name is Mary Smith and your company name is Mary & Co., don’t have a username like @shopgirl. No one will ever discover you and the fantastic products you offer, defeating your whole purpose.

When tweeting (sending a message/post) on Twitter, use hashtags whenever you can. A hashtag is a word or an unspaced phrase prefixed with the hash symbol (#). You will notice words in messages on social networking services such as Facebook, Google Plus, Instagram, Twitter, etc. that may be tagged by putting "#" before them.

Hashtags make it possible to group such messages, allowing you to search for the hashtag and get the set of messages that contain it. Please note, hashtags are not linked or connected to pictures or messages from different platforms.

So, when I type #prayerbeads into the Twitter search, I see other people who are talking about prayer beads on Twitter and can connect with (Follow) them if I want. Hopefully, they will follow me back. The more followers you have, the more exposure you get. And look, there is my recent tweet about a set of prayer beads that I have listed on Etsy.

But how to get more Followers? For starters, make sure your profile is complete with an avatar that shows your face or company logo and a solid bio or description.

You should have a minimum of one tweet per day, ideally three to five posts per day to maximize your visibility. Make sure you're tweeting on a variety of subjects and not just your personal thoughts or what you're doing at the moment.

Talk about your hobbies and interests, share a piece of insightful advice, a great tutorial you found and the occasional sales pitch for your products. Post interesting links on current events. Post pictures, videos and even sound clips here and there can make your posts more fun to follow.

Embrace digital platforms, like Twitter, and discover new ways to engage your customers, sell your goods, and spread your message.

Social Media Tools - Facebook

Of all the social media platforms available, Facebook is the one that I use the most. I have two business pages, Jasper Moon and Jasper Moon PrayerBeads. The first one is dedicated to the company as a whole and the second one specifically to the prayer bead product line.

Facebook is a great place to introduce your brand and products, and to develop a sense of community. With over one billion people around the world on this forum, your outreach could be phenomenal. But how do you tap into this pool of potential customers successfully?

Posting regularly is one of the main keys to success. Add content at least once a day. Do not flood your page with sales pitches, people will get tired of that very quickly. Include other material that you think will be of interest to your customers. It does not have to be directly related to your core business; quotes, tutorials, interesting events, other business pages, blog posts, etc.

Visuals generate more engagement, so be sure to include a photo with all your posts. Always ensure you have the legal rights to share the image though. By upgrading your photography skills and taking your own pictures, you will not run into any copyright issues.

Posts should be written in a friendly and informative fashion. Respond to customer enquiries and comments in a timely manner. It demonstrates that you are dedicated to their overall satisfaction with your products and services.

Facebook keeps track of how often people interact with your page and that determines how many people will see them. Did you know that not even all your fans will see all your posts? Track your results and refine your strategy as you go. Find what works best for you.

Be sure to include a call to action in your posts whenever possible. Ask your readers to respond in some way (like, comment or share). Get their opinion on new product offerings. Find out what new items they are interested in. Ask for their input and constructive criticism.

Embrace digital platforms, like Facebook, and discover new ways to engage your customers, sell your goods, and spread your message.

Focus on Life: Week 1

Week One: The Minimalist Photograph

Capture an image using a single subject.

As each new year approaches, we take time to reflect on the previous twelve months, trying to assess our wins and losses. We find ourselves living with regrets of unfulfilled resolutions, time lost and opportunities passed by.

Then, the process of renewal begins. We start to set goals and expectations for the coming year. And while the goals and resolutions we set are noble and good, they are often unattainable. We set ourselves up to fail, once again.

This year, let’s not over-estimate our capabilities and level of commitment. Select fewer goals, ones that are not so lofty and can be realistically achieved. Set yourself up to win this year.

Take the minimalist approach and you will find that ‘less’ ends up being ‘more’. More success, more pride in your accomplishments, more happiness. Let 2014 be your best year yet!

If you enjoy photography and would like to join this year long challenge, you can still register to participate at The Sublime Studio. Thanks to Sally Russick for organizing this event again this year.

De-Clutter Project 2014 - Week 1

Welcome to the De-Clutter Project 2014. This is the year that I intend to get control of my house again. A big part of the process is to give, donate or trash a good portion of all the stuff I've accumulated over the years.

Each week on Wednesday, I will post a status update. I hope that a few of you will join me on this journey and share your de-clutter experiences, both the highs and the lows. Let's help each other keep on track.

This week, I've been tackling the 'thing in the hall'. Basically, it's a vertical, multi-drawer junk drawer. You won't believe everything that I found in there!

There were cables and cords from electronic devices I no longer own, along with widgets and thingamajigs that I don't even remember what they were for. The broken bits got trashed immediately. Those items that are possibly useful to someone else got tossed in the donate box. I kept only those that were relevant to my current needs, like extensions cords and a battery charger. They could come in handy.

I came across sewing patterns for things I know that I will likely never make. Why did I buy them in the first place? I don't have an answer for you, but I'll bet that you have stuff like that around your house too. You have no idea what possessed you to buy them in the first place, let alone store them in the second place. The unwanted patterns went into the donation box also.

What area do you intend to tackle this week? What do you think you will find? More importantly, what will you do with it?