carennedy

As I mentioned in my last email I'm reading "Everyone Wins the Re/max strory," and the story of the balloon has really stuck with me this past week. What started out as just a gimmick, the word re/max on a hot air ballon, turned into a logo that stood for something larger with staying power. We've all seen gimmicks, thought them up, only to have them come, go and fall flat. So why do some gimmicks work and others don't? If you've ever worked a trade show you'll know that they are expensive... Read Full Story

Advertising is about distinguishing yourself to the marketplace by telling your story, are you effectively telling your story visually? At home News our visual message to our market is simple, a woman receiving her mail from her local Canada Post mailman. It tells the market (mainly Realtors) what makes us different - Our real estate magazine is delivered into the hands of homeowners by Canada Post. That is our differentiating story. To see pic: http://www.thehomenews.ca/ Presently, I am... Read Full Story

One of the big questions Realtors have is how to differentiate themselves. They are not alone, all businesses have to answer that question and then determine how to communicate that difference to the marketplace and stand out. When it comes to their product it is an easy answer, every home is different, even the so called cookie cutter homes. However when they need to answer the question about themselves and their services it gets hard because it is a personal answer. If you want to... Read Full Story

I've been meeting with a lot of Realtors in the area to talk about advertising in the Home News and one item keeps coming up.... How to get a RESPONSE to an ad. I've been reading and thinking about this topic and wanted to share some ideas with you which I hope you can use. In going back into the history of modern advertising, back to one of its founding fathers, Claude C. Hopkins and his Scientific approach to advertising I was reminded about the effectiveness of Samples. In 1923 he wrote a... Read Full Story

Today is the first day of my new career! Its been a long road of searching, false starts and huge expenses but the day is finally here where I start new. A month ago I joined MFP and one of my first blog posts was about a horrible day I had interviewing for a job. It was a dark day but I learned from it and I made sure the next time I went into the city for an interview I took the right suit with me in a garment bag and changed in a hotel washroomthere before I went to the interview. Gave... Read Full Story

Written a month ago: I really need to get it together so that I am a confident and put together successful looking person. I've been looking for work off and on for the last two years and today I had yet another job interview. When interviewing for a job everything needs to go perfect. Well today was one of those days where everything goes wrong and yet you still have to perform at your best. I've eaten so much the last 4 years that I don't fit into any of my power business suits anymore and... Read Full Story

As many bored housewives suffering from isolation and minor depression I have eaten myself into a hefty size 18.  My mother is always after me to eat better and exercise..... today she sent me a link to the My Fitness Pal website and I have drank the Kool Aid (sugar free) as the saying goes.  I have linked to my mother's account so she can see my progress. I must be a glutton for punishment because it means she'll now see every bit of chocolate I eat and every time I drink a sugar laden Coke... Read Full Story

On Average Canadians spent 10% of their income on food - If that is true then our family is below average.  On average we spend approx 27% of our household income on groceries and the weekly bill keeps rising.  As a single income household in the Greater Vancouver area, it isn't easy to make ends meet at the best of times, but with the cost of essentials: food, gas, & housing, rising it is even harder.  In order to make ends meet I've started making our bread because store prices are just too... Read Full Story

I have ants all around my house and I don't mean my mother's sisters, I mean the tiny 6 legged little black insect pest type ants.  They are in my garden and like to harvest aphid honeydew on my raspberries, which is all together gross.  A few have found their way into our house and now that I'm planting a bigger garden it was time to get serious.  I tried over the counter ant dusts, ant traps, ant glue traps, ant sprays, I tried almost every product on the shelf and they weren't deterred or... Read Full Story

My parents are in town, which for me is always a blessing.  My mom cooks, cleans and spends time with the kids, virtually leaving me with little to do.  It's nice to have the around for conversation and company since I'm usually going insane with the solitude of my life.  Yesterday I re potted my seedlings for the vegetable garden, I have way too many tomato plants, and started some more seeds.  Another month or so and I should be able to plant everything outside and get the smell of dirt out... Read Full Story