Smart Savers

During the first few weeks of homeownership, you'll no doubt be getting to know your local home center very well. Trolling the aisles, considering upgrades that come with built-in savings on your utility and water bills... let's talk about savings.

1. Low-impact laundry
2. Savvy power strip
3. Energy saving lightbulbs
4. Ultra-efficient fridge
5. Water-wise shower-head

One of our favorites is The Duet from Whirlpool. Washes and dries a load in a mere 30-minutes and can save you $100+ a year in energy costs. The front-loading washer uses three-quarters less water and about 80 percent less energy than the average top loader, while the dryer can cut energy usage by 40 percent. About $2,800 for both, and I highly recommend the pedestals.

Stop costly "vampire" energy drains with this power strip. Once the designated main device in the blue outlet, say a TV set, is turned off, the strip automatically shuts power to peripherals (in the white outlets), such as the DVD player or stereo--saving up to 72 percent of wasted energy. Items that shouldn't be turned off regularly like a cable box, plug into the red outlets..

A CFL can save around $30 in electricity costs over the bulb's lifetime. GE's new miniaturized versions fit any incandescent fixture and look more like old-fashioned bulbs (equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent) should last 8,000 hours!!

Using less energy than a 60-watt bulb, the Resource Saver side-by-side refrigerator from Whirlpool (another favorite) exceeds federal energy efficiency standards by 30 percent. AND it doesn't skimp on the extras. A fast cool button can handle hot leftovers, while an ice dispenser and removable bin on the freezer door maximize storage space.

By law, low-flow shower-heads deliver a max of two and a half gallons per minute. But the smart soaker delivers an ultra-conserving but still satisfying one and a half gallons per minute. Four large nozzles deliver a steady, even spray while a plastic chip gizmo borrowed from high-end windshield-washer nozzles "oscillates" the spray to make the drops seem fuller. Score.

What are you watching for? Take advantage of these huge smart money savers!   

Move-In Makeovers

Congratulations on your new place! As you begin getting situated and unpacking those boxes, how about we talk about a dozen or more ways to spruce up the place?

The walls may have been freshened up prior to your move-in, but what about the built-in furniture, window treatments, and fixtures--or lack thereof?

One of the easiest ways to give new wood an aged look is by applying dark glaze or gel stain as instructed on the label. Let dry, then repeat with a lighter, warmer-toned stain. Once dry, top with a clear protective finish.

How about hanging shades with a natural look? Neutral wood or woven grass window coverings easily blend in with the most decor, and they screen out harsh sun, keeping the room cooler.

Highlight the inside of a bookcase or glass-front cupboard by brushing on semigloss paint in a bold hue, like a bright blue or vibrant red to make the shelved collections pop!

Install vintage-looking fixtures, such as a ceiling fan to add more atmosphere and to lover summer cooling costs, and reverse the blades' spin in winter to circulate warmed air.

Upgrade your address! Draw curbside attention with bright, bold house numbers at least three inches high. Metal, ceramic, design, what ever your style or neighborhood allows.

Add carved corbels underneath an island countertop to add bling to your breakfast bar. Check salvage yards for Victorian-era ones with a warm patina.

Add your distinctive touch to your kitchen or the island in your kitchen. To give the island a more custom furniture look, change run-of-mill hardware for something more dazzling; such as colored glass, themed knobs, or other creative handles--leave the existing pulls on the wall cabinets (unless they need to be replaced!) to create a contrast.

Tuck a window seat into an alcove by supporting a 3/4-inch plywood seat on 2x6 hanging strips anchored into walls. Simply glue and nail in place plywood dividers to create cubbies, and face the assembly with 1x4 poplar, and paint.

Turn your sink into a prep space! Measure the length and width of the opening, adding half an inch to each side. Trim cutting board to size, and remove half inch of material around the edges to create an underside lip so that it rests securely on the countertop.

Paint your porch ceiling sky blue! Haven't you been to Vegas? Create a more spacious feeling simply by painting the ceiling blue--you can even sponge paint clouds if you're feeling froggy!

Turn a closet (or pantry) into a home office. Been there, done that. The space's width and depth often offer a perfect fit for stock cabinets and a desk you have on hand. Trim the opening to match the molding in the rest of the room.

Put coasters on a table for dual-purpose dining and food preparation surface in a small kitchen.

Swap in a cross-handle faucet to warm up a bathroom. A compact, centerset design--for basins with holes spaced four inches apart--preserves countertop space and looks beautiful!

Enjoy your new place! I hope you make the house a home in no time:)

Lawn Care

Did you close on a new house that needs a new lawn?

Whether you recently received keys to a new house, or simply discovered you have a green thumb, the following tips will revive any yard and will be ready for bare feet and BBQ's in no time!

Test your soil. A soil test takes the guesswork out of lawn care. I lets you know the pH as well as the availability and precise quantities of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. You can contact your state cooperative extension office, which will do the test for around $20, by going here.

Fertilize. There's no formula for springtime, and it all depends on your soil and grass type. A soil test will offer clues as to what you should add, and a gardening center can assist you interpret. Opt for a slow-release organic fertilizer.

Watch you calcium! Up to 90 percent of lawn weeds are linked to a lack of calcium in soil. The ideal calcium-to-magnesium ratio is 7 to 1. If yours falls short of that goal, spread high-calcium time over your lawn to increase its ability to absorb nitrogen and synthesize proteins, robbing weeds of food!

Add organic matter... Early-season grass benefits from compost. Apply a half-inch layer over your lawn, and rake it into the surface. Finished compost should smell earthy and slightly sweet; avoid using compost that is still steaming, which indicates it is not yet fully decomposed! One yard will cover 600 square feet.

Time to fix your mower! Dull mower blades tear grass rather than cut it clean, leaving ragged tips that invite illnesses to flourish. Holding the blade in a vise, sharpen it with long, smooth strokes using a Dremel blade sharpener or a 10-inch mill bastard file, following the manufacturer's instructions for the proper angle. Sharpen the blade after every 10 hours of use.

Let the grass grow ..a litte! Keep it at three to three and a half inches tall all season so that the grass blades shade out weed seeds and the soil reducing evaporation. Come fall, crop it tight! 

Remember...

Happy landscaping! =)

Paint Like a Pro

What you should know before you pop the lid... 

It is AMAZING how painting a wall or room in a dull space completely revamps it in a very inexpensive successful way.

In this post we will give you the tips you need to know if you're contemplating painting your walls. We'll also discuss how color creates a mood, and help you choose what is best for you.

First, you will need to pick your paint type. Water-soluble latex is very DIY-friendly because it cleans up with soap and water--and dries fairly quickly. Oil paint generally dries slowly and requires mineral spirits for cleanup, but it hardens into a very durable finish.

Second, you'll need to pick your sheen. Flat and low-luster paints five a rougher surface that hides flaws, whereas glossier finishes highlight imperfections while forming a smoother, more wear-resistant surface that can stand up to high traffic and moisture (IE: kitchen or bathroom).

Third, you'll want to start with good tools. Look for brushes with bristles that are tapered, split, and arranged in multiple lengths to form a slim tip. A mix of nylon and polyester will hold and release latex paint particularly well, while natural bristles work best with oil-based paints. With rollers, match the nap to the surface texture : 3/8-inch to 1/2-inch nap for most drywall.

Fourth, you should invest in quality. Cheaper paints and primers swap more pigment for costlier resin, so they cover walls well when wet, but show bare spots as they dry. Quality primers will adhere to glossy painted or stained surfaces without sanding, ultimately saving you time and money.

Fifth, is all about prepping. To make your project(s) easier, take the time to clear out the room and cover floors, fixtures, and furniture with drop cloths. Spackle any visible damages in your drywall, scuff-sand the surfaces to be painted, and vacuum up all the dust. Wipe down the ceilings, walls, and trip with a damp sponge, and then prime the entire surface.

Sixth, cut in using 2 1/2-inch angled brush to paint the border of the area you're working on. Framing in your field this way buffers the roller from mussing adjacent surfaces (This brings back memories!).

Seventh, learn to lay off... After you have rolled a section, make a series of long vertical strokes up the full length of the wall, moving in one direction (left or right). This last step, called laying off, will distribute wet paint in a nice, even layer.

And finally, our Eighth tip is to score carefully. If you've masked off the baseboards with painter's tape, pull it off the same day you paint--but first run a putty-knife blade held at a 45-degree angle along the edge so you don't accidentally pull away any paint (This also brings back memories!).

Thanks guys--All that is great, but what about a color?! 

Colors in your home are personal--but every hue sends universal signals.

What are your walls saying?   



Red: Intense and high energy, red represents PASSION, with a touch of danger, and even aggression. Red is known to stimulate both appetite and conversation, which is why it is a dining room favorite.

Yellow: Sunny, vibrantly bright. Yellow stimulates creativity and makes people happy, increasing attentiveness. A very natural choice for kitchens, and makes for great pops of color.

Blue: Tranquil, calming, and refreshing; the cool feeling of Blue sets a relaxing tone and is ideal for bedrooms and bathrooms. Pale, soft gray-blues are easiest to use on walls, while brighter or even deeper blues work well as accents. You want to be careful with blue, especially in small spaces, so definitely test out numerous colors or utilize those color swatches!!

Green: This soothing hue represents nature and renewal. The balance of warm (yellow) and cool (blue) makes the versatility of Green easy to live with.

Play with the different hues of green, as the pale soft greens are just as beautiful as the brighter or deeper hues. Play with you space and have fun deciding on your colors.

One last tip: Paint ingredients contain volatile organic compounds that off-gas, creating that familiar paint small and a potential health hazard. Look for low or zero-VOC paints! 

The Power of Yellow

The Power of Red

The Power of Blue

The Power of Green

Happy Painting!

   

The Importance of Curb Appeal

Want to earn some bragging rights regarding your wonderful humble abode? Let's talk about curb appeal.

Whether you just bought your house or you've been living in it for years, it obviously has a solid foundation and good bones--or you wouldn't have bought it, right?

While pride of ownership is always important, so is appealing details such as nicely finished shutters, or that white picket fence you've been dreaming of since you were who knows how young.

Let's discuss some of the things that may need immediate attention or even those things years and years away from--it's worth keeping track of the first impression check-list.

• Highlight with paint. Channel your inner architectural-self and set off those details and textures your home has with different colored paint. Lose the mundane and monotone palette by bringing definition, and choosing neighborhood approriate colors and tastefully enhance your homes character. 

• Spruce up the siding.  Tend to clapboards, shingles, or masonry sheathing to ensure they are in top condition. They add color, texture, and polish your home's exterior. 

• Perk up windows. You can easily trim windows in a contrasting color to the siding, or add window boxes and/or shutters to highlight them and accentuate a homey-look. Breaking up the facade in creative way generates interest. 

• Liven up the landscaping! Plant layers of greenery and bright blooms--along the walk, in hanging pots, in window boxes, etc. There is nothing more beautiful than being greeted by a cheery landscaped home. 
• VIP; Red Carpet. Roll out the red carpet by creating a welcoming walk to your front door with brick or stone pavers flanked by plantings, and the steps your guests take to get to your entrance will be a beautiful event. 

• Play up the porch... Replace any metals, bars, or poles with neighborhood appropriate columns or posts, repaint railings, and lay wood over a concrete slab to warm up a porch or portico. If you don't have one, simply collect ideas and add to it over the course of time until you can afford it. 

• Tend to the roof! Keep close tabs on the condition of your wood shakes, asphalt, shingles, or tiles to ensure they're in good repair. Not only does the roof protect all the other architectural details, it is very visible!

Whether you are preparing to sell your home or merely want to enjoy it to its full potential, remember curb appeal is always important as it reflects your homes first impression. 

We hope this post was helpful, please visit us anytime at PedersonProperties.com

Here are a few more Curb Appeal Photos for your viewing:

Your New Home...

Congratulations! 

You finally found a place that is or will soon become your dream home! 

Hmm.. what's the number for the locksmith?! 

That question among many other questions are probably running through your mind and while that is of course the first order of business on move-in day, Pederson Properties is here to help out with the rest.

Have a look at our First-day Check List, which will hopefully be of additional help to you in this exciting yet overwhelming time in your life.After completing everything in the list, you will be well on your way to bigger and better improvements to make your dream a reality. From up-dating fixtures, to painting walls like a pro, we can help you make smart decisions and show you how to do it yourself--the right way.

• Change dead bolts on exterior doors. You can watch a how-to video on installing one: here.

• Locate the water shutoff valve. You'll be happy to know where it is in an emergency!

• Test circuit breakers. To avoid overloading circuits, plug in lamps or radios and switch off one circuit at a time so that you know which outlets are connected to the same circuit. Label each breaker-box switch accordingly if it hasn't been done already. 

• Install new (or test existing) smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. For tips or to learn more about how to choose or where to place these detectors click here. 

• If you hired professional movers, unpack TVs, computers, and other electronics to make sure everything is 1) still there and 2) damage-free. You may have a limited time to file an insurance claim and will want to protect your belongings.

• Plug in night-lights around the stairs and in bathrooms to avoid stumbles, trips, falls, and undesired bruises! Your new home is an unfamiliar space in the dark for the time being--ease into, don't bang into it! 

 

Nationwide Open Houses June 4th - 5th

Nearly half of all home buyers visit open houses during their home search. This weekend, those numbers may swell as buyers across the nation take advantage of the Realtor® Nationwide Open House, June 4-5.

“Realtors® bring value to home buyers and sellers, and this weekend, Realtors® are bringing them together through the Realtor® Nationwide Open House,” said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. “The event will give consumers the chance to find out more about home ownership, allow buyers to pursue their dream of owning a home, and give Realtors® an opportunity to connect with consumers about the housing issues that matter most in their area.”

During the weekend of June 4-5, Realtors® will hold open houses in local neighborhoods throughout the country, as well as across the globe. Over 300 Realtor® associations are participating in the event, along with NAR global partners in Canada, Denmark, France, Israel, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. During the weekend Realtors® will be on hand to provide guidance and insights into the social and financial benefits of home ownership.

According to a recent nationwide Pew Research Center survey, eight in 10 adults agree that buying a home is the best long-term investment a person can make. In addition, a strong majority of renters – 81 percent – said they would prefer to one day buy a home, demonstrating the value Americans continue to place on home ownership.

“There’s a reason owning a home is called the American Dream,” said Phipps. “Home ownership benefits individuals and families, strengthens our communities, and is integral to our nation’s economy. We hope that everyone who aspires to become a home owner will come out this weekend, not only to learn about the homes for sale in their local market, but also to find out more about how current and future public policies may affect their ability to achieve and sustain home ownership, now and in the future.”

To find open houses in your area, visit www.Realtor.com and search for open houses in the Realtor® Nationwide Open House Weekend box on the home page. The special search function will be available beginning today; June 3.

Do's and Don'ts

We believe it is always a great reminder, brushing up on the Doʻs & Donʻts of a Professional REALTOR®. While this post is mostly directed to fellow REALTORS®, it is by all means a useful tidbit for Buyers, and Sellers as well. And please, add to the list if youʻd like!

REALTOR® Professionals DO NOT:

Showings:

• Show without an appointment
• Contact Seller directly unless directed by Listing Broker to do so
• Leave trash in/on/around property
• Smoke or allow smoking in/around property
• Allow children to wander
• Fail to cancel, or call, if late or unable to show
• Discuss price, etc. in front of Seller
• Talk to Seller about potential contract terms while showing
• Rearrange furniture and leave it that way
• Leave doors unlocked, windows open, alarm unset etc.
• Forget to leave a business card
• Fail to set thermostate at arrival setting

Offers to Purchase and Contracts:

• Hold offer to purchase... to present at your convenience
• Hold offer to purchase... waiting for another offer
• Alter contract yourself
• Inform another agent that property is "under contract" until signatures of all parties have been obtained
• Divulge contents of offer to purchase to another agent prior to closing
• Do not pursue asking for the amount when agent calls with an offer

Courtesy:

• Disparage publicly another agent of firmʻs business practiceʻs by word or deed
• Intrude when another agent is showing
• Call to say you have an offer to purchase unless you have it in writing
• Neglect to call Seller to make appointment for another agent if showing is through Listing agent
• Communicate any conflict between brokers and agents to buyers or sellers
• Offer a property at any price or terms not outlined in writing by Seller
• Allow lock box key out of your possession
• Solicit a future listing on a currently listed property (no matter how well you know the parties; including personal friends or relatives)

Signs:

• Placing for sale signs on properties not listed for sale
• Placing signs on right of ways
• Signs without company name
• False advertising
• Ignoring local sign ordinances

Complaints CAN be Filed:

• For unlicensed activity
• Against a licensed individual
• An ethics complaint against a REALTOR® - Call the Association of REALTORS® Office
• An arbitration complaint against a REALTOR® - Call the Association of REALTORS® Office

REALTOR® Professionals DO:

Showings:

• Follow instructions when showing listings/making appointments
• Arrive on time
• Leave your business card
• Turn off all lights upon departure (unless noted otherwise)
• Close drapes/curtains/blinds upon departure (unless noted otherwise)
• Check and lock all doors upon departure
• Call Sellers or Sellers agent to inform if appointment cancelled
• Refrain from smoking in/on/around property
• Use sidewalks - avoid walking through landscape
• Qualify Buyers prior to showing
• Report suspicious odors, broken locks, windows, etc. to listing agent and/or office
• Leave thermostat at setting upon arrival
• Wait outside when another agent is showing property

Offers to Purchase and Contracts:

• Present all offers (in the order received) immediately and at a reasonable time of day
• Selling agent may be present when presenting offer with approval of Seller
• Prepare qualifying information for Listing agent
• Allow privacy for listing agent and Seller to discuss terms of offer
• Specify in writing what stays with the property
• Fill out all forms pertaining to contract and provide enough copies for everyone
• Have changes changes to the offer initialed by all parties
• Leave a copy of contract and other forms with Buyers and Sellers when their signatures or initials are obtained
• Provide copy of final contract to all parties after all signatures are obtained, before time runs out or contract is void
• Assist Buyers with loan application
• Notify listing agent when loan is approved

Courtesy:

• Identify yourself immediately when calling another agent, office, or setting up showing appointments
• Divulge all pertinent information to Selling agent
• Give explicit directions by street name and number
• Fill out Listing form with every detail which is ascertainable... you owe it to your Clients
• Have access to property with key and any necessary instructions for showing
• Return keys to listing office promptly if borrowed
• Make calls during normal business hours to other REALTOR® if possible
• Leave clear messages so agents can return your call with required information
• Respect other agentsʻ "family time" in mornings and evenings
• Get involved in local board activities and become familiar with fellow REALTORS® and Affiliate Members
• Participate in Association annual elections
• Comply with the MLS Rules and Regulations including timely and accurate information on all listings
• Remember the REALTORS® Code of Ethics and "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Always have your License available to show. It is a felony to Practice Real Estate WITHOUT a License.

We hope you appreciate the above hints and tips to better Real Estate practices... We encourage you to add to this list of Doʻs and Donʻts as this list seems to be never ending in this industry! So please, leave a comment, and add your two cents:)

And if you havenʻt already, please connect with us on..

Facebook and Twitter

Cyber Crimes; Protect Your Enterprise

The other day we received an email from Bank of America with an alarming subject line prompting any receptive human to open it. Us? We deleted it. Why? Because we donʻt even bank with B of A!!! Weird. Why would Bank of America be sending me critical news about my accounts that I must adhere to forthwith if… when I donʻt even HAVE accounts there. Whew!

Cyber Scams. Theyʻre real. And theyʻre in your inbox. Donʻt get caught like Derrick Jane did when he opened an email from who he thought was from UPS. He clicked on the attachment, which was supposed to be his package information and now he if fighting to keep his Southern California escrow company afloat.

These cyber fraudsters are creating believable email messages with malicious intent, causing unnecessary havoc in innocent lives. The virus Jane inherited through this email that went straight into his computers hard drive snatched all of his online banking passwords etc. and helped itself to hundreds of thousands of dollars via wire transfer.

Owning a small or large business can be tough, what ever your industry may be, especially when it comes to stealth like entrapments from sophisticated spammers. These types of stunts have been targeting corporations, and with increased incidents; thus awareness is now crucial. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. says such fraud has resulted in millions of dollars in losses, frayed business relationships, and countless legal battles between banks and businesses.

Smaller companies make particularly favorable targets because they are thought to be with out sophisticated technology, security and/or manpower to keep watch on things or even prosecute. An alarming truth of the matter is banks have little to no incentive to upgrade their online banking security since they’re generally not liable for losses in the case of a breach, as they are with consumer accounts.

James Woodhill, chairman and founder of Washington, D.C.-based Authentify Inc. said that under the 1978, Electronic Funds Transfer Act, banks ARE responsible for keeping consumer accounts safe from online fraud… But no similar laws are on the books for business accounts. "The thinking is, those who are sophisticated enough to manage a business account are sophisticated enough to manage their own security," says Thomas Tauzin, vice president of Capitol Hill Consulting Group.

Thank God that way of thinking is starting to change…

In our broke state of California, a proposed bill would require banks with online banking services to boost security, in part by requiring them to use "out-of-band" verification that uses a channel other than the Web—most typically, the phone—to approve wire transfers.

The federal government is waking up to this issue as well. A proposed bill would extend banks’ liability under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act to include public entities such as schools and municipalities. That would be an important first step for small businesses because it acknowledges that banks share responsibility for fraudulent wire transfers.

Some banks do offer online fraud protection as part of their service package to small businesses; however if your bank doesn’t offer that, major insurance carriers offer protection and we strongly advise you look into that for the sake of your enterprise. Travelers, for instance, combines coverage for electronic funds transfer fraud with coverage for computer fraud. Check with your existing provider or contact an insurance broker immediately, as what is more important than your money?

Jane (which is not his real name; he asked to remain anonymous) is currently in litigation with his bank to seek complete or partial repayment for this nightmare.

"I was floored that the bank wasn’t accountable at all," he says. "Once I alerted them, they cut down all communication with me. I couldn’t access the account. They just said, 'I hope you have insurance.'"

Are you kidding me?!?! …Nope. Call your bank today. If theyʻre not your friend, why should you be theirs??

Reduce Your Risks: Tips to Avoid Internet Fraud

Talk to your bank. Especially before opening a new account, ask the bank how it prevents cyber theft and whether it will cover losses for business clients. If yes, ask your banker to sign an agreement to that effect, Tauzin says. "That kind of proactive stance is what will help motivate banks to get serious about cyber theft of their business customers." And as youʻve heard us say over and over…and over in previous posts; “If itʻs not in writing, it didnʻt happen..” So simple. Invite your Bank Representative in your signature party. Itʻll be fun.

Keep tabs on your account. Check your online bank account daily, weekly, monthly; REGULARLY, regardless of whether you performed banking activity. And change your banking passwords on a regular basis. We change ALL of our passwords every 30 days. Excessive. Yes, but secure.

Think before you click. Attachments loaded with malicious software can steal online banking credentials from your computer, weʻre aware of this now. Be cautious about opening ANY attachment(s), clicking on links, or downloading files from an email. Pay attention to VERBIAGE in the body of the message, and more importantly? Know who youʻre doing business with! We consider any and all email from Bank of America to be SPAM! Why? Because we donʻt do ANY business with them!

Confirm that your security software is active and current. At a minimum, your computer should have antivirus and antispyware software and an active firewall. If you suspect your computer is infected, stop shopping, banking, and other online activities that involve user names, passwords, and other sensitive information. In fact, keep your personal life out of your business life. Clear your caches, cookies, and everything else starting from scratch. Set up your company’s computers where certain sites are blocked, especially sites that are prone fore phishing.

This is preventable, consider this your warning!

The importance of Twitter

It may sound unprofessional or techy, but next time you're at work, in a meeting/at a conference, out to lunch, or even in a classroom, ask the person next to you if they tweet.

Take that statement as you may, but both colleagues &students need to understand and utilize the power of Twitter. It's probably fair to assume most college students don't have an active Twitter account or know what Twitter is. So the battle of bringing people to "the light side" starts with knowing what this tool is.

According to Twitter.com, "Twitter is a real-time information network, powered by people all around the world, that lets you share and discover what's happening now."

By limiting the number of characters (only 140 can be used) one can "tweet," information much faster than in a news article or television broadcast. (Just give us the gist--we don't have time to read a dissertation--nor do we want to! Cliff Notes please!)

Students' use of social media tools outside of Facebook is drawing critics and supporters, and both have strong arguments. On one hand, there is an argument that people don't need another website to distract them from "real-life," although the common response from students is that it is stupid and only for geeks. (uhh, super smart & innovative geeks, then!)

Anyone who says the latter has never heard the expression that they will work for one of those geeks someday. Not to mention the young entrepreneurs that brought us myspace, facebook, twitter, etc.

When you boil it down, it's not about being a geek, or being ignorant, but about building a post-collegiate future. The reason Twitter is such a great tool for students breaks down to three main points: marketing, breaking information and finding a job. Wouldn't you agree those same points relate perfectly to those owning their own business, or work for a company that would greatly benefit from these outlets of "online exposure"... We think so!

Marketing

The most asked question on any twitter message board is, "how do I get more followers?"

The answer is to follow people on Twitter. There is an un-written rule in Twitter that if someone follows you, you follow them back. This allows more people to see your tweets, in turn getting information to more people. Follow by genre or topic. Get sucked in to Twitter by reading the status updates if you will.

When it comes to starting a new business, the best way to create a buzz is to have an active Twitter account with as many followers as possible. Our opinion would be to follow the top 500 tweeple (found here @PedersonPR_ ) Granted there aren't 500 tweeple in that list (yet), but every Twitter User is a catalyst for your purposes of being on Twitter. You should be following these innovators even if they don't follow you back; however we can guarantee more than 50% of them WILL follow you back. Also? When you do sign up with Twitter? Make sure you fill out the Name, Website, Location, & Bio area of your profile... this usually differentiates you from Twitter Spammers, especially if you're lacking any tweets. People need to know you're REAL!

Breaking information

On Feb. 10 a staff member at Inskip Elementary School in Knoxville, Tenn., shot and injured the school's principal and assistant principal. So what does this have to do with Twitter?

During the shootings, the first report of it happening was not in a newspaper, radio show or news broadcast, but a tweet.

Imagine if something on the level of a Virgina Tech shooting or some other emergency happened on your campus. Twitter would spread this information faster than anything else.

Finding a job

In 2008, Mark Luckie, journalism blogger and author of "The Digital Journalist's Handbook," sent a tweet from his account (@10000words) saying, "I JUST GOT LAID OFF. Anybody have a job?"

By marketing his twitter account, this message was passed on by a few followers and eight months later, Mark was hired as a multimedia producer at the Center for Investigative Reporting. He now has OVER 11,000 followers. How's his online presence?!!

So the question is; "Are you on Twitter?" . ...If you aren't, you should be! You're missing out! Get an online presence..if not for you, your company! And if not now, WHEN!???

If you have any questions, please ASK US!!