The Power of I, Secret #2

In our new project, The Power of I, we will show you the importance of "Personal Branding." Your branding does not stop at the office door. It permeates every aspect of your business, including your personal appearance, attitude and habits, as well as those of your employees. You are a walking billboard for your company and you must conduct yourself accordingly in order to protect your intended brand image.

Putting a face to your name is a great way to gain new clients and connect with old ones, but relying on that Glamour Shot you had taken eight years ago is probably not a good idea. It's important to keep your professional photographs current so your clients can actually recognize you. I know it can be hard to let go of the past as we forge ahead into the future, but an inaccurate or poorly shot photo can do more harm than good. So, if it has been years since you had a head shot taken put that on your to do list for 2010. We love the more casual looking shots.

Window Fashion Vision - Runway Model Project - Naughty in Pink

I chose to interpret this colorful Christian Dior Haute Couture design literally, starting with the racy part - the black tulle, using that as the sheer undercurtain in my treatment. The cowl neckline embellished with silk flowers became a swag, dressing puddled panels for lots of drama against the white woodwork and charcoal wall. Sinuous cascades lined in black stand in for the slim sleeves and gloves, while opposite, electric blue feathers were transformed into decorative tassels. And supporting it all, a specially turned silver leafed wood pole mimics the Tahitian gray pearl necklace. (click on image to enlarge)

Window Fashion Vision - Runway Model Project (Blue Dress)

This photograph of a runway model was only one of the inspirations for an article in the September/October issue of Windows Fashion Vision magazine. Several of the Minutes Matter team submitted designs. Look for Merlyn's, Anna's and Laureen's post coming in the next couple of days. What a fun project!

Casey and I worked together on this project. We both love working on cool designs for an office. I guess it's a passion for us since we spend so much time in our offices, we want that space to be as inspirational as possible. Casey even created a custom tile fireplace. Love it!



Below is the actual text for the article:

Debbie Green/Casey Green: The inspiration for this office seating room came from the variety of colors used in a dress from the Erdem Winter 2009 season. Their client, Roxi, is an executive for a high profile social networking website who wanted her office to have a seating area that would serve as a creative retreat. Debbie and Casey decided to echo the dress in the stationary drapery panels. They added metal wall rings in a nickel finish to give the drapery panels an extra punch. The bodice of the dress inspired the multi-colored tile fireplace. The velvet fabrics used on the sofa and chair add another texture to the room and give the same depth of color as the taffeta fabric used on the drapery panels. The mural on the wall was the final touch that added just the right amount of pizzazz the space needed to achieve that bold, yet warm, feel.
—Dandelion Interiors, Nashville, Tenn.

QuickBooks 2010 is now available

QuickBooks 2010 has been released! We will be sending an ezine out soon letting you know what features we think are new and cool. You can purchase QuickBooks using the links below to take advantage of special pricing, compliments of Minutes Matter.

To purchase QuickBooks 2010 Premier Edition, click HERE.

To purchase QuickBooks 2010 Pro Edition, click HERE.

The Power of I,- Secret #1

The Power of I is the first-ever marketing book to address the specific needs of the Interior Design Industry. Detailed, step-by-step instructions and real life examples will be your guide to exponentially grow your business. Once you have the key concepts in place, you'll be amazed how effortlessly you'll generate substantial profits; even when others around you are struggling to break even. If you are serious about building a lasting and profitable business, this book will be your roadmap. The Power of I reveals the secrets of three of the industry's award winning innovators, Debbie Green, Casey Green, and Jackie Von Tobel.

In this book, we will show you how to take Studio to the next level to expand your business! Studio is not only a perfect communication tool between you and the client, the workroom and installer, but it is also a fabulous marketing tool. Studio can be used in so many unique ways for marketing.

Power of I: Secret #1 Revealed . . .
Here's a sneak peak of one of the marketing tips which uses Studio as a primary marketing tool. After completing a project, let the client know how much you enjoyed working with them by asking permission to post an article on your blog regarding their project. This is a win-win marketing idea! Not only do you show off your talents but also the clients LOVE to be published! The end result is they tell their friends, who check out your blog; opening the doors for tons of new potential clients!

Check out my Dandelion Blog to see some examples of how I use Studio to get referrals Blogs are a very economical but a highly effective way to market your business. If you don't yet have your own blog, we can help you with that too! Sign up today and let us set up a customized blog for your company.

I can't wait until you get a glimpse of our newest project The Power of I. It's the ultimate marketing system, once implemented your business will never be the same.

New Jackie Von Tobel Bedding Book Available!

We are thrilled to announce that we now offer Jackie Von Tobel's newest book, The Design Directory of Bedding! As you may know, Jackie's designs are exclusive to Minutes Matter's Studio software. This book is beautifully hand drawn by Jackie Von Tobel and contains over 1,000 illustrations that are sure to inspire you! Order this fabulous bedding book today by clicking HERE. Minutes Matter will begin developing the bedding modules from The Design Directory of Bedding by Jackie Von Tobel starting in Spring 2010. The illustration above is an example of the pleated corona and bedding collection found on page 367. If you've not yet see Jackie's Window Treatment Modules for Studio, click HERE to learn more. These break apart designs allow you to customize every detail of a rendering. Exciting News: The Design Directory of Window Treatments (Module 3) is expected to release next week! Take advantage of the introductory pricing before it expires on October 18th!

User Name Availability Web Site

It is important to brand yourself or your company consistently across the major social network websites. That means getting the same username identity/URL as often as possible. It makes it easier for others to find you, but it also builds a cohesive marketing strategy that eventually does make it into the main search engines. It also keeps others from tapping into your success and hijacking your brand's efforts and identity.

Ever wanted to sign up for a social site, but the one username you want is taken after signing up for five pages? Annoying, huh? I came across this great new site, Namechk.com, that allows you to find out if your special username is already taken on dozens of different social sites. Cool, huh?

What can you use the application for?
NameChk is an interesting application which can be used to search for the availability of usernames on 106 sites in one go. This is a wonderful idea because searching and finding usernames that aren't taken is becoming extremely difficult. NameChk allows you to check 106 sites all at the same time which will help you to choose a good username which can be used on all of the sites. NameChk can be useful to promote your brand by registering the same name on every single site, or help you find usernames which are still available on most of the sites. It's an extremely quick service and it only takes around 8 seconds to return the result. If you did all of this manually it would take you hours!

What is the history and popularity of the application?
The application was founded in April 2009 and, although still very new, it is becoming increasingly popular. Namechk is a useful and very quick solution to find usernames which are available.

How does the application look and feel to use?
Namechk has a very simple design; there is a search box at the top and results down at the bottom. You simply put the username that you are interested in having in the search box and then click the button. It will then run a very quick search and return with the results. Then registering accounts at any one of the social networking sites is just a matter of clicking the name and filling out the registration form safe in the knowledge that your chosen username is already available.

How does the registration process work?
It's not possible to register for an account since it works just like a search engine. There are no accounts available on the site.

What does it cost to use the application?
NameChk is completely FREE to use, it seems to be supported by Google Adsense adverts, but these are small and don't get in the way. It's a very useful website and a real joy to use!

Who should use namechk.com?

NameChk is perfect for anyone that struggles to find good usernames on a number of the social networking sites. It is becoming more difficult every day, so this is a great idea. It is also good for companies who are trying to build their brand image; they can use this tool to find a name which is available on most of the platforms and then register it to promote their products.

Namechk Features

• Check usernames on 106 different social networking sites
• Register by clicking on the buttons
• Find usernames which are available on all platforms
• Build your brand image