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You Had Me at Yellow
LaRae Richards, (2018, April 25). You Had Me at Yellow. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.afw.com/en/you-had-me-at-yellow
Brighten your home this year with lovely shades of yellow! This must-have color for 2018 adds a sense of happiness, optimism, and creativity to the home. Yellow can be an intimidating color to design around, but with hues ranging from pale butter to vibrant lemon, it’s easy to find a shade that fits your personality and matches your style. Check out these tips on how to make this sunny shade work for your space!
Let Your Accessories Do the Talking
Bring the sunshine in with vibrant yellow accessories. Items like pillows, flowers, and rugs are all easy ways to add impactful pops of color to a space without breaking the bank. In this look, we chose like-colored accessories and kept the furniture neutral for a cohesive looking space.
Highlight the Room with Accent Furniture
Add a functional splash of color to your space with accent furniture. An accent chair or decorative table is an eye-catching way to add yellow to a space without overpowering a room. For example, the mustard-colored chair in this room pops against the dark background, but still meshes well with the room’s rug and neutral-colored accents.
Add a Jolt of Color with Art
Create a vibrant focal point in any room with an artwork that incorporates yellow hues. A large piece of art can have the same impact as an accent wall, but without the messy hassle of paint. In this space, we chose a large abstract canvas that complements the room décor and ties the color scheme together.
What do you think of this 2018 home décor trend? Love it or leave it?
11 Tips for a Pet-Friendly Home
LaRae Richards, (2018, February 15). 11 Tips for a Pet-Friendly Home. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://www.afw.com/en/11-tips-for-a-pet-friendly-home
You may think that you have to sacrifice style when you share your home with pets, but that’s simply not true! You can design a beautiful pet-friendly interior by working with the right materials and taking the time to accommodate your pet’s needs. Follow these 11 tips to create a home that both you and your furry companions will love!
Choose an Area Rug
Protect your floors from claws and your carpet from accidents with a stylish area rug. Choose a rug with a lively, colorful pattern to distract from any stains or fur. Make sure to always secure the rug to the floor with a non-skid pad or double sided tape in order to prevent slips and falls!
Always Color Coordinate
Choosing upholstery that matches the shade of your beloved pet’s coat can drastically reduce the amount of visible hair. If you have a yellow Lab, opt for a medium tan or beige color rather than a darker color like black or brown. This will save you from picking up the lint roller every time Buddy wants to cuddle.
Pick the Right Materials
Picking the right fabrics can mean less work for you in the long run. Stick to fabrics that have a tight weave so fur can easily be removed from the surface and claws won’t get caught on any loops in the fabric. Leather and microfiber are also great options because both are easy to clean, wear well, and don’t attract pet hair.
Make Sure It’s Washable
If you’re one of the 40% of Americans that allows your pets to sleep in your bed, it’s only a matter of time before you start to notice unpleasant stains and odors on your sheets. If you’d like to be able to use your bedding for a long period of time, invest in high-quality sheets that can withstand the wear and tear of frequent machine washing. Also consider purchasing a washable, water-resistant mattress protector to protect your mattress, as pet stains void a mattresses’ warranty!
Double Check for Safety
Avoid a trip to the Veterinarian by taking precautions with your furniture just like you would with a toddler. Look for coffee tables with rounded corners, sturdy side-tables with four legs, dressers that can be secured to the wall, and lighting fixtures that won’t easily fall over or shatter.
Protect Your Knick-Knacks
Keep your collectibles from becoming a fun, new chew toy by placing them in areas far away from curious pets. For households with feline friends, it’s best to place fragile items inside a display bookcase or curio cabinet.
Keep It Clean
Keep your home looking it’s best by vacuuming at least twice a week. It’s best to use a vacuum cleaner that is specifically made to clean up after pets, as they often are more durable and come with a variety of attachments to reach all the nooks and crannies where fur might be hiding.
Set Up a Pet Zone
Encourage pets to stay out of places they don’t belong and prevent unwanted behaviors, like chewing and potty accidents, by giving your pet a space of their own. A pet zone doesn’t necessarily have to be a spare bedroom; it can be a room corner, a dog crate, or a cat condo. Fill their space with creature comforts like a cozy pet bed, toys, and everything they’ll need to enjoy their space.
Control the Clutter
Sometimes it seems like our pets accumulate toys faster than any human child we know! Keep toys from overtaking your living room by containing them in stylish storage benches or in cute baskets throughout your home.
Maintain Good Grooming Habits
Spend less time cleaning by ensuring your pet is well groomed. Regular nail trimming is key to reducing scratch damage around the home, and regular brushings and baths help remove loose fur before it spreads throughout the house.
Keep Them Busy
If you find your pet chewing on table legs or scratching up your favorite accent chair, it’s most likely because they’re bored. Provide them with plenty of exercise, treats, and toys to keep them busy and out of trouble. Remember, a well-exercised pet is a well-behaved pet!
What are some of your best tips for achieving a stylish and pet-friendly home?
Stop the Phubbing Cycle
LaRae Richards, (2017, May 23). Stop the Phubbing Cycle. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://afw.com/en/blog-8-genius-ways-to-unplug-this-summer
Phubbing (phone + snubbing) is defined as the annoying habit of ignoring someone while using a cell phone and it’s becoming more and more common. According to a survey conducted by James A. Roberts, a professor of Marketing at Baylor University Hankamer School of Business, “A whopping 46.3 percent of respondents said their partners phubbed them...” The good news is that you have the power to end the phubbing cycle.
Break free from technology and start spending quality face-to-face time with family and friends. We put together a list of 8 ways to unplug this summer and spend time doing fun activities with your loved ones that are 100% phub free.
Read a Book
E-books are fantastic, but recent studies have shown that reading paper books may have a number of benefits like an increase in memory retention and focus. Besides, remember how good it felt to get your Scholastic book order as a kid? Recreate that feeling and take your family to visit a local bookstore and pick up a 2017 best seller. When you’re done reading, store your books on a beautiful bookcase.
Color
There’s a reason you’ve been seeing adult coloring books everywhere from the craft store to your neighborhood gas station. It’s because researchers and therapists have found the act of coloring has calming benefits similar to meditation. Coloring is also a great activity that the whole family can enjoy. Cover your dining room table with newspaper or a washable table cloth and start scribbling! Check out these awesome Color Your Own Canvas items!
Cook
Whether you’re a beginner or Rachel Ray’s long lost sister, there’s always something new to try in the kitchen! Break out that recipe book that’s been collecting dust at the back of your junk drawer. Flip to a random page-we dare you! When your family is done macerating the fruit and thickening the roux (we didn’t know what those words were either, we learned them here) enjoy your delicious creation and gather around your stunning dining room table.
Board Games
Spend time laughing and challenging your mind with friends and family. Board games are an easy way to get your kids to unplug. They may complain at first, but once they start playing they’ll be having so much fun that they’ll forget about the stress of keeping up their Snapchat streak-even if it’s only for an hour. When you’ve finally been declared the victorious Board Game Champion of all the land…the living room…same thing…organize your games with smart solutions like a hidden storage bench.
Get to Know Who’s Next Door
Name all your neighbors. Ready? Go! …That’s what we thought. Get to know the person across the street this summer, invite them over for a BBQ or a glass of wine! Impress them with unique wine rack that’s sure to get the conversation flowing.
Spa Day
Just getting your nails done can cost you a pretty penny. Fortunately, we have servants kids that are more than happy to help Mom achieve a perfect manicured look-as long as you return the favor. Plan out a whole kid-friendly spa day with mani pedis, DIY face masks, fruit plates and cucumber water. Check out these oh-so-comfy chaises that are perfect for relaxing after your pampering.
Explore Your Neighborhood
Visit your neighborhood restaurants, shops and parks by foot or by wheel! Not only will you have a great time learning about your surroundings and discovering hidden treasures, but you’ll also get a little exercise while doing so. For Colorado residents, before you head out, make that exercise count! Sign up online or at your local AFW for Weigh & Win and get paid to lose weight! Find a kiosk location near you here.
Backyard Camping
All the pleasures of eating marshmallows and gazing at the stars without the mileage and glaring at your significant other all night for not bringing the TP. Set up your tent outdoors, roast marshmallows over your fire pit and spend time playing card games and sharing stories. Just make sure to leave the technology out of sight and out of mind!
How do you plan on unplugging this summer?
11 Social Media Tips for the Small Business Owner
LaRae Richards, (2017, November 30). 11 Social Media Tips for the Small Business Owner. Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship's Blog [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://jakejabscenter.org/11-startup-social-media-tips/
If leveraged correctly, social media can be a powerful tool for small businesses. Sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn all have the power to increase brand awareness, generate more sales, improve customer service and even increase a site’s search engine ranking, all at little to no cost. However, without a dedicated team devoted to a brand’s online presence, coming up with a social media strategy can be a daunting task for any entrepreneur. In this article, you’ll learn 11 ways to get your startup’s social media presence up and running.
Make a Plan
Before you begin populating social media accounts, take some time to think about your objectives, target audience and buyer personas. Are you hoping to grow brand awareness, improve customer retention or increase sales? Who is the target demographic that you’re trying to reach? How would you like your brand to be perceived by the public? Answering these basic questions will help you begin to construct your social media strategy.
Pick Your Platforms
Based on the answers to your questions above, you should identify what social media platforms best align with your goals and who you’re trying to reach. For example, if you’re a realtor, your objective may be to increase lead generations to your business, your target market might be married, 25-34-year-old first time home buyers and you’d like to be perceived as a trustworthy, knowledgeable, “no-nonsense” kind of real estate agent. Therefore, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube would all be appropriate platforms, whereas Snapchat and Tumblr might not be. Still not sure? Check out this article from Forbes Magazine on Which Social Media Platforms Are Right for Your Business.
Be All About Business
When setting up your accounts, make sure you’re setting up a business account rather than a personal account whenever possible. This is important because business pages for Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook give you access to tools like creating ads, collecting data and even scheduling posts that personal accounts don’t have access to.
Play the Name Game
Try your best to keep your usernames the same across all your social media platforms. Keep in mind that your company’s name might not be available, or a username you’d like to use might be available on Facebook, but not Twitter. It’s a good idea to think of a few handles that are close to your namesake, short and easy to spell. Afterward, check all the social media sites you plan to use and see if the username is available.
Optimize for Mobile
We often talk about the importance of optimizing your website for mobile devices, but what about optimizing social media for mobile devices? According to a recent study by comScore, nearly 80 percent of all social media users are viewing content on their mobile devices. With that in mind, it’s important to design your page’s cover photos, layouts, and posts to not only look great on desktop, but also mobile. Check out this Social Media Cheat Sheet for an up-to-date guide of social media image sizes.
Entertain Your Audience
While always keeping your objective, audience, and persona top-of-mind, share content that will resonate with your audience and is appropriate for each platform. For example, if you’re a clothing company, you could share pictures of your products on Instagram and compose infographics of how you would style a shirt with various accessories. If you’re a B2B electronic parts company, you might forego Instagram and Pinterest and instead share the latest industry news on LinkedIn and utilize YouTube to post product demonstration videos. For more ideas on what to post on each social media platform, click here.
It’s All About Timing
Social media is just as much an art as it is a science. Although there are lots of helpful infographic posts about when you should post online, a one-size-fits-all solution does not exist. It’s up to you to put in the time to research when your audience is using each social media platform. When you’re able to get your timing right, you’ll be able to reach a wider audience and engage with more users. To help you get started, read what these 20 Studies Say About the Best Time to Post on Social Media.
Be Ready to Work
Although a large majority of social media is free to use, you’ll have to be ready to commit time and energy to developing and nurturing your social presence. Your followers expect a response from you when they mention your brand and a rapid answer when they send you a direct message. They also will be on the lookout for fresh, new content at least weekly. To meet the demands of your followers, be ready to set at least 15-30 minutes aside twice a day to work on social media. If you find your time in short supply or you find yourself putting social media on the back burner, it may be time to think about paying someone to manage these platforms for you. For more information, head over to UpWork for information on How to Hire a Social Media Manager.
Use Management Tools
To optimize your time, you might want to utilize one or several online social media management tools. There are quite a few to choose from that can do everything from scheduling posts to automatically posting your Instagram photos to Twitter. Check out this list of 15 Social Media Management Tools That Can Help Your Business Thrive to see what tools will best fit your needs.
Research Paid Advertising Solutions
Consider exploring paid advertising options to boost your social media performance. While most platforms have the ability to promote your content, Facebook is the indisputable winner of social advertising. The platform boasts over 2 million users across the world, robust advertising solutions, and advanced targeting. For a more in-depth overview of how Facebook and other social paid ads work, take a peek at this article by BigCommerce.com.
Measure and Analyze
To decipher what social media tactics are working and which ones aren’t, it is key to measure and analyze your results. Don’t rely on the number of followers you have to measure your success. Pay attention to the number of engagements (likes, posts, and shares) each of your posts are receiving, your website traffic and the impact social media has had on the objectives that you established early on in your social media plan. While most social media platforms have built-in tools to help you track your performance, you’ll want to use your own internal data. Google Analytics or even a third-party social media management tool to help you get a more accurate picture of your performance.
As you set off on your social media journey, remember that your business is growing and social media is constantly evolving. The platforms you prioritize today may be different tomorrow, your target market may be modified and your goals will probably shift over time. Prepare to remain flexible and do your best to educate yourself on the latest social media trends. With time and commitment, you’ll see your social media presence thrive!
Memorial Day Weekend Pet Safety
LaRae Richards, (2015, May 27). Memorial Day Weekend Pet Safety. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://www.allvalleyanimal.com/petblog/memorialdayweekend
Memorial Day is a lot of fun for families! While you're out enjoying your long weekend, please keep these 10 pet tips in mind!
Keep the Leftovers to a Minimum. If you’re having a BBQ this Memorial Day weekend, try to keep the leftovers to a minimum. Foods like onions, garlic, coffee, avocado, and grapes are all hazards for your pet. Bones from meat, cooked and raw bones, are also very risky. Bones can cause broken teeth, fragments can get lodged into the mouth, bones that splinter can also cause intestinal obstruction and even perforation!
Keep Alcohol Away. Alcohol is extremely dangerous to dogs! In severe cases, alcohol consumption can lead to comas, or even death from respiratory failure. Keep the beer and spirits as far away from pet as possible!
Provide Plenty of Shade and Water. If you’re going to be out in the sun, try to provide plenty of shade and water for your pet. If you have a pet that has a flat face, like a Pug or Himalayan cat, be mindful that they are more susceptible to heat stroke since they cannot pant as effectively. Try to keep these pets in an air-conditioned indoors as much as possible.
Leash Up! There will be many people and pets out and about this weekend. We often see hit by car and dog fight cases around this time of year, most of these accidents are easily preventable with a leash.
Skip the Insect Repellent and Sunscreen. Avoid putting insect repellent and sunscreen on your pet. Chemicals in these products can easily be licked off and are toxic when digested. If you would like to protect your pet from bugs and the sun, there are plenty of dog and cat friendly formulated products sold at your local pet store.
Supervise Pets Around Water. Please don’t leave your dog or cat unsupervised around bodies of water. Many Idaho rivers are moving very quickly this time of year and it would be easy for a pet to get swept up and carried down stream. If you pet loves swimming, in addition to supervising your pet, it’s always a great idea to invest in a life jacket as well.
Prevent Fleas and Ticks. We all love camping, so do fleas and ticks! To prevent your pet from picking up nasty fleas and disease infested ticks, talk to your veterinarian about preventatives. There are literally hundreds of flea and tick products to choose from that meet every pet parent’s budget and application preference.
Keep Your Pet Away from Fire. Unless they are hot dogs, dogs and fires don’t mix! Keep matches, lighter fluid, and candles out of reach. If your pet ingests any of these items, bring him or her into your local emergency veterinarian immediately! Also, if you plan on grilling or setting up a fire pit, keep your pets as far away as possible.
Prevent Illnesses. Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease spread through the urine of infected animals and is often found in soil and water. This is a zoonotic diseases, which means the bacterial infection can spread from your pet to you! Luckily, there is a leptospirosis vaccine that can protect against this disease. We highly recommend the vaccine if you have dog that goes hiking, camping, or enjoys swimming.
Make Sure Your Pet Is Wearing Identification. Pet parents can go above and beyond to keep their fur babies safe but pets can still somehow manage to slip out the front door. Whether it’s the guest that accidentally left the front door open a split second to long or the well behaved dog that gets frightened and takes off from the sound of fireworks, pets often go missing during the holidays. As a safety precaution, make sure all of your pets are wearing a collar with tags that identify you as their family and a phone number to contact you with. You can also get your dogs and cats microchipped as an extra safety precaution
Is It Toxic?
LaRae Richards, (2015, February 9). Is It Toxic? [Blog Post]. http://www.allvalleyanimal.com/petblog/2016/2/8/is-it-toxic
Dr. Andrea Sparzo lists some of the less obvious supplements and medications lurking in your home that can cause serious illness to your pets when overdosed.
IRON SUPPLEMENTS- Overdoses of iron tablets or supplements containing iron can cause serious GI upset and liver failure. Hand warmers (the kind that are broken to cause a chemical reaction that warms the packet) also contain toxic doses of iron.
VITAMIN D - In addition to pills, vitamin D can be found in many prescription topical lotions. Overdoses can be serious and require prolonged and expensive hospitalization.
HORMONES/STEROIDS- Some topical estrogen or steroid ointments can be licked off owners hands, and with chronic exposure cause a slew of side effects in the pet, including bone marrow suppression, mammary development, liver value increases weight gain, excessive water intake, and hair coat changes.
"ENERGY" OR WEIGHT LOSS SUPPLEMENTS- These may contain caffeine or other stimulants that pets cannot tolerate, and can cause restlessness, high blood pressure and occasionally stroke or seizure or death in high enough doses.
SUGAR SUBSTITUTES- Xylitol and other sugar substitutes can actually cause dangerously low blood sugar in pets by causing a release of insulin from the body. In addition, xylitol can be very toxic to the liver.
TYLENOL- a single pill can cause death in a cat. Overdoses to dogs are also life threatening and can cause liver damage as well as damage to red blood cells, inhibiting their ability to carry oxygen.
ESSENTIAL OILS- Many essential oils can be very toxic to cats, who can lick them and develop chemical pneumonia from inhalation, as well as oral and esophageal ulceration.
GARLIC- Sold in some health food stores in capsule form as a powdered supplement, large amounts of garlic (as well as onion) can cause red blood cell and kidney damage in pets.
Remember- do not give your pet any medications or human supplements that have not been recommended for them by a veterinarian! When in doubt, always call your veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline for a small fee at 1(800).213.6680 or visit their website at www.petpoisonhelpline.com for additional information and assistance.
Is Facebook Right for Small Businesses?
LaRae Richards, (2013, April 18). Is Facebook Right for Small Businesses? [Blog Post]. https://wrtg3040socialmedia.wordpress.com/2013/04/18/is-facebook-right-for-small-businesses/
Some believe advertising and promoting goods ad services through social media is a waste of time and money, however, small businesses that opt out of all activities on Facebook may be missing out on valuable opportunities. Facebook has a tireless commitment to business owners, making the network a worthwhile and trustworthy advertising partner. The social networking site also has several components that cannot be replicated on any other medium. Business professionals continue to debate the usefulness of social media to small businesses, but Facebook is a truly unique and valuable tool that companies should strongly consider.
Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer at Facebook vows that the site will not stop until all small businesses are using the site to grow their business. As seen in the figure below, numerous small businesses are already using the site, greatly beating out other social media competitors. Sandberg believes small businesses actually have an advantage over large corporations, because unlike those companies, mom and pop shops can create a profile and use many of the site’s tools for free. Users can upload photos, news items, and even coupons to their wall without costing the business owner a cent. Small businesses too busy to constantly be updating and reposting? Don’t worry! Facebook thought of a solution for that. Users can schedule posts to be published on a later date, leaving the individual more time to focus on other tasks. Companies also have the option of installing an app on the page for free, which is a great way to further engage with the businesses’ current and prospective consumer base. Meanwhile, the user can do all of this right from their smartphone at home, at the gym, or even while walking the dog!
The social media site is unique in the way Facebook is able to engage the consumeras well turn information and news into a viral like campaign. Unlike any other kind of advertising tool, the site allows companies to have a conversation with their consumers. People can leave comments, share ideas, or even just ask a question on the business’s wall. Then, the owner can almost immediately reply from wherever Facebook is available, whether that be on a computer, smart phone, or tablet. Companies can also engage their audience by posting fun trivia questions, games, or posting polls on what people’s favorite dessert is. The more people interact with the page or share their experiences with the company’s wall, the more likely friends will see the page and do the same; thus creating a chain reaction which has the potential to reach thousands. Businesses cannot achieve this level of marketing through traditional online or newspaper ads, making the site a worthwhile marketing tool.
With Facebook’s promising outlook on working with small businesses, all the free features, and a new, exciting way to reach audiences, small businesses would only be hindering their own success by not using the site. Companies need to get involved with social media to help build stronger relationships with their consumers as well as help seek out and capture new consumers. By being an active member on social media, companies will quickly begin reaping the benefits of the Facebook phenomenon.