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Fashion and Fun after Fifty

Posts Tagged ‘Twitter’

Twitter for Small Business

On a recent Podcast, Social Media Sunday with the Delaware Blogger” we discussed Twitter for Small Business because many small business owners still don’t understand why they should be on this social media platform. 

I actually had a client say that Twitter was dying and that it was old fashioned…not sure why he thought this, but I invited him to listen in to the Podcast in hopes of changing his mind. 

social-media-and-small-business-building-a-community-on-facebook

Not only do I, but several other social media strategists feel that Twitter is the #1 social network because it is truly social. On Facebook, your are limited to an established circle of friends and family. But everyone is fair game on Twitter.  I can jump in and out of all sorts of conversations with people I’ve never met—I’ve made connections with my best blogging sponsors this way.

What is Twitter?

Twitter is a microblogging network of real time posts that are limited to 140 characters or less, however, at one time they wanted to change it to make it unlimited characters and Twitterverse lost it’s mind.  What they did do was change the algorithm so that images do not count as part of the 140 characters.

Twitter’s demographic is geared more towards the younger generations, however, that doesn’t mean that the older generation are not using it as a matter of fact, Twitter is my favorite social media platform. 

Unfortunately, many boomers and seniors are using it in the wrong way and I won’t mention any names. (DT)

reading-news-on-iphone-5s-gold-picjumbo-com

You may remember that I once said that, “Twitter are the friends that you wished you had in high school” versus Facebook which are like the friends you did have in high school.

I made that statement because, you can establish relationships and followings with the really cool kids, not to say that the people you connect with on Facebook aren’t cool, they just aren’t the really cool tweeps.  For example, I remember my first celebrity follower was Kimora Lee Simmons, she started following me because I had made a comment about a beautiful family photo that she had posted online. 

I was so over the top excited that little ole me from Middletown, DE was recognized and followed by a real celebrity.  Unfortunately, it was short lived because after I posted one of her purses that I bought from a local discount store she inquired as to where I got it.  I responded but the next thing I knew, the store was no longer carrying them! 

The power of Twitter and network marketing was solidified for me on the day, I guess she didn’t appreciate having knock offs of her bags being sold at discount.

Rugged Wearhouse discount store

You don’t have to be uber famous like Kimora Lee Simmons, Justin Bieber or even Ellen Degeneres to get a decent following and if you’re a small business or brand, Twitter will actually help bring in new customers. It has been proven that 64% of Twitter users are more likely to buy from brands that they follow on Twitter.

Steps to set up a Twitter account:
  • Sign up with your real name, your email address and a password.
  • Choose Your Twitter Name:  Your Twitter name is limited to a maximum of 15 characters.  Although Twitter names are not case-sensitive, Twitter will save the name exactly as you enter it when you create your Twitter profile. So even though you can create your profile with “DelawareBlogger” and be listed as @DelwareBlogger, your Twitter fans will be able to find you by using @delawareblogger.  Avoid names with numbers, uncommon abbreviations and names that are difficult to remember. Keep mobile users in mind and avoid underscores, which require extra steps to type in on mobile phones.
  • You can skip interests and importing address books because you may want to wait and get comfortable before you start advertising your profile.
  • Check your email to confirm your email address that will be sent to the email address that you provided.
  • Upload Your Picture: It’s important to change the default picture to show others that you are a real person and not a spambot and definitely not that ‘egg’ which is the generic profile pic.
  • Fill in your Location – If you are a local business put the town/city, county/state and then country.   Enter your website/blog address, and your bio.  Fill in details about yourself or your company, use keywords wisely as part of your description especially for SEO.
  • Create a background and design your page, usa Canva.com or Picmonkey.com which both have templates to make it easier.
  • When you send your first tweet make sure to introduce your brand or business explaining briefly what you aim to give followers through your tweets. Create a mission statement and remember no selling just yet, wait to build an audience/following.

Pavlograd UKRAINE - December 18 2014: Person holding a brand new Apple iPhone 5S with Twitter logo on the screen and twitter page on laptop. Twitter is a social media online service for microblogging and networking communication.

How to get Twitter Followers – What is your mission statement ~ Who is your ideal customer ~ Tell them why they should follow you

When using Twitter for business it’s important to ensure that you are getting followers that are relevant to your topic, so you need to balance out your activities to get those numbers versus activities aimed at just getting mass quantities of followers.  Remember the SNL skit with the Coneheads, they were an alien family that just wanted to get mass quantities of everything.

  • A hashtag, or the pound symbol (#) is a way to connect or search others with the same interests.  Type a hashtag keyword in the search bar to discover content and accounts based on your interests.  For example, on twitter if you type #Podcast,  you will be presented with tweets about Podcasts or anything anyone has ever tweeted about using the hashtag Podcast (#Podcast). And this ladies and gents is what makes it so very easy for you to find and connect with your targeted audience. 

Whether you are looking for stay at home moms, which is hashtag #SAHM, millennials #millennial or a blogger in Delaware #DelawareBlogger, putting the hashtag in front of the word or phrase when searching on Twitter will provide you with an avalanche of people to follow which can increase your audience exponentially once you start following them.

  • Participate in #FollowFriday or any other trending hashtag topics that may be relevant to you, your product or service.  Same with popular events, movies or television shows as most networks are now placing their hashtag at the bottom corners of the screen which is how I find and follow #HAHN and #TWD viewers.
  • Check the trending topics on the left side of the screen, if they are relevant to your niche, join in share, comment and retweet which may get you a number of followers that are interested in the same trending topics.
  • Twitter chats is where a group of Twitter users meet at a pre-determined time to discuss a certain topic, using a designated hashtag ) for each tweet contributed. A host or moderator will pose questions (designated with Q1, Q2…) to prompt responses from participants (using A1, A2…) and encourage interaction among the group. Chats typically last an hour.  You can find twitter chats on websites like TwitterChat.com or TWUBS.com where you can also host Twitter Chats and they are great if you are promoting a new product, project or event. 

There are awesome places to connect with others including celebs especially if they are promoting a new project like Oprah and Tyler Perry.  When the OWN network went live followers were chatting up a storm and yes, I have been retweeted by both Oprah and Tyler.  I think my most famous follower now is Dick Gregory

 

“ Twitter Chats are business networking events – minus the dress code”

Twitter is less focused on “What you are doing” like on Facebook and more about “What’s going on around you in the world”.

What Should I Publish on Twitter?

  • Always share good content that is worth sharing and retweeting, use humor too, remember to tweet more than just your product or service
  • When you share something that someone else wrote, don’t just tell people why it’s great and share the link, also include the Twitter handle of the author. This will get you right on their radar as someone who supports and appreciates their work. That’s the first step to building a relationship.
  • If someone writes about you, @mention them when you share the link. This is especially important if you have a good following that will also retweet and engage with the article.
  • Use Twitter to follow up and respond to others.
  • Join Twitter Chats to get more followers and offer insights.
  • Add photos and images to your tweets.

The key to being successful on Twitter is sharing the right information, whether it’s your own links or other content. 

“Do what you do best then link to the rest!” 

getting your news from twitter

Twitter tips:

  • Use a timesaving tool to schedule your tweets. Free and low-cost tools like Hootsuite allow you to schedule your tweets in advance so that you maintain a consistent flow of content, while saving time. 
  • Make sure you are following your customers.
  • Reward people who retweet you or offer Twitter-only specials.
  • Retweet and thank those who follow and retweet you.
  • Multitask and tweet while commuting to and from work on the bus or train. Tweet while on the bike at the gym, during commercials of your favorite shows; tweet while in the waiting room for the doctor.
  • Tweet inspirational quotes. Quotes tend to see higher engagement on Twitter because people enjoy reading them and sharing with others.
  • Communicate with your followers, answer their questions, respond to their positive/negative feedback and make sure that they can trust the information that you’re providing them.
  • Follow users who follow your followers as they are likely to share similar interests so you may consider following them as well.
  • Follow the accounts recommended by Twitter. In the #Discover section of your dashboard, Twitter recommends “Who to follow” for your account. 
  • Direct Message send a direct message to @abccompany and request for a follow back so that you can connect under the radar or take it offline to help or assist or work with influencers and potential vendors and customers
  • You don’t have to read every tweet on your timeline.
  • Put your twitter handle everywhere including, your website, Your email signature, Your email newsletter, Your business cards, Signs posted in your business, Paperwork you give customers (receipts, invoices, statements, etc.), Menus and product information sheets

  • Respond to everyone who mentions, retweets you, or favorites one of your tweets, they are seeking a connection with you. From a certain perspective, this is a truly humbling event. Someone has valued you and your profile enough that they want to connect.

  • It’s OK to tweet the same thing multiple times

Chime in: Do you have any other Twitter tips for small businesses?


Social Media and Small Business

Monday’s blog posts will be recaps of Sunday’s Podcasts, which if you haven’t started following yet, can be found on Blog Talk Radio.   Social Media Sunday with the Delaware Blogger – AAU Teen Talk Radio is on every Sunday at 6 p.m.

aau-radio-with-the-delaware-blogger

 

On October 2nd, my special guest was Nikki Valentine and we talked about the re-launching of her business N.V.Me Designs, click this link to hear the interview. 

Nikki Valentine, owner of N.V. Me Designs

If you are a small business owner who is just starting out and are looking for ways in which to get customers inside your doors if you are brick and mortar or go online to buy a product or service, you do realize that you must have a presence on social media right?

Current and potential customers are literally walking around with your business in their hands.  A few weeks ago, I attended a networking event at the Chase Center on the Riverfront, and everyone there had at least one social media platform in which to connect, most if not all had a Facebook business account which is what we talked about on the Podcast.

Facebook for Business on a smartphone

Social Media is a numbers game, however, it’s not how many you get, but how many you keep and how many of them take action.

FACEBOOK AND SMALL BUSINESS

Facebook now has 4 million advertisers and it’s being powered by more small businesses trying to reach customers, particularly on their mobile devices.

People are spending more time on their phones, more engagement on their phones, doing more things on their phones, because phones can do more. I remember the brick my hubby gave me as an engagement gift, it weighed about 10 lbs and it was attached to the car, then came the bag phone but all it could do was make and receive calls. 

car phones in the 90s

Now mobile phones can do practically anything, conduct searches, give map directions, promote sales, take pictures and record live video.  Businesses are beginning to understand that they need to be where people are, and that’s on their mobile device. 

Setting up a Facebook Business Page is easy but you must have a personal page first, and there are many sites with instructions , I also have a Slideshare presentation that you can download.  Leave a comment below if you would like me to email you a copy

Facebook is where you can virtually hang out with your family and friends but more importantly with your customers and/or potential clients and customers.  Facebook is for entertainment so remember the 80/20 rule and don’t post “buy me” posts constantly. 

Share content from others in the same niche or industry and remember that what you share is perceived to be what you believe so be very careful when posting because using a “like or share is not an endorsement” disclaimer doesn’t hold water – just don’t post it.

  Find Us on Facebook

Top 10 Benefits of a Facebook Business Page

  1. Everyone is on Facebook – need I say more?

  2. Increased Exposure to Potential Customers – everyone is on Facebook right?

  3. Gather More Leads – gather leads in the form of email addresses — so you can contact them outside of Facebook.  Promotion of contests, giveaways through newsletters

  4. Facebook business page costs you exactly $0. – but you don’t own it so start a blog!

  5. Insights and analytics – you can see where your audience is coming from (likes, reach, page views, engagement, shares, performance, etc.)

  6. Build Brand Loyalty – if you consistently provide valuable and entertaining content, your followers will stay loyal and share your message, product or service

  7. Increase Your Web Traffic – social media platforms are the wheels that drive the vehicle to your website or blog and eventually to your store or service

  8. Boost SEO – Search Engine Optimization – being found online – Google me

  9. Be Mobile Ready – Facebook is already built to be mobile friendly, so take advantage of it.  Facebook page on a mobile device it shows users:

  • Hours of operation – Address – Reviews – Phone number to call directly from the Facebook mobile app

  1. Check in on Your Competition! – Facebook makes suggestions based on competition in my area in my same (or a similar) niche. Choose pages by clicking “Watch Page” or search for pages in the search box.

Pavlograd UKRAINE - December 18 2014: Person holding a brand new Apple iPhone 5S with Twitter logo on the screen and twitter page on laptop. Twitter is a social media online service for microblogging and networking communication.

TWITTER AND SMALL BUSINESS

I have said it before and I’ll say it again, Twitter is by far my favorite social media platform.  Why – well for one, it’s quick, it’s happening right now in real time and I love hashtags. 

I liken FB to the friends you had in high school and Twitter are the friends you wish you had in high school.  It’s where the cool kids hang out and if you ever been retweeted, liked or followed by a celeb then you know how exciting that can be!

Hashtags are the best thing since slice bread!

Tweet that!

Twitter will display all other tweets with that hashtag – great way to search or find potential customers or topics to follow and share – great way to get your message and content out there. 

“I don’t get Twitter” is a common statement among small business owners. With more than 316 million active monthly users engaging in instant conversations, the social platform shouldn’t be ignored.  The main difference of Facebook and Twitter is on Twitter, following someone is not necessarily an admission of friendship, but an interaction and conversation in 140 characters or less.

If you already have a personal Twitter account and have been using it for your business, you may want to create a separate business account so that any personal information is not passed onto your business followers.  –  But remember that your brand is your brand not matter where it’s coming from.

Be as visible as possible, put on your Twitter handle on business cards, email address, flyers, etc.  Tweet only business info and not personal tweets on your business account.

Twitter is a great way to connect with your targeted audience and for your targeted audience to connect with you in real time – for example, two weeks ago I had to rebook a flight on a non-refundable ticket with Delta airlines and the customer service representative was amazing!  After I handled my business, I immediately posted my satisfaction to Delta Airlines and they immediately responded. 

Now small business owners don’t have the luxury of being online constantly like the bigger brands, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t check in first thing in the morning or right before going to bed in the evening to see if your brand or business was mentioned.

Speaking of which you can open an account at www.mention.com where you will enter the name of your business and then be alerted anytime someone mentions it it’s a social media monitoring and listening app that keeps you in the know.

Twitter is great for PR and networking, especially for event coverage and promotion.  Using a hashtag for an event and then getting attendees to tweet about using the hashtag gives you wider exposure.

Although you can’t own a hashtag you can register it for the event so that people can follow along at www.Twubs.com.  And if your hashtag is unique and you use it enough it becomes part of you and your business brand, i.e. #DelawareBlogger if you Google that you will find me all over the internet.

Businesses should have a Twitter account for several reasons:

  1. Consumers are frustrated with call centers –  Oftentimes, individuals will go on Twitter after they’ve already sought a solution by calling the company’s helpline.

  2. Instant gratification – Twitter allows customers to feel more in control of the timeliness of the solution. They can immediately go online, research a solution to try helping themselves or vent their problem in real-time, asking for help, whether from the brand or other customers.

  3. Airing dissatisfaction publicly is part of a solution – Some people just want to be heard, good, bad and ugly, and sharing on Twitter gives them gratification. Some people like to tweet, tweet, tweet like a duck at 3 o’clock in the morning!

  4. Hashtags allow you to Search for Terms Related to Your Biz – finding customers where they hang out and with whom – always check the followers of your followers and follow them if they are relevant.

small business owners

Top Ten Twitter Tips – from CatchFireFunding.com

1. Follow industry leaders.

First, find your industry leaders on Twitter and follow them, all of them. These people are vital to building the right follower base. 

2. Follow authors who write about your industry.

You probably have a few favorite industry experts whose books you’ve read. Follow them on Twitter, but also follow all of the industry experts who’ve written books in your field. If you don’t know who these authors are, go to Amazon and search out books in your industry. Find the author’s names and follow them on Twitter.

3. Follow other authors.

Who writes the articles in the magazines and trade publications on your industry? Find out who these people are and follow them on Twitter. When I became active on Twitter, I followed every author I could find who wrote about entrepreneurship. While not everyone has a Twitter account, I found that 9 out of 10 authors and writers do.

4. Know your target audience.

Like you need to know your customers, you need to know your audience. You can have 1,000 followers who will never turn into customers, or you can have 100 quality followers who will either convert to customers, refer customers, or add value by sharing quality, relevant content. It’s important that your Twitter followers have something to gain by following you and vice versa.

5. Follow your industry hashtags.

Twitter has this great tool where you type in a hashtag in the search bar, such as #smallbusiness, and instantly a feed pops up with relevant posts and articles. It’s important that you monitor your industry hashtags so you stay current on industry trends and technology. You also use these hashtags when you Retweet and share posts. When you use the appropriate hashtag, you ensure that your post is “seen” by your target audience. Go on Twitter and play with the hashtags in your industry until you know which ones apply to your business.

6. Share quality content.

Twitter is all about adding VALUE; it’s not the place to oversell products and services. Read articles about your industry trends and share them on Twitter daily. Not only will you be learning, you’ll provide value to your target audience.

7. Tweet about industry events.

Stay on top of industry events and Tweet about them, whether it’s a local tradeshow or a national convention. In your Tweet, include the event’s hashtags and a link to the website so people can click on the link themselves.

8. Be engaging.

Twitter is not a spectator sport. Actively participate, comment and like others’ posts and Retweet (share) them daily. Twitter is all about building relationships and ADDING VALUE. One great way to add value is to write and share informative blogs, and of course, include your industry hashtags when posting so your audience will be able to find and read your content.

9. Post daily and repeat.

For your small business to succeed on Twitter, you have to post daily. Post at least 3 to 5 Tweets per day with several Retweets, which is similar to the “sharing” feature on Facebook. If your followers see that you haven’t been active in a month, they’re likely to “unfollow” you.  Use images as they get retweeted far more than just text

10. Don’t go off topic.

Your Twitter page should be relevant to your business, it should not discuss anything controversial, such as politics, and it should not go off topic. Keep the posts relevant to your niche market.

Most importantly – Engage the Influencers in Your Niche – as you know, bloggers are on Twitter and we love to retweet and share – sharing is caring and we are also looking to connect with businesses for collaborations and brand ambassadorships.  We retweet each other’s posts and would do the same with yours so connect with us on Twitter.

I have a chart that I found online that is a great reference tool which I will send to anyone who may be interested in receiving.  It lists all the popular social media platforms as well as the audience and demographics who uses them – a handy little cheat sheet so if you would like a copy, please leave a comment and I’ll send it in an email. 

Do you have any Facebook or Twitter tips to share?  Don’t forget to check out my Podcasts which are on Sunday at 6 on Blog Talk Radio, AAU Teen Talk Radio.

social-media-sunday-with-the-delaware-blogger


Tweet My Jobs

Tweet My Jobs

Hello friends, I hope all is well in your world. Did you know that the country’s unemployment rate recently hit another all time low of 5.7%?   According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the U.S. economy added 257,000 jobs in January, 2015.  For full-time workers there was a gain of 777,000 numbering more than 120 million for the first time since July 2008.

That may not mean anything in several communities around the country because people are still having difficulty landing jobs or obtaining a career in their field of expertise. There are several job-training sites located in and around cities and states, but did you also know that you could also locate employment opportunities right from your mobile device with www.tweetmyjobs.com

tweet my jobs logo

According to their site, “founded in 2009, TweetMyJobs helps job seekers find opportunities and receive targeted job recommendations by email, mobile or through Twitter and Facebook. TweetMyJobs’ technology, powered by its Social Network Interface (SNI) distributes company’s jobs across Facebook, LinkedIn and over 10,800 job channels on Twitter each one segmented by industry and location.[3] Twitter job channels allow followers to be notified of new job openings in their desired industry or location through their Twitter stream.”

twitter icon

 

Tweetmyjobs is geographical specific and recently Wilmington City Councilman Darius Brown helped bring the online resource to Delaware. The site began with 3,500 job postings but it quickly doubled in the first 6 weeks. The listings include everything from entry level positions with retail stores like Starbucks and CVS to highly skilled positions with AstraZeneca, and DuPont.

Tweetmyjob is free service for both job seekers and employers and people looking for work can quickly set up a profile, enter the type of position they are looking for and how they want to be notified.  If this sounds like something you or someone you know would be interested in check out their website www.tweetmyjobs.com and have a successful search!

New Year ~ New You


High School Promposals

Hello Friends and Happy Fri-Yay!  

If you are the parent of a high school student who will be attending the prom this year, you’ve probably heard about “Promposals“.  If not, let me explain, a promposal is when a guy, or girl asks someone to the prom but in a unique way using a sign, clothing, a prop or a photo.

These teenagers can get really creative with songs and videos and there are even promposal pics on Instagram and Tumblr as well as Twitter, Facebook and of course YouTube, just Google it using the hashtag #promposal.

A few weeks ago when I first heard about this, I rushed home to ask my son, but I was too late as he had already promposed to his date.  (and no, that wasn’t a bottle of alcohol).

Promposal @ AppoHigh

Promposal @ AppoHigh

I think they are cute as long as the teens don’t go overboard or take them too seriously like a marriage proposal.  Over the top promposals are not necessary and may cause stress to others who may not want to or can’t do them.

Senior Proms are a special once-in-a-lifetime event but they are also costly, so there’s no real need to add additional expenses into the mix.

What do you think?  

Don’t forget to come back at 6:00 p.m. for the Weekend Wind-Down Party!

Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!

DDD Signature with butterflies and frame

Prompose with a t-shirt from Vistaprint

Prompose with a t-shirt from Vistaprint

 

If they want to prompose with a T-Shirt, save money and order from Vistaprint .  New customers receive FREE Shipping,  March 26-April 1 only.  

Coupon Code: MYSHIRT

#affiliate


Thankful Thursday | Car Buying with AAA

Hello Friends and Happy Thankful Thursday!

Thursday is the best day of the week because it gives me an opportunity to share one of my many blessings and to also read some of yours. I am not shy when it comes to talking about being blessed by the best, nor acknowledging that I know from where those blessings flow.

I do not discriminate and respect all cultures, beliefs, and religions.

thankful thursday 2

Last week as I was leaving work the TCS warning light illuminated on my dashboard, it was the 2nd time in less than 2 months.  I have had a 2005 Hyundai Sonata with over 187K miles and it’s timing belt should have been replaced at 120K miles.  I drive 100 miles per day, every day in all types of weather, and that car has gotten me safely to work in West Chester, PA every day since 2005 with no problems.

 

2005 Hyundai Sonata

2005 Hyundai Sonata

I drove the car directly to Middletown Car Care to be serviced and the next day anxiously waited for the diagnosis and repair cost.   Fortunately, the timing belt could wait but there was another more severe problem, the engine needed replacing – long story short, she wasn’t coming back home.  I must admit that the Sonata gave me more miles than expected and for that I will always be a loyal Hyundai car owner. Hyundai logo

Not anticipating the urgent need to purchase yet another vehicle on an already tight budget, I took to Twitter to ask AAA and AARP to assist me in finding car buying savings. In 2005 I used the AAA online car buying service to purchase the Sonata and once again they came through with an immediate response.  The link directed me to not only another Hyundai, but in the exact price range that we could afford and at a dealership I knew and trusted. #blessed

New Car Purchase at Carman

Less than 5 mins after completing the online contact form, I received a phone call from a friendly representative and made an appointment to see the vehicle that evening after work.  My husband and son met me at Carman Ford Lincoln in New Castle where we spoke to Doug Walton, the Sales Consultant,  and he along with the business manager, Bob made the purchase a pleasant and stress free experience.

After giving Doug the AAA Car Buying Certificate which contained the guaranteed, no hassle price, in less than 2 hours we were home with our new/used car with a payment that we could afford. #blessed

Thank you AAA and Carman Ford, it was by far the best car buying experience given the fact that we were totally unprepared to make this major purchase, no buyer’s remorse here!

Yes, I am sad that my car died, but feel truly blessed knowing that it could have been worse.  The Sonata could have died while I was on the road traveling to or from work, in a snow storm, at night or not even having the funds to replace it.

I am truly thankful and blessed by the best!

Hyundai 2005 Sonata

Bye Bye 2005 Sonata – thank you – you will be missed!

Hyundai 2010 Accent

Hello Accent – welcome to the family!

As always, I am thankful for my family, friends and faith.

Now it’s your turn – what are you thankful for this week?

I’m a socializing this afternoon over at Katherine’s for her weekly

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Be Blessed – No Stress in 2014!

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2014 Goodwill Runway Show

Hello Friends and Happy Hump Day Wednesday

Last Friday night at The Sheraton South in WilmingtonGoodwillde presented it’s 4th annual Runway Show and Boutique.  Prior to the event, the lobby was filled with food, friendly faces and fantastic finds in the 2nd Hand Chic Boutique.

Lobby of Sheraton Hotel

Lobby of Sheraton Hotel

Goodwill  Boutique

The Second-hand Chic Boutique had fabulous clothing, shoes and accessories for less, and many items for men, women and children.  These one of a kind, name brand items were hand-picked by Goodwill store managers and Runway stylists.  A few of the brands included Ann Taylor Loft, Coach, and Marc Jacobs.

Goodwill Boutique Items

Goodwill Boutique Jewelry

There was clothing, jewelry and accessories galore.

Goodwill Boutique

2014 Goodwill Runway Show 023 2014 Goodwill Runway Show 025 2014 Goodwill Runway Show 028 2014 Goodwill Runway Show 030 2014 Goodwill Runway Show Boutique

Attendees who posted to Facebook or tweeted @Goodwillde were eligible to win two VIP tickets to next year’s Runway Show.

A chance to win VIP tickets to 2015 Runway Show

After hair, makeup and a light lunch we were all ready to present a fantastic Runway Show.

2014 Goodwill Runway Show

Here are just a few of the highlights during the hair and make up sessions provided by students from Paul Mitchell The School of Delaware.

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Frolicking, fun and photo bombing behind the scenes made for a super charged and highly energized Runway Show!

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Music was provided by 93.7 WSTW and Wakeup Crew Nancy Johnson and Spencer Graves were the evening’s hosts.

GW5

Audience participation and sponsorship by Bridget A. Erhard, CFP, Growth Inc., Wilmington University and WSTW made for a wonderful Runway Show with proceeds benefiting education scholarships for Goodwill employees.

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 This was my first year as a Stylist for the Goodwillde Runway Show and it was an exciting and amazing event for which I was very proud to be a part of!

Thank you all for supporting Goodwill!

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Additional photos can be found at the Goodwillde website and tomorrow on Whitney Nic James’ Blog

Be Blessed – No Stress in 2014!

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Majestical Jewelry

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Hello Friends and Happy Tuesday!

I love all jewelry especially necklace and earring sets because they can really jazz up an outfit.  You can put on a colorful statement necklace with a t-shirt, a sweatshirt or even dark clothing and the whole outfit appears brighter and a little bit dressier. The matching earrings takes the guess work out of what pair to wear especially when it’s early and you are rushing to work, as I normally am.

I actually did not plan on wearing a necklace this morning but then remembered this set that I received from Majestical Jewelry to review. Majestical Jewelry Review

 

Hopefully we’ve had the last snow storm of the year because the days are getting longer and soon the weather will get warmer.  I’m trying to wear as many winter items as possible all while thinking Spring can’t come soon enough.

Majestical Review

This lime green scoop neck top is enhanced by the sapphire blue stones in the necklace – what do you think?

Majestical Jewelry Review

Majestical Jewelry is a high fashion, yet affordable online jewelry store that specializes in handmade and statement pieces.  With Prom, Wedding and Graduation season just around the corner, it  would be a great place to shop for a gift or perhaps a little something for yourself.

Majestical Necklace & Earring Set

Majestical Jewelry offers free gift wrapping and guaranteed free and easy returns and exchanges on every order. Orders over $49.99 are shipped free!  Your purchases are carefully shipped in a Majestical Jewelry logo box, cushioned with bubble wrap and cotton batting, and a blue jewelry bag is also included.

Majestical Jewelry Review

You can find this Honey Comb Set and other fine pieces like it at Majestical Jewelry’s website and don’t forget to visit them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and Pinterest.

 

Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.


JenJenHouse.com Prom Dresses

Disclosure: This is a sponsored  post for JenJenHouse.com via Sverve for which I will receive compensation, all opinions are 100% my own.

Our son, Malik will be graduating in May and he hadn’t even mentioned the Senior Prom, so last week when I asked if he was going, he just shrugged his shoulders and said, “yes”. I know having a son is much different than having a daughter, because by now she would have been talking non-stop about the Prom, and probably would have already found a dress.

Knowing me, I’d be more excited than she because both my Junior and Senior Prom dresses were handmade and neither were very good.  I would want her dress to be much better so that the event would be more memorable.  Thankfully, for mothers with Prom-bound daughters there are beautiful and affordable options available online at JenJenHouse.com

 

JenJen Prom Dress

JenJenHouse.com, carries a large selection of Prom Dresses to fit almost every budget and size, there’s even a custom “Made to Order” option available for many of the styles.

JenJen Prom Dresses

 

JenJen Prom Dresses

 

At JenJenHouse.com you’ll find Prom Dresses from sassy to sophisticated in various lengths, styles, and colors to suit many tastes.  They also carry a large selection of accessories to complete the perfect Prom outfit.  

My son doesn’t have a steady girlfriend so at this point all he needs to worry about is matching his shirt and tie to his date’s dress color.

She on the other hand will have an opportunity to chose any color either to match the High School’s theme or if they are going as a group to find one that is different from the others.   JenJen Prom Dresses

JenJenHouse.com Prom Dress

Malik and his date from her Junior Prom 

Junior Prom Pic

If you have a daughter attending the prom this year, I urge you to check out JenJenHouse.com for a custom or tailor-made Prom dress.  I hope you’ll find a great dress and then come back and share some pictures.  

Get updates, discounts, and special offers to win free items and cash prizes when you sign up for the Newsletter, and don’t forget to like them on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

 

 


Midnight Velvet | #Giveaway #ad

Disclosure:  I received this item free of charge from Midnight Velvet.  No monetary compensation was received or offered, all opinions are 100% my own.

Growing up in Dover I remember getting excited every time a Midnight Velvet catalog came in the mail.  As soon as one arrived my grandmother and I would snuggle up on the sofa and flip through each page.  She loved the large colorful church hats, and I loved the shoes, jewelry and decorative tops.  I liked seeing the beautiful clothing the models wore, but always secretly wanted an animal print bedroom set, however, I knew my grandmother would have said, “no”.

Midnight Velvet Catalog

 I still love looking through the pages of a Midnight Velvet catalog, and now I have an opportunity to review a product from their Spring 2014 catalog.  Of course I thought of my grandmother, knowing she would have been excited for me and wished I had chosen one of those big, colorful church hats.

Monte Carlo Gold Caftan However, for this review, I selected the Monte Carlo Gold Caftan.  It arrived in a zebra print box which I’ll definitely re-purpose later.  I loved that it was exactly as pictured in the catalog and fit perfectly.  The Caftan is two pieces with a machine washable polyester tank underneath.  Extra sequins are included for the nylon top which only needs to be spot cleaned.

The Monte Carlo Gold Caftan is perfect for a night out on the town with hubby or perhaps to a special church event which I know my grandmother would have liked.

Midnight Velvet

Midnight Velvet has fresh new Spring confident styles for a beautiful you and your home.  Check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube,  and Pinterest, and be sure to follow their Beauty Blog for the latest fashions, styles and trends.

Midnight Velvet Monte Carlo Gold Caftan

 

I am also excited to announce that they have offered to give one my readers a $50 Midnight Velvet Gift Certificate.  

This Rafflecopter giveaway begins today and will end at midnight on March 15, 2014, so hurry up and enter.

Once you take a look at MV’s online catalog, come back and leave a comment as to what item you would purchase if you won the $50 Gift Certificate.  

Have a Blessed Day – No stress in the New Year!

Photos were taken at the Hampton Inn in Middletown, DE

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!

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