If I Show You, WIll You Look?

If I show you, will you look, will you take note, will you listen?

Of course you will, but only when you're ready. When the time is appropriate for you, you'll remember what I said and then be ready to take action.

That's what's so great about social networking, this global connectivity. I provide you with information and then you can use it when You want to, when You have a need and You have a purpose.

So, take a seat, have a read, make notes and use this information then You are ready.

***

I was reading articles on social networking this week (http://www.economist.com/) and it just blows your mind looking at the statistics and thinking of the global reach from the Internet today.

Even if you're not a fan of Facebook it is impressive to note that it has over 350 million users who post 55 million updates a day and share more than 3.5 billion pieces of information with each other every week. A staggering connection of knowledge and information!

Are you one of the 350 million? I am!

So, why is everyone jumping on the band wagon?

Just look at Facebook that took almost 5 years to reach its first 150 million users, but then only took 8 months to double that number! And LinkedIn has over 58 million members with its last million members joining within 11 days!

What's the rush? Why has there been this explosion in social networking over the last year?

Sure social networking started out as a medium for the youth to chat with their friends, share photos of their holidays and have their most embarrassing videos put on the Internet for total embarrassment.

Nowadays though, social networking users have an average age of 40. Should these people know better or are they onto something that you're not aware of? Are these 'Twitfaced' (Twitter and Facebook) people using social networking for purely personal purposes or have they brought it into the corporate arena?

How are we using social networking today compared to a year ago?

THE URL STRATEGY

URL usually stands for Uniform Resource Locator and is the unique address of any file that is accessible via the Internet. End of tecky talk because in the world of the Internet today URL has another meaning: Ubiquity first, Revenue later.

Over the past few years companies have focused on building lists of users rather than worrying about profits. Of course they've built huge followings but it's raised a question over their ability to make money from the audiences they've accumulated.

As with any good marketing strategy, the importance is not just focused on having a list but having a qualified list of potential clients and a list of people that can recommend you, your services and your brand.

People using social networking are more likely to engage with brands than sceptics think. It's a powerful viral marketing effect because friends spread the word about things they have discovered. Such recommendations are hugely important in purchase decisions.

It's street credibility without the street!

Instead of social networking I love to refer to it as social marketing! It's an informal way of letting people know what you do and an opportunity to showcase your work in the form of text, visual aids and audio.

O2 found that 17% of British small businesses were using Twitter to attract new customers and some believe they have saved around £5,000 ($8,000) a year from other forms of marketing by doing so.

The sceptics say that social marketing is an Internet bubble in the making but others say that it's the world's biggest, fastest and most dynamic focus groups.

Social marketing is a superb tool for mass communication, a way of connecting and sharing whether on a personal of a business level. Connections made possible by social networks are helping to create new businesses as well as promote and strengthen existing ones.

As with any new technology there are always pitfalls and words of warning.

As social networking and blogs weave their way into the workplace, offering huge opportunities for businesses, they also leave lines open for abuse and mistrust.

It's estimated that personal use of social networks during the working day have cost British economy almost £1.4 million a year in lost productivity.

An American firm, Nucleus Research, concluded that if companies banned employees from using Facebook while at work, their productivity would improve by 1.5%

But this is nothing new. Before computers even came along people were taking time out from work with cigarette breaks and coffee stops! When computers were introduced life became more varied with PC games for a quick brain refresh. There will always be people that abuse the system and there will always be a need to restrict access to some form of technology during the working day. It's just standard business practices to maximise your workforce.

Another concern for companies is the leaking of sensitive information through social networking, but again, this should be considered within standard business practices.

Social networking is a marketing tool and as such should be within your business plan and should have structure and form, ie: you should be clear what you want to say and how you want to say it. From a corporate perspective it's more appropriate for select individuals to blog, tweet and post about the company. The individuals send out a common message in a similar language that showcases the company and the brand, eg: a law firm might have a very formal structure with legal wording whereas a builder could be more informal with everyday wording.

For any company, standard business practices would currently include contractual elements for non-disclosure of sensitive information; therefore, the passing of information through social networking should be incorporated into this. Social networking is no different to chatting to a friend down the pub and giving away company secrets. Company policy needs to be in place to protect those secrets, innovations and sensitive tit bits.

So, how are people using social networking to build their business?

We've already said that it's a marketing tool building street credibility and strengthening your brand, eg: Barack Obama victory campaign.

We've already highlighted that it's an excellent channel for news, eg: latest natural or freak accident.

What we haven't touched upon is how simple and cost effective it is to implement. How quickly you can get your message out to hundreds and thousands of people with as little as 140 characters - even in a postal strike or the deepest of snow!

eMarketer estimate that over 600 million people will use their phones to tap into social networking by 2013, a more than four-fold increase on last year's 140 million. Facebook already has 65million mobile users.

Are you one of the 65 million? I am!

A Citibank survey (Oct09) of 500 small businesses in America found most of the companies had not used online networks because they thought they would be a waste of time.

Believe me - I have no time to waste!

Just because I'm having fun whilst I build my corporate identity doesn't make it any less effective.

Just because the information is flowing to me instead of me having to hunt for it doesn't make it any less relevant.

Just because I'm interacting with people through a computer doesn't make me any less sociable.

Through social networking I'm building my brand, I'm building my corporate identity and I'm building my public profile in a very real and interactive environment. It's leading to business and a whole lot of fun.

Why not join me on a social network site today? See your yourself, take a look, and make your own notes:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gainteriors
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ga_interiors
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gainteriors

Of course if you'd like a little guidance then just give us a call or sign up today to our business workshop "Social Networking Made Easy" by contacting our creative designer, Gwendoline.

Tel: 07841 519802
E-Mail: gwendoline@ga-interiors.co.uk

New Design Clinic For March... Maximise Any Room

NEW DESIGN CLINIC FOR MARCH 2010

- MAXIMISE ANY ROOM -

As we mentioned in our blog article 'How To Maximise Any Room', there are many reasons why a room is labelled awkward.

It could be the six of the room or its poor proportions. It could be the layout of the room or a lack of storage. It could even be caused by the quantity of items required in the room itself.

All of these problems cause an unsettling in our homes because all the time we're having to compromise.

For 2010, we don't want you to compromise.

We've created for you, your family and friends, a relaxed and informal design clinic where we'll share with you our top tips to resolve these awkward problems.

Here's what one of our clients had to say about our top tips:

"Thank you for your numerous ideas for my daughter's room. We have implemented them and simply can't believe that a box room now feels like a spacious bedroom with very little expense. Great advice."

In a relaxed and informal, fun and friendly environment, our aim is to teach you elements of design theory alongside practical skills. This means that we give you the potential to go home with the skills to resolve your awkward and maximise any room.

Here's what one of our previous students had to say:

"A big thank you for all your valuable advice and help. You made it fun and interesting."

All of our design clinics are exclusive to GA Interiors with a limited number of places available so it is advisable to make an early booking.

Contact us today to secure your place on at this unique event:

Date: Tuesday 2nd March
Time: 7:30 - 9:30 pm
Place: Saint Albans, Hertfordshire, UK
Price: £35

Tel: 07841 519802

E-Mail: gwendoline:ga-interiors.co.uk

How To Maximise Any Room

Working with many clients in a variety of properties, we often find a key problem for them is awkward rooms.

There are several reasons why a room might be awkward:

1) SIZE

A room may be too large or too small for the desired purpose. Of course, unless you're going to add walls to a larger space or add an extension to a smaller space then we have to work with the room as it is.

Often our solution to this problem is to define the space more accurately so that every centimetre in the room is optimised. We zone, or section, the room into different areas so that each zone has a clear purpose and function.

Zoning a space gives clear divisions and sets boundaries between one part of the room and the next. Larger rooms will feel cosier and smaller rooms will feel more spacious.

2) PROPORTION

Often the proportions of a room create problems for our clients, eg:
- an 'L' shaped room
- a very long room
- a room with a low ceiling
- a room with a high ceiling
- an attic room
- a room with lots of doors and windows.

As with the solution for room size, we can adjust some awkwardness in the room with clearer space definition.

Other techniques we use to remedy this problem involve a clever use of colour and defined furniture layout.

Our techniques trick the eye at a subconscious level to see the room in a different way, eg: painting a low ceiling a lighter colour than the walls will add height to the room and painting a high ceiling in a darker colour than the walls will bring the ceiling down and make the room feel cosier.

Sometimes we have to use a combination of industry techniques depending on how dis-proportionate the room is.

3) LAYOUT

One of the most common problems we encounter is under-utilised space due to poor layout of furniture.

As we mature our needs change and quite often our homes remain the same, ie: we have the same things in the same place because that's what we're used to.

For many of our clients, we work with them to understand their current needs for their home. What do they like about their homes and what's not working? We can then assess each room individually to make sure it has a clear defined purpose.

For example: one of our clients has created a huge extension with a fabulous room that they termed as the 'junk room'. We're now making it into a games room for the whole family to enjoy.

Another important problem with layout is use of space, ie: how you use every room in your home.

For example: one of our clients had an extension and kept the children's playroom int eh same old room. Great whilst they're living in the property but, now that they're selling their home this is the first room that buyers see. No matter how tidy the playroom is, it's never going to create that great first impression that hooks the buyer into the sale.

It would be more impactive for the clients to swap the playroom with the dining room. This would create minimal disruption and maximum impact giving them a greater opportunity to achieve that all important sale.

4) STORAGE

Many small 'box' rooms are given over to children or used as an office. Both have loads of items with oodles of toys for the children and bundles of box files for the office.

The key solution to this problem is great storage. Storage in terms of the types of furniture used and also the accessories that compliment the furniture.

For example: an office might require a great shelving system that holds box files whereas a baby's room might require shelving with adjustable shelves as their items will change as the child matures.

5) TOO MANY ITEMS TO FIT INTO THE ROOM

This problem usually occurs when dealing with a children's room as the amount of books, toys and accessories they have can be quite staggering - particularly when it's your first child and you're used to having the house to yourself!

As with any good design the solution is to zone, or section, the room into its functional areas, such as sleeping (bed), playing (table and chairs) and living (wardrobes).

The next consideration is great storage that's adjustable and flexible as the child matures, eg: the Flexa system (http://www.totstoteensfurniture.co.uk/)

The third consideration is to regularly go through the things and remove anything that's broken or no longer used. This should be carried out with the children - I know this is a horrendous thought for some of you and it is time consuming - but children need to learn life skills and tidy up after themselves.

With all these top tips you can now tackle those awkward rooms in your home.

Of course if you get a little stuck then we're always here to help.

If you'd like some practical skills to help you on your way then why not join me for our exclusive, fun and friendly design clinic: Maximise Any Room:

Date: Tuesday 2nd March
Time: 7:30 - 9:30 pm
Place: St Albans, Hertfordshire
Price: £35

You could even bring your friends with you for moral support. Contact us today to ensure your place at this exciting and unique event.

Best of Luck,
Gwendoline.
Creative Director,
GA Interiors.

Tel: 07841 519802
E-Mail: gwendoline@ga-interiors.co.uk
Website: http://www.ga-interiors.co.uk/

My Life

Here's the speech that I presented today to an exciting group of business ladies:

"This year I'm celebrating 25 years since I moved down to the Sunny South from the persistently precipitating Pennines.

After achieving a degree in Business Studies, down in sunny Bournemouth, I moved to Hatfield to take up a position in IT. 3 company moves later and I'd made my way up to senior management. I was managing global projects, large teams and budgets in the millions.

But it wasn't enough. There was something missing.

When my father died of cancer, a week after my son was born, I decided it was time to take stock. Every spare minute I spent studying Interior Design with a prestigious London college. When I achieved Distinction in my exams I realised that I had a natural talent, flair and a passion for Interior Design.

It was then that I heard about Ann Maurice, the celebrity House Dr on the telly, who whizzes around people's homes taking them from shocking to striking. Fortunately for me she was offering a training course in London so I booked myself on and am now a House Dr consultant as well as an Interior Designer.

For you, this means that I'm professionally trained to undertake a quick and economic makeover as well as rip your homes apart and rebuild them into palatial palaces to fulfill all your dreams.

I work with divorced couples who need an independent person to prepare their homes for sale, families who haven't decorated for 20 years, couples staying put and extending until the economy improves, as well as single professionals and many, many more.

I consider myself to be a lifestyle designer because my focus is to create you stunning homes that work around your daily life.

I create a retreat for you, your haven - a place where you can relax and unwind - your perfect home."

Public Speaking - A Beautiful Princess

For those who aren't aware, Gwendoline is a member of Toastmasters International (http://www.toastmasters.org/) which is a global public speaking group.

Gwendoline has been asked to prepare a speech number 6 to showcase the skill of vocal variety.

Your voice has a major effect on your audience. A lively, exciting voice attracts and keeps listeners attention. A speaking voice should be pleasant, natural, forceful, expressive and easily heard. You need to focus on volume, pitch, rate and quality as well as appropriate pauses to reflect and add meaning and interest to your message. Your voice should reflect the thoughts you are presenting.

Here's Gwendoline's speech that she'll be presenting tonight. We'll keep you posted on how it goes:

A BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS

Imagine a girl, barely 17, a beautiful princess with chocolate drop eyes, peachy skin and raven black hair. She's the life and soul of the party. With her raucous laugh, she's loved by everyone.

BUT, like every good fairy story, she has a deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep, daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaark secret! Something she's never told anyone before!!

As she trudges home her shoulders start to slump and her head bows down. It's started already - the anxiety, the gloom and misery.

She reaches the front door and opens it wide, the depression whips around her legs and starts to stifle her!

She steps inside - the pain, the searing pain!! The headache, the nausea, the migraine, the sickness, the sadness, the stress.

BUT, this is no fairy story, this is real life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I enter her home I pick my way up the stairs. I feel the depression oozing out of the walls, the sadness sliding up my legs and the cold stagnant air chilling my bones.

I push open her door and sidle my way inside. I'm greeted with a sea of stuff and a tower of tat - total chaos!

It's at this point that those of you with teenage children will tell me that it's normal not to see the bedroom floor.

(display line of bin bags)

From that floor I retrieved 27 bin bags of stuff. 27 bulging bin bags of stuff.

(display shoebox)

Plus, a shoe box stuffed with headache tables - all empty! A girl, barely 17, surviving off headache tablets!

Imagine a girl, barely 17, sat in a family sized car. Now imagine adding each bin bag one by one. One by one they're pushed and squeezed into every crevice, every nook and cranny.

The girl no longer sits upright, instead she's splattered against the car door, her face suckered to the window and totally contorted. Her neck is long and lean as she gasps for breath. She's being suffocated by all this stuff! The headaches, On No! The pain, the nausea.

A beautiful princess, with chocolate drop eyes, peachy skin and raven black hair - she's loved by everyone.

HERE'S WHAT PEOPLE HAD TO SAY ABOUT THIS SPEECH:

"From the start a beautifully dramatic evocative speech told with great feeling and actions."

"So dramatic and evocatively delivered creating quite a tension with the audience. I lost the polt a little. Consider what you'd like your audience to go away with. Your strong command of the floor and uninhibited gestures are a joy."

"Very good straightforward message created pictures that kept attention."

"Very powerful! You had us all hanging on your every word. Wonderful use of language and clear powerful descriptions. I was suprised at the sudden ending."

"Perhaps try to use more power in your voice. Good repetion - a girl barely 17."

"Passionate and well described. Great visionary. Bit depressing this I thought. Bit laboured and then the finish before I had time to take it in. Excellent otherwise."

"Your skills are very polished: gestures, props, modulation of voice! Just a small recommendation: prepare the audience for the end of the speech as it came as a bit abruptly and, personally, I wasn't ready for it yet."

"I found your arm movements a distraction. Good use of pauses."

"Awesome, simply awesome."

MY VIEWPOINT

I was very pleased with my speech as it was enthusiastically received and I do appreciate the comments about the ending being abrupt.

When I saw that I was already at 5 minutes I did round the speech off so that I didn't overrun my 7 minutes slot. From the comments I received it sounds as if I cut it off rather than rounded it off!

Toastmasters (www.toastmasters.org) is always a great learning environment. If you're a great speaker already then it can show you how to become a fantastic speaker. If you dread the thought of getting up in front of people then it's such a supportive group.

My next speech is all about researching a topic. It's going to be one of my crazy 'off the wall' subjects again that my audience won't be prepared for!

I'll keep you posted how it goes.

Gwendoline
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
GA INTERIORS

Tel: 07841 519802
E-Mail: gwendoline@ga-interiors.co.uk

Website: www.ga-interiors.co.uk
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gainteriors
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gainteriors
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ga_interiors

Regular Slot On Radio Verulam

Hope you managed to catch our creative director Gwendoline on Radio Verulam last night. It was such a fun packed session with plenty of industry top tips.

Such as the colour of the year according to Pantone, the leading expert in colour, being Turquoise. It's such a great colour as it mixes really well with neutrals such as Chocolate for a traditional style and also compliments Silver or grey for a more Contemporary setting. The ultimate uber chic style for Spring would be to mix it with white! Totally lush!

They also discussed the question, "Where do all the old sofas go?" This lead to the importance of recycling as much as possible, especially when the news is full of articles referencing families on the breadline. There are many places that sell your old items of furniture, and we're not just talking about the charity shops although they are the main outlet. You could also give your items away on Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/).

With so much information to share, Gwendoline's now been offered a regular slot with Danny Smith on the last Tuesday of each month (5:30 - 6pm GMT).

Each month we'll be bringing you a different aspect of interior design, from decluttering for Spring through to Xmas styling for the festive season.

So, keep your hears tuned to Radio Verulam (92.6 FM) http://www.radioverulam.com/.

Don't forget, if you'd like Gwendoline to bring her design knowledge and experience to brighten your event then just get in touch.

Gwendoline
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
GA INTERIORS

Tel: 07841 519802
Website: http://www.ga-interiors.co.uk/

Radio Verulam - Drivetime with Danny smith

Recently you've heard our creative director, Gwendoline, on Radio Verulam in Elsbeth Jackman's show 'Tracks Of Your Life'. It was a fun filled session where Gwendoline shared with you her 14 favourite tunes and memories from her interesting life.

She showed such a wide taste in music from Frank Sinatra to Kylie Minogue through to Mika and Queen. All given with interesting snippets from her life.

Gwendoline has now been asked to contribute to Radio Verulam's evening show, with Danny Smith, on her specialism of interior design.

Have your ears tuned to Radio Verulam (92.6FM) on Tuesday 26th January (5:30 - 6pm GMT) to hear the latest trends and top tips in interior design. It's a great way to catch up in the comfort of your own home or office.

Don't worry if you aren't near a radio as you can listen over the Internet - just checkout the website www.radioverulam.com.

If you'd like us to feature at one of your events then just GET IN TOUCH TODAY.*

Gwendoline
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
GA INTERIORS

Tel: 07841 519802
E-Mail: gwendoline@ga-interiors.co.uk
Website: www.ga-interiors.co.uk
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gainteriors
Facebook: www.facebook.com/gainteriors
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ga_interiors

* Gwendoline is a member of Toastmasters International (www.toastmasters.org) which is a highly acclaimed, global, public speaking organisation.