Profile: Rolz & Sassy Babywearing Gear for Parents

By Susan Regier

Rolz & Sassy knows what savvy parents want. They know that when you hold a baby, he cries less. As it’s not practical for parents to hold their baby all day, they’ve manufactured a line of wraps and slings so Mom and Dad can wear their baby – an ideal solution that helps parents and babies grow together.

Marcia Spencer was thrilled when she first “wore” her six-month-old daughter comfortably during a two-hour hike and still had available hands to help her toddler. In fact, Spencer was so thrilled with the product that she bought the company in 2005 and has been on a mission to supply other parents with safe, versatile, and sassy babywearing gear.

Research shows that babies carried next to their mother’s body during the first few months cry 43% less, have better digestion, and have enhanced visual and auditory alertness over babies toted in infant carriers. Babywearing allows parents to hold their baby without putting excessive strain on their bodies or interfering with daily tasks.

In June 2006, Spencer renamed the company Rolz & Sassy, after the nicknames for children Roland and Sasha, to reflect her expanded product line available in stores across Canada and the U.S.

Her top products are wraps and slings. The Sassy Wrap™ is one continuous piece of fabric that is wrapped around the body to "wear" the baby. Depending on body size and baby's age, it can be tied several ways for comfort and is a perfect fit for babies with physical disabilities. The Ring Sling™ is designed for comfort with a shoulder “kick” to ensure it stays in place. It features a deep inside pocket, which is large enough to hold the essentials – a diaper, soother, and bank card.

Sassy Wraps conform to a baby’s developing spine. The baby’s weight is distributed evenly over Mom’s body and can be worn immediately after a c-section without discomfort. “Wearing your baby is easier than struggling with strollers in crowded stores,” said Spencer. “Plus, it offers the advantage of discreet nursing.”

Spencer, an experienced Early Childhood Educator, believes that carrying your baby is a need and want for child and parent. “Who doesn’t love to snuggle with a baby? There’s no better feeling than having a baby melt into your body,” said Spencer. “It’s a magical moment that babywearers get to experience all day.”

Rolz & Sassy manufactures their wraps and slings in London. They are constructed with premium textiles in a range of colours and patterns, including camouflage for Dad. Sizes are easily adjusted for newborns to pre-school-size kids. Simple instructions are included or parents can attend free babywearing workshops to learn first hand how to wear their children with sass appeal.

Visit them online at www.rolzandsassy.ca.

Susan Regier is the publisher/editor of Networking Today and owner of Vantage One Writing, a professional writing service for businesses. (519) 471-8726 Email: regiers@vantageone.ca Web site: www.vantageone.ca

Published in Networking Today, April 2007

First Impressions Count

By Susan Regier

Your clothes set the stage. Your words set the tone. And your actions set everything else in motion. If you’re looking for a job, selling to a new client, or motivating peers, your first impression speaks volumes about what will happen next.

People form impressions of you by looking at the outside and making an assumption about what's on the inside. In fact, 90% of people form an opinion within 10 to 40 seconds upon meeting you. Once people draw conclusions, they are reluctant to change their minds, and negative first impressions may be formed quicker and are harder to overcome.

An effective first impression must show consistency between your words, actions, and how you look. If you walk into a room, bouncing with energy and a smile plastered across your face, and then announce you’re not feeling well and you’re taking the rest of the day off, do you think your boss will believe you? You must not only say what you mean but demonstrate it with your movements and nonverbal communication.

Visually speaking, when someone is dressed similarly to you, they feel you share similar beliefs and values, which builds trust. When deciding what to wear, ask yourself who am I seeing today, where are we meeting, and how do I want to be perceived.

If you are meeting a client at the local coffee shop, and you’re dressed in a powerful business suit, it could be overwhelming. If the client is a small business owner you may be perceived as intimidating and way over their budget.

Clean well-pressed clothing can make a huge difference. Ensure they fit properly and watch the shoes. Sales have been lost because of scuffed shoes.

A few years ago my son talked about getting a part-time job. He was the typical teenager who wore baggy jeans hanging low with a huge T-shirt and chains hanging from his pocket. I explained the importance of dressing for a job interview. I suggested his school uniform would be a good example of what to wear. Dress khaki pants and a button-down white dress shirt. He looked at me like I had two heads.

A few days later, he announced he’d had the interview. I looked at him and the clothes he was wearing – the oversized black jeans and a T-shirt that depicted a music band I had no interest in ever hearing. A wasted opportunity I thought, but maybe I could turn this into a learning opportunity…and it proved to be just that.

I asked my son what the person conducting the interview wore. He described blue jeans, a T-shirt, and “amazing” artwork covering the man's arm. My son was excited – the company he had applied to sold music to teens. This was not a main-stream business. In fact, I had never heard of it before – but my son knew it well. I learned my lesson. If he had have shown up for the interview in the clothes I suggested, he would never have been considered for the job. He did the right thing. He dressed for the occasion. He knew the store and its clientele…and he was hired.

Know what impression you want to create and how to create it. Every colour you wear sends a message. It’s up to you to decide what you want that message to be.

If it is a message of authority, responsibility and knowledge…wear navy blue. Successful? Wear darker gray. Dependable, practical, stable? Try brown, but brown can lend a perception of boring. Intuitive, imaginative, or spiritual? Wear purple. If you want to send a message that you’re powerful, dignified, and sophisticated, opt for black. But be careful with black, it can be too powerful and work against you.

By adding a suit jacket you can be one third more powerful than wearing just a simple shirt or blouse. And if you’re in a position to speak at a lecture hall, wear striking rich colours to hold attention. Light or dark neutrals will have you fading into the background.

One last important consideration when dressing for business is to be sure that if you are planning to advertise a brand – make sure it is your brand. If you want to wear a logo on your golf shirt, make it your own!

If you’re wondering what first impressions you exude, ask your clients or co-workers. Find out how that impression changed once you began working together. It may be interesting to find out how aligned their opinion is with what you’re thinking. You may find you need to work on creating a better first impression.

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Susan Regier is the publisher/editor of Networking Today and owner of Vantage One Writing, a professional writing service for businesses. (519) 471-8726 E-mail: susan@vantageone.ca Web site: www.vantageone.ca

Published in Networking Today, April 2007.

Your Business…Your Baby

By Jennifer Murray

“When you love something

, you should let it go, and it will come back to you better and improved.” This quote not only applies to loved ones and relationships but also to your business.

Entrepreneurs and small business owners wear a multitude of hats – no doubt about it. And why do we want to do it all? For the same reason we don’t give up our children. Let’s parallel this for a minute.

You see, our children challenge us (first physically, then mentally) as do our businesses. In the beginning, we work long hours, change our sleep and eating routines, meet new people, and constantly question our judgment. Did I make the right decision? Should I have chosen a different supplier? We ask colleagues what they think about nearly every aspect until we get a little experience beneath our belt. Now think about first-time parents. There’s nothing like a baby to change these same things including our confidence in our personal lives.

As dependencies evolve (in both children and business), we begin to breathe again; feel the winds of success beneath us and we’re proud of the gamut we’ve survived. The first two years of life and the first two years of a small business are tough work and there should be a badge for survivors. Then it happens. You know it’s time to step back and get someone else involved.

For parents, this can mean daycare or the first day of school. Here’s the leap of faith I’m getting to: you know as a parent you can’t give your child everything. Teachers and other kids can contribute in ways you could not and your child will only benefit from other perspectives including individual strengths and weaknesses. This applies to your business, too.

How can you possibly expect your business to grow if you don’t open it up for more input, experiences, strengths, and weaknesses? The faith you need to build before you leap can be paralleled with the research you put into finding the right pre-school. You wouldn’t offer your child to the first person that comes along; nor should you open your business doors to the first offer of help. Human resource is a vast area of expertise that offers many studies and strategies for fit, motivation, and compensation. There’s a reason for professional designations in this field. People have a huge affect on a company that it should be given significant consideration.

As the most dedicated and motivated employee, your success equals the company’s success. Take time to determine your strengths and company goals before you’re desperate for help. Strategize where the best fit would be. How successful are you if you are stressed, and struggling between getting more work and getting the work done? How can you expect to grow without letting something go?

Most of us cannot grow another brain, arm, or leg. The best place to start looking for assistance is by sharing weekly routines you don’t feel are a good use of your time. Start small as a testing ground. This is important not only in assessing the skill and trust level of the person performing the work but it acts as a gauge of your communication capability.

The trick is finding a comfort zone for both of you. There are two extremes. The first is the micro-manager we all know and love. At the other end of spectrum is the person that doesn’t give specific instructions but expects the task-handler to simply know. Picture the caregiver sitting in the back of the kindergarten room “just in case” versus the parent not communicating his child’s special needs and promptly leaving upon delivery.

It is in your best interest to provide all the tools (including information) for the task to be completed successfully. It is in your assistant’s best interest to make sure she understands and asks clarifying questions to ensure her success, too. Only then will you both experience the power of “we” and your company will grow.

Once your comfort level has been established, and your mind-map changed, you will see other tasks that can be handed over. And there you go…your business-baby is graduating and incorporating a support system of its own. They are called friends in pre-school, and in business – associates, colleagues, and maybe even employees – and there you grow again!

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Jennifer Murray, founder of The Nimble Assistant, contributes to the growth and sustainability of small businesses through administrative support. By working smarter not harder, entrepreneurs are experiencing the “power of we” and growing their businesses. For a free brainstorming session on how The Nimble Assistant can contribute to your success email: info@TheNimbleAssistant.com or visit www.TheNimbleAsssitant.com for testimonials and examples.

Published in Networking Today, April 2007

Addressing the Elephant in the Room

By Jill Konrath

Admit it. There are some subjects related to your product, service or solution that you dread talking about. Perhaps your offering isn't the most "leading edge." Maybe your pricing is much higher than competitors. Or maybe you're a boutique firm without the full spectrum of services of the bigger companies.

Whatever it is, you hope like crazy that your prospects won't bring it up. Yet you know deep inside that the topic is unavoidable. No matter how hard you try to dance around the elephant in the room and pretend it's not there, it's just a matter of time before someone asks about it. Then you stumble through a lame response that makes you sound like a total patsy and your credibility plummets.

So what's a seller to do?

When I was in college, I worked at the Ground Round Restaurant as a waitress. On weekends, Leroy Larson played his banjo and sang the old favorites. After months of working there, I developed quite a liking for his rendition of songs by the Kingston Trio. (MTA & Tom Dooley)

Twenty years later, this group came to Minneapolis for a concert. I persuaded my husband to go with me – even though he wasn't enamored with their music. After the warm-up singers, a booming voice came over the microphone announcing the main act: "ladies and gentlemen (long pause)…The Kingston Trio."

There was a roar of applause as we waited for this much beloved group to appear. From the left side of the stage, three old, bald, slightly overweight guys hobbled slowly to the center. One was leaning so heavily on his cane we weren't sure if he'd make it.

The audience was in shock. We were in the midst of a geriatric unit. The once vibrant Kingston Trio looked like they belonged in the old folks' home.

The lead singer limped up to the microphone. When he got there he stopped. Slowly he scanned the audience, practically making eye contact with each person. As he looked at us, his head started shaking back and forth like he was in disbelief. Still, he was silent.

Finally he spoke. With a twinkle in his eye, he looked straight at us and said, "My goodness you've gotten old!"

The crowd erupted in laughter. The elephant in the room had been addressed; and once it was out on the table, it totally lost its impact.

How does this apply to selling?

When I sold for Xerox, my most feared competitor had a switch that automatically turned its copiers off after not being in use for 20 minutes. This was at a time when gas prices were high and people were big into conservation.

I lost more sales over this stupid feature than I care to admit. My competitor kept emphasizing its value. All my responses made me sound like I was on the defensive.

The truth was the annual cost savings were miniscule. Plus waiting for the system to warm up again drove people nuts. But it wasn't till I started bringing up the subject myself that I regained my competitive edge. Early on in the sales process, I would say:

"As you're evaluating systems you're likely to hear some vendors talk about how great it is to have an automatic off/on switch. For your information, when copiers are in the "wait mode" they're using about the same amount of electricity as a standard light bulb – which is minimal.

"What people don't realize when they get copiers with this switch is that you have to wait 30 seconds for it to warm up again each time. I don't know about your employees, but many find it unacceptable to wait for 30 seconds for their copy. They want it immediately."

I never lost to that competitor again. That's what can happen when you face into those dreaded subjects, think about them ahead of time and plan your response. You might even need to experiment with several variations until you find the right way to say things.

What other elephants could be in the room?

If pricing is the issue, address the fact that you're not the low cost provider head on and tell them why it's to their advantage. If you're a small company without the breadth of coverage of a corporate giant, point out the fact early on in your discussions. Then, follow up with several statements about why that's good for them.

Recently, I noticed a corporate giant using this strategy in their television advertising campaign. SAP, a firm that offers a comprehensive range of enterprise software applications, is perceived by many smaller firms to be too complicated, sophisticated, and pricey for their business operations. In their ads, executives/owners of these growing firms express surprise that they can get SAP's capabilities at such an affordable rate. It's very effective.

So, what elephants are you tiptoeing around? What areas do you dread talking about? Once you name them, start working on how to proactively bring them up when you meet with prospective customers. That's the only way for them to lose their impact!

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Jill Konrath, sales strategist and author of Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into corporate accounts and win big contracts. For more info and to get a free Sales Call Planning Guide, visit her website at http://www.SellingtoBigCompanies.com.

Published in Networking Today, April 2007

Increase Productivity...to do the things you really want

By Barbara Bartlein

A study of a thousand business people reported that 89% take work home, 65% work more than one weekend a month and 53% spend less than two hours a week looking after their children. Completed by the American Management Association, the study also revealed that more than 68% of the survey respondents felt at least somewhat more overwhelmed at work than they did two years ago.

Are you looking for more time in your life to do the things you really want? We can’t create more time, but by using time more effectively, you can streamline work and responsibilities. Here are some ideas:

Observe yourself. The first step in time management is to know how you currently spend your time. Log all the hours and what you are doing for one week. You will quickly discover time that is lost with inefficiencies, interruptions, and lack of planning. Be especially wary of the great time waster—television. Discipline yourself to make better choices.

Go to bed. According to the 2005 Sleep in America Poll, approximately half of American workers report that lack of sleep regularly affects their performance on the job and at home. Adults in the US report that they receive, on average, 6.9 hours of sleep each night. The recommended amount is 7.5 to 8.5 hours for a healthy adult. Don’t skimp on sleep to get everything done. You may be more productive by sleeping that extra hour.

Have a “don’t do” list. Be clear on what things you don’t want to do or interfere with your efficiency. I am often asked to lunch by people who want to “network.” While I enjoy meeting new people, I have found this to be an enormous waste of time with little benefit to either party. I now refuse these requests and invite them instead to join me at a larger networking event.

Go paperless. You have the technology, so use it. Eliminate the paper trails, files, and copies. Use the computer to put your documents into files and organize your projects. At least twice a year, take a few hours to go through files and delete what isn’t being used.

Make e-mail the communication of choice. Eliminate as many phone calls as possible. Integrate voicemails and faxes into your e-mail system to avoid wasting time on other technology.

Use e-mail filtering. This will keep the amount of e-mails at an acceptable level. Tools like “in-box rules” and search folders can mark and group messages based on content and importance.

Ignore new e-mails. It’s fine to have the e-mail notification icon on your toolbar but discipline yourself to ignore it. Each time you switch between screens to check the latest incoming mail; you lose your flow and your productivity. Rather open your mail no more than once per hour.

Learn the computer programs. Most of us use less than 10% of the capacity of the programs we have installed on our computers. Yet, you can save time by using macros and other tools. Don’t have time to sign up for a course? Download a free list of shortcuts from Microsoft at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290938

Use a computerized contact management system. There are a number of great ones available such as ACT. Many also can integrate into your palm pilot for scheduling, contact, info, etc. It’s a great way to keep track of key customer, contacts or even your Holiday list.

Set short deadlines. Long deadlines are the fodder for procrastination. Most of us wait until we are under the gun and then work like crazy to complete the project. Create a deadline system for yourself that includes daily goals even if it is only part of a project.

Understand who does the typing. Consulting with large corporations, I am often amazed that they try to save money by eliminating support staff. How many hours of time are wasted by folks who are typing with two fingers? Either learn to type or hire someone who does. This holds true for other projects too. If there is someone who can do it better, faster, and more efficient than you, outsource the work.

Systemize everything you can. From scheduling to grocery shopping, calendars to cleaning, create a system. Systems turn into habits and organized habits increase efficiency.

Eliminate everything from your schedule that does not add value. Too often reports, measurements and routine tasks are of little benefit and interfere with other projects. There is an old Scottish proverb: “Weighing sheep won’t make them any fatter.” Measurements have their place but periodically evaluate if they are still needed.

Implement these ideas to increase your productivity...then take a nice vacation.

Barbara Bartlein, CSP is The People Pro and president of Great Lakes Consulting Group which helps businesses sell more goods and services by developing people. She can be reached at 888-747-9953 or by email at barb@thepeoplepro.com. Visit her Web site at www.ThePeoplePro.com.

Published in Networking Today, April 2007

Emotional Leakage (Getting Mad at Peter and Taking it Out on Paul)

By Nancy Friedman, The Telephone Doctor

We have all seen it happen. A coworker comes into work storming angry; mouth turned down in a frown; walking through the office without saying hello to anyone. He sits down at his desk and starts barking orders to his coworkers. He doesn’t come out of his office and when his phone rings he picks it up and bellows out "yea?" Sad isn’t it? Something must have happened before he got to work and he carried it right inside the building. Telephone Doctor calls this "Emotional Leakage" and we cure it all the time.

It’s no fun to get up on the wrong side of the bed in the morning. And it’s sure not fun to get a flat tire on the way to work or to argue with someone before breakfast. It’s unfortunate that some people aren’t able to shake it off and move on about their business.

Emotional leakage is getting mad at Peter and taking it out on Paul. It’s not right, not fair, and not fun. Taking a negative emotion out on someone who wasn’t involved is downright rude.

If emotionally leaking on coworkers isn’t fair, then emotionally leaking on customers is even worse. The customer or coworker, in most cases, wasn’t involved with whatever put you in a bad mood, so why take it out on them? Few things are more unfair and damaging to a relationship than emotional leaking on someone who wasn’t involved. Unfortunately, it happens every day; at home, in the office, on the streets, and in the stores.

While shopping the other day, the person helping me was obviously not in a good mood at all. In fact, if she smiled, I think her face would have cracked. She gave me one-word answers and kept turning her head to see who was coming or going. Normally, I walk out on that type of service. It’s just not worth my time to be treated like that. This time, I was in a hurry and needed the product so I did something I don’t normally do. I asked her if everything was all right. I tried to make it sound as though I was interested (even though I wasn’t.) I didn’t want her negative emotions leaking on me any longer.

With a big sigh and a sad face, she told me she and her boyfriend had a big fight the night before and she was hoping he’d come by and apologize. "Excuse me," I said, "was I with you?"

Believe it or not she smiled and said, "Of course not."

Then I nicely told her, "If I wasn’t there, I don’t want to be part of that argument."

She started to apologize, as she should. Then I thought about a vase I had once. I dropped it. It broke into several pieces. My husband, Dick, and I talked about whether we should take it somewhere and have a professional put it back together. Dick said, "We can do that if you’d like, but it will never be the same. You’ll always feel the cracks."

And so it is with our coworkers and customers. You can be in a bad mood and you can apologize; but people still remember how you treated them. How you made them feel will last a long time.

So how do we cure emotional leakage? It’s a quick 4-step process.

1. Stop what you’re doing.

2. Take a deep breath.

3. Put on a phony smile (yes, you can).

4. Regain your professional composure and then talk – in person or on the phone.

Emotionally leaking on someone is NEVER right.

There are times when we’ll get emotionally leaked on by others. Think how you feel when that happens to you, and then remember to never emotionally leak on others.

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Nancy Friedman is president of Telephone Doctor®, an international customer service training company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, specializing in customer service and telephone skills. She is a KEYNOTE speaker at association conferences and corporate gatherings and is the author of four best selling books. Call 314-291-1012 for more information or visit the website at www.telephonedoctor.com.

Published in Networking Today, April 2007

Winnie the Pooh® and You…at the Tradeshow?

By Susan A. Friedmann

At first glance, there’s no connection between Disney’s Winnie the Pooh and tradeshows. The same is true of Piglet, Tigger, and the rest of the gang. What could this cuddly group of childhood favorites possibly teach us about exhibiting?

Surprisingly, quite a bit. You don’t believe me? Take a look, and see how many of your staffers you recognize:

Winnie the Pooh

Pooh Bear may be cute, cuddly, and approachable; but he’s also got one thing on his mind. What makes this roly poly bear happy? Honey, of course! When he’s not enjoying a meal, he’s in search of the next smackerel to fill his rumbly-tummy.

A Pooh-style booth staffer is hungry. He might be talking to attendees, but he’s thinking about lunch. Scents from the food court get his nostrils quivering. When he gets a chance to eat, he takes it: even if that means eating in the booth!

Piglet

Piglet is a very small animal, made even more timid when confronted with unfamiliar surroundings, loud noises, bright colors, and crowds. His reaction is to run and hide under the bed, or behind his good friend Pooh.

A Piglet-style staffer may be naturally shy or someone who is easily overwhelmed. Their reaction, inspired by fear, is to fade into the back of the booth and hope no one notices them. More often than not, they get their wish. This may be good for them, but bad for your bottom line.

Owl

Owl is an exceedingly well-educated bird. He has a brain full of facts and figures and he wants you to know it. No tidbit of information is too small to escape his attention, nor to avoid being retold to anyone who will listen.

If you have an Owl-style staffer, you might count yourself lucky. After all, she knows everything! The overwhelming compulsion to "show off" their knowledge can easily alienate attendees and send them in search of a salesperson who knows how to listen.

Rabbit

Rabbit is the busiest creature in the Hundred Acre Woods. He’s always rushing around: planting seeds over here, pulling weeds over there, chasing crows and watering daffodils. You can always tell a Rabbit-style staffer. They’re the ones with a cell phone constantly in their ear, fingers flying over the keyboard as they check e-mails or text message the home office. They’re so obviously busy taking care of business that they can’t be bothered with trivial distractions like talking to show attendees!

Tigger

Tigger is full of energy. He bounces around, springing from one thing that catches his attention to the next. Full of laughs, high spirits and infectious energy, Tiggers are a lot of fun to have around.

Enthusiasm and high energy can attract traffic to your exhibit, but without some focus and control (concepts foreign to most Tigger-types) there’s no way to capitalize on your crowds.

At this point, you might be feeling a little like Eeyore; down in the dumps. After all, with a booth full of Poohs, Piglets, Owls, Rabbits , and Tiggers, your chances for success are looking slim. Don’t despair The hero of the Hundred Acre Woods is on his way!

Christopher Robin

Christopher Robin encompasses the best traits of all five and adds crucial elements: perspective and understanding of how things actually work.

A Christopher Robin-style staffer combines Owl’s knowledge, Tigger’s enthusiasm, and Pooh’s approachability with an understanding and appreciation for the tradeshow attendee. They realize the importance of giving all their attention to their visitor, setting aside the cell phone, the laptop, and even the sandwich to focus on what’s really important.

Every exhibitor needs to have one or more Christopher Robins on their team. Now’s the time to take a look at your team. How many Christopher Robins do you have? How many Poohs? Piglets? Tiggers?

What can you do to change the makeup in your Hundred Acre Woods?

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Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, internationally recognized expert working with companies to increase their profitability at tradeshows.Author: “Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies,” and “Riches in Niches: How to Make it BIG in a Small Market” (May 2007).For a free copy of “10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make”, e-mail: article4@thetradeshowcoach.com; Web site: www.thetradeshowcoach.com

Published in Networking Today, April 2007

Top 10 Ways to Lose Money on a Property

By Catherine Brown

10.	Carpet in Bathrooms: Eeeewww! Talk about unhygienic! No one wants the job of removing old, mouldy carpeting from your bathroom.
9.	Themed Rooms: The Safari Adventure, Moroccan Dessert, or English Pub themes may appeal only to you.
8.	Gigantic Overstuffed Furniture: Don’t make it difficult for buyers to visualize how their furniture could fit in.
7.	Historical Features in a Non-historical Home: Victorian pedestal sinks and toilets, fake ceiling beams, and MDF or fibreglass ceiling medallions and mouldings in an ordinary suburban home just look wrong.
6.	Pine, Pine & More Pine: Overused because it’s cheap and readily available. Unpainted pine tends to take on an unattractive orange hue over time…and the “log cabin in the city” look has had its day.
5.	Laminate Flooring: Okay in small quantities. But, it does not look “just like wood” and is never interchangeable for quality hardwood flooring in a resale home.
4.	Bad D.I.Y. or Textured Faux Finishes: The proliferation of Do It Yourself shows make it look easy, but bad D.I.Y. is worse than no D.I.Y. Always hire a professional to complete all unfinished projects.
3.	Bad Extensions, Porches & Additions: Anything with a green plastic corrugated roof or rusty metal should be removed before listing. Buyers don’t want to pay for something they have to tear down.
2.	Smoking: Aromas are the first thing buyers notice as they enter a house. It creates part of the all-important first impression. Smoking could be a deal-breaker for as many as 50% of buyers.
1.	Obvious Structural Problems: Large cracks, moisture, or standing water in the basement – these red flags will make buyers run. Address these issues before your home goes on the market.

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Catherine E. Brown is an Accredited Staging Professional and owner of Staged to Move. Catherine is committed to helping clients sell their home for the best price in the least amount of time. She can be contacted at (519) 868-7171 or by email at catherine@stagedtomove.ca. Visit her Web site at www.stagedtomove.ca.

Published in Networking Today, April 2007