Five Sparrows Marketing Blog - Don't Build Your Business on ...

With all the amazing ?free? marketing channels available to small businesses today, it?s easier than ever to set up social profiles, engage with customers, and run marketing campaigns across all types of social media ? like Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, and Pinterest.? However, there?s one thing that many small businesses tend to forget ? all of these ?free? social media sites are built on platforms that are owned and controlled by others.?

For instance, if your small business has invested lots of time, design work, and/or customization on your Facebook Page, you could see these efforts wiped out the next time Facebook decides to change its page layout, its publishing guidelines, its features, or any number of other variables over which you have no control.

A few weeks ago, there was an email going around encouraging Facebook users to post a ?copyright disclaimer? on their Facebook pages.? It concluded that if users posted this disclaimer on their Facebook pages, it would legally protect them from unauthorized use of their information.

Of course, this turned out to be a hoax.? The fact is that the information published in your Facebook profile belongs to Facebook.? Whatever information you added to your Facebook page was information that you voluntarily uploaded to a public platform ? you no longer have control of how that information is used, copyright disclaimer or not.

So how do you protect your small business from online changes that are beyond your control?? Simple ? focus on your website, the online entity that you OWN.

By making your small business website the ?hub? of all your online marketing initiatives, you can use as many external marketing channels as you like, as long as they all lead back to your website ? the web destination that you own and can completely control.?

Consider this diagram:

In a healthy small business marketing mix, you can see the website is at the center of it all.? The other online channels feed into and out of the website, but if any of your social networking channels were to go away, the website would still be there providing critical business and marketing information for users, regardless of what happens externally.

That?s not to say that external marketing channels aren?t important ? they are very important.? Businesses can benefit hugely from taking advantage of social media and other free platforms that provide extra visibility and engagement with customers. ?But putting too much of your time, effort, and marketing dollars into a social site that you don?t own or control can be risky.? Instead, consider an integrated, website-centric approach:

• Use your blog (self-hosted on your domain) to post social information, then auto-publish those posts to your external social sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
• Make sure your social profiles link to your website, and vice versa.
• Use campaign-specific landing pages on your website for e-marketing and social initiatives.
• Integrate all online channels so that a consistent message is delivered regardless of the user?s device, and include plenty of links back to your website.

By keeping your website at the center of your online marketing hub, you can easily manage and control the flow of information to any number of external channels. ?Of course, these external channels will continue to change and evolve, or may disappear completely.? Make sure you have built your marketing foundation on property that you own ? your small business website ? and not on a borrowed platform over which you have little or no control.

Source: http://fivesparrows.com/blog/2012/07/25/dont-build-your-business-on-borrowed-property/

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Electrical Contractors for Home Improvement Projects

While some people live in newer homes that boast the latest floor plan designs, lighting fixtures, appliances and more, many other people live in homes that are older in age. Older homes may have a certain character and charm that newer homes often lack, but they do have their downsides. As a home ages, its floor plan can become outdated and not suitable for the functional use of a family. The fixtures in a home can further date the home. If you are looking around your home today and want to make some changes to modernize the look of your space, you many need the services of electrical contractors.

Updated Lighting Beyond the flooring, paint color on the walls and the furniture inside a home, there are few things that make a home look old-fashioned and dated more easily than the lighting. Light fixtures are often installed when a home is built, and they often are not replaced for many years or even decades. What was fashionable ten or twenty years ago is simply not fashionable today. With this in mind, you can use the services of electrical contractors to replace the light fixtures throughout your home. Consider using these services for replacing outdoor lighting, that large chandelier in the foyer, ceiling fans in the bedrooms and light fixtures throughout the home. New lights can be added where there are none, and fixtures can also be removed if you find their presence pointless.

Room Additions and Expansions If your home improvement and remodeling efforts are more expansive in scope, you can use electrical services from a licensed contractor for room additions and expansions. Many existing walls contain wiring for electrical outlets, lighting, appliances and more. When you move a wall for expansion or addition purposes, these wires will need to be moved. Further, new wiring will need to be installed in the new space. An electrician contractor can provide you with assistance in these efforts.

Added Functionality If you are like most people, you use electricity for everything from vacuuming the floor and making coffee in the morning to watching TV and working on your computer. You require electrical outlets, lighting and more in every room of your home. Of course, the outlets and fixtures that were installed years ago may not be suitable for your current needs. An electrician can be called to your home for minor projects, such as adding a new outlet so that you don't need an extension cord. An electrician's services can also be used to move appliances to a new area of the home, to add overhead lighting in rooms where you currently only have floor lamps or other purposes. An older home can lack the function that a modern lifestyle demands, but electrician services can correct those issues in your home.

You may call an electrical professional to your home today for minor needs, or you may create a list of "to do" items for a contractor to assist you with during one specific visit.

Mr. Electric 2446 Bank Street #629 Ottawa, ON K1V 1A8?, provides professional and highly experienced electricians to solve any electrical problems. http://ottawa.mrelectric.com

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Source: http://www.ideamarketers.com/?articleid=3430136

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Things to do on a Family Holiday in Majorca | Little Girl Travels

Welcome guest writer, Simon Clark. His passion is to write about travel, finance, home improvement and home appliances. Follow him on Twitter?@travelplex.

Majorca is a beautiful island located in the Mediterranean Sea.?Palma is the capital city of this island. It offers buzzing nightlife, warm sunlight with fantastic sandy beaches. Pubs and bars make it an ideal holiday place to hang out with all family. There are many tourist companies who cater to the needs of their visitors and offer services to accommodate a pleasant and relaxing time for the tourists who are looking for cheap holidays to Majorca. Other than sea land, clubs and discos there are many things to do in Majorca when you plan for a trip with your family.

Marineland

This is one of the top attractions on the island that is covered with sandy beaches and offers many excursions to entertain its visitors. The park here is filled with animals, birds and reptiles, children get attracted to it and also it is the centre for a playground. There are lots of birds to see and an aquarium filled with fish, sharks, penguins and turtles. You even have a chance to touch those dolphins and other animals that reside in the park. Both children and adults enjoy visiting this place.

Auto Safari Park

This Park is located on the east coast Cala Millor, provides an exciting experience. Anyone can enjoy as this is surrounded by African creatures and explores the taste of Africa. You have option of driving in your own car or join with a safari group, this lets you to spend? time with your family by taking photos of giraffes, elephants, monkeys, and other species. This zoo is the combination of both wildlife and a Leisure Park; it also serves as a restaurant, and has great play games for children.

Palma Aquarium

This is located at the center of Palma. The aquarium consists of several species and deserves to be named the most attractive tourism park in Majorca. There are many attractive activities for both young and older children. It explores a huge range of species and many wonders of the Mediterranean Sea. The aquarium also has a large gardening area which could be the play area for children.

Many hotels here are well equipped with play rooms and games and sports to attract children and several other shows with animals to have fun; so you and your family would never get bored. There are special supervisors who look after the safety of your child, educate them and offer special food and a variety of dishes to make them happy. They offer children?s food at affordable rates. There are lots of other places to be visited with your family in Majorca.

Source: http://www.littlegirltravels.com/2012/07/26/things-to-do-on-a-family-holiday-in-majorca/

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Turkey blocks trade with Syria, rebels fight on

BEIRUT (AP) ? Turkey sealed its border with Syria to trucks on Wednesday, effectively cutting off a trade relationship once worth almost $3 billion with the embattled nation, as regime forces fought to evict rebels from the country's largest city.

Two more Syrian diplomats, the envoy to Cyprus and her husband, the former ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, have also defected, according to the opposition Syrian National Council, in the latest sign of fraying support for the regime among its own elites. The announcement follows the televised appearance Tuesday night of a defected regime general calling for a new Syria.

Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan said deteriorating security was behind the closure of a border through which Turkey once exported food and construction materials to the entire Middle East, though the volume of traffic had dropped 87 percent since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011.

"We have serious concerns over the safety of Turkish trucks regarding their entry and return from Syria," he said, adding that three border crossings were in rebel hands. Syrians seeking refuge or to resupply would still be allowed in.

Turkey was a Syrian ally before the uprising against authoritarian President Bashar Assad began 16 months ago, but Ankara has since turned into a harsh critic of Damascus as the regime has pursued its bloody crackdown on the revolt. Now, Turkish territory along the of the countries' 566-mile (911-kilometer) border is used as a staging ground for rebel fighters as well as a haven for thousands of refugees fleeing violence that activists say has killed 19,000 people so far.

Northern Syria, especially the province of Idlib, has seen some of the heaviest and steadiest fighting between government forces and the rebels, and large swathes of the countryside are under opposition control.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Washington expressed confidence in the rebel advances, saying that they were taking more and more territory.

"It will eventually result in a safe haven inside Syria, which will then provide a base for further actions by the opposition," she said Tuesday, urging anti-Assad forces to develop institutions and protect the rights of all Syrians.

The ability of the Libyan rebels to create a liberated area in the east of their country was key to their successful battle to oust longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi last year. However, the Syrian rebels' hold over territory is tenuous: they do not control any major urban areas, and are not backed by NATO's war planes the way the Libyans were.

Damascus' ally Russia has ensured that the kind of U.N. resolutions that allowed Western military action in Libya would not be repeated in Syria.

Yet late Tuesday, Moscow's patience with the Assad regime seemed to wear thin when it warned Damascus against any use of chemical weapons. The Kremlin statement reminding Syria of its international obligations followed the Assad regime's announcement earlier this week that it has chemical weapons and would use them in case of foreign aggression.

Russia's warning reflected a degree of irritation with Assad and followed earlier Russian rebukes over the heavy-handed use of force and slow pace of reforms.

In remarks Wednesday, however, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was back in his old role of Syria's defender, criticizing new European efforts to enforce an arms embargo as "unilateral sanctions" and a "blockade."

The main battle in the country is currently just 40 miles (60 kilometers) from the Turkish border in Syria's largest city and commercial hub of Aleppo, which an alliance of rebel forces attacked on Saturday. They infiltrated sympathetic neighborhoods in the north and south and have since been fighting toward the historic old city at the center, a U.N. world heritage site.

"The situation in Aleppo is currently very difficult. There is shelling in civilian areas and since yesterday some 40 people have been killed," said Aleppo-based activist Mohammed Saeed, describing fierce battles in neighborhoods all over the city, including some near the center. "Shooting and clashes are going on nonstop."

Saeed maintained that the government counterattacks were just sporadic hit and run actions and the rebels still hold many neighborhoods in the northeast. There have been reports from other activists, however, that the regime is rushing fresh troops to Aleppo.

In rare dispatch about the situation in Aleppo, the state news agency maintained that government forces were clearing rebels out, including their stronghold in the Sakhour neighborhood.

The government eventually crushed a major assault on Damascus last week by calling in attack helicopters and heavy weapons that devastated neighborhoods sympathetic to the rebels. Regime forces followed up the shelling with door to door searches that were still going on Wednesday to flush out remaining rebel sympathizers.

Since Tuesday, activists and local residents in Aleppo have reported Syrian forces using similar heavy weapons, including attack helicopters, in a bid to crush the rebel advance.

While government forces are stretched thin by fighting taking place across the country in cities like Homs and Hama in central Syria, to Deir el-Zour in the west, Daraa in the south and Idlib province in the north, they can defeat any single rebel assault by concentrating their forces. Aleppo and Damascus are the two largest cities and key to the regime's survival.

Yet even as Syria's powerful military holds fast in the battle against the rebels, there are signs of cracks among the elites of the regime with the recent high profile defections.

Lamia al-Hariri, Damascus' envoy to Cyprus and her husband Abdel Latif Dabbagh, the former ambassador to the UAE follow in the footsteps of the ambassador to Iraq, Nawaf Fares, who defected two weeks earlier.

SNC member Shadi al-Khesh in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi said other Syrian diplomats are expected to quit their posts soon, though he was unable to provide specifics.

"I think you will see many Syrian diplomats defect," he said.

Late Tuesday, a top military commander and close friend of Assad confirmed his defection. Brig. Gen. Manaf Tlass, son of a former defense minister, said in a video broadcast on Al-Arabiya TV that Syrians must work together to build a new country.

It was his first public appearance since he left Syria earlier this month. French officials later confirmed that he was in France.

The new commander for the 300-member UN observer force, Lt. Gen. Babacar Gaye, and the U.N. official for peacekeeping operations, Herv? Ladsous, were in Damascus Wednesday to assess the prospects for a U.N. peace plan that is being widely ignored.

Half of the 300-member U.N. observer force, meant to monitor the non-existent ceasefire, has left the country.

"I think diplomats have to be optimistic and that's no joke, I think we have to hope," Ladsous told reporters. "We have to hope that the whole process gains traction, that the vicious circle of violence can cease, and that some political solution and first and foremost some political dialogue can get started."

___

Fraser reported from Ankara. Associated Press writers Natalya Vasilyeva in Moscow and Adam Schreck in Dubai contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/turkey-blocks-trade-syria-rebels-fight-132537472.html

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Looking Before You Leap into Home Brewing | E Publishing

Whenever you start a major new hobby, its best to take a few minutes and think about what you are getting into. A lot of new hobbies require a significant investment of time and money. This is certainly true of golf, skydiving, scuba and home brewing. So along with a plan on how to get started, its good to have a good plan for getting ready to plunge into home brewing full scale. If you have a road map for "checking it out", you can determine if home brewing will fit into your lifestyle and your budget.

"Looking before you leap" means that you find out what it means to be involved in the hobby or sport as a full time member of that hobby community. When it comes to home brewing, that will only happen when you too can make your own beer at home. And when that time finally gets here and you can play with the recipes and make the taste of your own beer very unique, that will be an exciting moment for you. But a mature approach to this very adult hobby means checking it out and knowing the investment of time, money and space in the home before you spend your first dollar to get set up as a home brewer.

An easy and fun way to ease into the hobby of home brewing that doesn?t cost a cent is to begin to network with those who are already well into their passion for making beer. You can find forums online to use to learn more about getting started. And there are almost certainly a number of home brewing societies and clubs in town that you can find out about online or through your local retail brewing supply store. These social connections will be people who are very much "evangelists" for home brewing because they know the fun of it. So you will get plenty of chances to sit in with a new friend to step through the brewing process and not only learn what equipment you will need but how it is used as you get training from an "old pro" in home beer making.

Once you have gotten some basic training the free route through home brewing gurus, the time will come when you are ready to consider buying your own equipment and taking a stab at it yourself. But you have already witnessed that home brewing is a big event in the house filling up the kitchen, the refrigerator, making a mess sometimes and requiring places to store, refrigerate and ferment the beer in the various stages from ingredients to finished product.

So it is important that the hobby of home brewing not just be your solitary passion but if at all possible you get the family into the act. If they can attend meetings at the home brewing club or go to competitions or other events that are all about home brewing, they can catch the same enthusiasm you have. That enthusiasm will be very important particularly in your significant other because each brewing session will be a major event in the house involving the kitchen with lots of pans and bottles and equipment. So having your wife or husband fully onboard with the process and even working on it together makes the fun of home brewing even more fulfilling.

Another area of looking before you leap is to plan out not only how you will use all of the equipment you will buy but how you will handle issues of storage. Its a very pragmatic concern but if you bring in this arsenal of beer making equipment. Between batches it is going to have to be somewhere. And while you will enjoy that equipment a great deal, you dont want it to dominate the home.

By getting a feel for the equipment when you are preparing to start your home brewing hobby, you can prepare a storage space for the equipment when it is not in use. Think ahead about storage for the fermentation phase of brewing as well as storing up to five gallons of beer per finished batch. But by thinking ahead, when you become a very active home brewer, you will have your family and facilities all ready for the changes. And that is looking before you leap into the exciting world of making and enjoying your own home made beer.

Source: http://e-publishing.org.uk/food-and-drink/homebrewing/looking-before-you-leap-into-home-brewing/

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10 Brilliant Baby Shower Ideas! | Family Style

I recently threw a baby shower for a friend and it was super fun to pull together all of the details. I really don?t like parties that are overdone or have too many details that overshadow the purpose of the event. Sweet, thoughtful touches that display your friendship can be lovely, though. Here are a few simple and inexpensive ideas you can do yourself or use as inspiration for pulling your party together. Have fun!

• 

  Greenery Sign

  There's no need to go overboard on decorations, after all, the shower is about mom, baby and family, not your decorating or party throwing skills! However, a few thoughtful touches can really be a special gesture to show your friendship. This greenery sign is simple and gorgeous. It could say "baby" or "baby" in another language that has meaning for the family (pictured: French), or you could use the baby's name if it is already public knowledge.
  Photo and idea by Martha Stewart.

  /family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/#greenery-sign

• 

  Wrapped Violas

  Choose sweet flowers like violas, violets, pansies, primroses, or mini zinnias. Wrap in French newspaper or colorful paper that matches your theme. These charming plants double as favors and decorations.
  Photo and idea by Chelsea Fuss for Project Wedding.

  /family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/#wrapped-violas

• 

  A Letter to Baby

  For a baby gift, this couple wrote a letter to their friend's baby and attached it to a sweet teddy bear. What a thoughtful idea!
  Photo and idea by Eat Drink Chic.

  /family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/#a-letter-to-baby

• 

  Handmade Tissue Flowers

  It doesn't get much sweeter than these handmade tissue flowers. Adorn a cake, a gift or little favors with these charming, tiny creations.
  Photo and idea by Oh Happy Day!.

  /family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/#handmade-tissue-flowers

• 

  Baby Block Cakes

  These mini cakes in the shape of baby blocks are certainly sweet and adorable. If you are brave, you could make them yourself, or just show this photo to your local bakery and place an order!
  Photo and idea by Martha Stewart.

  /family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/#baby-block-cakes

• 

  Modern Crepe Paper Lanterns

  Use scraps of tissue paper and some paper lanterns to make these inexpensive decorations. They make a big impact for such a small price and simple process!
  Photo and idea by Chelsea Fuss for Project Wedding.

  /family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/#modern-crepe-paper-lanterns

• 

  Giraffe Party Hats

  How clever are these simple party hats? A giraffe motif is a great little theme for a baby shower and these hats couldn't be simpler to make!
  Photo and idea by A Daily Something.

  /family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/#giraffe-party-hats

• 

  Dotted Cups

  Dress up plain white party cups with colorful dots! It's inexpensive and will add a sweet handmade touch to the party.
  Photo and idea by Tokketok for Oh Happy Day! .

  /family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/#dotted-cups

• 

  Macrame Balloons

  I'd use these for a younger, hipper friend! These colorful and adorable macrame holders are filled with balloons. What a colorful and festive decoration for any party!
  Photo and idea by You Are My Fave.

  /family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/#macrame-balloons

• 

  /family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/#sweet-candy-favors

Top photo: Martha Stewart and A Daily Something.? All other photos from respective sources.?

Chelsea Fuss is a blogger and prop stylist based in Portland who blogs daily at?Frolic!

More from Chelsea:

10 Hair Color Ideas for Summer

Super Cool Dollhouses from Sweden

How to Wear Stripes + Florals: 10 Tips

Shop the Summer Sales: 25 Favorites Under $50

10 Ways to Light up Your Summer Patio!

Amazing Vintage Swimsuits

25 DIY?s that Don?t Look Like DIY?s! ?

10 Pretty Party Dresses!

Source: http://blogs.babble.com/family-style/2012/07/23/10-brilliant-baby-shower-ideas/

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Italian Chicken and Pea Soup | E Publishing

What You Need:

2 (14 oz.) cans chicken broth
1 t dried Italian seasoning
1/3 t bottled minced garlic
12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
3/4 C small shell macaroni
3/4 C frozen peas
1/4 C green onions, chopped fine

How to Make It:

Pour the chicken broth into a saucepan.
Stir in the Italian seasoning and garlic.
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat.
Stir in the chicken and macaroni.
Bring back to a rolling boil then reduce the heat to medium low.
Cook for 8 minutes or until the macaroni is tender the chicken is cooked.
Stir in the peas and green onions.
Cook the soup for 2 minutes or until the peas are cooked through.

Makes 4 servings

Serve this soup with a side salad and toasted garlic bread. The green onions are optional in this soup.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking time: approximately 10 minutes
Total Time: approximately 25 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)
Calories 211; Fat 2g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 21g; Fiber 2g; Protein 27g; Cholesterol 49 mg; Sodium 546 mg

Source: http://e-publishing.org.uk/food-and-drink/recipes/italian-chicken-and-pea-soup/

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