With more homeowners than ever choosing to stay put in an uncertain housing market, renovating existing spaces and building extensions has seen a serious boom in popularity in the U.K. Making a little extra space could add to property value, quality of life and the efficiency of a home in one move. Guest space and provision is typically something much valued in the modern home, so here are a few expert tips on creating an environment that’s guest-friendly, budget-friendly and efficient for permanent occupants.

Sleeping

Creating extra bed spaces for guests can be tough in compact spaces. Traditional sofa beds and sprung guest beds can be troublesome to store and sometimes a little frightening to use (particularly that ancient camp bed and its ongoing quest to trap fingers!) Foam beds can make fantastic alternatives in terms of both comfort and storage. Splashing out on a memory foam mattress needn’t cost the earth. Getting foam cut to size to fit into an odd space or to accommodate smaller/larger guests can provide superb scope for guest bedding throughout the home. Foam is easy to store, simple to use, tough to damage and certainly budget-friendly.

Seating

Creating comfortable extra seating using foam can allow incredible scope for creative seating solutions in a compact space. Online foam engineers, Technical Foam Services, can supply various foams to create bespoke seating solutions for unusual or very small spaces. Sofa extensions, memory foam floor cushions and portable back support foam inserts can provide wonderfully dexterous guest seating solutions in the compact home.

The business card is one of the most used and least understood tools in business today. Whether CEO of a Fortune 500 Company or founder and part-time CEO of a web-based start-up, the business card is an effective communication and marketing tool. But like any tool, it must be used properly. The do’s and don’ts of business card etiquette, while not the key to wealth and success are helpful to prosper in a business or organization of any size.

The Business Card

If you work for a mid-sized to large company or organization, the style and format of the business card will have been decided for you. If you have your own company or organization, then keep the business card traditional in size and shape. Have them printed with all your key contact information in additional to you company or organization’s name, logo and tag line.

When to Carry Business Cards

Unless you are going swimming or otherwise actively engagement in sports, carry your business cards. Do no limit carrying them to work days, the office or business functions. Some of the best opportunities for business networking are at the least likely events or times.

How to Carry Business Cards

Some people carry business cards loose in their pockets or their purse. The best thing to carry them in is a business card case. These are available in metal and leather. I carry the leather one made by COACH and it has served me well. The metal ones are acceptable also as long as they are no bigger than the business cards.

When to Offer Your Business Card

Some people whip out their business card every time they meet someone at work or at a work related function. The best times to offer your business card are:

- When someone asks for your card.

- When you ask someone for their business card.

- At the END of a meeting with a client or potential client before they leave.

- If someone asks for your contact information (business or otherwise).

- At the end of an air flight if you have talked with the person sitting next to you.

- If you dine next to someone outside of your company at a professional or networking function (business-related), you may tell them that it was enjoyable talking with them and offer them your card as you shake hand and leave.

Business Card “Don’ts”

- Don’t give your business card to people who work with you. If you are that unmemorable you may need a professional coach.

- Don’t give your business card to people at a reception or networking function unless they ask for yours or your contact information.

- Don’t drop them in bowls for raffles as you will only be contacted by someone trying to sell you something.

- Don’t give them to others to hand-out for you.

- Don’t leave them on bulletin boards or in stacks at any place other than your own desk – and only then if you meet face-to-face with customers or clients.

- Don’t hand them out to anyone at a church service (social functions are acceptable) or at funerals.

Old Business Cards

Old business cards make great book marks and also work well for “to do” lists.

Business cards are both a blessing and a curse. Until everyone passes all contact information through technology, we will still have a tool called the business card. Know when and how to use them as an effective business development and communication tool remains essential to success.

Making money online, many try it and fail. Weather you are selling a product or service, or growing a team, you need people. No matter what you are doing or plan to do you need to get people to your site. If you are building a team using the internet. Most people don’t make it because the business or prospect system is not Duplicated even if they get a few people in their business they quit because they run out of leads or money to buy leads.

Is your business able to be Duplicated? Many businesses out there are not able to be duplicated easily, but we are told they are. Unfortunately I have been fooled into all types of businesses so I am probably the best person to talk to you about the Traps They all have and how to avoid them.

Some will have you making calls to strangers and have you buying their hot leads. The worst have you calling and talking to your family and friends. When it comes to making calls to get prospect this is very difficult and not able to be duplicated for a few reasons. I tried this and had to make the calls and buy the leads but the so called hot leads were really not so hot and the leads were not people looking for what I was offering they were just people that were curious or internet surfers etc.

The leads most of the time have been sold to others companies as a HOT lead, so by the time you call the prospect they have received many calls and are upset with you calling them. So the rejection rate is very High you can get some really nasty people when you call them and you are interrupting Their Dinner, favorite show, family time, etc… This is Not Easy to Duplicate! Even if you get someone in they will most likely not want to go through what you had to do and go through all the rejection to get someone interested.

The key is to be in a business that shows you how to generate hot leads that are waiting for you to contact them. There are programs were the leads pay for themselves and you can even make a few dollars even if no one joins your business or buys your products.