To Blog Or Not To Blog That Is The Question

By Mary Anne Cipressy
      David Trippany
What's Up SWFL

We are sure you have been told that blogging would be great for your business. However it present some challenges as to time factors, what to blog about and perhaps evening understanding what blogging is all about. So that is where we are going to start…..at the beginning.

So perhaps you have heard of the terms blog, blogging, blog post but are not sure what it all means. A blog is where you publish your blog posts and blogging is the act of writing those blog posts. So a blog is a space on your website (or even off site) where all your blog posts are located. A blog post is a short article like content that speaks to different aspects of your business. Blogging is the continuous process of writing and posting blog posts on your blog. Notice we said continuous process but we will get to that a bit later.

Blogging for your business has many benefits as to why you would want to be doing this in the first place.

1.       It drives traffic to your website

2.       Helps turn all that traffic into leads

3.       Helps you be seen as an expert or authority in your field

4.       Gives you content for your social media and networking marketing.

There is also the long term benefit that your blog post(s) will show in search engine results for a long time to come. This adds to your online presence as well.

Convinced? So what about the time factor you ask? We hear it all the time. I am so busy running my business that I do not have time. Like with other aspects of your business that you make time for, this is just another one. We recommend that you blog on a regular basis of at least once a week. Allow yourself 1 hour a week for this. Can you make time for 1 hour? You can also hire a blog writer to create the blog post for you.

Preventing An Electrical Shock and Electrical Hazard In Your Home

By Jermar Electric
 (239) 772-3598

The inherent danger of electrical shock is no laughing matter, as it often results in serious injury and can even be fatal. However, there are a number of preventive safety measures you can employ to greatly reduce the risk, read on to find out what you can do to prevent electric shock.

 The best prevention is knowledge!  Take the time to learn and understand the basics of electricity, therefore the first step in preventing a dangerous situation is understanding the cause.  In basic terms, electricity naturally tries to flow to the earth or ground through any material that will conduct an electrical current.  Certain compounds, like wood and glass, are not good conductors of electricity.  Other materials, like water and metal, work very well.  The human body is able to conduct a current, and an electric shock happens when the electricity flows through part of the body.  This happens most often when a direct source of electricity is exposed to human contact.  It may also flow into a person through another conductor, like a pool of water or a metal pole.

 

 Secondly, find out the electricity requirements of your home and household appliances.  Know the specific types of circuit breakers or in the case of an older home fuses and their specific location.  Even lightbulbs that are required in your home should be noted so you can replace them with the appropriate replacement parts.  Remembering to replace items with like items ensures your part in preventing accidental issues within your home.

Troubleshooting Tips For Your Auto

From Larry's Auto and Truck Service

Has this ever happened to you? You are driving your car and you notice a noise. You hear a squeak, or a squeal. Perhaps it now rattles or rumbles. Perhaps you smell a strange odor??? It begins to smell like rotten eggs or burned toast. Perhaps you notice drips and stains that are red or dark brown. Perhaps you notice Yellowish green, pastel blue or florescent orange stains under your car. We have compiled a list as to what some of these things just may mean.  

Some common noises and what they mean:

Squeal - A shrill, sharp noise, usually related to engine speed:

• Loose or worn power steering, fan or air conditioning belt.

Click - A slight sharp noise, related to either engine speed or vehicle speed:

• Loose wheel cover.
• Loose or bent fan blade.
• Stuck valve lifter or low engine oil.

Screech - A high-pitched, piercing metallic sound; usually occurs while the vehicle is in motion:

• Caused by brake wear indicators to let you know it's time for maintenance.

Rumble - a low-pitched rhythmic sound.

• Defective exhaust pipe, converter or muffler.
• Worn universal joint or other drive-line component.

Ping - A high-pitched metallic tapping sound, related to engine speed:

• Usually caused by using gas with a lower octane rating than recommended. Check your owner's manual for the proper octane rating. If the problem persists, engine ignition timing could be at fault.

Heavy Knock - A rhythmic pounding sound:

• Worn crankshaft or connecting rod bearings.
•  Loose transmission torque converter.

Clunk - A random thumping sound:

• Loose shock absorber or other suspension component.
• Loose exhaust pipe or muffler.

Some problems are under your nose. You can detect them by their odor:

  

Privacy Implications with Internet-connected Devices

From Linda Loraine - Independent Associate Legal Shield

The “Internet of Things” or “IoT”—have you heard the buzz around it? Do you know what it is? It is a phrase used to refer to those things that can connect to the internet to send and receive data. The “things” are too many to list but a few examples are:

•Sensors in a lawn watering system that consider the recent weather conditions to decide when to water or how much.

•A home lighting system that analyzes your lighting use patterns and mimics them when you are away from home so it’s not obvious to outsiders that you are away.

•A health/fitness tracking device that records your exercise activity and sleep rhythms.

•A home monitoring system that allows you to lock/unlock doors and program your thermostat remotely.

One of the thoughts behind the IoT is that life will be enhanced by the ability of the things to share data between devices and with the consumer. But, are there factors related to the IoT that could impact your privacy?

In a recent blog post titled Cool New Tech Devices: What Privacy Risks Are Wrapped Up Under Your Tree?, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC) points out that “with people’s lives so connected to the internet, there are numerous potential privacy implications.” The PRC shares these privacy habits to practice with your internet-connected devices:

What The Heck Is A Quarter Auction?

 By Karyn Brooks Event Coordinator

There are many variations, however I’ll review here the basic format of those held locally. Minor difference may exist from one event to another.

Quarter Auctions are fundraisers sponsored by a local charity or non-profit. They can be held once for that non-profit or, be set up to repeat on a quarterly or monthly basis. The auction items are anything from jewelry, candles, skin care or cosmetics, sandals, soaps, kitchen products, food lines, gift cards and baskets. Most of the auction items are provided by the participating vendors however, the charity can also secure in-kind donations to be used for their auction.

As a quarter auction participant, you’ll want to arrive at doors open time – bring a supply of quarters and your friends! I recommend a couple rolls of quarters. The number of friends is up to you – if you have a group of 6 or more, let me know and I’ll reserve you a table!

When you arrive, you’ll first rent your bid paddle (or 2 or 3 – depending on how you want the odds to work for you!). The paddles are generally $3 each or two for $5, but you’ll find events that will roll the cost of a meal and your first paddle into one price. When you rent your paddle(s), a poker chip matching your paddle number will go into a draw container used to draw winning numbers throughout the event. Paddles are returned at the end of the event to be used in future quarter auctions.

You will also have an opportunity to buy 50/50 tickets and visit the individual vendor tables to register for door prizes. The vendors will also have cash and carry items for sale, so you can get a little shopping in too! There will likely be food and beverage to purchase as well. The paddle rental money, half the 50/50 ticket sales, quarters bid on the charity’s auction items and any revenue from food sales all go to the charity! The exception to that may be if the event is held at a venue that provides the food – then that revenue would go to the venue.

5 Things Your Account Needs To Do Your Taxes

 By Traci Barker - A&J Accounting & Associates

As a small-business owner, tax time can be stressful, as you scurry to pull together all of your receipts and try to remember everything you did last year. I will post five things that your accountant needs to do your business taxes.

 1. Financial Statements — A basic set of financial documents comprises a balance sheet, an income statement and a cash-flow statement.

2.  The Second document that your accountant needs to do your business return is a List of Capital Asset Activity — If you bought, sold, or disposed of any capital assets in the company during the year, you must account for it in your tax return.

3.  The third document is very important because we must prove the expense and the only way to do that is to have a Vehicle Log — If you sometimes use your own car for business purposes, you can claim a portion of the car’s operating expenses as a tax deduction against your business income.

4.  Summary of Home-Office Expenses — If your home office is your sole place of business, or if you regularly meet clients or customers there, you can generally claim home-office expenses. This is an expense that many people are entitled too.

5.  The fifth thing needed is 1098 Forms for Mortgage Interest and Property Taxes — Your mortgage company likely issued you a Form 1098 at the end of 2014 that summarizes your mortgage-interest and property-tax payments in the year. If you would like any information about any of the five documents I mentioned this week please call A & J Accounting for your free consultation.

 A & J Accounting has become one of the leading Firms in the area because of our high standards, service and specialized staff. The foundation of our practice is our attention to your needs, for the present and the future. Our firm provides outstanding service to our clients because of our dedication to the three underlying principles of professionalism, responsiveness, and quality. 239-829-0481

5 Important Reasons to Have an Eye Exam

 By Dr. Terry Tucker Tucker Vision Center

 1.Children should have their first eye examination by 6 months of age according to many nation vision organizations. In children the eye doctor is looking for health issues with the eyes and if correction with glasses or contact lenses is needed.

2.The eye doctor should check to see if corrective lenses are needed and if the health of the eye is good. This can only be done with a dilated vision evaluation. This means the pupil is enlarged with drops applied to the eyes.

3.The eye doctor is assessing whether you need corrective lenses or not. Evaluation of the eye health is done to determine if further treatment is need. Many eye health problems cause no pain or vision issues until it have advance to a stage where treatment is more difficult.

4.Many systemic diseases can be seen in the eye before the patient notices that they have a problem. Examples are diabetic conditions, high blood pressure, some brain tumors, and sometimes cancer. There are some studies than now show that Alzheimer's can be detected earlier with certain vision tests.

5.Children at six months of age and at the eye doctors' determination every one to two years.
Adults and adolescents should have eye examinations every 1-2 years. Over 40 should be every year due to the increase in eye diseases increasing with age.