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What does FAQ have to do with business process management? A well-developed FAQ (aka frequently asked questions) adds a level of automation to your business. By creating a set of FAQ that is easy to use, relevant and accessible, you can reduce the amount of time it will take to address very simple customer inquiries.

When are FAQs necessary? FAQs are strongly suggested for traditional businesses and service providers that sell well-developed and relatively stable products or services (think retail and wholesale outfits, catering companies, wedding planners and music teachers, for example). Retail and wholesale outfits can use FAQ to address questions related to the ordering process, manufacturing, and shipping. Catering companies and wedding planners can use FAQ to address scheduling or booking questions. Music teachers can use FAQ to address questions related to lesson plans, methodology and expectations. FAQ are always helpful, but not always necessary. Bottom-line: you need FAQ if you're getting (or you anticipate getting) a lot of frequently asked questions. Otherwise, FAQ is optional (see unconventional uses at the bottom of this post for example). Simple as that. Note: FAQ can be incredibly helpful for online marketers who are launching new products, also. Online marketers can use FAQ on sales pages and in e-mail marketing for better conversions (since the questions will be addressed upfront). If you don't get a lot of questions or if the questions you get are always unique, don't spend time on FAQ. Part of effective business process management is doing things that are useful and helpful - don't waste time on unnecessary tasks!

How should FAQs be formatted? When the FAQ are basic questions about your products or services, you can list them on a web page or in a brochure. Note: it isn't necessary to create a separate page just for FAQ - put them where they are most relevant. You can use this opportunity to improve your customer experience with your website and/or marketing material. For example, you could put FAQ that are about your experience and background wherever your About Me information is. You could put FAQ that are about your products and services wherever that information is present. And you could put FAQ that are about how to contact you on/near your contact information.

Why use FAQs at all? Really, the answer has to do with what I wrote at the beginning - developing a good set of FAQ improves your business process by adding a level of automation that would otherwise become laborious and time-consuming. If you find yourself getting a lot of the same questions by customers hesitant to buy/sign up/schedule a consultation, for example, perhaps you should put together a list of these FAQ and make it accessible to prospective clients and customers.

Should You Spend Money on FAQ Software? Truthfully, I didn't know there was such a thing as FAQ software until I began researching FAQ while writing this post. My opinion is that you do not need FAQ software as a small business owner. FAQ software is useful for technical writers, software developers, etc. But for you - you should not be automating your FAQ creation (which is hard for me to say, as someone who assists small businesses in automating their business processes). Use the FAQ development as a learning experience for you - it can help you get to know your business, as well as highlight some opportunities to improve your business processes.

How to Create the Perfect FAQ The following is a list of steps you can follow to develop and implement a good set of FAQ for your business. If you have any questions on how to implement these, send me a message or leave a comment and I will respond!

For the next 1-2 months, collect any and all questions you receive in a list. The questions can be from prospective or current clients/customers. Make a note each time a question is received so you can tell which questions are asked most often.
Gather the most frequently asked questions as well as the most useful questions into a separate list. If you have a lot of FAQ, organize them into sections that make sense. Splitting them into relevant sections will help people find what they are looking for more quickly.
Develop a relevant, accurate answer to each FAQ. Spend a lot of time on this. Getting the answer right is just as important as choosing the right FAQ. If you're developing FAQ for a website, link the answer to the page on your website that provides more information, if possible.
Decide where to put the FAQ. It is OK to put them all together in a list - this is conventional. But you can also put them where it makes the most sense contextually.
Publish your FAQ.
Spend 2-3 months testing your customer/client experience now that the FAQ is available and be sure to use website analytics to determine whether or not anyone is even reading your FAQ (if you've placed them on a page on your website, for example). If you find that 3 months has gone by and you are still getting peppered with the same questions, you need to look at the placement of your FAQ and the overall effectiveness of the marketing tool (brochure, website, chalkboard - wherever you have placed FAQ).

Unconventional (but awesome!) other ways to use FAQ

Subliminal marketing: When written well, you can use FAQ to be persuasive in addition to purely informational. When used in e-mail marketing, for example, you could use FAQ as more of a way to address the questions you think your prospective customers/clients would ask themselves. Perhaps they would ask themselves what value the new product adds to their life or whether or not the price is worth it. A well-developed FAQ could answer that question for them.
Address how-to: If you sell a product, you can use FAQ to talk about how to use it (if it's not obvious). You can also use FAQ to talk about how to use a service or how to contact you.
Talk about privacy: Privacy policies use standard language that is usually boring and no one reads it. You can use FAQ to talk to people about how you manage their information.
Show off your personality: This is your first real opportunity to talk to your customers/clients about things that are on their minds. So, talk to them like you would talk to them in person or over the phone - be genuine! A great example of this is the FAQ page over at Mailinator (which I found referenced in a blog post about FAQ). They even use the term "stupid-head.":) This demonstrates a lot about their personality. Show yours in your FAQ, too!
Generate Backlinks: If your FAQ is interesting and informative enough, you could even use your FAQ to generate backlinks. See the list of good FAQ examples below. These FAQ pages have tons of backlinks, which means a lot of websites link to them.

Examples of Great FAQ on Websites (just punch in the name in Google to find them).

U.S. Copyright Office - Relevant, critical FAQ. Essential for the massive amount of business they do.
Cairns Wedding Planner - Great use of subliminal marketing!
Amazon Associates - They've integrated FAQ into a huge help section.
Dance Dimensions Dance Studio - I like that they've shown some personality in both the way the word each FAQ as well as how they answer each one.

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Living with Color

There is no escaping color. It is powerful and influences every aspect of our life. Embrace it and bring it into your home to enhance your family's lives. Our weather can be challenging in the winter when it is dark and grey and adding color to our homes can lift our spirits, inspire, and help us get threw the dark days. Color can be added with paint, accessories, and even plumbing products with chromotherapy.

There is absolutely no need to feel intimidated when selecting paint for your home.

Paint Selection Tools
Benjamin Moore has small samples of paint available, color testers, that allow you to test a color before you purchase it. For a minimal fee you can test a variety of colors in your home allowing for the desired result. They also have big paint chips and a computer program that allows you to view the interior or exterior of your home with the selected colors.

Accent Walls
Adding an accent wall is a great way of incorporating two colors in a room. Color can change the shape of a room as well. Painting an end wall a deep, strong shade can widen a narrow room or shorten a long one. In the attached photo the house is a typical box styled home and the Living Room wall was very long. Molding was applied to the corners of the walls and columns were added to the wall allowing break lines for the paint. The overall look was very effective.

Kids Rooms
Paint itself can be described in two words - inexpensive and dramatic. Allow your kids to select colors for their rooms. Take them to the paint store and let them look at the various colors available and let them be creative. I would keep the colors bright and bold but in lighter tones especially in this area because our weather can be questionable. If they want a dark color this can be applied on an accent wall or in bedding and in accessories. Chalkboard paint is a great addition to a child's room and allows the kids to express themselves.

Ceilings
White is a typical ceiling color and has been for years. White looks great if your moldings and trims are white and keeps the rooms fresh. Using a quarter tint or half tint of the chosen wall color will provide a softer transition. When the interior has a vaulted ceiling the wall color can be applied to the sloped ceiling. In small powder rooms where a deeper color may be used I often specify the ceiling to be painted in the wall color to make the room more dramatic.

Accessories and Fabrics
Many retail stores have cushions, throws, candles and various accessories that make adding color to your home easier than ever. They are inexpensive and offer flexibility when decorating. If you have a fairly neutral interior you can add colored accessories that can be changed with the seasons. In bedrooms you could have 2 duvet covers that can also be switched in the summer and winter. Selecting fabrics with pattern and color can also help assist in paint selection. Sometimes I find the fabric fist and then design a whole room around it. Keep an open mind when you are shopping and see what inspires you.

Color Psychology as Therapy
Several ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and Chinese, practiced chromotherapy, or using colors to heal. Chromotherapy is sometimes referred to as light therapy or colourology and is still used today as a holistic or alternative treatment. You can find rain shower heads, bathtubs, hot tubs, and many more items that include chromotherapy in their products.

Add "Color" - Add "Life"

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A double sided easel comes in many different styles and types. There are large, professional size double sided easels for business use; individual size double sided easel for an individual's use such as a painter or an illustrator, plus there are large, beautiful double sided easels that professional painters use that could hold up to a 200 pound canvas, and then there are the children's size double sided easel in order to allow their imaginations to soar wherever it will take them, whether that is to the land of purple penguins or green-haired grandmas, there are a lot of uses for double sided easels.

Imaginarium Easel
Colorful, quick flip for children over the age of three. Features magnetic board, dry erase board, chalkboard and painting surface for a 4-in-1 style, perfect for a two child household or preschool or daycare facility. Easel will 'flip' 360 degrees to that the child can draw, paint or simply create something on the other side without moving a step. Big, bright yellow tray on the bottom of the creating surface holds supplies. Easel is constructed out of heavy-duty blue plastic and 4-in-1 board is white with a red thick red boarder giving the entire easel a colorful, child-like look. This will fold flat for easy storage.

Quartet® Ultima Portable Dry Erase Easel
This is a dry erase easel which could be displayed from either side. The dry erase board is 27" x 35" and the entire easel will adjust from a height of 39" to 70" for either tabletop display or stand alone usage. The surface tilts and locks at any angle for comfortable writing and viewing of the Melamine dry erase surface which 'doubles' as a message board with magnetic capabilities. This double sided easel is portable, it collapse for easy storage, transportation and carrying. The Ultima is perfect for meetings, presentations, greeting signs, on-the-spot display advertising or school use.

Best Santa Fe Double
This is for the serious artist and available only through the art supply dealers. It is perfect for creating larger pieces of artwork, for students sharing studio space or for the artist who feels doubly creative and likes to multitask. All side of the dual sided easel holds up to a nine foot canvas. Both sides contain a deluxe canvas holder and a 26" wide painting tray. This is a heavy-duty piece of artist equipment with a marine style winch capable of holding a 200 pound canvas. There are four casters so could be moved from one studio to the next or out of doors for a nature painting exercise. This double sided easel offers a variety of positions and settings for a more comfortable working environment. These twofold easels are made of a hand-rubbed, solid oak with an oil finish that will last a lifetime.

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If you need to focus your energies on redecorating your kitchen, you may not know where to start. You know it needs a fresh coat of paint, but what do you do with all of your decorative items and mismatched plates that you have accumulated over the years? Many times, the best way to decorate a kitchen is to center it on a particular theme. Having a theme that you enjoy will help you find items you can use in your kitchen and make your decorating job easier. Here are some excellent ideas for choosing the top themes for a kitchen.

Country Theme:

One of the most popular theme when it comes to decorating a kitchen is a country theme. Many people choose this design for everything in their kitchen, including the cabinet design. You can choose everything from apples to roosters. Roosters are quite popular these days when used in decorating and you will find many items that will match as you shop. Consider using your favorite country theme, too. Mix and match old signs, or use a barn theme. When you enjoy the look of country, the kitchen is a perfect place to put the things that you love the most for a glorious look.

Wine Country Kitchen:

Another top kitchen theme that is used in many homes today is the wine country. Using bottles of wine, artificial grapes and grapevines are all popular looks. In fact, you can even find wallpaper and wallpaper border that matches this theme. If you love using a wine theme, then consider hanging a nice wine glass rack from your ceiling and adding beautiful and colorful wine glasses. Save your corks from opened bottles of wine and add them to a pretty crystal bowl. You can even add a corkboard or chalkboard to your wall and write down a list of your favorite bottles of wine. This will give you a unique look using this popular them.

Contemporary Theme:

You can use contemporary decorations for another popular look in your kitchen. Think about dark colored cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, textured walls and bright, abstract art prints. Add in bright colored pottery and you have the recipe for a great kitchen theme. You can easily add to this look and change it as you see fit.

As you can see, when you center your kitchen decorating around a theme, you will have an easier time picking out things that will match in your kitchen. It is easy to find items and colors when you have a specific idea in

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The rules for decorating spaces for children are basically the same as when you decorate any other space. For instance, it is important to pay close attention to color because color has an effect on how we feel. And, just as with any other space, determining a style for your child's space will help you to make subsequent decorating decisions like what style to decorate the child's space. But, instead of thinking modern or traditional, think in terms of theme or hobby. Think about what your child happens to find interesting - like playing soccer, playing with Barbie dolls, or maybe your child likes to read; and use that as your guide. Here are six other tips to keep in mind as you decorate your child's space.

Scale - Scale is the size of furniture in proportion to the space or in this case the child. Children need to have a sense of control over their environment. A child should be able to hang up their own clothes - so you may need to place a foot stool in their closet. And, they need to reach their books and toys, and they need to have furniture, like a desk and chair, that is suitable for their frame and body size.


Color - Choose colors that will inspire creativity, learning, even colors that will induce relaxation and sleep. You are probably thinking that's a great deal to accomplish in one space. But, usually a child's room is actually divided by colors that will evoke the desired response. For instance, you can paint the wall near the desk blue or yellow; these are good colors for studying and even use a portion of the wall as a blackboard by painting it with chalkboard paint. The area where your child's bed is can be painted a warm, calming color like green. Use color to stimulate your child's imagination and ability to learn. And by all means, incorporate your child's favorite color in their space. If you think pink or blue is too much for painting the walls, compromise with your child and use their favorite color as a stripe or geometric design or on one accent wall. You can also choose accessories in their favorite color.

Maintenance -Choose fabrics and finishes that are easy to clean and will withstand wear and tear. Avoid fabrics that wrinkle easily or that cannot be cleaned in the washing machine.

Storage - Children are clutter magnets. As you are decorating your child's space incorporate some colorful and sturdy pieces they can use to place their toys and collectibles keeping in mind scale. And, you'll need storage for hiding things as well as storage, like shelves, for displaying their awards and plaques from school.

Safety - This is really the most important consideration. So often we hear about cribs and furniture designed for children that are being recalled because of some defect. Make sure you read everything you can find on all the pieces you place in your child's space. Remember that your child is going to be in his or her space unsupervised so you want to make sure there aren't any furniture in the space that is prone to malfunction.

Function - Save some money by choosing items that will serve multiple purposes and functions for your child. Selecting furniture that can easily be repurposed into something else as they grow and their needs change is a good investment. A child's space needs to serve multiple purposes, so decorate with those purposes in mind. The child will need to sleep, do homework, entertain friends, and play. So, you definitely want to keep these functions in mind when shopping for furniture that can do double duty.

Decorating a child's space can be an adventure for you and your child and an opportunity to make memories. So, involve your child in the process. Allow your child to make some decisions, within reason, so that they really feel like the space is their own.

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