MovingHelp.com - Loading, Unloading, Packing & Unpacking services

Arizona Apartment Vacancy Rate at Record Level - 15.7%

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:49:41 -0500

As we know, one industry that has been feeling the affects of this past recession is the multihousing (apartment) industry. According to the Arizona Multihousing Association, the Arizona vacancy rate is at an unprecedented level of over 15%, which is more than double the preferred ceiling of 5%.

The 15.7% in Arizona is also higher than the national vacancy average, which has been approaching 11%. If less people are living in apartments, then where are they living? Many are now renting or buying houses. That is good news for Realtors. The bad news is the apartment industry is now fighting hard to regain their residents by offering very attractive concessions -- lower monthly rates, free utilities, free cable, etc....

The challenges are in front of all of us, but then so are the opportunities.

Cost of Obama's Inauguration - Historical Comparison

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:05:25 -0600

There has been a lot of rumors regarding the cost of this impressive inauguration. Below is a historical comparison of past inaugurations. I think a report from "The Lariat Online" (Baylor University) probably gave the most accurate breakdown. Personally, I think the inaugurations are getting a little more elaborate then necessary, but then again, how much is spent on Super Bowl ads this year? 2009 Super Bowl ad will cost a record $3 million per 30-second ad. So the country basically bought a little over 15 ads. Even though I have reservations about President Obama, I think the investment will pay off for this country. Right now he just needs to get out there and throw some completions and get us moving downfield.

Get Free Traffic Report on Your Competitor's Website.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:25:38 -0600

Compete.com is a great website that allows you to get free tracking information on your rivals. This is a good way to find out who your market leaders are when it comes to Unique Visitors to a website. Discover who is leading the race within your local market. Then go to their website and learn what they are doing and not doing so that you can improve your SEO.

(source)

Also, find out who are the market leaders when it comes to your Vertical Markets. Example - MovingHelp.com is in the Moving Labor business so one of our vertical markets is the Real Estate market. We are always looking at collaborating with others and developing partnerships. During hard economic times, we need to remember the words of Ben Franklin ---

"We must all hang together, or assuredly we will all hang separately."

(source)

Let us learn from each other and make each other stronger in order to help lead this country on the road to recovery in 2009.

Top 25 Cities for Singles in 2008

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:21:17 -0600

Forbes.com discovered which cities in the U.S. were the best for SINGLES in 2008. It was based on the following categories -- Coolness, Cost of Living, Culture, Job Growth, Online Dating, Nightlife and Singles (ratio).

(source)

If you happen to be in one of these twenty five cities, then you should consider doing some "tribal marketing" to this group. It does not mean you need to limit selling real estate to just this group, but rather develop a strategic marketing approach that meets the particular needs of this group, while also marketing to other groups. We try to do that at MovingHelp.com.

I believe one of the biggest mistakes we make in marketing is taking a "Shotgun" approach --- blasting out marketing materials hoping "One Size Fits All." Instead, we need to develop marketing campaigns that are focused on one group of consumers at a time. For those in these cities --- start marketing to singles.

Which city on the list surprises you? I am surprised Las Vegas was ranked so low (24th).

Top 25 Cities for Singles.

23. Tampa-St. Petersburg

24. Las Vegas

25. Baltimore

4 Mistakes Realtors Make on "Twitter" -- Micro-blogging

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:45:33 -0600

When it comes to one of the latest crazes -- Micro-blogging-- what are the rules of the game? Well, for those who are are new to the game, let me define it and then go on to Do's and Don'ts.

Defined by Wiki -- Micro-blogging is a form of multimedia blogging that allows users to send brief text updates (say, 140 characters or fewer) These messages can be submitted by a variety of means, including text messaging, instant messaging, email, MP3 or the web. The content of a micro-blog differs from a traditional blog in that it is typically more topical and smaller in file size. It is the same in that people utilize it for both business and individual reasons. Twitter is the most well known micro-blogging website.

Now let me give credit where credit is due -- I borrowed the material below from a post by Dean Guadagni -- with permission. I enjoy his posts and this one was too good not to pass along.

4 Mistakes Realtors Make on Twitter: 4 Solutions to the Mistakes

Free Twitter Strategy Chart courtesy of Paul Gram's Websitesuccessdoctor.com

Twitter.com is quickly becoming one of the most useful, fastest growing social media tools available today. Anyone from entrepreneurs to large corporations can utilize twitter to gain exposure, push out their message of value, research, learn, and network. Yet a large number of twitter advocates are making the most basic mistake in social media which is costing them valuable opportunities and slowing their desired results.

#1 Mistake to Avoid: Collecting Numbers

Stop collecting and start connecting! Too many people view twitter as a place to collect followers or create impressive numbers. This syndrome is not exclusive to twitter as many people make the same mistake on Linkedin. The collection of connections has no depth, no meaning, and no value unless you create communication leading to relationships.

#2 Mistake to Avoid: Staying within Your Own "Tribe"

(ahinsajain)

Many Realtors, from my observations on twitter, are guilty of staying within the "tribe." Simply put many Realtors fail to communicate or investigate outside the sphere of real estate. Instead they tend to limit the majority (if not all) their communications to other brokers or Realtors.

#3 Mistake to Avoid: Stop Hard Selling

Realtors have been trained, and ingrained, to push features and benefits with an ongoing hard sell sales strategy that has worked for decades-up to now. In today's information rich, Web 2.0 savvy world, the hard sell is dead. Today's most influential and successful Realtors understand that they must provide valuable information on an ongoing basis without a sales pitch attached. Instead of A-B-C tactics of "Always Be Closing" fame, today it is all about giving value.

What does this mean to Realtors on Twitter? A: If you only provide listing links and links about you, people will quickly begin to stop paying attention to your messages. Which brings us to the next challenge.

#4 Mistake to Avoid: Narrow Focus

This dovetails into #3 mistake to avoid because delivering the same narrow focused message over and over is not compelling. If you are a Realtor and the only subject and strategy you employ is to leave links to your listings or to your website-blog people will begin to tune out.

Then What is the Strategy?

(source)

Like any social media community, twitter is most valuable when you engage other members in meaningful communication, provide valuable information to the community, and then collaborate when given the opportunity. Antidote to the 4 Mistakes:

1. Stop collecting numbers by communicating with people, show you care, and get involved.

2. Go outside your real estate community and make new connections with people from other career paths. Also consider people with similar hobbies and interests as viable networking partners.

3. Stop Hard Selling and become a provider of valuable information. By doing this people will perceive you as a valuable resource and somebody to be read and respected.

4. Widen your subject matter for a more well rounded approach to your messages. Personalize and humanize by providing information about things other than your business. Create value for your business connections as well as your networking partners who have no business ties to you.

Obama's Birth Certificate & Ages of All U.S. Presidents in History.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:31:20 -0600

The election has brought out that "history is in the making." (Although, when is it really not?) However, since I like history I thought it would be interesting to look at the ages of all U.S. presidents and see where President-elect Obama fits in. Barack Hussein Obama Jr. was born August 8, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii. His mother's name was Stanley Ann Dunham. (Kind of a tough first name for a woman.) His father's name --- well, you can guess that one. At 47 years of age, President-elect Obama will be the sixth youngest president to ascend to the position. (See below for a list of presidents by age.) I forgot that Clinton was younger than Obama when he took office.

#	Name	Date of Ascension
26	Theodore Roosevelt	42
35	John F. Kennedy	43
18	Ulysses S. Grant	46
42	William Jefferson Clinton	46
22	Grover Cleveland	47
44	Barack Hussein Obama II	47
14	Franklin Pierce	48
11	James K. Polk	49
20	James A. Garfield	49
13	Millard Fillmore	50
10	John Tyler	51
21	rChester A. Arthur	51
27	William Howard Taft	51
30	Calvin Coolidge	51
32	Franklin Delano Roosevelt	51
16	Abraham Lincoln	52
39	Jimmy Carter	52
8	Martin Van Buren	54
19	Rutherford B. Hayes	54
25	William McKinley	54
31	Herbert Hoover	54
43	George W. Bush	54
23	Benjamin Harrison	55
24	Grover Cleveland	55
29	Warren G. Harding	55
36	Lyndon B. Johnson	55
17	Andrew Johnson	56
28	Woodrow Wilson	56
37	Richard M. Nixon	56
1	George Washington	57
3	Thomas Jefferson	57
4	James Madison	57
6	John Quincy Adams	57
5	James Monroe	58
33	Harry S. Truman	60
2	John Adams	61
7	Andrew Jackson	61
38	Gerald R. Ford	61
34	Dwight David Eisenhower	62
12	Zachary Taylor	64
41	George H. W. Bush	64
15	James Buchanan	65
9	William Henry Harrison	68
40	Ronald Reagan	69

Note: JFK was the youngest "elected" president, but Teddy Roosevelt ascended to the position at an earlier age after the assassination of William McKinley.

I was surprised to find nine presidents took office while they were still in their 40s. Twenty-five presidents gained the office in their 50s and only 10 presidents were in their 60s. (The median age = 55.)

All of us are making history. Let's just make it a positive history.

Moving Tips # 5 - Three Most Common Mistakes People Make When Moving

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:38:24 -0500

According to one source, people move on average FIVE times in their lifetime. That sounds pretty low to me, since I have moved over 15 times in twenty plus years. Obviously, I am not part of the 15% of the population that has lived in the same house for at least 20 years.

When it comes to relocating, the following old statement is true --- "Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail."

--- Three Most Common Mistakes --

1) Waiting until the last minute to reserve a truck or trailer. U-Haul recommends making your reservation two to four weeks ahead of time. Keep in mind that the summer months are the busiest months in the moving industry. Nearly 45% of all moves occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day. You can also avoid the weekend madness at rental centers if you move between Monday and Thursday. You also might get cheaper rates on your truck during non-peak times.

source

2) Not packing your boxes ahead of time. That just leads to throwing things in boxes and when you get to your new home it will be like Easter -- as you hunt around looking for things. Pack your boxes "strategically" and mark each box with its contents and destination room.

source

3) No unloading help at your destination. It is a little easier to find help at your old home, because you have friends in that area. However, it is not recommended that you introduce yourself to your new neighbors by saying, "Hi. We are the Smith family. Could you help us unload our truck?" (I doubt your new neighbor's cat will even like you.)

source

Get nationwide Moving Help labor only services to help you load or unload, pack or unpack your truck. You rent the truck and we will help you find the muscles. Then you will be warmly welcomed to the neighborhood.

The "D" Marketing Factor - Offer FREE Moving Help Services To Your Clients.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:59:02 -0500

One of the keys to being successful in tough economic times is to use the "D" Marketing Factor --- Differentiation. Be different from the rest of the pack. Simply, "Find a Need and Meet it."

After the paperwork is done, what is the next biggest need of your client? It is most likely physically relocating. How many Realtors are helping clients with this process? Look for the "D"-Factor.

3rd Biggest Stress Factor in Life - Moving -->

Help Your Clients Discover A Better Way to Move -->

Now you can help your clients with a very real need in their lives ---without breaking your back in the process. Offer what very few Realtors are offering --- Free Moving Help services. Why not purchase a MovingHelp.com CERTIFICATE and give it to your clients at closing?

The certificate entitles people to get the following nationwide services ---

* Loading Service

* Unloading Service

* Packing Service

* Unpacking Service

* Cleaning Service

* Driving Service

Now you may be saying, "I can't afford that." Do you know our average Moving Help order is $199? As a Realtor, would you be willing to spend $199 to close a sale? I always tell prospective customers..."You can pay someone as little as $199 to load your truck or you can spend six hours on a Saturday doing it yourself."

If $199 is too much, then just buy a certificate for $100 and offer your client $100 off their moving expenses.

How do you get a Moving Help Certificate? I will personally help you. Just EMAIL ME or call 1-602-263-6824 and I will set you up with as many certificates as you need...at whatever price you want. Visit our website movinghelp.com for a closer look at our services.

Use these temporary hard times to strengthen your business model by using the "D" Factor.

What Do 10,000 Single Women Do Every Day?

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:25:12 -0500

What do 10,000 Single Women Do Every Day?

Do they kiss a frog in hopes he will turn into Prince Charming? (GotBaby's)

Maybe. Although, I think some single women opt to remain single until all the toads croak off --- which could take a while. Hummm. when is the end of the world going to happen?

According to the U.S.Census Bureau -- every year nearly 20 million females relocate to a new place of residence. Over 3 million of the adult women are Single, Divorced, Widow (plus some who function single -- married, but spouse absent. No jokes, please). That equates to over 10,000 single women who MOVE every day of the year.

For all the single women out in the world who do not have family and friends to help them -- relocating can be very stressful -- emotionally and physically. Now, many women are perfectly capable of moving themselves, but why not discover a better way to move -- this time around?

Don't be left ALONE on Moving Day.

Go to our website or call 1-866-748-4110.

Moving Tips - #4 - Your Eyes Can Deceive You - How Big of A Truck Should You Rent ?

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:01:12 -0500

Remember when you were a kid and you thought for sure you could eat a huge serving of your favorite dish? Despite a heroic effort on your part, your rabid, feeding frenzy soon slowed to a crawl as you hardly made a dent into the food.

Renting a moving truck can create the same illusion. You may look at a truck and think, "There is no way we are going to need all this space." However, halfway into the move the truck is nearly full and you realize the eyes of your move are bigger than the stomach of your truck. Well, to avoid that moment of indigestion, you can calculate out how much of a truck is needed for your move.

Did I say there would be no math on this post??? You will need 150 cubic feet of cargo space on the truck for each room you move. Example -- A 10-foot truck has 400 cubic feet of cargo space, while a 24-foot truck has 900 cubic feet.

Conversion Formula ---> CUBIC FEET to TRUCK FEET

Length in Feet = Volume in cubic feet divided by height x width of the truck box in feet.

Or you could go to uhaul.com and find the following chart worked out for you ---

26' Moving truck
Super Mover
4+ bedrooms

24' Moving truck
Household Mover
3-4 bedrooms

17' Moving truck
Easy Loading Mover
2-3 bedrooms

14' Moving truck
Thrifty Mover
1-2 bedrooms

10' Moving truck
Mini Mover
Apartment

Cargo moving van
Cargo van
Great for small loads.

Pickup moving truck
Pickup truck
Small In-town® jobs.

Remember - If you need labor service and want to hire the help -- go to movinghelp.com

It's Official - Google's New Tool - "Google Suggest" - Launching on the Homepage.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:31:04 -0500

Some of you are already familiar with Google's new tool -- Google Suggest. Well, now the whole world will know about it, because Google is launching it from their lab page and placing it "by default" on their homepage starting Sept. 1st.

For those that don't know, basically Google Suggest enables you to find something or someone quicker when you only have partial information. As soon as you are typing a word or phrase, Google Search will give you a suggestion box below by guessing what you are typing --- and it does it in "Real Time." It is a refined search tool that should save the individual a little time and possibly save you a customer.

It gives you the following features ---

1) Helps formulate queries.

2) Reduces spelling errors.

3) Saves keystrokes.

Example: When someone is searching for MovingHelp.com -- as soon as they type in "moving h" our business name is populated in the suggestion box.

Check it out --- click --> Google.com/labs ---Look on right hand column - first item.

Warren Buffett for Vice President? I'd vote for him.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:01:13 -0500

Think about it. He is regarded as the world's greatest investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Try buying one share of stock in this company = $116,000. According to wikie, his net worth is $62 billion dollars and he was ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world in February 2008. He lives in the same house in Omaha, Nebraska that he bought in 1955 for $31,500. In case you feel he is just a greedy, self-serving rich guy, then keep in mind that in 2006 he announced plans to give his fortune away to charity with 83% of it going to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

It is pure speculation, but I think it would be a brilliant move for either candidate to select Buffett as a running mate (especially for Obama). You cannot find a more intelligent, nor seasoned individual to help the U.S. economy get started back on a positive growth curve. Among other things, Buffett, a registered Democrat, is serving as an economic advisor to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. He can work with both parties. I figure if Dick Cheney can be V.P., why not Warren Buffett.

For those that do have some money to invest -- here are Buffett's four tips --

Invest in a business that...

1) you understand

2) has trustworthy management

3) has favorable long-term economics

4) is at a good price

As he says, anything else is speculation.

Just my two cents on a Friday.

The "Cheaper Than Therapy" New MEME - Private Info - Part II

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:07:44 -0500

I want to thank Claire C for the invite to share the new MEME. If you don't know her, Claire is the glue that holds the ActiveRain Crew together in Bellevue, WA. Without her the place would fall apart or at the very least --- starve to death. (Her very candid posts are fun to read.)

The

The following have been tagged to carry the MEME torch (although, feel free to cut the list of lines down.) ---

Pam Pugmire - (Returning an earlier favor when she gave me my first MEME.)

Dean Guadagni- (Because I read his blog every week and he is fun to joke with on AR.)

Inna Hardison - (Cool first name and I like the way she writes.)

Kirsty Dunphey - (Because she seems to be living a pretty amazing life.)

Award Winning Poster? --- And You Thought You Worked Hard.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 11:32:24 -0500

My sister took this pic when she was traveling overseas and when I saw it I said, "This is perfect for my company's message." What do you think? Can it win an award?

==========================================================================

===========================================================================

Let's face it, moving is a hassle and even with all your friends and relatives it is always more work than you think. Plus, it is amazing after one or two moves how many fewer friends and relatives you have down the road. They seem to disappear.

The best way to move today --- Full Service Move at a Do-It-Yourself Cost.

-- You rent the truck and then hire the muscles to do all the hard work. Save time and money. This is the best of both worlds. My pitch -- sorry, you knew it was coming -- MovingHelp.com is an online marketplace that allows you to find local movers at a great rate. How much can you save? We had one customer who was moving 160 miles and he received a quote from a Full Service moving company for $7,200. He decided to rent a truck and hire Moving Helpers and his total cost = $2,500. He saved $4,700. That kind of savings helps in today's economy.

--- Our Competitive Advantages ---

* Instant Quotes -- You know in a click of a button the cost of the move. Almost all other moving websites force you to email your request for a quote and then you have to wait until a mover emails you back.

* Unedited Customer Reviews -- We have over 150,000 reviews that have come straight from the customers --- who wrote about their moving experiences with Moving Help.

* Secure Payment Code -- You have control of the move. We give you a secure payment code which you give to the movers once you are satisfied with the move. This payment code authorizes us to pay the Moving Helpers. This is a great protection against moving scams.

* U-Haul Partnership -- A trusted name in the moving business for over 60 years. You can also use Moving Helpers with any moving truck rental company.

Next time you move -- Save Time,

Save Money,

Save Your Back

and Your Friend's Back.

movinghelp.com

NewsBreak - Calif Judge Rules Early Cell Phone Termination Fees Illegal

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:28:31 -0500

A California Superior Court judge dealt a major blow to the Telecom players as he ruled that "changing consumers a fee for ending their cell phone contract early is illegal and violates state law." Sprint-Nextel got spanked to the tune of $18.2 million for past fees collected, plus they have been ordered to abandon their current efforts to collect $54 million from customers who have terminated their contracts early.

What will be the fallout? You can expect an appeal, especially since allowing this ruling to stand will create a tidal wave of lawsuits against the wireless phone carriers throughout the other 49 states. Reminds me of the movie -- Runaway Jury. As Gene Hackman said as the defense attorney, -- "All you need is ONE...one ruling (and all will fall)."

This ruling will impact all of us who are wireless creatures, as brought out in Pam Pugmire's post, "Do You Have Connectile Dysfunction?". I know when it comes to the relocation business our Moving Helpers often can only get in contact with people with cell phones, because the landlines have already been disconnected. If this ruling stands, at least in California, you will be able to cancel your cell phone service without fear of being taken to the woodshed by the Telecom giants. That is going to force the telephone companies to compete a lot harder to retain their customers since anyone will be able to leave at any time.

More than likely there will be a modifcation to the ruling as the FCC will probably step in and try to find a modified solution. At the very least, early termination fees will probably be changing --- in our favor.

Nice to have a little good news and maybe keep a little more money from leaving our pockets.

NewsBreak - Calif Judge Rules Early Cell Phone Termination Fees Illegal

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:14:57 -0500

A California Superior Court judge dealt a major blow to the Telecom players as he ruled that "charging consumers a fee for ending their cell phone contract early is illegal and violates state law." Sprint-Nextel got spanked to the tune of $18.2 million for past fees collected, plus they have been ordered to abandon their current efforts to collect $54 million from customers who have terminated their contracts early.

This ruling will impact all of us who are wireless creatures, as brought out in Pam Pugmire's post "Do You Have Connectile Dysfunction?". I know when it comes to the relocation business our Moving Helpers often can only get in contact with people with cell phones, because the landlines have already been disconnected. If this ruling stands, at least in California, you will be able to cancel your cell phone service without fear of being taken to the woodshed by the Telecom giants. That is going to force the telephone companies to compete a lot harder to retain their customers since anyone will be able to leave at any time.

Nice to have a little good news and maybe keep a little more money from leaving our pockets.

Moving Tip >>> Moving Calendar - Quick Reference.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:50:59 -0500

Have you ever said when moving -- "Why didn't I plan this out better?" If you haven't, I am sure your clients have a time or two. People are always underestimating how much time and work it takes to move -- and I am as guilty as the next person.

Below is a quick little schedule layout. It is not an exhaustive list, but should help get you going. Just add to it. If you want it in an excel format, just email me and I will send it to you. I also have a Quick Reference Moving Budget.

Keep in mind the best way to save time is to hire moving helpers to pack, unpack, load and unload your rental moving truck. Did you know our average customer at movinghelp.com gets load and/or unload services for a total price of under $199? How long will it take you or your clients to load and/or unload a moving truck? Would it be worth it to have someone else do it for under $199?

600 Starbucks Are Closing -- And you thought the Boston Tea Party was a good idea.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:31:20 -0500

Technologist, Jason Perlow, starts out writing the newsbreak -- "As the great Obi-Wan Kenobi once said, 'I felt a great disturbance in the Force...as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.'"

That is 9% of the total stores (7,087) that are closing. I guess it might not impact too many of us depending on where we live. Reminds me of an old quote my father used to say, "It's a recession when your neighbor loses HIS job, but a depression when you lose YOUR job." 600 coffee stores closing -- I guess it is times like these we wish America had decided not to throw all the tea in the harbor in 1773 and begin the 200 year commitment to being coffee drinkers instead of British tea drinkers. Now that we are addicted, our coffee sources are disappearing. (Hummm, I wonder if the British are still trying to get us back for dumping their tea and avoiding their taxes?)

However, even in these challenging times there is always good news for realtors. At MovingHelp.com and our close partner, U-Haul, we know that roughly 40 million people move every year. Like you, we want to help them during a time when they are transitioning. Regardless of how bleak things can feel sometimes -- remember --people today still need our services --- your services and my services.

(The inverted white eclipse is a result of my paranoia in using a Starbucks logo on my post.)

Tips & Importance of Commenting on Blogs - The Thankless "Thanking" Job.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:43:17 -0500

After reading Maureen McCabe's post, "ActiveRain -- Saying Nothing At All" -- I became aware of the discussion revolving around leaving GPTFS (Great Post, Thanks For Sharing) comments on a post. Is there value for anyone in doing it? Personally, I believe there is value, but that is because I think compliments are gifts. However, it did make me think -- how can I write better comments? I came across some good, basic advice from Meredith Farkas --- 31 Day Comment Challenge. (Scroll down about 40% to her entry - June 3,2008.) She is Head of Instructional Initiatives at Norwich University (VT) and teaches a class on blogging.

Comments should be ---

1) Relevant to the post

2) Thoughtful and insightful

3) Use your unique voice

4) Keep it civil

5) Make it short and readable, but also meaningful.

Her own personal, reflective thoughts and commitment to commenting ---

1) Commenting is a critical component of community-building in the blogosphere.

2) I feel more connected to others when I comment.

3) I take commenting very seriously and that's ok.

4) Never comment when you're angry or frustrated.

5) I need to be better about responding to comments.

Good thoughts to remember. In the future, I will try to keep her points in mind, but if I should ever slip up and just pay you a simple compliment -- don't deduct points from me. :)

Most Affordable Places To Live by MSN & WSJ

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:41:12 -0500

Here is an article out of the Wall Street Journal at the beginning of July -- "Most Affordable Places to Live." Actually, the article is a take off from MSN's report on the "Nine Most Affordable Housing Markets. (Don't ask me why they couldn't come up with one more place to make it an even ten. It was probably done just to bug us OCD people a little.) MSN compiled the report from Bert Sperling of Sperling's Best Places -- which if you don't get anything else out of this post -- that is a resourceful web site.

O.K. - for those of you just a little too busy or lazy to want to click on the links, here they are ---

1) Wichita, KS

2) Omaha, NE

3) Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA

4) Madison, WI

5) San Antonio, TX

6) Indianapolis, IN

7) Pittsburg, PA

8) Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

9) Tulsa, OK

Congrats to those agents marketing in those cities.

Believe It or Not - Oregon - Can't open a moving business without approval by competitors.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:28:02 -0500

How fair would it be if the government told you that you could not open a business unless all the current business owners in your industry approved your application? That is the way it is in the State of Oregon as of June 2008. I read the following article - "Regulation on Moving Industry Challenged" and then confirmed it with an employee from the state.

Here are my CliffsNotes --

* Portland State College Student started a moving business - 2Brothers Moving & Delivery.

* Operated without the required license -- ooops.

* (In cities over 10,000) the state license application process notifies all existing moving companies of the new application.

* If any one of the existing moving companies protest the application, then the applicant must prove the current companies are not meeting the needs of the public. I am told that is a very difficult argument to win. (Humm, talk about the fox guarding the hen house.)

* Pacific Legal Foundation has filed a lawsuit against the State of Oregon claiming the state is restricting market entry for potential moving service providers.

Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman has to be rolling in his grave on this one. So much for the "Free To Choose" open marketplace that he espoused in the 80s.

I understand the state's concern to protect the public interest, but I am amazed that in 2008 there are such restrictions in the moving industry.

Believe It or Not - Oregon - Can't open a moving business without approval by competitors.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:20:54 -0500

How fair would it be if the government told you that you could not open a business unless all the current business owners in your industry approved your application? That is the way it is in the State of Oregon as of June 2008. I read the following article - "Regulation of Oregon Moving Industry Challenged" and then confirmed it with an employee from the state.

Here are my CliffsNotes --

* Portland State College Student started a moving business - 2Brothers Moving & Delivery.

* Operated without the required license -- ooops.

* (In cities over 10,000) the state license application process notifies all existing moving companies of the new application.

* Pacific Legal Foundation has filed a lawsuit against the State of Oregon claiming the state is restricting market entry for potential moving service providers.

Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman has to be rolling in his grave on this one. So much for the "Free To Choose" open marketplace that he espoused in the 80s.

I understand the state's concern to protect the public interest, but I am amazed that in 2008 there are such restrictions in the moving industry.

Believe it or Not - Oregon - Can't open a moving business without approval by competitors.

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:50:33 -0500

How fair would it be if the government told you that you could not open a business unless all the current business owners in your industry approved your application? That is the way it is in the State of Oregon as of June 2008. I read the following article - "Regulation of Oregon Moving Industry Challenged" and then confirmed it with an employee from the state.

Here are my CliffsNotes --

* Portland State College Student started a moving business - 2Brothers Moving & Delivery.

* Operated without the required license -- ooops.

* (In cities over 10,000) the state license application process notifies all existing moving companies of the new application.

* Pacific Legal Foundation has filed a lawsuit against the State of Oregon claiming the state is restricting market entry for potential moving service providers.

Nobel Prize winner Milton Friedman has to be rolling in his grave on this one. So much for the "Free To Choose" open marketplace that he espoused in the 80s.

I understand the state's concern to protect the public interest, but I am amazed that in 2008 there are such restrictions in the moving industry.

Not on David Letterman - Top 10 Reasons People Move

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:46:15 -0500

They say, "Imitation is the sincerest of flattery." Well, kudos to David Letterman for spawning the Top Ten List era. Or was it Johnny Carson -- whom Letterman tried to replace upon his retirement, but lost out to Jay Leno?

I will give you the Top 19 Reasons why people moved in the U.S. (You get the extra bonus of nine for being a member of AR.)

Note: According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are various reasons why an average of 100,000 people moved each day in 2006. For a breakdown by gender see "Migration - Not Just for the Birds."

(Statistics from U.S. Census Bureau - Migration Report - 2006)

Feel free to use any information from me that might help your business. Afterall, "Imitation is...."

MeMe - Private Info

Kevin McGourty - Moving Help - nationwide (MovingHelp.com) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:16:00 -0500

First of all, thank you Idahoan Pam Pugmire for the invite to share all my dirty little secrets to the world. Yeah, not a chance of that. Actually, I tend to keep my private life - just that -- private. However, I find value in being a part of a community like AR, which requires that we build a relationship with each other. Hard to be part of a "Social Network" if we don't know each other and have a relationship.

Favorite Musician?

What day is it? Actually, since I have been learning to play a guitar over the last few years (which I love), any music with an acoustic guitar catches my ear. Right now I am hooked on Edwin McCain's "I'll Be". I love songs where you can really feel the heart, soul and passion coming out.

Favorite Historical Figure?

That is a tough one, because I love history. However, since I am finishing up the book, "John Adams" - I guess I would say him. I am fascinated by those who sacrificed so much for a cause far greater than themselves.

Who had the greatest impact on my life?

Everyone has left some kind of impression on my life, but one of the greatest -- for obvious reasons -- my father -- who past away two years ago. He was a very good man and father. Lately, I thought I wish I could spend just one day with him again.

Favorite Movie Actor

I would say Anthony Hopkins is one of those actors that when he shows up -- the movie goes to another level. But I also like Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, etc....

Favorite Bloggers?

I am pretty new to AR so I can't even give you a good, educated response. However, I have to thank Mary McKnight for introducing AR to myself and movinghelp.com

Best Time of My Life?

When I took my five kids with me on a summer vacation to Yellowstone National Park. Since our schedules were so busy during the school year, I made a rule on the trip --- "No Push." We get up when we want to get up and we do what we want to do. It was a blast.

Four Other Things About Me

* I was born in New Jersey, but spent the majority of my life in Idaho.

* I have a twin brother. (No, we don't look alike -- he is big, dumb and ugly. Actually - a great guy.)

* I once golfed with Country Music legend, Chris LeDoux. (He beat me.)

* My dream is to one day live on a beach, eat clams, travel and write a book or two.

Who is next on the MeMe train?