Ari Goldberg is [...]]]>  The Independent Fashion Bloggers Conference on September 7^th at Milk Studios in New York, NY was a day filled with a series of panels and a wealth of information being offered by some of the top experts in the fashion industry.  Here are some tips I picked up at the IFB Conference!

Ari Goldberg is the founding partner and CEO of StyleCaster Media Group.

-We are all our own brand.

-Write a brand book for your blog: commit your ideas to paper!

-Regarding working with brands that you may not necessarily want to review or work with: “Don’t sell out, when you sell out you lose your readers.”

-Understand the economics and business behind having a blog.

-Snag the book “Getting to Yes” by Roger Fisher and William Ury.

Annie Tomlin is the Senior Editor of Bella Sugar, a leading online beauty publication.

-Show your value and what you can bring to the table.

-Make sure you can deliver!

-Own your confidence and what your good at.

Kristina Medhus is the mastermind behind the Pretty Shiny Sparkly blog.

-Add a mission statement to your blog; it helps the reader or perspective advertiser to know more about you.

-Create a media kit but keep your rate card private.

-Don’t know your numbers? Use Compete.com to figure you’re exact metrics.

Joe Zee is the Creative Director for ELLE magazine and star of All On The Line on the Sundance Channel

-Have a voice and opinion, it’s important to write for yourself.

-The great blogs will rise to the top so stay authentic.

People you should be following NOW!

@mrjoezee

@PrttyShnySprkly

@AriSGoldberg

@bellasugar

Make sure to follow me on Twitter @ManchesterPR

Find me on Facebook by clicking here!

Email me at nadiamurdock@manchesterpublicrelations.com

New Mobile Messenger and Social Utility Keeps You in Touch with Friends across Android, BlackBerry or iPhone Devices; Fast and Free Alternative to Text Messaging

For the mobile generation, keeping in touch with friends while on the go can still be a surprisingly difficult [...]]]> Stay Connected with Friends in Real Time with LiveProfile

New Mobile Messenger and Social Utility Keeps You in Touch with Friends across Android, BlackBerry or iPhone Devices; Fast and Free Alternative to Text Messaging

For the mobile generation, keeping in touch with friends while on the go can still be a surprisingly difficult task—it seems everyone is on a different device or carrier. Most have little choice but to resort to SMS text messaging, but texting charges can rack up quickly, and there’s no way to know when—or even if—your message was received.

Introducing LiveProfile, the fast, free and easy way to stay connected with friends on any Android, iPhone or BlackBerry device. LiveProfile combines the ease and convenience of a real-time mobile messenger with social-style profiles, pictures, videos, status updates and more.

How can this profile benefit the fashion diva in you? Here are a few of my thoughts.

1. Pin Point that secret sample sale that all you girl friends are currently attending.

2. Got an unexpected date after work?  Message your personal stylist or your friend that can always put together a great outfit.  She will guide you on what to wear in a jiffy.

3. Trying to decide between a maxi dress and a romper? Ping your friend on LiveProfile and get an immediate answer!

Unlike text messaging, LiveProfile displays when messages are delivered, read, and even when the recipient is typing a response, making it feel closer to a live conversation.

“Text messaging is slow and unreliable. It can take minutes for a single text message to be delivered and you don’t know if it was delivered until the other person responds,” said LiveProfile Co-founder and CEO Phil Karl. “LiveProfile fixes that problem by providing a highly reliable messaging system with more features that performs up to 100 times faster than texting.”

As a social utility, LiveProfile also integrates with popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. But, unlike these very public platforms, LiveProfile is only available on mobile devices, This provides a more closed and private network of friends, allowing users to share more than they normally would on traditional social networks. Group features are coming soon, which will allow communication to multiple friends simultaneously, still for free and in real time.

LiveProfile fills the void for smart phone users who don’t have access to a unified mobile messenger, allowing users to communicate across carriers and platforms. And, LiveProfile works anywhere in the world: users can keep in touch with family and friends overseas without costly international texting charges.

To download and install LiveProfile, visit the Android Market, iPhone App Store or BlackBerry App World and search “LiveProfile” or visit www.liveprofile.com/get from your mobile device.

About LiveProfile

LiveProfile puts real-time mobile-to-mobile communications in the palm of your hand. LiveProfile is a free cross-platform messenger and social utility for Android, BlackBerry and iPhone devices. A free and more reliable alternative to text messaging, LiveProfile, Inc. is headquartered in New York, NY. For more information, visit www.liveprofile.com

This summer I have been lucky enough to land one the best PR Assistant’s.  Brette Kreyer  has been working with me for a little over two months. She is a recent graduate from St. Bonaventure University with a [...]]]>

My Lovely PR Assistant Brette:(**Brette’s favorite designers are Diane von Furstenberg, Coco Chanel and Monique Lhuillier.)

This summer I have been lucky enough to land one the best PR Assistant’s.  Brette Kreyer  has been working with me for a little over two months. She is a recent graduate from St. Bonaventure University with a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications.  Brette is currently working and living in the Buffalo metropolitan area and is looking to shift her sights to New York City as she moves forward in her career. Since joining  Manchester Public Relations Brette  hopes to be able to apply her marketing experience and education to grow in the public relations field as it relates to the fashion industry.

Brette has been inseparable from her iPhone and has not been able to put it down. She has discovered some great applications and wanted to share the fun fashion one’s!

Scoring a front row seat at a high fashion runway show in Milan and Paris takes celebrity status or knowing the right people…until now.  Phone applications now put the latest trends and styles at your fingertips.

Brands like Diane von Furstenberg and Chanel have begun creating applications that can be downloaded to iPhones and Blackberries so you can maintain your fashionista lifestyle from any location.  These applications give viewers access to videos and photos from the world’s hottest fashion shows, blogs from designers and editors of today’s most popular magazines and online stores that allow you to purchase your favorite items from your palm.

These applications can be downloaded for free or for as much as $8.99 each.  Here are the top 11 fashion applications downloads to iPhones, according to NBC New York.  (Descriptions taken from iPhone applications.)

1.) Gilt on the Go – Free

Finally, fashion that goes wherever you go.

Break free from your desk with the Gilt on the Go app.  Shop for today’s most coveted fashion and luxury labels at prices up to 70% off retail, no matter where you are.  Be the first to enter sales and score the styles you want.

2.) Style.com – Free

Style.com’s iPhone application allows you to see the latest runway shows, right in the palm of your hand.  Download now for the newest ready-to-wear and couture shows, exclusive party photos, and the Style File blog.  Your device will be automatically updated to always display the most current coverage.  In addition to perusing every look from New York, London, Milan and Paris, you can also stream and watch Style.com’s entire library of runway videos.

3.) Stylebook – $3.99

With Stylebook, you photograph your clothing – which the program (rather magically!) automatically silhouettes – and then use the pieces to build new outfits.  Brilliance!” – Lucky Magazine

4.) Feather Report – Free

If you’ve ever checked the forecast and wished the weatherman would just tell you what to wear, Feather Report is your place.  Each day, Feather Report breaks down the weather forecast into style inspiration that actually makes sense.  Fashion + Weather = Feather Report.

5.) Glamour Ask a Stylist – Free

Got a fashion question?  Get an instant answer from our style experts — before you go out.  Just take a picture and ask your question to receive an answer from our real stylists, in minutes.  So whether you need advice getting dressed in the morning or deciding what to buy at the mall, Ask A Stylist, your handheld personal stylist, has you covered.

6.) Lustr Fashion Finder – Free  Currently for New York City and Hamptons, only.

With Lustr, you’re officially a fashion insider.  You’ll always be the first to know about special promos, sample sales, events and real-time offers from the stores and designers that you love.  Plus, the power to create a shopping experience is all yours.  There’s never been a more effective tool for style seekers who want access to fast changing shopping terrains.

7.) Tiffany & Co Engagement Ring Finder – Free

Find your perfect engagement ring with Tiffany & Co.’s Engagement Ring Finder.  Browse styles, view actual carat weights, determine your ring size and learn why a Tiffany engagement ring is the best there is.

8.) Lucky at your Service – Free

Brought to you by Lucky magazine, LUCKY AT YOUR SERVICE is the first-ever digital shopping concierge.  Shop Lucky’s favorite products from your iPhone, and we’ll track them down at a store near you, check availability, and even put them on hold for same-day pickup!

9.) Gap Stylemixer – Free

Swipe your way to perfect style with this fun social shopping app.  Mix and mach clothes, share outfits for feedback, and by favorite pieces straight from your phone.

10.) Etsy Addict – $0.99

Discover the handcrafted goodness on sale at Etsy.com with this handy tool!  Etsy Addict gives you a quick and efficient way to access Etsy.

11.) eBay Fashion – Free

With eBay Fashion, you can browse and buy from the world’s largest selection of new, designer, branded, and vintage merchandise, with millions of listings for clothing, shoes and accessories.  The app’s Fashion Vault offers exclusive, limited time sales on clothing and accessories from today’s leading designers.  The CLoset gives you a place to save all your favorite items that you find in the app.  Then you can create outfits and looks by mixing and matching your items with the outfit builder.  Use it with your phone’s camera to “try on” anything you find!  eBay Fashion is your destination for clothing, shoes and accessories.

With these fashion-worthy phone applications, everyone can look and feel their best everyday.  Download one and try it out!

Got questions about this post?  Contact Brette at brett.kreyer@gmail.com

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at nadiamurdock@manchesterpublicrelations.com

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Ebony Looney is the owner of Make Me Over Eb and MMOE Marketing. Below Eb offers some helpful advice on how to create an informational one-page website for those that want to get their business up and running but are on a tight budget.

If you have a product or service that you want [...]]]>

Ebony Looney is the owner of Make Me Over Eb and MMOE Marketing. Below Eb offers some helpful advice on how to create an informational one-page website for those that want to get their business up and running but are on a tight budget.

If you have a product or service that you want people other than your family and friends to use, then you need a web presence.  The cost of website creation can be costly whether you decide to hire someone or try to do it yourself.  Here are a few tips to help you create your presence on the web without breaking the bank (or losing your mind.)

• Decide on a budget. Most website developers will always ask what your budget is for this project.  This will help them in determining what they can do for you.  It will also help you in learning what different developers offer.  However, be aware that the budget of “$0” will not go over well with most people.  So if you don’t have the funds to pay someone, perhaps think of services/products you can trade for the work.
• Decide what information you would like to include on the website. A website is an online brochure about your company and the services/products that are offered.  The pages of the website usually are the welcome page, about page, services offered page, and contact page.  Start with this template and write out information you want to convey to your audience on these pages. 
• Research other websites of companies who have similar services as you. This will help you keep up to date with current styles and language of your competition. You don’t want to be so off base from everyone in your industry that you lose your audience.

How to create an informational one-page website

You can get everything on one page, and it can look nice if it is laid out right.  A good web designer will be able to help you with this.

• Draw on paper how you want the layout to look like.  Boxes should represent the modules that your information will be in, such “About Me”, “Services Offered”, “Contact Me”, “Photo gallery”.