These days just about every business and organization has a website, but not all websites reach out, grab the customer and sell the service or product. Part of the ‘sell’ is getting out the message - “Why use my services?” - showcasing your unique qualities and talents that make you deserving of the visitor’s business. Another part of the website effectiveness is making it architecturally sound.

Jan is a website solutions professional, specializing in small business & independent consultant clients. Prior to starting G-Force Services, Jan’s business background encompassed accounting, restaurant management, software training and professional poker playing.

The development of the website has been a major objective of the San Diego Chapter's Governing Board. While many chapter members have reviewed the embryonic site and provided excellent ideas, photos, and greatly appreciated suggestions -- the driving forces in the website development have been Georgie Stillman, and our contracted professional website architect, Jan Giamanco -- who are continuing to make improvements.

I explain to the client I don’t doubt their word, but in order to prepare an “unbiased appraisal based on factual evidence” and to so attest in my appraisal of items I never personally examined, I must have corroborating information in order to state that I have enough information “to make a meaningful identification and valuation” of the lost item. Unfortunately, there are situations that not even empathy and good will can rectify: the client who says they lost an 18th century Chippendale chair, for example, because theirs looked just like the one in the ad in The Magazine Antiques. Over the past 30 years people called me to appraise their antique ‘Chippendale’ chair, that looks - to them - just like the one in the magazine or book and I arrived to find a 20th century reproduction. People must keep accurate records, and if they suspect they have a valuable antique, they must get it appraised BEFORE A LOSS if they expect fair compensation.

And there is no more important lesson to all from the October fires - get an appraisal of valuable items before something happens to them.

Please check out the ASA International Website's Job Bank in the Members Only area. (If you are a member and don't yet have a login ID or password, a button to register for one is available on the entry page.)

The 2004 edition of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice is now available for review, copying, pasting, etc. at The Appraisal Foundation web site:

http://www.appraisalfoundation.org/html/USPAP2004/toc.htm

Here's a great chance to load it into a Word file for future reference. Please let everyone in your office know. Many people haven't reviewed its changes yet, so be sure to have them look it over.