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Articles
I don’t know about you, but when messages arrive in my inbox I find it distracting. I know that for most efficient use of my time, important but not urgent tasks, like my volunteer work, should be grouped and dealt with together. Nonetheless, sometimes I get distracted by the “shiny object”. Like most people, I divide up my time many ways–volunteer work, committees, projects–there are just so many shiny objects! I decided a few years ago to make technology work for me instead of against me with a message-sorting system that organizes my mail as it arrives. Here’s how it works:
STEP 1: Decide on a keyword Choose on a short, easy-to-remember keyword, like an acronym for the organization or association. If we use the fictional Association of Businesses and Corporations as an example, a good keyword would be ABC. Decide as a board that all email correspondence will include this keyword in the subject line, like the examples below:
| Like this: |
But not: |
| Subject: ABC Let’s set a meeting date |
Subject: A-B-C Let’s set a meeting date |
| Subject: Let’s set a meeting date ABC |
Subject: Let’s set a meeting date A.B.C. |
Subject: let’s set an abc meeting date |
Subject: let’s set an a b c meeting date |
STEP 2: Create folder for the keyword Each member creates a folder called ABC in his or her email program. Once the filter is created, all ABC mail will be funneled to this folder, rather than into your inbox. STEP 3: Create rule or filter The procedure for creating a rule or filter is different in every email program, but if you search for help on ‘filtering messages’, your email program should walk you through the steps. The following instructions work in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003.
- Click on TOOLS
- Click on RULES AND ALERTS
- Click on NEW RULE
- Click on MOVE MESSAGES WITH SPECIFIC WORDS IN THE SUBJECT TO A FOLDER
- Click NEXT
- Click on SPECIFIC WORDS
- Type the word you want to filter mail for e.g. ABC
- Click ADD
- Click OK
- Click on SPECIFIED
- Navigate to and highlight the folder you want email to go in e.g. ABC
- Click OKAY
- Click NEXT
- Click NEXT
- Click NEXT
- Click on the box beside RUN THIS RULE NOW ON MESSAGES ALREADY IN ‘INBOX’
- Click OKAY
Voilà! No more shiny objects! Hope this helps you stay more organized and allows you to make better use of your time.
| A bad case of the flu can knock you out for a few days. A bad computer virus can knock your computer out for much longer. Like getting a flu shot, protecting your computer is all about prevention.
Choose your virus protection carefully. Check out CNET’s pages about antivirus software to see their rankings based on popularity, name brand, manufacturer, rating, review date and price. CNET does not mention AVG by Grisoft (www.grisoft.com) which is free antivirus software.
Staying virus-free doesn’t end with installing anti-virus software. Virus protection is only as good as its DAT’s (virus definition files). Unless the DAT’s are up-to-date, your computer becomes vulnerable to the newest, toughest viruses that emerge.
How often should you update your DAT’s? A new flu vaccine comes out every year: new DAT’s come out weekly. Our advice? Update every few days. And double-check that it actually happens–many viruses wipe out the live update feature.
What to do if you’re already infected? Some viruses are very difficult to remove once they’ve infected your computer. If your antivirus software can’t eliminate a stubborn virus, try running the online check at www.antivirus.com.
If you follow this prescription for a healthier computer, you’ll keep those nasty viruses at bay. |
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Web glue (noun) 1. web site content that keeps people on your site longer and encourages them to return.
Everyone knows it’s easier to sell an existing customer than to find and woo a new one. Regular customers come back again and again–they already like what you offer. The same idea applies to your web site. But how do you make visitors want to come back?
Two words: Web glue. Smart organizations build a road back to their door and a reason to travel it with Web glue. They know that the money they spend to attract visitors to their web site is wasted if prospects don’t buy on their first visit or come back again. A click of the mouse and they’re gone, never to return.
Web glue is a critical part of building regular traffic and repeat business. It entices people to explore a site and bookmark it as a future destination.
So what is Web glue? Let’s look at a few examples…
A caterer knows that her best prospect loves good food but doesn’t love cooking for a crowd. By adding a recipe-of-the-month feature, she creates top of mind awareness, and brings those prospects back month after month, looking for her latest gourmet recipe. She knows that the visits renew interest in her service and may even prompt a booking.
Monthly specials make great Web glue — people are always looking for ways to save money. So do newsletters, chock-full of news, tips and interesting links.
Think about what makes you bookmark a site. What Web glue are they using to bring you back?
Like any marketing strategy, your plan should include a tracking mechanism. That way you can see if visitors are ‘stick’ing around.
Web glue (noun) 1. Another smart e-marketing solution from aWEBthatWORKS, the web marketing specialists.
You wouldn’t write a letter to a client or prospect on plain paper instead of your letterhead, would you? Then why send out e-mail without letterhead’s Internet equivalent? Your e-mail signature or SIG identifies your organization and lends a professional finish, just like letterhead. Unlike letterhead, however, your SIG usually appears at the end of correspondence.
Just think, each time you send e-mail with a SIG, you broadcast a brief commercial: what you do, your mission statement and contact information (especially toll free lines). But remember–large SIGs obscure your message and look unprofessional. Keep it under six lines.
Don’t let opportunity pass you by. Ask aWEBthatWORKS.com to design your SIG. Call 1-800-579-9253 today!
Please keep your eyes open for a way you can add a hook to your web site.
What do I mean by a hook? It’s a way to “catch” potential clients. Like preferred customer cards and mailing lists for walk-in clients, the hook on your website entices your prospects to submit their contact information.
On your website, the hook may be a newsletter or free article. By offering a hook, you can follow up with people who are interested in what you have to offer.
Sound like a good idea? Contact me today to arrange a good time to brainstorm the solution that’s right for you.
PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act) requires that organizations covered by the Act adhere to its ten basic principles: (source: http://www.privcom.gc.ca/information/guide_e.asp)- Accountability – an organization must clearly identify a person within that organization who is their in-house PIPEDA compliance officer. This individual will re responsible for ensuring that the organization in is continual compliance with all of the 10 principle areas of the Act.
- Identifying purposes – an organization must now state openly the reasons why personal information is being collected and be specific in identifying how this information will be used. That means that you can’t use information for other reasons than what you stated to the individual.
- Consent – an organization must obtain the consent of the individual to collect their personal information and to use them for the specific intended purposes or it cannot collect or use this information.
- Limiting collection – an organization must limit the amount and type of the information gathered to what is necessary for the identified purposes. As well, an organization must identify the kind of personal information it collects in its information-handling policies and practices and ensure that staff members can explain why the information is needed.
- Limiting use, disclosure, and retention – an organization must now have policies in place regarding the parameters of use for specific groupings of information and clearly identify an information lifecycle: 1) information – why it is collected 2) how it is used how it is stored 3) when its usage is defined as finished and 4) how this information is disposed of or destroyed.
- Accuracy – it is an organization’s responsibility to keep personal information as accurate, complete and up to date as necessary, taking into account its use and the interests of the individual.
- Safeguards – an organization must protect personal information against loss or theft, safeguard the information from unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification and implement policies and practices to protect personal information regardless of the format in which it is held.
- Openness – an organization must inform customers, clients and employees that it has policies and practices for the management of personal information and make these policies and practices understandable and easily available.
- Individual access – When requested, an organization must inform individuals if it has any personal information about them and explain how it is or has been used and provide a list of any organizations to which it has been disclosed, as well as give individuals access to their information.
- Challenging compliance – an organization must develop simple and easily accessible complaint procedures, inform complainants of avenues of recourse, investigate all complaints received and take appropriate measures to correct information handling practices and policies.
Your organization’s general responsibilities:
- Comply with all 10 of the above principles
- Appoint an individual (or individuals) to be responsible for your organization’s compliance.
- Protect all personal information held by your organization or transferred to a third party for processing.
- Develop and implement personal information policies and practices.
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Increase Your Sales
Since your web storefront never closes, clients and prospective clients are free to order when it’s convenient to them… no busy signals… no telephone tag… and most importantly… no dissatisfied customers.
Web Sites present your products and/or services at a fraction of the cost of traditional print methods. When printing your marketing materials, you buy in bulk. You have to be sure that the printed information is correct and stays the same for as long as your printed materials are still in stock. Mistakes or changes are costly. With a web page, updating, editing and changing are immediate and cost effective, there is no waste… there is no time delay… there is no self-recrimination. As an added bonus, if you decide that you do want some printed materials, your web page will let you know whether your material is effective before you spend the money on printed marketing materials. If potential clients do not contact you from your web materials, why would they contact you from your printed materials?
Since you can show graphic images of your products and/or services, catalogues are no problem. Even if printed full colour brochures are beyond your budget, on the web… it’s no extra cost!
Communicate
Better, Faster & Cheaper
E-mail (electronic mail) allows you to send messages and files to other people: Quickly – anywhere in the world in minutes, Easily – with a click of the mouse, and Inexpensively – no long distance charges / postage. And since your clients can collect and read your mail at their convenience (from anywhere in the world), your communication will be better received.
Network
with all the Right People
Subscribe to Usergroups (there are currently over 10,000 to choose from). They are classified by subject, which allows you to communicate with experts in your field, and others that share a common interest.
Download software,
utilities and graphics
If you see something of interest on the Web, you can download the material to your computer using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). It may sound difficult, but in reality it is “point and Click”, the program will prompt you!
Read the News
before it hits the stands!
Most newpapers, periodicals, and magazines are now publishing online. Stay informed. Read the issues that directly affect your business … and find opportunities for more business.
Information at your Fingertips
Search Engines and indices make it easy to find what you are looking for. Whether you are looking for your competitor’s pages or background information on one of your prospects, market research has never been easier.
Update Information Instantly!
Your Webmasters (Desktop Imagery) can instantly update, change, edit, add or delete any information on your Web Page.
The proof is in the pudding, check this site out regularly and you will find modifications and additions regularly. Not a problem.
With budgets as tight as they are, it is only natural for you to want to save on expenses where ever you can. If you are thinking of using an in-house person to create your company’s web page it is important to choose someone with a flair for design, who will have the aptitude to learn HTML (the language behind web pages), as well as a multitude of other software applications. They must also be able to devote time on an ongoing basis to keep information current, search for new places to market your site, and educate themselves about ongoing technical developments that can help you.
Companies without the time or inhouse expertise should consider selecting a professional web page designer. Understanding what constitutes a good design is important! Here are a few tips to help you make the right decision.
LOOK at other web sites they’ve developed:
- Do their pages load quickly?
- Are their sites easy to navigate?
- Can you navigate the site without graphics?
- Is it clear what the company being represented offers?
- Is it clear what the pages contain for the viewer?
- Is the contact information clearly displayed.
ASK these key questions:
- Which web browsers do you test pages on?
- How much do changes cost?
- How do they advertise your pages?
- Do they test the pages on other platforms, ie IBM, Mac?
- Will they custom design your page or do they work with templates?
- How do they plan on reflecting your business’ image?
LISTEN for their questions:
- What Key words / Key phrases you would like programmed into your pages?
- What market(s) you are targeting?
- Which ways are you marketing your product traditionally?
- How you would design your pages if price were not an issue?
We all know that first impressions are important, so make yours a lasting one by exploring all of your options. Take the time to find the ‘right’ Web Page Designer or alternatively how you can best meet the needs described above inhouse. Either way you will be happier with the results and so will the visitors to your site.
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