The first thing you need to do is decide on a topic that you are interested in and your potential customers would also like to know more about. Then all you need to do is decide if you have enough knowledge on that subject to write confidently about it, and if you don’t, there are ways around that too. Then decide what format you want to use to present the information and bingo; you have a winning formula for your newsletter.
Choose a topic.
You should pick a subject that interests you, and if possible, one that you already know something about. It should also be a topic that is relevant and interesting to your potential customers. It should also be linked to the products and services you sell so that throughout your publications, you can refer readers to your web site for further information or relevant products or services.
For example, if you sell second hand cars, you may want to write a newsletter about “What to look for when buying a second hand car” or “Basic car maintenance”, if you sell houses, you may want to write about” Tips for preparing your house for sale”, or “How to profit from the buy-to-let market”, etc.
Do you have the knowledge?
If you don’t feel you have enough knowledge to write on specific, relevant topics, another strategy for producing a newsletter is to ask others to write it for you. Why would an author give you an article for your newsletter? Because they can include their contact information and links to their web pages, that’s why. The more copies of your newsletter that you give away, the more traffic they get to their web sites. More traffic equals more sales.
There are many article syndication agencies that take articles from experts in all fields for reproduction in newsletters and on web sites. It’s a great place to start looking for articles you can use and as long as you reproduce them in their entirely, including the authors details and links, there will be no problem with copyright infringement. Try typing “article syndication” into a major search engine such as Google along with your particular area of interest and see what comes up.
I would also advise that if you use an article from a particular author, you email them and let them know you have reproduced it and are interested in any other articles of a similar type. You may then find that they send you new relevant articles as they are finished and this will provide content for some of your future newsletters without having to go looking for it.
Another way of getting experts to write articles for you is to seek them out and interview them. Ask yourself:
- What problem can you think of that could be solved by experts?
- Who are these experts?
- Where can I contact them?
Ask them if they agree to be interviewed for your newsletter. You can interview them by telephone, email or in person. Often, experts who would not take the time to write an article would be more than happy to answer a few questions and let you publish their answers in return for the free publicity, the publishing of their contact details and a link to their web site.
Don’t get discouraged if they don’t all respond. Remember to be courteous and respectful as they’re doing you a favor.
How to present the information
If you are using someone else’s articles or interviews for your newsletter, the format will present itself. You can’t change the format of a prewritten article for copyright reasons and an interview is usually easiest to present in a question an answer format. When writing your own articles you can also use question and answer format, using yourself as the expert or you can explore a topic in depth in an article style format. Another popular way to present the information is what I call the “tip-list” list option.
For example:
21 maintenance tips for your car
10 ways to prepare your home for sale
101 things you can with your digital camera
25 easy ways to say money on your household bills
All you need to do is decide what question or problem you want to solve and come up with a list of answers. Easy! And if you get stuck, go back to those experts again.
The truth of the matter is, today anyone can become a published author with a subscriber based newsletter in no time at all.
Now that you’re a newsletter author, you’re going to be interested in ways to improve and make money from your newsletter. But that’s a topic for next time…
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_6368.html
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Ten Ways To Get Visitors To Read Longer
Use your digital camera or cam to play with any of these ideas.
1. Use an uncommon hair style. You could style your hair to stand straight up like you're scared or use a wig to wear a Mohawk or huge fuzzy hair.
2. Color your hair a bright color. You could color it pink, blue, purple, green, etc. You could even make it match your web site's colors.
3. Draw lines on your picture. You could draw a black eye or mustache on it before you scan and upload it to your web site. For an ad you can draw horns and add a caption, "I'm in a devilish mood and have slashed prices for the next 24 hours."
4. Put on silly glasses. You could put on spring like glasses, oversized colorful glasses, spinning glasses, or even 3D glasses.
5. Wear uncommon clothes. Try clashing colors, wear super bright colors, a unique outfit, a weird tie or costume. For Halloween place your picture up of you in costume.
6. Make a unique facial expression. You could stick your tongue out, push your face together, make your eyes big, or look like you're angry.
7. Wear an unrelated hat. You could wear a cowboy hat, a bowl on your head, straw hat, a sports helmet, a rain hat. Okay, keep going, put on your thinking cap and see what pops in, or is that pops up.
8. Paint your face. You could paint your own ideal character or paint a typical character like a clown, animal, plant, etc.
9. Wear a mask. You could buy one or make one out of a paper bag. Just cut the nose, mouth and eyes out. You could also add other facial features.
10. Use an uncommon background. You could use an outside background, a funny wallpaper, a prop to look like you have a cartoon body, etc.
Yes, these are unique ways to get attention. But they get the job done -- they build curiosity, generate laughter -- or at least a chuckle -- and they will keep people reading and wanting to get to know more about you.
Catherine Franz, Millionaire Coach, thinks outside the box naturally when it comes to attracting money. Order her latest free strategy, How To "Get 'Them' To Follow Your Yellow Brick Road." http://www.marketingstrategiestogo.com
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_3737.html
1. Use an uncommon hair style. You could style your hair to stand straight up like you're scared or use a wig to wear a Mohawk or huge fuzzy hair.
2. Color your hair a bright color. You could color it pink, blue, purple, green, etc. You could even make it match your web site's colors.
3. Draw lines on your picture. You could draw a black eye or mustache on it before you scan and upload it to your web site. For an ad you can draw horns and add a caption, "I'm in a devilish mood and have slashed prices for the next 24 hours."
4. Put on silly glasses. You could put on spring like glasses, oversized colorful glasses, spinning glasses, or even 3D glasses.
5. Wear uncommon clothes. Try clashing colors, wear super bright colors, a unique outfit, a weird tie or costume. For Halloween place your picture up of you in costume.
6. Make a unique facial expression. You could stick your tongue out, push your face together, make your eyes big, or look like you're angry.
7. Wear an unrelated hat. You could wear a cowboy hat, a bowl on your head, straw hat, a sports helmet, a rain hat. Okay, keep going, put on your thinking cap and see what pops in, or is that pops up.
8. Paint your face. You could paint your own ideal character or paint a typical character like a clown, animal, plant, etc.
9. Wear a mask. You could buy one or make one out of a paper bag. Just cut the nose, mouth and eyes out. You could also add other facial features.
10. Use an uncommon background. You could use an outside background, a funny wallpaper, a prop to look like you have a cartoon body, etc.
Yes, these are unique ways to get attention. But they get the job done -- they build curiosity, generate laughter -- or at least a chuckle -- and they will keep people reading and wanting to get to know more about you.
Catherine Franz, Millionaire Coach, thinks outside the box naturally when it comes to attracting money. Order her latest free strategy, How To "Get 'Them' To Follow Your Yellow Brick Road." http://www.marketingstrategiestogo.com
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_3737.html
Advertisers are Learning to Love Specialist Information Publishers
The internet has changed marketing forever.
If used well, the internet is a marketer's dream, enabling them to directly reach their customers. If misunderstood and used incorrectly, it can severely damage or even destroy a company.
The marketing departments of large, traditional companies are just beginning to understand the power of the web and how to use it effectively. When they get it right, the results can be dramatic. Ford made an additional $90 million in revenue just by moving 2% of their marketing budget online.
But, just allocating money to online efforts is not enough. Marketers have to understand the difference between simply buying media to push their message and influencing their buyers whilst they make their buying decision.
Traditional marketing focused on creating a message and pushing that message at a target audience through adverts in print publications, billboards, radio and TV. If the audience believed the message and it was relevant to them, they would buy the product or service. Job done.
This situation is changing very rapidly and it's the internet that is driving the change.
Buying a Digital Camera
Last week, I was in the market for a digital camera. I had a rough idea of what I wanted, but was unsure of what was available. A few years ago, the first thing that I would have done to help me make a decision about what to buy would have been to go to a newsagent/news stand and buy a magazine about digital cameras. Every other page would have a large, colourful advert influencing my decision. Advertisers felt in control of how prospective customers consumed the messages they wanted them to hear.
Last week, buying a magazine did not even cross my mind.
I went straight to the computer and started to search for websites offering independent camera reviews. The quality of the free information I found was superb. It was detailed, informed, professional and comprehensive. If you're interested in some of the sites I looked at, go to Digital Camera Review (http://www.dpreview.com) and Digital Camera Views (http://www.dcviews.com).
I was in total control of the research process. The camera manufacturers had to sit on the sidelines and wait to see what my verdict was and which camera I had decided to buy.
Customers are now in charge.
Recent research found that over 80% of new car buyers do internet research before making a purchase. The figure is probably similar for all large purchases (homes, holidays, TVs, mobile phones, etc.) For the digital generation, internet research is used even more frequently to decide on many more purchases, including music, books and clothes.
People now decide what they want and go looking for it. It is much harder to push your message at your target audience in the online world.
What has this go to do with specialist information publishers?
My example above about looking for a digital camera should give you a good idea of why specialist information publishers are so important. They are becoming a critical part of the marketing/buying process.
If an online publisher is creating regular articles about a niche subject, they will find their way to the top of the search results pages. If they are being found by people researching what to buy, they will become an important influence on the final buying decision.
The more savvy advertisers are realising this and are starting to court individual experts who could influence their buyers.
Working with Manufacturers and Suppliers
There are many ways that advertisers try to work with (and influence) specialist publishers. They include:
• Provide free products for evaluation
• Invite publishers to company events, such as new product launches
• Provide free products for competitions
• Involve publishers in product development
• Provide sneak previews of new products
• Ask to advertise on their website
• Offer to sponsor all or part of the website
Staying Independent
Some specialist publishers refuse to work with manufacturers and suppliers because they say that it taints their independence.
I think that this is a mistake for three reasons:
A relationship with key companies in your sector should give you access to information that is exclusive and unique. This is very valuable to your readers and is what will keep them loyal to your site. Having access to senior people in organisations in your sector gives you credibility. If they are willing to spend time talking with you, it endorses you as an expert and a credible source of information. These companies can become an important regular income stream for your online business through advertising and sponsorship.
Of course, it is essential that you are open and honest about these relationships to all parties concerned.
You must tell suppliers that any relationship will not influence what you write and they will not be able to edit your articles.
Likewise, you should be open with your readers about any relationship you have with companies when writing about them or their products.
It can be a difficult balancing act, but magazine publishers have been doing it for decades, so it is certainly possible.
Specialist information websites are all set to become very important to advertisers. Get ready to make hay whilst the sun shines.
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_16719.html
If used well, the internet is a marketer's dream, enabling them to directly reach their customers. If misunderstood and used incorrectly, it can severely damage or even destroy a company.
The marketing departments of large, traditional companies are just beginning to understand the power of the web and how to use it effectively. When they get it right, the results can be dramatic. Ford made an additional $90 million in revenue just by moving 2% of their marketing budget online.
But, just allocating money to online efforts is not enough. Marketers have to understand the difference between simply buying media to push their message and influencing their buyers whilst they make their buying decision.
Traditional marketing focused on creating a message and pushing that message at a target audience through adverts in print publications, billboards, radio and TV. If the audience believed the message and it was relevant to them, they would buy the product or service. Job done.
This situation is changing very rapidly and it's the internet that is driving the change.
Buying a Digital Camera
Last week, I was in the market for a digital camera. I had a rough idea of what I wanted, but was unsure of what was available. A few years ago, the first thing that I would have done to help me make a decision about what to buy would have been to go to a newsagent/news stand and buy a magazine about digital cameras. Every other page would have a large, colourful advert influencing my decision. Advertisers felt in control of how prospective customers consumed the messages they wanted them to hear.
Last week, buying a magazine did not even cross my mind.
I went straight to the computer and started to search for websites offering independent camera reviews. The quality of the free information I found was superb. It was detailed, informed, professional and comprehensive. If you're interested in some of the sites I looked at, go to Digital Camera Review (http://www.dpreview.com) and Digital Camera Views (http://www.dcviews.com).
I was in total control of the research process. The camera manufacturers had to sit on the sidelines and wait to see what my verdict was and which camera I had decided to buy.
Customers are now in charge.
Recent research found that over 80% of new car buyers do internet research before making a purchase. The figure is probably similar for all large purchases (homes, holidays, TVs, mobile phones, etc.) For the digital generation, internet research is used even more frequently to decide on many more purchases, including music, books and clothes.
People now decide what they want and go looking for it. It is much harder to push your message at your target audience in the online world.
What has this go to do with specialist information publishers?
My example above about looking for a digital camera should give you a good idea of why specialist information publishers are so important. They are becoming a critical part of the marketing/buying process.
If an online publisher is creating regular articles about a niche subject, they will find their way to the top of the search results pages. If they are being found by people researching what to buy, they will become an important influence on the final buying decision.
The more savvy advertisers are realising this and are starting to court individual experts who could influence their buyers.
Working with Manufacturers and Suppliers
There are many ways that advertisers try to work with (and influence) specialist publishers. They include:
• Provide free products for evaluation
• Invite publishers to company events, such as new product launches
• Provide free products for competitions
• Involve publishers in product development
• Provide sneak previews of new products
• Ask to advertise on their website
• Offer to sponsor all or part of the website
Staying Independent
Some specialist publishers refuse to work with manufacturers and suppliers because they say that it taints their independence.
I think that this is a mistake for three reasons:
A relationship with key companies in your sector should give you access to information that is exclusive and unique. This is very valuable to your readers and is what will keep them loyal to your site. Having access to senior people in organisations in your sector gives you credibility. If they are willing to spend time talking with you, it endorses you as an expert and a credible source of information. These companies can become an important regular income stream for your online business through advertising and sponsorship.
Of course, it is essential that you are open and honest about these relationships to all parties concerned.
You must tell suppliers that any relationship will not influence what you write and they will not be able to edit your articles.
Likewise, you should be open with your readers about any relationship you have with companies when writing about them or their products.
It can be a difficult balancing act, but magazine publishers have been doing it for decades, so it is certainly possible.
Specialist information websites are all set to become very important to advertisers. Get ready to make hay whilst the sun shines.
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_16719.html
Creating Multiple Streams of Affiliate Marketing Income
Have you ever heard or read the phrase “multiple streams of income” before? Do you know what this phrase means? For many businessmen, creating multiple streams of income online or offline is one way of securing themselves as well as their businesses in the future. They also believe that it can also save them from the so-called famine effect in the business industry. Once you are engaged in affiliate marketing business, it is advisable if you have multiple streams of affiliate marketing income so that if one of those income streams vanished, it will not upset you the way losing your sole stream would. If you depend on just one source of income and this single stream has been downsized or has lain off, you’ll surely find yourself bankrupted and hopeless. Try to ask the most successful online entrepreneurs, and you’ll discover that they have established multiple streams of online income.
There is a businessman that said and attested that the very first step you must take in creating multiple streams of income is to assess or evaluate your resources. Start by assessing yourself first. Jot down your answers to the following questions: What are the talents, abilities, strength and gears that you possess? Are you gifted with excellent and creative writing skills? Can you do well at sales? Are you good in communicating with people? Are you born with an artistic skill or unique ability that other people don’t have? Through this, you can determine the kind of business where can possibly excel.
Next, look around and write down you assets and physical resources such as computer, color printer, scanner, digital camera, cell phone, CD or DVD burner. Write these all down because it can be used as a resource. Consider also your friends and family. Find out what do they possess that you have access to. Remember that no man is an island. You can use the talents, abilities, knowledge and resources of everyone you know.
That’s basically the initial step if you want to create multiple income streams. But if you’re already a webmaster or a site owner, you definitely have an edge. Why don’t you join affiliate marketing business to help you gain extra income out of your own website?
Being involved in affiliate marketing is one of the most desirable ways to make multiple sources of income. It is because affiliate marketing programs come in various shapes and forms. There are a large number of affiliate marketing programs that you can sign on with and start gaining bucks right away. In affiliate marketing, you can make money by promoting and reselling your affiliate products and by recruiting new affiliates. What’s good about this is that you can find widest array of training materials that can enhance your marketing abilities. In affiliate marketing, you can be sure that there are genuine products to promote and sell and there is real income to make.
Either part time or full time, being an affiliate marketer is an excellent way to create multiple income streams by means of promoting products and services from web merchants. Here, you can get affiliate commission without investing big bucks in making your own product and without worrying about book keeping, customer support and ecommerce. All you have to do is to promote and resell the products and services in your site and pass on potential customer’s the merchant’s site.
In affiliate marketing, it is advisable to promote more merchants in your site so that your visitors will have variety of destinations to choose from. Using multiple merchants in the same site or niche means only one thing – you have multiple streams of affiliate income. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this business strategy because this is one of the best ways to protect your business and expanding your horizons. Through this, you can be assured that you won’t experience crisis if ever one of your web merchants closed his/her program.
However, you should choose only those affiliate programs that interest you so that you can effectively advertise and promote them. Don’t ever be tempted into signing up for numerous affiliate programs in the hope that one of them will bring income. Select wisely and don’t be engaged in selling products you know nothing about. Go with the stuff that jives with your enthusiasm; your passion can capture your client by the nose and guide him/her to your affiliate link.
You should also work hard to make your multiple streams of income more stable. You can do this by embracing some strategies and tactics and by developing within yourself, some traits that can help you become successful in any kind of business such as patience, persistence and thirst for knowledge.
Lastly, just remember the adage that says “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” So that if one of them is lost, you can still have some to make omelets. And what do these eggs have to do with multiple streams of affiliate income? Well, it goes without saying that the more streams of income you possess, the bigger and better your money lake becomes.
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_10929.html
There is a businessman that said and attested that the very first step you must take in creating multiple streams of income is to assess or evaluate your resources. Start by assessing yourself first. Jot down your answers to the following questions: What are the talents, abilities, strength and gears that you possess? Are you gifted with excellent and creative writing skills? Can you do well at sales? Are you good in communicating with people? Are you born with an artistic skill or unique ability that other people don’t have? Through this, you can determine the kind of business where can possibly excel.
Next, look around and write down you assets and physical resources such as computer, color printer, scanner, digital camera, cell phone, CD or DVD burner. Write these all down because it can be used as a resource. Consider also your friends and family. Find out what do they possess that you have access to. Remember that no man is an island. You can use the talents, abilities, knowledge and resources of everyone you know.
That’s basically the initial step if you want to create multiple income streams. But if you’re already a webmaster or a site owner, you definitely have an edge. Why don’t you join affiliate marketing business to help you gain extra income out of your own website?
Being involved in affiliate marketing is one of the most desirable ways to make multiple sources of income. It is because affiliate marketing programs come in various shapes and forms. There are a large number of affiliate marketing programs that you can sign on with and start gaining bucks right away. In affiliate marketing, you can make money by promoting and reselling your affiliate products and by recruiting new affiliates. What’s good about this is that you can find widest array of training materials that can enhance your marketing abilities. In affiliate marketing, you can be sure that there are genuine products to promote and sell and there is real income to make.
Either part time or full time, being an affiliate marketer is an excellent way to create multiple income streams by means of promoting products and services from web merchants. Here, you can get affiliate commission without investing big bucks in making your own product and without worrying about book keeping, customer support and ecommerce. All you have to do is to promote and resell the products and services in your site and pass on potential customer’s the merchant’s site.
In affiliate marketing, it is advisable to promote more merchants in your site so that your visitors will have variety of destinations to choose from. Using multiple merchants in the same site or niche means only one thing – you have multiple streams of affiliate income. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this business strategy because this is one of the best ways to protect your business and expanding your horizons. Through this, you can be assured that you won’t experience crisis if ever one of your web merchants closed his/her program.
However, you should choose only those affiliate programs that interest you so that you can effectively advertise and promote them. Don’t ever be tempted into signing up for numerous affiliate programs in the hope that one of them will bring income. Select wisely and don’t be engaged in selling products you know nothing about. Go with the stuff that jives with your enthusiasm; your passion can capture your client by the nose and guide him/her to your affiliate link.
You should also work hard to make your multiple streams of income more stable. You can do this by embracing some strategies and tactics and by developing within yourself, some traits that can help you become successful in any kind of business such as patience, persistence and thirst for knowledge.
Lastly, just remember the adage that says “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” So that if one of them is lost, you can still have some to make omelets. And what do these eggs have to do with multiple streams of affiliate income? Well, it goes without saying that the more streams of income you possess, the bigger and better your money lake becomes.
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_10929.html
NASA Technology Used In e-Commerce?
NASA was established more than 50 years ago and has been a world leader in studies of our home planet. In October 2005 NASA decided to share their series of the stunning 'Blue Marble' images. The satellite photos were divided into 12 calendar months and provided a detailed overview at an entire year in the life of our planet.
Each image took up 10 Gigabytes of hard disk space. To be able to understand how much 10 Gigabytes really is, you can think of that each image consists of 5000 pictures taken with a typical digital camera.
Two years later they are probably still the largest zoomable images ever seen on the Internet. Thanks to advanced zoom technology it is possible for NASA to manage and study our earth by images using any Internet connection.
During the recent years it has become possible to buy expensive products over the Internet. You can buy everything from clothes, cars to expensive furniture. Unfortunately you still have to make a decision for the product based on one or a few images - often in poor quality.
Several studies have shown that the most significant barrier in modern e-commerce is the lack of quality product images - more specific the lack of sufficient image details or resolution. Customers can't "experience and feel" the products in the same way as they were holding them.
The explanation is that high quality images take up a lot of disk space and increase the download time. It is inappropriate to let Internet users wait several seconds for a high quality image each time the user is viewing a product.
Another barrier is the increasing use of mobile devices like PDAs and mobile phones. It is still too hard making a decision for a product on a 240 x 320 pixel display on a mobile phone if the product image is 1680 x 1050 pixels.
But how can it be possible to zoom even large images like NASA's 10Gb satellite images by use of an Internet Connection while webmasters are struggling to limit sizes of their web images?
By combining and re-scaling existing technologies for other purposes and goals, it has become possible to see and almost feel tiny details of any e-Commerce product in the same way as you can study every detail of even large satellite images.
E-Consultant Sonja Jacobsen explains the controversial mix of NASA technology and existing web technology "as a way to move forward in a competitive market" and "almost all e-shops will be able to present their products with zoomable pictures within 2-3 years with similar technologies".
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_17783.html
Each image took up 10 Gigabytes of hard disk space. To be able to understand how much 10 Gigabytes really is, you can think of that each image consists of 5000 pictures taken with a typical digital camera.
Two years later they are probably still the largest zoomable images ever seen on the Internet. Thanks to advanced zoom technology it is possible for NASA to manage and study our earth by images using any Internet connection.
During the recent years it has become possible to buy expensive products over the Internet. You can buy everything from clothes, cars to expensive furniture. Unfortunately you still have to make a decision for the product based on one or a few images - often in poor quality.
Several studies have shown that the most significant barrier in modern e-commerce is the lack of quality product images - more specific the lack of sufficient image details or resolution. Customers can't "experience and feel" the products in the same way as they were holding them.
The explanation is that high quality images take up a lot of disk space and increase the download time. It is inappropriate to let Internet users wait several seconds for a high quality image each time the user is viewing a product.
Another barrier is the increasing use of mobile devices like PDAs and mobile phones. It is still too hard making a decision for a product on a 240 x 320 pixel display on a mobile phone if the product image is 1680 x 1050 pixels.
But how can it be possible to zoom even large images like NASA's 10Gb satellite images by use of an Internet Connection while webmasters are struggling to limit sizes of their web images?
By combining and re-scaling existing technologies for other purposes and goals, it has become possible to see and almost feel tiny details of any e-Commerce product in the same way as you can study every detail of even large satellite images.
E-Consultant Sonja Jacobsen explains the controversial mix of NASA technology and existing web technology "as a way to move forward in a competitive market" and "almost all e-shops will be able to present their products with zoomable pictures within 2-3 years with similar technologies".
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_17783.html
10 Steps to Creating Your Online Business Disaster Plan
Running from a hurricane and dealing with its landfall isn't something I've ever had to do before, nor is it something I'd ever like to do again. However, as an solo business owner, I'm quite thankful that I have an online business. The fact that I own a virtual company and can operate from anywhere that there's electricity and phone service was of great help to me in this disaster. It was a primary factor in helping me reopen my business a scant 4 days after the landfall of Hurricane Rita when so many brick-and-mortar businesses were still shuttered for weeks after the storm.
As an online business owner, what can you do to make your business disaster-proof? It seems that we have an increasing number of hurricanes making landfall in the coastal states, and add to that an increased number of other types of natural disasters like tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, mud slides, ice storms, blizzards, etc. makes me think that there is no ideal location in which to operate a business. Accepting that natural disasters are here to stay, here's what I learned from my hurricane evacuation that helped me get my business back up and running quickly:
1. Know the location of your vital papers. You should be able to quickly put into a folder the following for you and your family:
--marriage license
--birth certificate for you and your children
--social security card
--bank account information, including bank routing number
--driver's license or state ID card
--car title/mortgage info and insurance contact info
--house deed/mortgage info and insurance contact info
--apartment lease or copy of a utility bill and renters insurance contact info
--employee ID card
If you have documentation of your home contents, bring that information as well. In a disaster, you'll be asked to prove where you live and that you are who you claim you are, especially when applying for disaster assistance. You may also have to initiate damage reports on property, so having those files at your fingertips will help you expedite the process.
2. Have an online backup of all of your computer data. I back up my computer in two ways--to an external portable hard drive as well as to an online backup service. I use both because my files are my livelihood -- I would be dead in the water without them -- so I want to leave absolutely no room to lose my data. For my external backup, I use a 100 GB portable drive made by Seagate, and for my online backup, I have unlimited backup available through Carbonite.com
You can also use an online office system, like CentralDesktop.com or OfficeZilla.com, to upload and store many of your data files, calendar events, or contacts you might need to access.
3. Create a file with vital contact information. I copied a file with all of my usernames and passcodes for websites, bank accounts, etc. to my USB flash drive (a key chain-like device with 4 GB of memory) as well as the physical and email addresses and all phone numbers of friends, clients and family members -- anyone I needed to contact during the evacuation period. I manage my passcodes using RoboForm2Go, http://www.roboform.com, a portable version of my password manager software. You'll also want to take along your children's school contact info to be able to check on the current operating status of your child's school, as well as local media website info. My lifeline in getting current information about my home city was through the websites of Beaumont's newspapers and television and radio stations. If you keep your contact info in Outlook and want to create an online backup, you can do so through Plaxo.com. All you need to access your info in Plaxo is a computer and to know your username and password.
4. Know the primary office/computer equipment that will be required to get your business up and running. I had operated with a minimal amount of my office equipment during this time due to my being a house sitter for a friend for 2 months. So, upon receiving the mandatory evacuation order, I knew that to run my business, I needed my desktop PC, flat panel monitor, wireless mouse and keyboard, speakers and associated cords, modems, router, backup portable external hard drive, office telephone and associated cords, laptop computer, printer, box of software, and scanner. It sounds like a great deal of equipment, but I packed it all into 2 boxes from U-Haul (1 small and 1 medium box). I knew I could work for at least 2 months comfortably with just this equipment.
5. Know the location of your primary paper files for your clients/business. I have 2 sets of files -- ones for the immediate short-term that I use frequently and my lateral file drawer files that are primarily reference files. I grabbed the contents of the two drawers of my 2-drawer file cabinet (which hold my immediate short-term files), all of which fit into one small U-Haul box.
6. Have a backup telephone plan. I wasn't sure what I was going to do for phone service for my business, as all of my clients are scattered across the US and in Canada. Just to be safe, I upgraded my cell phone plan, and had a prepaid calling card (purchased an AT&T calling card at SamsClub.com at my disposal if I needed it. As luck would have it, my hotel offered an unlimited Internet access/long distance plan for an additional $1.88 per day, so I happily signed up for that, saving myself a fortune in phone calls and Internet service fees.
I now have Vonage.com as my phone service, so in the event I had to evacuate again, I could take my office phone and Vonage modem with me and have phone service at my office number by simply plugging in my Vonage modem to my new Internet connection.
7. Have a backup Internet access plan. Since power restoration to my home was estimated at 2-8 weeks, I had to find temporary lodging. I looked for a hotel that offered high speed Internet access and was able to use their system for my Internet access. However, once I found the hotel, I also called the tech support of my DSL ISP and found the local dial-up numbers for the area in which the hotel is located. I never had to use the dial-up service, but it was good info to have. If you have cable or DSL Internet service, now is the time to discover alternate Internet access plans to be able to get online should your DSL or cable access be out-of-service. You should also know how to access your email online through your ISP if you don't have access to your computer. If your ISP doesn't offer a version of webmail, you can use this service free-of-charge, Mail2Web.com.
8. Bring along adequate office supplies for a month. I threw in pens, pencils, post-it notes, a calculator, stamps, envelopes, tape, stapler, paper clips, note pads, etc. that would last me at least a month while I was out of my office. I used a portable plastic file case to carry these items.
9. Outline your office procedures to help you operate independently or be able to delegate tasks. Instead of carrying your business operations info in your head or have it stored in various files across your computer, what makes more sense is to document all of your office procedures, as well as computer and client info, so that everything you need is in one document. I can then upload this doc to my Yahoo account, my backup files, or carry it with me on my USB flash drive.
10. Bring a digital camera to record the event and/or record damages to personal property. I wish I'd had a digital camera to record all that I witnessed during my evacuation from Hurricane Rita (I now own a Canon Powershot A630). My sister took tons of pics, but I would've loved to have had the same opportunity. More importantly, however, is the need for a digital camera to record damage to your home and property. In a wide-spread disaster, it can be at least a month, usually more, before your insurance adjuster will be able to assess damages to your property. In the meantime, however, you need to start repairs, like placing a tarp on your roof, boarding up broken windows, removing downed trees from your house or yard, or cleaning your refrigerator of spoiled food. In many cases, your insurance will cover the repairs or food replacement, but you need to carefully document the "before" scenario in order to receive compensation for your loss.
Don't let a natural disaster destroy your business. Take some time now to prepare your disaster-readiness plan, and get back into business as soon as you can!
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_17883.html
As an online business owner, what can you do to make your business disaster-proof? It seems that we have an increasing number of hurricanes making landfall in the coastal states, and add to that an increased number of other types of natural disasters like tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires, mud slides, ice storms, blizzards, etc. makes me think that there is no ideal location in which to operate a business. Accepting that natural disasters are here to stay, here's what I learned from my hurricane evacuation that helped me get my business back up and running quickly:
1. Know the location of your vital papers. You should be able to quickly put into a folder the following for you and your family:
--marriage license
--birth certificate for you and your children
--social security card
--bank account information, including bank routing number
--driver's license or state ID card
--car title/mortgage info and insurance contact info
--house deed/mortgage info and insurance contact info
--apartment lease or copy of a utility bill and renters insurance contact info
--employee ID card
If you have documentation of your home contents, bring that information as well. In a disaster, you'll be asked to prove where you live and that you are who you claim you are, especially when applying for disaster assistance. You may also have to initiate damage reports on property, so having those files at your fingertips will help you expedite the process.
2. Have an online backup of all of your computer data. I back up my computer in two ways--to an external portable hard drive as well as to an online backup service. I use both because my files are my livelihood -- I would be dead in the water without them -- so I want to leave absolutely no room to lose my data. For my external backup, I use a 100 GB portable drive made by Seagate, and for my online backup, I have unlimited backup available through Carbonite.com
You can also use an online office system, like CentralDesktop.com or OfficeZilla.com, to upload and store many of your data files, calendar events, or contacts you might need to access.
3. Create a file with vital contact information. I copied a file with all of my usernames and passcodes for websites, bank accounts, etc. to my USB flash drive (a key chain-like device with 4 GB of memory) as well as the physical and email addresses and all phone numbers of friends, clients and family members -- anyone I needed to contact during the evacuation period. I manage my passcodes using RoboForm2Go, http://www.roboform.com, a portable version of my password manager software. You'll also want to take along your children's school contact info to be able to check on the current operating status of your child's school, as well as local media website info. My lifeline in getting current information about my home city was through the websites of Beaumont's newspapers and television and radio stations. If you keep your contact info in Outlook and want to create an online backup, you can do so through Plaxo.com. All you need to access your info in Plaxo is a computer and to know your username and password.
4. Know the primary office/computer equipment that will be required to get your business up and running. I had operated with a minimal amount of my office equipment during this time due to my being a house sitter for a friend for 2 months. So, upon receiving the mandatory evacuation order, I knew that to run my business, I needed my desktop PC, flat panel monitor, wireless mouse and keyboard, speakers and associated cords, modems, router, backup portable external hard drive, office telephone and associated cords, laptop computer, printer, box of software, and scanner. It sounds like a great deal of equipment, but I packed it all into 2 boxes from U-Haul (1 small and 1 medium box). I knew I could work for at least 2 months comfortably with just this equipment.
5. Know the location of your primary paper files for your clients/business. I have 2 sets of files -- ones for the immediate short-term that I use frequently and my lateral file drawer files that are primarily reference files. I grabbed the contents of the two drawers of my 2-drawer file cabinet (which hold my immediate short-term files), all of which fit into one small U-Haul box.
6. Have a backup telephone plan. I wasn't sure what I was going to do for phone service for my business, as all of my clients are scattered across the US and in Canada. Just to be safe, I upgraded my cell phone plan, and had a prepaid calling card (purchased an AT&T calling card at SamsClub.com at my disposal if I needed it. As luck would have it, my hotel offered an unlimited Internet access/long distance plan for an additional $1.88 per day, so I happily signed up for that, saving myself a fortune in phone calls and Internet service fees.
I now have Vonage.com as my phone service, so in the event I had to evacuate again, I could take my office phone and Vonage modem with me and have phone service at my office number by simply plugging in my Vonage modem to my new Internet connection.
7. Have a backup Internet access plan. Since power restoration to my home was estimated at 2-8 weeks, I had to find temporary lodging. I looked for a hotel that offered high speed Internet access and was able to use their system for my Internet access. However, once I found the hotel, I also called the tech support of my DSL ISP and found the local dial-up numbers for the area in which the hotel is located. I never had to use the dial-up service, but it was good info to have. If you have cable or DSL Internet service, now is the time to discover alternate Internet access plans to be able to get online should your DSL or cable access be out-of-service. You should also know how to access your email online through your ISP if you don't have access to your computer. If your ISP doesn't offer a version of webmail, you can use this service free-of-charge, Mail2Web.com.
8. Bring along adequate office supplies for a month. I threw in pens, pencils, post-it notes, a calculator, stamps, envelopes, tape, stapler, paper clips, note pads, etc. that would last me at least a month while I was out of my office. I used a portable plastic file case to carry these items.
9. Outline your office procedures to help you operate independently or be able to delegate tasks. Instead of carrying your business operations info in your head or have it stored in various files across your computer, what makes more sense is to document all of your office procedures, as well as computer and client info, so that everything you need is in one document. I can then upload this doc to my Yahoo account, my backup files, or carry it with me on my USB flash drive.
10. Bring a digital camera to record the event and/or record damages to personal property. I wish I'd had a digital camera to record all that I witnessed during my evacuation from Hurricane Rita (I now own a Canon Powershot A630). My sister took tons of pics, but I would've loved to have had the same opportunity. More importantly, however, is the need for a digital camera to record damage to your home and property. In a wide-spread disaster, it can be at least a month, usually more, before your insurance adjuster will be able to assess damages to your property. In the meantime, however, you need to start repairs, like placing a tarp on your roof, boarding up broken windows, removing downed trees from your house or yard, or cleaning your refrigerator of spoiled food. In many cases, your insurance will cover the repairs or food replacement, but you need to carefully document the "before" scenario in order to receive compensation for your loss.
Don't let a natural disaster destroy your business. Take some time now to prepare your disaster-readiness plan, and get back into business as soon as you can!
http://www.workoninternet.com/article_17883.html
How Do Digital Cameras Work?
If you use a digital camera, it can help to have a little deeper understanding how these modern wonders work. Briefly, digital cameras have a series of lenses that focus light onto a sensor instead of film. The sensor electronically records the image, and transfers it to the "brains" of the camera. Here it is organized and then converted into binary data, so it can be stored in memory or on removable memory units for later reading by a computer or printer.
Most digital cameras' sensors are charge-coupled devices, or CCDs, although some cameras instead have a complementary metal oxide semiconductor, or CMOS. Either way, light is converted into electrical charges, which are transferred to the brain, and finally onto the storage media.
As part of this process the sensors filter the light into the three primary colors, which can be combined to create the full spectrum. The more expensive (and higher quality) cameras use three separate sensors to accomplish this task. Each sensor is fitted with a filter of a different color, making it read only the light that matches that color.
Digital cameras also control the amount of light that actually reaches the sensor. They do this through the aperture or hole size, and through the shutter speed. Most cameras have automatic aperture setting though some do allow for manual control, which is preferable for professional photographers and advanced amateurs. Shutter speed is set electronically.
There are four kinds of lenses used by digital cameras: optical-zoom lenses with automatic focus; fixed-focus, fixed-zoom lenses; digital-zoom lenses; and replaceable lens systems. Optical zoom lenses have both telephoto and wide options, while the fixed focus and fixed zoom lenses are used in the ordinary, inexpensive cameras that infrequent users own. The digital zoom lens creates the illusion of a zoom effect by culling pixels from the central part of the image and enlarging them to fill the frame. This, however, often results in a grainy or fuzzy image at the extreme limits of the camera's capabilities.
An LCD screen is standard on most digital cameras today, and they help in previewing images and also checking them out after taking a shot. Many screens are rather small, because there is only so much space on a camera for them. It is always best to transfer the images to a computer for viewing. In terms of image quality in general, the higher resolution the camera, the better the image quality.
For printing photos, resolution of the original image is also key. A low quality camera such as those found in many cell phones will create images that are really only useful for emailing or for web pages. A 2-megapixel camera produces images that can be blown up to about 4x6 inches. Four megapixels will create nice 16x20 inch images, but with falling prices on most digital cameras, if you enjoy photography and enlarging photos, don't settle for less than six megapixels.
Early digital cameras stored images on memory resources built into the camera. Images were then transferred to computers with the help of cables. Most modern digital camera makers utilize reusable and removable storage devices. These devices include SmartMedia cards, CompactFlash cards and other memory sticks. Other, less common removable storage devices include hard disks or microdrives, and writeable CDs or DVDs. These options have considerably enhanced the volume of visual data that can be stored as well as the overall flexibility of the modern digital camera.
http://www.add-articles.com/Article/How-Do-Digital-Cameras-Work-/104663
Most digital cameras' sensors are charge-coupled devices, or CCDs, although some cameras instead have a complementary metal oxide semiconductor, or CMOS. Either way, light is converted into electrical charges, which are transferred to the brain, and finally onto the storage media.
As part of this process the sensors filter the light into the three primary colors, which can be combined to create the full spectrum. The more expensive (and higher quality) cameras use three separate sensors to accomplish this task. Each sensor is fitted with a filter of a different color, making it read only the light that matches that color.
Digital cameras also control the amount of light that actually reaches the sensor. They do this through the aperture or hole size, and through the shutter speed. Most cameras have automatic aperture setting though some do allow for manual control, which is preferable for professional photographers and advanced amateurs. Shutter speed is set electronically.
There are four kinds of lenses used by digital cameras: optical-zoom lenses with automatic focus; fixed-focus, fixed-zoom lenses; digital-zoom lenses; and replaceable lens systems. Optical zoom lenses have both telephoto and wide options, while the fixed focus and fixed zoom lenses are used in the ordinary, inexpensive cameras that infrequent users own. The digital zoom lens creates the illusion of a zoom effect by culling pixels from the central part of the image and enlarging them to fill the frame. This, however, often results in a grainy or fuzzy image at the extreme limits of the camera's capabilities.
An LCD screen is standard on most digital cameras today, and they help in previewing images and also checking them out after taking a shot. Many screens are rather small, because there is only so much space on a camera for them. It is always best to transfer the images to a computer for viewing. In terms of image quality in general, the higher resolution the camera, the better the image quality.
For printing photos, resolution of the original image is also key. A low quality camera such as those found in many cell phones will create images that are really only useful for emailing or for web pages. A 2-megapixel camera produces images that can be blown up to about 4x6 inches. Four megapixels will create nice 16x20 inch images, but with falling prices on most digital cameras, if you enjoy photography and enlarging photos, don't settle for less than six megapixels.
Early digital cameras stored images on memory resources built into the camera. Images were then transferred to computers with the help of cables. Most modern digital camera makers utilize reusable and removable storage devices. These devices include SmartMedia cards, CompactFlash cards and other memory sticks. Other, less common removable storage devices include hard disks or microdrives, and writeable CDs or DVDs. These options have considerably enhanced the volume of visual data that can be stored as well as the overall flexibility of the modern digital camera.
http://www.add-articles.com/Article/How-Do-Digital-Cameras-Work-/104663
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