Big Dreams and Hard Work

by Gail Martin | December 26, 2012 · 9:37 am

10 Mobile Apps for Business You Can’t Live Without

By Gail Z. Martin

Whether you’re a true road warrior or you just seem to be on the go all the time, mobile apps from your tablet PC or smart phone can make your life much more productive. Even better: many great apps are free, and others are very inexpensive, so productivity seems sweeter than ever.

What are the basics you need to get work done when you’re not in the office? At a minimum, you need some good ways to take notes, work on or read documents, store and retrieve files, and access the tools you usually have close at hand in an office or on your laptop. Fortunately, there are apps for all these needs, and on your smart phone or tablet PC, they’re truly at your fingertips.

Smart phones and tablet PCs are desirable because they’re smaller and lighter than a laptop and easier to carry around. But that same portability comes with a price: they can’t carry all of the files stored so conveniently on your laptop. Good news: an ever-increasing array of apps bridge that gap between laptop and mobile device, making it easier than ever to work on the go.

Quick note taking is essential to keep your thoughts organized, especially when you’re constantly in motion. iPhones and iPads come with a basic Notes app, which while not perfect, is quite suitable for the kinds of things you’d jot on a cocktail napkin. While it doesn’t sync with other apps and it doesn’t have any security beyond that of your phone’s keypad, Notes is perfect for jotting down something you don’t want to forget and assuring that you won’t lose the scrap of paper you wrote it on. Not perfect, but it’s free, and there’s a lot of basic function that goes a long way.

Evernote, which I’ve discussed earlier in the book, also has a mobile app. So if you love it on your other devices, you can bring it along in your pocket with your phone or tablet PC. A few other note taking apps include Awesome Note, WriteRoom, Simplenote and RememberTheMilk make it easy to jot down what you need to remember, and come with varying additional capabilities, such as being able to sync to other devices or store data in the Cloud.

Pages is very good, basic app for reading and writing documents. Documents you create in Pages can be emailed in RTF or Word format, and you can email yourself (small) documents in those formats and edit using Pages. While I find it cumbersome to type documents of any length with the on-screen keyboard or a phone or tablet PC, when you pair Pages with a wireless keyboard, the result is pretty efficient.

For those who want to access their Microsoft Office files from their iPad or iPhone, Quickoffice® Pro HD bridges the gap between Microsoft and Apple. There’s also a scaled down version, Quickoffice Connect Suite. With Quickoffice, you can open a Word document, access a PowerPoint presentation, or edit, save and share other types of Office-based files. Office² HD is a similar program, offering a few more capabilities for word processing than some of the more basic apps. Documents To Go® Premium Office Suite not only handles Word and PowerPoint, but it will also access Excel spreadsheets, and it syncs with storage programs including Dropbox, SugarSync and Box.net.

Excerpted from 30 Days to Virtual Productivity Success by Gail Martin. Order here: https://amzn.com/1601632266

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by Gail Martin | December 19, 2012 · 9:17 am

Three Things You Should Know About Access-Anywhere Software

By Gail Z. Martin

Being able to access your software from anywhere on any device can be a real lifesaver when you’re on the road. Programs that live on web servers that you can access via the Internet are what Cloud Computing is all about, and it’s the key to using your smart phone and tablet PC to get more done when you’re on the go.

But if your programs don’t live on your computer hard drive, how safe are you from hackers and viruses?

If the idea of having your valuable and proprietary data residing in the Cloud worries you, there are steps you can take to set your mind at ease.

First, make sure that you understand the individual service provider’s privacy policies, terms of use, and recommended methods for safeguarding the security and integrity of your data.

Secondly, always back up essential information. This can mean creating a print-out, saving a Web-based document as a file or a screen shot, or copying essential information to your hard drive or an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) storage site. An FTP site allows you to store and share documents or files that are too large for regular email. Yes, FTP sites are also Cloud computing sites—a good example is www.4shared.com, but there are many similar sites.

Third, be certain to safeguard your password. Realize that when you share access to your Cloud computing sites with an administrative assistant or colleague, they may gain access to your billing and credit card information unless the site allows for different levels of access. Some Cloud computing sites offer a group membership, so that you can provide access to several employees or partners while keeping your own account information private. Other programs make it possible to designate an “administrator” who can access everything except the billing/payment information. If you must share your password with an assistant, keep track of which passwords have been shared and be sure to change your password if your relationship with the assistant ends.

Cloud computing programs can boost your productivity by giving you access to powerful software without the hassle of downloads and updates. You save time, reduce the in-house needs for online storage, and reduce your dependence on hired computer professionals. Just think–no more losing part of a day as your IT consultant tinkers with the settings to make sure a newly downloaded program doesn’t wreck your network!

Small businesses and solo professionals also benefit by gaining access to valuable online mobile testing services and software which would be prohibitively expensive to license on an individual basis, and which would require significant investment in servers and personnel to install and manage in-house.

For big productivity gains and lower costs, get into the Cloud!

Excerpted from 30 Days to Virtual Productivity Success by Gail Martin. Order this book at https://amzn.com/1601632266

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by Gail Martin | December 14, 2012 · 9:00 am

Are you Sabotaging Important Contacts From Reaching You With LinkedIn?

by Lisa Mininni

One of the internal systems my Entrepreneurial Edge System Clients learn is to connect their online and offline strategies. After they attend a face-to-face networking event, they will go online and connect with people they have just met. It’s a great way to bridge offline networking and online connections. It also gives them a second touch point so they continue cultivating that relationship with someone they just met in person.

It’s at this point, things usually get interesting. I often hear stories on how they tried to connect on LinkedIn with someone they met in person, only to find that they weren’t sure it was them because their profile had no picture!

If you’re wondering why your network isn’t growing, you might be making it difficult for others to connect with you online. Here are some of the common roadblocks and tips to remove them:

You include your logo instead of your picture. People want to connect with people – not logos. Someone you just met at a networking event wants to make sure they are connecting with the right person. They may not remember your logo. Make it easy for them to know they are inviting the right person to their network by including your latest professional photograph.
Your Settings Create an Invisible Barrier. One setting in LinkedIn requires the requestor to type in your email before being able to link with you. There is one pitfall to this setting: you may prevent someone who wants to be your client from connecting with you because they don’t have your email yet. Think through those settings before engaging them. You may be putting up that invisible barrier between you and important contacts.
You Have a Nickname. If you have a nickname or you’re given name is Michael but you go by Mike, it’s a guessing game on how to find you on social media. Remember to include your LinkedIn URL on your business cards or website making it a breeze for others to find you.
Your Profile is Incomplete. If your profile is incomplete, it puts the question in your prospect’s mind (or even a potential referral source) on how serious you might be about your business. Complete your profile, including the name of your company, your profile picture, testimonials, credibility points (such as certifications, degrees, or awards), essential skills, and groups you belong to.

Remember, your prospects may find you through one of your networking sources. They may not always visit your website and instead look you up on LinkedIn. When you give your social media profiles a facelift and look at how all of your marketing strategies fit together, you’ll make it easy for others to connect with you and create a consistent flow of new business.

Lisa Mininni is the best-selling author of Me, Myself, and Why? The Secrets to Navigating Change and President of Excellerate Associates, home of the sought-after Entrepreneurial Edge System, which shows business owners how to automatically bring in pre-qualified prospects and turn them into invested clients 98% of the time. For her brand new eBook, Get More Clients Now! 3 Steps to More Clients, More Money, and A Business You Love, visit https://www.freebusinessplanformat.com

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by Gail Martin | December 12, 2012 · 9:16 am

4 Easy Ways to Make Sure You Never Forget An Important File Again

By Gail Z. Martin

When you’re on the go, it’s difficult to bring all your files with you. Carrying a laptop can be difficult when traveling through airports, and taking your computer with you puts you at risk for theft and damage. Printouts are cumbersome, offer data security risks, and provide only a static snapshot.

To address these problems, Cloud computing programs make it possible for users to access their computers remotely and store files in secure storage sites that can be accessed on the go. For users who rely on instant, mobile access to stored data but don’t want to lug their laptops everywhere they go, these programs offer portability, security and easy access.

GoToMyPC enables subscribers to securely access their computer back at the office while they’re on the road. If you’ve ever had an “oops” moment of panic as you realized that you left the folder or the flash drive you needed for your out-of-office presentation back on your desk, you can appreciate the appeal.

GoToMyPC is compatible with both Microsoft and Apple computers, and can also be accessed from an iPad. The service offers access to files, email, applications and network resources via a secure, encrypted connection.

Other virtual access programs include LogMeIn.com, PCAnywhere.com and Anyplace-Control.com.

You’ll need to weigh the convenience of remote access against the possibility, however slim, that even the most secure data connections can (at least theoretically), be compromised. If you travel frequently and have ever had a deal compromised by a missing file, the benefits may be well worth the risk to you. This is especially true for one-person companies who lack the home office staff to email or overnight a forgotten document.

If you’re in a business where a security breech would be catastrophic, it’s probably worth the price to confer with your Information Technology consultant to explore options. While the remote access programs themselves may be secure, there are inherent security risks to using public access computers, such as those in hotels, libraries and office supply stores. Only you can decide whether the risks outweigh the convenience. If you’re not sure how to assess the risks, talk to your IT consultant.

Excerpted from 30 Days to Virtual Productivity Success by Gail Martin. Order this book at https://amzn.com/1601632266

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by Gail Martin | December 5, 2012 · 9:13 am

11 Important Reasons to Move to The Big Storage Unit In The Sky

By Gail Z. Martin

No, this isn’t about the afterlife. It’s about how you can store files someplace that never runs out of room, and back up your important data in a safe place outside your home or office.

Corporations store their data backup in salt mines and high security off-site locations. That’s a little extreme (and expensive) for most small businesses, but the need for secure storage and backup isn’t limited to large corporations. A flood, fire or natural disaster could wipe out your computer and your locally-stored flash drives and portable hard drives. Frequent back-ups to a storage location reduce your risk of a catastrophic data loss.

Storage capacity is another challenge for many users. While storage costs have decreased tremendously, making terabytes of capacity reasonably priced, some users rapidly exceed their on-site storage capability.

Fortunately, Cloud computing offers alternatives for both data security and data storage.

Carbonite, Mozy, MyOtherDrive, iBackup, Dropbox, GoogleDocs, GoDaddy, Sugarsync, ElephantDrive, LiveDrive, MyPCBackup and other sites offer Cloud-based data backup and storage capabilities. Most sites provide automated back-up, making it less likely that you’ll forget to update files. In addition, files stored on the Cloud can be accessed from any location, giving you portability.

When looking into Cloud-based data storage, remember that you’re entrusting your sensitive files to a third party. Here are some questions to consider as you weigh your alternatives.

What happens to my data if the provider is sold, merged or goes out of business?
How does the provider assure site security?
What precautions are taken against hackers?
How does the provider do its own back-up to assure my data is safe if the provider has a catastrophic event at their location?
What do other users say about the ease of use, security and customer support?

Cloud-based storage and back-up can be valuable and affordable services. Having your files saved from just one on-site disaster could well be worth the investment in monthly fees. As always, be sure to check out provider options to find the service that is the best fit for your business.

Excerpted from 30 Days to Virtual Productivity Success by Gail Martin. Order this book at https://amzn.com/1601632266

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by faithmonson | November 30, 2012 · 9:03 am

GPS Your Best Life- Are you a Front Seat or Back Seat Driver?

by Charmaine Hammond and Debra Kasowski

Are you a front or back seat driver?

You have probably heard phrases like “you are judged by the people you associate with” or “your results I life are a result of the people you choose to have in your life”. Our lives mirror the people we choose to associate with the most. Who do you associate with…. Front or back seat drivers?

Front seat drivers are people who support others; help them find their way, show patience when there is a detour or a wrong turn, and who offer to share the driving on a long or tiring journey.

Back seat drivers have the potential to drain your passion and deplete your positive energy. Backseat drivers often find fault with or complain about others, tell you what to do, or nitpick at issues. The great news is that you have the power to choose a) which type of driver you will be, and b) who you let in your vehicle on the journey of life.

How can you ensure that you bring more front seat drivers into your life?

Be conscious of how much time you devote or spend with backseat drivers. Set boundaries, and provide respectful feedback if need be. The truth is that sometimes people simply don’t realize how they are coming across, or how their behavior is impacting others.
Demonstrate self awareness and ensure your actions, and attitudes are closely aligned to front seat drivers.
Notice the warning signs. Your body sends signals (such as knots in your gut, a drifting mind to escape the dialogue, discomfort, or a urge to be defensive), this is an opportunity for you to a) notice, and b) choose a response.
Define, honor and protect your personal space. Make sure that you are open to receiving as well as giving. Allow others to support and assist you, as you are doing for people in your life.
Practice ways to respectfully end the conversations that you are uncomfortable with.
Model front seat driver behaviors, you will likely find that front seat drivers stick together.
Forgive yourself and move on. Often when people make mistakes, they turn into their own worst backseat driver… self blame, put downs and making the situation worse. Instead, breathe. And breathe again. And Forgive. This allows you to get back into the front seat with ease, grace, dignity, and new learning.

You will likely notice that being a front seat driver is a much easier way to live life, and reach your goals faster.

Charmaine Hammond and Debra Kasowski are the authors of GPS Your Best Life- Charting Your Destination and Getting There in Style. Jack Canfield, co-author of The Success Principles and Chicken Soup for the Soul says that “Charmaine and Debra show you how to navigate through life’s inevitable roadblocks and obstacles with ease and grace, so you can reach your desired destination”. To find out how to GPS Your Best Life, visit www.gpsyourbestlife.com

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by Gail Martin | November 28, 2012 · 9:11 am

4 Simple Ways You Can Be in Two (or More) Places at Once

By Gail Z. Martin

Sure, you’d love to rule the web with a gazillion fans, friends and followers on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. You know you should be posting more frequently; if not once a day, at least several times a week. But who has time?

Fortunately for you, there are a growing number of social media productivity tools available to help you organize your online activity, making it easier for you to get more done in less time. Most of these sites enable you to post once and have your messages go to numerous social media sites, and a few of them have additional handy bells and whistles to help you manage your online life more efficiently.

“Dashboard” programs provide all-in-one-place control, much like the console of a car or airplane. Programs like HootSuite, Social Oomph, Ping and TweetDeck make it possible for you to plan your social media campaigns and load content in advance.

One of the central benefits of a dashboard program is the “set it and forget it” feature; the ability to enter content into the dashboard and schedule blog posts, Facebook updates and Twitter tweets to go out over a period of time. While pre-scheduled content is no substitute for live conversations, dashboard programs fill the very real need of making sure that busy people maintain a baseline, consistent level of content without large gaps. You can always pop in online to add updates, post photos or jump into conversations in addition to your pre-scheduled content, but you won’t get to Thursday and realize you haven’t posted or tweeted all week.

A caveat: many dashboard programs post content with a source credit that says “from API”, meaning that it has been automatically posted. Some social media users and search engines view pre-scheduled content as less desirable than live-posted information, regardless of the quality of the actual information itself. This means that to keep your friends, fans and followers happy and to raise your social media score with ranking programs like Klout and Alexa, keep a good balance of live posts and pre-scheduled posts. On the other hand, realize that pre-scheduled content is better than no content. Followers, search engines and ranking programs also take a dim view of prolonged absences. I maintain that if the best you can do during a busy period is pre-scheduled content, being present on a consistent basis far outweighs the alternatives.

Excerpted from 30 Days to Virtual Productivity Success by Gail Martin. Order this book at https://amzn.com/1601632266

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by faithmonson | November 23, 2012 · 9:01 am

GPS Your Best life…The What and the Why Make the HOW possible!

by Charmaine Hammond and Debra Kasowski

“If you don’t know where you are going, how can you expect to get there?” This is a quote by Basil S. Walsh.

The challenge for many people is knowing where they want to go, and what they want to have, be and achieve. ]

Imagine going to a mega mall that you have never been to, one where you could get lost in the parking lot, let alone in the mall. Amy and Emma had were overwhelmed by the size of the mall, and how they would find their vehicle after a day of shopping. As they entered the mall they noticed the “you are here” sign. Taking note of the current location was the first step in finding their car at the end of the day and navigating through the mall. This sign helped them Get Positioned for Success (GPS).

To GPS your best life, you must first know where you are, then visualize where you would like to be, and finally map out a plan to get you there. Here are a few tips to help you GPS your best life, and get there in style:

Knowing where you are:

Knowing where you are right now… not yesterday and not tomorrow… but right now, is the first step. Take a few minutes to acknowledge your strengths, your values and what makes you who YOU are. Think about the quality of the relationships you are in (friendships, business collaborations, marriage or dating, family relationships, and your relationship with yourself). Consider the aspects of your life that are comfortable or better yet, going well. What about the areas where you feel off course?

Knowing where you are is the first step in getting in the driver’s seat to create your best life.

Where you’d like you go:

Once you have a sense of where you are, think about where you would like to go, or what you would like to do, be and have. Sometimes people discover their purpose (true calling), some were born with it, and in some cases, their purpose finds them. Your purpose or true calling is your WHY. To get greater clarity on your true calling, ask yourself these questions:

What revs my engine?

What do I love to do that feels effortless?

What do people acknowledge my strengths to be?

When I sit back and imagine my life as it could be, what does that look like?

When you are crystal CLEAR on the “what and the why”, the how begins to emerge

Mapping a plan to get there:

Sometimes people try to map their plan before they are CLEAR on the what and the why. Mapping your plan is the how. When you know what your life is like now, and what you envision for future, you can map out how to achieve that reality.

Chunk it down, think about the actions in bite size pieces. Write down every possible action (don’t’ worry about the order of the steps) to make the goal a reality. Every day, choose five mini actions, we call this your Daily Five GPS steps. Little steps lead to consistent action and big results.

And along the journey remember to acknowledge your growth and successes, and share them with others.

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by Gail Martin | November 21, 2012 · 9:10 am

My 3 Favorite Do-It-All From One Place Web Sites

By Gail Z. Martin

Social media “dashboards” allow you to post and monitor many of your social media sites all from one convenient place. Even better, you can upload and schedule your tweets and posts so that you can keep a more consistent social media presence, which is important to friends, fans and followers.

There are a lot of programs out there to help you organize your social media life. Here are a few of my favorites:

HootSuite is one of the best-known dashboard programs. It’s a powerful, user-friendly site that offers levels of membership ranging from a basic free service to a more robust Pro level. The heart of HootSuite is the ability to enter posts in advance into the dashboard and program when your content goes live across multiple social media sites. This works especially well if you are using a virtual assistant to help you load the content you’ve written, and it makes it easy to keep track of what you’ve said and where you said it. HootSuite also has a convenient mobile app for smart phones, so you can keep an eye on your account when you’re on the go.

SocialOomph is another dashboard with many of the same capabilities as HootSuite. As you’d expect, SocialOomph lets you pre-load and schedule on Twitter, blogs and Facebook, and provides both a basic free level of service and an extended professional level. You can track keywords, view your @Mentions and Retweets, purge spammy Direct Messages (DM), and monitor multiple accounts from one dashboard. The professional level offers blog integration, profile filters, and some interesting ways to assess which of your followers might be your most valuable prospects. While SocialOomph leans heavily toward Twitter with a nod toward Facebook and blogs, it does enable Ping to send your information to LinkedIn and MySpace.

TweetDeck is another of the well-known dashboards. TweetDeck offers connectivity with Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google Buzz, and Foursquare. It makes it easy to create and manage Twitter Lists and helps cut down on Twitter spam. Another valuable feature is the ability to follow Twitter Trends, real-time topics and TwitScoop to stay abreast of the most popular topics. TweetDeck is available for iPhone, Android, iPad and a new Web-based interface, as well as the original desktop version. At the time of this writing, TweetDeck is free, which is good for a solid, basic dashboard. However, if you’re looking for a pro version with additional features or you want more analytics, at the moment, they’re not built into TweetDeck, so one of the other dashboards may do a better job if those elements are important to you.

Regardless of which dashboard program you use, remember that it’s your content that matters. If you’re creating content that is highly targeted and meets the needs of your ideal audience, then how it gets posted is a back office issue of no consequence to your online network. Remember also that while these dashboards have the ability to increase your reach, poor quality content will hurt your brand and over-posting with hard-sell copy will lose you friends and followers, and may get your account suspended. These are power tools; use them with caution!

Excerpted from 30 Days to Virtual Productivity Success by Gail Martin. Order this book at https://amzn.com/1601632266

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by Gail Martin | November 16, 2012 · 9:45 am

Adventures in Publishing: Why I Chose to Go Independent

By Sheri Fink, Best-selling, Award-winning Children’s Author

One of the biggest decisions today’s aspiring authors make is whether to go the traditional route with a publisher (whether large or small) or to explore the independent publishing path. I chose to go independent and many writers have asked me about my decision. So, here’s the scoop: when I made a commitment to myself two years ago to bring The Little Rose children’s book to life, I had limited experience with self-publishing and was beginning to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the variety of publishing options available.

I attended the Southern California Writers Conference (www.writersconference.com) and networking events with writers. I asked both traditionally published and independently published authors about their experiences. I learned so much and decided to independently publish The Little Rose for several reasons:

Passion and Speed – I felt a burning need to get the uplifting message of The Little Rose to children quickly. I didn’t have the time or patience to woo an agent, find a publisher, go through the whole process, and then wait for a slot on their release calendar several years later.
Control – I wanted to be 100% happy with the final result of all of my hard work. I wanted to choose the right illustrator to bring my story to life and to influence the ultimate look and feel of my book. Even though I published independently, having a high-quality product was really important to me and I knew I could find the right partners to make that goal a reality.
Entrepreneurial Spirit – I’ve always been very entrepreneurial and I was excited about the possibility of building a business around doing something that I absolutely loved. I also learned from other authors about the value of the rights tied in with a book and felt like I would be able to make those decisions for my brand better than a big publisher could. And, my background is in Marketing. I believed that I could leverage my knowledge and skills to be successful.
Happiness – When I talked with other authors, the happiest ones tended to be the self-published authors. They had control over their destiny, their schedules, their agreements, their rights licensing, etc. That really appealed to me.

My best advice for authors who are exploring traditional vs. independent publishing is to talk with successful authors who are already doing it. See what their experiences were like and what they would do differently knowing what they know now. Find out who’s happy and why. Writing and publishing my first book was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I’ve ever done.

Independent publishing is exciting and easier than it’s ever been before (although it’s still not an easy business), but it isn’t the right solution for everyone. Only the individual authors can truly decide what’s right for them, their books, and their careers.

About Sheri Fink

Sheri Fink is the #1 best-selling, award-winning children’s author of The Little Rose and The Little Gnome, the creator of “The Whimsical World of Sheri Fink” children’s brand, and an international speaker. Sheri writes books that inspire and delight children while planting seeds of self-esteem.

Sheri’s next book, Exploring the Garden with the Little Rose, debuts on October 2, 2012 and takes 2-5 year olds on an educational adventure through the garden. Along the way, kids will have fun and learn the names of the plants and animals in the garden. Exploring the Garden with the Little Rose retails for $14.95 and is available on Amazon.com at: https://tinyurl.com/exploringthegarden.

Discover more about The Whimsical World of Sheri Fink at https://www.WhimsicalWorldofSheriFink.com.

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10 Mobile Apps for Business You Can’t Live Without

Three Things You Should Know About Access-Anywhere Software

Are you Sabotaging Important Contacts From Reaching You With LinkedIn?

4 Easy Ways to Make Sure You Never Forget An Important File Again

GPS Your Best Life- Are you a Front Seat or Back Seat Driver?

GPS Your Best life…The What and the Why Make the HOW possible!

Adventures in Publishing: Why I Chose to Go Independent

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