Big Dreams and Hard Work

by Gail Martin | February 20, 2013 · 9:35 am

Content Marketing: 6 Easy Ways to Get More Customers With Facebook

By Gail Z. Martin

#1 Content is essential for attracting and keeping readers. Ask questions that are business-related, provide tips and post links to interesting and helpful videos, articles and blogs, even to content that you didn’t create but that your audience would appreciate. Repurpose articles and answers into Frequently Asked Questions and use other information you’ve written into short, helpful one-paragraph snippets of content.

#2 Try to keep a conversational tone. Don’t use a hard sell, and don’t constantly promote. Instead, draw your readers in with open-ended questions and try to get them into a dialog. Facebook users want to connect with the person behind the business, so keep the conversation “business casual”, as you would at a networking luncheon. That means that it’s OK to talk a little bit about superficial personal subjects, such as your pets, vacation highlights, sports teams, etc. Always make sure that the information you share shows you in an ethical, trustworthy light. Be human, but also be professional! You can also reward those who “like” your page with occasional special discounts and coupons.

# 3 Promote your Facebook Business Page at every opportunity. Put a “badge” (Facebook can generate this for free) showing your Business Page icon on your business Web page. Add the address for your Business Page to your business cards, signage, invoices, handouts and all marketing material (Facebook makes it easy to create a short, readable page address). Where your Web site is a one-way conversation (you speaking to your customers), view your Facebook page as the opportunity to learn from having a two-way conversation with your prospects and buyers.

#4 Facebook also offers the ability to place ads that show up on the profiles of other Facebook users who fit the demographic description you provide. You set the budget and the duration for the ads, and a campaign costing just a few hundred dollars can lead to hundreds of thousands of impressions and hundreds of clicks. This is a great way to drive traffic to your Business Page or to your company’s Web page. Get help from Facebook Marketing Newcastle if needed.

#5 Facebook has tightened up its rules for allowing contests, but that doesn’t mean that contests are out of reach for small businesses. PinpointSocial.com specializes in template-driven, do-it-yourself Facebook campaigns that comply with Facebook’s rules but are easy and affordable for small businesses to run. Used in conjunction with Facebook ads, this is a great way to increase the “likes” for your page, essentially increasing your Facebook opt-in. Constant Contact has also added a social media tool that creates Facebook landing pages using templates, with the advantage that the tool also integrates with Constant Contact’s impressive email marketing capabilities.

#6 You can also add value to your Facebook Business Page through extra add-on applications within Facebook. For example, one app allows your blog to automatically post to your Facebook page (RSS), increasing your productivity by getting additional exposure for each blog post. The same is also possible for your Twitter or podcast feed. For companies that sell on eBay, Facebook has an app that interfaces with your eBay site. Apps change frequently, so be sure to look for the ones that would be right for your business. Though many business owners opt to go it alone, hiring a good digital agency like candymarketing.co.uk gives you access to high-level consultation and an advertising team with specialist skills, so it’s definitely something worth thinking about.

In addition to online presence, planning events to market your business can help attract customers and build brand awareness, but fire safety should always be part of the preparation. Organizers should keep exits clear, avoid overloading electrical systems, properly manage decorations and cooking equipment, and ensure fire extinguishers and emergency procedures are readily available. Staff and event vendors should also understand fire safety protocols and hire Fire Watch Guards in Las Vegas who can respond quickly and help keep guests safe in case of an emergency.

Excerpted from 30 Days to Virtual Productivity Success by Gail Z. Martin

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by Gail Martin | February 13, 2013 · 9:32 am

PROMOTIONAL TOOLS ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS

By Gail Z. Martin

Growing your business productively means understanding all of the tools available to you. Just as smart phones and tablet PCs have redefined productivity on the go, social media has redefined how people communicate, and more specifically, how consumers want to communicate with businesses.

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are the three major social media platforms. It’s worth taking some time to look at how Facebook and Twitter can help promote your company while boosting your productivity.

Facebook basics for business

Facebook now has over one billion users. While Facebook was originally designed as a recreational place to connect with friends, businesses were quick to see the potential. In fact, businesses have embraced Facebook faster than the Facebook architecture has adapted, leaving Facebook often scrambling to catch up to how its subscribers want to use the site.

Being present on social media for a company today is much like being present on the Web: you are judged negatively if you’re not there. Just as many consumers would not consider a company to be a “real” business without a Web site, so many purchasers look for a Facebook presence to see if you are “real.” What matters is that consumers have decided that they want to have a two-way conversation with the companies they patronize, and firms that abstain from being part of the dialog do so at their peril.

At the very least, you need to have a Facebook Business Page. As Facebook has adapted to the needs of business users, these Business Pages have become easier to create and use. Facebook wants businesses to promote from a Business Page and not from a personal profile. Ignoring this rule can get your page deleted from Facebook.

A Business Page works a little differently from a personal profile page in that a Business Page can’t “friend” individual users. Instead, users are invited to “like” the page and thereby opt-in to receive automatic updates whenever the page adds new information.

Today’s consumers value a connection through Facebook because they want to be able to express their opinions, ask questions, and feel as though they are being heard. They want to do business with people, not faceless corporations. Companies that learn to listen can reap valuable benefits, from uncovering (and being able to fix) customer service issues to discovering competitive advantages when a rival firm has dropped the ball, to new product ideas from the suggestions of loyal purchasers.

When you create your Business Page, make sure both your logo and your photo are prominently displayed. People need to find you as a business, but they want to connect with you as the person behind the business. Fill in the Information section, making sure your content is all about the benefit you provide to your customers and what you do for them (not just a laundry list of products and services). Include your other Web sites, links to blogs and podcasts and business contact information so your Facebook fans can find you on the Internet.

If you already have a profile page, Facebook wants you to use it primarily for personal/recreational content. However, it’s OK to talk about business some of the time, just as you would in real life. Also, with a profile you can invite people to “like” your Business Page, and suggest that your “friends” also visit your Business Page. Just keep your profile mostly personal, to remain compliant with Facebook’s Terms of Service.

Excerpted from 30 Days to Virtual Productivity Success by Gail Z. Martin

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by Gail Martin | January 17, 2013 · 4:02 pm

Is Now the Time?

by Dr Dain Heer

Have you noticed that the way things used to be done just isn’t working as well anymore? Have you noticed that there are many NEW ways to do things showing up on the horizon?

Do you KNOW that it’s time for a change? In your life? And even more so in the world?

What if now is the time? What if now’s the time to finally step into being everything you truly are?

Let me ask you this: do you know that there’s something different about you? Do you sometimes wonder why other people are content to just continue living their lives without ever looking for something greater?

What if the reason you have all these ponderings in your head is that you’re here to do and be something different than the people around you?

What if you’re here to awaken a different reality? What if now is the time to awaken the consciousness that you personally, and we collectively, came here to awaken?

Let me present to you a different paradigm for the possibility of actually creating that as a reality. Not just something you dream of, and judge yourself for not creating – no, a paradigm to start creating the true change you’ve KNOWN is possible your whole life!

And as you are able to be something different in your life, does it make sense that you might actually inspire others to realize change is possible?

Are you aware that that’s really the only way change has ever actually occurred? By somebody being inspired by someone else and saying “Yes, I’ll have that.”

Have you ever in your life tried to change someone else? How well does it work? Not at all, right? You get frustrated and they get frustrated…

From this other place of actually BEING the inspiration to change, you can be the one thing that will allow other people around and the world to know there is a different possibility.

What if THAT is what you’re here to BE?

Are you ready?

1. First—make a demand.

As in, “Hey, this is going to change and something else is going to show up!”

Have you ever noticed that when you’re in relationship and you know it needs to change, but you’re not willing to demand that it change, and finally when you get to the point where “enough knowing it needs to, this is going to change, I don’t care if I die, I don’t care if they die, it doesn’t matter, I don’t care if the world ends, this is changing now!”

Remember how quickly it changes? That is a demand.

2. Next—ask a question.

Every question you ask opens up a completely different possibility and a new potential. After making this demand, then ask, “Hey, what’s it going to take for this to show up differently?”

All of a sudden this doorway opens up you never saw before. You stick your head in the doorway, and there’s all these different paths you can take. You couldn’t see them until you made the demand and asked the question.

3. Letting go of your limitation

Now, please tell the Universe that you are ready and willing to let go of all your decisions, conclusions, computations, judgments and projections you have around whatever you are demanding to change! Right now!

Those are the things standing in your way! And 99,9% of the time, this is something you bought from someone else. The limitations are not yours! Release them. Return them to sender. LET THEM GO! Bye bye! And now breathe.

4. Now—CHOOSE (and ACT)!

Your choice determines the potentials that will occur. In other words, you’ve got the demand, the question, the letting go of limitations—and it’s the choice that actually creates a different potential for the future. You have to choose (and ACT)!

This is a reality where doing is often required to create things. In other words, you can’t just sit on your butt and expect change to occur! In this reality, you still have to DO TOO! Please don’t limit what can show up for you by refusing to act when it’s necessary. Asking is one very important step in the process. It’s not the end.

If you want to know what actions to take, simply ask this question every day, “What can I do today that will allow this to show up right away?”

One of your greatest capacities as a being is the capacity to choose. There is just one little catch: we think we should choose only the good (right) things and not the bad (wrong) things. But that takes A LOT of judgment—of us.

What if there were no judgment of, “Oh, this is a good thing,” or “Oh, this is a bad thing?” What if it were just, “Wow, I made that choice.”

And if it works out well, choose more of that. If it doesn’t work out well, what if you could just choose again? That’s another aspect of the magic of you—the capacity to always choose again.

5. Finally—RECEIVE everything

For this to work, for things to change, you have to be willing to receive everything that shows up, with no judgment or exclusion. Trust the universe. Trust YOU.

Please know, you don’t control when something shows up, or exactly what it looks like. The Universe does. The Universe is aware of INFINITE possibilities—possibilities that go way, way, WAY beyond every fantasy you may have of what the perfect—for example relationship—should look like.

Because you are not alone in the world, the Universe has to re-arrange a lot of people’s universes in order to create a major outward shift in the world. You may ask today and receive it in 10 years—or 10 seconds from now.

So if it doesn’t show up tomorrow—you are NOT wrong, my friend.

It will occur. You have started! Right now . . . reading this . . . .

And please know—it will probably look completely different than you’ve ever imagined.

What if the possibilities you’ve always dreamed of actually could exist?

What if it doesn’t have to be some far off thing anymore that seems impossible to achieve, impossible to have, impossible to be, impossible to choose?

What if you, truly being you, are the gift and the change this world requires?

Is now the time?

By Dr. Dain Heer

www.drdainheer.com

www.accessconsciousness.com

Dr Dain Heer is an international speaker, author and facilitator of advanced Access Consciousness® workshops worldwide. His unique and transforming points of view on bodies, money, future, sex and relationships transcend everything currently being taught. Dr Heer invites and inspires people to greater conscious awareness from total allowance, caring, humor and a deep inner knowing. Dr Heer now travels the world facilitating classes and has developed a unique energy process for change for individuals and groups, called The Energetic Synthesis of Being. He has a completely different approach to healing by teaching people to tap into and recognize their own abilities and knowing. The energetic transformation possible is fast – and truly dynamic.

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Debbi Dachinger

Debbi Dachinger is a goal achievement expert who teaches the practical and spiritual techniques to achieve dreams and goals. She’s a private coach for people who want to be excellent at radio interviews –showing how to get on radio, how to prep the technical, how to be great while on air & how to get asked back. Debbi is a radio and TV personality; a three-time bestselling author, keynote speaker, and coach (for goal attainment and in how to be an exquisite interview on radio). Debbi’s “Dare to Dream” radio show is a syndicated, multi-award winning program with 2+ million listeners. Awards: Editor’s Pick: Featured Intriguing Creator; Broadcasting Industry Lifetime Achievement Award; Inducted into the Who’s Who Hall of Fame for entertainment; featured on the cover of Spirit Magazine, and Social Media Magazine, in the documentary “Girl’s Rule.” and has an inspirational YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/debontheradio, https://www.deborahdachinger.com

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by Gail Martin | January 2, 2013 · 9:04 am

23 Online Office Essentials For Your Smart Phone

By Gail Z. Martin

When you’re working on the go, many of the helpful tools you take for granted in your office aren’t at hand. Fortunately, there’s an app for that.

Appzilla, Appzilla2 and Apzilla 3 are the Swiss Army knives of the app world. Appzilla comes with 90 mini apps, and Appzilla2 has 120, including a book lamp, checklist, countdown timer, area code look-up, alarm clock, currency converter, date calculator, flashlight, and links to nine Google apps. Sure, Appzilla also has fun things like a metronome, moon calculator and Morse code generator, but those can be a momentary distraction when you’re stuck in an airport.

Need a dictionary? Try the Dictionary! app or the Dictionary.com app and have the English language at your fingertips. The Dictionary.com app even includes a thesaurus, or you can grab FreeSaurus on iTunes.

Looking for a phone number? Before you pay for a 411 look-up, try the WhitePagesMobile app. Use it to search for either businesses or people, and get maps or directions. YPMobile gives you the Yellow Pages business directory, plus ratings and event information.

Want to translate a phrase into Chinese or Serbian? The FreeTranslator app will help you with the important short sentences necessary to get by when you’re traveling. Can’t remember the source of a quote? Quotationary probably has what you’re looking for. Need to know where in the world you are? Try World Atlas HD for maps and useful details about every country on the globe. Struggling with a metric conversion question? Convertbot has the answer. Not sure when your package will arrive? DeliveryStatus will get an answer for you. Need a mirror to see if the lettuce from your salad at lunch is still in your teeth? The Mirror app turns your smart phone into, yep, a mirror that you won’t lose in your desk drawer.

If you miss your filing drawer back at the office, try FilesToGo, a Cloud-based filing system that gives you access when you’re traveling. No need to juggle loose printouts on the plane: GoodReader can translate a PDF file into an iPad-friendly format so you can read it from your touchscreen. Bento is an app that works like a virtual clipboard/database/desktop organizer for either the iPad or iPhone.

When you’d rather speak than use a keyboard, you’ve got several great options. DragonDictation’s app (and program for the PC) lets you speak into your smart phone and activate your email or your text messages. To use your phone to take dictation or just record a message to send later, try Say It & Mail It Pro Recorder or QuickVoice2TextEmail.

Keep track of your time while you’re on the road with TimeMaster + Billing—it’s even got a billing module. Take your pick: Timewerks, TimeLogger or iTimeSheetLite can also help you manage and monetize your time. They differ in capabilities, so pick the one that works best for you.

If there’s still anything you’re missing from your bricks-and-mortar office, a quick search on iTunes or Android app store will probably turn up several contenders to help you create your home away from home.

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

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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, as there are many apps online even apps and sites where you can get a virtual girlfriend like milaruby to have some fun.

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.

In an office setting, Glue Guns Direct provides reliable hot glue guns and adhesive solutions that can be used for presentations, displays, packaging, and a variety of creative workplace projects. Their range of professional-grade products helps teams complete tasks efficiently while maintaining a neat and secure finish. Whether creating promotional materials, organizing workspaces, or assembling prototypes, these adhesive tools offer dependable performance for everyday office needs.

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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Tagged as Charmaine Hammond and Debra Kasowski, GPS Your Best Life- Charting Your Destination and Getting There in Style, your best life

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

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