Archive for Systems & Organization
Use Anti-Spyware Tools to Protect Your Computers
Posted by: | Comments
It’s now well known that you need to protect yourself while on the computer. Criminals have found ways to steal your information especially when you thought that you were safe. One way to thwart them is to employ anti-spyware tools on your computer to protect yourself.
Today, we do everything from order pizza to shop for household appliances online. With that level of traffic and financial information floating around, it’s no wonder criminals have turned their attentions to the Internet. But, luckily for you, so have software manufacturers in order to protect you.
No one wants to be the victim of identity theft or fraud. Even though it is not your fault, the burden of proof is on you and the red tape is monstrous. So, do all that you can to protect yourself and your loved ones while online.
One way to do that is to arm your computer with anti-spyware tools. Spyware constitutes programs that hide within other programs, hence the name “spy.” Here’s how it works: You go to a site and download a program. The program may be hiding a second program within itself that will track how you use it. This is a non-lethal spyware program. It was probably employed by the site for statistical purposes.
Then, there are other spyware that, when downloaded, will go in and rewrite certain things on your computer without your consent. If you’ve ever downloaded something and then your home page changed, it was probably courtesy of a spyware program.
Both of these are mild examples compared to what usually happens. More lethal spyware will search your files and retrieve financial information. There can be disastrous results, but you don’t want even the the mild spyware on your machine. If someone has to do something behind your back to get you to try it, steer clear.
Anti-spyware tools and programs seek out these dastardly additions and eliminate them. A well-protected computer will have both antivirus and anti-spyware installed for a wider net of protection. Spyware tools, like antivirus can be obtained for free or purchased.
Shop Around
Know what you are buying. Be sure that free programs offer you adequate spyware protection. Sites like STOPzilla and pctools offer free spyware tools for you to use. These tools work behind the scenes in real-time and on schedules to detect spyware. They also clear your browsing history and prevent pop-ups all over your screen. Spyware also lets you know if a site in your search results is dangerous for you to visit.
Paid spyware offers a few more perks, but make sure that you actually need those perks for your system. If you choose to pay, find software with multiple user capabilities so you can arm all of the computers in your home.
Here a few free and paid anti-spyware tools that I recommend:
Free anti-spyware tools
Ad-Aware Free
Spybot Search and Destroy
Paid anti-spyware tools
Protect yourself from the beginning. Use anti-spyware tools to prevent and remove spyware that threatens your computer.
Use SocialOomph To Help You Manage Your Time on Twitter
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’re like the hundreds of thousands of online business owners, you are using the social networking tool, Twitter, to connect with your prospects in a new and beneficial way. However, like many business owners you’re busy and social networking can consume a large amount of your precious time. This is where TweetLater can come in handy.
What Is SocialOomph?
SocialOomph is a social networking tool that helps you manage your social networking time. It enables you to:
* Schedule your tweets in advance
* Send welcome messages to new users who follow you
* Draft tweets offline
* Automate the following process
* Create a status feed
* Manage unlimited Twitter accounts from one location
* Track keywords on Twitter
* Add your blog RSS feed for automatic updates
* Shorten URLs
* Track clicks
And unlike many other Twitter applications, there is a free option and a paid “professional” option that costs $29.97 a month. There’s a free trial period if you’re interested in checking out the professional option.
So How Does SocialOomph Benefit You?
Because you’re able to create offline drafts, reuse them and schedule your Tweets in advance, you’re really able to create a Twitter campaign. You can plan your tweets in advance and lead followers to the best posts, content, and promotions you have to offer.
SocialOomph also helps you plan your conversations with other Twitter followers so you can craft well thought out and productive conversations, rather than spur of the moment tweets you may later regret.
And SocialOomph enables you to track not only popular keywords, but also your click-through rate so you can fine-tune your Twitter campaign for the best results.
Finally, because time management is an issue for just about everyone, TweetLater enables you to spend a focused amount of time on your Twitter marketing strategy, say 30 minutes a day or 60 minutes once a week, and then set it aside without worrying that you’re missing something or not participating enough. It helps you make sure you focus on the right things at the right time because you’re able to manage your Twitter profiles at any time of the day or night.
Twitter is a growing social networking tool, and business owners can take advantage of its popularity to connect with their prospects and build a larger awareness and a larger audience. Yet, people can spend hours of their valuable time on Twitter thus losing time they could be spending on more profitable tasks. SocialOomph solves this problem. If you’re a Twitterer, consider checking out this valuable time management tool today.
Converting Online Visitors to Clients/Customers
Posted by: | Comments
Smart business owners know that high conversion rates are essential. In order to sell products and services, website traffic needs to convert to customers. So what are the key tactics to improve conversion rates? Here are three smart ways to convert online visitors to customers.
If you’re using a Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign then make sure you’re sending each advertisement through to a unique sales page designed with those keywords in mind. That way each sales page can be fine tuned to convert that particular prospect.
Test and track everything. Testing and tracking results is a business owner’s single biggest conversion tool. You may have a perfect textbook sales page, but if it isn’t converting then it doesn’t matter how pretty it is. Test your headline, test your call to action, test your testimonials, your price, the colors you use, your font and size. Test everything and fine tune your page until it’s receiving the conversion rate you want.
Build a relationship with your prospects. The best way to convert visitors to customers is to make them an offer they can’t refuse. Give them something, or many things, for free. Give them books, audios, videos, monthly access to new content limited to members; give them an online workshop, seminar or course. Giveaways are an exceptional way to get your customers to do one thing – sign up for your opt-in list.
Why is your opt-in list so important? Because it gives you the opportunity to build a relationship with your prospects and turn them into customers. It gives you the permission and the opportunity to connect with them weekly (or more frequently) and provide them with valuable content, promotions and maybe even more giveaways.
Your opt-in list is a list of pre-qualified prospects. By signing up they’ve already told you they’re interested in what you have to offer. This makes your opt-in list process critical to your conversions and increasing your conversions. Take the time to craft advertisements that send people to a custom landing/opt-in page, just like we suggested in #1. And as mentioned in #2, take the time to test and track your results. Sometimes changing a few words in your opt-in offer can make all the difference between a list of 1000 and a list of 10,000.
Increasing your conversion rate can make all the difference in your business. It’s a strategy worth paying attention to, right? With the average customer making two to three purchases annually, a conversion increase of only a few percentage points can equal a better business for you.
The Great Organizing GiveAway Starts Today
Posted by: | CommentsDid you know that getting organized always lands in the Top 10 list of New Year Resolutions? That must be why now is the perfect time for this GiveAway. There are many outstanding resources available to help you organize, but you know how hard it can be to to find the right ones for you. The Great Organizing GiveAway has solved that problem by collecting about 100 FREE resources in one spot!
The Great Organizing Giveaway starts today!
Go to the site and simply register to get access to the resources such as e-books, tip sheets, audio programs, complementary consulting and more! You can also enter into drawings for amazing prizes. My colleagues have really stepped up to the plate to deliver quality content just for you and it will cost you nothing!
Information at the site is divided into three main categories: your office, your time and your home. Business professionals, parents and students will all find expert material that fits their personal productivity and organization needs.
Here’s just a sample of the material you’ll find there:
And there’s lots more. While you are there, look for my free report – Efficient Computer Use.
Here’s the link again so you can find the right organizing tool for you.
What is List Building?
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the hardest things in business is actually drumming up the business. Whether online or off, you need people to DO SOMETHING if you want your business to be a success. For online business, one way to reach the people that will be most interested in your product or service is through list building.
What is List Building?
In the fewest words possible, list building is the process used to create an inventory of people who fit the niche market you are promoting. The
assumption usually is that if you cast a wide enough net to find people, you will eventually find the right people. This method is not only backwards, but also costly in time and energy. Instead, cast your net to catch only your niche market – go smaller when building your list.
There is more than one way to develop a list for your business. Here are just a few of the more popular (and successful might I add) ways:
- Opt-ins
- Free Giveaways
- Contests
- Email Marketing
- Article Marketing
- Blogging
Whatever methods you use, it is important to know where you are coming from and where you are going before others will follow you.
Getting Your Name Out There
In order for others to follow you they need to know who you are and what you stand for. To that end, you will want to network with others. Your time is better spent building your brand before you build your list.
Do you routinely buy from someone you’ve just heard of? Not normally right?
Neither does anyone else. That is expected in business. Trust is earned over time and you must begin with curiosity in order to build up to trust.
Viral marketing is one of your best assets when it comes to getting noticed and building your list. Ask JV partners, complementary businesses in your field, other business owners, etc. to help you out. If they have websites, blogs or are a part of forums, let them pass the word around about you and what you do.
On your end, visit websites and blogs associated with the product or service that you sell. Get involved, ask questions, and show your face. These are the people you will ask to endorse you to lend credibility to your products.
During your promotion, your traffic will increase. People will know what you have to offer. Now you can use one, two or all of the above bulleted methods to begin building your list. Visitors will lend you their personal information (name and email) if they like what they see. From that point, it is up to you to keep them interested enough to become a loyal customer.
