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How A Typo Can Hurt Your Business

OK, I’m on my soapbox!  I think proper spelling, punctuation and grammar count. In your web site. In your emails. In your marketing literature. Yes, even text messages.  I did find an Urban Dictionary that explains all of the acronyms and shortcuts used today but you won’t see me using them. Words matter!

And Marketing Profs agree with me! Read their article about typos and their effect on your business.

Marketing Profs has a great email service giving you good market research and information. Sign up if you haven’t already.

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We Need to Talk About Personalization: Evolution & Trends

“What do you think we’re talking about when we say the words “email personalization”? Are you thinking about merge tags or dynamic content? Segmentation and automation? Profile or behavior-based automations? Or all of the above?”

 

Click here to continue reading.

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How To Get Emails from Website Visitors

One of the most important things your website should be doing for you is growing your email list.  Think about it!  Someone found your website out of all the billions of sites out there. You have the start of a beautiful relationship!! Now you want to stay in touch and continue educating them about your company.

Offer them something in exchange for their email!

Here is a very nicely done example of a company offering an eBook in exchange for my email.  They offered valuable information I wanted. A list of foods to increase metabolism. They made the process easy. I had to enter only my email. They made the offer appetizing. A nice photo in the background. A simple, easy to read offer.

You can offer something pertinent to your business.

  • White paper or eBook of valuable information – “Resources To Save You Time and Money”
  • Checklist of related information – “Checklist to Prepare Your Pool for Summer”
  • Special offer – 30 minute, no charge, no obligation phone consultation or No charge service quote
  • Discounts – 20% off your first pedicure

Your website should make you money!  Email opt ins are a powerful option.  Call Your Computer Lady for help on the offer or to update your website.

 

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How to Write Good Content

 PLEASE read this article!  The question I’m asked most often about websites and social media is “What do I write about?”  This article gives you a step-by-step guide!  Read it over. Give me a call about we can have an editorial content meeting to kick around ideas!  Then we’ll fill out your Marketing Calendar and you are good to go!
 

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Copyright Images

Yes, there are 100s of 1000s of images all over the Internet.  But just because you can see an image doesn’t mean you can use the image in your website, emails, social media or printed materials.

How to Check the Copyright Status of an Image

  1. Look at and around the image. Often the photographer’s name or copyright will be in a caption below the image. If you see the notification, you need to contact the photographer or owner for permission to use the image.
  2. Look for a watermark in the image. The photographer/owner will put the notification right in the image. DO NOT under any circumstances, remove or hide the watermark and use the image.
  3. Look for metadata. Right click on the image in Windows and look at the Properties info. On a MAC, open the image in preview then look at Tools. The ownership should be deliniated there. Contact the owner before using the image.
  4. Do a Google reverse search.
    1. Open Google images.
    2. Drag the image into the search bar.
    3. Google will offer you the ownership information or a choice of Exact matches. Click the exact matches to look further for ownership.

If in doubt, don’t use the image!

There are bots that are used by companies and law firms to find their images used illegally. When they find an image, you will get a letter telling you how much you owe them for the use of the image. It can be anywhere from $20 to thousands. It’s pretty hard to fight that kind of legal action when you have the means to look for owner information.  (NOTE!! There are some bad players in the world like Higbee & Associates who pretend to work on copyright issues. Beware!)

Creative Commons license

This is an image that is in the public domain and can be used by anyone.

Where To Look For Free Images

Google Images

  1. Search for the image you want (EX: puppies)
  2. On the 2nd navigation menu, look for Usage rights.
  3. Click the drop-down menu.
  4. Select Creative Commons licenses.
    This selection is not 100% dependable to keep your eyes open as you look at
    specific images.

Unsplash.com

Getty Search Gateway

Pexels free and paid

Pixabay free and paid

Free Public Domain

Pinterest  maybe, maybe not

Flickr  maybe, maybe not

Adobe, iStock, Shutterstock, Getty will occasionally have a free image but not often. Be careful if you use anything from them.

If you are a rep or distributor or reseller for a manufacturer, your contact with them most likely gives you permission to use their images. They want you to use their images as often as possible!  But, if in doubt, ask them!

 

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How to Create a Newsletter: Best Practices and Examples

“Newsletters are a cornerstone of email marketing. They offer a direct line of communication with your audience—yet creating one that consistently engages readers can be challenging.

How do you create a newsletter that not only captures attention but also effectively supports your business goals?”

 

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Password Protection

Confession is good for the soul, they say. So here goes…

Not long ago, I tried to log onto my 2 laptops and kept getting the “Invalid password” message. I type that password twice every morning. Pre-coffee! Of course, I knew what it was. I tried rebooting. I tried CAPS ON and caps off. I called my IT support who was going to come with his reset software.

I finally quieted down enough to try the password on auto-pilot as I usually do. Oh… yeah… there are 2 more digits to it.

Later in the week, my sister wiped her iPhone clean because she got confused about her phone password.  She never turns off the phone therefore she never uses that password.

I use a password protector software but I had left my Windows password out of it. My sister uses a password storage software but it doesn’t have online access, only phone access.

Confession over. Let’s talk about how you can prevent either of these scenarios happening to you.

You ABSOLUTELY can not use the same password for multiple accounts!  This is a serious problem. Please!  It’s worth the effort to make your data safer. A data breach at Dropbox was just to gather emails and passwords, not for info in stored files. The hackers take the passwords, try them at banks, PayPal, Google, etc. to get access to your accounts.
 
Option 1 – I strongly recommend this!
 
Use LastPass.com to record and input passwords. Last Pass will create complicated passwords for you or you can make up your own. (See Option 2!)  LastPass will fill in the user name and password for you on website logins. You can see the list from your computer, your tablet, your phone. You can access it online. You can store other info like social security numbers, spouse’s auto license plate number. I will help you set it up if you need some assistance.  Basic service is free. Premium is only $30 a year. Using LastPass on your tablet or phone does make it easier to access sites from those small screens. And if the phone is locked up, you can access the password list from your computer.
 
Could online storage be hacked?  Yes.  A meteor could fall from the sky and land on your head. You could win the lottery.  Similar odds so don’t use this excuse.
 
Option 2
 
Create a series / pattern you can remember but changes with each account.  Should be at least 10 characters including a capital letter, a number and a special character.
 
Example:  Series is 125chAracters3434$%  (3rd character is always capitalized)
 
Then for your Google account the password is   12goOgl3434$%
        for Southwest Airlines the password is        12soUth3434$%
        for Yelp the password is                                  12yeLp3434$%
 
You can remember the series. Each password is different so that if a hacker gets the Google password they can’t access Yelp.
 
You could have a series for bank and financial accounts. Another for business accounts. Another for personal accounts.  Or you can use one series for everything.
 
This is IMPORTANT! Call me if you have questions or need help getting set up.
 

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The Secret Reason People Aren’t Liking Your Facebook Page

Please read this article by Blaise Lucey with Constant Contact.  It will help you in putting together future social campaigns. This is an older article but the concepts are totally up to date.

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The Role of Social Media in Building Trust and Credibility for Financial Advisors

“In today’s digital age, social media has become a powerful tool for businesses and professionals across various industries. For financial advisors, leveraging social media effectively can significantly enhance their reputation and help build trust with current and potential clients.”

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Prevent Eye Strain While Working

hands-typing-5There are some simple tips to help prevent eye strain while you’re at your computer.

  • Change the brightness of your monitor screen to match the light level of your room. EX: If you’re working with the lights off in the office, dim the screen. Or the reverse, brighten the screen when the sun is shining in the windows and adding to the florescent lighting.
  • Adjust the monitor and/or your chair until your eye level aligns with the top of the monitor. We naturally look downward by about 10-15 degrees. Next best option: Align so you are looking at the center of your monitor. Do NOT look up at your monitor! That’s bad for your eyes and your neck.
  • Increase the font size of your Windows displays and of your software programs. Use at least a 12 point font. You can even use a larger font later in the day to help with eye strain.
  • Be wary of the colorful background designs offered by Windows, Firefox and other software manufacturers. Yes, they are entertaining but they are harder on your eyes than a simple design where the contrast between the background color and the font is greater.
  • Take frequent breaks. No, not to play solitaire!  Blink your eyes. Look out the window, across the room, somewhere in the distance. Do a couple of easy stretches sitting in your chair or standing at your desk. Close your eyes and take some deep breathes.

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