If you are traveling for business, you will probably be traveling with and dependent upon at least a smartphone and a laptop to get all of your work done and stay connected with your colleagues and family. That means these devices will need to operate at peak performance while minimizing the risk of a failure that could leave you in the lurch or forced to use an expensive business center at your hotel or serviced apartment. With that in mind, here are six must do tech tips to do before you leave on your next business trip to ensure you stay productive and connected: 1. Download Any Computer or Software Updates. Before you leave on a business trip, be sure to download and run any and all operating system and software updates (e.g. Windows, Internet browser, Adobe etc.) as such updates can not only take time to download (a real pain if you are in a location with slow Internet), they might even crash your computer after they install. If you use Windows, you can update your operating system by going to the Tools menu and selecting Microsoft Update while Apple Mac users should be able to click on the apple in the top left hand corner of the computer screen and select Software Update. 2. Update and Run the Virus Scan. Make sure the virus definitions for your antivirus software are all up-to-date and do comprehensive virus scans before you leave just in case your antivirus discovers something big that cannot be quarantined while you are away. 3. Reschedule Scans and Download Updates. Both Windows and antivirus software scans and updates that need to be downloaded can not only take awhile to download, they can slow down your laptop's performance or your ability to use the Internet considerably while they download. That means it might be a good idea to reschedule any weekly scans or updates to take place after you return home from your business trip. 4. Run Disk Cleanup. Windows is rather notorious for cluttering up a hard drive with junk or orphaned files that can slow your computer's performance or even cause it to crash. Running the Disk Cleanup wizard and using its advanced settings to delete shadow copies of Windows backups before you leave on your business trip will likely improve your laptop's performance while you travel. 5. Clean-out Your Email and SMS Inbox. If you get tons of operative info email or SMS and/or are carrying around multiple devices to access various types of messages, be aware that the storage space on those devices can quickly fill up if messages aren't being kept on your corporate server. Be especially careful about email downloaded to or sent from your laptop's Windows Mail or Microsoft Outlook programs as these programs are notorious space hogs on your hard drive - which can cause it to fill up and then fail at the worst possible moment when you are on a business trip. 6. Drop Copies of Important Files into the Cloud and Get Synced. Cloud storage services like Dropbox should mean that you will never need to make a frantic call to your secretary asking for a large and important file to be emailed over in a hurry. So before you leave on a business trip, make sure you are carrying the latest and most up-to-date copies of any files you might need by simply dropping them into a cloud storage service. Likewise, make sure that all of the devices you use are synced so that you aren't also calling your secretary for an important phone number, email message or address. The mornings are getting cooler - a reminder that it's time once again for northern pilots to start preparing their planes for winter. Whether you're planning cross-country flying or not much flying at all, winter flying is all about assessing and managing risk. Here are some important tips and strategies to prep your plane. These do not supercede having your aircraft professionally serviced and maintained. Know the weather. Obviously, weather is the crucial variable in winter flying. It's important to understand meteorology and keep track of upcoming weather patterns that could affect your flying. Start checking weather patterns three days prior to flight, but keep in mind patterns can change rapidly. There are several useful weather tracking websites out there that offer forecasts, Doppler radar data, satellite imagery and useful aviation tools. Some of the best are the Aviation Digital Data Service at aviationweather.gov/adds/ and the FAA-sponsored Direct Access User Terminal Systems (DUATS) site at duats.com. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association offers free online weather information for members at aopa.org. Also check out the Weather Underground and The Weather Channel on cable for helpful insight into national weather trends. Preheat your engine. One of the most important things to do before cold weather flight is to preheat the plane's engine, especially if it is not housed in a hangar. If you use a combustion-type preheater, you'll need to stay with the plane while it's heating, as they can catch fire. If you have access to electricity, an engine-mounted preheater can work well, but do not leave it plugged in all winter. To be safe, you'll need to get to the airport and start pre-heating well in advance of take off. Another alternative is an Internet-enabled, cell phone-activated preheater, which allows you to start the heater before you arrive. Again, don't leave the plane unattended for long. Change the oil. Even if your plane isn't ready for an oil change, change it anyway - it's important to remove contaminates in the oil. First, take the plane on a short flight to get the engine oil temp up, then return to the airport and change the oil. Inspect and clean the oil suction screen in the oil sump and remove, cut and inspect the oil filter. After changing the oil, run the engine for several minutes to check for leaks and circulate oil throughout the engine. Once the plane is back in the hangar, do not turn the prop. Pulling the prop makes the pistons go up and down inside the cylinders which may be wiping the oil off the cylinder walls, increasing the likelihood of corrosion. Also cover the intake or inlet to the air box with duct tape and foam rubber balls in the exhaust pipes to prevent outside air from getting into the engine and reducing the chance of air mixing with moisture, which leads to corrosion. Important: Mark them well and remove them before starting the engine! Also, a warning against ground running: Running the plane on the ground will not heat up the engine oil sufficiently to burn off contaminates - it will promote internal condensation, which leads to corrosion. Remember, planes need coats, too. If you keep your plane at an outdoor hangar, consider investing in wing covers to prevent frost, ice or snow buildup on the body. It takes some extra pre-flight prep time to remove, but you also won't have to remove snow and ice from the wings and flight surfaces. Order soon before frost begins. Tango Yankee, LLC is the parent company of Business Aircraft Center and Danbury Aviation, a self- and full-service aircraft and pilot planning center located at Danbury Municipal Airport that includes aircraft management, hangar storage, tie-downs and plane detailing. Tango Yankee, LLC is owned and operated by Santo Silvestro of New Canaan, CT, who is a pilot and aviation enthusiast.
0 Comments
There's a disconnect in the nonprofit world. I read countless articles about operative info technology and its powerful applications for the nonprofit sector, but seldom is there coverage of the critical interface between technology and communications strategies. That's a serious gap. What's happened, in my opinion, is that many of us shy away from technology. By leaving tech decisions to the IT department rather than schooling ourselves on these opportunities, we limit the impact of our communications strategies. My advice to you is to learn what tech tools can strengthen your nonprofit's communications strategies, and what choices you have. If you have an IT team or consultant, ask them to dig into the details. But get to know the basics yourself. That way you'll make sure you get the right tool, and you'll get the most out of it. I interviewed nonprofit technology expert and author Michael Stein for his take on tech tips to strengthen your web and email communications impact. Michael, who has worked with Children Now, Groundspring and now as an Internet strategist with the eOrganization.com, had some great ideas: 1. Improve the ways in which you gather personal information and email addresses from stakeholders. Tip: Don't just ask for email addresses when you ask your audiences to subscribe to your e-news. Gather name, street address, zip code, how they heard about you. Take it one step further to do some quick surveying on issues. Tip: Think more like a business in terms of figuring out the sources of these leads. You want more of them. Tip: Ask for an email address when your web users request a PDF download. Benefit: You'll learn more about how various outreach techniques are working to validate (or not) marketing expenses and impact. 2. Publish plain text as well as HTML format email newsletters. Insight: Many of your readers are likely to prefer HTML e-newsletters, so publish in both HTML and plain text versions. The format makes it much easier for readers to act. Studies show that HTML format performs much better in terms of click-throughs, forward to friend, etc. (NOTE: Readers, there is conflicting data on this last point.) Benefit: Better engagement with audiences, by giving them a choice of format and the opportunity to take action with a click. Caution: Don't forego your text version. Many readers still prefer text. 3. Dive into blog publishing. Definition: A blog (an abbreviation of weblog) is a website that serves as an online journal, updated very frequently with commentary on one or more topics. Blog authors -- called bloggers --- commonly provide links to related information, with commentary. Because of their low barrier to entry (blogs are easy and cheap to implement), blogs are proliferating in the nonprofit sector. Insight: The "blogsphere" is becoming huge, with content feeds (RSS readers deliver blog content to interested audiences) growing at a rapid pace. Blogs are a great way to disseminate content in a timely way. Benefit: Some high-impact ways to put your blog to use for your nonprofit include: Serializing content, such as daily reports from an oceanographer on an expedition or an advocacy campaign hard at work. Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others). Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur. Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online. Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences. 4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations. Insight: There are now automated systems, that you don't have to maintain (they live in a server, which you access via the web) for operations from website content management and online donation processing to email messaging and online event registration. Consider moving these processes online and off your desktop computer. Benefit: Easier software interfaces. Faster learning curve. Sometimes your software cost will be higher, but your total cost of operation (since you'll save hours in set up and maintenance) will be lower. Example: Take a look at Citysoft, an ASP targeted to nonprofits, associations, educational institutions and other socially-responsible organizations. Citysoft offers a menu of tech tools from email marketing to web content development software, and donor and event management. Depending on the modules you select, your organization can send email newsletters to members and constituents and track the results, create online communities for audience use, provide event registration and much more. Mobility equals success in real estate, and a little extra leg work can pay off big. Put simply, the more homes you show, the more you'll likely sell. This is the most obvious example, but there are thousands of others. No matter what kind of city you're working in, or what kind of properties you sell, it's almost always more lucrative to be in the field. While most Realtors understand this, many have a hard time staying productive on the road, but modern technology can help. Read on for some effective tech-tips for mobility in the home selling business. Internet and email presence is a big part of a successful modern real estate marketing campaign, and staying live (or at least being able to update content) on the road is important. A cell phone/hand held pc will likely provide the most band for your buck here, enabling you to access the essentials like email, phone, text messaging, and a place to jot down ideas and phone numbers. The best phone/pcs also come with features like GPS navigation and mapping, so you can drive clients around even if you're not familiar with the neighborhood. Notebook or Tablet PCs offer increased functionality for when you have a little extra time and space outside the car. An illustration on a Tablet screen can help convince a client to list their home at a certain price, or give them a new perspective on the floor plan of a home they're considering. PC users can tap into online mobility by using Internet cards, which provide access to wireless networks from any remote location. If you have cell phone coverage, you'll likely have wireless access with an Internet card, allowing you to work from a car, check email, and send and receive contracts. A good digital camera and mobile printer will make connectivity on the road a lot more worthwhile, so you can print out forms for clients to sign on the field (often where the deals take place), take pictures of interiors and exteriors for your next digital home presentation. Moving and talking at the same time is also an important skill for Realtors, and digital recorders can make this a lot easier. With one of these you can record ideas or interviews with developers and clients, to make notes from later. You can also record your observations as you walk around a house, and chat freely with the seller. Learning how to use your mobile equipment might be the most important part of becoming an effective mobile agent. Remember to take the time to practice with the devices, so you don't lose data you think you've saved. Once you successfully integrate mobile functionality, you'll be supervised by how efficient you can be as a Realtor. Windows XP was introduced as an upgrade to the older Windows 98 systems and this meant a sort of increased speed and reliability on the end user. Alas, Microsoft once again made claims that it could not live up to. Soon after its release, many users were complaining about slow downs and crashes on their brand new Windows XP machines. While it was understandable that an initial release tested on many different forms of machines were bound to give problems, the months and years following that and tens and hundreds of security releases and software updates still saw some of the same problems remain. But we cannot just point the finger and Microsoft and be done with it. We have to understand that there are many factors involved and that the end user must hold some of the blame when it comes to the problems faced in Windows XP. This article will discuss the ways in which anyone can speed up Windows XP the easy way. Because of the complicated nature of the new operating system, there has to be a level of diligence when watching over the day to day operations of the computer and the OS. For one, disk defragmentation is a good recommendation for those who seem to experience high operative info levels of computer slowdowns in their day to day use of Windows XP. Because of the complicated nature of the OS and the fact that programs are installed causes the matrix to be confused in certain times, especially with bad shutdowns and program crashes. Information will eventually get fragmented and Windows will have to search and defragment the data whenever the end user tried to execute a program. This slows down the operation to unacceptable levels and this requires that the end user defragments the disk drive at least once every 2 weeks. This we, there is assurance that the hard disk is not fragmented to unacceptable levels. Also, always update the Windows XP system, turning on automatic updates will ensure that your version of Windows XP is up to date with the latest features. This will prevent problems like mismatched software or no compatibility with new programs or even hardware devices that you have just purchased. Think about purchasing cheap memory upgrades or even reconfiguring your CPU to optimum levels. Delete programs that you are not using and bring up the task bar to see what programs are unnecessarily eating away at system memory just by staying in the background. One more way to speed up the Windows XP is to download a reliable registry cleaner and start to ensure the health of the registry. Bad keys, command lines and zero values left behind by bad installs and malware are the root causes of Windows XP slowdowns and you can avoid all this and speed up Windows XP the easy way by just getting a reliable registry cleaner from the internet. With these tips, you can increase the speed of your XP machine, hassle-free, and cost-free. All you need to do is download a program, and keep a regular maintenance routine. Have you ever had to experience the frustration of having your computers not being able to recognize the devices that you've plugged into the USB ports? If you're like so many computer users out there, you've quite likely stumbled onto the problem at least once before. Do you remember the annoyance of not being able to upload those vacation photos from your camera, or of not being able to transfer that favorite song you've downloaded into your portable MP3 player? Well, fret no more, because this article will tell you everything you need to know to resolve that pesky problem. Before we address the problem head-on, there is something that you need to have at least a basic understanding of. You need to know what caused the problem to begin with, and why your computer is unable to recognize the device you've plugged into it, despite the numerous times you've tried to plug the device in question into the USB port. Practically every hardware that is plugged into the computer will need a key component that is known as a device driver. A device driver is simply bits of code that enables the hardware and computer to communicate with one another, and without it, you can expect your computer to be nothing but an oversized paper-weight. Do note that like all things, over time your drivers can become corrupted, due to the numerous changes going on in your computer as time goes by, changes that may or may not affect the drivers for your devices and USB ports. Now in order for you to resolve this particular issue, you will first need to ascertain what kind of driver problem you're faced with. You can do the following tests to determine which driver may be the one in need of updating, that is, if you were to subscribe to the long, cumbersome manual method. Check to see if other USB devices plugged into your computer are working. If everything is fine and the device you're trying to connect to the computer remains the only one undetected, then the most likely cause is the device's driver. It might have been corrupted at some point, either from a bad installation or a corruption in the driver files over time. What you can do in these sorts of situation is to reinstall the device driver. Next, check your motherboard. Because the motherboard makes up practically 90% of your computer, it has a significant effect on the rest of your hardware. If any motherboard file ends up damaged, you can expect to see several more components of your computer becoming inoperable. If this is the case, then you can either reinstall or update the motherboard drivers. The last item on the checklist is the USB port itself. A damaged or outdated USB driver is perhaps one of the most common reasons why your computer is unable to detect the USB devices being plugged into it. Without the proper driver, the USB port will never be able to detect any devices being plugged into it. To rectify this problem with one simple download, all you would have to do is to download a program called a driver scan software, which will automatically detect any discrepancies in your driver files, and then download the necessary updates for you, and the entire process can be automated and made easy for you. Click Here to download Driver Scan for free and instantly get the latest USB Drivers Download [http://instant.driverscan.org/downloads/Get-The-Latest-USB-Drivers-Download.html]. Logan Albright is an authority on troubleshooting drivers issues at Driverscan.org and has helped many to optimize their computers for peak performance. Believe it or not, I know exactly what to do when my clients have lost their "center," and come to me "for balance." They usually report feelings of "being wired," or say things like "I just can't seem to shut my mind off at night" or " I'm always on the go." The stress and insomnia are written all over their faces. In my world as an Exquisite Living Designer, these stressed-out statements are commonplace. What do I suggest? Well, in the world of finding balance, if you're "wired," you've got to pull the plug. I suggest removing or creating distance between yourself and "the wire" to bring you back to your center. Unfortunately, this suggestion is getting hard to achieve these days, and quite frankly, "the wire" is getting harder and harder to physically locate. Wireless technology has blurred the line between where "the wire" is and where it's not. I used to get the most mileage out of asking my clients to unplug gadgets from their sleep spaces. The sleeping area is the most coveted space to work with because it is where we "press the reset button" on our bodies. We need rest. If sleep spaces are gunked up with electromagnetic and electrical field-spewing objects, trust me, sleep deprivation is happening. And last time I checked, sleep deprivation is listed as a form of torture. When my clients unplug, life starts improving. Sounds too simple to work? If you've got other wireless technology, perhaps it is. Thanks to Wifi and other wireless technologies like cordless phones, your whole home has become "the wire." And when you are living inside the wire, chances are you're feeling "wired," at least in some area of life. So now what? How do you get out of the wire, or at least minimize your exposure? Here's my hit list: (hold on tight!) 1. Get household corded telephones, and ditch the cordless ones. Check it out. I'll bet your cordless phone says something like 2.4 or 5.8 or higher GHz on it. Do you know what that means? GIGAHERTZ. The tip off that hints of IT'S A LOT is the GIGA part. To get a little perspective, microwave ovens hang out in the 2.4GHz range. Boy, they are getting harder and harder to find, but trust me, for every "mini cell-phone tower" cordless phone you replace with a corded version (that doesn't even need electricity!) your body will breathe a sigh of electro-relief. 2. Turn off the wireless hub. I'll wait if you have to read that one twice, so go ahead. Seriously, if you can't live without it, you've got some thinking to do. Remember good ol' stress hormone Mister Cortisol knocking at your door, right? Yes, it is a tradeoff, I know, but what's more important really, your being able to surf the net in bed, or your being able to do anything else in bed? OK. OK. Can't hang with me on this one? At least turn it off at night while your body is trying to catch up from the micro-wave thrashing it got that day. 3. Peel the cell phone off your head. I know there's no return in this cell phone-wielding era, but PLEASE - limit your exposure. Some say that for every minute you spend with a cell phone to your head it takes 24 hours for your brain to unscramble itself from it. If something like the word Yikes! went through your brain right now, take heed. 4. Don't eat microwaved food. Hey, you wanted tips, you got 'em. If you always do what you always did, you always get what you always got. Putting microwaved food inside your body is just adding insult to injury. If you want to feel like you can think straight, focus, or just plain relax, you've got to start somewhere. I know I'm way out of the currently politically correct wired-up circles with these tips, but denial ain't going to get ya where you want to go, sorry. 5. I'll give you one low tech tip to certainly try alone, although I'd say you'd definitely see quicker improvement if you did all five of these tips at once, and that is BREATHE. Literally and consciously operative info breathe. Try formal meditation, or simply sit for 2 minutes every hour, taking the time to just breathe and be aware of it. From a traditional Chinese medicine point of view, the kidney meridian governs inhalation and the liver meridian controls the lungs. These two also control fear, anger, anxiety and worry. A nourished liver creates a calm mind and nourished kidney energy creates a fortified brain (memory especially,) and adrenals. And, as an added bonus, it also supports your sexual vitality, hormones (take that you nasty cortisol!) and breathing supports it all. I could go on, with what foods do what to support you, but I'm guessing you're not in the mood right now. Hey look, any movement towards getting out of the wire is taking a step in the right direction. In case you're wondering, I don't have a wireless router in my home and I can tweet just fine. I don't heat my food in a microwave and I eat just fine. I don't have any cordless phones in the house and I can chat anytime. I'm saying this to let you know it can be done - without any major drama. Experiment. Give it a month. You might learn something about your habits. Given the complexities of today's business environment, your company may not always be able to prevent information security breach. In the event of a breach, damage control becomes critical. You may be required to notify customers, law enforcement agencies, credit bureaus, and other businesses affected by the breach. Having an action plan in place will facilitate your management of a security breach. Protecting customers' personal information is a legal requirement. Information security makes good business sense. Implementing simple low-tech tips, such as the ones suggested in this article, will help your compliance with the law. It will also help in consolidating the trust between you and your customers. Rachel Agheyisi is an economist with over 25 years of business research, writing, and corporate consulting experience. She is the Executive Director of Report Content Writer, a company that specializes in writing white papers and case studies used by IT companies for generating leads in the biotech, financial services, and health care industries. Improve your credit score! Whether you are a high tech smartphone addict or barely use email, here are some everyday tips that you can put in place. These routine practices will boost your credit score to the top of the charts: 1: Make sure your credit report is accurate. If your credit score is being calculated from incorrect information, it may be suffering greatly. It's estimated that 25% of credit reports contain some sort of error. High tech way: You may request a copy of your credit report from annualcreditreport.com once every 12 months free of charge. This website is provided by the 3 main credit bureaus. Reviewing your credit report is a great way to catch any mistakes before they damage your credit. Low tech way: You may request your credit report by phone or by mail. By phone: call 1-877-322-8228 and you will go through a simple verification process. Your report will then be mailed to you within 2 -3 weeks. By mail; Download and complete the Request Form (available on the website) and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta, GA 30348-5281 Your report will be delivered in 2-3 weeks 2: Pay your bills on time. Payment history is 35% of your credit score, so paying your bills on time needs to be a top priority. High tech way: Techies have many options of apps that can be used to track spending and bill pay. mint and pageonce are 2 of the many apps that can set up all of your bills in one place. These apps remind you when bills are due, track spending, etc. Another way to make sure you don't miss any payments is to set up automatic payments from your online banking to your mortgage, auto, and credit card providers. This will ensure that you don't rack up any late pays, which can tank your credit score. Low tech way: If you are still walking to the mailbox to get your bills, put this practice in place; pay your bills the day they arrive. This may sound a little hard core, however, paying them when you receive them has its benefits. The bill won't get a chance to lose itself in the pile on your desk, AND you don't have to think about it anymore. Another low tech option is to have a desk calendar that has all of your monthly bills marked on the date they need to be mailed (not the date they are due). Put the calendar in a place where you can see it every day, so the due date doesn't sneak by you. 3: Keep your credit card balance low: Behind paying bills on time, account balances are the most important factor in your credit score (30%). Running up those credit card balances close to the limit has a dramatically negative impact on your credit score. Don't let this happen to you! High tech way; as mentioned in #1, there are many apps that can help you track you spending and budget. By following a budget, you can see where your money goes, and plan for bigger expenses (new furniture, vacations, etc) without charging up your plastic. Low tech way: get a pencil and paper and make a budget. Track you spending to make sure that you know where your money is going. Open all of your credit card statements the day they arrive, and try your best to pay off your balances every month. High tech and Low tech tip: While using credit cards responsibly DOES help raise your score, it's a good all-round financial practice to make sure you are not racking up useless debt. If you do end up using your credit cards and can't pay the balance off every month, MAKE SURE you do not charge up more than 30% of your limit (ex: on a credit card with a $10,000 limit, never charge more than $3,000). Keeping your balances low will go a long way toward boosting your credit score. 4: Don't close, lose, or ignore those old credit cards. Length of credit history is 15% of your credit score. The optimum credit history is 30 years long! Work hard to make sure those old credit cards are doing their job to raise your score. Remember, credit cards must be used once every 6 operative info months to be included in your credit score. High tech way: set up one of your bills to automatically charge to your oldest credit card. It does not matter how small the amount. Any new balance will update that credit card at the credit bureaus so that all that great long credit history is showing up on your credit report. Low tech way: carry your oldest credit card in your wallet and be sure to use it once a month to buy either gas or groceries. This purchase will keep your card active and counting positively in your credit report. Pay it off at the end of the month so you are not hit with any finance charges. Putting some or all of these tips into place can go a long way toward maximizing your credit score and ensuring the best rates on your mortgage, car, and credit card loans. And, whether we are high tech or low tech, this is an attractive goal for all of us. While I believe it's more important than ever to know your technology we are still in a people business so the tools we select should help us do what we're good at which is to connect with more people. However, there are some basics that every business needs such as a computer with Microsoft Office. MS Office has just about every software tool you would need in business. Since we are in a business that requires ut to constantly be on the go I believe a laptop is preferable to a desktop. This allows you to do work anywhere, at home, the office, your local coffee shop or an open house. In my opinion, the one "can't do without" technology tool you need is a smart phone. You need the ability to contact clients quickly and today's smart phones are much more than just a device we use to call and talk to people. I synch my phone with my contact manger so I always have my most up-to-date client list and schedule with me at all times. I can also text or instant message a client or access my email. In addition, my phone is my MLS Ekey which I use to access properties. I can even check my phone to view showings on my listings. I have a mortgage calculator that I frequently use. My phone even has a camera. It's not the best quality but I use it to remind myself of repairs items. I also frequently use it when previewing a property for a buyer that I think he or she will like. I'm able to take photos and email them immediately. There is so much that today's phones can do. A high quality digital camera is another important tool for today's real estate professional. These have come down in price and gone up in quality dramatically over the years. You want your listing with lots of photos online as soon as possible. Studies have shown that the more photos you have on your listings, the longer a consumer will stay online looking at it. Your website and personal email address is another must have. It's simply become a standard for any business. How many times do you find yourself asking for a company's website address instead a phone number? Your real estate business is no different. Your website is an online brochure for your business. If you do not have a professional looking site, you will not be viewed as a professional agent by a majority of the consumers out there. There are many companies that offer template real estate websites that are reasonably priced and look great...get one! Another item I do not want to ever live without is my GPS. Many cars offer this feature or you can buy a handled device that attaches to your dashboard or windshield. These are relatively low cost and no matter how well you know an area it's easy to get confused while showing multiply properties and trying to talk with your client at the same time. A GPS can save you lots of embarrassment by keeping you from getting lost when you're with a client. Many areas use Zipforms(TM), these are online real estate forms and I highly recommend them. With Zipform, also called Winforms, the contract can be typed using any computer so you can access it anywhere and more importantly, it's legible. I no longer have to try to decipher another agent's handwriting on a contract. It's also easy to email to clients so you do not have to fax contacts as often, which can get messy, and if you sign up for DocuSign, your clients can even sign online. It's beautiful Finally I recommend getting a good contact manger that will synch with your smart phone. I use ACT and have been using it since the early 1990's because it has served me well. There are numerous good programs out there including Outlook. Top Producer is also well regarded and is geared specifically towards real estate agents. Top Producer is much more than a contact manager, it has escrow tracking, email marketing, flyers and much more. Without a way to maintain and track your client database you will not be able to effectively market to your most valuable resource which is the people who know and trust you enough to refer business to you. There is much more technology out there for you and your business. The key thing to remember is not to get so tied up in the technology aspect of the business that you spent all of your time with your computer and lose focus on your clients. Buying or selling a home is still the largest single investment most people will make and they want to deal with you directly, not your computer. Innovations in technology are taking place at a much faster pace these days then they used to earlier. New models of gadgets with interesting features are being launched on a daily basis in the market. But identifying a model with the latest features within your budget is next to impossible if you do not follow tech news on a regular basis. Once you start following technical blog sites, it will be much easier for you to select the best model available in the market. The factors which make technical blogs the best source of information on all technological developments taking place around the world are mentioned below:- Technical blogs can be accessed for free Tech blogs can be subscribed without having to pay any money as subscription fees. You can follow as well as take part in these blog sites by commenting on any topic related to technology. People from different walks of life share their views and ideas on how the features and quality of gadgets can be improved. So products of better quality are launched. Simple language which is easy to understand These blogs are written in a simple language which is easy to understand for people who do not have a sound idea of technology. Bloggers do not usually use any technical or scientific terms in their blogs as they are well aware that readers may get confused if they come across too much of technical jargon. Blog sites are updated regularly Technology related blogs have one thing in common with SEO blogs. They are updated on a daily basis with fresh, informative content and as a result readers as well as search engines make regular visits to them to find out the latest updates on new gadget models which have been launched in the market. Tech blogs can be navigated easily Technical blogs have a better navigation as compared to company websites. So you can get all the information you require without having to read the content of too many web pages. Models with the best features can be identified These blogs can be used to compare the prices and features of products. You can easily identify the gadget with the best features within an affordable range once you go through these blogs. Often the authors mention the names of retail outlets or websites where gadgets of the best model are available. This in turn helps you to save a substantial sum of your time and money. Blogs can help you repair gadgets on your own These blogs can be used to repair and maintain gadgets without anyone's help as they provide useful tech tips. So you don't have to depend on anyone for repairing. Neither will you have to buy a new operative info one. You can resolve the issues on your own and increase your gadget's durability. While I believe it's more important than ever to know your technology we are still in a people business so the tools we select should help us do what we're good at which is to connect with more people. However, there are some basics that every business needs such as a computer with Microsoft Office. MS Office has just about every software tool you would need in business. Since we are in a business that requires ut to constantly be on the go I believe a laptop is preferable to a desktop. This allows you to do work anywhere, at home, the office, your local coffee shop or an open house. In my opinion, the one "can't do without" technology tool you need is a smart phone. You need the ability to contact clients quickly and today's smart phones are much more than just a device we use to call and talk to people. I synch my phone with my contact manger so I always have my most up-to-date client operative info list and schedule with me at all times. I can also text or instant message a client or access my email. In addition, my phone is my MLS Ekey which I use to access properties. I can even check my phone to view showings on my listings. I have a mortgage calculator that I frequently use. My phone even has a camera. It's not the best quality but I use it to remind myself of repairs items. I also frequently use it when previewing a property for a buyer that I think he or she will like. I'm able to take photos and email them immediately. There is so much that today's phones can do. A high quality digital camera is another important tool for today's real estate professional. These have come down in price and gone up in quality dramatically over the years. You want your listing with lots of photos online as soon as possible. Studies have shown that the more photos you have on your listings, the longer a consumer will stay online looking at it. Your website and personal email address is another must have. It's simply become a standard for any business. How many times do you find yourself asking for a company's website address instead a phone number? Your real estate business is no different. Your website is an online brochure for your business. If you do not have a professional looking site, you will not be viewed as a professional agent by a majority of the consumers out there. There are many companies that offer template real estate websites that are reasonably priced and look great...get one! Another item I do not want to ever live without is my GPS. Many cars offer this feature or you can buy a handled device that attaches to your dashboard or windshield. These are relatively low cost and no matter how well you know an area it's easy to get confused while showing multiply properties and trying to talk with your client at the same time. A GPS can save you lots of embarrassment by keeping you from getting lost when you're with a client. Many areas use Zipforms(TM), these are online real estate forms and I highly recommend them. With Zipform, also called Winforms, the contract can be typed using any computer so you can access it anywhere and more importantly, it's legible. I no longer have to try to decipher another agent's handwriting on a contract. It's also easy to email to clients so you do not have to fax contacts as often, which can get messy, and if you sign up for DocuSign, your clients can even sign online. It's beautiful Finally I recommend getting a good contact manger that will synch with your smart phone. I use ACT and have been using it since the early 1990's because it has served me well. There are numerous good programs out there including Outlook. Top Producer is also well regarded and is geared specifically towards real estate agents. Top Producer is much more than a contact manager, it has escrow tracking, email marketing, flyers and much more. Without a way to maintain and track your client database you will not be able to effectively market to your most valuable resource which is the people who know and trust you enough to refer business to you. There is much more technology out there for you and your business. The key thing to remember is not to get so tied up in the technology aspect of the business that you spent all of your time with your computer and lose focus on your clients. Buying or selling a home is still the largest single investment most people will make and they want to deal with you directly, not your computer. Innovations in technology are taking place at a much faster pace these days then they used to earlier. New models of gadgets with interesting features are being launched on a daily basis in the market. But identifying a model with the latest features within your budget is next to impossible if you do not follow tech news on a regular basis. Once you start following technical blog sites, it will be much easier for you to select the best model available in the market. The factors which make technical blogs the best source of information on all technological developments taking place around the world are mentioned below:- Technical blogs can be accessed for free Tech blogs can be subscribed without having to pay any money as subscription fees. You can follow as well as take part in these blog sites by commenting on any topic related to technology. People from different walks of life share their views and ideas on how the features and quality of gadgets can be improved. So products of better quality are launched. Simple language which is easy to understand These blogs are written in a simple language which is easy to understand for people who do not have a sound idea of technology. Bloggers do not usually use any technical or scientific terms in their blogs as they are well aware that readers may get confused if they come across too much of technical jargon. Blog sites are updated regularly Technology related blogs have one thing in common with SEO blogs. They are updated on a daily basis with fresh, informative content and as a result readers as well as search engines make regular visits to them to find out the latest updates on new gadget models which have been launched in the market. Tech blogs can be navigated easily Technical blogs have a better navigation as compared to company websites. So you can get all the information you require without having to read the content of too many web pages. Models with the best features can be identified These blogs can be used to compare the prices and features of products. You can easily identify the gadget with the best features within an affordable range once you go through these blogs. Often the authors mention the names of retail outlets or websites where gadgets of the best model are available. This in turn helps you to save a substantial sum of your time and money. Blogs can help you repair gadgets on your own These blogs can be used to repair and maintain gadgets without anyone's help as they provide useful tech tips. So you don't have to depend on anyone for repairing. Neither will you have to buy a new one. You can resolve the issues on your own and increase your gadget's durability. Don't we all wish there were more hours in our day? Don't you find that there's never enough time to get everything done? Do you ever look back at the end of the day and wonder what in the world you've accomplished that day? If any of the above scenarios ring true to you, you're not alone! However, there are some small, time-saving technologies you can use to automate or speed up what you get done to save an hour (or MORE) to your day. Here are some of our favorites: Use an aggressive SPAM filter-Over 80% of the emails being sent daily are SPAM. You're probably receiving dozens of these each day cluttering up your in-basket and easily adding up to 5-10 minutes per day in time wasted sorting through and deleting from the emails that you do want. We recommend an external SPAM filtering service, because it has been proven to trap malicious, virus-laden emails that can threaten entire networks, as well as individual users. Plus, eliminating SPAM temptations from your staff's email will not only cut down on wasted time, but will also drastically reduce your chances of getting viruses and spyware on your computer or network. Replace Old PCs-While it's difficult to estimate how much total time is wasted waiting on an old, sluggish computer to start up and process tasks...it does add up! If your old PC takes 10 seconds longer to process a task, and a typical user averages 100-150 tasks a day...that's 16-25 minutes of wasted time each day. Add the crashes and other problems old PCs cause and you're closer to 30-35 minutes a day per employee! Maintain Your Network-Diligent updating, patching and optimizing your server and workstations is key! You'd be surprised how much slower even a new machine will start to run if not maintained properly. Manage Your Documents-Scanning and storing paper documents so they can be searched and located in seconds rather than minutes or hours is a HUGE time saver. Plus, it's a greener solution, improves document security, enables users to access critical documents remotely and prevents important papers from loss or damage. Implement Business Collaboration Software-How much time is wasted in your office because people are duplicating efforts because they can't find the information and documents they need? This may be difficult to calculate, but we can conservatively assume that at least 30 minutes a day or more can be wasted due to disorganization. That's why we recommend growing companies implement some type of collaboration software that will help organize projects and information, keeping everyone on the same page. Want to implement any of these technologies in your office? Call IT Radix today - we can partner with you to streamline your operations! As a seasoned IT professional and business owner at IT Radix, Cathy Coloff enjoys working with small-to-medium sized businesses on getting the most out of their technology dollars. Technology is serious business, but she likes to have fun making I.T. work for you. Many of my clients are asking about which Social Media sites to use. With Social Networking being all the buzz, it is important to understand why you want to bother with Social Media. Simply, it is because people will do business with people they like. It is easy to create connections with clients, leads as well as family and friends who can "suggest" you to their extended group of friends. That is what Social Media Marketing is all about. Not so long ago, I was scheduling in morning and lunchtime meetings at local Chambers of Commerce and BNI groups. These get-togethers are well organized and run professionally, to be sure, but the time commitments and expense can really take a toll on your productivity. Think of making sure you have your good clothes on, leave a half hour or more before hand to drive to the restaurant where the meeting is being held, check in, find your seat, get your food, listen to the official opening remarks, wait for every person in the room to give their "elevator speech" or testimonial about another member, give my 1 minute scorcher, wrap up, network, give out business cards, and drive back to the office. Whew, I was doing that a few times a week and only meeting with people in my area. Now with Social Networking, I'm able to connect up with lots of people nationwide easily, always put my best foot forward, and my "friends" keep me in their minds with very little effort on my part... and no rubber chicken. And I can leave the monkey suit in the closet. Here are some basic instructions for choosing which Social Media Sites you use: First, figure out what sites are your clients on. You can do this by looking at emails sent you by prospects, friends and clients inviting you to join a certain Social Media. If you are just getting started, I recommend starting with one or two and then adding more down the line. Look at one of these to start with: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Active Rain, or MySpace. If your niche market is on Twitter, don't spend your time figuring out MySpace. Decide your objective with having the site before you set up your profile. Will you use this for business, or for personal use? How often will you be updating it? What kinds of posts will you make? Schedule time to update your Social Media 3-5 times each week. If you don't use it, it won't work for you. At first you may post things a few times a day, but after the novelty wears off, how are you going to make sure you keep using it. Schedule time to work on your Social Media marketing each week Be careful your posts reflect the image you want to portray. If a friend from college insists on posting stories about your younger days that you would rather not remember, monitor that. Also be careful when allowing assistants to post operative info things to your social networking site. You want to make sure it is in your voice. Mix personal and professional posts. One of the main reasons Social Networking sites are as popular as they are is that people are craving connections with people. With internet putting us in front of computers more and more and away from personal contact, people are craving those personal connections with real people, so be real! Mix up personal posts about what you are doing in your personal life, with what is happening with your business. It will make you much more interesting and three-dimensional. Be mindful of speaking about the usual taboo subjects like religion and politics. You would be surprised how many business contacts you relate to in many other ways have deeply-held, strong and differing opinions on many divisive issues. If you really want to use your Social Networking site to talk about these things, consider setting up a separate account and steer your personal and professional contacts to the right place. Just do it! I think we all realize that this Social Media "thing" is out there to stay and needs to be part of our complete marketing campaign. A little bit at a time will go a long way. Happy Networking! Don't we all wish there were more hours in our day? Don't you find that there's never enough time to get everything done? Do you ever look back at the end of the day and wonder what in the world you've accomplished that day? If any of the above scenarios ring true to you, you're not alone! However, there are some small, time-saving technologies you can use to automate or speed up what you get done to save an hour (or MORE) to your day. Here are some of our favorites: Use an aggressive SPAM filter-Over 80% of the emails being sent daily are SPAM. You're probably receiving dozens of these each day cluttering up your in-basket and easily adding up to 5-10 minutes per day in time wasted sorting through and deleting from the emails that you do want. We recommend an external SPAM filtering service, because it has been proven to trap malicious, virus-laden emails that can threaten entire networks, as well as individual users. Plus, eliminating SPAM temptations from your staff's email will not only cut down on wasted time, but will also drastically reduce your chances of getting viruses and spyware on your computer or network. Replace Old PCs-While it's difficult to estimate how much total time is wasted waiting on an old, sluggish computer to start up and process tasks...it does add up! If your old PC takes 10 seconds longer to process a task, and a typical user averages 100-150 tasks a day...that's 16-25 minutes of wasted time each day. Add the crashes and other problems old PCs cause and you're closer to 30-35 minutes a day per employee! Maintain Your Network-Diligent updating, patching and optimizing your server and workstations is key! You'd be surprised how much slower even a new machine will start to run if not maintained properly. Manage Your Documents-Scanning and storing paper documents so they can be searched and located in seconds rather than minutes or hours is a HUGE time saver. Plus, it's a greener solution, improves document security, enables users to access critical documents remotely and prevents important papers from loss or damage. Implement Business Collaboration Software-How much time is wasted in your office because people are duplicating efforts because they can't find the information and documents they need? This may be difficult to calculate, but we can conservatively assume that at least 30 minutes a day or more can be wasted due to disorganization. That's why we recommend growing companies implement some type of collaboration software that will help organize projects and information, keeping everyone on the same page. Want to implement any of these technologies in your office? Call IT Radix today - we can partner with you to streamline your operations! As a seasoned IT professional and business owner at IT Radix, Cathy Coloff enjoys working with small-to-medium sized businesses on getting the most out of their technology dollars. Technology is serious business, but she likes to have fun making I.T. work for you. Many of my clients are asking about which Social Media sites to use. With Social Networking being all the buzz, it is important to understand why you want to bother with Social Media. Simply, it is because people will do business with people they like. It is easy to create connections with clients, leads as well as family and operative info friends who can "suggest" you to their extended group of friends. That is what Social Media Marketing is all about. Not so long ago, I was scheduling in morning and lunchtime meetings at local Chambers of Commerce and BNI groups. These get-togethers are well organized and run professionally, to be sure, but the time commitments and expense can really take a toll on your productivity. Think of making sure you have your good clothes on, leave a half hour or more before hand to drive to the restaurant where the meeting is being held, check in, find your seat, get your food, listen to the official opening remarks, wait for every person in the room to give their "elevator speech" or testimonial about another member, give my 1 minute scorcher, wrap up, network, give out business cards, and drive back to the office. Whew, I was doing that a few times a week and only meeting with people in my area. Now with Social Networking, I'm able to connect up with lots of people nationwide easily, always put my best foot forward, and my "friends" keep me in their minds with very little effort on my part... and no rubber chicken. And I can leave the monkey suit in the closet. Here are some basic instructions for choosing which Social Media Sites you use: First, figure out what sites are your clients on. You can do this by looking at emails sent you by prospects, friends and clients inviting you to join a certain Social Media. If you are just getting started, I recommend starting with one or two and then adding more down the line. Look at one of these to start with: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Active Rain, or MySpace. If your niche market is on Twitter, don't spend your time figuring out MySpace. Decide your objective with having the site before you set up your profile. Will you use this for business, or for personal use? How often will you be updating it? What kinds of posts will you make? Schedule time to update your Social Media 3-5 times each week. If you don't use it, it won't work for you. At first you may post things a few times a day, but after the novelty wears off, how are you going to make sure you keep using it. Schedule time to work on your Social Media marketing each week Be careful your posts reflect the image you want to portray. If a friend from college insists on posting stories about your younger days that you would rather not remember, monitor that. Also be careful when allowing assistants to post things to your social networking site. You want to make sure it is in your voice. Mix personal and professional posts. One of the main reasons Social Networking sites are as popular as they are is that people are craving connections with people. With internet putting us in front of computers more and more and away from personal contact, people are craving those personal connections with real people, so be real! Mix up personal posts about what you are doing in your personal life, with what is happening with your business. It will make you much more interesting and three-dimensional. Be mindful of speaking about the usual taboo subjects like religion and politics. You would be surprised how many business contacts you relate to in many other ways have deeply-held, strong and differing opinions on many divisive issues. If you really want to use your Social Networking site to talk about these things, consider setting up a separate account and steer your personal and professional contacts to the right place. Just do it! I think we all realize that this Social Media "thing" is out there to stay and needs to be part of our complete marketing campaign. A little bit at a time will go a long way. Happy Networking! There's a disconnect in the nonprofit world. I read countless articles about technology and its powerful applications for the nonprofit sector, but seldom is there coverage of the critical interface between technology and communications strategies. That's a serious gap. What's happened, in my opinion, is that many of us shy away from technology. By leaving tech decisions to the IT department rather than schooling ourselves on these opportunities, we limit the impact of our communications strategies. My advice to you is to learn what tech tools can strengthen your nonprofit's communications strategies, and what choices you have. If you have an IT team or consultant, ask them to dig into the details. But get to know the basics yourself. That way you'll make sure you get the right tool, and you'll get the most out of it. I interviewed nonprofit technology expert and author Michael Stein for his take on tech tips to strengthen your web and email communications impact. Michael, who has worked with Children Now, Groundspring and now as an Internet strategist with the eOrganization.com, had some great ideas: 1. Improve the ways in which you gather personal information and email addresses from stakeholders. Tip: Don't just ask for email addresses when you ask your audiences to subscribe to your e-news. Gather name, street address, zip code, how they heard about you. Take it one step further to do some quick surveying on issues. Tip: Think more like a business in terms of figuring out the sources of these leads. You want more of them. Tip: Ask for an email address when your web users request a PDF download. Benefit: You'll learn more about how various outreach techniques are working to validate (or not) marketing expenses and impact. 2. Publish plain text as well as HTML format email newsletters. Insight: Many of your readers are likely operative info to prefer HTML e-newsletters, so publish in both HTML and plain text versions. The format makes it much easier for readers to act. Studies show that HTML format performs much better in terms of click-throughs, forward to friend, etc. (NOTE: Readers, there is conflicting data on this last point.) Benefit: Better engagement with audiences, by giving them a choice of format and the opportunity to take action with a click. Caution: Don't forego your text version. Many readers still prefer text. 3. Dive into blog publishing. Definition: A blog (an abbreviation of weblog) is a website that serves as an online journal, updated very frequently with commentary on one or more topics. Blog authors -- called bloggers --- commonly provide links to related information, with commentary. Because of their low barrier to entry (blogs are easy and cheap to implement), blogs are proliferating in the nonprofit sector. Insight: The "blogsphere" is becoming huge, with content feeds (RSS readers deliver blog content to interested audiences) growing at a rapid pace. Blogs are a great way to disseminate content in a timely way. Benefit: Some high-impact ways to put your blog to use for your nonprofit include: Serializing content, such as daily reports from an oceanographer on an expedition or an advocacy campaign hard at work. Building community by providing a venue for multiple voices (staff and/or members, experts or others). Critiquing events or news items in your issue areas, as they occur. Reinforcing content disseminated via other communications vehicles -- broadcast, print or online. Providing personal perspectives, which enable your audiences to get to know your nonprofit's staff members. Emphasize the people in your organization to strengthen relationships with your audiences. 4. Explore using application service providers (ASP) to streamline your online operations. Insight: There are now automated systems, that you don't have to maintain (they live in a server, which you access via the web) for operations from website content management and online donation processing to email messaging and online event registration. Consider moving these processes online and off your desktop computer. Benefit: Easier software interfaces. Faster learning curve. Sometimes your software cost will be higher, but your total cost of operation (since you'll save hours in set up and maintenance) will be lower. Example: Take a look at Citysoft, an ASP targeted to nonprofits, associations, educational institutions and other socially-responsible organizations. Citysoft offers a menu of tech tools from email marketing to web content development software, and donor and event management. Depending on the modules you select, your organization can send email newsletters to members and constituents and track the results, create online communities for audience use, provide event registration and much more. Mobility equals success in real estate, and a little extra leg work can pay off big. Put simply, the more homes you show, the more you'll likely sell. This is the most obvious example, but there are thousands of others. No matter what kind of city you're working in, or what kind of properties you sell, it's almost always more lucrative to be in the field. While most Realtors understand this, many have a hard time staying productive on the road, but modern technology can help. Read on for some effective tech-tips for mobility in the home selling business. Internet and email presence is a big part of a successful modern real estate marketing campaign, and staying live (or at least being able to update content) on the road is important. A cell phone/hand held pc will likely provide the most band for your buck here, enabling you to access the essentials like email, phone, text messaging, and a place to jot down ideas and phone numbers. The best phone/pcs also come with features like GPS navigation and mapping, so you can drive clients around even if you're not familiar with the neighborhood. Notebook or Tablet PCs offer increased functionality for when you have a little extra time and space outside the car. An illustration on a Tablet screen can help convince a client to list their home at a certain price, or give them a new perspective on the floor plan of a home they're considering. PC users can tap into online mobility by using Internet cards, which provide access to wireless networks from any remote location. If you have cell phone coverage, you'll likely have wireless access with an Internet card, allowing you to work from a car, check email, and send and receive contracts. A good digital camera and mobile printer will make connectivity on the road a lot more worthwhile, so you can print out forms for clients to sign on the field (often where the deals take place), take pictures of interiors and exteriors for your next digital home presentation. Moving and talking at the same time is also an important skill for Realtors, and digital recorders can make this a lot easier. With one of these you can record ideas or interviews with developers and clients, to make notes from later. You can also record your observations as you walk around a house, and chat freely with the seller. Learning how to use your mobile equipment might be the most important part of becoming an effective mobile agent. Remember to take the time to practice with the devices, so you don't lose data you think you've saved. Once you successfully integrate mobile functionality, you'll be supervised by how efficient you can be as a Realtor. |
ArchivesCategories |