How Color Affects Your Marketing

Did you know that the colors you choose for your marketing materials affects the impact they make on your target market? It’s true. Colors act as a sort of non-verbal communication. They also contain symbolism. So in your marketing pieces, it is helpful to keep in mind how the eye and the mind perceive certain colors as well as what the meanings are that we associate with each color.

Sometimes colors create a physical reaction (i.e., red has actually been shown to raise blood pressure and blue is known to create a calming effect). And other times colors have a cultural meaning (i.e., in the U.S. white is used for weddings but in some cultures it is the color for mourning).

Colors also follow trends. For example, burnt orange and avocado are synonymous with the 60s and 70s to many consumers. And, unless you’re selling a retro look, it’s best to avoid those as the primary color for your marketing piece.

To understand color’s impact, we need to know about color and color theory.

Finding a good combination of colors be tough. Color theory makes it easier. In order to find a good color scheme (the set of colors that produces the best impression), we need to choose a base color then see which colors can coexist with it and which can’t. Some combinations are uncomfortable, or disturbing - while others are pleasant.

Take a look at this color wheel. You will see the three basic types of color combinations: primary, secondary and tertiary.

As you probably know from grade school, the primary colors are red, blue and yellow. All other colors are made by combining two or three of these colors. Primary colors are seen as simple and direct. So they would be good to use for projects that aren’t extravagant such as for preschools, kids’ stores, etc.

Secondary colors are half way between the three primary colors. They are orange, green and violet. Bright secondary colors can convey action and excitement. They would be great to use for sports brochures, restaurants that have a lively clientele, etc.

Tertiary colors are created when primary colors are mixed with adjacent secondary colors. Take a look at the color wheel and notice which colors are considered tertiary. You’ll notice that they are in between primary and secondary colors. Teal and fuchsia are tertiary colors.

Hue, saturation and value of colors
Infinite colors can be created by altering three variables: the hue, the saturation and the value of the color.

The hue is the shade of a particular color. Deep hues of violet, gold, maroon, etc. are used by marketers to convey richness and security while earth tones feel natural and inviting.

The purity of a hue is the saturation. A highly saturated hue has a vivid, intense color, while a less saturated hue appears more muted and grey.

Value refers to the relative lightness or darkness of a certain area. It is often used for emphasis. For example, variations in value are used to create a focal point for the design of a picture.

Colors often have different meanings in different cultures as we discussed before. If you will be working with a client from another part of the world, it would be beneficial for you to do a little research to find out what colors mean in that society.

Even in Western societies, the meanings of various colors have changed over the years. But today, researchers* have generally found the following to be accurate:

Black
Black is the color of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Use the color black to convey elegance, sophistication, or perhaps a touch of mystery. Black works well with bright, jewel-toned shades of red, blue, and green. Black is the ultimate dark color and makes lighter colors such as yellow really pop out. Photographs often look brighter against a black background.

White
Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility. In most Western countries white is the color for brides; however, in Eastern cultures it’s the color for mourning and funerals.

In most cases white is seen as a neutral background color and other colors, even when used in smaller proportion, are the colors that convey the most meaning in a design. Use white to signify cleanliness or purity or softness. Some neutral beige, ivory and creams carry the same attributes as white but are more subdued, less brilliant than plain white.

Used with light or pastel tones, white is soft and spring like and helps to make the pastel palette more lively. White can make dark or light reds, blues and greens look brighter, more prominent.

Brown
Brown represents wholesomeness and earthiness. The color brown and its lighter versions tan, taupe, beige or cream make excellent backgrounds helping accompanying colors appear richer, brighter. Use brown to convey a feeling of warmth, honesty and wholesomeness. Although found in nature year-round, brown is often considered a fall and winter color. It is more casual than black.   

Shades of brown coupled with green are often used to convey the concept of recycling or earth-friendly products. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful.

Red
Red is power. The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Use red to grab attention and to get people to take action. Use red to suggest speed combined with confidence and perhaps even a dash of danger. A little bit of red goes a long way. Small doses can often be more effective than large amounts of this strong color. Multiple shades of red and even pink or orange can combine for a cheerful palette. Red is often used in restaurant decorating schemes because it is an appetite stimulant.

Pink
The most romantic color is pink and can be tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy. Studies have shown that large amounts of pink can create physical weakness in people.

Both red and pink denote love but while red is hot passion, pink is romantic and charming. Use pink to convey playfulness or tenderness. Add strength with darker shades of pinks and purple and burgundy.

All shades of pink get sophisticated when combined with black or gray or medium to darker shades of blue. Medium to dark green with pink is also a good combination.

Blue
Blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals.

Blue conveys importance and confidence. Long considered a corporate color, blue, especially darker blue, is associated with intelligence, stability, unity, and conservatism.

A deep royal blue or azure conveys richness and perhaps even a touch of superiority. Combine a light and dark blue to convey trust and truthfulness. Create a conservative but sophisticated look with subtle contrast by combining light and dark shades of blue.

Mix the color of blue with green for a natural, watery palette. Add gray for understated elegance.

Sky blue and robin’s egg blue, especially when combined with neutral light brown, tans, or beige are environmentally friendly color combinations.

Throw in a dash of blue to cool down a hot red or orange scheme. Grab attention with the contrast of blue and yellow.

Dark blue with white is fresh, crisp and nautical. Use dark blue with metallic silver accents for an elegantly rich appearance.

Green
Green symbolizes nature. It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients. Dark green is masculine, conservative and implies wealth.

With both a warming and cooling effect, green denotes balance, harmony, and stability. Use several shades of green for a fresh, springtime feel.

Green with blue produces echoes of nature - water and forest and can denote new beginnings and growth. Green with brown, tan, or beige says organic or recycled and can be a good color combination for packaging of those types of products. Tri-color combinations of green with yellow and black or white are sporty, outdoorsy colors. Purple with green can be highly contrasting causing a lively effect.

Yellow
Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.

Although it can work as the primary color, yellow often works best as a companion to other colors. Use bright yellow to create excitement when red or orange may be too strong or too dark. Yellow can be perky. Use yellow to perk up a more subdued cool palette of blues and grays. Use lemon yellow with orange to carry out a healthy, summery, citrus theme. Very pale yellows can work as neutrals alongside darker or richer colors. Yellow and blue are a high contrast, eye-popping combination. Mix yellow with neutral gray and a dash of black for a high-tech look.

Purple
The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.

Deep or bright purples suggest riches while lighter purples are more romantic and delicate. Use redder purples for a warmer color scheme or the bluer purples to cool down.

A deep eggplant purple with neutral tans or beige is an earthy, conservative color combination with a touch of the mystery that purple provides. Green and purple can be a striking combination in deep or bright jewel tones or use lighter shades for a cheerful, spring like feel. Pink and purple has feminine appeal.

Gold
The color gold is associated with wealth and prosperity. Add a small amount of metallic gold ink to a project for a special, rich touch. Bright gold catches the eye while darker subdued shades of gold lend richness and warmth.

Orange
As a warm color orange is a stimulant - stimulating the emotions and even the appetite.

If you want to get noticed without screaming, consider the color orange, it demands attention. The softer oranges such as peach are friendlier, more soothing.

Orange really pops with a medium blue. Red, yellow, and orange can be a fiery hot combination or, in tamer shades, a fresh, fruity experience. Make it tropical by pairing it with green.

Orange is often synonymous with autumn yet the brighter oranges are a summer color. Orange is mentally stimulating as well as sociable. Use it to get people thinking or to get them talking.

Turquoise
Create feminine appeal with lighter shades of turquoise. Some shades of turquoise have an old-fashioned 50s and 60s retro feel. Teal has a darker, somewhat more sophisticated look. Like the mineral, turquoise shades range from almost sky blue to deep greenish blues.

Keep the soft, feminine qualities going by mixing turquoise with lavender and pale pinks. A bright turquoise and pink create a sparkly clean, retro look. Make it art deco by pairing turquoise with white and black. Turquoise with gray or silver as well as terra cotta and light browns have a Southwestern flavor. Turquoise with orange or yellow creates a fresh, sporty look.

Gray
Like black, gray is used as a color of mourning as well as a color of formality. All shades of gray can be good, neutral background colors. Use lighter grays in place of white and darker gray in place of black. Taupe, a grayish brown neutral is a conservative, slightly earthy, warm shade of gray.

Light grays with pastel shades of pink, blue, lavender and green have a feminine quality. Darken those colors for a more masculine feel. Cool a warm palette by adding gray to rich reds or golden yellows.

Silver
Silver often symbolizes riches just as gold does. Silver can be glamorous and distinguished.

It can be earthy, natural or sleek and elegant. Silver can be used much like gray although when using shiny metallic inks, small amounts for accents is best.

Silver coupled with turquoise evokes the Southwest. A touch of silver pops with medium blue. Use silver with other colors to create a high-tech or industrial look.

Colors in Print
I wanted to quickly touch on the use of colors in print so that you were at least familiar with the terms printers use when printing your materials.

Most color printing is done by using the four process colors of ink: cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black hence CMYK. By the way, in print black is considered a color.

RGB - or Red, Green, Blue - is made through a light-based spectrum of hues. So, by combining all the colors you get white instead of black as you would using CMYK. Therefore, the absence of all color would be black in RGB.

RGB colors will look different online than they do in print. So RGB cannot be used for printing since it is light-based and not ink-based.

Spot Colors
Pantone is the most common spot color system. They are custom, pre-mixed inks. It is cost-efficient to use two or three spot colors when printing because it is pre-mixed for use when printing and the printer doesn’t have to remix colors (or overlay the ink) to get those specific colors.

There are five types of color schemes: monochromatic, triads, analogous, complementary and split complementary.

Monochromatic is the use of one color but with different tints.

Triads are created using three hues equally spaced around the color wheel. This contrast can be intense.

Analogous schemes are created when three adjacent hues are used together. A single intense hue paired with a muted tone can attract attention.

Complementary colors are those colors paired with its opposite color on the color wheel.

Split Complements are created when warm and cool hues are combined. You would pick a color then choose two colors on either side of its complement.

One last thing, if you’re on a tight marketing budget, using different tints of one color to save money since they are technically using only one color.

* Information obtained from About.com

What Your Logo Says About You

Your logo, the visual basis of your company’s image, is more important than you might think. What your logo “says” to potential customers means a lot. It tells them whether or not you’re competent and professional and it tells them what your company stands for.

Your logo can emphasize key benefits that you want your customers to know about you, your product or your service. For example, do you want to be known as getting the job done fast like a delivery service would? Or perhaps you want to stress quality as your main benefit like a fine restaurant? Whatever association you want your company to project, your logo is likely to make that first impression.

There are basically three kinds of logos:

1. Font-based (text only) such as Coke or FedEx
2. Illustration (a graphic, with or without text) such as the Morton Salt “Umbrella Girl”
3. Symbols such as the Nike “swoosh”

Stand Out in the Crowd
Ideally, a logo will differentiate you from your competition. It should communicate your unique benefits. What do you want your logo to say about you? What impression do you want it to make with your potential customers?

From Business Cards to Billboards
Keep in mind that your logo should work equaly well in both large and small media. It should look just as good on a business card as it does on a billboard, on the web as it does in print. Although you may be inclined to use a rainbow of colors for emphasis, it’s advisable to stick with just two colors or no more than three. This is cost effective and provides optimum presentation. Full color printing is expensive. Remember, black is considered a color in the print world. A simple, clean, concise look goes a long way.

Don’t Try This at Home, Kids
Hiring a professional graphic designer is your best bet to design a custom, attractive, captivating logo. When searching for a designer, don’t opt for the lowest quote; look at their examples and see if you like their style. Additionally, look for a designer with experience designing logos in your industry. They have done their research to find out what works and what doesn’t in your target market. Since a logo should last you at least a decade, don’t skimp on this very important aspect of your branding. Find the best and pay for the quality you need.

Trademark It
Once you’ve got your logo, trademark it. This can be as simple as using the TM or SM (Service Mark) symbol in conjunction with your logo. For a more legally binding process, visit the U.S. government’s trademarking website at http://www.uspto.gov/main/trademarks.htm. 

Use it on Everything, Everywhere
Once you have your logo designed, start using it on everything, everywhere! Visibility is key. You want that design to become associated with your company so use it on all advertising and communication — on the web, in print, everywhere!

Redesigning Your Current Logo?
One word of caution for those of you considering a logo redesign: do it gradually. Most likely your logo has become associated with your business — and even though we all need to update our look after many years — don’t make your change so drastic and so sudden that it loses its association with your business. Just as a name builds goodwill, so does your branding and you don’t want to lose that. Make small changes such as with the color and gradually make the transformation complete — over time.

Whatever type of logo you choose, ultimately you want it positively linked to your company emphasizing your best features. Give some serious consideration when having your logo designed; you’ll be glad you did once it becomes identified with your company’s benefits and clients know who to go to for your specific product or service.

Military Veterans, Have You Heard the News?

If you’re a veteran of any branch of the United States military service, and you’ve got what it takes to lead a successful business, you’ll want to read about the Little Caesars Veterans Program.

According to their website (http://franchise.littlecaesars.com/VeteransProgram/tabid/76/Default.aspx), “Little Caesars is looking for veterans with integrity and character who take initiative, utilize a teamwork management style and have a strong personal commitment to the business. A Little Caesars franchise can provide business owners with the opportunity to become leaders in the communities they serve, maximize their potential and realize a strong sense of accomplishment by achieving goals and growing their business.”

With two programs, one for honorably discharged vets and another, even better, opportunity for service-disabled veterans, Little Caesars is offering quite a generous package to get you started in business.

“The Little Caesars Veterans Program provides the following benefits for all qualified honorably discharged veterans: a $5,000 reduction of the franchising fee, financing benefits and, a $5,000 credit on the equipment order for the first store.”

What’s more, service-disabled veterans get an even better deal!
Service-disabled veterans are eligible for additional benefits, including a waived franchising fee ($20,000), additional financing options and benefits, a $10,000 credit on the initial equipment order and grand opening marketing support from leading national companies. The total benefit for service-disabled veterans can be approximately $68,000.” And that’s nothing to sneeze at!

If you’ve been wanting to get into business for yourself and think you’ve got what it takes, visit their website at the link provided above for more information. This is a generous opportunity you shouldn’t pass up.

Tap Into the Power of Free Press

If you’ve not taken advantage of the power free press releases, you’re making a costly mistake. There are so many sites available – for free – in which to advertise your business, your accomplishments, your new listings, etc. Not taking advantage of this free advertising is like letting your money slip down the drain.

For instance, how many of you use Craigslist and/or any of the many free press release sites? I’m hoping I would see a lot of hands in the air. Both media are very popular and many in your target market are reading them on a daily basis.

What is Craigslist?
According to Craigslist Fact Sheet, Craigslist was started by Craig Newmark in 1995 as a forum for local classifieds for 450 cities worldwide. Through these forums you can find housing, jobs, products, services, advice, etc. You name it; Craigslist has probably got it advertised — including a personals section for meeting someone new. And it’s popular too! By generating over five billion page views per month – and over 15 million users – your advertisement has a good chance of being seen by many potential clients.

Tell Me More About the Free Press Release Sites
According to David Frey – in his article A Secret Technique to Getting Massive Press Using Optimized Press Releases – “Online press releases are a relatively little-known development in the world of search engine exposure. Within 24 hours, a well-optimized online press release can climb to the first page of Google News and Yahoo News – if it is well written and strategically embedded with relevant keywords.”

Frey recommends the following:

• Put your two primary keywords into the headline and subheading
“All you need to do is type up a short press release with your keywords placed in the headline and subheadline and a link to your site in the press release. Then you simply submit it to all of the online PR news wires.”

• Write an article that you can turn into a press release
“Simply write an article that is newsworthy. Lace it with your primary and secondary keywords, and submit it to online PR sites.”

For your convenience, I’ve included several recommended free press release sites. I’m sure there are many more but this will definitely get you started.
• www.24-7PressRelease.com
• www.PR.com
• http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com/pr/
• www.AddPR.com
• www.E-xl.com
• www.Express-press-release.com
• www.Free-press-release.com
• www.OnlinePressReleases.com
• www.OpenPR.com
• www.PR9.net
• www.PRLead.com
• www.PRWeb.com
• www.PRfree.com
• www.PowerHomeBiz.com
• www.Press-Base.com
• www.Press411.com
• www.PressReleaseSpider.com
• www.Pressbox.co.uk
• www.ClickPress.com
• http://www.emediawire.com (a PRWeb.com newswire)
• www.press.xtvworld.com
• www.i-newswire.com

Writing a decent press release is much like writing a decent blog. Just be sure it’s newsworthy to someone and written in the accepted format – many of these sites will give you detailed information on acceptable press release formatting – and you’ll be well on your way to improving your SEO through free advertising.

Don’t Just Erase Your Data, Wipe Your Hard Drives Clean

Prior to disposing of your old PC, laptop or PDA, make sure you wipe your hard drive clean.

Don’t just delete everything from it because, according to PC World, “Keep in mind that deleting just the sensitive files may not protect you fully. Unidentified copies of those files could exist in ‘unused’ parts of your hard drive, or in your swap file, among other possible locations. It’s a good idea to wipe these areas of your drive as well — or go the surefire route and wipe your entire hard drive.”

In a recent issue of Information Week (August 21), it said “researchers purchased used computers at auctions or computer fairs in Australia, Germany, North America and the United Kingdom. When they examined the hard drives in those computers, they found a surprising amount of sensitive data still intact, including payroll information, IP addresses, cell phone numbers and bank and credit card information.”

There are several free programs (or with trial versions) you can download to adequately do the job.

• Hard Disk Scrubber 2
• Active@KillDisk
• BC Wipe

And I’m sure there are many others; just do a Google search for “wipe hard drive clean” and you’ll find one to fit your needs as well as your pocketbook.

Customer Service Ain’t What it Used to Be

Do businesses prioritize customer service anymore? How many times have you gone to a fast-food restaurant and had to wait for the server to finish his/her conversation with a co-worker before they’d ask for your order? Or how about returning an unwanted item to the customer service center of your local retail store? Do they act as if they are doing you a favor by simply waiting on you? I’m fed up with our culture’s lack of customer service!

I know, what can I expect from a teenager who’s making minimum wage at the burger joint? Well, I expect fast, friendly, reliable service, that’s what! If it weren’t for us — their customers — they wouldn’t have a job! When are they going to wake up and realize their customers aren’t an imposition, we’re the reason they’re working in the first place.

You know who I think is at fault here? Often times it’s the management. I don’t believe they’re training their employees to serve their customers, perhaps because no one taught them!

When I do business with someone, I expect excellent customer service. Is that too much to ask? I don’t think so. And I also don’t think it’s that hard to do. In my own business, I make customer service a priority.” I WILL NOT stop until my client is satisfied. If I’ve made a mistake, and I have, I make it up to my client. If I cannot correct the error, I offer my client discounts and other amenities to make it up to them.

If you think I’m laying it on too strong, think about this: A bad customer experience can spread ten-fold. You know the old saying, “If a customer experiences bad service, they’ll tell 10 friends, who in turn tell 10 friends, and so on.”

In “Customer Service is Not a Four-Letter Word”, Gregory P. Smith states, “Many organizations have eliminated the human element, replacing it with a lower-cost, impersonal conglomeration of voice mail, email, and online request forms. For many shortsighted service companies, it is about cutting costs, cutting corners and driving up profits.”

I’d like to add one of my personal pet peeves to his list of impersonal conglomerations: telephone menus. You know, where you call a number and go through the list of options, never having the opportunity to speak to a live person. Sometimes, that’s all I need to do. Financial institutions, and banks in particular, are infamous for doing this. What happened to good old-fashioned customer service?

I believe good service can make up for a lot. If a customer feels that you really care about them, they not only will continue doing business with you, they’ll give you some leeway when you need it. Humans aren’t perfect and there will be times when we make mistakes. If you have a good relationship with a client, there’s a good chance they’ll realize that people make mistakes and continue doing business with you instead of switching to your competitor.

I cannot stress enough how important I think superior customer service is to a client-business relationship. Think about the times you’ve been treated exceptionally well by a business and how it made you feel. Alternately, consider the times you were treated poorly by a representative of a business. This little exercise will give you a good idea of how important customer service is to a business that wants to stay in business.

Information Overload: Is it helping us or hurting us?

With the proliferation of available information, it’s almost as if we know about something before it even happens. Ok, that’s an exaggeration but the speed at which we receive the latest news, it’s not that far off the mark.

Seriously though, consider the information and communication technology we have available to us every minute of every day: telephones (landlines, cell phones, VOIP, pagers, voice mail), email, faxes, video conferencing, Internet (instant messaging, chat rooms, discussion groups, RSS feeds, newsletters), radio (local, national, international, satellite), television (local, national, TIVO, On-Demand, DVD), newspapers, magazines, etc. and I’m sure there’s more that I forgot to mention. Talk about information overload! How can we possibly expect to process all this information logically and still complete our daily tasks?

There’s a term for what we’re becoming due to this bombardment of information: “pseudo ADD.” This term was coined by two Harvard psychology professors who noticed that many people are experiencing a shortened attention span because of advances in communication. Those affected do not have what is considered clinical Attention Deficit Disorder; they simply cannot focus on a task without compulsively checking their email, voice mail and/or surf the Internet. Does this sound like you?

In his online journal, “Dealing with Information Overload,” Paul Chin said that this “rampant multitasking and deluge of available information have produced a counterproductive culture and created a paradox: the more we try to do, the less we get done; and the more inundated we are with information, the less time we spend absorbing it.”

One important consideration about information overload is that since businesses must compete for people’s time and attention, it is important to focus on bringing quality information to the consumer.

Decrease in personal time
Keeping up with all the news, learning new technology, reading and responding to email, making and returning calls take up a lot of our time each day. This then decreases our personal time. We’re communicating ourselves into a frenzy. And it’s affecting our health.

Stress can kill
In “Dying for Information” — a paper written from a 1996 Reuters study — 42% of the respondents said they suffered from ill health due to stress caused by information overload. This correlates to a loss of job satisfaction.

There’s no need to let stress get the best of you. Paul Chin suggests you change the way you manage the overabundance of information to keep it from working against you. Try to:

• Stop being obsessive about email. Unless you’re looking for something in particular, you don’t need to check it constantly.
• Designate a specific time of the day to catch up on the news or surf the ‘net.
• Stay focused on your task. It’s all too easy to get sidetracked on something else, especially on the Internet.
• Don’t file things away that aren’t important or relevant expecting to get back to it – there will be more tomorrow.
• Don’t sign up for content delivery just because you can. Be selective about what information you get.
• Organize your content. Categorize your material to avoid clutter.

Keep in mind that it’s more likely to get more technology and information rather than less. We must decide how to manage it better before it gets the better of us.

The Ultimate Portability Tool: Accessing your computer remotely

“Out in the woods or in the city, it’s all the same to me, when I’m driving free.” When The Who wrote “Goin’ Mobile,” I doubt they had any idea how easy it could be to work while away from home unless you were a traveling salesman or rock band. Well, guess what? It’s no longer a vision of the future. Many of you, no doubt, already use your Blackberry, Treo, etc. to access the Internet while working away from the office. But how would you like to be able to access any file on your computer as if you were sitting in front of it even if you’re in another state?

With the advent of such great software as GoToMyPC.com, PCAnywhere, FilesAnywhere, LogMeIn.com, RealVNC, etc. we can take our work with us anywhere! Sure you can get an external hard drive and back up all your files on it or use your trusty thumb drive to have the most important files available to use from another computer, but what if you wanted to work on another computer while you’re away from home just as if you were sitting right in front of your home computer?

I have to do just that when I visit my husband for extended periods of time. Because my husband has taken a position with the government in the D.C. area and we are still in Augusta, GA waiting for our middle daughter to graduate from high school, we often travel to visit him. Since I can’t stop working just because I’m not at home, I had to find alternative ways to access all my files while away from home.

I’ve used gotomypc.com to access clients’ computers so I could add email signatures, update their computers and so on. It worked fine, although it’s slower than actually working from my own computer. I then heard about LogMeIn and its free version. I like free. So I thought I’d give it a try. I’ve got to say I had some trouble getting it to work on my laptop. I contacted customer service and they were very helpful in troubleshooting ways to get it to work.

Because this is our portability issue, I thought I’d share with you the different software that’s available for accessing your computer while away from home. Below, I’ve provided a quick overview of the most popular programs out there. I have quoted from their sites.

GoToMyPC
“GoToMyPC is for individuals needing remote access to 1-20 PCs. It’s an easy and secure remote-access solution that enables you to conveniently access email, files, programs and network resources from home or the road. Get unlimited access to your PCs from any Web browser anywhere.” They do offer a trial version good for 30 days.

LogMeIn
“The ultimate in mobility, freedom & flexibility. You’re always looking for ways to make your schedule more flexible – it’s the key to work/life balance. And the key to flexibility is access to your computer. LogMeIn Free lets you get on your computer without physically being there.
With access to your PC from anywhere, you can go wherever, whenever:

• open remote files
• check your email
• run programs
• run system diagnostics
• access from any browser
• access from wireless Pocket PC
• Easy-to-use interface
• 100% free to use”

PCAnywhere
“Symantec pcAnywhere™ 12.0 is the world’s leading remote control solution.* It lets you manage computers and resolve helpdesk issues quickly, and connect to remote devices simply and securely.

Now pcAnywhere adds support for Mac OS® X. And new gateway functionality enables remote users to quickly find the hosts they need through firewalls and routers with minimal setup.”

PCNow
“PCNow gives you the ability to access your PC anywhere, anytime. Conveniently access your files, programs and email whether you’re at work, at home, on the road or on vacation.”

Real VNC
“VNC (Virtual Network Computing) software makes it possible to view and fully-interact with one computer from any other computer or mobile device anywhere on the Internet. VNC software is cross-platform, allowing remote control between different types of computer. For ultimate simplicity, there is even a Java viewer, so that any desktop can be controlled remotely from within a browser without having to install software.

The open source version of VNC has been freely available since 1998, and more than 100 million copies of the software have been downloaded. The software has also appeared on numerous magazine cover disks, and for several years all popular versions of Linux have included VNC. It is in active use by many millions in industry, commerce, education and at home. Virtually all Fortune 500 companies use VNC, and installations of VNC across thousands of workstations are commonplace. For the free download, click here.”

Installing and using these programs is easy
If you want to work directly on a remote machine from some other location, just sign up for one of the programs I just mentioned.

Your home computer has to be connected to the Internet all the time so just leave it on while you’re away. (It’s a good idea to protect your computer during a storm or other power outage by having it plugged into a power surge protector.) Then, access your computer while away from home by using any computer that’s connected to the Internet such as your laptop or someone else’s computer. To access your computer back home you simply log on to the Internet and visit the login page of the program you downloaded. You can then initiate a session by logging on with your user ID and password that you created when signing up for the service.

It’s that simple! Now you’re ready to work from anywhere as long as you have an Internet connection! I love this capability; without it I would have a much harder time trying to work from my husband’s townhouse while visiting him.

Give it a shot; what have you got to lose?
 

Did you know …

All persons — including U.S. citizens – traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport.

What’s more, as early as January 1, 2008, all persons – including U.S. citizens – traveling between the these same countries by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security.

According to the U.S. Department of State website (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html) , the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004’s goal “is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors by providing standardized, secure and reliable documentation which will allow the Department of Homeland Security to quickly, reliably and accurately identify a traveler.”

So, if you’re planning to fly into any adjacent country such as Canada or Mexico, you must now have a passport. If you’re planning a cruise to the Caribbean or Bermuda, you’d better be prepared because by this time next year, you’re going to need a passport.  

So You Want to Blog, huh?

If you’ve decided to jump on the bandwagon and start blogging, consider why it is you’re doing it. Is it because it’s the latest trend? Everyone else is doing it? Or is it for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)? Perhaps you just want a venue to speak your mind. Whatever your reasons for blogging, you should start with a purpose. Decide from the beginning what it is your blog is intended to do.

There are probably as many reasons for blogging as there are bloggers. People blog to establish credibility in their industry, build brand awareness, discuss hot topics and much more. It’s not so much a matter of why you decided to blog but what you plan to get out of it. This will help the inspire ideas for subsequent posts after those initial ones that came rapid-fire fast and easy. I know this from experience; my first few posts almost wrote themselves but it got harder and harder to write and do everything else in my life that needed to get done too.

I decided to set aside a certain time each week solely for blogging. This will help me establish a routine and get into the swing of blogging regularly. If you’re having a hard time coming up with ideas on what to blog about, just do what I did: think about the things that are important to your world and your business. I’m sure that each day you come across a topic that you have an opinion about. Blog about that.

If yours is a business blog, tell your readers (who are probably potential clients for your products or services) about you, what you do, what you offer, what sets you apart from your competition, etc. If you really think about it, there’s an infinite number of topics on which to blog. This is your forum; get your message out. And don’t forget about the search engines.

Writing that includes keywords used by your potential clients to search for your services is important because search engines will use these words or phrases to rank your page. Obviously the higher the rank, the better your search engine placement. Getting in the first page of search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN is almost like winning the lottery. Well, I did say almost. After the first page, people tend to stop searching thinking they’ve found the most relevant material for their search terms. And, by the way, those rankings are fleeting; they change daily. An organic placement in the number one spot one day could end up on page 10 the next. Oh what a fickle friend.

The mere fact that you’re reading this blog now means that you realize the importance and popularity of blogging. It’s a revolution in online marketing. Why do I give it so much importance? Because blogging is easy, free and anyone can do it. Where else can you have complete control of a forum in which to market your services to a global audience?

And, yes, everyone’s doing it. Do you have teenagers? If so, more than likely they have a MySpace page. It’s their way of networking, and a very popular way of networking I might add. That generation will certainly continue to blog as they establish their careers and blogging will become second nature to them (if it hasn’t already). That, in and of itself, is reason enough to start blogging, keeping up with the next generation.

So you’ve started blogging and typing as fast as your mind can funnel your thoughts to your fingers. Be careful; remember, your potential clients could be reading your posts and you want to maintain an air of complete professionalism so be sure your blog posts are as error-free as possible. Reread your posts prior to publishing them. If you’re not the world’s best speller, copy and paste your content into a Word document and run spell check. That won’t catch everything but it sure helps. Also be sure to not offend your readers. Sure this is a forum for you to say whatever it is you want to say but remember that your potential clients could be reading it. I’m not saying you can’t bring up current issues and your stand on them, just be careful how it is worded so as not to highly offend potential clients. Write with as much of an open mind as you can muster. You can’t please everyone all the time, but you don’t have to offend them either.

One last point I’d like to make, add keywords wherever possible to maximize your SEO. I don’t mean throw them around here and there in order to have keyword-laden content; just try to fit in as many as possible without your blog sounding like you’re writing for the search engines.

I hope this information will help those of you that are starting to blog and running into problems regarding content. If you have any questions, just email me at Evy@BrochuresByDesign.com and I can try to help you come up with the right answers.