Year-End Cleanup : 7.5 Ways to a Faster Computer

A tidy computer is a faster computer, both in terms of performance and the ease with which you can find things on it. Over the course of the year, we get a lot of clutter, bits and pieces of software and files we no longer need immediate access to. Here are seven (and a half) ways to get your (Windows) computer ready for the New Year.

1. Out with the old. If you have older documents, consider archiving them. There are a couple of ways to do this. An ideal solution is to back them up to an external device (or even website such as www.datadepositbox.com) and then remove them. If this isn’t something you can do, consider creating a folder under “My Documents” and call it “Archive”. Move anything in there you don’t need right now. It will be accessible when you do and out of the way in the meantime. Consider burning some files to CD or DVD.
2. Email archiving. If you’re an Outlook user, there is an “Archive” feature available. This will back up older messages and remove them from your most commonly used folders. You can run archiving by selecting File > Archive (here is a link to the Microsoft Outlook archive page). You can set up your archive folders and automatic archiving settings under Tools > Options (here’s Microsoft’s page on automatic archiving). You can set the location of your archive file manually .
3. Email attachments. If you don’t delete all your messages, consider removing those with attachments, especially if you copied the attached file to a folder on your drive. Do you really need two?
4. Disk Cleanup. This should be run at least quarterly, probably monthly. The Disk Cleanup utility is under your Accessories > System Tools folder. When you first run it, it can take many minutes to load, so don’t panic. What the utility does is provide you with a list of removable items such as old Internet temporary files (the kind that are downloaded when you access a website). The utility will also give you the option to compress old files, remove setup files and that sort of thing. Here’s a pretty good guide to Disk Cleanup.
5. Empty the Recycle Bin. Disk Cleanup will give you this option already. Please tell me you’re not using it to store old files…If you get low on disk space, Windows may automatically (and without prompting you) delete things in the Recycle Bin so don’t use it as an archive.
6. Compressing files. There are mixed views about compression vs performance, but Windows offers a file compressing utility that shrinks the space used by files and folders. To do this, right click on a folder, click Properties > Advanced. You will see the “Compress contents to save disk space” option. Compressing files can slow access to them, but if disk space is a premium, it’s worth considering.
7. Disk Defragmentation. Again, this utility can be found under your Accessories > System Tools folder. Run it after you’ve done all your other maintenance and try to ensure it’s the only program running. When you run it, select “Analyze“. The tool will check your hard drive to see if the data can be stored in a more optimal way. You can then run “Defragment” and it will take it from there. I suggest you let it run overnight because it will bog down your computer when running. Here is a link to Microsoft’s Disk Defragmentation page. They recommend doing it weekly.

7.5 Uninstalling software: Be careful! Checking to see what you’ve got installed is probably not a bad idea. We often accumulate bits and pieces of software we no longer use, but do be careful : you don’t want to uninstall something by mistake so if you decide to do this (using Control Panel), only do so if you know exactly what you’re doing, or with the help of a professional).

Links to other helpful articles would be much appreciated.

Happy New Year!

A BAKER’S DOZEN: New Year’s Marketing Resolutions

1. Resolve to start a blog on an aspect of your business that interests you.
2. Resolve to posting on your business blog (at least) once every two weeks.
3. Resolve to reading similar blogs and posting a comment or feedback (at least) once a week.
4. Resolve to start a blog on a non-business subject that interests you.
5. Resolve to posting on your non-business blog (at least) once every two weeks.
6. Resolve to reading similar blogs and posting a comment or feedback (at least) once a week.
7. Resolve to not using your computer (at least) one day a week.
8. Resolve to have coffee with someone you’ve not seen in a while (at least) once a month.
9. Resolve to make a new business contact (at least) once a month.
10. Resolve to spend (no more than) an hour a day on social media sites, blogging etc.
11. Resolve to double the size of your holiday card distribution list.
12. Resolve to add your blog and/or social media information to your (JDE designed) business card.
13. Resolve to ending 2009 knowing more than you did about (Internet) marketing at the end of 2008.
    

I know that I’ve really pushed the blogging and social media issues this year. I think that in 2009 they’re going to get bigger and more relevant. If you’d be interested in getting together to discuss some online marketing ideas, blogs and social media, give me a call or send me an email. There are some excellent resources, both online and in print and, of course, in person.

Whatever your 2009 New Year’s Resolutions are, I wish you the very best of luck in your endeavor!

Social Networking in 2009

The growth of social media has been explosive in 2008, there’s just no other way to describe it. Whether you use Twitter, ActiveRain, Blogger, WordPress, Facebook, LinkedIn or another or all of the social networking tools, you’ll have seen unprecedented growth in all of these and, with any such growth, come two very real risks: overkill and marginalization.

Email was hailed, and still is, a communication revolution. Like the telephone before it, email allows quick, almost instantaneousness transfer of information. Unlike the telephone, it can be more readily-accessible, in most cases free, allows the attachment of files and distribution to a wide audience in a relatively short time and can cause more headaches

Spam is to the emailer what solicitors are to phone users. Sometimes the two can be just as dangerous. Scams from get-rich-quick schemes to worms and viruses have been a constant threat and continue to fuel the security arms race that underpins the Internet. Unlike telephone solicitation, it’s not quite as easy to join a “do-not-email” list, although there are such things. Many emails come from parts of the world where local laws don’t apply. Email can come from many more channels that phone calls and the majority of email users have at least two accounts

Over 90% of email traffic is spam, according to many studies. I use that number conservatively because I believe it’s much higher. That means that 90% of the messages “out there” are junk, unwanted, unsolicited, wasting bandwidth and disk space. Some people predict(ed) the possible end of email unless we can get a handle on spam

Social media networking has the potential to follow the same route. Like email, and the telephone before it, when used properly, blogs, instant messaging and business relationship networking tools can be invaluable in building and maintaining connections. Social media has given everyone the opportunity to reach a potential global audience without the enormous cost of production or printing.

But therein lies some of the problem. At the risk of offending people: there’s a lot of junk out there. I remember a quote from a move (The Krays) “you’ve got nothing to say and you’re saying it too loudly”. When it comes to social media, there are many people who haven’t got a lot to say, so they flood the “e”waves with rubbish, often in the hopes that someone will pick it up and run with it.

Unlike email, we have an easier option when it comes to blogs: we can bypass and not read what we think isn’t worth it. On networks such a Twitter, things can be a little more difficult if one is “following” someone, because one is potentially inundated with tweets and retweets. But, environments such as Twitter give us the option of removing someone from a “follow” list and thus relieving our electronic ears of their babble

Sorting the wheat from the chaff can be difficult. When there is so much out there, how on earth do you find what’s worth reading? And, if you plan to be part of this growing phenomenon, how do you do so without being part of the problem?

The answer is: tread carefully. Many people filter their incoming phone calls and emails, ignoring, blocking and marking unwanted messages (or calls) as junk and blocking future messages. The same diligence is needed on social networks when it comes to picking out the worthwhile from the rest.

More importantly, what you say is just as relevant. There are whole books written on subjects such as blog marketing, guerrilla marketing, social media marketing etc that strongly urge you to get involved. If you want people to visit your site, your blog, you have to interact so they’ll know you exist. Trouble is, how do you do that? Leaving simple “nice post” messages isn’t going to get you readers or followers. Engaging in dialogue will

The leading bloggers have an ongoing discourse with their readers. The most successful engage in two-way conversations that address the good and the bad. It’s a dialogue and dialogue can be interesting and that interest can lead to new followers with similar, or differing, viewpoints.

Social networking takes effort. The results take time. How many emails do you see from mass-emailing sites that you either delete or ignore? Dozens? Hundreds? As social media evolves, people are going to get better at quickly determining what is worth following and what is not

I actively encourage my clients to blog. It can be one of the best and free marketing tools out there. For those that think that no one would be interested in what they do, I encourage them to write about something they find interesting that’s got nothing to do with what they do. Everyone has an opinion about something. A conversation that is genuinely of interest to both parties almost be default, builds a relationship

Write about what you care about. Start a blog. It’s easy and free. On places such as ActiveRain, you can select specific groups to post to. Just don’t post for the sake for it. Especially when replying and trying to engage others in a dialogue, be courteous. You don’t have to be a linguist, and it’s okay to say “nice post”, but tell the poster why

Imagine being at a social event, a party for example. You overhear someone talking about something that you’re interested in, but you have a different take on it. Do you say something? That depends on you. But it’s unlikely you’d just stand there and say “I agree” or “that’s rubbish” without having something to add as to why you feel the way you do. You’d probably also not stand there and shout out (to no one in particular) “hey, my website is cool, here’s the address…”

You may be shy and not say anything. That’s okay too, but remember you get back what you put in

That may not be the best analogy, but I think it makes my point

If you have an opinion, by all means share it. Engage.

In 2009, be part of the social networking (r)evolution. That’s what social media is all about

Does convenience trump thoughtfulness?

Maybe it’s just the time of year or perhaps it’s the spell for rather chilly weather we’re having here in the “Valley of the Sun”, but (as you can tell from previous posts), I’ve been thinking much about electronic communication of late.

When email and instant messaging first debuted on what was then a fledgling Internet, there was some debate as to the social acceptance of these communication methods. Firing off an email is quicker and easier than writing or typing a letter. It’s also cheaper and timelier. More often than not, you can even tell whether it’s been received and read.

Yes the pervasion of these rapid forms of communication have, to some degree, added an air of casualness (is that even a word??) to discourse. What was once considered socially unacceptable has become the norm. By that I mean abbreviations, spelling, typos and grammar. This is a double-edges sword. E-communication has allowed the expansion of business and social networking like nothing before. Some would say that the removal of old fashioned “rules” is a necessary part of an evolution in how we communicate. Others would mourn the lowering of acceptable standards. I’m sure rain forests would agree on the side of evolution.

Apart from the ease with which we now converse and the debate over acceptability of presentation, many electronic systems have made life easier. Beyond email and instant messaging, we now have blogs and social media sites such as ActiveRain, LinkedIn and Twitter. It’s possible to conceive a thought, put it into words and publish it to the world almost instantly. Go back just a decade and consider how far we’ve come.

Yet has this ease of communication come to the detriment of thoughtfulness?

There are some who would consider the purchase of a gift card to be an easier and less thoughtful present than purchasing an actual gift. Others would see it as giving the recipient the option to choose what they would like. By the same token, could buying something online , having it wrapped “automatically” and sent directly to the recipient, be considered as less thoughtful than going to a store, buying, wrapping and shipping a gift?

Taken a step further, is sending a greeting card using an online service, less meaningful than hand-writing each card, affixing a stamp and mailing it?

For the record, I do all of the above. I am a regular shopper at Amazon.com. Most of my family lives overseas and it’s both easier and cheaper to shop on a localized website (i.e. Amazon in the UK) and have the gift wrapped and shipped instead of having to do it from here.

I use Send-Out-Cards for greeting cards. I can keep my address book online, select a card, “write” my message and send it without leaving my computer. The recipient gets a card with a nicely hand-written-esque font.

Does this mean I care less than I should? Am I taking the easy way out?

From my side of the fence I think not. I could understand all the arguments opposing my view. It’s a matter of perspective. Electronic communication, in all it’s forms, whether email or electronic-to-physical card, has made life more convenient. It has, for me, made me more reliable. I want to send greeting cards and gifts. I still take the time to pick them out. I choose my words carefully (most of the time – see my email post). I know that I care.

It’s the thought that counts after all, isn’t it?

 

Phishing Warning

I’ve noticed a dramatic increase in phishing attempts over the past few days. While I see several over the course of a year, there’s been an increase as the financial situation has grown more worrying and the holidays approach.

 ”Phishing” is when a hacker attempts to get an unsuspecting user to provide personal information then used for identity theft, hacking etc.

I’ve seen several very genuine-looking emails from banks, online stores and websites that are asking that I click on a link and enter my username and password or other personal information.

Most companies with an online presence rarely, if ever, ask you to provide information in an email. So please:

1. Do not open email attachments.
2. Do not click on links in emails.
3. Do not reply to suspect emails.
4. If you receive an email from a company that you’re concerned about, call their customer service number (NOT any number in the email – hackers sometimes provide their own 800 to “verify” themselves).
5. Make sure you anti-virus software and spam filters are up-to-date.
6. See #1

Many people are forwarding jokes, news and informational emails. As innocent as this practice may seem, it’s a key way that viruses, worms and trojan horses make their way around the web.

Please email and surf with caution. If in ANY doubt, delete it.

MagicJack : does it work?

As a technical person and a natural skeptic, I was very dubious when I heard about this new product that would give you what amounts to free telephone service using your PC and high-speed Internet connection.

Unlike services such as Vonage, Magicjack is a small USB device that plugs into your PC. Plug in a phone, sign up for a number and hey-presto, you have phone service. The cost of the device is about $40 which includes the first year’s service. After that it’s $20 a year.

Sound too good to be true?

The online reviews are mixed. Some good, some bad. Some call it a great invention. Some call it a scam.

A neighbor actually recommended it when it came up in conversation. Turns out she’d been using it for a while and we (my economically savvy wife and I) had not noticed any call quality issues when speaking to her. So, especially given these trying economic times, we thought “what the heck…”

Our Magicjack arrived and we plugged it in. The software was all on the device already. After a reboot, the registration screen came up, we picked a local telephone number, hooked up one of our existing handsets…and got a dial tone. So far so good.

We called several people, both locally and long-distance. The product seemed to work as promised and has done so since. We are now getting local and long-distance phone service for less than $2 a month. Our Magicjack is hooked up to a PC that is connected to our high-speed router by a wireless connection so we figured we’d suffer a little for, but on the whole, it’s been surprisingly good.

When traveling around, I’ve plugged the Magicjack into my laptop. My local number has traveled with me. Magicjack seems to work well in both Vista and XP environments.

Depending on the Internet service quality, the calls have varied from “wow are you in the next room” (90% of the time) to something that sounds like someone popping corn white shouting in a bathtub (yes, that’s pretty far out). Voices tend to fade in and out a little. It’s certainly not the 100% clear, crisp sound you expect from a phone service, but you can, for the most part, hear and be heard clearly and you don’t have to strain your hearing or guess who you’re talking to. If your computer / Internet connection is suddenly bogged down (ie sending/receiving email), the person you’re talking to can sound like Max Headroom for a second (that’s dating myself, isn’t it…). But, quality issues aside, the Magicjack has thus far lived up to it’s promise (cheap and easy).

The setup program registered our address for 911 calls. You can change this if needed, but it’s worth remembering that if you’re not at the registered address should you need emergency services…you get the idea.

We also tried the free voicemail and gave up. At least from our perspective, the Voice-over-IP (VOIP) quality just wasn’t up to it. Their web-based recording system just can’t provide sufficient quality to sound more-or-less human. Again, it’s better than nothing (but not much).

Also worth noting is that, unlike some of the more expensive systems, if you plan on keep Magicjack as your incoming service at all times, your PC has to be up and running so don’t let it go into standby mode or hibernate.

For $20 a year, Magicjack seems to be living up to its promise. It’s been several months and so far, so good. I’ll update this review in a few more months as we progress with our testing. We’ve still got our main home telephone number active. I suppose the true test would be to have that disconnected… Anyway for this price, it’s a useful, low-cost, second number…for now.

www.MagicJack.com

Have a good one!

Cutting Back Creatively (Real Estate)

It’s hard, especially in this industry, to spend money on marketing your listings. The return on investment is by no means guaranteed, in fact quite the opposite. As the market continues to tighten, I’ve seen less and less of the marketing techniques that were so common just a year ago. There are fewer open houses, fewer flyers, fewer “just listed” cards…fewer agents too, as I’m sure everyone knows.

That said, as in previous economic declines, there have been creative developments too and I thought I’d mention a few here…

• Pooling resources – increasing your professional and social networking connections (including on sites like this one) can help with leads and referrals. Terms like “divide and conquer” and “two heads are better than one” really do apply in this market. Work more closely with other professional groups, contractors, mortgage brokers, home stagers, etc to offer “complete packages”. Advertise their services on your flyers – get them preapproved if they’re buying – hook up with a mortgage company. If they’re selling and need some staging, network with a staging specialist. Again, by pooling resources and expanding networks, you increase exposure for everyone. Will it lead to a sale? Nothing is guaranteed, but I really believe that you get back what you put in – with interest.
• Flyers – an obvious place to cut back. I’ve seen this part of my own business take a hit, and understandably so. Flyers can be expensive. What I’ve suggested to a number of agents is to try and use flyers more creatively…for example:
• Multiple listing flyers. Not quite a “tour on paper” but if you have several listings in an area or price range, put them all on your flyers. If you don’t want to detract from the property the flyer is supposed to be about, put the other listings on the back. Include a local map.
• Offer ad space. Whether you charge is your call, but why not split the cost of the flyers by offering a spot or two for some of your more trusted or high-volume professional links to advertise? When you get your flyers from the title company, that’s exactly what they’re doing…
• Shop around. There are some good deals to be had on flyers.
• Free is best, of course, and a lot of title companies are offering free flyers to agents, so take advantage of it.
• Newsletters and mailers – yes, the paper kind. Email newsletters are okay, but paper (in my humble opinion) is still the way to go. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Just some points of interest, some market information and an incentive (giveaway perhaps) to keep you in mind…
• Email listings – I get so many of these that my spam filter is pretty well occupied all the time. I know there are people out there who will beg to differ with me, but spamming listings to other agents and consumers isn’t my idea of good marketing. When was the last time you read one that you didn’t delete immediately (there’s bound to be someone who replies on this one)? I would save those precious emails for newsletters and important information…
• Blogging – one of my favorite subjects to discuss. Still one of the best, most underused and FREE marketing tools out there. I’m not necessarily advocating putting all your listings into your blog…but – hmmm…maybe that would…naah…

In all seriousness, however, getting involved with blogging, including here on WordPress and outside, is an important networking tool. Put your blog address in your email signature and on your card – and flyers – and anywhere else you can think of!

Use free marketing tools where possible. Free online classifieds are sometimes worth a shot although some of the more popular ones have been the subject of debate as the source of fraud. So tread with caution.

• Follow up. Birthdays, holidays and anniversaries. Sign up with a company like Send Out Cards (www.cardeveryone.com). It’s a small investment that can yield great returns. People love getting cards and they will remember you. Relationships, especially in this market, matter a great deal and it’s nice to know that someone cares.
• Expand your horizons. I’m a firm believer that marketing overseas is a large, untapped oil well. We’ve seen an increase in Canadian and European investors coming into the US in search of properties. Establishing relationships with both agents and clients overseas could yield dividends. I’m working on a site for international agent “matching” to try and help this process along. More to follow in the New Year.

There is no silver bullet when it comes to marketing, whether real estate or anything else. Times are tough and money is tight. Most people are scared, many are hurting. Buyers aren’t sure they’re getting the best deal – what if the market goes down even more? Sellers are worried they’re upside-down or at the break-even point. None of what I’ve suggested is a tonic or cure for any of this, but they might help just a little and that’s about all we can ask for right now.

Thanks so much for reading!