Posts filed under 'Productivity'
Don’t have time for it or is Social Media a fad?
I still run into people who don’t have time for social media or think it’s a fad. How about you – still not a believer … watch this!
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Add comment May 14, 2010
Why update to Office 2010?
I use Microsoft Office apps everyday. I am currently running Office 2007 and it’s been three years since it was released. So why will I upgrade? If you use Microsoft web apps it will integrate your work flow.
But the biggest improvement to me will be with Outlook and it’s new “conversation view” that ties all email conversations together. The idea of showing all related messages in a thread appeals to me because I struggle with making sense of my email workspace. In addition there are lots of other little things that will rock my email world.
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Add comment May 13, 2010
Speed up Outlook 2007
My Outlook has been very slow starting up as of late. It’s also slow when switching between my mail and calendar functions. This is crazy since I have a really fast computer. Today I found a way to really speed it up and I had to share.
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Follow these steps: 1. Open Outlook as an Administrator by going to C:Programs/Microsoft Office/Office12 and right clicking on the Outlook exe program. Choose “Run as Administrator”. 2. Then once Outlook opens, go to Tools, then Trust Center, then Addins. 3. Click “Go…” at the bottom and uncheck Outlookaddins. 4. To maximize speed, uncheck everything EXCEPT Windows Indexing, which may be the only useful addin anyway. 5. If you lose some function that was useful, just follow the steps above and check the addins that correspond to the missing function. Then exit Outlook and restart it to test the addin’s fuction. |
When I did this this morning, the speed of my Outlook 2007 improved significantly. I had about 17 addins that I unchecked. We are supposed to to have a new Outlook and Office soon from Microsoft and I hope they have addressed this performance issue.
1 comment March 4, 2010
Internet Marketing Checklist
So how can you market on the Internet. Do you need a bigger, badder web site? What can you do to get traction?
1. Create a website with content
The secret to a successful website is to get people there and give them a reason to come back. You can do this with content. Have content before you concern your self with SEO and web site promotion.
2. Tap into Your Expertise
Include content that showcases your talent and expertise. Talk about what you know… you will present yourself as an expert. It showcases your “know-how-trust” factor. Cement your credibility as an expert.
2. Market to Your Existing Customers
Instead of just focusing on getting new business, turn your attention to your existing customers. If you treat all your clients as special, they will feel special — and be likely to tell someone else about you.
3. Build Relationships
Build relationships with your clients and prospects. Social Media is a great way to extend your reach. Don’t sell with social media. Build relationships, let the selling come later.
Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Yahoo Buzz | Newsvine
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2 comments February 21, 2010
Be More Effective With Technology
If you have a ton of work before you and can’t afford to let it go when you are away from the office, I have some ideas …
Hardware 
Hardware is the foundation of your mobile office. In the past that meant a lightweight laptop that won’t make you visit a Chiropractor. If you want to shave off hardware weight, look for a netbook. Many cell phone companies are branding these so that they come will built-in 3G cellular connections. But just like cell phones you have to have a connection plan for your netbook. The netbook will also have built-in WIFI to save cell minutes and give you a faster connection. Most netbooks are in the $300 price range. These are fully capable tiny laptops that can run the full Microsoft Office Suite. I just bought one for my wife and the battery lasts 11 hours.
Smartphones are outnumbering computers and can run software like Windows Office Mobile. So having a smartphone means you be productive with a super small package. Check into upgrading to a higher capacity battery or picking up a spare secondary battery to increase your computing time when you’re away from a power outlet.
I bought a case for my iphone called Mophie Juice Pack Air that doubled my battery life and provided protection for the phone. Smartphones are notorious for short battery life if you use the Internet or talk a bit. The right accessories can make or break your productivity when you are away from the office.
Other Tips
Tips for Working from the Road:
- Take a Bluetooth headset for your phone to keep your hands free when walking or driving.
- Plan your day around WIFI hotspots or buy an unlimited Internet plan from your cell company.
- Choose a phone with built-in GPS.
- Get a portable projector and wireless mouse with laser pointer to give professional presentations.
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1 comment February 11, 2010
Does Elvis get a free dessert and song?
ELVIS PRESLEY’S BIRTHDAY!
My how the time flies! Is it possible that Elvis Presley’s birthday on January 8, 2010 puts him at 75 years old? Have you seen him today?
To celebrate the life and legacy of the King of Rock ’n’ Roll many events and exhibits are on tap from Graceland to all across America. Through January 10th thousands of Presley fans will brave the bitter cold and fans head to Memphis, TN to join Lisa Marie and Priscilla Presley for Elvis’ 75th birthday celebration. Other celebrations too:
- See the Elvis’ 1956 Model KH motorcycle at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, WI. How about this? Any visitor with E.P. style sideburns and sunglasses save $4 off regular admission.
- Photojournalist Alfred Wertheimer’s Smithsonian traveling exhibition with pictures of a young Elvis debuts on January 8th at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, CA.
- Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis that premieres on February 19th at the new Aria Resort & Casino at CityCenter in Las Vegas, NV.
Other celebrations exist too. Amazing isn’t it?
1 comment January 8, 2010
Health instructions for 2010
Your Body
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat your veggies.
3. Eat more fruit
4. Eat more raw natural foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less processed food.
5. Read Fit For Life by Harvey Diamond – it will change your life.
Your Social Media
1. Work Facebook and Twitter
2. Blog your knowledge or passion
2. Work it – connect and converse to build relationships
3. Don’t hard sell
4. Keep your conversation informative and fun
1 comment January 5, 2010
Your Image in 2010
Perhaps we need to refer to the new year as twenty ten, it is more concise and simple. I ran across an article that inspired me and thought I would write about this on January first, twenty ten.
Many of us have learned that good looks add to success in the workplace but too many fail to realize that cultivating the perception of youth and a hip attitude is also very important. It’s no secret that we live in an age-obsessed society. Don’t follow these rules to impress a young person. Your goal is to create a more youthful perception about yourself. So how do you do it? Here are some of the concepts form the new book, “Bulletproof Your Job”:
Rule #1: Crest Whitestrips. This is a surface and shallow cosmetic-based tip. But people just don’t understand that having coffee-stained teeth doesn’t do you any favors. Then smile. Smiling makes you look and feel younger.
Rule #2: You need to be on Facebook. No friends? You already have one: just facebook me (dwightcook.) I will be your first friend.
Rule #3: Know how to use Google and Wikipedia and use them. Bookmark these sites on your computer, and set one as your homepage.
Rule #4: Watch an episode of “Big Bang Theory.” Discuss and Repeat.
Rule #5: Peruse your local Apple store. Learn the difference between an iPod Classic, iPod Touch and iPod Nano. You also need to what itunes and podcasts are all about and then you are on your way.
Rule #6: Do not disclose your past. Keep it to yourself. These are the “good old days!”
Rule #7: Don’t talk about how you’re addicted to Starbucks. Nobody cares and it won’t make you seem younger.
Rule #8: Keep up to date with Entertainment news and Sports. Set them as a favorite or add it to your custom home page on Google, Yahoo or Bing. This can help you with current relevant conversation.
Rule #9: Learn how to text message and do it.
Rule #10: Lose the newspaper. Young people get their news online.
Rule #12: Make eye contact. Eye contact is so critical to being perceived as young; don’t be afraid to use it.
Rule #13: Never refer to your grandchildren or great-grandchildren. Rarely mention your children – these topics make you sound old.
Rule #14: Go to the gym.
Rule #15: Never use ancient words like “groovy, dy-no-mite, or tubular.” Use current vocabulary.
Rule #16: Get a TiVo or DVR. Know how they work.
Rule #17: Record yourself to see how how old you sound. You will probably be your own worst critic. Note that youthful people talk much snappier.
Rule #18: Dress is very important: always dress age-appropriate with no frump factor.
Rule #19: Give your hairstyle a hard look. Get a young stylist to help with your look or ask a young family member that will be honest with you to help.
Rule #20: Skip cologne and wear deodorant. Young people don’t wear scented oils or strong cologne. You don’t want BO, so don’t skip that deodorant.
Rule #21: Make younger friends and hang out with them.
1 comment January 1, 2010
Two Secrets to a Successful Web Site
It’s really pretty simple:
1) Get people to your site
Most people get this one. People spend good money to promote a web site to search engines, trade links and advertise. All of these are important. With millions of web sites on the internet you can’t expect people to find your site by accident.
There are still hundreds of web sites published daily and they will never receive a spec of promotion. Promote, promote, promote!
2) Give them a reason to come back
This is the real kicker. The days are long gone when you can build a site and forget it for years. Yet there are static sites out on the Net that have not changed since they were built. If you have already read a book, it better be captivating and compel you to pick it back up to reread it. The same holds true with a web site. Make the web site connect with the visitor. Better yet, 
change your content and keep it fresh. So why would someone never visit your web site again? Here are my top reasons:
- There is nothing of interest
- Nothing has changed since my last visit
- Misspellings bad content, broken links, poor design or a bad impression
Please follow these two rules to avoid failure.
Add comment December 14, 2009
Flipboard – cool, very new news app!
Flipboard pulls data from your Facebook and Twitter accounts and builds a “social magazine” around it. This is not your traditional news app. It’s not just a RSS feed reader, and it’s not a photo gallery either. Flipboard is a new way to discover content. It collects links, pictures and everything else you have on Twitter and creates a magazine around them. A magazine where comments are retweets, and you are the curator of the content you want to see. It looks great, too: typography is tasty, animations are sexy, this app is very polished.
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Add comment July 27, 2010