Current Issue:

"Helping Your Business Fly"
Issue 29

IN THIS ISSUE:

1. FLIGHT LINES: Continue to Learn... Then Act
2. WING TIPS: Windows XP Security Firewall
3. FEATURE ARTICLE: Autoresponder Basics
4. ALTER EAGLE: Matt's Script Archive
5. EAGLE'S TALON: Splitz! - Freeware image editor
6. FROM THE BENCH: "What is Practical Security for Small Business"?
7. EYE OF THE EAGLE: If you have seven matches, and burn three...
8. CONTACT THE FLYER: Send questions, comments and articles

1) ======= Flight Lines =======
[Observations on business and life]

The wisest mind has something yet to learn.
--George Santayana

He who adds not to his learning diminishes it.
--The Talmud

Continue to learn all that you can. Then act on what you have learned. The purpose of knowledge is action.

2) ======= Wing Tips =======
[A variety of business helps and tips]

Windows XP Security Firewall

To use the firewall that is included in Windows XP, go to Control Panel and double-click the Network Connections icon.

In the dialog box for "dial-up, DSL, or cable connection", look at the "Status" column. When the firewall is enabled, it will say "Firewalled".

Use the check box, to enable the firewall, for quick, basic security on your system. Should you decide to use a third- party firewall product, like ZoneAlarm Pro, for greater security, you should first disable the XP firewall.

3) ======= Feature Article =======

Internet Marketing Tools - Autoresponder Basics
Part eight of ten - By Shelley Lowery

Autoresponders are one of the most widely used promotional tools on the Internet. They're also known as mailbots, automatic email and email on demand. They were derived from the very popular fax on demand and designed to automatically respond to any email message received with an automatic response.

Autoresponder programs vary from autoresponse messages set- up within an email program to a script that runs on a server. This script may run a web-based autoresponder system that utilizes a web page form or it may run with a pop email account on a server.

Autoresponders can assist you in automating many of your daily tasks including:

Customer Follow-up

Following up with your customers is an important part of providing good customer service. Not only is it an essential part of developing a good relationship, but it will also enable you to introduce new products.

Although sending out a personal message to each of your customers may not be possible, an autoresponder can provide them with the illusion that your message was personally sent.

Order Confirmations

If you're processing orders online, manually sending each of your customers an order confirmation can be very time consuming. By creating a standard letter and placing it within an autoresponder that allows personalization, you can eliminate the need to manually respond -- while at the same time, provide good customer service.

Articles for Publication

Writing articles and allowing them to be freely published, with your bylines, is a highly effective promotional strategy.

If you would like to enable your visitors to have access to your articles around the clock, place them within an autoresponder. This will enable your visitors to send an email to a specified email address and instantly receive your article.

Autoresponder Courses

In addition to the standard autoresponder systems, there are also autoresponders that can send an unlimited number of follow-up messages. These follow-up messages can be automatically sent out at predetermined intervals. In other words, you can set up your autoresponder to automatically send out a new message each day for as many days as you would like.

This powerful technology is currently being used by some of the top online marketers to reach thousands of potential customers. As you may know, it may take up to seven contacts with a potential customer before closing a sale. By setting up an autoresponder and offering a free autoresponder course, you can completely automate a portion of your marketing efforts.

Selecting a quality autoresponder service:

When selecting an autoresponder service, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration to ensure maximum performance:

- Personalized responses - Gives the recipient the illusion that your message was sent specifically to them.

- Automatic follow-ups - Studies have shown it may take up to seven contacts before closing a sale.

- Unlimited text length - If you are inhibited by the amount of text your autoresponder may contain, you may be forced to revise a successful sales letter, ultimately costing you business.

- Free Unlimited updating - You must have the ability to update your autoresponders.

- Automatic Notification - You must have the ability to track your ad's performance. You should be instantly informed each time someone requests your information.

Although many web hosts provide their clients with one-time autoresponders, if you're planning on sending out follow-up messages, you'll want to use a more advanced autoresponder.

GetResponse

An advanced autoresponder system that will enable you to not only personalize your messages, but it will also enable you to send an unlimited number of follow-ups. Cost: Advertising supported

SendFree

A one-time autoresponder system with a unique advertising opportunity. This autoresponder is also an ad exchange that enables autoresponder owners to receive free promotion by exchanging ads. Your ad runs on other members' autoresponders and their ads run on yours. Cost: Advertising supported

AWeber

AWeber provides an outstanding autoresponder system that will enable you to take complete control over your autoresponder marketing campaign. This professional autoresponder service provides you with all of the following:

Send HTML or text messages Subscriber signup via email or web form Easily import and export opt-in subscriber lists Automatic removal links within each message Unlimited message length Completely personalize your messages Advanced autoresponders with six follow-up messages Statistics and graphs

Autoresponders are one of the most widely used marketing tools on the Internet. Although they can't completely automate your business, they can certainly save you hours of valuable time, and increase your profits considerably.

Copyright © Shelley Lowery 2002.

About the Author:
This article was adapted from the highly acclaimed ebook series, Web Design Mastery. Web Design expert and author Shelley Lowery's latest ebook is an in-depth guide to professional web design that is rapidly becoming known as the "Bible" for professional web design. http://www.webdesignmastery.com

4) ======= Alter Eagle =======
[Products and services that we recommend]

Matt's Script Archive

Since 1995, Matt's Script archive has provided a wealth of powerful scripts to the web community. These programs can be downloaded and freely used on your site.

Create interactive web sites that provide services and get feedback from your visitors. This is the 'granddaddy' of script sites on the Internet, for a very good reason.

5) ======= Eagle's Talon =======
[Tools to help you "get a grip" on things]

Splitz! - Freeware image editor

Splitz! is an excellent utility which lets you split any image into rectangular parts and export the resulting images along with the HTML table that puts them back together.

You can then easily create mouseover effects without having to use complicated imagemaps. Many image formats and smart JPEG compression are supported.

An essential tool for website development and maintenance.

6) ======= From the Bench =======
[Real-life accounts of hardware, software and more]

["Practical Security for Small Business" series - article #1]

"What is Practical Security for Small Business"?
By Ralph Moore

In order to understand and apply any form of security to your business, first you need to know what is meant by "security" and what is "practical" for your business.

When talking about security, you need to realize that NO man-made system is truly 100% secure. For example; in the physical sense, when you leave your business for the day, you probably lock and deadbolt the building. You may even set an alarm system to deter burglars from making off with your "stuff".

If you are the owner of a dry-cleaning firm, those limited precautions may very well "do the trick". But, if a would-be thief were to walk past your establishment after hours, and notice a neglected cash drawer, the locks and alarm system might not be enough to completely "secure" your property.

What if you owned your city's most prestigious diamond jewelry business? In that case, you might go so far as to add a "night-watchman" whenever your doors are closed.

Now, if the rumour got out that you were displaying a "Hope Diamond" of your very own design in your jewelry shop, someone might just risk a daytime armed robbery.

NO business is really 100% secure. You KNOW that! That is the reason you most likely have an insurance policy.

"Security" for ANY business, large or small is all about control. To the extent that you can control the integrity of the assets that make up the 'sum and substance' of your business, you will have a "secure" business.

So what EXACTLY are the assets of your organization which you can and should attempt to control? And how SPECIFICALLY do you go about controlling them in a practical manner?

The answers to those questions will form the basis for the remaining articles in this series.

The examples listed above show different types of concerns with different security needs.

Could the owners above DO more to BE more secure? Of course they could. But would it be practical to use every known security device or process to reach that level of protection? Probably not.

Systems and strategies for securing the PHYSICAL property of a business have been around for a very long time. But what about OTHER kinds of assets?

For many business owners and professionals, their personal data, such as sales records, contact information, databases, agreements and contracts, etc., are the most important parts of their businesses.

Today, your 'bread and butter' depends upon computer systems and servers that may be located anywhere and that are usually connected to one or more networks, including the Internet.

The direct security and control of these systems and networks is often out of the hands of the business owner. In the future, you can count on these processes to evolve and change even more.

What is practical for your business today, will vary depending upon your business type, how well you understand the risks to your business assets, and the value that you place on them. In the future, changing technology may force you to use new systems and strategies to maintain your security in new ways.

A good security system that is practical for small business will have the following primary characteristics:

It must WORK as you expect it to for YOUR business.

It must allow you to MAINTAIN CONTROL of your assets.

It must GUARD against unauthorized access.

It must include a WORKING BACKUP process.

It must ADAPT to changing technology.

It must be COST EFFECTIVE.

It must allow you to work WITHOUT excessive INTERFERENCE.

While it is true that no system is completely secure, it IS possible to effect good, balanced security that is practical for your business.

By sticking to the rules listed above, and by paying attention to your business and how it functions in our changing connected world, you CAN maintain control of your successful business.

Ralph Moore is the editor of the FREE Eagle Flyer Newsletter, which offers "How To Technology and Tips That Can Multiply Your Business Online". To subscribe to the Eagle Flyer and receive a FREE report, visit: Eagle Flyer Website

7) ======= Eye of the Eagle =======
[Ideas to inspire better communication]

[Editor's Note: As the subtitle suggests, sometimes there are several "right" answers. Please feel free to send in any comments or answers. I may include some of them from time to time.

The real purpose of this section is to get you thinking about how questions are asked, and the different ways in which they can be answered. As you start doing this, you may improve the way you communicate with your customers and associates. Better communication is often a very important ingredient to business success.

For an example, take a good look at this next one.]

If you have seven matches, and burn three of them, how many do you have left?

(Answer(s) in the next issue of the Flyer)

***
Answer to Last Month's Puzzler...

[On a fine sunny day, a boat was in the harbor. All of a sudden the boat began to sink. There was no storm and nothing wrong with the boat yet it sank right in front of the spectators eyes. What caused the boat to sink?]

The commander of the submarine gave the order to "dive"!

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Registered with the Library of Congress. ISSN: 1535-8429
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