11
SHAWENON COMMUNICATIONS   
Effective Messaging
No. 72
March, 2012  
Greetings!

It was a nice Saturday afternoon. I was at my desk, slowly recovering from a wonderful vacation skiing in New Mexico and then bam--attack. What happened and how my computer and I recovered is the subject of the first article.

The second, which has nothing at all to do with violence, is about offering something for free. A good idea--or not?

"I'm Still Confused!," the subject-line experiment from the February issue, was quite successful, producing the highest opens rate in a year. It was three percentage points higher than the previous month--a total of 24 additional readers. The issue garnered some praise as well, and the frog was a big hit.

Stay tuned for a special anniversary issue next month. Web Words will be six. Just think, if it were a person, it would be ready for first grade!

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In This Issue
Evil - I'm not talking politics here
Freebies - What do you give away?
Web Tips - Anti-Malware
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Evil

Green bug virus I'm not talking politics here, though that headline and many more alarming ones have filled my inbox recently. I'm talking about those twisted people who create havoc on other people's computers for fun and--increasingly--for profit.

I was systematically going through my "after vacation" tasks on Saturday, which included visiting a local theater Web site to select dates for ushering. I clicked on a graphic and all of a sudden my computer went bonkers. Virus! Virus! Virus! And nothing worked.

Help

I did what I always do when something unexpected and bad happens to my computer. I panicked. People tell me I shouldn't, but I can't help it. It's an inborn reaction from long before computers. Maybe I dropped a rattle from my crib when I was six months old and figured life was over because I couldn't get it back. But it's not worth years of therapy to find out the root cause.

Malware is a general term for all the bad stuff people can do to your computer. This particular piece of malware--rogue security software--is designed to scare people into buying a full version of fake application software. The fake software displays bogus scan reports and alerts, which are actually simulated to trick the user. The program takes over the whole computer system to prevent removal and, in most cases, blocks other applications, including legitimate anti-malware programs, from running. So much for the protection I had installed.

I learned later that the first thing I should have done was shut down the computer, normally if possible, but by dropping power if that was the only way out. But, of course, I was in a panic so I kept messing with the alerts.

The situation gets worse. I used to have Dell Gold support, which I've written about previously. It expired and they won't renew it because my computer is too old. I knew that, but I tried anyway and ended up in India. I hung up.

Remember I said it was Saturday. But by good fortune, Cody Anderson of Evenerable Group--my trusted techie--was in cell range. He called me and assured me he could solve the problem as soon as he got back to his office. More good luck. I was able to shut down my computer in an orderly fashion. By the next day all was back to normal.

Lessons Learned

Keep everything up to date--operating system, Flash and Java. Somehow I had missed the last six updates to the latter. Updates are there to counteract the latest malware. Check out Web Tips for some other recommended solutions. And don't panic. The good guys are still ahead, at least for the moment.  

Freebies
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What do you give away? What do you charge for? And what's in between?  For most small business owners and business professionals, this is a recurring, serious question. Consultants, lawyers and accountants usually have a policy about getting to know future clients before they start the meter. But where do you draw the line?

Coupons

Hopefully you noticed the coupon at the bottom of the past two issues of Web Words. It offered a "no-fee 30-minute phone session." I've used coupons before as have two other consultants I "follow."

Kat Koppett is a business consultant who uses "the secrets, skill and philosophies of improvisation" to improve communication, creativity and leadership. She has offered a coupon for 30 minutes of free presentation coaching.

Kat believes that there's good marketing value in doing a newsletter. In the days after a mailing, she generally gets emails and phone calls from people she hasn't heard from in a while. And some of them lead to additional consulting work.

Abbie von Schlegell consults to not-for-profit organizations on everything from leadership to fundraising.  Her newsletter coupon offers a free 60-minute consultation if you buy her a cup of coffee! Nice twist. She says, "I've already gotten takers and this is the second or third time I've used a coupon. At least one session led to a client relationship and another was a serious inquiry."

Outcomes

I can't claim such stellar results, but I did have several phone conversations as a result of my recent coupons. I do recommend an end date as interest increased when I reminded people that the deadline was approaching.

Kat makes a good point about coupons for consulting sessions. They require an investment of time from the prospective client as well as the consultant. Studies indicate that those who offer a product have a higher "take" rate. I've done drawings in the past and can testify to that result.

Whether or not you have a host of takers, a coupon raises awareness of your services and invites people to be in touch, even after the coupon has expired. Give it a try.
Web Tips

Tips2The tool used to remove my virus is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. There is a free version to be used when needed. And a paid one that will stand guard against any attackers.

According to their Web site: "Malwarebytes grew from a single person to a team of extremely motivated and highly caffeinated developers, researchers and staff members. Today, Malwarebytes is a leading provider of anti-malware solutions to consumers and businesses alike. With a global research team working around the clock, millions of Malwarebytes' users can sleep soundly (we don't!) knowing their computer is protected."

Another recommended tool is CC Cleaner. This product runs around and snarfs up all the extra unnecessary files that accumulate on your computer while it does its daily tasks. In addition to browser tracks cleaning it will clean tracks from other programs, empty your recycle bin, delete temporary files, and clean your Registry, quickly scanning for invalid entries before removing them.

Obviously, I'm still using a PC, which, I suspect, puts me in the minority of Web Words readers. Though not totally immune, Apple products have very few viruses. That may change as their popularity increases, but so far, so good.  

And Finally . . .

Shawenon Communications collaborates with small businesses, solopreneurs, professionals and not-for-profits to get their messages across in the written word.


We specialize in electronic communications, including e-zines and other forms of email marketing, Web sites and social media.  We also ghostwrite articles and other business communications. As a solution provider, we resell Constant Contact's email marketing service.

 

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Sincerely,
First name
Susanna Opper
Shawenon Communications
413-528-6494


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Last month I talked about some incremental changes Constant Contact has made to their email marketing system.

Since then they've made even more incremental improvements.
And it was good to begin with.

They've also taken some very bold steps into the field of social media, including the introduction of a whole new product. Next month we'll take an in-depth look at their new offering and explore how you can benefit from using it.

In the meantime, if you have been thinking about email marketing, now is the time.
   

Be in touch to talk about how you can use Constant Contact to boost your business with very little effort.

 


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