At networking meetings, no one wants to give their thirty-second introduction after I give mine. We always joke a little and say, well, Nancy is a writer, so of course her introduction is good. But it's more than that. My introduction is focused and straight to the point -- "on-line and on paper, I provide the words to meet your marketing needs". I can, if asked, give more details on what kinds of things I write and who I write for (see my website if you want the details!) But for my introduction, I keep it short and focused.

Not knowing what to present in your introduction can actually be part of a larger problem. If you can't explain your business to someone in one sentence, then you don't really know what your business is. We often want to be all things to all people. Who wants to turn away a potential customer? But without focus, you will always be going off on tangents and wind up frustrated. In marketing, the acronym/phrase you'll often see is USP -- unique selling proposition. What is special, different, wonderful. unique about your business? What niche do you fill? What do you really like to do? Figure that out and you'll know how to describe your business in one sentence. And if you still need some help on your thirty-second introduction, check out my August, 2006, newsletter.

Last month I talked about computing in the clouds and I promised that this month I would talk about Dropbox -- one of the companies that offers free file synchronization. You install the software on all of your computers, tablets, smartphones, etc. You then store files that you want to be able to view from anywhere in the Dropbox folder -- and they are stored in the clouds and available when you need them. Even better, you can share files with someone else. When I was editing some documents that I needed my daughter to review, we shared them via Dropbox -- no worries about e-mailing big attachments. Before I went on vacation last week, I copied files for my Technical Communications course to my Dropbox. While we were waiting for the rain to stop, I revised and updated the files and then uploaded them to WebCampus, the FDU on-line system, so I'm ready for my first class next week. And when I got back home, I copied the files to my home computer.

You can store up to 2 GB (actually more) for free. It's $10 a month for 50 GB and $20 a month for 100 GB. However, if you refer someone to Dropbox (or get referred), you automatically get more storage space. (Note--if you click on my Dropbox link above and sign-up, I get referral credit and so do you.) "Mashable" ran a great article on "Dropbox Tips for Wizards, Intermediates & Beginners". I have to admit I don't understand all of the tips, particularly those for the wizards, but it's interesting. Be sure to read down to the comments, as there are more tips there. And the Dropbox website has a good tutorial (both video and text) that really explains how it works.

Do you have a LinkedIn profile? Many people use LinkedIn to find a job, but you should also be using it as one of the marketing tools for your business. Not sure how to do that? I can review your LinkedIn profile and show you how to make it better. And if you aren't on LinkedIn yet, I can help you set-up your profile. Make an appointment today and let LinkedIn work for you!

Are you interested in trying e-mail marketing? I am a Certified Constant Contact Expert and a Constant Contact Solution Provider. Which means I can help you with your e-mail marketing -- whether it's helping with set-up, writing the content, or doing something more advanced. I can even set up your contact lists, help you choose a template, and develop your e-mail schedule. To learn more, click here.

E-mail marketing is a way to stay in front of your customers. Whether it's an e-letter (like this one), notice of a special event or sale, or just a holiday greeting, e-mail marketing should be a part of your marketing package. Let me help you get started.