Triona's Tech Tips

How can you harness the power of LinkedIn and, more importantly, how do you find the time? My column in today’s Northwest Herald talks about how you can achieve LinkedIn success in just five minutes a day if you follow these guidelines:

• Prepare
  If you save inspiring quotes and links to interesting articles in a file, you can quickly copy and paste them into your LinkedIn status. Your status can be anything as long as it’s concise and relevant to your industry.
• Schedule
  Make a five-minute window in your day. Dedicate that time only to LinkedIn and, other than that, forget about it.
• Prioritize
  Responding to invitations and messages should be first, posting new status updates second, and managing recommendations third. Don’t forget thank yous! They go a long way toward building relationships.
• Respond
  If John Smith posted that he has a new job, send congratulations. If Mary Jones shares a link to an article, respond with your viewpoint. It only takes a moment and it increases your visibility.
• Integrate
  Do you have a blog? If you’re manually posting updates to LinkedIn, you’re wasting time. You can integrate LinkedIn with blogs, Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare and other social networking sites.
• Explore
  Take one minute out of your five to familiarize yourself with LinkedIn. Try searching for events, participating in group discussions, asking or answering questions in the Q&A forums. But don’t share too many personal details, because criminals use LinkedIn and other social networking sites to glean information about potential victims.
• Revise
  Every few months, expand your five minutes into a half hour and review your LinkedIn profile. The most important parts are your “headline” or title, your status, and your summary. We are all evolving as professionals, and your LinkedIn profile should evolve with you.
• Relax
  LinkedIn isn’t a contest. There’s no reward for getting 500 contacts or answering a million questions in the Q&A section. The way you reap the rewards of LinkedIn is by using it to expand your horizons.

Join me this Thursday for Leveraging LinkedIn, sponsored by the Cary Grove Chamber Of Commerce. More seminars on blogs and social networking available this summer, keep an eye on my Upcoming Events page or subscribe to the Tech Tips e-newsletter for details as they become available.

Leveraging LinkedIn
Cary Grove Chamber Of Commerce
Thursday, May 26, 2011, 12pm-1:30pm
Fox River Grove Village Hall, 305 Illinois St., Fox River Grove IL

Discover how to get the most out of LinkedIn. We’ll explore the features of LinkedIn and how you can best use them to market yourself or your business. To register, contact the Cary Grove Chamber Of Commerce at 847-639-2800.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews, plus notice of upcoming seminars and other events. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

eWeek recently shared the ten reasons they feel Microsoft must start thinking beyond Windows and Office, and one of the most important is cloud computing. With the success of services like Google Docs and the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, the relevance of traditional computer seems to be fading. Or is it?

In cloud computing, all programs and files reside “in the cloud,” or on the Internet. This means you don’t have to spend as much in hardware, because you don’t need the processing power of a traditional computer. The same data can be accessed from any device that can surf the Web. Even if, say, your smartphone dies, you can still reach your files with another device like an iPad or a netbook.

But there are disadvantages to cloud computing, as I mentioned in a previous Tech Tips article. You don’t know where your files live nor whether they’re secure, and if your Internet or cloud computing service goes down, you’re out of luck. Users of Microsoft’s Office Live discovered this to their dismay recently, when the service went down on two occasions (here and here). As I said before, I personally don’t want to lose access to basic word processing just because some server happens to fail.

For the moment, we’re seeing a mix of both approaches. Most small businesses are continuing to use traditional approaches while exploring new technologies, and I predict that’s going to continue for a while. We’re not quite at the point where people are willing to commit their computing world to the cloud, but we’d better get ready because our world is becoming more mobile, more social, and less private than ever before.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

In my tech column in this past weekend’s Northwest Herald I talked about what to do with an “orphaned” Web site you can’t access or change. It’s not enough to have a presence on the Web. If your site is stale or outdated, it’s time to consider a makeover.

The last thing you want is for customers to think you’re not around anymore, but that’s exactly the impression an outdated Web site gives. Many people let their sites lapse because they’re embarassed that they’ve forgotten how to access them. That’s nothing to be ashamed of. Now is a great time to reassess your site, decide what you want to change, and document the account details and other relevant information so that the next time you consider a makeover, you’ll have the foundation laid.

Some people balk at the idea of redoing their Web sites. They figure they just had them done a few years ago so there’s nothing that needs to be changed. But have you ever visited a site that you could tell was old just by looking at it? As technology changes, so do the tools we use to build Web sites. Think of it like decorating your office lobby. You don’t necessarily need the latest styles, but you don’t want the place to look shabby either.

Other site snafus include “news” that’s dated years ago and incorrect contact information. You should also see if there is anything else you need to add or change. Have you introduced new products or services? Are you now affiliated with an organization that could give you a boost?

Make a point to reassess your Web site on a regular basis. If you have a site that needs fine-tuning, let me know how I can help.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

Last month thousands of Droid smartphone users discovered they’d gotten an information-stealing virus alongside programs from the official Droid Market. This generated speculation in the IT world: Just how safe are our smartphones? Gone are the days when a phone was just a phone. Today your phone has valuable information on it and precious little protection.

Antivirus for smartphones is where antivirus for personal computers was back in the mid-1990s: most offerings are rudimentary and most people don’t worry about it. I predict mobile security is going to become more and more of a headache for small businesses and consumers.

What can you do? If you think your phone may be infected, the surest way to deal with it is to wipe your phone and restore from backup. But viruses are very fast at swiping your information and sending it who knows where, so the damage may have already been done.

It’s better to secure your phone so it’s harder for viruses to get in. Follow manufacturer’s instructions to lock down your phone’s security. Firms like Symantec, Kaspersky and Eset have smartphone security programs available. You should also make sure you are running the latest version of your phone’s software.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

I’d like to say thanks to Jane Friedman, former publisher and editorial director of Writer’s Digest, for publishing my guest post on her WD blog, There Are No Rules. The post is called Ten Steps To Secure Your WordPress Blog From Hackers. It’s geared toward those running their own installations of WordPress, but also applies to those hosting their blogs with WordPress, Blogger, or other services.

Also, don’t miss my Blogs For Business seminar this Friday, April 1, 2011, from 8:30am-10am, part of the Crystal Lake Chamber Business Builder Breakfast series. To register, please contact the Crystal Lake Chamber at 815-459-1300. Here are more upcoming seminars in April and May. For registration details, see my web site.

Social Networking For Business
Business Networking Group
Friday, April 22, 2011, 7:30am-8:30am
Routes 176 and 45, Mundelein IL

Leveraging LinkedIn
Cary Grove Chamber Of Commerce
Thursday, May 26, 2011, 12pm-1pm
Fox River Grove Village Hall, 305 Illinois St., Fox River Grove IL

Hope to see you there!

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

While social media can be beneficial for businesses, some companies have chosen to ban their employees from using it at work. But company computers aren’t the only way to access social media. If you ban your employees from using Facebook, aren’t they just going to whip out their smart phones? Is there a way to balance employee social media use with the needs of your business?

Years ago people asked this same question about computer games, specifically Windows Solitaire. Some businesses found that access to the game actually helped employee performance by allowing them to blow off steam or entertain themselves while on break. Others made it standard policy to remove all games from corporate computers.

In the case of social media, there are other dangers besides lost productivity. Sites like Facebook and Twitter are some of the hottest entryways for viruses and malware. And, as a business, you want to make sure that those who speak for you online are presenting a consistent marketing message and refraining from inappropriate comments.

However, you may be stifling your business if you don’t permit your employees to interact with customers and business contacts via social media. A presence on LinkedIn, Facebook and/or Twitter is becoming as necessary for businesses as a Web site or an email address.

There really is no one right answer. Whether you permit social media sites at work depends on whether the business use outweighs the risks, and whether you consider reasonable personal usage a benefit you want to extend. If you do choose to allow it, make sure you educate your employees on how to use it in a safe, secure, and effective fashion.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

Businesses and consumers alike find convenience in sharing passwords but doing so is highly risky, as demonstrated by a recent incident concerning wireless carrier Vodafone. Vodafone’s customer database was compromised using login information that was shared among employees. Shared passwords may seem convenient, but if you establish the proper procedures you can do without them while still enabling your people to get the job done.

When employees need network access, the proper thing to do is assign usernames and passwords specific to those employees, then grant or revoke permission to network resources depending on what the employees require for their jobs. Yet I routinely see companies setting up shared passwords. Because these passwords are typically not changed when people leave the company, it widens the potential for unauthorized access. Also, it muddies the audit trail. You should always be able to tell specifically who logged into what and when. It’s vital to establish a process for creating and deleting accounts as employees come and go, as well as mechanisms for altering access to network resources as appropriate. This is especially true if someone has administrative access to networks and servers. If you have an account that is not assigned to a particular person, say for shipping or vendors, you should limit who has access to that account and make sure the password is changed when employee duties are reassigned. Is that inconvenient? Perhaps, but ask Vodafone how inconvenient it was to have a journalist call them up and tell them she had access to their customer database, and imagine the damage if such access was gained by a competitor.

Shared passwords are equally risky for consumers. While it’s a good idea to make sure a trusted individual such as your spouse can access your accounts in an emergency, it is never a good idea to blithely give Aunt Gertrude access to your Facebook account so she can see your kids’ pics. Better for her to get her own account and friend you. It’s not that your family and friends intend to do harm, but a password once shared is a genie out of a bottle, and getting used to sharing passwords trends toward complacency in your computer security mindset. You should take your home computer security as seriously as any company does, if not more so. A company can lose face and revenue, but you can lose your own personal identity.

Don’t forget the rules of strong passwords, and remember they need to be unique on every system and changed on a regular basis. Again, inconvenient? Not when you compare it to the damage control you’d have to do if your company suffers a data breach, or if your individual identity is stolen.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

A virtual computer is a computer that runs inside a software program on another computer. Often used by large companies to save on server costs, they can also be used to great advantage by small businesses and consumers.

You may be familiar with dual-boot computers, in which a computer can be started in either of two different operating systems (say, Windows XP or Windows 7). But dual-boot computers can only run one operating system at a time. It’s hard to share data, and if you want to switch between them you have to reboot. With a virtual computer, both systems run simultaneously, allowing you to quickly access the resources you need.

How can this benefit you? What if you want to upgrade to Windows 7, but you still have some software that only works in Windows XP? You could run a virtual version of Windows XP in Windows 7. Or, if you have a Mac, you can get the best of both worlds by running a virtual version of Windows on your Mac.

You’ll need special software to create a virtual computer. Some examples include VMWare Workstation for Windows, VMWare Fusion for Mac, and Parallels Desktop for Windows and Mac.

The biggest disadvantage of a virtual computer is that it takes up a lot of memory and hard drive space. That’s because you are effectively running two computers on one set of hardware. If your computer is relatively new this won’t be a problem, but older computers will slow down significantly when running virtual computers on top of their regular operating systems.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.

My column in today’s Northwest Herald talks about how a professional email address can boost your business. By professional I mean creating a custom domain name (the part after the @ symbol). Many people simply use the email address offered by their Internet providers (ending in @comcast.net or @aol.com), but why pass up the opportunity to get your business name in front of people? A custom address looks more professional and helps you advertise. Setting up your own domain name is inexpensive, and you don’t have to change the way you read your email. Plus, if you change email providers you don’t have to tell everyone; simply redirect your custom email to your new address. It’s like having a post office box that stays constant even if you move.

After choosing your domain name, you register it with a domain registrar. There are many out there, so check online reviews and ask your colleagues for recommendations. Some have better service and prices than others. Domains need to be renewed yearly, although you can sign up for multiple years in advance and often receive a discount. Stay on top of renewal. You don’t want a cybersquatter to yank your hard-earned domain out from under you. Next, you need to choose your new email address and point it to your existing one. It’s common to have an “info” address, like info@mycompanyname.com. You may also want to set up addresses for employees, but be sure to follow the same standard for everyone (e.g. firstname@mycompanyname.com, firstname.lastname@mycompanyname.com) or it may be confusing to potential customers.

Choosing the right name is probably the hardest part of the process. Since many domain names are taken, you want to choose a name that represents your business, but isn’t too long or too vague. Some of the common questions I get on choosing the right domain name are:

• Should I pick a .com domain or a .net domain?
  In general I recommend .com (unless you are an organization in which case .org would be appropriate). A lot of people don’t even look at the last part of the address, assuming it’s .com, so if yours is .net you’ll spend a lot of time reminding people. You can always hedge your bets and register both the .com and .net versions of your domain.
• What do I do if someone else has taken my company name as their domain?
  You probably don’t have much recourse, unless you happen to have the name trademarked (and even then it may be a struggle). Your best bet is to choose a different name. If all variations of your company’s name are taken you could try combining the name with what you sell: mycompanywidgets.com instead of mycompanyname.com. Or you could add the location: mycompanychicago.com.
• Can I use the same domain for my web site?
  Absolutely! In fact this is one of the nice things about having your own domain, it serves for both your web site and your email address. If you don’t have a web site yet, registering your domain reserves that name so you can use it down the road. When you’re ready all you have to do is point your domain to your web site host.
• Can I direct my info@mycompanyname.com address to more than one person?
  Yes. Follow your domain registrar’s instructions. Usually what you do is enter the email addresses with commas between them. Then messages to info@mycompanyname.com will automatically go to those addresses.

Subscribe free to Tech Tips and receive bonus tips, tricks and product reviews. Click here to subscribe or send email to techtips-request-at-guidryconsulting-dot-com, subject “subscribe”.