Ensure,Open,Communication,With DIY Ensure Open Communication Without Relying On E-Mail

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in When starting a new work at home business it is very easy to become consumed by it. We spend so much time trying to get the business up and running that we may end up becoming burned out and lose our motivation. There is so much to learn and

Ensure Open Communication Without Relying On E-Mail(c)2003 Ginger GeracitanoIn these days of E-Mail filtering, we small business owners arehard pressed for effective ways to keep our clients andprospects informed. While an Opt-In list is still the bestMarketing tool you can have working for your business, thereare other ways to keep your offers in front of 'the eyes thatbuy'. I've outlined four of my favorite methods below, butencourage creativity.My premise is simply this; develop a relationship with yourclients and/or prospects, and you will see success. I'vesuccessfully used all of the tactics outlined below to do justthat, develop trusting relationships.I know that this may seem a little out of the mainstream ofwhat other Marketers are saying, but I've personally becometired of 'wondering' if my e-mails are getting through, or howmany important mails are NOT being delivered to me becausemy ISP decided that I didn't need to see that mail. Filtering isway out of hand, and rather than sitting and complainingabout it, I've decided to think outside the box, and come upwith viable alternatives. :o)Online Messenger Services:Free services, such as AIM (AOL Instant Messenger), YahooMessenger, ICQ, Windows Messenger and PalTalk are easy toinstall and operate. I've found that I have to limit my time oneach of these services, otherwise my days tend to slip awayfrom me! Regardless, my clients know where to find me.Services like Yahoo and ICQ allow offline messages too. Thismeans that even if I'm not online, my clients can send me amessage that I will see as soon as I do login. Even if their mailisn't working, we can still communicate!Easy Downloads Available Here:AIM: http://www.aim.com/AIM Add on for easier communication:http://www.jdennis.net/Yahoo: http://messenger.yahoo.com/Windows and Mac versions available, includes voice andcamera viewing capabilities.ICQ: http://www.icq.com/downloadWindows Messenger: http://messenger.microsoft.com/Windows XP and MAC versions available.PalTalk: http://www.paltalk.com/paltalk10/index.htmWindows Operating Systems only.Chat Rooms (Voice OR Text):I sometimes get the urge to meet new people, and talk aboutweb design or graphics, so I go to the different Messengerservices I use, and check out the listed chat rooms.Sometimes, I use the chat rooms on PalTalk for trainingpurposes, and live events. Voice chat rooms are my favorite,because I can listen and participate without having to type!(This means I can multi-task)The PalTalk and Yahoo messenger services above are the bestI've used for voice chat.Message Boards (Forums)I participate in many forums, and haven't found a better wayto mingle with people of like minds and interest. Some of mylong term web design clients have found me through my postsin various forums!Participating in other's forums is a great way to network, andestablish yourself as an expert in your field, but looking at thismeans of communication from another angle, as the owner, it'salso a great way to keep in touch with your clients!If a client's e-mail goes down, they can simply sign into myforum from any web browser, and send me a private message,or post a message to the board. The online advantage isgreat, because there is no mail filtering involved, and if I'm notaround, other forum members may be able to help you too!There are many free forum scripts out there, but some are justridiculously difficult to install yourself. If you're lucky, yourweb host may offer a plug-in that allows you to simply click abutton and have your forum instantly installed.If you're not that lucky, however, there is a very easy toinstall forum that doesn't even require the use of a databasesystem! CuteCast forums operate completely through CGI/Perlcode, and I was able to install one within minutes! I love it,and it runs so smoothly! I'm very impressed with this script,and recommend it whole heartedly.http://www.artscore.net/cutecast/CuteCast forums are VERY customizable, check mine out here:http:/ heportaltosuccess.com/communityOnline Journals (Blogs)For those clients that may not be as 'chatty' as others, I usemy Blog (short for WebLog) to keep them informed on myactivities, affiliations, and current events.Again, similar to the forums, this method is totallyonline/browser based, and I'm able to update on a whim fromany computer with an Internet connection.A time tested success theory states that it is advisable tokeep a journal of your activities so that you can better planand track your goals. I find journals very useful in keepingmyself focused, which is NOT an easy thing to do!Many of my clients have told me that they enjoy getting toknow me through my journal entries. Once again, this all workstowards building those relationships! http:/ pts.blogspot.comWebLogs: http://www.blogger.com/Posting software for serious bloggers: http://wbloggar.com/Making yourself available to those that want to contact youregarding your business is an essential part of operating abusiness on the Internet. The four methods names here are allfree, and only require your time.We shouldn't feel imprisoned by our E-Mail boxes, and weshouldn't feel as though we're shut off from the rest of theworld due to the mail filters imposed on us without ourpermission by ISP's.My clients can reach me without E-Mail. Can you say thesame? Article Tags: Ensure Open Communication, Open Communication Without, Communication Without Relying, Ensure Open, Open Communication, Communication Without, Without Relying