Wayne's Small Biz Tech Blog

Here's to Pinchy

Pinchy has been acting strange the last 3 weeks. He hasn't been active at night like usual and hasn't gone into his home during the day. He's just been hanging out at a corner.

Pinchy is my daughter's hermit crab. Pinchy has been a member of our house (or "zoo" as I sometimes like to call it) for the last 2 years. Along with his cage mate Hermie, the two hermit crabs have gone on adventures under the couch and eaten quite a few carrots. They also require a few squirts of water from time to time. Today I picked up Pinchy to give him a few squirts, but something was different.

Pinchy didn't move. I squirted some more, sometimes it takes a while for Pinchy to come out and get the full watering he seems to enjoy. Instead, Pinchy fell out of the shell, or at least what looked like most of him. I had to let my daughter know. I think I probably worded it a bit wrong when I blurted out "The crab's dead". My daughter was devastated.

She cried, called her best friend, and cried some more. The funeral was held quickly, we found a nice small box to place him in. My daughter wanted the shell to remember Pinchy by, but pulling the remains out did not seem to be the right thing to do. No, Pinchy would be buried, shell and all.

The funeral was nice, we placed him about 2 feet under and my daughter planted a flower over him. A red flower, the same color as his shell. She hung out nearby for a while before she had to go to the library with her Mom. I stayed at the house, having work to finish up.

In the quiet after they left, something was bothering me. There was a claw in the shell that just didn't seem like a back claw. I got the book that came with the hermit crabs. The picture showed something like what I saw as a back claw, but still. I read on.

The book mentioned that it is common to mistake the exoskeleton of a molting hermit crab as a dead crab and not to do this. WHAT!!!??? Hermit crabs molt??? Who knew? Okay, probably all of you reading this knew. I didn't.

I ran out to the burial site. Pinchy had been under for a while now. Maybe he wasn't molting. Or worse, what if he was only molting but couldn't handle being buried for so long. Time to dig him out! But what if he really wasn't alive. I carefully dug out the flower before digging in. "Who was the idiot who put him 2 feet under??!", I said under my breath, as I dug through the dirt. Finally, the little box. I brought it out and put it aside. I don't know why, buy I reconstructed the burial site, flower and all, before opening the box.

"Hey idiot, what was THAT all about?", I could have sworn I heard Pinchy say as I opened the box and he crawled a little out of his shell. "A little water and oxygen tank next time, or at least a panic button to the outside built into the box, pleeeeze?". Pinchy was okay. I called my wife and left her a message that Pinchy was okay and to let our daughter know. I told her I dug him out and CPR was successful, but I digress.

To my daughter it was a miracle, Pinchy was alive and well. Her prayers were answered. Pinchy came back to her and rejoined Hermie. Not only that, Pinchie is all pink and new, having shed his old "skin" and is now awaiting his new "skin". He seems no worse for his ordeal today. I can't say the same for me. Of course, the miracle for my wife and I is that it didn't take 2-3 weeks before figuring out Pinchy was only molting.

We all sometimes feel like things are hopeless. Maybe business is down, creditors banging at the door, or our personal lives not going as planned. Like today with Pinchy, life has a way of showing us things aren't always as they seem.

XP Phase-out Begins Monday, June 30

It's official and the XP petitioners lost. Windows XP is going away and Vista will be the only option for Microsoft Operating Systems very soon. The phase-out begins Monday, June 30. Microsoft also announced that their next operating system, Windows 7, is scheduled for release in January of 2009.

So the two questions I hear the most is "What is really going to happen on Monday?" and "Will I be able to still get XP after Monday?". Let's start with what's happening on Monday.

What is really going to happen with XP on Monday:

• Windows XP will no longer be made available to PC makers for pre-installing on new PCs. Most manufacturers stopped selling desktop PCs with XP already loaded last week. For example, Dell announced it stopped selling XP desktops on June 26th.
• Windows XP will no longer be sold retail. So, if you want to go and buy a boxed version of the XP operating system, you won't be able to as of Monday.

Will I be able to still get Windows XP after Monday?

The short answer is "in most cases, yes".

Microsoft conveniently left in a few loopholes that allow sales to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). In otherwords, online retailers like Newegg and Tiger Direct will sell OEM versions via this loophole. In fact, as a reseller I will still be offering Windows XP OEM versions for those who need it. Some requirements apply, but they are very minor. Since I, like others in the computer business, am still not recommending Vista for business use computers I will be recommending XP Pro for at least a few more months if not longer.

Microsoft made another exception as well. They are allowing Windows XP to be pre-installed by manufacturers in low-cost "netbooks" or "nettops". Unfortunately for business use these low cost systems are not suitable.

The OEM version of Windows XP discussed earlier will not be suitable for many small businesses wanting XP because it requires a new manual install of the operating system.  Most businesses change operating systems only when buying new equipment. Can businesses still get XP on new desktops and laptops? The answer is "Yes", but with fewer options than before.

Pre-Installed Windows XP For Businesses

There are actually two ways for get new desktops and laptops with XP pre-installed. The first is by using the OEM exemption we discussed earlier. The "white box" manufacturers of computers can use that OEM exemption mentioned earlier. These are the companies that build their own custom computers. Since the computer or notebook is custom and they have the OEM exemption, you can order it with XP pre-installed. My company offers Proteon desktops and laptops that can be ordered this way. They are slightly more expensive than their brand-name counterparts, but you know exactly what components are used and can select which parts you want to spend more or less money on.

The second way is being offered by the name-brand computer manufacturers like Acer, the brand I sell the most of. On some models the customer can select to install Vista or "downgrade" to XP on the initial installation and setup of the computer. However, I only have model under $1,000 that this option is available on. There are far more models with this option that cost over $1,000. It seems the manufacturers and Microsoft are filling the need for businesses by keeping this option on the better performing and capable models. Especially since the option is only available with Vista Business and Vista Ultimate versions of the operating system.

Windows XP Support and Updates Will Continue

Although the phase-out has begun, Windows XP will be available through OEMs and system builders in the way just outlined until January 31, 2009 according to Microsoft. It is also important to note that Microsoft will support, provide security updates,and supply critical updates to XP until April 2014.

And on the horizon is Windows 7, supposedly coming in 2009, which is said to be an improved version of Vista without the incompatibility hassles by the Microsoft people.

I, for one, can hardly wait. And yes,that was sarcasm. 

Me for President '08!

Thank you to everyone who has done so much to help my Presidential bid! Together we can win! In case you've missed the story, Channel 3 did a pretty good job summerizing my campaign. Click here in case you missed it:

www.News3Online.com/NewCandidate062408.htm

My campaign slogan? "I can't possibly screw things up any worse than the other candidates!" It was either that or "Economy, what economy?"  I look forward to your vote in October or November or whatever month they hold elections.

I hear U.S. President pays okay, and you pretty much have the job guaranteed for 4 years unless you do something really, really stupid. I can use the extra bucks. A few vacations at Camp David sounds fun, too. I'd appreciate your vote!

Okay, so it's just a viral marketing campaign. But what a great marketing strategy! I had never heard about PalTalk until a friend sent me the video announcing his Presidential campaign. I've heard of them now and even know what they are selling. According to the website traffic ranking people, they have increased their traffic over the last month substantially, approx 2% which is considered very good due to their already high ranking.

While viral marketing sites like this one aren't new, give them credit. They are timely. The site is fun and gives the user a reason to spread their marketing message. And, they are doing no harm unlike what the spammers and virus "evil-doers" are doing (I'm even sounding Presidential now!). Note: "Viral Marketing" is using techniques to get others to spread your marketing message legitimately. Don't confuse the term viral with virus.

What are you doing to get your message out? Are you using the power of word-of-mouth and viral marketing? You do this through business networking, special offers and events, and creative fun campaigns like this one. How creative can you get? Think about it. Then do it.

Big Ben and Crash Partlo

A few weeks ago my Mom brought a box of my old artwork from my cartoonist years for my daughter to go through. Included in the cartoons were a couple of comic strips I had submitted to the syndicates many years ago. Although each were rejected (I still have the notices) one strip did better than the others. It was called "The Real World" and was based on a machine shop where I worked.

My daughter quickly picked out one of the characters in the strip as her favorite from the entire box. The character was "Crash" Partlo. In the strip, "Crash" was well known for crashing his jeep (see above) as well as being a bit attracted to the receptionist Sue. "Crash" was one of the easiest characters to write, so I wasn't very surprised when my daughter picked the character as her favorite and started drawing him herself. 

 

"Crash" Partlo was based on a very real person I worked with at the time. Unlike the cartoon strip, his story was actually pretty tragic. "Crash" was a very good machinist and a very good drummer for a rock band. He even did side gigs for the band "The Cars" when they played locally. His future was looking bright. Until he got into a jeep one night with his best friend after a night out. "Crash" lived that night, his friend wasn't so lucky. "Crash" never played in a band again, at least as long as I knew him. The severe head injury took away much of what he was able to do. He could no longer work as a machinist. 

The accident didn't take Crash's sense of humor away. Crash frequently suggested the material for the strips he was in. If anything, his sense of humor got even better after the accident. Maybe it was a survival skill. I really don't know.

The biggest change for me was how I viewed the owner of the machine shop after Crash came back to work. His name was Ben and he was never known for his "people skills". A "Thank you" or "Good job" from Ben was rare. He paid his workers and work was expected. Your paycheck was your thank you. I'll leave it at as business owner "Big Ben", as we called him, was tough and at times difficult to work for.

But what I remember most about Ben after these many years is that he didn't make Crash's difficulties worse. He found a job for Crash in the company that he could still handle. Yes, Crash did occasionally drive the fork lift (see the strip above, my daughter's favorite) as well as other tasks that didn't include machining centers. Ben could have laid off Crash, but he didn't. Ben was human after all, we found out.

Big Ben was a good business man, his shop always made money. More importantly, he was a good person even if he didn't always show it during business hours. Not a bad way to be remembered.

I lost touch with Crash when I went off in a different career direction. Too bad. My daughter would like to meet her favorite cartoon strip hero.

Sales 101: Visit a Garage Sale or Flea Market

Want to watch raw sales in action? Go visit a yard sale or even better, a flea market. Here on Cape Cod there is a pretty good size flea market in Wellfleet, at the drive-in. Yes, Cape Cod still has a drive-in.

My daughter loves rocks and gems and what better place to find them than at a flea market? Everyone is a salesperson at a flea market, even the customers looking for bargains. Let me say this for the Wellfleet flea market this past weekend, it was like one of my favorite movies ... The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

The Good

My daughter practically ran to the first tent, one loaded with gems, rocks, and jewelry. The salesman David was very friendly and personable. He also seemed to know a lot about his items. As we were looking at the more expensive items, he told my daughter that she gets one free gem with each purchase. My daughter quickly picked out a $1.00 "crystal" and asked if she still got her free one. David said, "yes you do, go ahead and pick out a special one." It meant a lot to my daughter. It meant more to me. David kept his word, even though I doubt it was meant for a $1.00 purchase. Very good salesperson, that David.

The Bad

I don't mean bad salespeople here. I mean bad is in "not a friendly sales technique" or more accurately "Wayne didn't get the bargain he wanted". This next tent sold hats, rings, coins, and other trinkets. The tent layout showed that these people were not new to flea market sales.

I can't help myself. I have to barter, especially at places like this. I picked out a silly coin set and my daughter picked out a $3 ring. The total came to $9. I offered $5. They countered with $7. I did what I always do, I countered with $6 and then walked away. Most times that results in a counter offer. They shrugged and walked away too. Ugh. They were bad! But in a not so bad way. I bought the things for $7. As a small business owner, I want them as my salespeople. As a customer, I don't want them as the salespeople.

The Ugly

The last tent we stopped at I put in the Ugly category. Ugly as in, "why is this person in sales at all?"  Again, my daughter found a little trinket she liked. A cat that looked a lot like the newest addition to our family, Bridget. I asked "how much?" She said "one dollar." I said "50 cents!" She responded with what can only be called a diatribe about how dare I teach my daughter such things as bartering and don't I know how it is sooooo much hard work for her to sell these things? I think she said more, but we were already gone. I believe that learning bartering skills will serve my daughter very well in life by the way.

I wanted to tell this saleswoman that it really wasn't all about her or how hard sales is for her. If it is that hard on her, she should go find other ways to spend her weekends. I had a great debate ready to launch at her, but walked away instead. She seemed the type that already knew everything her mind could fit in and it was doubtful she had any room left for any advice I could render.

Reward The Good

No, we didn't buy the cat trinket or anything else from this "Ugly" vendor. Instead, we went back and bought one of the more expensive items from David. I appreciate good salespeople with my business. Don't you?

It's The Service Economy, Stupid

I'm really worried about the economy. I bet you are too.

I'm worried for all the reasons you probably are. And some others, too. I believe a nation's true measure of how well it is doing can be measured by how well the manufacturing sector is doing. I may be biased. I spent many years working very closely with manufacturers. A country needs to be able to make tangible things. Things that it's own people and other countries want. Thats where the real money, and economic success has always been. At least in my opinion.

When the economic numbers came out earlier this month, two things stood out. The growth in the manufacturing sector is contracting. It's stalled near its lowest level in 5 years. The second was that the service economy expanded. That's good news, right? Well, maybe not.

According to "experts", the services sector makes up 80% of our economy here in the US. Ugh. The positive reading in the service sector resulted in stocks trading lower. Even wall street traders concluded that growth in services was a bad thing. They must go to the same businesses in the service sector I've been to lately.

Every once in a while, maybe once a month, I'll go to a place called McDonald's for a quick breakfast (I'm sure you have heard of it!). Last week I placed my order at the drive through and went to the window to pick it up. The "cashier" was busy making arrangements for the evening with what must have been a good friend he was talking to on his cell phone. I wasn't an annoyance since the "cashier" either didn't know, or care, that I was at the window. His manager came over to complete the transaction.

In fairness to McDonald's, my son is an assistant manager for a McDonald's in another state. His store has a firm "no cellphones" rule and even managers can be written up for violations. He assures me that the rule has been enforced effectively at his location.

Unfortunately though, for me the situations like the one I mentioned come up every day. I run into uncaring, sometimes rude, workers in the service sector daily. (If anyone working at Dunkin Donuts is reading this ... you don't drop chocolate covered donuts upside down from 3 feet into a bag. Take the 3 seconds to place it in the bag right side up please!)

It's not just a fast-food problem. It seems to be a problem growing as fast as gasoline prices in a lot of service industries.

It seems that, in general, we may not be very good at "service". In cases like the one above, we aren't even very good at managing. Of course, those businesses that offer great service are weathering the current recession better than those that aren't.

If we want to be a true, global "service economy" we better start implementing techniques across the board in all industries to ensure better customer experiences.

Email at Night, Email In The Morning?

Okay, you just sent out your first email campaign to lots an lots of Email addresses. You followed all the latest suggestions from the Email Marketing Company you just signed up with. So, now all there is to do wait for the cash to come rolling in, right?

Well, probably not. As I've already blogged about (Would It Hurt To Call Once In While), to Email market correctly you need to follow up with at least one other method of communication. Preferably two or more other methods. Sales is all about building relationships. Email does not build relationships! You need to also use mail, the phone, and/or a personal visit to be truly effective.

One of the bigger "Email Marketing Solution Providers" gave a couple of seminars in my area recently. I know because I got told the same recommendation by several people this week. "It is very important that marketing emails get sent during the day", they told me, "because people delete Emails they receive over night." Each person admitted they were told this at the seminar and felt that it was great advice. Of course this "Email Marketing Solution" let their customers send Emails during the day! Well, in my humble opinion, what a load of crap.

Let's take a look at why they emphasis sending Emails during the day at their seminar...

Simply put, they are an Email-Only solution. If their studies show that you can get a few more people to open your Email if it is not sent overnight, great ... so be it. Here's the problem I have with what they are telling their potential customers. They are teaching them how to knowingly do the wrong thing, just better. Let's face it, if you are trying to get people you don't know to open Emails from you that they don't want, even during the day, you are a spammer!

Of course with Email-Only solutions, you are most likely sending your marketing messages to people you haven't established a relationship with. Many people using their service, although giving assurances otherwise, aren't really sending their Emails to true opt-in Email lists. Of course their emails get deleted when sent at night. Most get deleted when sent during the day, too. Maybe a few less, but is this seminar really teaching good business practices.

Harvesting true opt-in lists of people wanting your Newsletters, Special Offers, and Emails is hard work.

Just because they were once a customer doesn't mean they are anxiously waiting to receive Emails. Harvesting names through simple methods is just outright wrong, and could even be costly. You must be using your website, point-of-sale, and other marketing methods to get people to willingly give you their email address and know they will be seeing Email from you from time to time. You need an effective way to database these clients easily, or it won't get done.

People who give out their Email address expect to receive something of value from time to time. They have to consistently get Emails and something that interests them in the postal mail once in a while. And would it hurt to call them once in awhile? Even if they do opt-out, isn't that a good reason to call and find out why?

For full disclosure purposes I have to say that the system I helped design, MyEzCRM, can send out Emails at night or during the day. Newsletters and individual campaigns can be sent whenever the user wishes them to go out. I believe it is important that "when" Emails are sent isn't important. Because if it is, then there is a problem with the company's marketing strategy. MyEzCRM automated messages do go out at night, intentionally. All Emails go out with the senders name, a way to opt-out, and a way to report abuse. If the people that are receiving these Emails know the sender, the message will get read. Would you delete an Email from your friend just because they emailed after midnight? Probably not.

To market successfully, more companies should spend more effort on establishing and building their business relationships and retention marketing instead of expending all that energy on finding the most effective ways to get a few more people to open up their spam.

Search Engine Placement and Google AdWords

Two of the questions I'm asked the most concern search engines.

The first question is "How do I get better placement in search engines?" The second is "Should I use something like Google AdWords to get better exposure online?" Since Google is at the top of the search engine food chain, I'm going to answer them both as Google specific questions.

Search Engine Placement

All search engines use a variety of mathematical techniques to decide which sites get listed and in what order. For some it is as simple as who pays them the most for placement. For others it may be Alexa ranking related. Some still use keywords and number of sites linking to a specific site. In almost all cases its a complex scheme each search engine uses and the items that affect page rankings changes often.

Although Google also changes their techniques and priority items frequently, they remain true to their foundation. Google became the search engine leader through relevance. What Google did that others didn't do as well was put the websites that were most relevant to a user's search first. Google users would find what they were looking for within the first few pages of results. In most cases on the first page of the results.

Although it can be done, it is difficult to trick Google's ranking methods for long. The key to great placement, at least on Google, is to make your site relevant to what your customers are looking for. One of the core methods used by Google is to track how many times your website gets selected when it does come up. The more people who click through, the better your placement becomes. One simple method for better plavement is to make sure the text Google displays is appropriate to the what your target audience is looking for. This means spending the extra time on your website development and creating coherant META tags. This alone will get you more click throughs.

Working with your referral partners and business associates to swap links helps also. Although the emphasis has lessened some recently, the number of sites linking to yours does affect search engine placement, even on Google.

This blog isn't intended to be a full discourse on search engine optimization. Instead it is intended to get you thinking about the initial things you can do to improve your placement. With Google it is to make sure your site is relevant to those who find it.

Google AdWords

Google AdWords is a great way to get exposure for your website. According to Google, around 75% of local customers use the Internet to research before selecting a merchant. Done correctly, Google AdWords can get your website displayed on the first page of the results you think your customers are looking for.

Simply put, Google AdWords are a way for you to get good placement on Google by paying for it. The cost can be fairly inexpensive, but for others it can be very expensive. Lets look at why.

As mentioned, Google has based it's whole corporate identity on relevance. They incorporated this into AdWords as well. In a nutshell, it is good for Google to have good ads that are relevant (there's that word again) to the search on their results pages. It is bad for Google to have ads that make no sense. The more "bad" ads that appear, the less likely their users will click on them. This means less revenue for Google since "good" advertisers will leave if they aren't getting expected results. Google doesn't like frustrated users either. Google users expect relevant results!

How Google designed AdWords is brilliant, once you look at what they are doing. It rewards "good" advertisers while it punishes "bad" advertisers. And what is great for Google is that they make money off of both!

Here's the scoop. The more relevant your Google AdWord advertisement is, the less it will cost you. The less relevant, the more it will cost you. If you are an advertiser who thinks paying for placement on result pages for people searching "free porn" will bring in a lot of customers for your landscaping company because your ad will come up so much, you are wrong. Your landscaping ad is not relevant. Few will click on your ad. Google will keep raising your price per click through. Soon you will have the choice to pay a lot for each click through or stop the ad. Since your ad is not relevant, you will not be getting much business from it anyway. You will eventually go away (good for Google) after paying too much for click throughs (good for Google).

Now if you pay for search terms like "landscaping" and "spring cleanups" and target your specific region (Yes, Google AdWord DO work for local merchants, another question I get a lot!) you are now relevant to what your customers are searching for. Google will accept less and less as you get more click throughs (less than 10 cents a click is very common). You are now getting great exposure for very little cost. And, you can set your budget to keep from overspending.

Google AdWords take some time and management to get the fullest benefit. You can hire a Google AdWords Reseller (like me) to manage it for you or do it yourself. Just make sure you write your ad specific and to the point. And make sure your keywords and ads are relevant!

Would It Hurt To Call Once In A While ...

Email has greatly affected how we all do business. It is an easy way to communicate with our clients, business partners, and even family. Email is also a very inexpensive way to advertise and market to our prospects and customers.  Email has even changed the way we communicate with each other within our own offices.

Including the ill effects of spam and other Internet related workplace abuses, most of us will admit that Email has been more of a benefit to our companies through better communication and cheaper marketing costs. Thats why we all use it so much!

I'm sure many of us realize Email has also changed the way many of do business unfavorably. For this blog we are going to ignore the wasted time spam causes us, the lost hours securing our computers from email viruses, and other time wasting evils Email has brought into our businesses. Instead we're going to take a look at the bad habits Email has created in far too many of us otherwise good business people.

DO YOU HIDE BEHIND EMAIL?

Email can be used for so many things that used to be far more difficult. Have a problem with a supplier? Send an email. Problem customer? Send an email. Have a problem with a co-worker? Send a scathing email and CC the boss! And what does a customer do when they have a problem with you?  Probably send a nasty Email or two (or three, or four ...). The easy way to handle it? Send a nasty Email back!

Okay, we don't ALL do business this way, but in reality far too many of us do. The problem is that the office worker, salesperson, business owner, and customer can HIDE behind Email, say things they otherwise wouldn't in person, and avoid confrontation. Unfortunately, very few issues ever get resolved through Email, in fact it often just makes things worse. The end result often ends up with loss of a customer, employee, job, networking partner, or dignity.

many of us use Email for our marketing. Why? Because marketing through Email can be very cost effective. By cost effective, I mean a large number of individuals can be sent a marketing piece for very little money. For a legitimate company, you need to get your message out to a specific group of people who want to receive your marketing. Otherwise you are contributing to spam and your message will be either ignored, deleted, or reported. None of those bring in sales. Violating CANN-SPAM regulations can actually cost you a LOT of money.

THE SOLUTION

The solution to using Email marketing successfully is actually a simple one. Don't make Email your only communications tool. That's it. That's all there is to it. Well, that and pick up the phone and send a letter once in a while.

There are a lot of Email-Only solutions out there that will send your Email messages out to any number of recipients. They "require" your email lists to be "Opt-In", meaning you didn't buy the list or harvest them through any other means than getting their permission. Unfortunately these Email bulk mailing solutions do little to help harvest legitimate lists or do anything else except design and send Emails to a large number of recipients.

What businesses need to do is develop a marketing strategy that includes Email, but does not solely rely on it. Every study I have seen indicates that Email marketing is most effective by far when used in concert with mailing campaigns and/or personal communications like the telephone or >gasp<, an actual face to face visit. In other words, just like your Momma used to say, "Pick up the phone once in awhile."

The best system seems to be a simultaneous email and mail campaign followed by a phone call and/or, where possible, a pre-scheduled meeting. Of course a great reason to call is to schedule a meeting! The point here is, don't forget the "Pre-Email Days" ways of communicating with those important to your business.

The same is true for communications with family and co-workers. Pick-up the phone or go visit the individual once in a while in place of just Emailing. You will be surprised just how effective using all three means of communication can be.

I'm Sorry, Your Data Is Gone ...

Fortunately it doesn't happen often, but today I had to tell a small business owner "I'm sorry, your data is gone". They bought their laptop from a big box store and tried to get a problem fixed by them and the manufacturer before I ever saw the computer. By the time they dropped it off with me, the data was gone.

I know a lot of tricks, and have some high-tech stuff that lets me recover information off of hard drives that otherwise would be gone forever. Due to an unfortunate series of events, this computer's data could not be recovered. While having to tell a business owner that their customer data, their lifeblood, is gone doesn't happen often, when it does it is devastating.

Making matters worse, the last known backup was over a year old and did not include any of the personal data that was being stored on this business laptop. Many years of photographs were gone forever. The heartache and grief was very apparent and there was nothing I could do except offer the faint glimmer of hope that a forensic lab I've worked with in the past, while expensive, might be able to find something. The odds in this case, however, were very much against it.

Every business I talk to tells me they know the importance of backing up their important data. The reality is almost none of them do an adequate backup. Like many things in life, they think a catastrophic failure of their data storage devices will never happen to them. I can't over emphasis the anxiety, grief, and sense of helplessness that occurs when it does.

I have to mention something important here. If something goes bad on a computer that contains data that is important to you, find a reputable computer repair person that will listen to your needs before attempting data recovery or repairs. Big box stores and manufacturers normally are only concerned with getting the hardware back to functional, which is much easier to do by erasing all your information. If the owner of today's laptop had come to me first, there is a VERY HIGH probability that I could have saved much, if not all, their vital data.

So, what should businesses do to protect their data?

First, lets talk about personal data, like photos and important documents stored on a computer. External hard drives have come down dramatically in cost. At a minimum, every computer storing family pictures and important documents should have an external backup drive. Even old computers that can't support the large capacity internal hard drives can support an external hard drive of 120 GB or more, as long as it has a USB port. (If it doesn't, buy a new computer tightwad!)

A backup should be made automatically every night. Most external hard drives come with great backup software. I usually offer IOmega drives when customers order from me, but there are several other brands that will do just as well. Anyone with questions on external drives can email me at wayne@malibu-blue with their questions. I'll do my best to answer as soon as I can.

To really protect your photos and documents you should burn your data onto CD, or even better due to its larger capacity, DVD. Burn CDs or DVDs frequently and store at least one set off-site! That way if something drastic happens to your home or office, you have at least one set of your pictures and files.

OK, so what should a business do? First of all, everything mentioned above as a start. An external hard drive in essential. In fact, should your hard drive crash completely you can just plug the external drive into another computer running the same software and continue running your business! Our embroidery business can access our customer design files on any computer in the office by simply moving the external drive to another computer or laptop!

Your customer data needs to be protected even a little bit more. You add customers, and information about them, all day long. It is continually changing. All of it is important.

Ideally, your customer data needs to be stored in an on-line database. On-line databases are almost always backed up daily by the company providing the service, and can be restored when needed. One application I wrote could get any individual company's data from a backup whenever needed. In one case a disgruntled employer deleted the entire customer database (they did not follow our security procedures!). We had it back and restored within hours. One such application for storing customer data on-line is an application I helped create for Aclient Software called MyEZCRM (www.myezcrm.com).

Today was a very bad day for the owner of that laptop with company and personal data that can never be recovered. The repercussions from what happened will have an effect on this company, and their profitability, for years to come. Don't let it happen to you. Get your data backed up TODAY!