WordPress Received Perfect Score for Protecting User Privacy!

A recent WordPress.com post describes how WordPress received a perfect score from Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) which “evaluates the user privacy practices of prominent online service providers.”  Another great reason to use WordPress for your web site management tool!

Gmail Canned Responses

It can be very useful to have a standard email response to use for responding to types of emails that you receive often.  Gmail Canned Responses allows you to save a standard message and insert it in an email response whenever you like.

Note that Canned Responses is an option in Gmail Labs and they disclose, “Gmail Labs is a testing ground for experimental features that aren’t quite ready for primetime. They may change, break or disappear at any time.”Screenshot 2015-06-02 at 3.50.19 PM

I recommend that when you are creating a canned response, you create it in a brand new email that you are composing.  If you create it in an email to which you are replying, the canned response will include the sender’s message too!  (Can you tell I learned this from personal experience?)

The Many Features of Google Voice

Google Voice is one of Google’s many free applications which offers an amazing variety of features.

Basically, Google Voice provides one phone number to which you can forward one or more of your phone numbers.  If you have multiple phone numbers attached to your Google Voice number, others only need one number to contact you.  Either way, having a Google Voice number opens up many great features.  Some of my favorites are

  • Transcribed voicemail sent to you as an email and/or text message.
  • Call screening — remember how you used to be able to listen in on an answering machine message to decide if you wanted to answer?
  • Scheduled do not disturb on your Google Voice number — this makes it convenient for use as a home office number
  • Access to your Google Voice voicemail messages via smart phone or other mobile device
  • One phone number that sends calls to all your numbers

Check out the Google Voice Intro Video for more info about the features.

More Google Voice videos are available on YouTube.

Have fun exploring the many features of Google Voice!

Life Success and Significance

I want to share an interesting video about not just achieving success in your business, but life significance!

This video is featured on 1stWebDesigner.com but is applicable to all types of businesses.

Aaron Walker is a successful business man who coaches others in business success and life significance.  He offers several free downloads to help others create a significant life on his web site at ViewFromTheTop.com: Personal Assessment, 25 Questions to Get the Life You Want, and Steps to a Productive Day.

I especially like what Aaron says about focusing not just on creating a successful business, but a life that helps others; and helping others who aren’t expected to help you in return.

Good luck creating your successful and significant life!

Finding Your Blog Voice

I found this video about finding your blog voice very interesting, and thought it might be useful for others planning a blog for their web site.

 

Email Signatures

An email signature is an important way to include your contact information with a professional touch to your emails.

The Art And Science Of The Email Signature is a useful article on designing your email signature.

Gmail

How to Add an Email Signature in Gmail 

iPhone

There aren’t as many features for creating an email signature in iPhone settings.  One way to copy your email footer to your iPhone settings is to send yourself an email from your regular email program. Then you can cut and paste the signature from the message into the iPhone settings screen.
Create an iPhone Email Signature

Adding a Logo to an iPhone Signature

Other Email Programs

Each email program has a different way of creating an email signature, but the process is fairly similar.  To find instructions on adding an email signature in another program, just do an Internet search on the program name and “how to create an email signature.”

OsirisComm Web Hosting Highly Recommended

OsirisComm Logo My husband and I have been happy customers of OsirisComm web hosting since 2000.  They are a small company, which has always provided us excellent, personal service.

  • Prompt, personal customer service – I’ve had experience working with another web hosting service through another web site that I inherited and I have been very frustrated with their customer service on several occasions.  They’re prices may be slightly lower, but you get what you pay for!  When it comes to your business web site and getting help with technical issues, it’s not worth saving a little money in exchange for weak customer support.  OsirisComm’s customer support staff answer questions quickly, with excellent technical expertise, and are really great guys.  You can see many more testimonials on their web site.
  • 99.99% up-time guarantee – Great dependability in the years we’ve been with OsirisComm.
  • Reasonably priced web hosting and domain name registration – Web hosting starts around $3-7 a month ($3/month for 1G, $7/month for 10G — recommended). First year is often 20% off for new customers.  Domain names start at $16 a year, but drop to $11 a year if you buy four years or more.

I signed up for the OsirisComm referral program because we highly recommend their Internet services and we want to tell others about this great company.  If you decide to purchase services through OsirisComm, please use one of the links on this page so that they’ll know I sent you.  Thank you!

 

Starting a Business

One of the first decisions to make when starting a business is what structure you will use to form your business.  Business structures include LLCs and Corporations.

NOLO.com is a great resource for legal information both for personal and business topics.

Following are some of the NOLO pages useful for deciding on a business structure and starting a business.

Information provided on this web site is not intended as legal or accounting advice.  Please consult your attorney and accountant before proceeding.

Choose a Business Structure

How to Start a Business in Maryland (see link below for starting a business in another state)

Maryland Business Search –

Here’s the correct link for the Maryland Business Search page as the link on the NOLO page was incorrect.

MD Charter Fax cover sheet

This cover sheet is mentioned in the MD Articles of Organization (for forming an LLC) but isn’t attached as indicated.

How to Start a Business in Other States

Howard County Economic Development Authority

If you’re a business owner (or want to be!) in the Howard County, Maryland area, check out the Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA).  They have resources and events to support new and existing business owners.

The HCEDA includes the HTC (Howard Tech Council) which offers a monthly Membership 101 event, usually on the first Friday of each month, to introduce programs available through the HTC and includes a free lunch.

You can join the HCEDA/HTC email list to receive newsletters listing upcoming speakers and networking events.

If you’re not sure whether you want to purchase an HTC membership, you can subscribe to the email list to see the type of programs available.  Many events are open to non-members, but at a higher price than members.