Happy Links
January 31, 2006 in Happy Links- Fast Company hands out the "25 Entrepreneurs Who Are Changing the World" awards.
- Ajaxian on the importance of a good beta.
"...you often only get one chance with the early adopters, so if you blow it you may not have another shot." - "Tips for Increasing Sales" is Ryan Carson's 4th installment in the Small Biz 101 series.
- Tax Preparation Software reviewed over at PCMagazine where TurboTax Premier 2005 takes the top prize. My personal recommendation is actually TurboTax Premier online. It makes all my dreams come true.
- Jason Fried of 37Signals lists all the software they use to do the magic they do.
- Flipping the Funnel is a new free ebook from Seth Godin which contains his conclusion to the thesis he set out in the revolutionary Permission Marketing.
- The new rules of PR: How to create a press release strategy for reaching buyers directly is a free ebook that discusses how the rules for press releases have changed.
"The media has been disintermediated. The Web has changed the rules. Buyers read your press releases directly and you need to be talking their language." - Lifehacker offers an excellent array of free software every geek should consider. There's only one stinker in there, OpenOffice is a pig. The rest look great.
- "Enjoy Your Own Grass" is a warm and fuzzy Lifehacker pep talk. That I liked.
- How to Do What You Love is another in the magnificent series of articles by the super duper spiffy and inspiring Paul Graham.
Google AdWords Jumpstart Service
January 23, 2006 in 3 out of 5 stars, A service, SEO/SEMGoogle AdWords Jumpstart Service: I've already given Google AdWords a 5 star review here on WorkHappy.net, but this is little-known about service that Google offers new AdWords advertisers where for a $299 advance toward advertising fees, they'll set up your first AdWords campaign for you. It's for people just starting out with AdWords. It helps absorb a little bit of the learning curve and saves you some time. I've set up lots of AdWords campaigns for my clients, but had never used this service. So I decided, that for you my dear readers, I would so venture. I'm setting up and managing some campaigns for our main local university here in Spokane (Gonzaga) and decided to give it a whirl and see if the "Jumpstart Service" lived up to it's name. Google It mostly lived up to it's name, with an emphasis on "start." I needed a geo-targeted campaign in a very tough keyword market. I submitted my Jumpstart request and a couple days later received a phone call from a Google rep who informed me she'd be setting up my campaign and I'd hear back from her in a few days. Total time to set up the campaign was about 1wk from when I made the request. She created a campaign with three ad groups, wrote some ads, set bid prices and selected keywords. After she set up the campaign, she carefully and helpfully walked me through what she had set up over the phone. Explained everything, invited me to engage the campaign and said she'd call back a week later. Which she did. She was then ready to talk to me about all the basic mechanics of AdWords. She walked me through how to manage bid prices and ad writing. She gave me ad group creation strategies, phrase matching advice (with information that wasn't entirely true, but it was close), and answered some tougher questions I gave her, with not just mechanics advice, but good "best practice" advice too. It was entry-level, but it was helpful. She also gave me the Google AdWords phone number, and said she'd check in on me in another week. A few days later I received a brief survey via email from Google wondering how things went. Overall, not a bad way to start AdWords if you're going to do it on your own -- so long as your expectations are that this is only to help you do the initial setup. It helps with about the first 15% of what you'll need to do if you want to be successful. For example, I had two different mini-sites for which she set up three ad groups with about 15-20 keywords in each. After nearly a week I had almost no impressions and zero click throughs. Her reasoning for the low results was that it was geo-targeted (small audience). Quite valid indeed, but I've since spent hours adding a few hundred keywords, playing with bids, adding ad groups, rewriting ad copy... and traffic is beginning to flow. This is only a start (as the name implies). You'll still need to invest the hours, blood, sweat and tears to make your campaign work. It's not designed for people who wish to have someone else set up and managed it for them. It's for people who are willing and able to figure it all out and manage the nitty-gritty themselves, but need a little hand holding to get started. On the geo-targeting she didn't advise me to create a global campaign and use the geographic terms to compliment and target AOL users and others who don't represent valid IP information to Google's geo-targeting servers. (Which is a must with any effective geo-targeting campaign). Note: when compared with Yahoo's paid listings particularly their so-called "local" listings, there's no comparison. Google rocks the house by comparison, Yahoo! doesn't even warrant a review here on WorkHappy because it's so abysmal. Nothing extra, but they do charge a $299 advance on your advertising spending Reviewed by Carson McComasWhat is it?
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Veetro
January 19, 2006 in 3 out of 5 stars, Hosted software, ProductivityVeetro: Veetro is an online (hosted software) team and business management system that helps you to work more efficiently and become more profitable. Including tools such as electronic timesheets, projects, billing, sales pipeline, helpdesk and document management, Veetro makes your organization work better. Veetro For Entrepreneurs and start up businesses it is a low-cost solution to setting up all your essential IT such as document management, electronic timesheets, billing and invoicing. It also gives you instant reporting so you can track things such as productivity and billings... all the things that a business doesn't worry about until they are forced to. Low cost and instant setup. Integration directly into Outlook would be cool. A bunch of the FAQs on the sales site don't have information in them, which is strange. They tease about a developer API but don't have one yet. Free - $39.95/month Reviewed by Daniel BarnettWhat is it?
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Global Data Vault
January 17, 2006 in 3 out of 5 stars, A serviceGlobal Data Vault: It's the best solution I've found yet to the problem created by busy small business owners not taking the time to backup their important computer files. Worse still, many of my web design clients don't relocate backup CDs to a remote location. And that's assuming they remember to burn CDs or DVDs this week.
GDV users install their free client software, choose directories they want automatically backed up at night, and it takes care of the rest. Restoring a backup is easy and can be completed on any computer--not just the computer that died or corrupted data. Global Data Vault, Inc. No more CD or DVD backups! Who can remember to do that on a regular basis, anyway?
It's also easy to use and they provide EXCELLENT phone support compared to most--but you'll probably never need it! Also supports many of the most recently passed federal regulations regarding data and privacy protection. (HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley) Their website is kinda clunky and of course, this service only works for those with broadband Internet connections. Starting at $9/mo for 300MB up to $400+/mo for 35GB+. Reviewed by Ben DammanWhat is it?
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Happy Quote
January 13, 2006 in Happy Quotes“If you are going to fail, you might as well fail at a difficult task. Failure causes others to downgrade their expectations of you in the future. The seriousness of this problem depends on what you attempt.”
Avinash Dixit, economics professor at Princeton, and Barry Nalebuff, economics and management professor at the Yale School of Organization and Management as quoted by Guy Kawasaki.
Guy Kawasaki's Blog
January 10, 2006 in 5 out of 5 stars, A blog , A personGuy Kawasaki's Blog: Guy, the premier entrepreneur's inspiration and expert finally (FINALLY) has a blog. It started at the end of Dec '05 and I was compelled to immediately post about it here. But I put my emotion and admiration for the man on hold long enough to see if he was going to do a quality job. Well, it probably hasn't been long enough yet, but his stuff is just so gosh darned good that you've got to get over there while you can start at the beginning and read it all. Guy Kawasaki Guy's book, The Art of the Start is the best book on entrepreneurism I've ever seen. He's a veteran, a realist, and a great writer. He's a VC with an entrepreneur's heart and his blog is chock full of that goodness. Take this excellent entry from 1/8/06, with this snippet:
I'm saying it's okay to ship crap--I'm not saying that it's okay to stay crappy. A company must improve version 1.0 and create version 1.1, 1.2, ... 2.0. This is a difficult lesson to learn because it's so hard to ship an innovation; therefore, the last thing employees want to deal with is complaints about their perfect baby. Innovation is not an event. It's a process. His design is a template! Come on Guy, hire someone to make it sexy. (ok fine, so he's practicing what he's preaching in my quote above). Nada Reviewed by Carson McComasWhat is it?
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USPS Click-N-Ship
January 5, 2006 in 4 out of 5 stars, A serviceUSPS Click-N-Ship: Pay for and send packages without ever leaving your desk or going to the Post Office.
Here's how it works: Second: Put your package together, pack it, tape it, etc. Weigh it. You need pounds and ounces. Third: Go here and enter your label information. (You'll need to register with USPS if you haven't). Set the pickup date for tomorrow or later. Fourth: Go here and schedule your carrier to pick it up and tell them where they can find the package (i.e. ring doorbell, front porch, back porch, etc.). You're done! Takes all of 5 minutes, and it sure beats wasting time making small talk in line at the Post Office or dealing with those stellar chaps behind the counter. USPS (So, this is a U.S. only resource). Because going to the Post Office is up there with root canals, molten lead enemas, and dates with your honey to the DMV. With Click-N-Ship you never have to go to the Post Office, or even get off your duff except to answer the door and hand the package to your carrier. Plus you don't pay any more than you would at the Post Office. Scheduling a pickup, and printing the label should be a more integrated process. Seriously, come on guys. Also, don't try this in Safari, the final step is a PDF scripted thing and you'll need FireFox to get it working properly. Normal postage costs, nothing more. Reviewed by Carson McComasWhat is it?
First: you need a digital postage, or cooking scale
You can only schedule a free pickup a day or more in advance. Make sure you select the free "delivery confirmation" option. Pay for and print your label. Put the label on your package.
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Foobar
January 4, 2006 in 3 out of 5 stars, A piece of software, Productivityfoobar: it is a taskbar that can be placed anywhere on your desktop that will keep track of all your contacts, stickynotes, passwords, to do list and much more. The function that I find most valuable as a freelancer is the time tracker. It keeps track of the time spent on a project and how much to charge. Matrix Software It combines many resources that are needed for a small business in one small place. Aesthetically, it's not the bomb. Shareware, free without nags but they ask you to pay $29.95 after you've used it for 30 days. Reviewed by Stephanie MartindaleWhat is it?
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Happy Links
December 29, 2005 in Happy Links- Case studies for a bunch of folks making a fortune on Adsense.
- The needle, the vise... and the baby rattle
Seth opines on the three types of marketing. Two that work (needle and vice) and one that doesn't (baby rattle). Some great advice in here. - Full-time freelancing: 10 things learned in 180 days
Cameron Moll has been flying solo for 6 months now and pauses to share some thoughts on what he's learned. - Why Small Web Design Firms Should Think Big
"Either you're serious about growing your business, or you're not. Either you choose to approach marketing with 100% commitment and intensity, or you choose to approach it with a half-baked effort. It doesn't matter to me, or to anyone else, which approach you choose. I hope it matters to you. Life is short. Why do things by halves? Why not create a business that you enjoy and that also helps you achieve your most ambitious financial goals?" - Google: Ten Golden Rules
Eric Schmidt (CEO) shares how his company puts together, and retains their rock star team. - Creativity on speed
The brilliant thought-leader Kathy Sierra with some ideas on juicing your creativity. - Small Biz 101 on SvN: Ryan Carson (of DropSend) guest blogs on 37signal's Signal vs. Noise blog.
Here are his first three.
How to Get Started
Cash Flow
No one starts with a masterpiece (my fav!) - My Wife Won’t Let Me Start My Own Business
"Your wife won’t let you start your own business? What’re you… six years old? Have you softened your will so much that you now live only by the voice of the collective: “You will not start your own business. Individuality is irrelevant. Resistance is futile.”" - Google Teaches Bloggers How To Rank
An interview by Nick Wilson with senior Google engineer and webmaster relations chappy Matt Cutts on some issues specific to bloggers. - A Guide to Starting Your Business
This brilliant chaps at Particle Tree offer this handy guide to some of the nuts-and-bolts. "We’ve written this article to help you with the small business paperwork, the basics of accounting, and an overview of some legal considerations" - 18 Lessons I’ve Learnt about Blogging
Problogger Darren Rowse with 18 tips for you aspiring pro bloggers. - Adsense: Beginner’s First Option, Professional’s Last
Scrivs of 9rules (workhappy.net is a proud member) with an excellent analysis of why most of us start with AdSense, but should move on once we gain a readership. - The Ten Commandments of Goal Setting
Just in time for the new year.
IVR Cheat Sheet
December 23, 2005 in 3 out of 5 stars, A websiteIVR Cheat Sheet: Simple to follow instructions that will get you to a human operator at major companies (on their 1 800 numbers). Paul English Because it tells you exactly what you need to do to get to a human being. No more getting your tail kicked by a robot, and no more wasting your life away trying to find the correct menu item. (Especially when you know you need to talk to a human.) Entrepreneurs don't have time to waste pressing buttons. See also the hard to find 1800 numbers Nothing. More listings would be great - but this is killer as is. I think most people would happily PAY for this resource. But it's totally free. 100% Free Reviewed by Michael K. Campbell (via the excellent Lifehacker.com)What is it?
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