Amy’s Biz Tips Archive

This is a collection of Amy's Biz Tips Newsletters written and distributed from 2011 - 2015.

Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Web and Marketing Tips

February 26, 2015 - Volume 156

PowerPoint - Creating Custom Layouts

At the beginning of the month I walked you through how to work with Layouts in PowerPoint. In that article I talked about the standard layouts that are built in to PowerPoint. This time I am going to show you how to create a custom layout ... Read on

Organizing Your Twitter Followers

Have you been using Twitter and have (hopefully) many followers? Do you have them organized and know which are potential fakes? If not then read on for help to keep your list of followers ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Dog walks 15 blocks to find owner in the hospital.... view it here

 

February 19, 2015 - Volume 155

Word - List Sorting

You don’t have to use Excel to sort a list of names, addresses or other data from a Word document. Word lets you sort a simple list or a table ... Read on

Myths About Content Marketing

The definition of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) has changed … now it’s not all about how high you can get your URL listing on the search engines instead it’s about making connections and using content ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Couple lives in the cloud.... view it here

 

February 12, 2015 - Volume 154

Excel - Format Painter

Looking for a quick and simple w ay to set up the formatting of objects and text in your Excel sheet? Format Painter is a feature that is most likely overlooked but shouldn’t be ... Read on

Using Short Videos

You’ve seen them before, short videos featuring a product or service. Did you think these short videos are only for use by the big budget advertisers? Think again ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Dog rides bus on own to dog park.... view it here

 

February 5, 2015 - Volume 153

PowerPoint - Slide Layouts

You have seen these before, the placeholders (containers) on your slides when you open a new document or add a slide. But do you really know how to use them or how to get rid of them if you prefer your own ... Read on

Small Business Marketing Budgets

Are you a small business trying to figure out how to achieve search marketing on a very tight budget? If so you are not alone. In December 2014, a survey of small online marketing ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh – Ping pong balls and mouse traps.... view it here

 

January 29, 2015 - Volume 152

MS Office Document Recovery Task Pane

I am sure you have encountered this before – you open an M S Office program (such as Word, Excel or PowerPoint) and you are presented with the Document Recovery task pane and you wonder first why and second, which file do I choose to recover ... Read on

The 3P’s to Great Branding

In this crazy world of social media and marketing with all the new trends and bell and whistles, sometimes it is good to stop and look at some basic marketing principles before doing anything more with your brand or marketing ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Walrus exercising - too funny.... view it here

 

January 22, 2015 - Volume 151

Word - Adding a Date to a Document

Word offers a few ways to add a date to a document whether you want today’s date to appear in the document or in a header/footer or need to track a document’s history by inserting the creation, print or last save date ... Read on

Astronauts are Mailed a Wrench

Times are a changin’! Because of the advance s in technology and the way data is moved, you can literally send, electronically, a physical object (well sort of) to anyone – even if they are in space ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Never challenge Gaston .... view it here

 

January 15, 2015 - Volume 150

Excel - Combining Tricks to Manipulate Data

There are so many tricks in Excel to help you. Over the past two years I have shown you these tips one at a time. But if you combine these tricks you can manipulate data to make ... Read on

Trends in Measuring Social Media

Over the past four years, as social media has become a larger part of every company’s marketing toolbox, there have been shifts in what is measured to determine the success of campaigns. These shifts are different than ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Cat Owners’ Struggles .... view it here

 

January 8, 2015 - Volume 149

PowerPoint – Create Your Own Theme

PowerPoint provides many pre-designed theme/templates, but they get boring after a while and if you need something specific for your brand, they don’t cut it. So, what to do? Create your own ... Read on

Social Marketing Organization for 2015

Now that it’s a new year it is the perfect time to get your social media marketing organized to achieve the best results for your brand. Having an outline and a plan for how and when you are going to use social media is of the utmost importance ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Extreme weight loss for a dog? .... view it here

 

December 18, 2014 - Volume 148

Word - Opening Menu Windows

Sometimes when working in Word (or another MS Office program) you need to have a specific menu window open for ease of use vs. opening the menu ribbon every time you need to use an option. An example of this would be when you are making multiple font ... Read on

Going Incognito When Viewing Your Web Presence

Do you know how to see your web site or social media venues the same w ay a viewer does when visiting for the first time? There is a browser feature that will allow you to do this and you might be amazed at what ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Sever year old wants off the “Naughty” List .... view it here

 

December 11, 2014 - Volume 147

Excel - Function Insert

Functions in Excel make calculating numbers a breeze. Did you know there are over 330 pre-defined Excel functions? That’s a lot to choose from. Some of them are commonly used like AVG (average a group of numbers), SUM ... Read on

Tips to a Marketable Website

Whether you have an existing web site or are starting a new business and need one, understanding some simple tricks to keep your site current and fresh is important. To avoid mistakes, lost time and revenue ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Cops give gifts instead of tickets .... view it here

 

December 4, 2014 - Volume 146

PowerPoint - Insert Menu - Part 1

Of course adding things to your PowerPoint slide set is part of creating a presentation but did you know there are many things you can insert that you might not have thought of? Open up the Insert tab on the menu and follow me as I give you the low-down ... Read on

Changing Your Hosting Provider

Your web hosting provider is an important part to have a web presence, they house your web files for the world to access via your web address. During the course of having a web site there will most likely be at least one time that you need to change hosting provider ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - How a dog drinks water - fascinating .... view it here

 

November 20, 2014 - Volume 145

Word - Keyboard Navigation

Sometimes, when working within a Word document (as you are typing) it’s easier to use the keyboard than the mouse to move around the document. Yes, you can use the arrows to move around, but by combining key strokes you can move the insertion point ... Read on

Finding Blog Content ... From Your Competitors

If you are responsible for providing the content for your web site, blog or newsletter you know it can be a chore to think of new and interesting information every week or so. Why not troll your competitors’ site and blogs for ideas ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - A Toddler Tries to Get His Point Across to His Mom .... view it here

 

November 13, 2014 - Volume 144

Excel - Function Keys

You’ve seen the keys on your keyboard – F1, F2, etc. Have you ever played with them to discover what they do in Excel? You might be surprised what some of the upper numbered ones do that you didn’t know about. These keys give you a quick way ... Read on

Marketing Tips for Hashtags

You continue to see them more and more – hashtags (#). Many companies are using them in their marketing campaigns such as Travelocity (Go & Smell the Roses) to successfully implement ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - A Horse Snores While Being Rescued From a Pool .... view it here

 

November 6, 2014 - Volume 143

PowerPoint - Using the Guide Lines

When creating a slide set you want all your element s to line up from slide to slide to avoid your viewers’ attention being disrupted as you advance through the presentation. The way to keep everything in its place is to use ... Read on

What Really is the “Cloud”?

If you haven’t heard of the “Cloud” your head has been in the clouds. But do you really know what the “Cloud” is and where it resides? ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Literally, see Paris from an Eagle’s Eye View .... view it here

 

October 30, 2014 - Volume 142

Word - Changing Table Margins

Using tables in Word is great but sometimes i t can be tricky to get the text to appear where you want it. The text could be cut off or not fill the whole box. To fix this problem ... Read on

Employees Promoting Your Company Thru Social Media

Are you wondering how to empower your employees to use social media to promote your business/brand? Adobe uses their employees to be brand ambassadors with great success ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - A kid gets stuck in a claw-vending machine .... view it here

 

October 23, 2014 - Volume 141

Excel - So You Have a List of...

So, you have a list of names, numbers, parts, etc. that you need to convert from a list in Word into an Excel sheet ... Read on

Digital Content Writing Tips

These days the written word is more important (and digitally everywhere) than ever. If you are a marketer or business owner ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Dog gets help from police officer and then .... view it here

 

October 16, 2014 - Volume 140

PowerPoint - Image Compression

Have you created a PowerPoint slide set and while trying to email it you discovered that the file size is huge? This used to happen to me often ... Read on

LinkedIn - Increase Your Endorsements

Do you have many endorsements on your LinkedIn profile? Do you need more? (your answer should be YES). Well if so ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Price is Right Bid Goes Way Wrong - view it here

 

October 9, 2014 - Volume 139

Word - doc vs docx File Type Differences

As the versions of Word evolve Microsoft has changed the file type for Word documents from version 2003 to 2007 and above. So here’s what you need to know about these different file types ... Read on

Your Desktop in 1981 vs Now

If you think about your desktop (literally the top of your desk) in 1981 and then look at the top of your desk today and you will see a huge difference! Harvard Innovations Labs has created a video showing how things ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Cat vs Dog - view it here

 

October 2, 2014 - Volume 138

Word - Counting Characters and Words

I am sure you recall school and being assigned to write an essay of 2,000 words and then counting each word, ah the good old days. Now our kids, and us, have it simple because Word will do the counting for you, not only of words, but characters, lines, and other key information ... Read on

LinkedIn - Export Your Contact List

This past week I sent a personalized mass emailing to all my LinkedIn contacts. When I first thought of this I figured I was going to have to go connection by connection to gather the data (first, last, email address, title, etc). But I found a quick way to download my contact list from LinkedIn. ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Frustrated golfer has melt down - view it here

 

September 25, 2014 - Volume 137

Windows 8 - Reverting Back to Your Desktop

I don’t know about you but I don’t like Windows 8’s start screen – the one with multiple boxes. I have tried many times to work within these screens but gave up. But did you know there is a quick trick to get back to seeing the Desktop view (like in old Windows versions?)... Read on

Adding a Twitter Feed to Your Web Site

One of my clients has become a huge Twitter fan to promote his business and requested that we add a Twitter feed to his web site. If you use Twitter read on to learn how easily you can add a feed to your web site ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Marmot messes up Greenpeace's view of Glacier National Park - view it here

 

September 18, 2014 - Volume 136

Excel - Formulas, Text and Numbers

Do you know what differs when entering formulas, text or numbers in Excel? If so, why do you sometimes have problems with sorting or formulas or dropping a zero from a zip code... Read on

Avoid Creating Spam

When you send out an email campaign or newsletter (like this one) you are bound to get bounces. But have you spent any time figuring out why you are getting those bounces? If not you are wasting ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Dog loves a trampoline - vie w it here

 

September 11, 2014 - Volume 135

PowerPoint - Save As File Types

Did you know that there are multiple file types that you can use to save a PowerPoint presentation? Have you ever wondered what they are and what they are?... Read on

Can You Help Me?

For a long time I have been helping you with tips to make your job easier, so can you return the favor? ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Animals will eat anything - view it here

 

September 4, 2014 - Volume 134

Word - AutoCorrect Options

Are you a clumsy typist? Do you tend to inadvertently type two uppercase letters in an initial word or forget to capitalize the first word in a sentence or hit the caps lock button frequently in error?... Read on

One Simple, Important Web Site Rule

It is not uncommon to have multiple links in your web site to outside sites (such as an article, reference, etc). But did you know if you don’t set up these links properly it can be a hindrance to your web analytics and overall results of your site? ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Dog to fox - don’t mess with my stuff - view it here

 

August 28, 2014 - Volume 133

PowerPoint - Hiding Slides

I don’t know about you, but many times when I am creating a presentation in PowerPoint I create one or two slides that I don’t want to show but need to keep them for references in the slide set. You could move them to the back of the slide set, but... Read on

Cleaning Your Email Box

Do you need a fast and simple way to clean out your email inbox? Then read on for an easy way to sort and clean out what you don’t want and keep ...Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Duck whisperer? - view it here

 

August 14, 2014 - Volume 132

Excel - Printing Tips

I am sure you have run into this problem before … you send your worksheet to the printer and it doesn’t print correctly – so frustrating! Don’t fear, there is a simple way to tell Excel how to print your spreadsheet in the way you need it ... Read on

Facebook - Are Your Posts Working?

Are you wondering how your posts are doing on Face book? Do you need to know what posting frequency works best? Then you need to explore Facebook’s Insights to find the answers ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Bear saves a crow from drowning - view it here

 

August 7, 2014 - Volume 131

Word - Line, Paragraph, Section & Page Breaks

Depending on how your document is set up in Word you will most likely need to make breaks to lines, paragraphs, sections and pages. While you might say, “hey I know how to make a line break” it’s always good to review the basics and various options ... Read on

Facebook Chat Stickers

If you chat with friends on Facebook with the Chat feature (like AOL’s instant messenger) you may have noticed your friends responding with icons (graphics) vs text. I am not talking about the usual smiley faces ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - A cat calls 911 from the animal shelter - view it here

 

July 31, 2014 - Volume 130

PowerPoint - Font Options

In PowerPoint there are a variety of different ways to format your text to create a more impactful message or fit content to your slide. I often forget some of these options exist, so I figured we’d review them together ... Read on

Creating Newsletter Content

An email newsletter (like this one) can be a low cost and great way to keep your name out in front of your customers while establishing yourself as an expert in your field. But how do you start? And how do you create content that is of interest to your viewer and avoids many recipients from unsubscribing?... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - A dog apology for taking baby’s toy - view it here

 

July 24, 2014 - Volume 129

Excel - Freezing Panes

When working on a large spreadsheet you have most likely run into this problem, you scroll down or over to the right and you lose sight of your column headers and row titles. But don’t fret Excel has a simple solution ... Read on

What is a Premium Domain Name?

A few weeks ago I was looking for a domain name for a project and discovered that the .com we wanted was available. When I went to register it, the cost was almost a $1,000! I was shocked and began to do some research to understand what constitutes a domain name being premium... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Turtle and do g play soccer? - view it here

 

July 17, 2014 - Volume 128

Word - Using it to Find Symbols

When looking for symbols to use for bullets, to indicate a scientific notation or create a decoration there are several standard fonts (such as WingDings) you can use. But do you know which characters create which symbols? ... Read on

SEO and Graphics with Text

Are you concerned about your SEO for y our web site? Do you understand how the search engines review your site? Do you use graphics that contain text? If so read on to learn tricks to help your ranking... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Not so boring flight attendant - view it here

 

July 10, 2014 - Volume 127

Difference between .TXT and .CSV Files

If you have ever had to load a list of data to a database or email addresses for a mailing you might have encountered .txt or .csv files. So what are the differences between these file types ... Read on

Organizing Products for Your Online Store

Are you considering creating an online store or already have one you need to think about organizing your product data. Keeping a list of the products and attributes can save you a lot of time ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Cat Helps Owner with Nightly Routine - view it here

 

June 26, 2014 - Volume 126

PowerPoint - Adding Blank Slides

Adding blank slides to a presentation is a basic task in PowerPoint and there are several ways to do this – learn them all and then choose your favorite ... Read on

Facebook Marketing Tips from Experts

Struggling with how to use Facebook to market your pro duct or services? Then read these 6 tips from marketing experts ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Bear in a ham mock - view it here

 

June 19, 2014 - Volume 125

Excel - How it Calculates Formulas

Even if you use Excel daily, it’s always good to review the “basics”. Today I am going to explain how Excel works with calculations; relative and absolute references in formulas ... Read on

LinkedIn - Publishing Platform

Establishing yourself as an expert in your fie ld is key to expanding your network and business. LinkedIn has been a great way to attract followers and now they have added the publishing platform (for free) ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Balloon Office Prank - view it here

 

June 5, 2014 - Volume 123

Word - Table Calculations

You don’t have to use Excel to create a table for calculations in a Word document. Word gives you the ability to calculate simple formulas ... Read on

SEO is Dead

The buzz word a couple of years ago for marketing your web site was SEO (search engine optimization). Everyone wanted to be at the top of the search engines ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Bunny Eating Raspberries - view it here

 

May 22, 2014 - Volume 122

Excel - Columns and Rows as Print Borders

Recently, I had a client ask me how she can print a report from Excel without having to print the full spreadsheet. Excel contains many tricks to accommodate printing - one of the best is ... Read on

Copying Web Page Content

Sometimes you need to copy content from a web page – whether it is text, links, graphics or other content. Have you done this and discovered ... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - White Elephant Origami - view it here

 

May 15, 2014 - Volume 121

PowerPoint - Tables

If you need to create a table for a presentation in PowerPoint you don’t need to do it in Excel. PowerPoint provides you with the ability to insert tables ...Read on

Using Instagram

Have you heard of Insta gram but are unsure how to use it? You are not alone... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Cat and Chic ks - view it here

 

May 8, 2014 - Volume 120

Word - Quick Parts

Depending on your business, there are times when creating documents requires the same text or graphic, for instance a signature line, a legal statement, logo, or address. You could recreate it each time ... Read on

SEO Simple Tips

Do you want to get better search engine results? Then use these simple tips in your web site to increase your presence... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Osprey takes over Maryland traffic cam - view it here

 

May 1, 2014 - Volume 119

Excel - Mouse and Keyboard Tricks

Using mouse or keyboard shortcuts in Excel can save a lot of time if you know they exist. Here are a few of my favorites ... Read on

How Did They Create That Printed Piece?

Have you ever gotten a really neat printed invitation or marketing piece and wondered how it was made or how did they get it to open... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Really well trained dog- view it here

 

April 24, 2014 - Volume 118

PowerPoint - Paste Special

When working in PowerPoint there are many times when you need to insert text, charts, graphics, etc into your slides. You could use the Paste function (CTRL-V) but you might not always get the results you want. To avoid this... Read on

FaceBook Strategies for Attorneys (and other businesses)

Using FaceBook to reach your prospective clients is a cornerstone for any business es. If you are an attorney and are not using FaceBook in your marketing strategy then you will want to read an article from Web Marketing Today. And if you aren’t an attorney, read the article... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Turning 4 Years Old Can Be Difficult - view it here

 

April 17, 2014 - Volume 117

Word - Mail Merge

If you have been reluctant to try a mail merge, don’t be, it’s fairly straightforward and Word has a wizard that will walk you through... Read on

LinkedIn Skills and Endorsements

Skills and endorsements in LinkedIn are important to your profile and networking – it lets viewers know that others recognize your... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Cast of Lion King Breaks Out in Song on a Plane - view it here

 

April 10, 2014 - Volume 116

Excel - Viewing Formulas

When working on spreadsheets with multiple and or complicated formulas it helps to be able to see the formula and cells... Read on

Talking to Your Customers

When you create content for your web site, social media or other marketing campaigns you want to be sure you are speaking in your customer’s vernacular not yours... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Fox Loves His Belly Rubbed - view it here

 

April 3, 2014 - Volume 115

PowerPoint - Text Alignment

Have you run into this problem - you are working on a presentation and find that one of your text boxes is not aligning your text correctly? PowerPoint gives... Read on

SEO - No Longer Just About Search Engines

No longer does Search Engine Optimization (SEO) mean purely optimizing your site for search engines. Now you need to look at social media... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Great Ad Campaign - view it here

 

March 27, 2014 - Volume 114

Word - Formatting Graphics

Not everyone has photo imaging software so Word has stepped in to help you format/adjust your pictures and graphics. From brightness to styles Word gives you a lot... Read on

Evolution of Digital Marketing

Have you ever thought about the evolution of digital marketing? When it started, how it got to where we are today, and what companies have stood the test of time..... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - How to wake a sleeping baby - view it here

 

March 20, 2014 - Volume 113

Excel Pivot Tables - Getting Started

Last week I discussed the basics of pivot tables, this week we are going to build our first pivot table so you can understand how they work... Read on

Why Simple Web Design is Best

When it comes to web design – simpler is better and it can be proven! In August, 2012, Google conducted a study and researchers found that users judge websites as beautiful or not within.... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Cat meets bunny - view it here

 

March 13, 2014 - Volume 112

Excel Pivot Tables - The Basics

Are you on data overload and need a way to translate your data in to information that makes sense? With pivot tables in moments you can see who sold the most products in the coastal region or which quarters were the most profitable... Read on

Out of the Box Thinking to Create a Buzz

This past Christmas an airline created a very “out of the box” campaign that went viral in no time and got them a ton of publicity, name recognition and goodwill.... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Grandma Dancing to Ice, Ice, Baby - view it here

 

March 6, 2014 - Volume 111

PowerPoint - Adding Slide Numbers

Slide numbers can be very helpful in your presentation. You can add slide numbers, notes page numbers, handout page numbers, and the date and time... Read on

Promoting Your Event in Social Media - Part 2

Last week I talked about what you need to put together to promote an event. The next step is to post your event on social media. There are many social outlets.... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Confused Cats - view it here

 

February 27, 2014 - Volume 110

Word - Spelling and Grammar Options

Does it drive you crazy when Word highlights a unique word indicating it’s misspelled when it’s not? Or would you prefer Word not make grammar suggestions to you? If so, find out how to change... Read on

Promoting Your Event in Social Media

Do you have an upcoming event that you want to promote on social media but not sure how best to do it? Then read on for hints on how to create an effective plan to get the most exposure....Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - David Attenborough Commentary on Women’s Olympic Curling - view it here

 

February 20, 2014 - Volume 109

Excel Data: Rows to Columns

Do you have data listed in rows but need to have it appear as columns? Or visa versa?...Read on

Newspeg for New Junkies

With all the news you are barraged with daily, have you thought “there has to be a way to organization it”? Now you can with Newspeg.... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Dogs help owners shovel snow - view it here

 

February 13, 2014 - Volume 108

PowerPoint - Adding Footnotes

There are multiple ways to add footnotes in your PowerPoint slides depending on what you need... Read on

LinkedIn - Updating Your Profile

Is your LinkedIn profile up-to-date? Did you know that they have added a few more things to the profiles – such as adding a link or a file?... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Toddler Rocks a Skateboard - view it here

 

February 6, 2014 - Volume 107

Word - Addressing Envelopes

Want a quick way to create an envelope or need to print many for a mass mailing? Printing an individual or a group of envelopes is easy to do using Word... Read on

Driving Traffic to Your Site with Facebook

Do you use Facebook to drive people to your web site? If you aren’t then you need to keep reading to find out how using 5 simple steps... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Best Nanny Dog Ever? - view it here

 

January 30, 2014 - Volume 106

Excel - Fitting Text into Cells

While Excel is great for calculating numbers it’s also great for using text to create lists, forms, reports and other documents. But sometimes getting your text to fit correctly can be problematic. Read on

Check Your Web Analytics

If you have a web site and aren’t checking your web analytics at least once a month you are doing your business a huge disservice and are missing a lot of valuable marketing information.... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - A bear follow s you to the car? - view it here

 

January 23, 2014 - Volume 105

Using the Print Screen Button

There is a magic button on your keyboard that can help you do many things. It’s called the Print Screen Button (Mac users don’t fear, you have these options too just but not the button). Read on

Promoting a Local Event Online

Do you have an upcoming event that you need to promote or get volunteers or participants to? Then why not use the web to promote your events.... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Dog says no to time in the kennel - view it here

 

January 16, 2014 - Volume 104

PowerPoint - File Types

An explanation of the variety of PowerPoint. Each format serves a different purpose. Read on

So, You Want to Start an On-line Store?

You have probably seen the ads telling you how easy it is to create an on-line store (also called shopping cart) for your business. But did you know that it’s not as simple as.... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Dog nabbing chicken nuggets - view it here

 

January 9, 2014 - Volume 103

Word - Using Tabs

Tabs are an important part of Word and it can be cumbersome to create a document if you don’t have them set right. Read on to learn how simple and easy it is to work with tabs.

How People View Web Sites

When creating a web site there are many things to think about. One of the most important is to consider how people view sites – from where their eyes go first to how long the first impression takes to using text vs pictures.... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Dog and snow blower - view it here

 

December 12, 2013 - Volume 102

Excel - Recent Document Options

When opening up an Excel file you will see a list of recent files. Did you know that you can change the number of recent documents that are listed or “pin” a file to remain on the list? … Read more.

Using Graphics Safely in Emails

You get these emails many times daily - ones that contain graphics or a background to make the message stronger and now you want to create one. Did you know that there are various ways to add graphics to an email ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Kangaroo Boxes Toy Hippo. .. Click here

 

December 5, 2013 - Volume 101

PowerPoint - Find/Replace

Inevitably, when working on a presentation, many things change throughout the development process. How do you react quickly and efficiently to these changes? Use Find/Replace to identify … Read more.

Linkedin Premium - Is It Worth It?

Have you wondered if upgrading to the premium version of LinkedIn is worth it? I wondered myself, so I took them up on a free month trial offer. Here is my experience ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Cat Videos... Click here

 

November 21, 2013 - Volume 100

Word - Change Case

Have you ever been sent a document or list that has the information in the wrong case (ALL CAPS, Title Case, lower case) and you need to change it to make it easier to read or work with? Well, Word has a fast way … Read more.

Do You Have a Product Idea?

Do you have an idea for a product and want some feedback from others to determine if it’s a good idea? Even if it’s only a sketch, an idea, or you’ve got it all figured out – you can use submit it to Quirky.com for consideration by others ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Cat vs. Hedgehog - Who Wins? Click here

 

November 14, 2013 - Volume 99

Excel - Calculating Dates

Using Excel is a great way to keep track of schedules, calendars or dates of key events. It also works wonderfully for calculating the difference of time between dates, hours… Read more.

FaceBook: Auto Shop Attracts Female Fans

Find out how a small auto repair shop in Minneapolis grew their Facebook page to have over 60% female fans. The shop owner valued the personal relationships he had with customers ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Use Google to take a virtual walk through a submarine - click here

 

November 7, 2013 - Volume 98

PowerPoint - Text Direction

Sometimes when you are creating a PowerPoint slide there is a need to have your text appear in a different direction than the default of horizontal … Read more.

A Hot New Techno Toy

Imagine using your Iphone to control race cars on a track – it’s not so crazy, check out this cool toy it’s going to be a hot seller for the holidays this year ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Dog needs to have paw held in car

 

October 31, 2013 - Volume 97

Word - Setting Up Your Document

The default setting for Word is a letter-sized blank document. This is fine if you are writing a standard letter – but many times you need Word to be more flexible … Read more.

Creating Your Own Web Site

You’ve seen it many times, an ad for a company that claims you can easily and inexpensively build your own web site. They make it sound so easy, but did you know this “cost savings” can actually cost you a lot more? ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Bull Terrier vs. Crab

 

October 24, 2013 - Volume 96

Excel Workbooks vs Worksheets

What’s the difference between Excel Workbooks and Worksheets? Do you often get mixed up about which is which? . … Read more.

Maintain Your Domain Registration

If you own a domain name you need to understand why it’s so important to maintain your domain registration records ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Cat on a moving bed??

 

October 17, 2013 - Volume 95

MS Office Clipboard

Every Microsoft Office product uses a clipboard to store any data you cut or copy while working. Generally, we forget that this exists and just rely on the system clipboard … Read more.

Are You More Left or Right Brained?

The common belief that “right brained” people are artistic while “left brained” folks are more logical is said to be a bit of a myth but is a great way to describe your type of career personality ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Horse nibbling on Cameraman’s ear

 

October 10, 2013 - Volume 94

PowerPoint - Presentation Pointer Options

PowerPoint never ceases to amaze me – a few weeks ago I was playing around with a client’s presentation and stumbled across the option to allow you to draw and make notes on your slides while in presentation mode. This option is great when giving a PowerPoint presentation when you need to emphasize something on a slide … Read more.

Using #Hashtags

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the number of hashtags being thrown at you in ads, on TV and in Facebook, Twitter, Google, and other social sources? Do you really understand what they are, why they are used and how to use them? If not then ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Marching Band Dominoes

 

October 3, 2013 - Volume 93

Word - Adding Tables

Normally you think of Excel as the place to work with tables, but Word offers a simple way to create tables in your document. You can design a table that shows text, data or graphics or a combination of these. … Read more.

Using Pinterest

If you haven’t tried Pinterest yet, then what are you waiting for? It’s free, it’s easy and it’s visually fun. Pinterest is a collection of visual posts that others have found interesting. From furniture to architecture to food it’s a visual feast for the eyes ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Baby Elephant Loves to Cuddle

 

September 26, 2013 - Volume 92

Excel - Auto Correct Options

Much like Word and PowerPoint, Excel has options to correct your typing errors as you type. This is very helpful for those of us whose fingers slip on the keyboard or are lousy spellers. But can create errors when doing data entry. To avoid this, you have the option to turn on and off certain features and customize what gets corrected … Read more.

Top Digital Marketing Newsletters

In this day and age of information overload it’s easy to get lost in your email box trying to disseminate what is good information and what is bad. I suffer the same challenge, but I have 10 top email newsletters that I scan or read religiously when received. ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Bears Pole Dancing

 

September 19, 2013 - Volume 91

PowerPoint - Viewing in Grayscale or B/W

Did you know that you can change your slides to be viewed in black and white or grayscale? While it might sound crazy but there are times when it is helpful to have this option available … Read more.

LinkedIn Groups - Asking Questions

Are you stuck on a challenge or need to ask the opinion of your peers? Looking for a simple way to get answers to your questions or to share your knowledge and business? Then try using LinkedIn Discussion ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Girl Fed Up with Dandelion

 

September 12, 2013 - Volume 90

Word - Hyphenation

Using hyphenation in your document is a personal preference. Some use it to split text in order to maintain even line length or to squeeze more words into a tight … Read more.

Important Technical Terms

As technology continues to evolve new terms appear every week. It’s a daunting task to remember all of them, so don’t feel embarrassed if you don’t know the meaning of the following 10 technical terms ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Crazy Homemade Slip n Slide

 

September 5, 2013 - Volume 89

Excel - Customizing Cell Formats

Excel offers a variety of customized number formats for dates, times, zip codes, etc. But did you know that you can customize these formats if you can’t find one that works for you? … Read more.

Web Design Psychology

How viewers see your web site is based on their psychology and it affects how they interact with your site. Knowing the ways viewers unconsciously see ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Horse takes a dip in a kids pool

 

August 29, 2013 - Volume 88

PowerPoint - Title Slides and Masters

Say you are creating a presentation and want only certain slides to have a unique format, for instance to highlight a section break (could be a break in the meeting, change in speaker or change in agenda item). You can use Title Masters (which differ slightly from … Read more.

What’s Wrong with Your Web Site?

Is your web site doing what you want it to? Making sales or creating inquiries. If it’s not it could be that you web site if failing ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Elderly Traffic Jam

 

August 22, 2013 - Volume 87

Word - Increase/Decrease Indents

Working in Word with paragraphs, bullet or numbered lists can be easy, but if you have many items that are indented (tabbed) at different positions things can get messy fast. … Read more.

Starting Your Marketing Plan

Two friends Kim and Steve, both criminal defense attorneys, asked me to help them market their personal law firm. As attorneys, neither of them are experts in marketing so instead of wasting their valuable time trying to figure it out, they contacted me. If you are struggling with this same task here are two hints on how to get started ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Baby Elephant Loves Her Pool

 

August 15, 2013 - Volume 86

Excel - Customizing Charts

Excel is great for creating charts, but some times the look of the chart created needs to be tweaked – like removing the legend, changing colors of data or borders, removing grid lines, etc. The key to doing this is to know where to … Read more.

LinkedIn - Sharing Your Profile

LinkedIn, as you know by now, is the place to be if you’re looking for a job, clients, more work or to meet others. Your public profile is your face to this community ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Cat vs. Treadmill

 

August 8, 2013 - Volume 85

PowerPoint - Layering Graphics

Arranging graphics and text in PowerPoint can be simple, but if you are adding and layering many items you may have found that some may cover or overlap each other. To alleviate this problem … Read more.

Creating Useful Content

Creating content for your business can seem like a huge task. You get stuck thinking – who’s going to write it, what to write about, where to I find ideas, when and where do I post it, etc. ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Dancing Raccoon

 

August 1, 2013 - Volume 84

Word - Borders and Shading

To style a paragraph to have it stand out or create a border around a page in Word is easier than you might think … Read more.

Creating Effective Subject Lines

Ever wonder what words in a subject line entice you to read the sender’s message? Or do you need to know what are the words to use to increase clicks in your email campaign subject lines ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Cat Gives Baby a Tongue Bath

 

July 25, 2013 - Volume 83

Excel Filtering Lists

While Excel spreadsheets are very useful for compiling information, when the volume of data in rows or columns grows in numbers, sorting through it can be a challenge. Say you are trying to find … Read more.

Scheduling and Tracking Blog Posts

Setting up a schedule and tracking system for your blog posts is key to a successful and consistent social marketing plan. Scheduling will keep you on task and tracking will help ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Prosthetic Leg out of Legos – Amazing

 

July 18, 2013 - Volume 82

PowerPoint - Reuse a Favorite Chart

Have you found yourself setting up a chart in PowerPoint and needed to create another one that matches? Did you know that in PowerPoint (and Excel and Word) you can create a chart template … Read more.

Spotting Fake Emails

Don’t be fooled by fake/spam emails that claim to come from your vendors (such as a credit card, domain registration, or hosting service) asking you to renew or re-enter your personal information ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Kangaroo boxes toy hippo

 

July 11, 2013 - Volume 81

Word - Watermark / Background

Have you ever struggled trying to add a watermark or background graphic to a Word document? Then read on to learn how simple it is to achieve..… Read more.

LinkedIn - People You May Know

How many connections do you have on Linked In? Do you need more? The answer to that question should always be Yes. LinkedIn provides a few ways to add more connections. ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - 86 Year Old Gymnast - Amazing!!!

 

June 27, 2013 - Volume 80

Excel - Positioning Cell Content

Do you struggle to align content in Excel? Do you need know how to center cell contents both horizontally and vertically? Do you want your cells to show text that is right aligned? Then read on for help.… Read more.

Google Search Tricks

The other day I learned some neat tricks to refine Google searches. By using certain characters and words you can find specific file types, ignore words, search within a specific site, find related pages to a web site and lots more!. ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - This cat does not like his thundershirt!

 

June 20, 2013 - Volume 79

PowerPoint - Slide Transitions

Moving from slide to slide in PowerPoint can be done in a variety of ways – from fading the slide into the next to making the presentation advance automatically.… Read more.

Many Ways to Create Awesome Content

Creating relative content for your site, newsletter, or blog can seem like a daunting task. But there are many ways to create content even if you don’t consider yourself a writer. ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Fox steals golf ball

 

June 13, 2013 - Volume 78

PowerPoint - Size and Position Graphics

Placing graphics (photos, shapes, clip art, charts, etc) in PowerPoint with accuracy can be a challenge. PowerPoint offers a few options to help but there is one solution that works the best.… Read more.

Do You Have a Marketing and Branding Guideline?

Do you have a clear market message and branding document for your product or service? Or are you working ad hoc so when you are asked to provide an ad for a periodical or the web you create whatever comes to mind at the moment? ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Giggling baby and Doberman

 

June 6, 2013 - Volume 77

Word - Dragging Margins and Indents

Have you ever scratched your head trying to get a paragraph or page to appear correctly using margins and indents? Word gives you two ways to adjusting margins and indents – tool bar or using the drag method.… Read more.

What Does “Above the Fold” Mean?

The statement “Above the Fold” is often used when talking about web site design and is based on an old print term – showing key items above where the page or newspaper is folded ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Disco Bird

 

May 30, 2013 - Volume 76

Excel - Inserting Formulas

One of the things that Excel is good at is creating multiple types of mathematical formulas without much effort. You can choose from very simple addition/subtraction equations to more complex financial, logical.… Read more.

How to Pronounce .GIF

Since the .GIF became a common graphic file, the debate has been on as to how to pronounce it – some say gif (hard “g”) and others say jif (soft “g” - like the peanut butter) ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh -Funny video – Camel and Toddler

 

May 23, 2013 - Volume 75

PowerPoint - Combining Slide Sets with Ease

If you are given 3 slide sets, from three different individuals and asked to combine them into one slide set do you know how to do it, so everything matches?.… Read more.

Your LinkedIn Profile - is it Up-to-date?

When was the last time you updated your LinkedIn profile? Even if you are not looking for a job, keeping your LinkedIn profile up-to-date is important and is a great repository to keep track of your achievements ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Dad illustrates his kids lunch bags daily since 2008

 

May 16, 2013 - Volume 74

Word - Customizing Your Spell Checker

Do you use unique industry or corporate words or acronyms that get flagged in spell check? To avoid this you can just add those words/acronyms to your Word dictionary.… Read more.

Content Marketing Tips

Providing informational content (like this newsletter) to customers is a great way to generate leads, help with search engine visibility or support sales. Developing a content marketing strategy ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Woodchuck Eating Ice Cream

 

May 9, 2013 - Volume 73

Excel - Calculating the Difference Between Numbers

Do you need to create a calculation to determine the % difference of sales from one period to the next? Then use Excel to create this simple formula.… Read more.

Graphic Formats - Web vs. Print

Every graphic type (.bmp, .gif, .eps, etc.) has a different use and format. Knowing which type works best for each application will ensure that your work always looks professional. ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – An Owl and Cat Become Friends

 

May 1, 2013 - Volume 72

PowerPoint Tables - Borders and Fill

Creating a table in PowerPoint is pretty simple, but did you know you can adjust the borders and fill of the table? Read here to learn the basics..… Read more.

The Internet Turns 20 - Looking Back

Yesterday the first web site celebrated its 20th birthday. It was a simple page posted on the first URL. Now you can turn back time and visit that site or your favorite web site (including mine) and see how it looked in the early days! ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Girl playing with her 14 dogs

 

April 25, 2013 - Volume 71

Word - Protecting Your Document

When working on a Word document that will be shared with others, there are times when you need to protect your document or parts of it. Word offers a variety of ways to protect your document – here are two of them.… Read more.

Speed Up Your Browser - Clear the Cache

Do you experience slowing of your web browser when surfing or your web designer updated a page and you are not seeing the update? Then it’s time to clean your cache. It’s easy to do ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Seal holds divers hand

 

April 18, 2013 - Volume 70

Excel - Rounding Numbers

When creating formulas in Excel there are times when you need to round a number either up or down to make your calculation work properly. Using the increase/decrease decimal from the toolbar to format a cell.… Read more.

Social Media to Enhance Your Event

If you run any type of event for your business and want to understand how to take advantage of Social Media for your event, then you will want to ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Another version of “Call Me Maybe”

 

April 11, 2013 - Volume 69

PowerPoint - Creating Hyperlinks

Did you know that you can add hyperlinks within PowerPoint? With these you can create an interactive menu to the slides, link to an external source, or different file type. .… Read more.

Web Design - Flash: Cool or Passe?

Is Flash still cool or passe in web design? It’s still cool, but is used now as a compliment to web design vs the bygone days. Ten years ago Flash was everywhere ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders vs. our Soldiers

 

April 4, 2013 - Volume 68

Word - Comparing Documents

There are times when you need to compare one Word document to another – to make changes, to identify errors, create one final document, or to find edits. Word provides three ways to compare documents – Side By Side, Compare (Legal Blackline) or Compare and Merge .… Read more.

Why Repetition in Marketing is Important

Are potential customers aware you are in business or would recognize your company name? Do you get your message out often enough to them? Do you know how often is often enough? ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Penguin Afraid to Jump in the Water

 

March 28, 2013 - Volume 67

Excel - Writing Formulas

One of the best uses for Excel is as a number cruncher. But creating the right formulas to get the answers you need, might put you reeling back to your teens and memories of math class. Don’t panic! I can help you understand how to create formulas that work.… Read more.

Raising Money with Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding or crowdsourcing is the online use of social media to raise financial contributions from online investors, sponsors or donors to fund for-profit or non-profit initiatives or enterprises. It’s a neat concept, you use social media to solicit donations for a project, idea, business or charity... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Dancing Nana

 

March 21, 2013 - Volume 66

PowerPoint - Using Undo and Redo

In PowerPoint, like the other Microsoft Office programs, you can undo and redo edits to your document. PowerPoint gives you two ways to do this, either with icons (they are represented as rounded arrows) or using your keyboard. You can also change how many times you can undo and redo .… Read more.

What are #Hashtags

We’ve all seen them – a pound sign/hashtag (#) in front of words when viewing a tv show, an ad or while online – but do you know what they are and how to use them?... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Feel good video – Cats helping Prisoners

 

March 14, 2013 - Volume 65

Word - Thesaurus: Finding the Right Word

When writing, do you find yourself searching for just the right word to use? Or you have used one word multiple times and need another word that means the same? Then you need to use Word’s Thesaurus .… Read more.

Future - 3D Printers in Your Home

If you haven’t seen or heard of 3D printers – you need to know about them now! They are the future and are just so cool! Get ready to be able to print things like toys, replacement parts, decorations and other things – right in your home... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Dancing - Around the World (this will make you smile)

 

March 7, 2013 - Volume 64

Excel - Formatting Decimal Points

In Excel you can quickly format a cell or cells to show a number with decimal points. But did you know you can just as quickly adjust the number of decimal points shown? .… Read more.

Business vs Personal Facebook Pages

I have been asked many times by friends and clients what is required to create a business or organization Facebook page and how does it differ from a personal page. First we’ll review the difference between a personal and business page... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Deer Stalks Family

 

February 28, 2013 - Volume 63

PowerPoint - Grouping Objects

There are many times when working in PowerPoint where it is necessary to use multiple elements to create your message. These elements can include text and graphics. But what do you do when you need to move or animate the whole set? The answer is .… Read more.

Social and Web Acronyms

As in any industry, the web and social media have their own set of acronyms. To be successful in your marketing efforts it is good to know what each of them means... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Kid dancing to Michael Jackson

 

February 21, 2013 - Volume 62

PowerPoint - Customizing Slide Layouts

PowerPoint Slide Layouts give you the ability to set up a format for slides (to include text, graphics, etc) with just a click. I discovered how to do this recently when a client asked me to create a customized layout so his staff could insert pictures .… Read more.

Keys to SEO: Content & User Experience – Interview With Bing’s Duane Forrester

Find out what Duanne Forrester (Senior Product Manager – Webmaster Outreach at Bing) believes matters in today’s SEO including content,... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Bird Dancing to Funkytown

 

February 14, 2013 - Volume 61

Word - Viewing Your Document

Word offers you a variety of ways to view your document – some work better than others depending on what your documents contains. So let’s review which view .… Read more.

Schedule Your Social Marketing

To keep your business name out in the social realm you need to create yourself a scheduled calendar of tasks and then stick to it! Force yourself to set aside... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny video – Watch this Chip n Dale cartoon for Valentines Day (you gotta love these old cartoons)

 

February 7, 2013 - Volume 60

Excel - Summing Up the Numbers

One of the main benefits of using Excel is its ability to calculate data. One quick way to add up a series of numbers is the use the Auto Sum formula (or the equation of =Sum). The formula appears as =Sum(a1:a4), where a1..a4 would result in a total of cells .… Read more.

How Consumers are Using Social Media

If you have a business you want to know how to reach more of your customers and how to use social media to do it. The Social Media Examiner looked at a research report and found 9 consumer media trends... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Fun video – Take a trip inside the International Space Station

 

January 31, 2013 - Volume 59

PowerPoint - Page Setup Variations

Did you know that you are not forced to have your slides landscaped? You can actually change the orientation of your slides and change the page size as well.… Read more.

B2Bs Use of Content Marketing

Want to know what other B2B marketers are doing about Social Media and Content Marketing? A recent study has been released on The State of B2B Content Marketing in North America. It’s very interesting information that shows how B2B marketers are using... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Fun video – Unbelievable real groom singing to his wife and guests - Wedding singer

 

January 24, 2013 - Volume 58

Word - Hyphenation

Using hyphenation in documents seems to be a personal preference; some people don’t mind them, for others it drives them nuts. But hyphenations can be helpful if you want to eliminate gaps in justified text or to maintain even lengths in columns. You can control how hyphenation happens in Word … Read more.

Getting Started With Social Media Marketing

Starting a social media campaign doesn’t have to be painful or a huge task. You can start off slow – just to get your feet wet. With a bit of dedication and scheduling you can take 15 minutes a week to get your message out... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Fun video – Seal Boat Hops

 

January 17, 2013 - Volume 57

Excel - Worksheet Tabs

Looking to rename, add, move, copy, color, or delete worksheet tabs in Excel? Then read on ... Read more.

Facebook’s New Upcoming Search

Facebook announced on Tuesday, an upcoming addition to Facebook – called Graph Search. See some what is coming up to make your search easier... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Watch a bunch of stuff fizzle, pop, expand, and explode all in the name of science

 

January 10, 2013 - Volume 56

PowerPoint - Adding Borders to Pictures

Did you know that you can easily add a border to a picture or graphic in PowerPoint in a matter of seconds? You choose the color, style and width and it’s done ... Read more.

IDs and Passwords - Keeping Good Records

These days having many different IDs and passwords is a way of life and keeping them straight can be overwhelming, but it’s very important to find a way to document them ... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Hamster puts full carrot in mouth - amazing! (This is my daughter’s hamster - Rosco acheiving this feat): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw7J5vcEXw0

 

January 3, 2013 - Volume 55

Word - Paste Special

Word, like the other Microsoft products gives you options when pasting a table, graphic, text, chart or other items. These options come in very handy to help keep your document ... Read more.

Previous Customers: A Great Marketing Asset

Often times when I talk to small business clients they haven’t been using one of their best assets – past clients... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Disney’s Reason and Emotion; 1943 (note: the first few minutes are funny)

 

December 13, 2012 - Volume 54

PowerPoint - Working with Comments

PowerPoint offers a simple way of adding comments into your slide sets. Whether it is a note to yourself about a change or providing instructions for viewers, Comments is the way ... Read more.

Web Design - Who’s Your Audience

Many times clients come to us with grand design ideas about how their web site should look, but no idea of how that design will translate... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - This dog just loves baths

 

December 6, 2012 - Volume 53

Excel - Text in Cells

Did you know that you can set your text to a variety of fonts, styles and colors within a cell? Most Excel users are used to ... Read more here.

Top Level Domain Names

Can you image seeing an ad for Coca-Cola and the web address reads: coke.soda vs. coke.com? Or one for Nike... Read on.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Funny Kid’s Dance Video

 

November 29, 2012 - Volume 52

Word - Using Tabs

Tabs are an important part of Word and it can be cumbersome to create a document if you don’t have them set right. Read on to learn how simple and easy it is to work with tabs.

How People View Web Sites

When creating a web site there are many things to think about. One of the most important is to consider how people view sites – from where their eyes go first to how long the first impression takes to using text vs pictures.... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Kittens Playing with Ducklings - too cute

 

November 15, 2012 - Volume 51

PowerPoint - Notes

When creating presentations in PowerPoint it is helpful to have a place where you can jot down notes about the slide. These notes can be hidden .... Read on.

Using Your Local .Patch.com

If you haven’t discovered your local .Patch.com you are missing out on a lot of news and information about what’s going on in your community... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Baby Talks on Phone

 

November 8, 2012 - Volume 50

Excel - Adding Headers and Footers

Last week a client asked me how to add a graphic to the header of an Excel sheet. I had forgotten about this neat trick and want to share it with you. .... Read on.

Domain Name and Web Hosting Account Information

Do you know how to access your domain name or hosting service to make changes to information such as a new address, billing information or unlocking the domain to transfer it to another hosting service?... Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Talking Elephant - Amazing!

 

November 1, 2012 - Volume 49

Word - Symbols & Special Characters

When you need a symbol or special character that isn’t available on the keyboard, Word has you covered. Word contains a variety of symbols that you can use in your Word document or cut and paste and use in another program .... Read on.

Social Marketing - Article: Social Media Marketing Ranks As B2B Marketers’ Most Popular Tactic

According to a recent article from ClickZ “Eighty-seven percent of business-to-business (B2B) marketers now spread their message through social media, according to a new report...” Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Jazz Played for Cows

 

October 25, 2012 - Volume 48

PowerPoint - Working with Guidelines

When working in PowerPoint there are many times when you need an item to line up in a consistent fashion from page to page. You could use the grid system, but the best way to do this is by using Guidelines .... Read on.

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 13 - Tweak Your Plan

After analyzing the web results of your campaigns you should also look at other sources to determine how to adjust your campaigns …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Gangnam Style Halloween Light Show

 

October 18, 2012 - Volume 47

Excel - Viewing and Printing Gridlines

Last week I had a client ask me how to print an Excel sheet without the spreadsheet’s gridlines printing. This grid can be seen on the screen .... Read on.

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 12 - Analyze Your Efforts

Once you’ve begun your campaigns you need to track them and the results to insure your message is hitting its target. I suggest keeping a weekly journal (I prefer using Excel) to monitor all your activities …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Flashmob of 9th symphony

 

October 4, 2012 - Volume 46

Word - Showing Formatting

Sometimes to correct formatting on a Word document it helps to see the formatting icons in your document. Word offers the option of turning on and off these icons for fast detection of problems.... Read on.

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 11 - Get Personal With Your Message – It’s OK These Days

These days showing your personality in marketing your business is OK vs. the days-of-old where you were expected to only show your professional side. By using social media outlets and careful planning …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Jim Carey on James Steward

 

September 27, 2012 - Volume 45

PowerPoint - Slide Layout

Looking for a way to create slides quickly? Then look no further than Slide Layout in PowerPoint. Layout refers to the arrangement of items on a slide... Read on.

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 10 - Spread the Word Locally and Personally

Using local social media venues and your personal contacts is another great way to spread your social message. This is especially useful if you are a local business or service provider, but can be beneficial even if your business isn’t locally based …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Pig Saves Goat From the Water

 

September 20, 2012 - Volume 44

Excel – Transpose (Rotating Data)

Have you ever been given data in row form, but really want it to be the header of your columns or vice versa? You could move each piece of data manually, but that would take a while. So to make it fast and easy, Excel provides a way to rotate data ... Read on.

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 9 - Begin to Execute Your Plan

If you have followed all the previous steps to social marketing I have provided you are probably more than ready to begin to execute your plan. But not so fast, there are a couple of things you will still want to do to make this job easier …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Dancing Chicken

 

September 13, 2012 - Volume 43

Word - Bookmarks

Have you been given a large Word document that you need to reference in one or more places often? Instead of scrolling through the document to find it, add a bookmark ... Read on.

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 8 - Monitoring Your Web Site Analytics

Monitoring the web traffic resulting from your social campaigns can be done simply by adding Google Analytics to your web site. This free application …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Fun Video - Seattle Children's Hospital - Cat Loving Patient Gets Surprise

 

September 6, 2012 - Volume 42

PowerPoint - Creating Custom Animation

Do you remember the old cartoons that would have you sing along by following the bouncing ball? Did you know you can create this effect (and more) with animation in PowerPoint? Read on to learn how simple this is.

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 7 - Where is Your Message/Campaign Sending Your Viewer?

When creating your messages/campaigns you need to decide where you want your viewer to land, in other words, what’s the path of information you want them to take …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Skate Boarding Goat

 

August 30, 2012 - Volume 41

Excel - Date Formatting

Everyone has a different way they prefer to see dates shown (08/30/12, 30-Aug, 8/30/2012, Thursday, August 30, 2012, etc). Some times your audience dictates the date format ... Read more

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 6 - Determine Key Words/Phrases

Once you’ve completed step 5 this next step should be fairly fast and simple. You will need an arsenal of key words and phrases handy every time you create a …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Amazing jumping dog

 

August 23, 2012 - Volume 40

Word - Using Mail Merge

If you are not comfortable or familiar with using Mail Merge you are not alone. It can seem like a daunting task to under take, but it’s actually quite simple if you understand ... Read more

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 5 - Creating Your Message and Content

Your next step is to outline your message, create content and future ideas …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Funny Video - Amy (yours truly) being interviewed with her Pez collection (video and article)

 

August 16, 2012 - Volume 39

PowerPoint - Adding Excel Tables

What if your boss asks you create a slide set that shows a sample of your mailing list. You think, hey, that will be easy it’s just a cut and paste job. But did you know there are a few ways to paste an excel table ... Read more

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 4 - Set Up a Calendar

Now that you have made a commitment, created a plan and determined where you customers are it’s time to create a calendar to keep you on track with your activity! The information that will help you build this calendar comes from …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh -Funny Video - A bear breaks into a candy store

 

August 9, 2012 - Volume 38

Excel - Working with Zip Codes

With data like zip codes or social security numbers Excel will drop the leading zero (e.g. 06460 – would become 6460). There are a couple of ways to counter this challenge, some work better ... Read more

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 3 - Where is Your Audience?

The next step to social media marketing is to determine where in the social realm your audience hangs out. Depending on your business, this might be obvious or it might take some testing …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Video (this is more touching than funny): Seattle Children's Hospital hemoncology floor singing “Stronger”

 

August 2, 2012 - Volume 37

Word - Adding Drop Caps

Do you need to recreate the look of a novel using a drop cap (the first letter in a paragraph is enlarged)? Word makes this really easy, click here for instructions.

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 2 - Creating a Plan!

Like any other marketing effort you need to determine your plan. Here are some important things to determine …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Boston Terrier dog likes his belly tickled

 

July 26, 2012 - Volume 36

PowerPoint - Diagrams/Smart Art

There are times when creating a PowerPoint that the installed clip art and shapes just don’t cut it if you need to make a organization chart, show a process, or build a pyramid. By using Diagram (PowerPoint 2000) or Smart Art (PowerPoint 2007 and above) you can quickly achieve the graphic you need. Read here for instructions.

Steps to Social Marketing - Step 1

Last week we talked about driving traffic to your web site. Over the next few weeks we will talk about the steps to take to get a social marketing campaign going – one step at a time; from making a commitment to yourself to start a campaign to …. Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Dogs rescuing dogs

 

July 19, 2012 - Volume 35

Excel - Using Save As

Have you ever been asked to save an Excel file into another format – such as .csv, .txt, or an older version of Excel? Click here to learn how to save your files in different ways.

Driving Traffic To Your Web Site

There are so many ways these days to attract people to your web site – long gone are the days of just relying on search engines for people finding your site. So don’t limit yourself to just your web site - expand out … read more here.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Slow Motion Dance with Eyebrows

 

July 12, 2012 - Volume 34

Word - Managing Hyperlinks

Hyperlinks refer to when text or graphics in a document are linked to a web site, an email address or another location within the document. There are a couple of ways to create or remove hyperlinks – read on to learn more.

What are Favicons?

You probably have seen a favicon and not known what it was called. A favicon is a small icon (logo) that is displayed in your browser location bar and tabs. Click here to learn how to create one, how to add it to your site and why you should be using them.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Huge Pool Jump (I don’t recommend trying)

 

July 5, 2012 - Volume 33

PowerPoint - Adding Patterns to Shapes

In Volume 30 we discussed using the Drawing Tools to create colored graphics in your presentation. Did you know you can set custom colors, patterns, gradients, textures and pictures to your Drawing Tool graphics? Read on to learn how with just a couple of extra clicks.

Adjusting Your Web Browser View

Did you know that you can zoom your web browser view in and out? Click here for instructions.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Great Fireworks

 

June 28, 2012 - Volume 32

Excel - Protecting Your Worksheets

Have you ever created a spreadsheet and sent it to someone else only to have them overwrite formulas and change the overall integrity of your hard work? Well there is a way in Excel to password protect all or parts of your spreadsheets. Read on to learn the steps to protect your data.

Choosing the Right Social Media Channels for Your Business

There are a plethora of social media channels available to use to promote your business. But some will be better suited for your business than others. Click here to learn some basic things to help you organize your campaign.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Mini pig in a pool

 

June 21, 2012 - Volume 31

Word - Sorting

While Excel does a great job of sorting, there is no need to move your data from Word to Excel to sort – you can do it directly in Word. Word gives you the option to sort a simple one column list or sort a table. To begin sorting ... read more here.

Safety With Passwords

You know the routine, you sign up for something online and a password is required. Now you have to think of a unique and strong password, that you can remember and follows the requirements of that service. Read on to find some hints on how to create a strong and memorable password and avoid being hacked.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Baby and chimp connect at the zoo

 

June 14, 2012 - Volume 30

PowerPoint - Drawing Tools

Did you know that you can actually use PowerPoint to create graphics, do a quick design for a web page or layout a room? PowerPoint offers a variety of tools to accomplish this - learn about them here.

5 Reasons Not To Do Social Marketing?

Here are 5 excuses we hear from small to medium business owners about using Social Marketing to market their product or service. Don’t let these excuses get in your way to using Social Marketing - find out more.

You Have To Laugh - Video: A French Cat Articulates the Pain of Existence

 

June 7, 2012 - Volume 29

Excel - Creating Borders and Grids

Excel lets you create borders and grids on your spreadsheet without much effort. Doing this gives your spreadsheet a cleaner look, can define or highlight an area, and/or give you a place to make notes read more here.

Email Views in Outlook

Have you ever gotten into Outlook to review your emails to see that your view has changed? Or there is a column missing in your view? This can be so frustrating and time consuming to fix if you don’t know where to look. But if you remember the following tricks you can be back working within seconds and viewing your email in a way that works for you - find out more.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Cows crash the party!

 

May 24, 2012 - Volume 28

Word - Using Find / Replace

One of my favorite tricks in Word (as well as in Excel and PowerPoint) is the Find/Replace command. It’s easy to use and can save you a ton of time. Read more here.

Why Content Marketing is Important

Most business owners know that having a web site is key to their business. But where a lot of them miss out is by not offering useful content on their web site that will drive SEO, social marketing and email campaigns – and ultimately sales. By useful content we don’t mean ... read on

You Have To Laugh - Video: How to wake up a kid!

 

May 17, 2012 - Volume 27

PowerPoint - Replacing Fonts

If you have been given a PowerPoint slide set that contains a variety of fonts and need to change the existing fonts to another font, click here to find out a quick solution that PowerPoint offers.

Email Attachments

5 excuses we hear from small to medium business owners about using Social Marketing to market their product or service. Read them and see if you hear yourself saying the same thing.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Cat enjoys Ipad Fish

 

May 10, 2012 - Volume 26

Excel - Sorting Tricks

There are some really simple tricks that you might not have thought about that allow you to sort your data in multiple ways. Click here to learn my favorite tricks.

What Is FTP?

FTP is a means of moving files from one computer to another – no matter what type of computer is being used. You have probably used an FTP to move files … Read more.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Funny Penguin Falling Down

 

May 3, 2012 - Volume 25

Word - Printing Envelopes

Printing an individual or a group of envelopes is easy to do using Word. No need to hand write them or create and stick labels. To learn how to create a simple or multiple …read on.

Google Searching

When using Google to search there are a variety of tools you can use to refine your search and the results that appear on the screen. Did you know you can choose what ads appear? Click here to learn more.

You Have To Laugh - Try this fun site ... enter your zip code to decide where to eat lunch locally! (thanks to my daughter Katie for this link)

 

April 26, 2012 - Volume 24

PowerPoint - Formatting Bullets and Numbering

Have you found yourself frustrated with PowerPoint when you add a list of items and set them to bullets or numbers – but the bullets aren’t the right look, size or color? Or what you really want to do is add in your own bullet using a graphic? Then read on to find out how simple it is to change things.

Google Analytics - Tracking Visitors

Understanding your web traffic is vital these days to any company with a web site. Knowing how many have visited, where they came from, and what they did is key to determining what is working or not working on your site and with your promotional activities (be it social, enewsletters, PR, or other advertising). Google Analytics is a free tool that gives you the ability to monitor and report on … read more here.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Frog Sitting on a Bench Like a Human

 

April 19, 2012 - Volume 23

Excel - Using Paste Special

Using Paste Special in Excel makes it easy to paste text, formulas, values and other items into Excel will keeping the format you want. You can also specify a mathematical operation, if needed, to your copied data. To understand all the ways to use Paste Special click here.

All Things Google - Part 1

Google is a word synonymous these days with the web. It has become a generic word like Kleenex and Bandaids – how often have you heard someone say “I googled it”? Over the years Google has expanded beyond a search vehicle and offers many different products that help businesses manage and promote their online presence. Keep reading to learn about Google and how these products can help you.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Cat alarm clock – Boo

 

April 12, 2012 - Volume 22

Word - Using Page Breaks

Using Page Breaks in Word makes it easy to divide a document up so that it prints the way you want without breaking up tables or other parts of the document. To learn the ins and outs of doing this read on …

What is Pinterest?

If you haven’t heard about Pinterest, a new social media site, you will want to read this article to find out what it is and how to use it.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Gorilla plays with kitten

 

April 5, 2012 - Volume 21

PowerPoint - Slide Transitions

Want to add some movement between your slides like you’ve seen others do? By using the Slide Transitions feature of PowerPoint you can set one or all … more

Are You Afraid of Using Social Media for Business?

The majority of small to medium business owners I speak to are scared of using Social Media for their business because they just don’t know how to do it. This is understandable, because it’s a new media channel that it is foreign to many. But there’s nothing to be afraid of, you just have to start by taking small steps … more.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Dog can't get baguette through door.

 

March 29, 2012 - Volume 20

Excel - Mouse and Keyboard Tricks

Excel allows you to use the keyboard to get to specifics options and navigate around your spreadsheet faster. To learn these quick simple, fast tips click here.

What is the Purpose of Your Web Site?

Is your company on the web just because their competitors are, but you or they don’t know the purpose or goals of their web site? This is a common mistake that many companies make – they are anxious to get their web site up but don’t consider key marketing factors before creating the site. Take a few minutes and review the questions that will help focus your site - click here.

You Have To Laugh - Video: What Pi sounds like set to music

 

March 22, 2012 - Volume 19

Word - Counting Characters and Words

Remember when you were in school and were given an assignment to write an essay that was 700 words long? In those days we had to count each word by hand. Our kids have it so easy now, because Word ... read more

The Power of Facebook

Last year I witnessed the power of Facebook to unite people for a cause. On July 5, 2011 when Casey Anthony was acquitted of murdering her daughter Facebook was ablaze. Initially, it was used by people to share their thoughts on the verdict, but later in the day an event was posted ... read more

You Have To Laugh - Video: Hidden Pool - Don’t you want one of these? (I know I do!)

 

March 15, 2012 - Volume 18

PowerPoint - Resizing and Cropping Graphic

When using PowerPoint there are many times when you insert a graphic or screen shot but it’s too big for your format or you don’t want to show the whole graphic, just a part of it. PowerPoint makes it fast and easy to resize and crop your graphics. Click here to find out how simple it is.

Web Sites and Fonts

Have you ever visited a web site and wondered why the type looks wrong or is too big or small for the site? Well you are not alone. There are many things that affect the way a font face appears on a web site and they can make the difference between a well designed site or a mess. To learn more click here.

You Have To Laugh - Video: construction paper makes up great vid

 

March 8, 2012 - Volume 17

Excel - Combining Text Fields

In volume 4 we discussed breaking data into cells, today we will discuss the opposite – combining cells to make data. Using a simple formula you can combine text, such as First and Last Name. Read how easy this is here.

Web Site Basic

We get a lot of questions from people that want a web site for their business but just don’t understand what components are needed and how to get started. If you would like to know more about the process click here.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Dog determined to get up slide

 

March 1, 2012 - Volume 16

Word - Page Setup

When you open up a new document in Word it generally gives your page a standard setup of 8-1/2 x 11 in a portrait orientation. But, what if you need all or part of the document set for landscape, or need a bit more room at the top, bottom or sides of the page. It’s very easy to make these adjustments, click here to read how.

QR Codes Explained

By now you have seen at least one QR (quick response) code in an advertisement or poster - they seem to be everywhere lately. These little black-and-white puzzle-like square matrixes enable a user to take a picture of the QR code with their smart phone to reach information, a web page, or Facebook page that provides more information about the business or promotion. Learn more about them, click here (or use the QR code to the right to reach this article).

You Have To Laugh - Video: Speaking backwards (can you do this??) it’s very cool!

 

February 23, 2012 - Volume 15

PowerPoint - Using Slide Masters

A master page is used to determine a standard format for your slides. Here you can set guides that will appear on all slides, define your fonts, bullets, placeholders for text and graphics, headings, footers and more. Read more about using Slide Masters here.

Who’s Behind That Domain Name?

Have you ever gone to a web site and wondered who is the person/organization behind that domain name (such as www.aapk.com)? Or have you searched for a domain name only to find it’s been purchased and want to know who owns it? Well there is a very simple and easy way to find out. Click here to learn how.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Office humor

 

February 16, 2012 - Volume 14

Excel - Insert/Delete Columns or Rows

When working with Excel there are times when you need to add or delete rows or columns in your spreadsheet. Find out how simple it is to add or delete rows/columns, and get some tips that will save you a lot of frustration. Click here.

Another Way to Search The Web

Did you know there is another way to search the web without using Google or Bing that actually combines multiple search engines to give you better results? Click here to find out the site.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Dog happy listening to music - till it stops

 

February 9, 2012 - Volume 13

Word - Creating Labels

A friend asked me the other day to create labels from an Excel list. Once I finished the labels he asked me to write an up explanation on how I had done this. So, here’s the explanation for you and my friend – click here to see how easy this is.

CMS - What is it?

CMS stands for Content Management System and is way to build a dynamic web site that enables users to maintain some or all of their content when needed, without the help of a web designer. Click here to learn more about it and why and when it is used to create a web site.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Some odd looking animals

 

February 2, 2012 - Volume 12

Word - Tracking Changes

When working with a document of any type (i.e. proposal, article, brochure, report, etc) there are times when it’s necessary for other people to edit and comment on the document. The problem is if you give them a Word file and they make edits you don’t know what they changed. Word alleviates this by enabling you to track changes in Word. Read on for instructions in using.

Sending Mass Emails Using BCC

We have been asked many times by folks who want to send out emails to a large group (be it a non-profit, school, organization or small business) if using BCC is an acceptable way to send their message. While this might seem the cost effective way to send out a mailing, it’s not the best solution. Click here to read the pros and cons.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Dog trying to throw a stick at a "Stranger"

 

January 26, 2012 - Volume 11

PowerPoint - A Great Place to Gather Your Thoughts

PowerPoint is not just for making presentations it also serves as a great tool to gather and save your thoughts on a project. In PowerPoint you can jot down your ideas, keep track of graphics or pictures you might use, follow your progress, combine excel tables, create your own graphic looks and flow charts, and save web links to pertinent information. Read more about how to harness the power of PowerPoint to gather your thoughts.

Graphic Formats for Print and Web

Using the right graphic type for your web or print project can make a big difference in quality and file size of your pieces. Each gaphic type (.bmp, .gif, .eps, etc.) has a different use and format. Knowing which type works best for each application will ensure that your work always looks professional. To learn about the different types, click here.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Cars slipping and sliding

 

January 19, 2012 - Volume 10

Excel - Centering Text

I get a lot of questions from people that are confused on how to best center a title (text) in a spreadsheet either within one column or over a series of columns. I find many people try using spaces in front of the text to get it to center – please don’t do that anymore! Let me explain how Excel allows you to center text, click here to read on.

Using Google Alerts

Want a quick and simple way to find out daily what is new on the web about your brand, competitor or favorite topic? Using Google Alerts you can receive an email alerting you to information about the key words/topics you have chosen. Click here to read how to use these alerts to your benefit…

You Have To Laugh - Video: Crow Sledding on Roof Top

 

January 12, 2012 - Volume 9

Word - Using Graphics

Adding and working with graphics in Word can seem daunting, but if you know a few tricks you can add a graphic into your document with ease. Click here to learn how.

Using LinkedIn - Part 9

LinkedIn Answers. LinkedIn’s Answer area is a great resource if you have a question that you need answered, want to help others by answering their questions, establish yourself as an expert or even to find sales leads. Read more ....

You Have To Laugh - Video: Girl with dancing eyebrows

 

January 5, 2012 - Volume 8

PowerPoint - Cutting File Size

Have you found yourself emailing a presentation to someone only to have it bounce back because it’s too large for your email system (or the person receiving it)? Then read on to find out some quick tips to alleviate this challenge.

Using LinkedIn - Part 8

LinkedIn Finding People. To extend your search for connections or jobs further, you can use the Advanced Search feature in LinkedIn. This is especially useful for a variety of needs: seeking an old friend or work buddy, finding potential sales leads or determining the name of an executive in a company with a specific job function. Click here to explore the options available.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Cat launcher

 

December 15, 2011 - Volume 7

Excel - Setting Column/Row Widths/Heights

Make your spreadsheets look neater and easier to read by adjusting the column width and row heights to accommodate your entries. Learn how to make these adjustments by clicking here.

Using LinkedIn - Part 7

LinkedIn Finding Jobs. If you are looking for a job or just curious what’s available in the marketplace LinkedIn is a great resource for finding a job and being found for one. It a logical place; you have established connections and by joining Groups within your industry their members could be a potential employer or connection to one. Find out more here.

You Have To Laugh - Video: St Bernard Balancing Objects

 

December 8, 2011 - Volume 6

Word - Setting Up Your Page

The default setting when you open a Word document is an 8-1/2 x 11 inch sheet set in portrait with set margins on top, bottom and both sides. But what if you want your document to be set going horizontally (landscape), need to adjust the margins or add a border to one page or the whole document? Click here to learn where to make these changes so your document will look the way you want.

Using LinkedIn - Part 6

LinkedIn Groups. LinkedIns Groups provide a place for professionals in similar industries or with the same interests to share content, find answers, keep up with trends, post and view jobs, make business contacts, and establish themselves as industry experts. Groups can range in size from just a few people to thousands of members. Find out how to use these groups to help you succeed.

You Have To Laugh - Video: We will we will Rock You - song by babies

 

December 1, 2011 - Volume 5

PowerPoint - File Types Explained

PowerPoint lets you save files in a variety of formats (.ppt, .pps, .pot, and htm). Each format serves a different purpose. Click here to learn all about them.

Using LinkedIn - Part 5

Using Degrees of Connection. LinkedIn is based on degrees of connection (think of the theory of the “6 degrees of separation”). On LinkedIn, people in your network are called connections and your network is made up of your 1st-degree, 2nd-degree, and 3rd-degree connections and fellow members of your LinkedIn Discussion Groups. Click here to find out how to use and why to take advantage of these degrees.

You Have To Laugh - Video: What happens when you twirl your backpack?

 

November 23, 2011 - Volume 4

Excel - Text to Column

Excel makes it easy to separate data into columns – using either a character or a specific number of characters to determine where the break occurs. Let’s assume you were just given an excel list that contains name and addresses. The first and last name is in one column, the street, city and zip are in another column, and the phone number is in the third column. But you need each field (first, last, street, city, etc) in separate columns. Click here to learn how to do this quickly and simply.

Using LinkedIn - Part 4

Making Connections. The key to using LinkedIn is taking advantage of making connections with people you know currently and from your past; colleagues, friends, business associates, and friends of friends. You can use these connections to find a job, generate business, share conversations and ideas with people in your industry or who have similar interests, or just catch up with old friends. LinkedIn helps you find people you know through a variety of ways. Click here to find out more.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Kids talk about Thanksgiving and what it means to them.

 

November 17, 2011 - Volume 3

Word – Changing Text Cases

Have you ever been given a list or document and the text is in UPPER CASE when you needed it in Title Case? How many times have you retyped that list? Be honest. No need to retype anymore - you can use Word or PowerPoint to quickly change the cases of text (even if it’s in Excel). Find out how simple this is - click here.

Using LinkedIn - Part 3

Using Your Profile Page to Your Advantage. In the last issue we talked about how to create your profile. Now it’s time to edit and add more information to expand your profile. You do this by viewing your profile and taking advantage of the features it offers: tracking the progress of completing your profile, see who’s viewed your profile, view your connections, ask for recommendations and see your profile the way the public sees it. Click here to learn how. Click here to learn more.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Cat Waking You Up (this one has been around for a while but is still funny)

 

November 10, 2011 - Volume 2

PowerPoint: Slide Design

Excel is a great way to “massage” data into a format that you can use for a variety of applications (i.e., Word merges, e-mail lists, or tracking transactions). Excel allows you to sort a section of data or specific rows or columns. The sort can be done in three levels and in ascending or descending order. Read more.

Using LinkedIn - Part 2

Creating and Updating Your Profile. It’s important to have your profile as complete as possible and kept up-to-date. This is the place people come to find out more about you – whether it’s a potential employer, client or and old colleague. You can also “strut your stuff” in your profile and it’s not limited to the standard 2 sheets for your resume. This gives you the room to expand upon your experience and let others comment on your expertise. Read the 2nd in this series.

You Have To Laugh - Video: “We ate all your halloween candy” (I know it’s after the season, but I couldn’t wait till next year to show this one)

 

November 3, 2011 - Volume 1

Excel Sorting

Excel is a great way to “massage” data into a format that you can use for a variety of applications (i.e., Word merges, e-mail lists, or tracking transactions). Excel allows you to sort a section of data or specific rows or columns. The sort can be done in three levels and in ascending or descending order. Read more.

Using LinkedIn - Part 1

What is LinkedIn? Have you subscribed and just don’t know what to do with it? What can you gain by being on LinkedIn? I will guide you through how to take advantage of this massive network of business professionals. Read the first in a series.

You Have To Laugh - Video: Who Got Into the Garbage?