Feature Article

A World of Hurt

by: Bob Osgoodby Advanced Marketing Consultants

It is not a question of "if", but "when" you will have to rebuild your computer. There are so many things that can happen; the drive could have been marginal when it was manufactured; a surge from a nearby lightening strike; a virus; or something stupid was done; let me count the ways.

One area of extreme importance, are your drivers. - those nifty little pieces of software that make the hardware on your computer work properly. If your system does go "belly up", and you need to redo your system, one of the most frustrating parts of the job is to locate and reload all those drivers.

What you need is a program to back up the files for you. One such program is called Drivers Guide Toolkit which is available as shareware. You can download the software at: http://www.jermar.com and if you want the full featured version there is a cost. Editor's note: The program is not available at that URL. Try http://www.driverguidetoolkit.com/ instead.

It finds all the non-Microsoft drivers on your system (You don't need the Microsoft Drivers as they are installed automatically) and then queries the web and downloads the software for these drivers. I recommend that you copy these drivers to a CD or floppy, and keep them in a safe place.

Most of us basically have three types of software on our computer. The first came with the computer, the second we purchased and have the "Install CDs", and the third we downloaded from the web. One and Two are usually not a problem as we have the CDs and can easily reinstall them.

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If you have downloaded programs from the web, losing your "Install" programs can be a huge problem. Some of the gurus say you can delete them after the software is installed Phooey! A program can become corrupted and must be reinstalled

Can you imagine if you ever lost them? Where would you go to get them even if they were still available? While you probably could, it would be a real time consuming chore.

If you are short on disc space, and have them backed up to external media, you can then safely delete them from your computer. You don't have a CD burner that you can copy data to you say. Have you ever heard the term "penny wise and pound foolish."

I recommend that you set up a folder called "Downloads" - hey that's original. <G> But wait - if you loose your hard drive, you're going to loose that folder as well. Back that folder up to a disc or CD and keep it in a safe place as well.

Finally, there are the data files on your computer that you create. Since we all use our systems differently there really is no easy answer. Let me share with you what I do, and some of it might make sense for you.

In my email, there is not a whole lot that I would really miss if it were lost, but there are some things. These I maintain in a separate folder called "Action". If something is important such as a receipt or important correspondence, I move it to that mailbox.

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I also created a folder on my computer called "Data Backup", and use this to store things such as forms, letterheads, and billing statements in a sub-folder within that folder. My rule of thumb is how long it took to create the document in the first place. If it only takes a few minutes, I don't back it up. If it took more than that, I do.

The rest of the "stuff" that I think is important gets shoved into this backup folder as well. If you're creating a document on your word processor that you don't want to lose, in addition to saving it where you normally do, pop a copy into your back up folder as well.

I copy all these to a CD once a week. There is also a D: drive on my computer, and once a week when I go through the entire backup process, I copy everything from the C: drive to D: as well. That alone should suffice you might think, but there are things that can happen that will also wipe out all the information on all your hard drives. The risk of losing everything simply isn't worth it.

If all you really do is surf the web and correspond with friends and family via email, the data backup isn't so terribly vital. But at least back up your "Drivers" and any software you may have downloaded from the web. And always keep a separate record of any passwords or "unlock" keys for your software in a safe place.

Believe me, this little extra effort on your part can well be worth the effort if you ever do have a problem. If you don't have a recovery plan, you will face a lot of heartache, lost time and unnecessary expense.

Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine the "Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their Business at his Web Site? Great Business and Computer Tips - Monday. Wednesday. And Friday. Instructions on how to place an ad are in the Newsletter. Subscribe at: adv-marketing.com/business/subscribe2.htm

Second Article

Your Brand Is Your Promise!

by: Phillip Davis Tungsten Brand Marketing

When people mention the word "brand" they usually mean a well known, well defined company. That's why consumers frequently mention names like Target, Rolex, Apple, BMW and others who have done an excellent job in crafting an image and sticking with it. Buyers know what to expect from these companies, and as long as these companies meet that expectation, they will continue to imprint their brand in the minds of our their audience. It's pretty simple really, if you just keep in mind these two principals.

Principal One: Know your promise.

As amazing as this may seem, most companies don't really know what it is they are promising their clients. That's why they have weak brands. They may have mission statements, and can spout off why everyone should use their product or service, but really it's just a rambling list. Out of fear of losing audience, most companies will try to compete on price, quality and service... and that's a recipe for disaster. Who wants to buy a watch from the Discount Overnight Rolex store? If you try to go after all three areas you end up muddied in the mind of the consumer, who is trying to put you in a box. And in this case... that's a good thing!

A mental "box" is not that different from a set of mail room boxes. The customers gets all these incoming "messages" and has to sort them all day. The easier you make it for them to sort your company, and put it in a category, the easier it will be for them to recall it when needed. Try this... think of a fast place to eat. How about the best tasting food? And finally, the place you go if you really want to impress someone? You can probably think of each of these categories rather quickly. And chances are, these companies are more than happy to fill that niche without trying to become much more.

Take a moment and write out in two or three sentences (more if you're feeling inspired) exactly what your brand promises. It will usually fall under three main categories... quality, service or price. But there are nuances. Ben & Jerry's image contains both a quality message and a social message... one of comittment to the community and environment.

Principal Two: Never violate Principal One.

Once you have firmly established your promise in the minds of consumers, make sure every move you make conforms to that promise. Coke was fine to come out with Diet Coke, Cherry Coke and a host of other flavor variations (brand extension) but they completely missed the mark when they introduced NEW Coke. People believed in Coke, identified with Coke and it was a part of their history. New Coke was seen as a betrayal of the brand itself, a vote of no confidence in their core product. "What's wrong with the original Coke?" was the immediate question that popped up in most minds. That's why is so important to know what it is, and why it is, that people buy from you and believe in you.

Know your promise and keep your promise. Pretty simple? Yet it will go a long ways toward making your company resonate with your customer on a deep and lasting level. And that's a promise.

Phil Davis: President — Tungsten Brilliant Brand Marketing. Phil’s life goal of "creating environments where people thrive" reflects his desire to assist in personal, professional and business growth. Phil founded and ran a full service ad agency for over 17 years and now works full time as a business naming and branding consultant. Phil resides with wife Michelle and four energetic offspring outside Asheville, North Carolina. Website: PureTungsten.com Email: Phil@PureTungsten.com