April 1st, Issue #315

Googlize to Save You
Time and Money - Get With It!

By Barb Girson (c) 2010

AOL, Hotmail, Yahoo... even Outlook users listen up! I have been a long time loyal AOL user. My AOL email address spans back a decade. Though it can be easy to switch e-mail addresses, I have always seen the importance in keeping my e-mail address the same, so as to maintain connection with my valuable contacts in the process.

Moving away from AOL has not been a quick or easy decision. That was before I learned the virtues of Gmail.

I have become a Gmail (Google's email) guru. Google products help me to save time, money and ultimately increase revenues. Gmail is Google's solution for bringing email, chat and (with their newest addition BUZZ) social networking to one place. The Google site states, "Gmail is built on the idea that email can be more intuitive, efficient, and useful. And maybe even fun."...and I agree. This is why I want to share some of the key benefits that I enjoy.

Best Benefits of Gmail

1. The Price is Right! Gmail is FREE. And you will not be bothered with desktop software (i.e. Outlook) to purchase, update or upgrade!

2. Gmail Goes with You! Gmail is web-based. You can access your email anywhere you can get online unlike a desk top software solution.

3. Gigs of Space! Gmail offers users abundant storage space; over 7 GB (and counting, because Google keeps improving its product) meaning most of us will never have to delete a message. This amount of storage is double the amount of space provided by its competitors. They even offer a premium service option that allows businesses to increase their storage and enjoy up to 33% savings by converting to Google applications. Compare for yourself. Use a Calculator to project your business savings.

4. Gmail Chat - Conduct real time communication with Gmail subscribers. Build your base of Contacts, Customers, and (staff) Team members. You can opt to save chats and later access them through the search feature. This is useful when sharing web links and other details.

5. Less Spam - Gmail filters spam so you do not have to.

6. Contained Commercial Ads - Google does not incorporate advertisements into the message body as AOL does. Related advertisements appear in the side panes, although these do not interfere with your message. These advertisements are predicative matches populated by key words in the current emails. Ads are machine-matched.

7. Reliable Retrieval of Information - Email is searchable by topic, sender, keywords, date, etc. Google does not search spam or trash which means your results are more inclined to be relevant.

8. Greater Organization - File topics under multiple labels for ease in searching. For those who are used to working with folders, this transition may take some time. Emails can be filed under multiple labels: For example: Future interest, Past Customers, Possible Recruits, and Spring Call Backs. The ability to classify emails with multiple labels gives you fast access to archived information. Archived emails are still searchable. Use filters, stars and constantly archive incoming mail to reign in your inbound communication.

9. Maximum Mobility - Receive Gmail on your mobile phone. My Gmail arrives on my Blackberry, which has pleasantly eliminated the need to tote a laptop.

10. Mesh Your Other Email Clients - Integrate Gmail with your other email clients so that all of your email goes to one account. Reply to emails from your originating email address. You can automatically reply from the same address or reply from the account of your choice. (For example, I forward my personal email and my business email to my gmail account. You can automatically reply from the same address or reply from the account of your choice.

Google Calendar Saves You Time and Helps You Organize Multiple Schedules

Combine Gmail with Google Calendar

Google Calendar is a free (The Price Is Right!) Internet based calendar where you can organize your time and share your appointments with others. You can import events from Outlook, I-cal or Yahoo calendars.

Benefits of Google Calendar

1. Create Multiple Calendars - Whether you are managing direct reports, training team members and staff, or balancing your personal and business calendars, the Google Calendar helps you to organize more efficiently by using color coded calendars. You can maintain separate calendars for personal, business, team and family engagements. These calendars can all interface into one so you can see the big picture.

2. Use Event Invites - Schedule team meetings, events and one-on-one coaching. Send Invites for family events, conference calls and parties and collect RSVP. This is similar to evite.com without the graphics.

3. Track Team Performance - Follow goals and objectives of your team members and staff.

4. Online/Offline Visibility - Print and view your Calendar in a variety of formats (agenda, daily, weekly, monthly)

5. Determine, Decide & Delegate - Determine what needs to be done. Decide who will do it. Delegate activities. Assign tasks to team members, staff and participants for team meeting preparation.

6. Share the Responsibility - Google has superiority in this area. You can transfer calendar ownership and grant or deny permission rights to allow others to manage and update information. If you are part of an organization and want to schedule meetings, collect RSVPs and arrange meeting locations like we did for our NAWBO round table, calendar sharing makes this easy.

7. Generate Task Lists - Tasks will show up on your calendar by due date. You can satisfyingly check off the items you accomplish.

8. Publicize Your Calendar - Embed your calendar into your web site and visitors can see your upcoming events. See my public Google Calendar.

What's the Downside?

Periodically Google's server is slow, however this is rare. Some of the features and functions may take familiarizing time, but it is worth the investment to learn about these tools. Once you learn your way around, you will find the technology is created with simplicity in mind. So you can see - Gmail is much more with it than AOL and other competitive products! Enjoy the speed, simplicity, search-ability, spam-LESS, storage, star features and functionality. It is time you consider a change.

Links referred to in this article.
1. http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/details.html
2. http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/messaging_value.html
3. http://mail.google.com/mail/

About The Author
Barb Girson, International Direct Selling Industry expert, trainer and coach, is a highly interactive, creative speaker & author offering professional skill development programs for workshops, leader retreats, annual conventions & teleclass training programs. Need a speaker for your next event? Contact Barb Girson 514.855.0446 . Visit www.MySalesTactics.com for sales resources and ezine sign up.

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