An interesting study by a Danish security firm found the main reasons people get viruses is because they don’t update their software.

The main vectors for getting infected are via old versions of Adobe Flash, Adobe PDF Reader, Java and Microsoft Internet Explorer. So if you use these, make sure you keep them up to date!

The conclusion of this study is that as much as 99.8 % of all virus/malware infections caused by commercial exploit kits are a direct result of the lack of updating five specific software packages.

As they say, prevention is better than a cure. As annoying as it is, it’s safer to keep your software up to date (and less annoying than getting a virus).

Microsoft recently published a similar study where they found about 90% of virus infections were through unpatched software.

ResponderWorks has many members who are part of a company that recently changed its name. This is certainly an historic event for Pre-Paid Legal Associates, now known as Legal Shield. 

We’re working behind the scenes to change out the company name on the email campaigns created by us for PPLSI – LegalShield associates. First you’ll see the changes in the prospecting campaigns, then retention campaigns, and we’ll continue to make sure all email campaigns have the Legal Shield name instead of Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.

If you’ve created your own campaigns you’ll need to change those company references yourself.

We’re happy to help you stay current with your contact information. If you have questions about this change, please email us at customerservice@sohos.net.

Spyware is a type of malware (software) that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user, and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly installed on the user’s personal computer. Sometimes, however, spyware such as keyloggers are installed by the owner of a shared, corporate, or public computer on purpose in order to secretly monitor other users.

Keyloggers are software programs that covertly record and monitor keystrokes (like your passwords) made on a remote computer, typically using a dedicated software application or piece of implanted hardware. Companies may do this to monitor their employees’ use of their computers like going to game sites or other non-work related sites while on the job.  When done covertly on your personal computer, it’s definitely not intended for your good. It’s an automated software program, and not some individual watching your computer activity.

Risks:

• Identity Theft- stealing passwords, account information, even credit card numbers
  
• Shutting down your computer or permantly erasing files
  
• Using your computer as a server. Spyware can and will embed itself in your computer and then act as a remote server (pass through computer) to distribute other harmful programs or images, delivering malicious programs to others. This means the spyware program is using your computer to send these things out.  Each computer has an identity number so doing this masks their identity and points to you as the one sending the harmful programs or images. Porn suppliers randomly seek computers they can hack for this purpose.
  
• Redirecting your URL’s. Your website content will disappear and the hacker’s content will appear.
  

Malware, spyware, and other junk software typically makes it onto a computer for a number of reasons:

• You down load something you really shouldn’t have, from an untrustworthy source. For example, you get an email from an unknown person promising something you might be interested in, or some official looking email saying they need to verify your information, and they give you a link to click on – don’t!  This might be a virus, or spyware or a keylogger program that will compromise your computer and your identity.
• You thought you were installing a “reputable” application, but it actually bundles “optional” features that are actually malware. Malware is often lurking behind a “reputable” source but disguised as something innocuous or desirable. This technique is known as the Trojan Horse. Be very careful of what you are installing and its source.
• You’ve already managed to get yourself infected, and the malware installs even more malware. Once a system has been compromised most malware software will install a backdoor. This allows for other malware or harmful things to be easily installed in the future. This method is typically used by a malicious individual to gain secure remote access to a computer, while attempting to remain hidden from view. 

Prevention:

A good Anti-virus program is a must. There are free ones like AVG or you can purchase the well known Norton’s or McAfee, as well as others. You can set them up to run automatically at night (if you leave your computer on) or sometime during the day when you do have your computer on.  You’ll want to select a time when running the program doesn’t slow down your computer while you are using it.

Regularly back up your computer.  This way if something does infect your computer you will be able to recover programs and data.  The same thing applies here – you can set up an automatic backup at a time when you know your computer will on. Pick a time when you aren’t actively using your computer.

If you get an email asking to verify information and it’s to an account that you do have, such as PayPal, do not use the link in the email to go to the website.  Open your browser and fill in the domain name yourself.  If it’s a legitimate request you’ll be able to get the information there, and if not, you have potentially saved yourself a lot of grief.

If you do get a virus or other unwanted programs on your computer, contact someone who really knows how to remove them.  A trained person can save you time, frustration and lost data.

Social Media isn’t just for updating your friends and sharing your latest photos, it can help you grow your business!

As of May 31, 2011, Facebook was fast approaching its 700-millionth signup. You don’t even have to tweet to enjoy Twitter.  Whether you tweet 100 times a day (please don’t) or never, you still have access to information about what interests you. Many people simply use Twitter as a way to keep up with friends and acquaintances or get the latest information on your interests.

According to a SocialWare survey, 79% of the largest Fortune 500 firms use Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or corporate blogs to communicate with customers and others. And 69% of them report that their companies have gained measurable business benefits from social technologies, including more effective marketing, more innovative products and services, better access to knowledge, lower costs of doing business, and higher revenues.

So does that mean Email Marketing isn’t as effective? Absolutely not! Email Marketing is still going strong. According to an Econsultancy survey in early 2011, 72% answered that Return On Investment (ROI) of their email marketing campaigns is excellent. Also, 39.4% of marketing industry executives called Email Marketing “the most powerful advertising channel for their business”, according to Datran Media’s 2010 Annual Marketing and Media Survey.

By using social media avenues you’re able to direct people to your email campaigns. Include occasional posts with your business website or landing page. Have your website link in your social media bio information. Those who are really interested in what you’re offering will sign up (opt-in) to learn more about your information and why they should become customers or join your business. Your email campaign should give them more information about your product or service.  Include a link to your Facebook or Twitter page on your website if possible. In fact, 54% said their marketing efforts were better with both social media and email campaigns.

With social media, be sure to follow the unwritten rules, which include how often to share your marketing message. You need a combination of personal information, valuable topical information, and only 25-30% of your posts about your business. Be purposeful in what you post and you’ll develop a following who know, like and trust you. Using email to boost your social media voice and vice-versa is key to reaching more people and growing your business!

By now virtually everyone has some kind of spam filter on their computer, plus their email programs have spam filters.  Emails go through an amazing number of servers on their way from you to your recipients, and they do it sometimes in seconds.  There are two main gatekeepers (filters) to get through – the primary email server on the recipient end (like gmail or a domain where their email goes to) and the recipients’ email settings on their computers (like Outlook).  So how can your email get through the spam filter maze and be considered "deliverable"?

Here are some tips:

1. Avoid using spam words and phrases
Here are just a handful of words and phrases are flags to the spam filters:  free, legal, act now, limited time offer, call now, click here (and worse yet, click here now).  I’m sure you’ve seen the emails that use "free" with * like F*R*E*E*  but you could also choose other words, like complimentary, bonus, no cost…   When I absolutely need to use the word "free"  I might add the * at the end of it but change the color of the * to match the background, which is usually white.  It keeps the appearance of the email clean, but slides through the filters better.

2.  Avoid using the color red in your copy and headlines.
Red is loud! Email studies show that mixing colors in your fonts, even bright greens or yellows, will hurt not only deliverability but also conversion! If you can’t resist and must use color, use bold, rich colors like navy and maroon, which gives the punch of red without the flag.

3.  Avoid Excessive Punctuation Marks ??!!!
Excessive punctuation is simply not good email etiquette and is a sure red flag for filters.  One ? or ! will do the job. Promise.

4.  Don’t copy and paste from a Word document into your HTML email editor.
Now this is where I really want to use a lot of !!!!!   But this is a blog post, not an email  

MS Word uses a lot of hidden coding that simply doesn’t translate anywhere else.  It messes up web pages and spam filters hate it in email. Not to worry – there’s a way around the ugly coding.

Best practice is to type your content directly into the body of the email editor. If you need to copy text from a Word document,  first paste it into a text editor like Notepad. This usually removes the coding from your Word document. It also strips all formatting, like bold and font sizes or colors.  You must then copy the content that you put into Notepad and paste that into the email editor window (the body of your email).  Then reformat it. Formatting simply means adding the bold, color, size, paragraphs, etc.

5.  Don’t Use ALL CAPS
I understand how we want to put the most emphasis on the words that we think are most important. WHEN YOU USE ALL CAPS, IT COMES ACROSS AS YOU’RE SHOUTING OR ANGRY.  Fight the temptation to shout! There are several other ways to get your point across. Try capitalizing just the first letter of the word and putting it in Bold. Use italics (sparingly).  Or underline a word or sentence to show the reader that "this is the part of my letter I really want you to get!"

6.  Beware of Symbols
The number one spam symbol is the dollar sign. Whether it’s in your subject line or in the body doesn’t matter. Many email users have spam filters that will send anything containing this symbol or others directly to the trash. This doesn’t mean you can’t use the $ sign when appropriate, but be very careful how and where you do this.  It should only be used with an actual dollar amount, never  something like "make $$$$$ now" – I guarantee that email will have a tough time getting to your reader!   Remember the punctuation caution?  Those are symbols too, which compounds the flags. Another way symbols are abused is in trying to be clever such as "L@@k at this"  This might be ok for a single email from you to a friend, but not if you’re trying to send an email to more than a couple people at a time.

So there you have it - definitely not an exhaustive list, but these six tips will help you increase your email delivery rates. You want your emails to not only make it past the initial email server spam filters – you also want them delivered into the inbox.  While you can’t control the recipients’ inbox filters, sticking with good email etiquette will definitely improve your delivery rates!

This week Mike Cowles is taking his friend by the hand to prove he can generate $1,000 or more in one week – and his friend has zero experience online (he lays tile for a living). The training will be showcased next Monday and Tuesday as part of his Emergency Cash Marketing.  For more information check it out at http://tinyurl.com/4×3a2pz (signup ends Sunday 6/12/11 at midnight).  He said it will take some time to set up, and if you can’t invest about 2 hrs a day for a week to do what he teaches, or the program would create a hardship, it’s not for you.

From Mike: 

Cory is one of my best friends of over twenty years and recently had some surgery that caused him to not be able to work on his day job of laying tile. When he was doing tile, he did awesome, but it is taking a toll on his knees, shoulder and soul. Cory asked me for advice since he knew I was doing well…

Cory is a complete and total newbie. He’s never set up a blog or website, he hasn’t bought any IM products, etc.

As a matter of fact, he didn’t even know what a domain was until I told him yesterday! And why should he? He was making good money (in his eyes) doing tile.

I decided the best way to help Cory was to walk him through everything he needed to start generating at least $1,000 a week, and since Cory’s situation is so common and there are so many warriors that would love to have the same help and guidance, I decided to do a workshop and have Cory be my case study.

The workshop will be held this Monday and Tuesday (June 13, 14) at 4pm ET. Both 2 hour sessions will be recorded. He’ll be sharing 3 different methods for creating a "completely original product to generate ongoing cash for months."  Depending on a topic you choose, this may be something to drive traffic to your main business and help you build a list.

He’s priced his two day workshop (it’s really two webinars) at $67, which is less than half what he normally charges for trainings. 

By now you might have heard that there’s been a major email breach of a major marketing company. 

The good news is that the hackers didn’t get any particularly sensitive data, such as account numbers, passwords or card details. Instead, they were only able to access lists of emails accompanied by the customer’s name.

The breach was at Epsilon, which operates online mailing lists for many major companies, including seven of the ten largest firms in America.  Were it just email addresses, the main risk would be an increase in spam. However, with the names also available, the attention will likely turn to phishing. 

This involves attempting to trick users into believing a scam email is from a legitimate source, such as an online bank or retailer, and then getting the users to hand over sensitive data. This is the very thing you should NOT do.

Steer Clear of Suspicious Links

By using real names, the scammers can produce messages a little more credible-looking and less like automated scams.  Companies don’t use links in an email for log in or filling out a form.  Many of the affected companies have already sent out emails alerting their users and, as in the case of Citi Cards, share what they will include in their communication so you know it’s really from them.

According to Epsilon, those who have already confirmed their lists were involved include 1-800-Flowers, Barclays, Best Buy, Home Shopping Network, LL Bean, Marriot, Ritz Carlton, Citi Cards, TiVo and US Bancorp.

It’s also important to note that while the sites are sending out warnings, they are not asking users to change log-in details. Any message along those lines is likely itself a scam that’s designed to get ahold of these details.

Typically scam emails disguise or change "from" email addresses so fast that you can’t effectively add them to your spam filter.

So, if you get more spam or phishing emails for awhile, remember that your best friend is the delete button.

We may be early adopters on a lot of techie stuff, but we’ve held off on the ebook readers. I can’t use my highlighter on them.  

Then last fall we started seriously checking out what’s available.  First the Kindle, then the big screen Kindle DX.  Several lesser known names.  Then Barnes and Noble’s introduced the Nook.  They missed their Christmas target date (that had to hurt).  The Nook has some very interesting features like highlighting.  For me that’s huge.  Then I discovered the Kindle has a cut and paste function that can string together what I would’ve highlighted.  That sounds very useful!

Then Apple introduced the iPad eReader with incredibly cool features.  Interestingly enough, the only negative comments I’ve heard seem to be Mac fans who want the iPad to be a full functioning computer rather than a really cool eReader.   If those comments drive Apple to further tweak the iPad, great!  Most non-Mac fans think the iPad is totally awesome.  A big brother to the iPhone.

That’s where we find ourselves.  I just got an iPhone last October (birthday gift from my iPhone owner husband).  Until then, a cell phone was just a convenient way to communicate when I wasn’t near my land line.  I had text messaging, but I didn’t have Internet access, email from my cell or any other techie features.  Of course, Mike did, and he’s always been up on all the latest and greatest tech toys, looking for fancy cell phones that did everything but laundry.  When my son got an iPhone, Mike checked it out and had to have one.  My son gave my daughter-in-law an iPhone for her birthday, so it was only fitting that I should get one too.  I took a power leap into communication and technology on the go.  Do not try to pry it from of my fingers.

Until the iPhone I wasn’t sure if I’d really use an ebook reader since I was still clutching my highlighter.   I got a Bible ap for my iPhone and discovered I enjoy reading that way.  The ap I use lets me bookmark passages to a growing list of my ‘highlights’.  An ebook reader will just make it easier than reading from a  2" x3" screen.  So I’m doing my due diligence on the features of all of the eReaders to see which one will best fit my wants and needs.  Mike’s already got his hand raised to say ‘I want the iPad.’ 

Here come the Scams.  I started writing this because I ’m now getting emails saying the iPad is great and I can have a chance to get one for free.  You might get those emails too.  Don’t fall for it.  The free chance will cost you!  Here’s the tell-tale sentence:  ’For simply completing a brief survey, and fulfilling all offer requirements, you could be on your way to a new Apple iPad! Participate now before this offer runs out.’  ‘Fulfilling all offer requirements’ means they probably will be showing you lots of things to buy to keep your name in a very large hat for drawing (if they ever really do a drawing).  The loophole, of course, is that if you’re supposed to get 3 from this page and 3 from that page (yes offers like that are real), and you find 4 on one and 2 on another or don’t want 6, then you simply don’t get entered into the ‘chance to win’.  But they get to keep your information already submitted.

Right now the Apple iPod is hot, so that’s the hook they use to get you to buy stuff.  Oh yes, they also add your information to a list that gets sold to a lot of other lists.   I entered my name and a unique, different email address one time only for something online and discovered that list has been sold and resold so many times it took nearly three years to unsubscribe from them all.  Sometimes these lists (where you originally entered your contact information)  are sold to List Brokers who then sell them several times to people buying leads. 

Not all offers are scams. Just beware of the ones that require you to accept other offers to win the original item.  Read the email offer completely and don’t feel obligated to buy things you didn’t intend to get.  You might also wind up on a lot of email lists offering even more ’stuff’. 

Ever hear the expression ‘The cobbler’s kids have no shoes’?  Well, I’ve felt like that, except in my case, the webmaster had no (updated) blog!   I started this blog over two years ago with a sporatic mixture of personal stories and business information, but  I was more focused on client sites and just didn’t work on my own site . 

So I decided to start over. 

New look, new posts.  I actually took down the other posts and did a total redesign.  My goal is to share information about working online, Internet tips, cool tools, and other success strategies, online and offline. 

I’ve already posted one new article about how to avoid having your emails get caught up in spam filters.  I’ve been successfully writing autoresponder email campaigns since 2002, and it’s amazing how common words and seemingly basic information can flag your email as spam.  In this case, the ‘web’ isn’t just interconnected sites but the spam filter web that can catch the good email with the bad.

But there are steps you can take to get your email into the intended inbox.  Sometimes a simple word substitution will make all the difference.  Read the article below to learn more, and check back often for more tips and information. 

Feel free to share your comments. Thanks!

Marian

Nearly everyone hates spam email, and it seems like every day there’s more of it. After all, it only costs a little to send millions of emails, and if one person responds, a spammer has made a profit. But what about legitimate marketers who are sending newsletters, sales, and important information to people who want it?  You don’t want your opt-in list missing what you have to say because their spam filters accidentally got your email. Here are a few tips on how not to look like spam.

It can be tricky to deal with a spam filter, especially if your product or service has key terms similar to those used by shady marketers. No one wants their medical newsletter binned along with the "cheap pharmaceuticals" ads, after all! So, what can you do? The first step is looking at how you got the email addresses and the types of information you’re sending out. Using terms that are similar to spam messages,or collecting emails without an opt in is sure to get you marked as undesirable.

Remember that customers and potential customers are more interested in information than in your sales talk. So stick to including real information, and keep the promotional stuff to a minimum. This will increase your conversion rate, as well as the rate of emails that escape the spam filter.

So, what should you look for? First, make sure you’re not including trigger words, phrases, or other information in your email. For instance, if you include the words "click here now", you’re email is likely to be treated as spam. Most spam filters using this term to filter emails get only about a one percent false postitive rate. Opt out phrases such as "to be removed"  and "unsubscribe" are other flags for a spam filter. 

Even text colors in HTML email, such as FF0000 (that’s HTML for bright red) may get flagged.  Avoid multiple fonts and sizes, and never send an attachment unless it’s been requested.

If you’ve taken a look at your newsletter and you’re worried about it, post it online. Then, give your mailing list a link to the rest of the newsletter. The ones who are interested will click through, and the email won’t get banned. Avoid mentioning gifts, special offers, toll free numbers, and similar things, as well. It doesn’t take much to do it – just reword the most common phrases uniquely. ‘Free’ can become ‘Bonus’ or ‘No Cost’.  Certainly you can use those words in a website, but be careful when creating an email campaign or newsletter.   Weight loss and MLM marketers may face special challenges. 

Use an appropriate, accurate, short subject line that doesn’t include any of the standard spam phrases. "Hello, friend" is a quick way to get ignored. Don’t use the recipient’s name or email address in the subject line.  This used to help open rates, but now the spam filters are more sensitive to it.  Also avoid common spam terms in the first paragraph. Spell carefully, and use the right capitalization and sentence structure. Display your full name, not your email address in the "from" field. Don’t use all capital letters (it’s considered yelling at your reader) or all lower case, poor punctuation, or just your first name unless you want to be flagged.

Make sure your partners in joint ventures and cross promotions know about this, too. After all, someone else’s list could kill your letter quickly. Your carefully crafted email could get spam filtered by someone else’s "free consultation."