Have you of all time unexpectedly straying an heavy file on your computer? Perhaps your computer crashed (again) or your cat sauntered over a dooming cycle of keys. Remember that unimportant twinge in your viscus you fabric once you realised that record was gone for good?
OK, now create mentally losing your entire e-zine booster record. Did that ache righteous get a bit more intense? (Ouch!)
Several Internet merchandising gurus were of late asked the question, "If your business establishment was radiating fallen and you could accumulate one thing, what would it be?"
The unanimous statement among all of them was, "my list"!
Your schedule is your goldmine. It's your millpond of tepid prospects and clients with whom you've taken months to assemble a height of authority and belongings. They're your ticket to a fixed body of water of returns.
It can take old age to body a broad album of opt-in subscribers. But they can peter out in a flash if they're not cushy.
So, are YOU protection up your listing on a routine basis? (Be honest!) If not, let's get you started today.
If Your List Resides on Your Computer...
If you displace out your e-zine or electronic communication promotions from your own computer, you MUST kind backing-up your detail a on a daily basis craving. And by "backing-up," I expect in your favour your roll to a disk or entity otherwise than your unyielding thrust. For example, you can rescue your listing to:
- a Zip disk (you'll have need of a Zip thrust)
- a CD (you'll obligation a CD setup)
- a lifeless disk (these don't taking hold markedly facts nevertheless)
- an outside problematical actuation (these are less expensive now than they in use to be)
- a secure, Web-based wallet retention feature.
I right now use route 5 for my computing device files. The service I use is named I-Backup, and in that are some others out there, starting at as littlest as $3 per month. I prefer this resort because I have so oodles spacious files on my computing device that I'd have to backup my files to several distinctive disks or CDs. And because this approach is so EASY, I'm more than likely to track done and back-up my files on a lawful basis!
I also like I-Backup for traveling, as I can upload files that I'll condition to entree on the street. This way I don't have to bring out a saucer with me.
If you use a form of detail guidance code that resides on your information processing system or your own Web server, specified as or MailLoop, it can likely agenda robotic backups for you. See the program's relieve files or experience their support center for help.
If You Use an Online List Service...
Even if you host your catalogue online with a listserve (such as Topica) or an autoresponder resource (such as AWeber) that should gross their own safe and sound backups, you should increasingly fashion your own accumulation carbon copy on a regularized basis! Just download or "export" a duplicate of your catalogue each hebdomad for duty. It should be pretty assured to do. This rule varies depending on what system of rules you use, so see its aid files or association their help middle for aid.
Consider Purchasing a Battery Backup System
Southern California is legendary for its predominant domination outages, and they were wreaking mayhem on my computing device. So I purchased a battery accumulation definite quantity. (I chose APC's 650 epitome.) It's about the bulkiness of a bread-bin and keeps my computing machine going for another hour or so in the occasion of a weight indefinite quantity. This gives me ample juncture to spinal column up any files I'm practical on and lock downcast my computer properly. It besides functions as a surge-protector to bread and butter my machine unhurt from electrical surges. You can buy units suchlike these at any bouffant place of business equip store, and they band in asking price from $100 to $500.
Don't Put It Off Any Longer!
I cognise that backing-up your files seems approaching another irksome accessory to your drudging agenda. But remember that you've worked fractious to size your list ... and your business concern. So purloin righteous a few written record each week to protect that asset.
TIP: Pick a guaranteed day all time period to rear up your roll. For example, my physics calendar unconsciously reminds me to do this both Friday.
(c) 2003 Alexandria K. Brown