An Example of Business Automation - eCards with pizazz

The last time I spoke and went into a bit of detail on business automation. Today I would like to give you some details of how I actually used it personally so you get to see first-hand what I wanted, how I went about doing it and finally executing it.

Last month was Christmas. Of course, having a lot of customers, friends, family and associates I wanted to send Christmas greetings and/or Holiday wishes. So I thought about this and came up with the following criteria.

1. I wanted to send greetings to approximately 130 people. These people are in my email list.
2. The greetings had to be personalized wherever possible.
3. The greetings had to have my corporate logo with a link to my web site.
4. The greetings had to divided into separate groups for customization purposes.
5. Once setup, the "system" would have to track viewer statistics.
6. I should be able to "select" anyone from my list to send a "special" card.
7. Once setup, the "system" should automate the entire process so I can take a "Hands-off" approach.
8. The system should be capable of displaying a specific font and generate the card on the fly to my visitor. And should also be capable of playing a suitable Christmas carol in the background.
9. Finally, the system should be capable of allowing me to reuse for other occasions.

Armed with these requirements I went about searching the Internet for a suitable application (of course, why reinvent the wheel?). Guess what? I didn't find any. Yes, there are a lot of e-card places out there but tell me which one will match my criteria above?

So, I decided to write a little "system" for myself. The "system" took me 3 hours of development and 1 hour of tweaking. When it was done and tested, I launched it. It took me 5 minutes to send the 130+ cards out. Here's what it did:

1. Allowed me to select groups of contacts based on criteria I provided.
2. Allowed me to select a card and appropriate music to be sent.
3. Customized each email to the recipients name or alternate greetings (ex: John and family, instead of John Doe).
4. Inserted the name of the contact in appropriate places making the email even more personal.
5. Sent the email out with the appropriate link to "view" the greeting.
6. Created an electronic log of who the greeting was sent out to, when (date and time) and details of the greeting.
7. Tracked when a person opened the greeting to view the e-card (and how many times).
8. Created a "on-the-fly" greeting that was customized to greet my visitor the way I set it to be.
9. Brought my contact to my web site (www.netmedian.com) contact page with a personalized message to them.

Not bad for four hours of work. I was happy to say that from all the emails that my contacts received (some did not because of Hotmail accounts - lesson learned), 100% clicked on the link, visited my web site and sent me thank you's, reciprocal greetings or just general comments.

Needless to say I was happy because it saved me hours in going out, getting cards, personalizing it, mailing it etc. etc.. With this "system" I not only saved hours but will continue to save them every time I use it.

Can this system be extended? You bet. My plans are to extend it to start creating gentle reminders to me on special "anniversary" dates of my clients, friends, family. This way, I will let the system do the work from my "working" list. The ultimate idea would be to create a system that would automatically allow me to stay in constant contact with my contacts. Something every business should be doing anyways. talk about a win-win situation.

Would you like to take advantage of my handy "system"? Send me an email and I can see how we can set you up.

Elvin Picardo
Delivering Net Results to Small Business
Author of numerous articles on Web Development and Internet Marketing
10723 159th St, Surrey, BC V4N 3J1 Canada
www.netmedian.com
www.netmedian.com

Alto Pass chicago limos ..
In The News:

A Google DeepMind team has developed an artificial intelligence system that can play video games like a human and take native language commands from players.
Four of the largest school boards in Ontario, Canada have launched lawsuits against TikTok, Meta, and Snapchat, claiming that they have impacted students' thinking and behavior.
Finalists for the inaugural Women’s Prize for Nonfiction, aimed at addressing the gender imbalance in nonfiction publishing, were unveiled on Wednesday.
Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson breaks down whether the government is watching citizens and what they can do to protect online privacy.
A benchmarking group for artificial intelligence has released new results evaluating the speed of hardware in running AI applications and responding to users.
Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane provides a glimpse into the future of space travel. Traveling to space may become a part of everyday life.
The new European Hyperloop Center in the Netherlands aims bring in a new era of transportation. The center will use a steel tube as a proving ground for testing the new vehicle.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
While it may be incredibly tempting to have a “go with the flow" mindset like the rest of your vacation, your technology definitely should not be compromised while traveling.
Have you ever accidentally deleted an app from your iPhone that you’ve already paid for? Don't worry. We’ve got a trick that will help you get it back without having to buy it again.
Apple's new Journal app has raised privacy concerns among Apple's userbase. Tech expert Kim Komando examines social media rumors and explains what steps to take to protect yourself.
Although Facebook has denied that our phones listen to us, they do have other ways of finding out what we are talking about, listening to and searching for.
With the integration of OpenAI technology, Figure 01 has taken a significant leap forward, showcasing the potential of robots to understand and interact with us on a personal level.
Port Ellen, newly reopened whisky distillery in Scotland, is using SmokeDNAi technology to understand mouth-feel and flavors during the whisky maturation process.
Telly, a smart TV firm, is promising to give out their 4K 55-inch TV for free. What must you give in return? The innovative, yet potentially unsettling, answer might shock you.
The moment a spam invite hits your calendar, it’s like an uninvited guest at a party. So, what do you do? Show it the door.
Identity thieves are now targeting children and are making large sums of money by exploiting children's identities, possibly hurting their financial future.
There's a clever way to change the notification sounds on your Android without having to look at your screen. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
If your bank accounted has been hacked, there are a number of steps you can take to prevent it from happening again. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The Wave House, a data center in Heidelberg, Germany, is the the largest 3D-printed building in Europe. Its walls were built in about 140 hours.
Some government agencies around the world are struggling to meet their staffing goals when it comes to hiring artificial intelligence experts.
Google Maps' recent upgrades have introduced real-time ETA and turn-by-turn directions to your phone's lock screen while you are traveling.
Kat Cammack says AI could disrupt the 2024 election. A report says shared AI image tools generate election disinformation in 41% of cases and voting disinformation in 59% of cases.
Deepfakes have become commonplace, and the technology is only getting better, but there are certain elements that might give away the fact that an image is AI-generated.

More Rules for Franchising?

The FTC- Mighty Federal Trade Commission has unilaterally decided to... Read More

To Buy Or Not To Buy: Lawn Mowing Business

TRUTH IN THE LAWN MOWING INDUSTRYWe do not wish to... Read More

Competition in the Mobile Car Wash Industry

We have all seen the mobile washing units cruising our... Read More

Hiring A Virtual Assistant Can Help Your Business Grow

Are you a home or small business owner and you're... Read More

Learning and Growing

As you reflect on this year and prepare for next... Read More

Bringing Home the Bacon

In general, all of us know how to accomplish the... Read More

Bogus Investor and Consumer Complaints and Consumer Misrepresentation

Like most regulatory bodies in the United States, the Federal... Read More

The Beauty of Focus and Plan B

Did you ever have one of those days or weeks... Read More

Todays Chef, Tomorrows Restaurateur -- Startup Tips by Restaurant Consultants Inc

Researching information for a recent business plan, I came across... Read More

Mobile Detailing Environmental Concern in the Deep South

Macon, GA goes after garage-gas station conversion detail/hand car washes... Read More

Hard Money Lenders -- No Money Down The Easy Way

Would it help you as a real estate investor to... Read More

Street Wars Between Mobile Car Washers and Mobile Auto Detailers

There is much competition in the mobile auto detailing business.... Read More

You Are Invited

Business card size works well for invitations to special events.What... Read More

Will Adding a Car Wash to Your Fast Lube Add Additional Crime to Your Facilities?

Car Wash Crime in the Hood. Apparently not everyone is... Read More

Employee Email and Internet Use - A Small Business Guide

IntroductionIt is widely recognised that Email and the Internet is... Read More

The End -- Fireworks or Fizzle?

Seems as though there are a lot of business closings... Read More

Earn More Money in Your Small Business by Creating a PIG

If you really want to earn more money with your... Read More

How to become a Career Coach for Profit

A career coach could be simply defined your job seeking... Read More

How to Prepare for Your Start-Up Venture!

When you awoke this morning, you found yourself buzzing with... Read More

Pressure Washing Heavy Equipment

One of the best ways to make money in the... Read More

Small Business Success: Thriving During Change (And Landing On Your Feet!)

If I had $1.00 every time I heard someone say... Read More

Change May Be Your Ace in the Hole

Whether it has been thrust upon you by external market... Read More

Why are Reverse Mergers Often the Victims of Short Sellers?

There is a great deal of abuse going on in... Read More

Secrets of Cleaning Truck Trailers in Your Fleet from a Veteran Truck Washer

Cleaning the trailers towed by big trucks is not easy,... Read More

Is a Small Business Web Site a Wise Investment?

One of the greatest pitfalls in e-commerce is Field of... Read More

Alto Pass cool limo ..