1. Advanced Usage of E-mail Signatures
Recently while doing some consulting with one of the subscribers of this e-zine, I developed a new strategy for using signatures on e-mail. Usually we have one signature that we use on each e-mail (you are using a signature to build your profile, aren’t you? – if not, check my tip in issue 5 (April 23, 2002) in the newsletter archives on the web site). What I discovered is that you can have multiple signatures that can be combined in different ways. For example, you can have one base signature with your contact information and then one signature for each audience you interact with. You can set up the base signature to be automatically inserted and then insert the appropriate signature underneath the base signature depending on the nature of the e-mail. This allows you have a customized signature that appears as one single signature when the e-mail is received. Consider how this can help you target your message to different audiences.
2. Selecting Colors for Presentation Slides
One of the biggest problems I see on presentation slides is poor selection of color. When selecting colors, make sure that there is enough contrast between the background color and the text color so that people can actually see what you have put on the slide. What color you select can also have emotional meaning to many people, so refer to the list in my article on this topic on the web site to see what the colors mean. If you want to use a graphic or pattern in the background, be careful to keep the colors relatively constant so that the text color can be seen on all parts of the slide. My preference is to use a dark background and light colored text, which I find is easiest to read when projected onto a screen. You can find more details on choosing colors for your presentation slides in my article on this topic on the web site: http://www.communicateusingtechnology.com
3. Useful Resource – PCWorld Buyers Guide for Hardware
When you have to select new computer equipment, there are so many choices that you may feel overwhelmed. One good resource is the buyers guide that PC World magazine publishes. It gives you great advice when buying a new computer or peripheral. They list 17 of the most common equipment categories and tell you what the latest features are, what you should be looking for when buying and give some suggestions not on brand but on what the best value is at this time. The web page to go to is: http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,103610,00.asp