I recently joined Amazon Prime. Yeah, late to the party. I hate, hate, hate paying for shipping, and couldn't rationalize paying $119 a year for shipping when I'd rather buy an item for $20 with free shipping than the same item for $17 with $3 shipping. The math may be the same, but the emotions are different.

The last time I tried Prime on a trial, the entertainment options were, at best, meh. But lately I've been missing out on some shows I wanted to watch, so I did a paradigm shift: I am paying for an entertainment subscription and getting free shipping as a bonus. Plus, apparently, some other perks.

My sister shared with me this cheat sheet of Prime benefits, and I’m sharing it with you. Free 2-hour delivery from Whole Foods? Oh, yeah, I'm in.

True confession: I am addicted to Buzzfeed. I love their silly lists. Not the ones about celebrities or products, but silly stuff, like this and this and this and this.

Sometimes they even post useful information, such as these iPhone hacks. At one time I knew most of these but forgot them from lack of need. The most useful? Number 6. If you type on your phone, you need to know this. You're welcome.

If you use Microsoft Word on Windows, it’s probably not news to you that Word can open and let you edit PDF files, if the original document was created in Word and saved as a PDF in Word. (PDF files created by Adobe Acrobat will open in Word but the formatting will be messed up. You also could use third-party software or copy and paste text from a PDF, but would need to fix formatting issues.)

This functionality has been available on the Windows version since 2013, but only since 2018 for Mac users---and not on the 2011 version I was running, so forgive me for not knowing about this feature until recently.

I recently switched to Office 365 and discovered this feature when a client asked for help converting a PDF to an editable document. The PDF opened easily in Word, formatting looked OK, and I sent it back to her as a .docx file. (I had first emailed her instructions for doing this herself, but she declined the opportunity in favor of having me do it for her.)

Should I mention that I have been using Microsoft Word since 1985? Some old friends still remind me that back then I said that I’d invest in this startup called Microsoft but was using my saving as a down payment on a house. If only…

While we’re on the subject of file formats, did you know that Preview (a Mac app) can convert PDF documents to JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and other formats? All you need to do is open the file in Preview, and from the File menu choose Export and then choose the format you want. Preview can also convert a JPEG, PNG, or TIFF file to a PDF.

Many of my clients are technophobes. They use their computers for a few things and are averse or intimidated to tackle the unfamiliar. Doing various tasks for them, or teaching them how to do it themselves, are services I provide.

I’m sharing this article (wishing I’d written it myself) because I wholeheartedly agree with this approach for learning new software, though admit that I also read manuals. (I should, after 25 years or so of writing and editing technical documentation.)

A Podcast
You don't have to be a grammar geek to love The Grammar Girl's podcasts. Yes, she talks about grammar---but in a fun, not scholarly style. She also talks about word origins (why do we call coffee “a cup of Joe”), word usage (“fall vs. autumn”), and other fun facts about language. I'm fairly knowledgeable about grammar and language, yet still learn something new from each podcast.
Grammar Girl is one of many podcasts on Quick and Dirty Tips. Other fun and interesting podcasts on the Quick and Dirty Tip site include Get-Fit Guy, Everyday Einstein, and Who Knew? (about life hacks).
 
A Blog
I read a lot of blogs. My current favorite for useful information is on the Zapier site. Zapier is a tool I use to automate various tasks, such as adding new subscribers to a Google Sheet.
Recent blog posts I recommend:

• For Pilots, Managing Attention Is Life and Death. Here's How They Do It
• Use These 33 Google Search Tricks to Find Exactly What You're Looking For
• How to Build an Email List: 6 Ways to Get New Subscribers  

Check out the Zapier blog.
 
A Website
How often do you find an article online that you want to save, be able to access from all devices, and be able to share easily with others? I learned about Clipparoo last year from a client and have been hooked. For easy retrieval, articles are saved with a thumbnail image and under headings of my choosing. Here are my clipps, with the clippboards (headings) on the left.

Phone, keys, wallet? Zipper zippered? Buttons buttoned? Socks matched? You likely have a mental checklist before leaving home, but do you also have a checklist for the emails you send out?
Here’s mine.

Subject line

• If you started with a copy of an old email, did you update the subject line?
• Is your subject line engaging enough to entice readers to open your email?
• Is it a good length? Ideal length is 41 characters, 7 words.
• Did you avoid spammy words and punctuation?

Preheader
This is the text that shows in your inbox under the subject line. In the example below, “Can’t decide what…” is the subject line and “Start saving now“ is the preheader.
Consider it an expansion to your subject line. How much shows up depends on the reader's email setup. Ideal length is 50-100 characters, 6-11 words.

Sample preheader

Date
If your email has a date (“September 2019 News”) did you update it?
Format
Avoid a circus-poster effect by limiting the number of fonts and colors.

• Limit the number of fonts to two (one for headings, one for body type).
• Limit the number of colors to three.
  

Copyediting

• Proofread for spelling, grammar, punctuation, consistency. There's so much content here I could write a book about what to check. Oh, wait. I did.
  
• Don’t trust spell checkers; they will miss homophone (it’s/its, their/they’re/there, two/to/too).

Links

• Did you click every link to make sure it is correct?
• Including the links to social media sites?
• Including the ones you include all the time, especially to outside resources where content may have been deleted or moved?

Images

• Do you have permission to use the image? Just because you found it online, even if it’s labeled “public domain” doesn’t mean it is. Read all about it.
• Is the quality (resolution, contrast) good?
• Is the image sized appropriately?
• Is there extraneous material you need to crop?
• Have you included Alternate Text for when images don’t load in the recipient’s mailbox? You don’t want those blank boxes when you can have a brief text description that says what the image is about.

“From” address
Is your email coming from someone your recipients will recognize? Do they better know you by your name or your business?
Boilerplate text
Did you remove boilerplate (placeholder) text from the template, such as “text link.”
Promotions
If your email includes a promotional offer or gift certificate:

• Did you include any restrictions (new clients only, not valid on prior purchases)?
• Did you include effective or expiration dates?

Testing
Now you’re ready to test.

• Preview the email and click all links. Yes, you did it before. Do it again.
• Send yourself a test copy and see how it looks overall and then read it carefully.
• Did you personalize the subject line? If so, send the email to your test list to see how the personalization works. If your personalization includes a first name, then your test list should have contacts with a first name and contacts without so you can ensure that the email looks good both ways.

Personalized subject line

The question I am most often asked is, "When is the best time to send an email?" The answer (you're going to hate this): It depends.

It depends on whether your readers prefer to read emails before work, at lunchtime, during the afternoon slump, in the evening, or just before bedtime. Are they nightowls or insomniacs? Are they in different time zones?

Is it better to send emails at popular times, when people are online, or will your message just get lost in the shuffle?

Is it advantageous to send an email when others aren't (3 a.m.?), so you get the top spot in the Inbox?

Also be aware that open rates vary by industry. For example, real estate mailings sent on Fridays do well, as prospective buyers plan what open houses to visit over the weekend. Email service providers such as Constant Contact and Mailchimp provide guidelines on best times to send by industry.

Just for fun...last year I did a little research. Here are my notes, in very rough form, as I never intended for anyone else to see them. Warning: your head might spin reading the conflicting advice.

Best practice? Take your best guess. Tuesday at 10 a.m. is a safe bet. Then review the data on what days and times people are actually reading your emails and adjust accordingly.

What do you think?

• You rented a mailing list of pet owners and sent a bulk email inviting those people to your church’s Blessing of the Animals. It's a noble mission and a nonprofit venture, so it's ok, right?
  

It’s spam. You rented a list and are sending a bulk email to people who don’t know you and have not given their permission. This is spam even if the content is not what most people would consider spammy. Purchasing or renting a list is a spam thing. Spam isn’t about the content, it’s about having permission to send a bulk email to someone. These individuals did not give YOU their email.

• You are in charge of your class reunion. The college has provided you a list of classmates’ emails. You email them about reunion details.
  

It’s not spam. The college has permission to email its own alumni and you are emailing on behalf of the college.

• You send email to classmates on that reunion list about the exciting new product line you are selling.
  

It’s spam. In the role of Reunion Coordinator, you have permission to send classmates bulk emails. You don’t have the same permission to promote your business. You need to have them subscribe to your own list

• You received an email from someone promoting a business you don’t recognize. You want to unsubscribe but there is no link to do so.
  

It’s spam. Including an Unsubscribe link is mandatory by law.

• You come across a website of someone you’d like to do business with, maybe a possible referral partner. You send an email to the stranger.
  

It’s not spam. Even though you don’t know the person, you’re sending an individual email, not a bulk mailing

• Everyone on your mailing list has opted in, and your product is legitimate. Your email subject line reads: URGENT! Buy NOW. 110% guarantee!!!!
  

It’s not spam but the spam filters will think it is. Even if your product is legitimate and your mailing list is clean, spam filters will catch this because of red flags: all caps, exclamation marks, a percentage greater than 100%, and trigger words (buy now, guarantee).

Facebook has three kinds of pages: Profile (for personal use), Pages (for businesses, organizations, and public figures), and Groups (for people who share a special interest or affiliation, such as a team, family reunion, book club, or neighborhood). These differences matter in how the pages are set up and, more than ever with new Facebook rules, in what you can post on each.

If you post business content on your personal Profile,
Facebook will suspend your account, permanently.
 
To set up a group or business page, you first must have a personal Facebook account. Your personal Profile is for friends and family (the original Facebook paradigm) and you invite and approve who sees your profile, News Feed, and individual posts.
 
A group’s privacy settings determine who can see the group name, join the group, and see posts.
 
A business page is open to the public; people can choose to follow your business page, but anyone can view it. (Whether they can comment on the page depends on what settings you select.)
 
You may have heard in the news that Facebook has had some, uh, difficulties with security, fake profiles, and fake political posts. Facebook is implementing new policies intended to limit the visibility of political and business posts on personal News Feeds.
 
This is mostly good. It means Facebook is getting serious about protecting data security and preventing spam.
 
The bad news is you have to be vigilant about where you post business content. It also means that you have to work harder to get organic growth for your Page: you need to engage followers in conversation, have them Share (not just Like) your Page, and, yes, pay for advertising. (Let’s face it, Facebook’s revenues come from ads, not from your sharing cute puppy videos with friends.)
 
If you use your personal Profile to promote your business, Facebook can delete your account. This means you cannot use your personal Profile to promote your business events, sales, blog posts, promotions.
 
Read about it yourself in Facebook’s terms and conditions:
It's against the Facebook Terms to use your profile to represent something other than yourself (example: your business), and you could permanently lose access to your account if you don't convert it to a Page.
 
Facebook Terms: https://www.facebook.com/help/201994686510247
 
So, heads up: keep your personal News Feed personal (but not intimate, please) and keep your business on your business page.
 
Don’t have a business page? Set one up. (I can help.)

P.S.
If your Facebook page went away today, would you be able to reach your customers? Sign them up for your mailing list so you can reach out to them with a newsletter or other email marketing campaign. (I can help with this, too.)