August
2001 Edition
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Monthly Newsletter for Atlantic.Net Members
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August
2001 Edition
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A
Monthly Newsletter for Atlantic.Net Members
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Announcements
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In
This Issue: Atlantic.Net@Home • Earn Free Service • Time-Saving Web Sites • Back to School Checklist • How to Avoid Computer Viruses Atlantic.Net@Work • Why Use a Pro Design Firm? • Launching an E-Mail Newsletter • Partner with Atlantic.Net Contact Us We're
hiring!
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SAVE
on Business Services!
Web Services: Stay connected and protected! Sign up for Atlantic.Net's Colocation Services or a Dedicated Server in August, and get your first month FREE! * Call Atlantic.Net Commercial Sales at 1-800-521-5881 or e-mail sales@atlantic.net to order. * Offer valid up to a $500 value of services. Some restrictions apply. Call for complete details. Expires 8/31/01. |
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Atlantic.Net@Home |
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Free
Internet Service! Surfin' Safari Got a minute? If you don't, check out these Web sites for time-saving tools in August. • Answer that dreaded daily question, "What's for dinner?" by visiting Meals.Com, where you can search through 12,000 recipes or keep things simple by using the recipe of the day. • Since August traditionally marks the end of the model year for most car manufacturers, it's a great time to get a closeout deal on a new automobile. Reference Kelly Blue Book and Edmunds before you hit the car lots to find out how much room you have to negotiate between the invoice and sticker prices. You can also find out the amount you can expect to get for your trade-in. • The next time you're sending or receiving an express-mail package, follow it to its destination online using the tracking number on the receipt. Federal Express, UPS, and the United States Postal Service all offer this convenient feature on their Web sites, along with rate information, locations, and supplies. • Save travel time on road trips by checking out construction information at RandMcNally.Com (click on "Road Trip Guide," then the barricade icon under the search box in the upper right-hand corner). Or visit Mapquest Traffic Reports or the Florida Highway Patrol site for collisions or delays before you leave work, so you don't get stuck in traffic!  New
at Surf.Atlantic.NetCheck out the latest in back-to-school fashions, supplies, and savings at the Surf Shop! Whether you're looking for all the necessities for your elementary school youngster, high school teen, or college enrollee, you can take advantage of online specials and avoid the crowds! Tech Tips Boost Your Computer's Immune System Pesky computer viruses can range from simple pranks to destructive programs that wipe out all your files. Here's a step-by-step guide to protecting yourself against computer viruses. 1) Pick up some anti-virus software such as McAfee VirusScan Home Edition 7.0 or Norton AntiVirus 2003 that has active scanning features. This means the program runs in the background while you're using your computer and constantly checks files, Web pages, and e-mails to make sure they're virus-free. 2) Remember that buying software isn't enough, because new viruses are always cropping up. Once you purchase anti-virus software, visit the manufacturer's Web site at least monthly to get free updates on new viruses that might infect your computer. 3) When you visit the software-maker's site, look around for a free virus-alert newsletter and sign up for a subscription. Whenever you get a notice about a new virus, visit the site again to upgrade your program. 4) Never open e-mail attachments when you don't recognize the sender's name. If you get an unexpected attachment from someone you know, contact your friend to find out more about the file. Some viruses automatically attach themselves to outgoing messages without the sender's knowledge, so your pal could send you an infected file unintentionally. 5) While you can't catch a virus simply by downloading a file, always scan downloaded files before you open them to make sure they're clean. You can find more info about these and other self-help topics, at Atlantic.Net's Support Web site. |
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If you've been on the fence about choosing a professional Web design firm to create a site for your company, here's a nudge in the right direction. Read over these reasons why a design firm is worth the investment—even if your neighbor's computer-savvy kid offers to do the same thing for free. You get what you pay for. Professional designs give your company credibility, because you'll appear to be the legitimate, capable company that you are. Think of Web sites you've visited that were mostly text, had dead links, or had poor navigation. You likely said to yourself, "These guys are amateurs!" Put yourself on a level playing field. No matter your budget or the industry you're in, all sites are created equal on the Web. That means you have the right to have a virtual storefront that's as glitzy as your Fortune 500 competitors! Opt for a painless process. Not only can seasoned Web designers create an amazing site for you, they are expert project managers as well. Because they work with new clients all the time, they're familiar with the step-by-step process to build a site smoothly and glitch-free. They also know all the right questions to ask, so you can make sure you realize your vision—without excessive revision. Set your sites on a full-service firm. Choose a company with a design firm and a complete line of Web hosting services. That way, you'll only work with one business that can handle all your e-commerce needs—which will likely save you time and money. Stay in-the-know about new features. Professionals always know the latest in back-end programming, streaming audio and video, and cool enhancements that can make your site more dynamic. For more information about what Atlantic.Net's in-house design team can do for you, visit http://design.atlantic.net or contact an Atlantic.Net sales executive at 1-800-521-5881 or sales@atlantic.net. Ask about special savings available to current Atlantic.Net members. SPOTLIGHT: James Moore & Co., P.L. Premier Partner in Atlantic.Net's Partner Program James Moore & Co. has been referring business to Atlantic.Net since 1995. A regional accounting firm providing technology consulting services, James Moore & Co. has offices in Gainesville, Daytona Beach, and Tallahassee. James Moore & Co.'s 17-person Information Systems Consulting (ISC) department performs a variety of technology consulting duties including Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN) installations, accounting software installations, and implementations of popular network operating systems including Novell NetWare, Windows 2000, and Citrix Metaframe. For Internet and WAN access, James Moore & Co. predominately utilizes Atlantic.Net because of Atlantic.Net's "tight business relationship with our firm," says Chris Meyers, manager in James Moore & Co.'s ISC department. "Atlantic.Net has been willing to listen to our (and our clients') concerns and act appropriately. I am very pleased with the level of access to the NOC (Network Operations Center) that our firm has been given." To learn more about how you can recommend quality Internet service and earn extra revenue through Atlantic.Net's Partner Program, e-mail sales@atlantic.net, visit http://partners.atlantic.net, or call 1-800-521-5881. How to Launch an E-Mail Newsletter If you're not utilizing e-mail as a way to stay in touch with customers, you're missing out on an inexpensive opportunity to promote new products, advertise specials, solicit feedback, and reinforce your brand. Here's how you can start a newsletter that customers will read and look forward to seeing in their inbox. • Start an e-mailing list by requesting contact information at checkout, posting a sign-up form on your Web site, or adding a line for "e-mail address" on any paperwork your customers complete routinely. You can also promote the launch of the newsletter on billing statements and flyers by mentioning what's coming up in the next issue. Just remember never to send unsolicited e-mails; "spamming" is certain to annoy both prospective customers and your ISP. Check out Atlantic.Net's Acceptable Use Policy for details. • Make it interesting! Fill the bulletin with newsy details about your products or services, along with related info that customers can actually use. For example, feature recipes that call for ingredients you sell, or offer money-saving tips for your accounting clients. • Give an incentive for customers to visit your store, Web site, or office. Offer a coupon for a new product, or include a ticket good for a prize for the first 50 people who bring it in to be redeemed. • Point, click, sell. Turn your periodical into an interactive news source. Include links, surveys, and contests to get customers more involved with your business. Remember to give complete contact information in every issue so recipients can ask questions, share feedback, or suggest an article idea. • Make it stand out! Send your circular in HTML format, or offer a link to a graphic version on your site. • Please release me. Don't forget to give customers a way to unsubscribe! Nothing's more annoying than getting e-mail you don't want and can't get rid of. |
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1)
Check your address book for friends whose e-mail addresses end with something
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