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I’ve hinted before… but here goes

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I was starting to think of constructive ways I could develop this site a few days ago, when I was going through the archives. A few years ago, when this site started, there was a lot of interest in personal finance blogging. Some of those sites are still around, and doing well; others have fallen by the wayside.

InvestorBlogger was one of those sites… but for various reasons got sidetracked first by ‘making money online’ then by the Google shenanigans. Later, I spent a lot of time developing my coffee site out to a full site. But with the Google mistreatment of many sites, the new methods of socialising, and improving tools, InvestorBlogger kind of took a back seat for a few years.

In future posts, I’ll detail some of what happened during those ‘sparse years’.

The good news is that I’m now reloading InvestorBlogger, with material & tools that I’ve purchased and created along the way… and for those of my faithful readers who’re still here… thank you! I hope that your faith will have been rewarded.

But I’ll be honest, the weight of 1700 posts in this archive makes me feel like there’s a huge weight on my shoulders… some of which resolves around my desire to make a readable, cogent blog for readers. How on earth can I do that? How can readers find useable material on this site, given there are so few tags and search is hobbled somewhat? I have no idea!

But if you stick with me, I’ll try to find ways to present this content in ways that are interesting, topical and perhaps a little technical, too.

Project Management Tools: Does Zoho really make things easier?

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I was recently asked to review a website that is well known for its cloud software, and cloud productivity tools. In fact, their software in many ways predates the online efforts of both Google & Microsoft. Enter Zoho, well known for its online productivity tools that started production in 2005.

I’ve never used Zoho, so I thought I would ask a colleague to do a review of the site for you. In fact, Zoho has so many applications that it is hard to focus on one thing, and one thing. But this overview will just look Zoho Project Management tools, in the context of Zoho.

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The first thing I noticed when I loaded the company’s page was the great layout. It is a very simple design that is eye catching, and it is easy to find important information. There are several links right away to sign up for free, which is usually the first thing I look for on such a site, so having them readily available on the front page is excellent.

Getting Started

The site gives a good introduction to its service on the front page, so I know what I’m getting into. If the front page is designed to make a case for using the service, it does it very well, by its use of attractive, detailed icons and small simple sentences explaining in plain English exactly what it is that the service does. I followed several of the links to read client testimonials, and they each specifically outlined reasons to use the service.

What is Project Management

Project management online is a growing industry, and I have used it a number of times in the past, with some of the older PHP tools. While conventional face to face management may seem simple, project management online is designed to take these complicated tasks and make them even more simple.

With online project management, everyone sees the documents shared in the collaboration, and all changes are recorded instantly across the whole team. This prevents anyone from accidentally doubling over another team member’s work, and also works hard to make sure that everyone on the team is in the loop on the project itself.

How well does it work

The service works from the top down to make it simple, and it does this the only way possible: It takes control of everything. The service does calendaring, which makes it simple to set milestones, deadlines and more, as well as scheduling meetings.

There are also shared folders, so files for the project can easily be made available. There is a function for an online discussion board and group chat (group chat costs a bit extra) so communication becomes simple.

The project even will have integrated time sheets, so keeping track of who does what and for how long is easy and already integrated into the solution. The site even integrates directly into Google Apps, which is a wonderful solution if Google Apps is already used for a project, company or website.

Looks Do Matter

The site’s good design and layout both contribute to my perception of its reliability. If a company does not care how its website looks, how can I know it cares about its customers at all?

All the information I could possibly want is easy to access from the main page, and the layout makes sense, with all the categories on top divided in ways that are perfectly logical. They even have a contact form to use in case something is not covered.

All in all, it seems this company is dedicated to their customer experience, and the website is an excellent example of that. I’d be tempted to sign up for the paid version of the service. With all the different features available for project management, it seems like it would make the workflow of any group project much more efficient.

Mark Thompson

What project management tools have you tried? What did you like? What did you hate?

Needing someone to manage YOUR online reputation these days?

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After giving Reputation.com a thorough look-through, I was quite impressed by what the site offers. Although I personally am not in need of the services, at least not yet, I believe that what this site provides is essential for a person promoting themselves as a novelist, businessperson, dentist, or any professional who relies on the www for their business.

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The site has a truly unique approach that let’s customers choose a plan according to their needs and budget. The products offered have won awards, and the site itself is run by a prestigious and qualified staff in the field. When I first arrived to the site, I was greeted by immediately eye-catching graphics and words. I enjoyed that I knew what I was getting into the moment I clicked on the site’s link.

Product Offerings x3

The goal of Reputation.com is to help individuals to maintain and protect their online presence, which is something that is much more possible online than offline. The site offers a selection of products that come for an annual fee.

The site offers a product called “Reputation defender” whose chief features are the ability to fix results on Google, hide undesirable links, and make you visible online. This service seems like a great deal, because we all know how unforgivable the internet is.

Another product, “my reputation,” seems to act as more of a monitoring service than a fixing one. This seems like a good service especially for people who are just starting their business or online presence.

The third product, “my privacy,” seems like a good service for anyone, even if they aren’t working on an online presence. People would be surprised at the amount of their personal information can be learned from a quick Google search. This tool can help you decide what you want people to see.

Payment Options

I personally think that it might be better to have monthly payment options too. I didn’t see an option for a trial period, but that could be helpful too. Despite this, I believe there are plenty of people out there who would be willing to invest in these services right away. The nice thing is that customers can choose from a simpler or plan or a more advanced plan to fit their budget.

Site Overview: Staff, Styling, Signs

From reading the management page, it appears that your business would be in good hands with Reputation.com. They offer a large, experienced staff who are qualified and dedicated to helping your reputation.

I found the site to be professional, stylish, and easily navigable. It was easy to find the information I was looking for, and it is all arranged neatly. It was a breath of fresh air seeing a site with great information as well as a great design.

One thing that I would take out is the little pop up window that keeps coming up asking you to register. I realize that this is pretty common with these types of websites, but I still think that people who have interest will register of their own free will.

And in the end

Overall, the site was a great experience that offers a unique and useful product. I would definitely recommend checking out this website to anyone interested in buying reputation management services, whether for personal branding, professional or business-related reputational management.