This solves the problem of having to attach pdf, Word or other documents to emails so that your clients can receive them, and is FAR better than just linking to the document from your website.  Instead, people can simply read the document straight from the page.

Here’s an example of a Microsoft Word document uploaded to Scribd.  Scribd gives you the code to paste into your website or blog page and it turns out like this:

2008 Seattle Eastside Home Sales

Click the little down arrrow in the top menu and click the plus sign to enlarge the document. (If the web page were wider I could have chosen for the document to appear larger.)

Alternatively, and this goes for anyone without a website as well, you can link to the full page version:

http://www.scribd.com/full/10375109?access_key=key-19q09i7aytgoivbin6gy

Or, link to the page that gives people download and embed options:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/10375109/2008-Seattle-Eastside-Home-Sales

Important:

When you upload to Scribd the default is for the document to be public, which is nice for advertising your business.  However, you have the option to keep documents private, which means they won’t show up in Scribd’s searchable database -- nice for information that’s just for specific clients.

There’s a great free WordPress blog plugin called NextGen Gallery that lets you do just that.  Considering how many great features it has I was actually surprised at how relatively simple it was for me to set it up.

Here’s the link to the NextGen Gallery plugin download page on WordPress -- just click on the red ‘Download’ button on the right hand side.

(By the way, in addition to teaching and selling clock hours online Natalie is also a stand-up comic, and if you ever hear her laugh you’ll know why I called her ‘irrepressible.’)

Here are some domain name buying tips to keep in mind:

1. If someone else buys your domain name for you, make sure that you will be the legal owner of the domain name!

Wondering if you own your domain?  Go to www.betterwhois.com, type in your domain name including the .com or .net and click ‘Search’.  Scroll down past the small print and first paragraph.  The ‘Registrant’ should be you.

2.  Don’t be afraid to buy your domain name yourself -- it’s easy!  Watch our domain name buying video, then head over to www.GoDaddy.com to snag yours.

3.  If it’s not taken, always buy your first and last name followed by .com.

4.  When picking other domain names, go as simple and straightforward as possible!

Ask yourself:  If you say it once to someone at an open house, are they likely to remember it?  If you say it over the phone, will you have to spell it? 

5.  Buy common misspellings.  For example, if ‘susie’ is part of the domain name, see if you can buy the version spelled ‘suzie’ as well.  Then you can forward the misspelled version to your main site.

Quick Tip:  Get your domain name(s) even if you don’t have a website yet!  You’re only buying the NAME, and you don’t need to ever make a site for it.  At a measly $10 a year with GoDaddy it’s better to buy it even if you end up not using it than to find out someone snagged the one you really wanted.

Use GoDaddy coupon codes:  Reader Ioana Manciu was nice enough to comment on our domain buying video post and leave these Godaddy coupon codes, which worked as recently as last week:

SPN3 -- .COM for $7.45 -- Save $2
SPN1 -- 10% off any order
SPN2 -- $5 off any order $30 or more

I read it and couldn’t believe some of the things I didn’t know myself, even though I’m a confirmed techy.  I’m quoting some of the ones that I thought were most useful (and subsequently forgot, even though I thought they were great at the time.)

You can use Google to do math for you. Just type the equation, like 23*7+15/3=, and hit Enter.

You can switch from one open program to the next by pressing Alt+Tab (Windows) or Command-Tab (Mac).

You can tap the Space bar to scroll down on a Web page one screenful. Add the Shift key to scroll back up.

You can hide all windows, revealing only what’s on the computer desktop, with one keystroke: hit the Windows key and “D” simultaneously in Windows, or press F11 on Macs (on recent Mac laptops, Command+F3; Command is the key with the cloverleaf logo).

There’s more, like where to find out about possible internet hoaxes and how to use Google as a currency converter, so I highly recommend checking out the article.  In fact, printing it out and keeping it by your computer (so you don’t forget some of them, like I did) is probably a great idea.