Google Analytics: for the same reason I sometimes shop at Wal-Mart

I am a long way from being a shopaholic. In fact, I hate shopping. When it comes time to buying toilet paper, I'm not shopping around or clipping coupons – I drive straight to Wal-Mart ten minutes before closing, walk right to the aisle, grab the largest package and head straight for cashier. Done in under five minutes. Occasionally, it will be six minutes because I need tooth paste too.

Google Analytics is a simple but powerful tool for learning about your website visitors. Most people have no idea who visits their website or why. Google Analytics can quickly and painlessly tell you a wealth of information about your visitors.

Like when I shop for toilet paper, I always go straight to Google and setup Google Analytics. I need something that will work well and I need to know I won't regret my decision. It is likely there are better deals on toilet paper than at Wal-Mart but, at Wal-Mart, I will never find out that I paid five bucks too much nor the product is terrible. I know Wal-Mart is going to keep their product decent and competitive because: that is what Wal-Mart does.

Likewise, I am certain there are web statistics packages better than Google Analytics. However, looking, testing and switching is not worth the marginal gain. Google Analytics has a simple, easy to understand interface. Google filters out web crawlers so your numbers are not artificially inflated. It will email summary reports so you do not have to remember to check the stats. Most importantly, Google is going to work hard to keep Analytics a good product – it is what Google does.

If you are like every other owner, manager and executive director, you don't have time to make a project out of getting your web stats. Tell the person who manages your website to setup Google Analytics and have it email you a report once a month. Done. One more thing off your "should list".

QuickBooks Backup -- Free

No one ever has time to backup QuickBooks. It isn't fun to backup. You can always do it tomorrow -- unless your computer crashes.

I understand, I don't enjoy doing my backups either. But I prefer backups to rebuilding months of data and losing hours or days of work.

Intuit has done a good job of making QuickBooks backup easier within the software. They have even added a US$4.95 per month online backup service. But, sixty bucks a year to backup just QuickBooks?

Many people back up to external drives but any damage to your office (water, fire, etc) and that data can be lost. Some people have had their external drives stolen.

All of my customers using QuickBooks have files that are less than 250MB - many have less than 25MB. There are free online backup solutions which provide up to 2GB (2000MB) of backup. The one I use for customers with QuickBooks and/or Microsoft Outlook is iDrive Basic. It has the ability to backup QuickBooks (and Outlook) even when you are using the program. It also has user-side encryption (which means only you can see your data).

If you are using QuickBooks and need a better backup, take a look at iDrive Basic. Of course, if you want assistance, I am available: send me an email.

Please see my disclosure.