The IF statement in Excel is one of the most useful functions which allows you to return an answer to the function depending upon whether the test or condition you are considering is true or false.

It takes the form

=IF( logical test, value if true, value if false)

For example it may take the form =if(c12>100, c11*1.1,c11*1.2)

This may be used if considering price updates in pricing or in costing.

Remember though that while conditions such as c12>100 or c12>d12 are not encompassed in double quote if you test against a letter or word they are.

This function is considerd in detail on my Excel Intermediate course

Have you tried the new Office Live facility yet from Microsoft where you can easily create a workspace and then upload documents like Excel workbooks and Word documents into that workspace for othersw to share? Its really easy to use.  Simply type in http://workspace.officelive.com/en-GB/signout to get started.

If you have a web site its important to know how and when you optimise it for the main keywords on the site. We have our web provider AIM Internet do this for our business and every month they send us a google analytics pdf summary sheet to see how we’re doing. This can be confusing to understand so I include a link here to another B2B site I subscribe to who often give great tips on how to understand ecommerce issues for SME’s. This one is undersatnding Google analytics for the first time. http://www.nb2bc.co.uk/articles/marketing_online/?id=151

I had a friend this week who called to say he had been infected by a Trojan on his home PC. His BT security solution did not seem to have stopped it occurring. I downloaded for him from www.malwarebytes.co.uk their free anti spyware/removal tool and it was really good going through all his pc and removed all the registry infections and trojans.

I also recommended he kept cleaning down through Internet Options his temporary internet files etc.

It can be quite disconcerting not receiving replies back when you embark upon an email marketing campaign. These are a few tips which may help

• Group together like customers in distribution lists
• Put an appealing title in the subject eg Special offer for Microsoft Training in August
• Keep the email personal eg refer to the person by first name and mention something relevant to them
• Place links to web sites/news/blogs on the email
• Ask for response to receive price discounts etc
• Occasionally ask for a delivery or read receipt (don’t overdo this as it can be annoying)
• Insert a picture or image to brighten up the email
• Keep a record of emails sent – don’t keep repeating the same text

For further hints and tips please contact me on johnlegge@jplcomputer.co.uk

My experience of developing business relationships has shown me that it is important to look after your existing customers first.  There are a number of ways to do this. I list some of these below

• Keep them informed of your new developments/courses
• Email/speak to them regularly
• Show an interest in their business 
• Put them on your web site if possible
• Offer them them occasional free advice

I have found that email only goes so far and that a personal phone call or even visit goes a lot further

Some customers have been keen to speak to us even after a long time just because we did not forget them.

Its very difficult at present making a business survive let alone grow in the current climate so here are a few tips of activities we’ve done to stay afloat.

• Stay light – keep control of costs
• Widen the marketing techniques – for us its SEO on google, leaflet drops into local industrial estates, home marketing, email lists, personal phone calls, recommendations through friends
• Keep travel down or make good use of your day
• Talk to your customers