The use of plugins such as the WordPress Automatic Upgrade plugin and the WordPress Database Backup plugin makes the upgrade of WordPress a fairly quick and easy process.  It is the ease of this process, which sometimes enables WordPress users to relax and forget that no matter how great the tools are that they are using, disaster can happen when least expected. Many online marketers have found over time that a backup of their website files is critical to the continuation of their business. While I personally have not had an upgrade go bad or had a web hosting service suffer a catastrophic event, there are enough stories out there where others have had these experiences.

If you have a business, and you depend on that business for income, it is worth protecting and taking the time to setup a disaster recovery plan for it. What would you do if the hosting service you work with suffered a catastrophic event and your website files were lost?  Would you be able to recover your website?  What about running an upgrade, in this case a WordPress upgrade and your site fails to come back up once it is done?  Would you be able to reconstruct your site?

Occasionally an upgrade problem could be related to a plugin that did not care for the upgrade, but there have been situations where an entire site has been taken down.  Upgrades are generally released for a reason.  In the case of the 2.8.6 release, a vulnerability that could be exploited by registered users is fixed.  Therefore, it is a good idea to upgrade in a timely manner when upgrades are released. It also pays to protect the site in advance before doing the upgrade.

Backing up a website is a relatively simple process.  Create a folder on your hard drive and use your FTP program to download your website files. Don’t forget to include the date of the backup in the folder name.  Once they are downloaded, they can be burnt to disk or copied to another location.

Another good plan is to take regular backups of your database files.  If you are using the WordPress Database Backup plugin, there is an option under Dashboard – Tools – Backup to schedule regular backups of your database and email the results to your email account.  If you have a GMail account with its ability to store unlimited files, simply email the backups there and you will always have a backup to fall back on.

Upgrades are not the only time you should be backing up your website.  As part of your disaster recovery plan, schedule regular backups of your website files, particularly if you will be making significant changes to the site.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com

Update December 02, 2009:
Before you say this could never happen to you, realize it does happen, even to well established sites. Tonight I visited backflip.com. Their site has been down since October 13th. Here is what is posted currently on their site.

[ October 13, 2009 - 7:00pm PDT ]

A power outage at our hosting facility took out all of our servers for several hours starting around 7:00am PDT. Once the power came back on we began to bring the servers up remotely. Unfortunately, the database server is refusing to start up. Surely it’s nothing terminal but will require human intervention and there is no one available to head over to the colo facility at the moment. Please check our twitter microblog on the left for the latest updates.

# thank you for your continued patience – believe it or not recovery efforts are still continuing. we will have more info later this week. 1 day ago
# effort to recover the database continues 15 days ago
# update : restore from backups failed. remaining chance at recovery is to fix the existing database. work continues. 23 days ago

I haven’t had a lot of time to post lately because the company, where I work as a server tech, is in the process of moving to a new facility. This has required months of preparation to simply ensure that all systems could be safely moved and that a plan was in place to recover in case of an accident or the system failing to start up in the new location. Backups have played a key role in this project, as they do in the company’s overall disaster recovery plan.

As you can see from the experience of Backflip, disaster can strike at anytime, to anyone. I wish them every success in their recovery process.

At present, the FTC Disclosure Rule in regards to testimonials does not come into play for this blog, as I have not made a practice of using testimonials at this point in time.  Even so, the common opinion amongst marketers is that those that do achieve spectacular success as a result of a single program fall into two categories.  The first category is that of the 80/20 rule, which is much better explained by Perry Marshall in his take on the FTC Disclosure Regulations.  Before you ask, I am an affiliate of Perry Marshall, but this is not an affiliate link.

The second category that I personally believe many achieving spectacular successes fall into is what I call the “penny drop” category.  These are the folks that have put in substantial time and effort learning the field of Internet marketing and with this particular product, the penny dropped and it all came together for them.

Almost every successful marketer I know has a story of spending a great deal of time, if not money, building their knowledge on just how Internet marketing works.  While the product may have allowed them to follow step-by-step instructions and achieve monetary success in a relatively short period of time, it was their previous struggles and time in the learning curve that made it possible.  This is why I now recommend and will continue to recommend products that focus on the nuts and bolts of assembling a knowledge base in Internet marketing.

Click Here To Visit My Top 3 Work At Home Training Recommendations

Because of these two primary categories for success in Internet marketing, I believe that the FTC Disclosure Rule on testimonials will enhance the information people receive as a result of those testimonials.  A case study showing the experience and efforts used will give greater credibility to the success achieved.

The FTC Disclosure Rule in regards to disclosure on material connections is the rule that effects this blog the most, as it is an affiliate blog. 

This is not legal advice, and as always, please check with your own legal counsel before implementing.  However, what I took away from the discussion at the webinar is this:

1) If you can foresee the possibility of gaining income as a result of material provided by you, be it in a blog post, email, free report or eBook, a material connection disclosure is required.  As a result, I’ve spent a few hours going over free material given to my list  and added disclosures to emails and to my web and blog pages.

2) The material disclosure needs to be front and center, not hidden in the fine print or on a link.  As you will see at the bottom of this post, I have attempted to meet that requirement in the FTC Disclosure Regulations head on.

Now for the ironic part.  Rather than hurting my affiliate efforts, it has served to enhance them.  Several people, including a successful Internet marketer that I admire, have mentioned that they like the way the material connection disclosure is handled and feel it adds to, rather than detracts from, the authority of this blog.  In addition, I received an email from one of my subscribers, which said in a nutshell, that he felt the addition of the material connections disclosure had increased his trust in the content he received.

The FTC Disclosure Regulations are amongst the online marketing realities that Internet marketers have to face and will come into effect on December 1, 2009.  If you have not read the requirements of these regulations, don’t wait around hoping they will go away.  Seek legal advise and do not leave your compliance to chance.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com

First of all, let me say that I am not an affiliate of Nichole’s at the time of this writing, although I have found her content well written and thought provoking. As well, neither Nichole or myself are legal experts, and at no time should what we say be misconstrued as legal advice of any nature. My recommendation to you is that you seek qualified legal counsel in all matters regarding your business or online efforts.

Having said that, I would like to share with you the email from Nichole.

Well the whole affiliate marketing world and blogging world
is abuzz about the FTC’s recent statement and what it means
to the average affiliate marketer, blogger, internet marketer
and how we can protect ourselves.

If you haven’t heard the buzz, basically any time we receive
a product for free or receive anything in compensation (like
as part of an affiliate promotion) – we need to make sure our
readers know that.

The FTC rules are pretty tricky to decipher and I’m not going to
try beyond that. I’m not a lawyer, nor will I ever be.

I posted a disclaimer on my blog quite awhile ago, and I
realized that not everyone knows about the free service that I
used to create it.

How you can generate your own, free:
http://disclosurepolicy.org/

Plus, I’ve found some videos that better explain how we can protect ourselves.
http://blog.disclosurepolicy.org/

Nothing for sale today. Just some tips that I found that I hope help you.

Have a fantastic weekend.

Warmly,
Nicole

http://www.easyplr.com

As you can see, neither Nichole or myself has anything to gain, other than the privilege of providing you with a resource that you may find beneficial and I will add that hers is the first I have received of many on this topic that was not related to an affiliate resource of some nature.

To read up on what the FTC has to say in regards to the FTC Disclosure Regulations, here are two links to get you started:

http://ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf

http://ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm

The concern I have now, and will continue to have until it has been addressed, is whether the FTC Disclosure Regulations are retroactive. In other words, does content that has been posted prior to December 1, 2009 require updating to meet these regulations? In most cases, such as those of a blog, that may be adequately covered by a site disclaimer.

The other areas of concern are ones in which the content is not posted on a blog, but is circulating in the form of a report or eBook. Obviously, it would be impossible to recall any and all of this material. They may or may not be an issue.

As mentioned above, I am not a lawyer and I don’t play one on TV. I, along with the rest of the affiliate world, am simply looking for clarification and a means to meet the requirements of the FTC Disclosure Regulations as quickly and honestly as is possible, even though, as a Canadian, these may or may not directly effect me. There as well, the issue is unclear. However, these regulations have been put into place in an effort to promote ethics and as such, I support those regulations and will do what is necessary to comply.

The biggest obstacle to compliance, in my humble opinion, is the broad nature of the FTC Disclosure Regulations.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com

Now it is easy enough to simply say that you are doing what needs to be done, so it must be a goal of your own.  But in this life, we have many choices with many levels of what determines if a goal has been successfully met.

For example, if you should decide one day that you would like to learn how to play the guitar.  Playing guitar can be a very satisfying goal in general, however, what criteria do you set in order to say that you have successfully learned to play the guitar?  How well you want to master this instrument is your personal goal and whatever you decide, is the right choice, for you.

It does not matter if you want to simply pick out a tune in your leisure time, be able to provide the background music in a social situation, or if you want to rock out on stage.  These are 3 distinctly different goals, each with its own commitment of your time.  If you started out with one of these goals, and then find you are headed towards another, step back and decide if that is because your goal has changed, or if it is because someone else has influenced you and imposed their own goal on you.

This evaluation of the goals you are headed towards applies to all areas of your life and it is important to use the process of setting personal goals to determine if the goals you are following are really your own.  Here are some indicators that you may have headed down the wrong path.

1) Can you clearly visualize and define your goal?  If it is a personal goal, you will have no problem describing it is infinite detail to yourself or to another person.  Sometimes goals are vague and hard to describe when you first set them because you don’t have enough information to set more than a general direction, however, at those times you set aside for re-evaluation, you can give yourself permission to further define those goals.  Lack of a clear vision is a fairly common problem for folks just starting in the area of online marketing, simply because, there are so many aspects to learn.

2) Ask yourself why you have set a particular goal?  Is it because you have a definite interest or because you feel pushed into it?  If a goal is not your own, you will lack motivation to complete it.  If you find yourself continually procrastinating, this may not be a goal that you own.

3) What steps have you mapped out to move towards the completion of your goal.  If your answer is none and you are just haphazardly hoping to achieve your goal, then once again, you have to question if that goal is one that you have set for yourself, or is it one that someone else has influenced you to make.  When a goal belongs to you, you are focused and passionate about moving towards its completion.

It may sound a bit corney, but this is the reason you keep hearing the question, what’s love got to do with it.  While it is important that you learn the basics of all aspects of something as complex as running an online business, your goal need not be to master them all.  You need to know only enough to also know if you are being ripped off by someone you outsource to.  Your goal could be to learn the basics and then out source that aspect and let someone who does have a passion for it take it to the next level for you.

Lastly, it is important to realize that stopping something that is not working does not make you a quitter, even if others do not understand why you have decided to do so.  Some of the wealthiest and most influential people say quite openly that their success depends a lot on surrounding themselves with others to take on the work of areas they, themselves are not great at.

Setting personal goals is a never ending process that continually evolves. By always questioning why you are following the path you have chosen, you will help to ensure that it is your own desires and your own goals that you are following.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com

I have been reading the material submitted by Guest Authors, and culling out any submissions that appeared to be less than above board or where based on material I did not feel related to the nature of WBOBR. Approximately one in ten submissions were accepted.

The updates being made to the FTC regulations suggest at this time, that blog owners may be held responsible for compensatory links used within content that is made available, and as I am not always able to verify claims made when those links are accessed, it has been decided to err on the side of caution. I thank those Guest Authors whose material was accepted for their contribution to the informational content of WBOBR.

I fully believe that readers of WBOBR are savvy enough and mature enough to recognize that a link within any content posted may result in someone being compensated should a sale occur as a result of that link being selected.

In keeping with the rules of disclosure, be it known that links within content or advertisements existing on the WBOBR site, should be considered to be affiliate or compensatory links.  If a sale results from the selection of those links,  I may be compensated.  Guest Authors, whose material has previously been posted, may also be compensated. As of October 15, 2009, Guest Author content will no longer be accepted thus narrowing the field of responsibility.

For anyone who is involved with affiliate marketing online, I suggest checking out Mike Young’s post at on the FTC New Compensation Disclosure Requirements Here! I have no affiliation with Mike at this time and will receive no compensation for this recommendation.

These new regulations are still in the process of being written and defined and as such there is a lot of speculation of what effect it will have overall in the area of Internet marketing and blogging.  The terminology used to define the FTC regulations is broad and purposefully vague in many aspects, which adds to the speculation.  I will be keeping an eye on developments on this topic and will be doing what is necessary to ensure that WBOBR will meet any requirements of the new FTC regulations.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com

When a criminal gains access to your private or financial data, that’s considered identity theft. That information is then used by the thief for deceitful activities. Check and credit card fraud are the most widely known styles of identity theft. The most common result is the destruction of your credit score.

Identity thieves will apply for credit cards and open bank accounts in the victim’s name. Utilizing a credit card, they can acquire costly electronics and other merchandise and then resell them. With a bank account, they can take out a loan in your name for thousands of dollars. Generally, the criminal then completely disappears.

Credit is not the only thing that can be damaged because of identity theft. Often, a criminal will take your personal information and utilize it to get a driver’s license. If the thief then rents a vehicle and utilizes it to commit a criminal act, you will be the one the authorities come looking for. Your reputation can be destroyed. Even when it is shown that you were the victim, not the criminal, you’ll continue to be linked with the event.

Fortunately there are several of means by which you can prepare for identity theft protection. There’s never a 100 percent definite way to prevent identity theft. However you can take measures to make it less likely that you will be a random victim.

An identity thief is largely trying to steal your papers, both financial and private. From bills to bank statements, your mailbox is often loaded with the particulars of your private information. All too often, so is the rubbish bin outside your home.

Don’t throw out any piece of paper that includes your personal data; always shred it first. This undertaking will be simpler and more likely to ensue if you obtain an electric paper shredder. Whenever possible, make arrangements to receive your statements and other papers electronically.

There are other frequently overlooked practices that can effortlessly lead to identity theft. Never carry your birth certificate, checkbook, or social security card on your person. Checks can be the worst. Not only is your personal information included, your detailed banking information is right there for the taking. There are individuals who even include their social security number on their checks. Avoid this at all costs!

Some common sense and knowledge can go a long way to avert identity theft. No one wants to endure that distressing ordeal.

Identity theft is a growing problem, and many people are worried that they will become victim to this faceless crime. That’s why it’s so important to learn some tips on how to protect yourself from identity theft. Taking some simple precautions for identity theft protection can save you much anguish.

This has been a Guest Author Submission.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com

P.S. One of the purposes of this blog is to inform or remind you of those aspects of business that many of us would rather not think about, but are necessary to be aware of. We’ve had some discussions that past day or so on complying with Internet laws and I’ve added some information to the comment section here, to advise you of a post by Alex Sysosef, in which he gives some additional information on what the FTC has been up to of late. Please check out the comment section.

As mentioned by the Guest Author above, one method of warding off or catching identity theft in a timely manner is to know what your credit report says about you. Your credit report has a direct effect on your business finances and changes to its content may trigger an alarm that something is going on that you should be aware of.

While many Internet marketers outsource customer service, for WBOBR, at this point in time, I still look at each email that arrives from our contact form. I was a bit perplexed the other day to receive an email, which didn’t name a product, yet still requested a refund. This was doubly perplexing as I am an affiliate marketer, and at this point in time, I am only promoting other people’s products and not my own product.

Still, it is important to me that people receive a response, no matter what the situation. The old adage, treat others as you would like to be treated, is never more relevant than when someone is unhappy with you, for whatever reason.  Failing to answer the email would solidify in the customer’s mind, the fact that I was someone they really would not want to do business with, now, or in the future.

We all know that bad news carries quickly, especially on the Internet.  So, my first goal with this individual was to to respond in a manner that acknowledged the fact that she was upset.  At this point, all I knew was that she had received a CD in the mail and her credit card had been charged for it.

My second goal was to assure this customer that I was willing to help her out.  It really doesn’t matter that I didn’t know which product she was referring to, she wanted to be heard, and she wanted to hear that someone was willing to look into things for her.

My third goal was to get the information I needed from her to determine which product she was referring to.

With these goals in mind, I replied to her request for a refund.

Shortly after, I received a response that identified the product as one that I am not an affiliate of.  She had fallen for one of the scams being promoted on the Internet.  Most of us run across these as some point in the beginning.  They are the ones that offer to send you a CD for the cost of shipping and handling for a trail period of 7 days.  By the time the CD arrives, the customer has most likely forgotten what it was she ordered and when that trial period is over, her credit card gets charged for the monthly fee that is the goal of this type of promotion.

Several factors led her to get in touch with our support.  The first factor was that the CD that arrived had no information on it with which she would be able to contact the support of the company that sent it.  The second factor that came into play was that at about the same time she ordered the CD, she also signed up on the WBOBR mailing list, and that list comes with contact information should anyone need help.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to immediately help this person out because it was not one of my products.  However, I did let her know that I understood the frustration and yes, anger, she was feeling.

In addition, I gave her the following advice.

1) When shopping online, always look for a contact form or email address, prior to signing up or placing an order.  This alone can help someone to avoid more than 90% of the scams being promoted on the internet.

2) Avoid offers that ask for your credit card information directly.  Most scams avoid using merchant applications such as Clickbank or PayPal because they know the customer has an avenue for complaint.

3) If you are a victim of a scam and charges you have not authorized are made on your credit card, contact your credit card provider and request a charge back.

On the Internet, or in business of any sort, your reputation as an honest merchant or marketer is one of the most valuable items that you possess.  Avoid tarring that reputation by promoting items that are shady or down right scams.  Try to stick with products that are backed by others who have built up a reputation of trust.

When things go wrong and a customer is unhappy, how you go about handling customer complaints will also make or break your reputation as someone people want to do business with.  Where ever possible, acknowledge the customer’s concern and if a refund is requested, see it is sent promptly.  It may give you some temporary satisfaction to argue the point with the customer, but they have the power of the Internet behind them and they are not shy about letting others know about their experience, particularly one that upset them.

It isn’t always possible to make someone happy, as was the case here.  However, if you make a policy of handling customer complaints with empathy, that customer will remember and will still possibly do business with you in the future.

Feel free to leave a comment and share your own views on handling customer complaints.

To Your Success,

SherryD
http://www.wbobr.com