Get Your Internet Marketing Information Under Control

If you're anything like me you're a sponge when it comes to internet marketing information. In other words, you suck as much of it up as you can! The trouble is there's just so much of it!

So, let's discuss a few hints and tips on keeping all that information under control.

1. Get on a diet!

OK, so you might need to lose a few pounds but that's not what I'm talking about. No, what I mean is to go on an INFORMATION diet. Each time you get an email in your inbox from one of the hundreds of newsletters you've subscribed to over the years, ask yourself this question: "If I never received another email from this person again, would it stop me being a success online?" In most cases, the answer will be 'No' so your next step is to UNSUBSCRIBE. I know, it's a horrifying thought isn't it? But trust me, the guru who is sending these emails to you won't miss you and they'll always be there if you ever need to go back later. In fact most times these days, emails I get are simply pointing me to a blog or video link so I know that I could always find what I need online anyway.

2. Coral that data!

Do you drop all the files you download onto your desktop or into a single folder just so you know where it is, only to go back later and see that it's buried somewhere amongst the hundreds of files in there?

Any files you have should be grouped into a logical set of folders with each one covering a specific area relevant to your business. For example: SEO, Backlink Building, Email List Building, and so on.

3. Index it!

Now, this is a tough one but it helps me find things and, to be honest, stops me from keeping too much. I create a spreadsheet on which I list every file, when I downloaded it or saved it, along with a brief description of what it's about and the reason why I kept it. I also allocate it a 'priority' to indicate how important think it is to me. I set an appointment with myself once a month to go through the list and see if I should be acting on something I've kept. When I do act on something, I'll make a note in the spreadsheet. I also look at how long I've had something and if I've actually done anything with it or if I'm likely to. If it's laying gathering dust, I'll flag it for deletion on my next review and at that time will get rid of it.

4. Archive it!

OK, I'll admit it. There are some information products or courses etc that I simply can't get rid of. Maybe I paid a lot for them or I simply enjoy reading, listening to, or watching them. But I don't do this all the time so they don't need to clutter up my hard drive. So, for these it's a case of burning then to DVD and noting on my index spreadsheet the DVD archive number I write on the disk itself. You can get DVD wallets to store hundreds of DVDs in a very small space and they'll easily fit on a bookshelf.

The thing about the internet is that it's continually changing. Information that was relevant to internet marketing 5 years ago is often of no use today. Sometimes that time difference is even shorter. So keeping information for years 'just in case I'll need it' is a complete waste of time and the chances are that even if does become useful, you'll have forgotten you even have it or you'll never even find it!

The beauty about going through your Internet Marketing Information and getting it under control like this is that it will make you far more productive, your mind will feel clearer as you subconsciously get rid of clutter, and your computer will start performing better with so much more disk space!