Questions? The video for today s webinar 11/13/2013 DWHSA Webinars

Transcription

1 DWHSA Webinars Communicate With Your Clients Using Google Docs (And, Do Lots of Cool Stuff With Google Drive, Too!) Questions? (Contact John for the link to a special DWHSA application form with the $25 discount [good through Dec. 20].) The video for today s webinar Once the video file has been processed this afternoon, it will be uploaded for you to watch later at your convenience: DWHSA Members: In our DWHSA.com members-only video library Guests: Via a link we ll you later today (through Friday, Nov. 22) 1

2 Here s how we currently stay in touch with clients Phone calls (landlines and cell phones) Letters and packets (mailed or hand delivered) Texts s (sometimes with attachments) In-person meetings and consultations And, here s what we communicate to them Proposals and quotes Booking itineraries and confirmations Deposit/payment schedules and confirmations Group contracts/booking code documents Constantly updated guest lists, contact sheets, and confirmation lists And, where do we store and back up these documents and files? On our desks, on our computer desktops, etc. (with no backup!) The perfect system for communicating with clients You wouldn't be forced to be in front of your desktop computer, logged into your account, to send info to clients. Your clients could open the info you send them regardless of what type of computers and software they have. Your info would be extremely secure (including your clients' data). You'd have a "paper trail/e-trail" to protect yourself against client misunderstandings. You re almost automatically saving and backing up client files, your sales templates, booking records, etc. 2

3 Voila! Voila! Google Drive Google Docs Google Drive Google Drive = your online magic filing cabinet Google Drive is a cloud-based storage system where you can keep documents, images, videos, and other files online (rather than on your computer's hard drive). Google Drive allows you to get into those files from any computer or device connected to the Internet - and, share those files with others. (Currently, you get 15GB of free storage; the next 100GB starts at $4.95 a month. Compare that to DropBox at $9.99/month.) 3

4 Google Docs Google Docs = your free wide-open copy of Microsoft Office Google Docs lets you create, share, and manage documents on the Internet, rather than keeping them on your computer. Primarily, Google Docs lets you create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations (as well as forms and drawings). You can keep these files private, you can share them with selected people, or you can make them public on the Internet. You can let others simply view the files, or you can give them permission to edit and change them. So what can we do with Google Drive/Google Docs? Use Google Drive as your automatic backup to save copies of essential client and supplier documents (e.g., group contracts, confirmation notices) Use Google Docs to share standard files you give clients all of the time and to send clients really large files you may not be able to send other ways (e.g., as an attachment) Use Google Docs to share files with clients that you update constantly (e.g., DW/group lists and manifests) So what can we do with Google Drive/Google Docs? Store your most common forms to use with clients (pull them up during a consultation or share them with a client on the spot) Create a proposal or quote as a Google Document or a Google Presentation (using templates you developed earlier and just filling in the blanks) Create itineraries and other Documents to share with clients Store copies of important client documents (confirmations, group contracts, etc.) and share them with clients as needed Create Spreadsheets as guest lists and make notes as guests contact you and book trips (you can share these lists with your clients) 4

5 Here s what your clients will see when you share a file Now, let s go log into Google Drive/Docs live So again, how can we use Google Drive/Google Docs? Use Google Drive as your automatic backup to save copies of essential client and supplier documents (e.g., group contracts, confirmation notices) Use Google Docs to share standard files you give clients all of the time and to send clients really large files you may not be able to send other ways (e.g., as an attachment) Use Google Docs to share files with clients that you update constantly (e.g., DW/group lists and manifests) 5

6 So, again, how can we use Google Drive/Docs? Existing forms you use with clients (e.g., questionnaires) Upload them in their original formats (ideally PDF), share them with clients via or a link, and have them print them and return them to you via mail, fax, or scanned copy via ) Proposals and quotes for specific clients Use/create templates in Google Docs to produce them, and then share the links (for viewing only) with clients or print them as PDFs and share them via other means Itineraries, group contracts and confirmations from suppliers for your clients Upload them into your Drive and share them for viewing with clients Guests lists to track contacts with your office Create them as Google Spreadsheets, and share them for viewing only with clients So, again, how can we use Google Drive/Docs? Turn any files created OUTSIDE the Google environment (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, etc.) into Adobe PDF files first then, upload them and share them via Google Drive (don t convert them from those non-google formats into the Google Docs formats) For those files you may need to update for clients on an ongoing basis e.g., guest lists in a spreadsheet consider creating them as Google Docs and sharing them with clients via Google Drive FOR VIEWING ONLY (no editing on the clients part). For More Info Google Drive help: Google Docs help: Free tutorial on Google Drive and Google Docs: doc 6

7 For More Info Install Google Drive on your computer: Install Google Drive on your smartphone: Google Docs templates: Questions From the Webinar Q. Do my clients need to have a Gmail account or Google account to view the Google Drive docs I might share with them? A. No, not if they're just viewing what you send them! When you send them an containing the link to share a file (or, you have Google send them an with that link), they will simply click on the link and they should be able to view the file with no trouble. However, if you want clients to have the authority to edit or change the files you send them, then they must have a Gmail/Google account. Q. Can you move photos or files that you saved only on Google Docs to your computer? A. Yes, and it's easy to do. When you're signed into your Google Drive, simply place your cursor atop the title of the file you wish to move to your computer and right-click the title with your mouse (if it's a PC; control click if it's a Mac). When you do that, a popup menu appears, and you'll see "Download" as one of the options. Click "Download" and follow the instructions to move the file onto your computer. Questions From the Webinar Q. Could you send us any spreadsheets saved on Google Docs in relation to groups and/or destination weddings? A. We do offer templates like this, but they're reserved for DWHSA members only. (If you're a member, look in the Facebook group under the "Files" tab to find samples - or, log into DWHSA.com, go to the webinars page, and look in the list of video recordings for the "Six Basic Forms" webinar page. On that webinar page, you'll see a long list of links for sample forms that you may download onto your computer and then move into Google Drive [or that you can use as guides to recreate them as Google spreadsheets].) 7

8 Final Notes Sometimes, you may need to download a file from your Google Drive. Any file stored in Google Drive in its original format (e.g.,.doc,.jpg,.pdf) will download easily and may be used right away on your computer. But, if you created the file in a Google Docs form (e.g., as a Document, Spreadsheet, or Presentation file), you'll need to convert it into a different format - the best option may be Adobe PDF. Inside Google Drive, click on the name of the file you wish to convert. Then, click the File dropdown menu, and hover your mouse over the "Download as" option to pick the PDF format. The file will convert and download. Once it's done, the Downloads dialog box will appear, you can double click to open the file, or you can click and drag the file onto your computer. You can also print Google Docs files - just click the Print button, hit CTRL and P/Command and P, or click the File menu and select Print. Try the Print Preview option in the File menu if you'd like to see how the file will look before it prints. When you click Print, Google may automatically download a PDF version onto your computer, and if so you'll need top open that PDF file on your computer and print that file as you normally would. 8