Managing Your Site from the Road

A. Adding Content on the Road

1. Using a USB key in Cybercafes and Libraries

This is an idea I came up with and have begun to implement in my travels. If you’re going to be traveling in a country with a lot of computers, it doesn’t make sense to lug around your laptop with you. Instead, carry a USB key with all of your important files on it. You can view my guide to building your own TravelKey. This really doesn’t make sense for people traveling to really poor countries without cybercafes, though. Instead, it’s probably betterto carry your own laptop in that case.

a. Carrying your own laptop

Don’t do it! You should really only consider carrrying your own laptop as a last resort. (Or if you plan on staying in one place for a while.) It really puts quite a burden on your travel. You’re constantly worrying about getting it stolen and it adds another 15 pounds to whatever else you’re carrying. Also, you instantly become a target for theft, because anyone who carries a laptop is also carrying a sign that says, “I am worth at least a thousand dollars.” Not a good sign in the third world.

That being said, if you insist on using a laptop, use a bag that does not look like a laptop bag. Get a bigger backpack and make your own sleeve for your laptop to fit in. Then protect it like hell and cross your fingers it doesn’t break during that crazy bus ride where pigs are getting tossed on top of your pack. Oh, it will happen. Trust me.

b. Using a web enabled cell phone

This is increasingly becoming a more viable option. I have a T-Mobile Sidekick II, and all of my important administrator emails are forwarded through it. That means wherever I am, I recieve emails. I can tell when people make purchases on my site instantly. It really is a great feeling to hear the email ring, look down at your cell phone and see an order for your product while out on a boat or on the beach. Soon you’ll know what I mean.

Depending on how much you want to spend on a cell phone, you may be able to do more than just send and receive emails. On my Sidekick I can also make blog entries, but it’s not the greatest interface. The screen is really small and it’s extremely frustrating to edit my writing. But it is possible.

B. Finding cybercafes

Depending on how popular your destination is with backpackers, this could be the easiest part of running your online business.I’ve traveled through South America, South Africa, South East Asia and India without a problem. Even in remote parts of El Salvador & Nicaragua there is internet access.I’ve even found multiple cybercafe’s in the remote cities of Northern Argentina.In even the most remote villages there is internet access, and it’s usually reasonably priced.

C. Working with clients

Managing clients while traveling is one of the hardest things to pull off efficiently. If you’re traveling within a country where you could carry a web enabled cell phone that may be an option. You can get your email forwarded to your cell and respond to clients quickly. Otherwise, you’re stuck if you need to be constantly checking your email to stay in touch with clients. The most important concept in building an online business is:

Build your business so it runs itself. Automate every process you can.

Sound simple? It is, but implementing it is not as easy without the right tools. But thanks to open source software, you can micromanage quite effectively. Here’s some software Josh and I have both foundhelpful:

Google IG

This is a great source to see your entire site at a glance. Setup RSS feeds from a few of your competitors, our blog, and begin to build your own customized work hub. This software really has the potential to take off and streamline your entire workflow. Go to Google IG, create a Google account if you don’t already have one, and begin adding news feeds relevant to your web site.

User Forums

The sofware to create a user forum is easy to install, and easy to manage. Make sure you don’t repeat yourself by incorporating a user forum into your site. Every time you answer a customer’s question on your forum you’ve created another page of great content, helped solve somebody’s problem, and given that user a reason to come back next time. This really should be a no brainer.

Choosing a free forum is pretty easy nowadays. There are really only two programs secure enough for Josh and I to recommend. They are phpBB2 , and SMF. If you bought hosting through Bluehost, you can install either one of the programs through their Fantastico interface. Otherwise, you’ll need to go to either site, download the software and install it yourself. Which could get a little tricky if you have no MySQL experience. I use SMF on the Traveling Forever forums.

Mailing Lists

Mailing list software is cheap, and easy to set up. Every email address you recieve is another potential customer. Robert Allen calls this the “maybe lake” of customers. You give them a free product, a special offer, and they give you their email and agree to let you contact them in the future. These potential customers are then consistently contacted with more offers to purchase and more freebies. Studies show when people are given gifts they are more inclined to purchase. Use this as leverage.You’ll also have an easier job of keeping in touch with your customers. No one is more likely to buy a product from you than someone who has done so in the past. Make sure you’re not having to track down all of your old customers in other forums and on the net. Create a mailing list from day one, and keep every customer’s contacts. It will pay off.Really the only free mailing list software worth mentioning is phpList. This software is capable of handling even the largest of mailing lists. It’s open source (and free), so you’ll be able to make modifcations later on if your site grows beyond the capabilites of the product.

D. Managing money

Do yourself a favor and get a Paypal merchant account. You’ll be able to see payments instantly, and with their new debit card you’ll be able to access your money from anywhere in the world. It works just like a normal debit card, only the funds come directly from your Paypal account. It’s one of those exciting innovations of the internet that really helps make traveling the world and making money on the net from anywhere a real possibility.

Also, be sure to implement some detailed accounting early on. There are a few ways to do this, but the best is Mvelopes Personal . Basically, it’s a personal finance management system designed to help you save money. Think Quicken, but better. You can access your finances from anywhere, and see a general overview of how you’re doing. I implement all my budgeting online, and Mvelopes let me see at a glance how all my accounts are doing, and what my financial future looks like. Again, this is a major time saver and a must if you’re serious about your money. It’s cheap too, only $8 a month to have master control of your finances. You’ll save quadruple that your first month easy.

You can even set up your Mvelopes budget for your travels. I set up my personal envelopes for Travel Insurance, Hostel Costs, and Food Costs. I know specifically how much I’m spending and I can catch myself slipping up on the budget before it gets out of hand.

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