Going Away for the Holidays? Pack Your Laptop!

Mobile workers arent the only ones packing up their Laptop PCs for traveling, it appears to be a growing trend among vacationers as well. In a recent study, more than half (51 percent) of those surveyed said they would bring along a laptop computer on a future vacation. Thirty-four percent responded that they've already vacationed with their laptops. So why are people taking along their laptops on vacation? Apparently, its mostly because of their addiction to email.

Email is the most common use of laptops for vacationers, with more than 70% of people checking or sending personal email while on vacation. But work-related email sneaks in there too, with 43% of vacationers admitting to checking or sending email that is work-related.

The availability of Wi-Fi hotspots has definitely increased the convenience of using a laptop while on vacation, and wireless Internet connectivity has become a must for most computer users. With wireless technology widely available, you can reach your customers anytime, even while they are vacationing almost anywhere in the world.

So if vacationers are packing their laptops, make sure your email marketing programs don't take a vacation! Stay on your regular schedule of email marketing initiatives (e-newsletters, sales flyers, etc.), because your messages will still be seen by your customers, even if they are not in their offices.

Lauren Hobson is editor of Biz Talk, a free, subscription-based resource sent to our clients, friends, and associates interested in tips and techniques for helping small businesses make the most of their web sites and marketing efforts without spending a lot of money. Biz Talk is a publication of Five Sparrows, LLC, specializing in web sites and marketing for small business.