Time to Put my Clothes on And Use Skype

One of the great things about working from home is the ability to slob-out and wear pajamas or sweats. Lately I've really been tempted to get those Pajama Jeans so I won't have to chose between them. I've recently installed Skype, so that's going to change. Although Skype has been around for years, I've put off adding it. When a client from New Zealand practically begged me to get on board, I decided it was time. The phone bill from here to New Zealand had to be getting as large as the distance between us.
Image via CrunchBaseI'm not really a Instant Message type of person. I had so many accounts that I finally got Adium so that I could see them all in one place, but even with that I rarely even start the app. When I have Instant Messaging on, and my status is viewable, I feel as though I'm bombarded by spam messages--most from people I don't know. Having it on makes me feel as though I am on call 24/7.
Skype isn't really about instant messaging, although that's one of their features. I guess I should explain, for those who aren't familiar with Skype, that its software that allows you to make calls for free. Not just that, but video calls, instant messaging, voice messaging, phone calls, etc. Installing it is easy, just download the software, Mac or PC, and create an account.
 Login and you're off. When you first start the software, it asks you if you want to import your address book. I decided against it as I have over 500 contacts in my address book and I only wanted access to the specific people I know have Skype.When I first turned it on I was instantly bombarded with connection requests. Luckily, if you go to preferences, it allows you to select the option to only accept calls from people in your contact list. Since I was in preferences already, I immediately went to the Video option and turned off my camera. Call me narcissistic, but I wasn't ready for Prime-Time.
Next I added my clients to the contact list. I had their usernames, but you can also search for the person. When you do, it tells you a little about the person, like where they are located in case you need to narrow the search.
So, once I got the software, changed the preferences and added contacts, I had a blank screen. Now what?
What else could the answer be for a web surfer? I headed to youtube and searched for Skype tutorials. Luckily, I found Aymee Buckhannon's video (see below).



Aymee invited watchers to add her as a contact and I took her up on the offer. What a lucky break! Not only was she available, but she took the time to chat with me, help me with all my questions, and also shared links to her blog, Facebook page and more. Thanks Aymee.
Self, Aymee is a Blogging, Branding and Video Marketing Consultant. She has many excellent video's on YouTube also. Check them out...after you've called your customer with your Skype account, of course.