[Note: I'm continuing a series on Saturdays called "The Toolbox." My intent is to highlight some of the software, products, and services that have become invaluable to me in my work. I think they will be helpful to you, too. I'd welcome your suggestions on what to review. You should know that these are not sponsored posts, and I'm not acting as an affiliate or receiving any funds for this series.]

Dropbox is an invaluable tool in my work. I travel a lot. I’m in a lot of different places. When I need access to a file, I usually need it immediately. Plus, I office out of my home, so having file cabinets line the walls of just one room of my house is not practical. These (and many more) are the reasons why Dropbox rocks! Let me share with you why I use Dropbox:

  1. Dropbox gives me instant access to everything. I never know when I’m going to need a file.
  2. Dropbox is a folder on my laptop just like my hard drive. All my files are stored locally on my laptop but synced with the cloud. I have access to them whether or not I have an internet connection. And when I make changes, they sync automatically when I’m connected to the internet again.
  3. Dropbox allows me to share folders with the people I’m collaborating with. This helps me avoid the attachment limits of e-mail servers and makes it possible for me to give (and revoke) access when necessary. When you revoke access, you can choose to remove those files from the other person’s laptop with the click of a button.
  4. Dropbox is an app on my iPhone. I can be talking to someone on my iPhone, pull up a Dropbox file, and send it to them…all on the same call.
  5. Dropbox is an app on my iPad. No need worry about loading files before traveling or wishing you had a file at a client site.
  6. Dropbox allows you to increase the amount of space based on your needs. I upgraded for a nominal annual fee to have 50 gigs of space. (Almost ready to jump to 100 gigs.) It’s a back up for my back up.
  7. Dropbox is simple. Drag and drop your files into your Dropbox folder…and you’re done!

If you use this link to sign up, we’ll both get a little extra storage space.

Are you a Dropbox fan? How has it helped you?

Ben Stroup is a content activist in a post-paragraph world. He is chief broker of opportunity at Ben Stroup Enterprises. Connect with Ben via email, Twitter, and Google+. Subscribe via email to learn how to use content to move people to action.

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