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Get Ready to Build Great Relationships Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013 11 AM PST (2 PM EST) So you’ve got an autoresponderâ€"now what An autoresponder can do so much more than take care of your “welcome†and “thanks†form emails. Treat it like a campaign tool and watch your conversion rates climb. Register for our Beyond Autorespond...
The post Beyond Autorespond: How To Build Campaigns That Nurture (Webinar) appeared first on Small Business Technology.
Polish security research firm Security Explorations announced on Friday that it had submitted two new Java vulnerabilities, along with proof-of-concept code, to Oracle, making it clear that significant security issues remain in Java even after last week's patch. In a post to the Full Disclosure list, Security Explorations CEO Adam Gowdiak said, "We have successfully confirmed that a complete Java security sandbox bypass can be still gained under the recent version of Java 7, Update 11."
This was the final negative development in what was a tough week for Java's reputation. Toward the end of the week, the Java story even intersected in a small way with the week's other large story, the Red October barrage exposed by Kaspersky Labs. An Israeli firm, Seculert, determined that at least one previously identified Java exploit was used in Red October's arsenal of exploit code.
According to a Seculert blog entry:
After investigating the command-and-control servers used in the "Red October" campaign, Seculert identified a special folder used by the attackers for an additional attack vector. In this vector, the attackers sent an email with an embedded link to a specially crafted PHP webpage. This webpage exploited a vulnerability in Java (CVE-2011-3544).
The entry goes on to explain that this vulnerability had been known (as the CVS entry indicates) since 2011 and was, at least theoretically, old news by the time it was compiled into a Java JAR file in February of 2012.
The Seculert analysis came on the heels of DHS continuing to recommend that users disable Java on their computer, even though Oracle issued a patch. The update, issued January 14, said that "new Java vulnerabilities are likely to be discovered. To defend against this and future Java vulnerabilities, consider disabling Java in Web browsers until adequate updates are available." The first two of those "future Java vulnerabilities" surfaced the very next day, courtesy of Security Explorations.
For those who have disabled Java, there is some reluctance to turn it back on any time soon. HD Moore, chief security officer at Boston-based Rapid7 and chief architect of Metasploit, said "the reasoning is that it took Oracle a year just to handle some of the privilege escalation cases reported by Security Explorations. At this rate, it may be another two years before this class of bugs is fully eradicated from the code base."
Part of the problem with Java, Moore noted, is that the approach it takes with its version of sandboxing is long in the tooth: "The Java sandbox was designed when the threat to desktop users was very different. The current generation of sandboxes (Chrome, Adobe, IE) are implemented one level higher --restricting what the sandboxed process can do and not trying to enforce all of the logic within the runtime itself. Java's sandbox is still of the older variety, all it takes is one logic flaw, or some form of memory corruption, to go from a webpage to running code in the context of the user." He pointed to an example where Windows 8, even though it "made a number of improvements in the area of browser security," still falls prey to the current Java flaws and yields a remote shell.
Significant security issues notwithstanding, experts said that asking IT to walk away from Java for any length of time isn't necessarily doable.
Hilik Kotler, co-founder and EVP of product development for Promisec, said recommending that key software tools simply be abandoned isn't a workable strategy. "This week it's Java, but two weeks ago it was Internet Explorer, and two months ago it was Adobe that couldn't be used safely." Kotler believes that managing vulnerabilities shouldn't mean changing the work environment that one's employees are used to. Recommending that software not be used, he said, "is the easiest solution when you don't have the right tools."
Kordia Group chief executive Geoff Hunt is leaving his post after eight years leading the state-owned company and his position is being disestablished.
After joining two of its units - Orcon and Kordia Networks - to create Kordia New Zealand in October last year, Hunt said today that Kordia engineering and field services operation would also be merged into this new business.
Kordia New Zealand along with the group's business across the Tasman - Kordia Solutions Australia - will now report directly to the board and a spokesperson said Hunt's role was being disestablished.
Kordia New Zealand, led by former Orcon boss Scott Bartlett, would now have total annual sales of just under $200 million and the Australian business was also turning over $200 million.
"Now that both businesses are performing well, it makes sense that they each now report directly to the Kordia Board," Hunt said, who will leave Kordia Group at the end of March.
In a statement, Kordia Group said revenue had been lifted from $120 million to $400 million during Hunt's leadership and that in 2012 the group had posted a record net profit of $12.1 million.
Hunt joined the group in 2005 and had led it through a "comprehensive 'broadcast to broadband' transformation, building a solid business that is now well positioned for the switch-off of analogue television when New Zealand switches to digital later this year," the group said.
By Hamish Fletcher Email Hamish
The more accurate an understanding of what a company’s resources are, the easier it becomes for business owners to make smart, strategic decisions about their operations.
What Is A Digital Marketing Inventory
A digital marketing inventory examines the online assets you use to connect with your customers. Included in this list are all your domain names, social media profiles, and email marketing. You need all of these assets to be populated with information that is both accurate and current.
We’re all very busy people. Maintaining the details of our online presence is one of those tasks that has a tendency to be overlooked.
This is a problem for two reasons:
Conducting Your Digital Market Inventory
It’s a good idea to take an annual (bi-annual or quarterly would be even better) look at your domain names, social media profiles and email marketing programs. Here’s what you want to know:
Domain Names
Make a complete list of all the domain names your company controls. Are they all still relevant to your operation What are these domain names connected or forwarding to Does the domain name bring your customers where you want them to go
All of your domain names should be on a single registry. Moving domain names is a simple process, so if you’ve got domain names registered all over the place with several companies, make 2013 the year you get that mess cleaned up.
The key to choosing a good registry: Customer service. Choose a company that has a reputation for flexibility and access. You want someone who is easy to work with.
Social Media Profiles
Make a complete list of all social media profiles associated with your company. Include your company’s Facebook Page, Twitter account, Google Plus and LinkedIn presence - but don’t forget about the social media hotspots of yesteryear. Does your organization have a MySpace account that was started and never used
Examine each account to make sure it’s in the state you’d like it to be in. Social media sites can get hacked and overrun with spam. If that’s the case, get the profile cleaned up, or delete it. If you decide to maintain a dormant account in order to keep control of the name, make sure all information on the site is correct and that you have information there pointing people toward the tools you want them to use to connect with you.
The visual branding on all of your social media profiles should reflect your current messaging. Review images and brand logos on your profiles to make sure they’re timely. This will help you meet your messaging goals.
A Digital Marketing Inventory is a prime opportunity to remind your team of internal social media policies. Urge people to add private email addresses to their social media profiles. If you’ve had some turnover, review the social media pages of your former employees to make sure their employment status with your organization is accurate.
Email Marketing
At least once a year, your email marketing lists need cleaning though quarterly is my recommendation. Pruning and analyzing non-performing addresses from your contacts can help ensure that your messaging is actually reaching interested parties. Â Your email marketing list can reveal opportunities to strengthen relationships with your customers.
Cross check any unsubscribes against your in-house contact information: If a valuable contact has switched employers, for example, they may no longer be receiving your information yet still want it. Review these opportunities. Reaching out for new contact information can reestablish a relationship and open a door to future sales.
The Digital Marketing Inventory period is a good time to assess the value of your email marketing campaign. Look at your campaigns over the previous year:
For some industries, the specific timing of when messages are sent is highly relevant. Answering these questions will allow you to make better choices moving forward.
Digital Marketing Inventory: Phase Two
By looking at your domain names, social media profiles, and email marketing, you’ve completed the first phase of your Digital Marketing Inventory. This is a huge accomplishment, and a great start to putting 2013 on track to being your best promotional year ever. You’ve taken an important first step.
It’s important to remember, however, that it’s only a first step. If you have more digital marketing tools in your arsenal be sure to take the time to inventory all of those as well. When you’re considering items like online advertising campaigns, guest blog appearances, and the like, the goal should be to identify all efforts; ensure accuracy, relevancy and timeliness; and assess performance.
Then you’ll be able to determine what choices you need to make with these tools moving forward.
In a year, it’ll be time to go through the entire process again. Like the shampoo bottle tells us:
“Rinse, lather, and repeat.â€
It’s important to acknowledge the repetitive nature of effective digital marketing. The more attention you pay to what it is you’re doing, the better job you’re going to do - and that’s great news for your business.
Digital Marketing Inventory Photo via Shutterstock
What is one must-have gadget under $100 that should be on every business owner’s wish list right nowThe following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.
1. Leap Motion
- Emily Eldridge Holdman, The Remarkables
2. Global Entry Chip
- Matt Wilson, Under30Media
3. The Swivl
- Jessica Brondo, The Edge in College Prep
4. Mophie
- Eric Koester, Zaarly
5. Android Sticks
- Nanxi Liu, Enplug
6. FitBit
- Robert J. Moore, RJMetrics
7. Zipbuds
- John Hall, Digital Talent Agents
8. Logitech MX Anywhere Mouse
- Bhavin Parikh, Magoosh Test Prep
Acer is the latest electronics company to provide this service to customers. Recently, the company’s AcerCloud service expanded for use by a wide variety of devices. What sets Acer apart from the numerous other Cloud providers, though, is that it uses vacant hard drive space on the user’s own PC to store files. All of this is free of charge, which is a bonus to small businesses on a budget.
To set AcerCloud up, a user designates a computer as its “Cloud PC.†Because the device is under their control, the user is able to feel in control of valuable documents. Access is available for any PC, laptop, smartphone, or tablet the user designates, allowing users to upload and download files to any of these devices wirelessly.
Another exciting feature is Acer Docs, which lets users push any Office document to smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs. Even better, these documents are synced automatically, which means users will be able to access the latest version of important presentations, spreadsheets, and reports from anywhere.
“With AcerCloud, Acer now supports free file sharing between all of the key mobile devices, adding tremendous value to Acer customers,†said Acer President, Jim Wong. “AcerCloud greatly simplifies our customers’ ability to manage all of their digital assets across all of their devices, regardless of platform.â€
AcerCloud takes security seriously. Even though files are stored locally on each user’s computer, the software uses top security features to ensure any uploads and downloads from that PC to a user’s other devices are safe. Because files are stored on a device the user controls, there’s no more annoying notices that the user’s allocated Cloud space is nearing capacity. Files being accessed through Acer Docs will be available on its Cloud for 30 days, with no maximum capacity.
For anyone who buys an Acer PC, AcerCloud will be bundled with the operating system. But users don’t have to have an Acer device to take advantage of the company’s file streaming. AcerCloud is available for download at its website for free.
AcerCloud is compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows operating systems. Established in 1976, Acer strives to provide environmentally-friendly solutions to technology-related small businesses needs. Acer provides green smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs to customers throughout the road, with its notebooks ranked number two globally. For more information on Acer products, visit http://www.acer.com/.
Join Ramon Ray, Regional Development Director at Infusionsoft, for his Sales and Marketing clinic tomorrow and he’ll teach you all about Lifecycle Marketing.
When: January 24th, from 6pm - 8:30pm
Â
Where:  Alley NYC, 500 7th Avenue (17th Floor) New York, NY 10018 (Between 37th  and 38th Streets)
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Lifecycle Marketing is a 7 step system which helps you attract traffic, capture leads,nurture prospects, convert to sales, deliver and satisfy, upsell and get referrals. Lifecycle Marketing is all about DATING your leads and MARRYING your customers. It’s about converting prospects into customers and customers into loyal customers (repeat buyers).
In this clinic Ramon will share examples of how small businesses, just like you (and him) have succeeded with Lifecycle Marketing.Â
YOU will leave this clinic with a Lifecycle Marketing planner, customized for YOUR business full of ideas and tips to help you begin Lifecycle Marketing in your own business.Â
YOU will also be able to ask questions and get answers for specific questions about sales and marketing as it relates to YOUR business.
There’s still time to register!  Don’t miss out on making 2013 the year you break all your sales records!!
Well real ‘hands-on’ help has arrived!! Ramon Ray, Infusionsoft and Smallbiztechnology.com and Robert Weiss, MultiVisionDigital, are hosting:
Â
Join Ramon and Robert Weiss as they share with you the “secrets†of how to use online video to generate more sales for your business. There is a REASON that Youtube one of the most trafficked web sites. There is a REASON why TV commands higher advertising revenue than radio. There is a REASON why video is so important and Robert and Ramon will share with you how to use video in your business.
In this presentation you’ll learn the best practices, strategies, tools and low cost or free gadgets you can use to start NOW.Venue: Alley NYC, 500 7th Avenue (17th Floor) New York, NY 10018Â
It’s a new year…no more excuses!  Start letting video speak for you!
Event Hosts
Ramon Ray, Regional Development Director, Infusionsoft (and Tech Evangelist, smallbiztechnology.com) Infusionsoft provides all in one sales and marketing software to small businesses - integrating ecommerce, analytics, contact management, CRM, automation (and more) in one software suite with one database for a comprehensive view of the customers. Ramon is a technology evangelist, author (3 books), event producer, national speaker, journalist and freelance writer with over 8.000 articles to his name. A former technology consultant Ramon has hands on knowledge of technology and as a business owner, knows the challenges and joys of growing a business. Read more about Ramon at www.RamonRay.com
Robert Weiss, President of MultiVision Digital Productions, has over 13 years in internet marketing and sales processes. Because of online video’s ability to captivate potential clients, Robert’s vision is helping clients use online video to gain more qualified leads and paying customers. Marketing with online video has quickly become the “must have†advertising, marketing and communications tool for small businesses and corporate giants.
So you’ve got an autoresponderâ€"now what An autoresponder can do so much more than take care of your “welcome†and “thanks†form emails. Treat it like a campaign tool and watch your conversion rates climb.
Register for our Beyond Autorespond webinar and learn all about the elements of an effective nurture campaign from start to finish. Led by Jay Baer, social media expert and co-author of The NOW Revolution, the webinar will cover a number of core concepts to keep in mind when creating your campaign.
He’ll talk about everything from what to include to how to effectively personalize your content, including:
Every successful campaign starts with a sound strategy. So kick off 2013 right by registering for this free webinar and start using your autoresponder to offer value to your prospects.
About Jay Baer
Jay Baer is a hype-free social media and marketing keynote speaker, author, and consultant. He speaks more than 75 times each year to groups as large as 5,000. He has started 5 companies of his own, and consulted for 29 of the Fortune 500. His blog is ranked as the #1 content marketing blog in the world, and he is the co-author of the The NOW Revolution. Read more about him at jaybaer.com. Follow him on Twitter @jaybaer.
SnagIt is a tool that allows you to quickly and easily screen capture almost anything. It also offers a lot of tools I need daily such as quick and easy cropping of screenshots, drawing tools and quick social sharing.
It also shares my captures with other software I used daily, like  Word, PowerPoint and Excel. SnagIt also offers other fantastic features in regards to capturing text, video and the Web.
If so, this is the software for you. I am going to explain some of the options the tool offers and I hope this tool can help you save as much time as it has saved me.
SnagIt doesn’t just take screen shots. It captures all kinds of things for you:
There are different ways to capture images and other items. You can get scrolling screen shots which is great if you need to capture an entire page or even a social conversation. You can also choose exactly how much of a screen you want to capture and in my industry this is a massive time saver.
I snagged this image from SnagIt’s help section to show you how easy it is to use the software.
The Snagit Profile Options are:
Drawing Tools
I work on websites for clients and also do their SEO. Sometimes they just don’t see what I want them to see so often, it is faster to take 2 seconds with SnagIt to take a screenshot and circle what I want them to see. An example, for someone that said the hours of operation and calendar were not on the visit us page.
Yep, it was there, but sometimes people miss things. Sometimes I use arrows to help explain where things are on a website. I can also add text if I want:
There are many drawing tools to choose from; you can see more of them at SnagIt.
With these tools I can share a capture immediately and move on to my next task. Creating images for PowerPoint presentations has become much faster and has saved me a lot of time. I couldn’t live with out this program.
I wanted to share this tool with you because it is much more affordable than some image and video editing software. Plus, it offers options that allow users to work much faster than they typically can with traditional software.
This is an easy tool to use, it keeps images organized for me and it has saved me a tremendous amount of time. Â There is a 30 day trial for you to play with it and see if it can benefit you in anyway.
Beyond business, SnagIt has helped when the older members of my family needed computer help. Now I just capture an image, stick arrows & instructions on it and email it.
Trust me when I say it has saved me frustrating hours on the phone.
Well real ‘hands-on’ help has arrived!! Ramon Ray, Infusionsoft and Smallbiztechnology.com and Robert Weiss, MultiVisionDigital, are hosting:
Â
Join Ramon and Robert Weiss as they share with you the “secrets†of how to use online video to generate more sales for your business. There is a REASON that Youtube one of the most t trafficked web sites. There is a REASON why TV commands higher advertising revenue than radio. There is a REASON why video is so important and Robert and Ramon will share with you how to use video in your business.
In this presentation you’ll learn the best practices, strategies, tools and low cost or free gadgets you can use to start NOW.Venue: Alley NYC, 500 7th Avenue (17th Floor) New York, NY 10018Â
It’s a new year…no more excuses!  Start letting video speak for you!
As a small business, you may feel like you are fighting an uphill battle with your big-shot competition. Your website and blog may seem diminutive and ineffective for pulling sales compared to your big-named competitors. You’ve heard that “content is king†and that every business should have a blog and top-of-the-line website content. But how do you compete when you have less manpower, resources, and dollars backing you up
Fortunately, there are ways to rise and conquer with the heavy hitting competitors in your niche. Here are five tips:
1) Take advantage of your lack of barriers: No matter what industry you are in, the case is the same. The bigger the organization, the more approvals are needed - especially in highly regulated industries like healthcare, education, and insurance. It can take up to a month to “route†a blog post, article, or web page in some organizations. Use this to your advantage as a small business “bloggerâ€. Your blog posts can be more frequent and more timely when your lead time is so short. Whether you are tying your blog post to a current event or are going for a high frequency of posting, the lack of barriers is a huge advantage you have over bigger competitors.
2) Take a stance: This January at BlogWorld Conference, travel blogger Gary Arndt said it best in his session titled “How to Compete Against Billion Dollar Media Empires and Win Engagement and Trafficâ€. He noted: “If you want to get heard, share your personality.†People online want to relate to other people, not other brands, so don’t be afraid to hide your voice - humor, personality, opinion - in your small business’ blog posts. Find a way to let your personality show while also highlighting your business expertise. Falter on the side of controversial, edgy, and direct, and you will lead potential customers through an open funnel conversion.
3) Engage, engage, engage: Comment on blog posts and utilize social media channels to connect directly with potential and current customers, brand evangelists, and industry leaders. Create a plan for “getting heard†that includes promotion of your content on various social media networks like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+, and LinkedIn.
4) Ride on someone else’s coat tails: Guest blogging is an amazing way to project yourself as an expert in your field. Most publications these days offer guest posting opportunities - like Huffington Post, Forbes, and even Small Business Trends. Well-known Associate Editor of Copyblogger Jon Morrow suggests to use this method to leverage your reach, authority, and visibility.
5) Get creative: Repurpose FAQs, conduct interviews with happy customers, report on a recent industry news, create a how-to guide, hold a contest, write about a recent company event, create an infographic… There are a million ways to get ideas for blog posts. Utilize the abundant online marketing and blogging resources on the Internet by doing simple keyword searches on queries like: “blogging ideas†or “how to generate blog ideasâ€
You are not alone: there are multiple resources available to you to dominate your content marketing efforts. Whether you bring on a third party (digital agency, content marketing firm, freelance blogger) or read up on maximizing your content marketing.
Join Ramon Ray, Regional Development Director at Infusionsoft, for his Sales and Marketing clinic tomorrow and he’ll teach you all about Lifecycle Marketing.
When: January 24th, from 6pm - 8:30pm
Â
Where:  Alley NYC, 500 7th Avenue (17th Floor) New York, NY 10018 (Between 37th  and 38th Streets)
Â
Lifecycle Marketing is a 7 step system which helps you attract traffic, capture leads,nurture prospects, convert to sales, deliver and satisfy, upsell and get referrals. Lifecycle Marketing is all about DATING your leads and MARRYING your customers. It’s about converting prospects into customers and customers into loyal customers (repeat buyers).
In this clinic Ramon will share examples of how small businesses, just like you (and him) have succeeded with Lifecycle Marketing.Â
YOU will leave this clinic with a Lifecycle Marketing planner, customized for YOUR business full of ideas and tips to help you begin Lifecycle Marketing in your own business.Â
YOU will also be able to ask questions and get answers for specific questions about sales and marketing as it relates to YOUR business.
There’s still time to register!  Don’t miss out on making 2013 the year you break all your sales records!!
Facebook recently unveiled a highly anticipated new feature, Graph Search, which is similar to a traditional search engine but is intended to provide users with direct answers to specific queries rather than a list of links that include some matching keywords.
Graph Search is currently focused on helping users find information about people, photos, places and interests that can be found on Facebook.
This update isn’t specifically related to businesses, but users could use Graph Search to look for local businesses on Facebook. For example, a user could search “Italian restaurants in Manhattan my friends like†and view a list of relevant businesses that fit that criteria.
Users also have the ability to filter search results on the right side of the page. So if a search is place related, a map showing search result locations will appear, as shown in the photo above, and users will have the ability to change the region or business category as they choose. The photo also shows what the search page looks like, including a photo, friends that have liked or been to the locations listed, and some general business information.
Search results are limited to things users can already see on Facebook, such as things that friends have Liked publicly. But any business that has a Facebook presence can appear in relevant search results since that is something that can be seen by any Facebook user.
Facebook’s Sponsored Result advertising product will also be present in Graph Search, but as of now no new advertising options have been introduced to go along with this new feature.
Another way this feature could potentially impact businesses on Facebook is through new targeting information. When users search items using Graph Search, that gives Facebook even more insights into their interests and preferences, and so businesses that advertise on the site could potentially benefit from that knowledge down the line if Facebook does decide to use that information to influence advertising options.
When users submit a query that doesn’t fit into the categories Facebook has indexed, users will see a search results page powered by Bing. It’s not likely that many will use Graph Search as a typical search engine like this, since that isn’t its intention, but the feature simply allows for broader use of the tool.
Graph Search is currently being rolled out in limited beta and will likely continue to be updated with new features and information.
Acer is the latest electronics company to provide this service to customers. Recently, the company’s AcerCloud service expanded for use by a wide variety of devices. What sets Acer apart from the numerous other Cloud providers, though, is that it uses vacant hard drive space on the user’s own PC to store files. All of this is free of charge, which is a bonus to small businesses on a budget.
To set AcerCloud up, a user designates a computer as its “Cloud PC.†Because the device is under their control, the user is able to feel in control of valuable documents. Access is available for any PC, laptop, smartphone, or tablet the user designates, allowing users to upload and download files to any of these devices wirelessly.
Another exciting feature is Acer Docs, which lets users push any Office document to smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs. Even better, these documents are synced automatically, which means users will be able to access the latest version of important presentations, spreadsheets, and reports from anywhere.
“With AcerCloud, Acer now supports free file sharing between all of the key mobile devices, adding tremendous value to Acer customers,†said Acer President, Jim Wong. “AcerCloud greatly simplifies our customers’ ability to manage all of their digital assets across all of their devices, regardless of platform.â€
AcerCloud takes security seriously. Even though files are stored locally on each user’s computer, the software uses top security features to ensure any uploads and downloads from that PC to a user’s other devices are safe. Because files are stored on a device the user controls, there’s no more annoying notices that the user’s allocated Cloud space is nearing capacity. Files being accessed through Acer Docs will be available on its Cloud for 30 days, with no maximum capacity.
For anyone who buys an Acer PC, AcerCloud will be bundled with the operating system. But users don’t have to have an Acer device to take advantage of the company’s file streaming. AcerCloud is available for download at its website for free.
AcerCloud is compatible with Android, iOS, and Windows operating systems. Established in 1976, Acer strives to provide environmentally-friendly solutions to technology-related small businesses needs. Acer provides green smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs to customers throughout the road, with its notebooks ranked number two globally. For more information on Acer products, visit http://www.acer.com/.
What is one must-have gadget under $100 that should be on every business owner’s wish list right nowThe following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, the YEC recently launched #StartupLab, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses via live video chats, an expert content library and email lessons.
1. Leap Motion
- Emily Eldridge Holdman, The Remarkables
2. Global Entry Chip
- Matt Wilson, Under30Media
3. The Swivl
- Jessica Brondo, The Edge in College Prep
4. Mophie
- Eric Koester, Zaarly
5. Android Sticks
- Nanxi Liu, Enplug
6. FitBit
- Robert J. Moore, RJMetrics
7. Zipbuds
- John Hall, Digital Talent Agents
8. Logitech MX Anywhere Mouse
- Bhavin Parikh, Magoosh Test Prep
(Or, change your life by losing weight)
What is it with those poorly Photoshopped “before and after†pictures that are always queued up at just the right moment in those commercials Don’t you just once want to see the models wearing the exact same outfits in both pictures instead of the purposely tacky ones that are shown in the “before†pictures
While you’re pondering those urgent questions, I’m going to introduce you to three companies in the fantastic world of franchising that offer weight-loss products and services, but don’t have multi-million dollar ad budgets like NutriSystem® and Weight Watchers®.
Physicians Weight Loss Centers
Charles Sekeres founded PWLC almost 25 years ago. Located near Akron, Ohio, this franchisor uses the word, “Physician†in its name for one reason - credibility. “Physicians Weight Loss Centers†does have a nice ring to it, especially if you’re a consumer looking for a “safe†way to lose weight.
But, back in 1991, the franchise ran into some problems.
And, they weren’t alone. Severalweight loss franchises came under scrutiny after several lawsuits were filed concerning the safety of the weight-loss programs. Bloomberg News wrote a hard-hitting article about the mess that the weight-loss industry was in back then, and it’s worth a read.
Currently, PWLC’s has around 100 franchise locations.
Here’s how they’re positioning their weight-loss program on their company website:
“Years of development have gone into perfecting our 6 specially designed diet programs, so we can maximize weight loss results through proper nutrition. Our Counselors will even help match you up with the program that works best for you.â€
*Disclosure: My late father was the Franchise Development Director for PWLC’s and helped open over 300 units. Until he was downsized in 1991.
Medifast
Once again, a medically related term is used in this franchise brand’s name.  When I honed in on the “Franchise Opportunity†section of the Medifast corporate website, this is the text that appeared in the first couple of sentences:
“Medifast has been recommended by over 20,000 doctors and used by over 1 million customers since 1980.â€
It’s nice to see that Medifast has been around for a long time. I like to see that in a franchise…but I’m not automatically sold on one just because of their longevity. There are plenty of good opportunities out there in younger franchise systems, too. Every franchise system has its pros and cons.
One more thing about this 100+ unit franchise chain: They have a pretty impressive looking, “Scientific Advisory Board,†that consists of physicians, PHD’s and nutritionists from big-name hospitals and universities.
In my eyes, that lends a certain amount of credibility. Does it in yours , too
Nuviva
Headquartered in Florida, this young weight-loss franchise chain uses a totally different approach to losing weight, and it involves injections.
The founders of Nuviva feel that losing weight isn’t just about dieting. They have come up with what they believe are the 6 fundamentals of a successful weight-loss program. They include:
This franchise, founded in 2010, certainly offers something different. Time will tell if the differences are powerful enough to propel the brand.
Would you be willing to undergo a weight-loss program that includes injections if it meant that you should achieve your weight-loss goals
For some people bent on losing weight, having prepackaged food sent to their homes on a monthly basis (like from NutriSytem®) works out just fine.  Others like the camaraderie that programs like Weight Watchers® provides with their weekly weigh-ins and meetings.  And for some, weight-loss programs that seem to have a link to the world of medicine, like the franchises mentioned above, are just the ticket.
If you’re thinking of starting a weight-loss program this year, are you going to try any of the programs mentioned  Have you ever used the services of a weight-loss franchise in your area
Have I missed any programs that work really well that you’d like to know about
Weight Loss Photo via Shutterstock
(Or, change your life by losing weight)
What is it with those poorly Photoshopped “before and after†pictures that are always queued up at just the right moment in those commercials Don’t you just once want to see the models wearing the exact same outfits in both pictures instead of the purposely tacky ones that are shown in the “before†pictures
While you’re pondering those urgent questions, I’m going to introduce you to three companies in the fantastic world of franchising that offer weight-loss products and services, but don’t have multi-million dollar ad budgets like NutriSystem® and Weight Watchers®.
Physicians Weight Loss Centers
Charles Sekeres founded PWLC almost 25 years ago. Located near Akron, Ohio, this franchisor uses the word, “Physician†in its name for one reason - credibility. “Physicians Weight Loss Centers†does have a nice ring to it, especially if you’re a consumer looking for a “safe†way to lose weight.
But, back in 1991, the franchise ran into some problems.
And, they weren’t alone. Severalweight loss franchises came under scrutiny after several lawsuits were filed concerning the safety of the weight-loss programs. Bloomberg News wrote a hard-hitting article about the mess that the weight-loss industry was in back then, and it’s worth a read.
Currently, PWLC’s has around 100 franchise locations.
Here’s how they’re positioning their weight-loss program on their company website:
“Years of development have gone into perfecting our 6 specially designed diet programs, so we can maximize weight loss results through proper nutrition. Our Counselors will even help match you up with the program that works best for you.â€
*Disclosure: My late father was the Franchise Development Director for PWLC’s and helped open over 300 units. Until he was downsized in 1991.
Medifast
Once again, a medically related term is used in this franchise brand’s name.  When I honed in on the “Franchise Opportunity†section of the Medifast corporate website, this is the text that appeared in the first couple of sentences:
“Medifast has been recommended by over 20,000 doctors and used by over 1 million customers since 1980.â€
It’s nice to see that Medifast has been around for a long time. I like to see that in a franchise…but I’m not automatically sold on one just because of their longevity. There are plenty of good opportunities out there in younger franchise systems, too. Every franchise system has its pros and cons.
One more thing about this 100+ unit franchise chain: They have a pretty impressive looking, “Scientific Advisory Board,†that consists of physicians, PHD’s and nutritionists from big-name hospitals and universities.
In my eyes, that lends a certain amount of credibility. Does it in yours , too
Nuviva
Headquartered in Florida, this young weight-loss franchise chain uses a totally different approach to losing weight, and it involves injections.
The founders of Nuviva feel that losing weight isn’t just about dieting. They have come up with what they believe are the 6 fundamentals of a successful weight-loss program. They include:
This franchise, founded in 2010, certainly offers something different. Time will tell if the differences are powerful enough to propel the brand.
Would you be willing to undergo a weight-loss program that includes injections if it meant that you should achieve your weight-loss goals
For some people bent on losing weight, having prepackaged food sent to their homes on a monthly basis (like from NutriSytem®) works out just fine.  Others like the camaraderie that programs like Weight Watchers® provides with their weekly weigh-ins and meetings.  And for some, weight-loss programs that seem to have a link to the world of medicine, like the franchises mentioned above, are just the ticket.
If you’re thinking of starting a weight-loss program this year, are you going to try any of the programs mentioned  Have you ever used the services of a weight-loss franchise in your area
Have I missed any programs that work really well that you’d like to know about
Weight Loss Photo via Shutterstock
I use Chrome overall as it’s fast and had the edge on features. Mozilla Firefox is more or less similar and I use it for certain online applications. I find Microsoft’s Internet Explorer nice, but it’s not my personal favorite. But I do use it when I read Microsoft Exchange email.
I’ve heard for some time about the Dolphin browser but never gave it much attention until I saw a demo of it at Blogworld. From what I’ve seen, up close and personal and in real time, the Dolphin browser is the best browser for mobile productivity.
It’s latest features include the following:
One-click sharing: For small business owners, they are constantly working on building their social media presence while on the go. With Dolphin, they can now tweet, post to Facebook and email all in just one tap.
Further, when they are on the same wifi connection with their team, they can broadcast pages to each other from within Dolphin. Sharing websites has never been easier.
Dolphin Connect: Small business owners are always on the go and switching between mobile and desktop devices. Dolphin Connect makes their web (desktop, mobile, etc.) totally synced. Save time and pick up where you left off from any device, simply by enabling Dolphin Connect, and installing a Chrome, Firefox or Safari extension. This is powerful and much more than just syncing bookmarks.
First-ever mobile web-clipping to Evernote and Box - create business document on the fly: If you’re an Evernote user, you know that their web-clipping is one of those features that made you fall in love with the app. Trouble is, you’ve never been able to do it easily from your mobile phone. Now, you can be more productive on mobile and clip articles, recipes and other pages into Evernote and Box with tags and comments, and also annotate the note within Dolphin.
You won’t know how powerful these features are until you try and use the Dolphin browser for a few days and experience a boost of productivity.
Check out these videos to see how these features owr
For that reason many small businesses need some sort of help - whether it be in the form of a piece of software or a service to manage your account. Because of the complexity of pay-per click campaigns and the ROI available from a well-run account, many quality PPC management services are out of the reach of a typical small business.
At Measured SEM, we’re frequently being approached by businesses who simply don’t have the budget for our services, but are still looking for help getting the most out of pay-per click.
As with my recent posts on landing page tools and local SEO tools, below are highlighted some affordable resources for getting more out of your AdWords campaigns.
1. WordStream
My former company, WordStream, offers a few tools for PPC users, including its free AdWords Performance Grader and free Keyword Tools. The WordStream PPC Advisor is the company’s full-featured Pay-Per-Click Marketing Management Software, which is designed to help users analyze, configure and monitor their PPC campaigns in 20 minutes per week.
They also offer hands-on management services aimed at small to medium sized businesses as well.
Key Features:
Cost:
2. Gazel
Gazel is an AdWords Excel plugin allowing users to instantly refresh data with a single click, negating the hassle of downloading .csv files from AdWords. Users can track unlimited client profiles using Gazel and make use of customizable report templates to share data with key team members and external stakeholders.
The tool does require some level of comfort with Excel, but for those comfortable with Excel it’s a great tool for more efficiently manipulating data and optimizing your PPC campaigns.
Key Features:
Cost: $99 (Beta version, compatible with Excel 2007 and Excel 2010)
3. Portent Interactive PPC Essentials Program
It’s extremely difficult to get competent PPC help for less than four figures, but Portent actually offers a PPC essentials package that starts at $250/mo. and gives you a dedicated account representative. Obviously with a monthly fee that low there are several specific restrictions on deliverables, but of course they also offer additional services at a higher retainer.
I don’t know of any company doing quality work with a minimum monthly retainer that low, so it can be a great option for really low budget campaigns and/or folks just getting started with AdWords.
Key Features:
Cost: $250 and up (PPC Essentials package, covering users with budgets under $3,000 per month and 200 keywords or less)
4. Trada
Trada is a crowdsourced platform with a network of experienced, certified optimizers who help companies take their PPC campaigns to the next level. Trada’s experts provide complete campaign buildout and optimization, meaning clients spend less time on managing and organizing their paid search campaigns.
Key Features:
Cost: Varies. Clients and experts agree on a target cost-per action (sale, lead, etc.); Trada only wins when client goals are met.
5. AgileBid
AgileBid is an automated bidding platform designed to save users time on PPC campaigns - without marking up costs. AgileBid puts paid search campaigns on auto-pilot, allowing advertisers to set budgetary limits and sit back while the platform takes care of bidding and keyword optimization behind the scenes.
Key Features:
Cost: $49.95 per month (Starter, monthly spend less than $1,000). Advertisers with monthly budgets exceeding $1,000, $50 additional monthly cost per additional $1,000 spent.
6. WordWatch
WordWatch specializes in Google Shopping and Google Product Listing Ads, but also offers PPC optimization tools for standard paid search campaigns. Varying service levels accommodate advertisers with small to large budgets.
Key Features:
Cost: $49 (Small Budgets - 1 account, 5 campaigns), $99 (SMB Advertisers - 1 account, 25 campaigns), $199 (Marketing Pros - 10 accounts, unlimited campaigns), $399 (SEM Agencies - 50 accounts, unlimited campaigns
7. Certified Knowledge
Brad Geddes’ Certified Knowledge offers a collection of PPC tools, several in-depth training modules on various AdWords related topics, and a forum where you can get answers to specific questions and issues you’re having with your campaigns.
Brad is one of the smartest and most experienced AdWords advertisers around and if you’re looking to maintain control of your own pay-per click campaigns access to these tools and this information is extremely valuable.
Key Features:
Cost: $79/mo. with discounts for quarterly and annual subscriptions
BONUS: Google’s Free Tools
While using a paid tool or service can often jumpstart your campaign and save you a lot of time, it’s important to note that Google offers a number of free tools to help advertisers get the most from their paid search campaigns, and depending on your situation (how much time you can dedicate to the campaign, your budget, etc.) managing the campaign yourself with Google’s free resources may actually be the best approach for your business.
Google AdWords Editor allows advertisers to simplify the process of making bulk changes across campaigns, including keywords and bids, and also enables working offline with ease of uploading changes any time.
The Conversion Optimizer is a free feature for AdWords advertisers that you can leverage if you have conversion tracking set up (and you’re generating a minimum volume of conversions) to have your bids optimized for you.
The Google Keyword Tool is a widely used resource by both AdWords advertisers and for general users looking to improve SEO.
Key Features:
Cost: Free (Although you are, of course, already giving them money if you’re using the tools.)
Ultimately with any of these tools and services, you’ll still need to understand your objectives, ensure you’re getting the proper ROI, and provide input about your business.
But you can get significant time savings and campaign improvements with a fairly minimal investment if you find the right product for you so that you can get a better return on your investment and focus more of your energy on things like hiring smarter, making sure you’re allocating budget properly, and generally finding ways to grow your business.
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, kycstudio
I use Chrome overall as it’s fast and had the edge on features. Mozilla Firefox is more or less similar and I use it for certain online applications. I find Microsoft’s Internet Explorer nice, but it’s not my personal favorite. But I do use it when I read Microsoft Exchange email.
I’ve heard for some time about the Dolphin browser but never gave it much attention until I saw a demo of it at Blogworld. From what I’ve seen, up close and personal and in real time, the Dolphin browser is the best browser for mobile productivity.
It’s latest features include the following:
One-click sharing: For small business owners, they are constantly working on building their social media presence while on the go. With Dolphin, they can now tweet, post to Facebook and email all in just one tap.
Further, when they are on the same wifi connection with their team, they can broadcast pages to each other from within Dolphin. Sharing websites has never been easier.
Dolphin Connect: Small business owners are always on the go and switching between mobile and desktop devices. Dolphin Connect makes their web (desktop, mobile, etc.) totally synced. Save time and pick up where you left off from any device, simply by enabling Dolphin Connect, and installing a Chrome, Firefox or Safari extension. This is powerful and much more than just syncing bookmarks.
First-ever mobile web-clipping to Evernote and Box - create business document on the fly: If you’re an Evernote user, you know that their web-clipping is one of those features that made you fall in love with the app. Trouble is, you’ve never been able to do it easily from your mobile phone. Now, you can be more productive on mobile and clip articles, recipes and other pages into Evernote and Box with tags and comments, and also annotate the note within Dolphin.
You won’t know how powerful these features are until you try and use the Dolphin browser for a few days and experience a boost of productivity.
Check out these videos to see how these features owr
However, there is one thing that has remained the same today and in 1963 when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I have a dream speechâ€.
What stays the same and is even more important NOW than ever before is that the CONTENT and CONTEXT of your words matter.
If you are a massage therapist and trying to use social media to build a following, engage customers and overall make more sales, do not focus so much on the medium.
Just focus on writing great content (or video), doing it frequently and writing what is most beneficial and of interest to your target audience.
That’s the secret.
Keep in mind social media is ONLY a platform - a delivery mechanism. It does help spread your message far and wide.
However, if you don’t have good content, as I outlined above, it will do you no good.
However, there is one thing that has remained the same today and in 1963 when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I have a dream speechâ€.
What stays the same and is even more important NOW than ever before is that the CONTENT and CONTEXT of your words matter.
If you are a massage therapist and trying to use social media to build a following, engage customers and overall make more sales, do not focus so much on the medium.
Just focus on writing great content (or video), doing it frequently and writing what is most beneficial and of interest to your target audience.
That’s the secret.
Keep in mind social media is ONLY a platform - a delivery mechanism. It does help spread your message far and wide.
However, if you don’t have good content, as I outlined above, it will do you no good.
