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WeVideo makes video creation accessible to everyone, using cloud-based technologies, which make it easier, faster and more convenient. Â WeVideo also creates a platform for teams to come together, in the cloud, to collaborate on video projects.
You can view the video at this link, or watch below:
WeVideo makes video creation accessible to everyone, using cloud-based technologies, which make it easier, faster and more convenient. Â WeVideo also creates a platform for teams to come together, in the cloud, to collaborate on video projects.
You can view the video at this link, or watch below:
Because of their growth in recent years, Square recently gave back to some of their clients they believe are focused on job growth and entrepreneurship. In February, the company announced the winners of what they call their, â€Square Wallet Challenge.â€
All of the businesses eligible to participate in the challenge were required to offer a payment option to their customers through Square Wallet. Each time a transaction was routed for that business through Square Wallet, that particular company would receive a set of points. In the end, the 20 companies with the highest amount of points were awarded one of 20 $10,000 prizes. In addition to the money for the businesses, Visa also awarded the winning companies with four $250 gift cards for their employees.
“This Challenge brings awareness to the benefits of accepting electronic forms of payment and helps business owners attract new customers and build loyalty with current customers - all with the confidence in the safety of the transaction.†Said Janet Zablock, head of global small business at Visa Inc.
The winners ranged from food trucks to small shops like Cafe Evoke in Oklahoma.
“We’re planning to use the money to expand our catering service and bring the best coffee, wine and beer to even more customers.†said Jason Duncan, owner of Cafe Evoke.
“With Square, we want to make it easier than ever for business owners to focus on doing what they love.†said Chuck Kimble, head of Strategic Parnterships at Square.
Square also offers services like Square Register and Square Reader. Square Register is a point-of-sale service so businesses can share information, track inventory and of course, accept payments. Square Reader offers the ability to accept credit cards from anywhere, at anytime.
Because of their growth in recent years, Square recently gave back to some of their clients they believe are focused on job growth and entrepreneurship. In February, the company announced the winners of what they call their, â€Square Wallet Challenge.â€
All of the businesses eligible to participate in the challenge were required to offer a payment option to their customers through Square Wallet. Each time a transaction was routed for that business through Square Wallet, that particular company would receive a set of points. In the end, the 20 companies with the highest amount of points were awarded one of 20 $10,000 prizes. In addition to the money for the businesses, Visa also awarded the winning companies with four $250 gift cards for their employees.
“This Challenge brings awareness to the benefits of accepting electronic forms of payment and helps business owners attract new customers and build loyalty with current customers - all with the confidence in the safety of the transaction.†Said Janet Zablock, head of global small business at Visa Inc.
The winners ranged from food trucks to small shops like Cafe Evoke in Oklahoma.
“We’re planning to use the money to expand our catering service and bring the best coffee, wine and beer to even more customers.†said Jason Duncan, owner of Cafe Evoke.
“With Square, we want to make it easier than ever for business owners to focus on doing what they love.†said Chuck Kimble, head of Strategic Parnterships at Square.
Square also offers services like Square Register and Square Reader. Square Register is a point-of-sale service so businesses can share information, track inventory and of course, accept payments. Square Reader offers the ability to accept credit cards from anywhere, at anytime.
Making a decision can be tough, especially when it’s a business decision. You face an almost infinite range of things that you could be doing in your business at any particular moment.
You could choose to deal with a staff issue, a bank issue or a cash flow issue. You can decide to focus on a new customer acquisition tactic or strategy, a new ad campaign or an issue that has come up with a customer. You can choose to deal with administrative details or you can choose to deal with personal and family issues that so often seem to be intertwined with the business. Or you can choose to do any of the other infinite possibilities that face you as a business owner.
For many business owners, this massive number of options can cause them to put off making a decision. They fall into believing that if they can just gather more data and consider more options, they may be struck with a flash of brilliance that will guide them.
In most cases, the hoped-for flash of brilliance doesn’t materialize and you are eventually forced into making a decision (i.e. payroll needs to get paid; the lease is expiring this month; you need more sales, etc.).
When faced with the sudden pressure of making a decision, the decision that is made is often a poor one. It ends up being based on a default position that is based on ease rather than what is optimal for creating the results you want. There is a better way.
Avoid this situation by applying a proven three-step process:
A lot of what masquerades as complexity is really only a natural reaction to a lack of clarity. When you get right down to it, there are only four things you need to focus on:
Everything else you think you need to deal with (all the other sources of perceived complexity) are simply variations of the four things listed above.
To focus your mind and effort even further when making a decision, you should do your best to only focus on the thing(s) you must deal with at any particular point in time.
An excellent way to do this is to create a CVM Chart. This a powerful way to examine any current situation and identify the high impact things you really should be focusing on.
To create a CVM Chart, take a blank sheet of paper and on the left hand side of the page, list everything you can think about that you could do at this very moment in your business. This is where you will generate a laundry list of things that play around in the back of your mind. List them down and acknowledge them. It will get them in front of you where you can deal with them.
Next, on the right hand side of the page, distill from your list of all the things you could do into three things that you must do right now. Keep the four things from step one above in mind as you identify these three things.
I must admit that my heart races whenever I think about owning a sexy sports car. The reality, however, is that as a father of four children, as sexy as that sports car might be, it really wouldn’t be a good or useful solution for me.
You need to apply the same type of realistic mental discipline when you consider the things you must do.
For example, don’t get caught up thinking you need to create an entirely new product or service offering if you can get a sufficient boost in your financial results by simply asking your existing customers to buy more from you.
Adopt this three-step process in your business any time you start feeling overwhelmed by making a decision. You will feel more in control and you will make better decisions.
Decision Photo via Shutterstock
Making a decision can be tough, especially when it’s a business decision. You face an almost infinite range of things that you could be doing in your business at any particular moment.
You could choose to deal with a staff issue, a bank issue or a cash flow issue. You can decide to focus on a new customer acquisition tactic or strategy, a new ad campaign or an issue that has come up with a customer. You can choose to deal with administrative details or you can choose to deal with personal and family issues that so often seem to be intertwined with the business. Or you can choose to do any of the other infinite possibilities that face you as a business owner.
For many business owners, this massive number of options can cause them to put off making a decision. They fall into believing that if they can just gather more data and consider more options, they may be struck with a flash of brilliance that will guide them.
In most cases, the hoped-for flash of brilliance doesn’t materialize and you are eventually forced into making a decision (i.e. payroll needs to get paid; the lease is expiring this month; you need more sales, etc.).
When faced with the sudden pressure of making a decision, the decision that is made is often a poor one. It ends up being based on a default position that is based on ease rather than what is optimal for creating the results you want. There is a better way.
Avoid this situation by applying a proven three-step process:
A lot of what masquerades as complexity is really only a natural reaction to a lack of clarity. When you get right down to it, there are only four things you need to focus on:
Everything else you think you need to deal with (all the other sources of perceived complexity) are simply variations of the four things listed above.
To focus your mind and effort even further when making a decision, you should do your best to only focus on the thing(s) you must deal with at any particular point in time.
An excellent way to do this is to create a CVM Chart. This a powerful way to examine any current situation and identify the high impact things you really should be focusing on.
To create a CVM Chart, take a blank sheet of paper and on the left hand side of the page, list everything you can think about that you could do at this very moment in your business. This is where you will generate a laundry list of things that play around in the back of your mind. List them down and acknowledge them. It will get them in front of you where you can deal with them.
Next, on the right hand side of the page, distill from your list of all the things you could do into three things that you must do right now. Keep the four things from step one above in mind as you identify these three things.
I must admit that my heart races whenever I think about owning a sexy sports car. The reality, however, is that as a father of four children, as sexy as that sports car might be, it really wouldn’t be a good or useful solution for me.
You need to apply the same type of realistic mental discipline when you consider the things you must do.
For example, don’t get caught up thinking you need to create an entirely new product or service offering if you can get a sufficient boost in your financial results by simply asking your existing customers to buy more from you.
Adopt this three-step process in your business any time you start feeling overwhelmed by making a decision. You will feel more in control and you will make better decisions.
Decision Photo via Shutterstock
Because of their growth in recent years, Square recently gave back to some of their clients they believe are focused on job growth and entrepreneurship. In February, the company announced the winners of what they call their, â€Square Wallet Challenge.â€
All of the businesses eligible to participate in the challenge were required to offer a payment option to their customers through Square Wallet. Each time a transaction was routed for that business through Square Wallet, that particular company would receive a set of points. In the end, the 20 companies with the highest amount of points were awarded one of 20 $10,000 prizes. In addition to the money for the businesses, Visa also awarded the winning companies with four $250 gift cards for their employees.
“This Challenge brings awareness to the benefits of accepting electronic forms of payment and helps business owners attract new customers and build loyalty with current customers - all with the confidence in the safety of the transaction.†Said Janet Zablock, head of global small business at Visa Inc.
The winners ranged from food trucks to small shops like Cafe Evoke in Oklahoma.
“We’re planning to use the money to expand our catering service and bring the best coffee, wine and beer to even more customers.†said Jason Duncan, owner of Cafe Evoke.
“With Square, we want to make it easier than ever for business owners to focus on doing what they love.†said Chuck Kimble, head of Strategic Parnterships at Square.
Square also offers services like Square Register and Square Reader. Square Register is a point-of-sale service so businesses can share information, track inventory and of course, accept payments. Square Reader offers the ability to accept credit cards from anywhere, at anytime.
It’s Tech Thursday from Smallbiztechnology.com.
Each week we take a quick look at business and technology news and updates for the small business community and share them with you in a quick and simple round-up.
New mobile application allows GreenRope users to operate while out and about
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GreenRope, the world’s fist business operating system is making it easier than ever for users to conduct business on the go. With the new mobile application, GreenRope users are able to access, manage, and edit, contacts, their CRM, CRM activities, events, view email campaigns, and more. The app syncs completely with the web version, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency.
The GreenRope mobile application is a just another feature illustrating GreenRope’s commitment to helping businesses grow to their full potential, as well as being the most robust and user-friendly business operating system in existence.
You can see more about the new mobile application and it’s features here.
Siber Systems, Inc., a leading developer of software productivity tools for consumers and businesses, today announced the availability of the RoboForm® Start Page, a new feature that gives RoboForm users one-click access to their most frequently used, password protected Web pages and bookmarks. Compatible with all major Web browsers, the RoboForm Start Page maintains the exceptional level of security RoboForm is famous for, while also saving time and making Web navigation easier for users.
The RoboForm Start Page adds even greater convenience to RoboForm, the world’s #1 password manager application. Recipient of dozens of top reviews and industry awards, RoboForm conveniently and securely simplifies the login process as well as the task of filling out online forms. The application automatically saves multiple user identities including username and password along with name, email, street address, phone number, bank accounts, credit card numbers and other important information; once stored, RoboForm instantly furnishes and completes the data by way of a single master passwordâ€"all while protecting the information from theft or loss.
VerticalResponse is launching a new marketing Pro Webinar Series featuring founders/CEOs and executives from top brands and marketing agencies.
Topics will include social media, email marketing, public relations and influencer outreach, content marketing and blogging, branding,
entrepreneurship, and more, all with tactics and tips geared toward small businesses. Each pro will lead the live webinar, followed by a Q&A.
The webinars are free for everyone. More details and registration info here.
It’s Tech Thursday from Smallbiztechnology.com.
Each week we take a quick look at business and technology news and updates for the small business community and share them with you in a quick and simple round-up.
New mobile application allows GreenRope users to operate while out and about
Â
GreenRope, the world’s fist business operating system is making it easier than ever for users to conduct business on the go. With the new mobile application, GreenRope users are able to access, manage, and edit, contacts, their CRM, CRM activities, events, view email campaigns, and more. The app syncs completely with the web version, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency.
The GreenRope mobile application is a just another feature illustrating GreenRope’s commitment to helping businesses grow to their full potential, as well as being the most robust and user-friendly business operating system in existence.
You can see more about the new mobile application and it’s features here.
Siber Systems, Inc., a leading developer of software productivity tools for consumers and businesses, today announced the availability of the RoboForm® Start Page, a new feature that gives RoboForm users one-click access to their most frequently used, password protected Web pages and bookmarks. Compatible with all major Web browsers, the RoboForm Start Page maintains the exceptional level of security RoboForm is famous for, while also saving time and making Web navigation easier for users.
The RoboForm Start Page adds even greater convenience to RoboForm, the world’s #1 password manager application. Recipient of dozens of top reviews and industry awards, RoboForm conveniently and securely simplifies the login process as well as the task of filling out online forms. The application automatically saves multiple user identities including username and password along with name, email, street address, phone number, bank accounts, credit card numbers and other important information; once stored, RoboForm instantly furnishes and completes the data by way of a single master passwordâ€"all while protecting the information from theft or loss.
VerticalResponse is launching a new marketing Pro Webinar Series featuring founders/CEOs and executives from top brands and marketing agencies.
Topics will include social media, email marketing, public relations and influencer outreach, content marketing and blogging, branding,
entrepreneurship, and more, all with tactics and tips geared toward small businesses. Each pro will lead the live webinar, followed by a Q&A.
The webinars are free for everyone. More details and registration info here.
Meet Todd Crawford, an affiliate marketing veteran, Co-Founder of Impact Radius, and former VP of sales and business development at oneNetworkDirect. Todd also contributed to the founding team at Commission Junction in 1998, and worked at the affiliate network for more than seven years. At Affiliate Management Days 2013, Todd will be participating in a keynote panel on the role of the affiliate network.
* * * * *
Todd Crawford: Diversifying your publisher base. Almost every advertiser I talk to has 10-15 publishers that are driving 90%+ of their results. Many of these top publishers have similar business models. A healthy program needs to be as diversified as possible, leveraging multiple types of publishers.
Dig into the mid-tier publishers and segment them to determine alternative opportunities. Have a goal of balancing your publisher base so the top 10-15 are only 50%-70% of your results. It’s hard work but it makes for a healthier, stronger channel.
Question: What do you see as the main areas of opportunity for affiliate marketers in 2013 - 2014
Todd Crawford: I think the single biggest opportunity is utilizing better tracking, data and analytics.  From what I am seeing and hearing, legacy solutions aren’t providing the level of data advertisers need to manage their marketing channels. There are so many more data points that need to be analyzed in order to understand the value of the affiliate channel and the individual publishers.
I know the term “big data†gets thrown around a lot, but more and more companies are analyzing more data points and affiliate managers need to have access to similar data. Otherwise they run the risk of not being able to defend or champion their channel or even worse, not being able to answer questions raised by management.
Question: It isn’t unusual to hear that since affiliates operate in the mix with other marketing channels that merchants use (paid search, retargeting, social, etc.), with this multi-touchpoint eCommerce, the last-click attribution model is no longer an optimal one. What do you recommend
Todd Crawford: We need to remember there is a difference between modeling data and firing pixels.  I think last click is still vital for actual tracking and de-duplication across channels, but that attribution analysis is becoming critical for understanding the role and value of media as well and the true costs.
Don’t confuse tracking and pixel firing logic with attribution modeling - they are two very different things. Once you understand the overall contribution of affiliates, you can then start changing your payout rates to be better aligned with the value of those partners.
For example, many content sites play a role higher up in the funnel and consequently don’t get credit for as many last clicks sales. You may want to increase their payout rate or give them a spot bonus to compensate them for their efforts earlier in the buying cycle.
Question: As co-founder of an international marketing technologies company, what do you view as the main area affiliates can truly help online merchants, adding value to the pre-sale process Â
Todd Crawford: Personally, I am influenced by in-depth reviews. Especially videos when considering purchases.  If it works on me, I imagine it works on quite a few other people.
Introduce your visitors to unique information and opportunities that they can’t get from other sites. This isn’t easy, but it builds sustainable traffic and long-term value for your website(s) and advertisers.
Question: If you were to leave online advertisers, merchants and affiliate managers with one piece of advice, what would it beÂ
Todd Crawford: Having personal KPIs (key performance indicators) so they can measure their progress towards weekly, monthly and quarterly goals. If your company doesn’t help create these KPIs, you can still create your own. Look at the high-level objectives for your department and company overall and develop KPIs that help you track your contribution towards achieving those goals.
Without KPIs in place, you often end up showing up for work everyday doing the same things without understanding which efforts will move the needle and help you hit your goals. A simple example is talking to 10 new affiliates each day to recruit them into your program(s). This means you may need to actually call 50 to get 10 on the phone. Leaving voice messages doesn’t count.
* * * * *
The upcoming Affiliate Management Days Conference takes place April 16-17, 2013. Follow @AMDays or #AMDays on Twitter. When registering, make sure to use the code SBTAM250 to receive an additional $250.00 off your two-day (or combo) pass.
See the rest of the interview series here.
Intuit’s software development over the years, like QuickBooks, has been of great benefit to small businesses in bringing their work into the digital age, both in speed and efficiency. Meanwhile, LinkedIn’s presence in how businesses and business professionals communicate cannot be understated and only continues to grow, which makes this pairing for Hire Smart all the better.
The event has an impressive line-up of guest speakers including Bill Rancic and Rhonda Abrams. Brad Smith, Intuit President and CEO will be on hand to discuss how Intuit’s financial management solutions can be used to strengthen your business, as seen by the seven million companies globally that already use Intuit’s products.
“Small businesses are integral to our economy, employing more than 19 million people across the country,†commented Smith in a press release from Intuit. “We know that hiring that first worker is a defining moment for a small business owner. By opening our doors and providing them with the right tools and know-how, we can help them grow their business and play a part in improving employment across America.â€
LinkedIn CEO, Jeff Weiner will also be speaking, to offer his insight into the importance of professional networking, the platform of LinkedIn and finding the right employee to hire.
“Growth in the small business sector creates immense value,†added Weiner. “Finding, engaging and hiring the right talent is key to this growth. As the leading professional network on the Web, we’re excited to help small businesses successfully build their teams by connecting talented professionals with great opportunities.â€
Visitors will have the opportunity to speak one on one with other successful small businesses as well as HR specialists, lawyers and accountants who can offer you the best first hand advice for taking your business to the next level.
The event is open now to anyone to register. All registered attendees will receive three months free use of Intuit Online Payroll, a pay processing solution, and LinkedIn’s ‘First Hire’ package, which includes free premium LinkedIn Talent Finder access and special rates for posting jobs, usually priced at $400.
If you can’t make it in person, the event will be streamed in full live on the Intuit website, and will also be available to stream on demand afterwards, if you would like to catch up on any of the day’s information.
Intuit’s software development over the years, like QuickBooks, has been of great benefit to small businesses in bringing their work into the digital age, both in speed and efficiency. Meanwhile, LinkedIn’s presence in how businesses and business professionals communicate cannot be understated and only continues to grow, which makes this pairing for Hire Smart all the better.
The event has an impressive line-up of guest speakers including Bill Rancic and Rhonda Abrams. Brad Smith, Intuit President and CEO will be on hand to discuss how Intuit’s financial management solutions can be used to strengthen your business, as seen by the seven million companies globally that already use Intuit’s products.
“Small businesses are integral to our economy, employing more than 19 million people across the country,†commented Smith in a press release from Intuit. “We know that hiring that first worker is a defining moment for a small business owner. By opening our doors and providing them with the right tools and know-how, we can help them grow their business and play a part in improving employment across America.â€
LinkedIn CEO, Jeff Weiner will also be speaking, to offer his insight into the importance of professional networking, the platform of LinkedIn and finding the right employee to hire.
“Growth in the small business sector creates immense value,†added Weiner. “Finding, engaging and hiring the right talent is key to this growth. As the leading professional network on the Web, we’re excited to help small businesses successfully build their teams by connecting talented professionals with great opportunities.â€
Visitors will have the opportunity to speak one on one with other successful small businesses as well as HR specialists, lawyers and accountants who can offer you the best first hand advice for taking your business to the next level.
The event is open now to anyone to register. All registered attendees will receive three months free use of Intuit Online Payroll, a pay processing solution, and LinkedIn’s ‘First Hire’ package, which includes free premium LinkedIn Talent Finder access and special rates for posting jobs, usually priced at $400.
If you can’t make it in person, the event will be streamed in full live on the Intuit website, and will also be available to stream on demand afterwards, if you would like to catch up on any of the day’s information.
Nestivity is a software application that allows you to turn your Twitter account into a community experience.
You can watch the video at this link, or view below:
The number of organisations that received monetary penalties issued by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) increased by more than 200 per cent in the last 12 months.
According to research by law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse (FFW), 2012 was the most prolific year yet for serious ICO enforcement action, with 25 fines, three enforcement notices, six criminal prosecutions and 31 undertakings issued.
In comparison with 2011, which saw only seven fines, one enforcement notice, five criminal prosecutions and 69 undertakings, FFW said that these findings demonstrate that the ICO is increasingly turning to fines to regulate data security failures and other serious breaches of data protection law.
Technology partner at FFW Stewart Room said: “This analysis provides valuable insights into ICO's enforcement strategy and how it translates into action. The ICO does not hesitate to take serious enforcement action for failures to comply with data protection law, and is becoming a real force to be reckoned with and a driver for change.â€
FFW's research analysed the ICO's enforcement actions in 2012 and found that: data security breaches remain the most regulated type of failure, accounting for 88 per cent of all fines; 80 per cent of ICO imposed fines were issued to the public sector; 60 per cent of ICO imposed fines within the public sector were issued to a local authority; while 84 per cent of fines (21) were self-reported.
Its research also found that the most penalties in 2012 were issued in February with 13 issued, while 22 fines were issued for failings on principle seven of the Data Protection Act, which states: “Appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data.â€
Room said that looking at 2013, he expected the ICO's enforcement activity to continue at this pace or even intensify.
“Although the public sector will remain firmly on the ICO's radar, we can expect the regulator to turn more of its attention to the private sector. This is likely to mean more serious enforcement action but we also expect a greater appetite to challenge enforcement actions,†he said.
Nestivity is a software application that allows you to turn your Twitter account into a community experience.
You can watch the video at this link, or view below:
Google Plus for business continues to gain momentum in the social media universe and it’s important to know how to create the best possible profile. This is especially true if you’re promoting your business.
Below are four steps to improve your Google Plus profile visibility in search engines and make your online profile stand out from the others.
Taglines need to be strong, yet brief. Remember, the tagline might be the only thing people see, so create one that’s interesting and alluring and gets to the point quickly. Readers scanning websites online won’t likely take the time to read a long, drawn out tagline.
For example, a heating and air conditioning contractor might select a tagline such as, “Offering [your city] the best service and lowest prices. Period.†A restaurant tagline might read, “Best Buffalo wings south of Buffalo.â€
The point is, to get to the point quickly and make it easy for readers to grasp what you’re about in an instant.
Photography Photo via Shutterstock
A grainy, out of focus or unprofessional looking photo is an instant turnoff. The photo is your one shot to grab and hook the casual reader who’s scanning for information. It’s best to invest in a professional photographer to get a clean, good-looking shot.
Many businesses add photos of their owner or staff standing around smiling. This is fine, and adds a personal touch. But action shots paint a more alluring picture and draw in readers. Consider a photo of your best chef working over an open flame, or one of your contractors hard at work performing his craft.
Give readers an instant visual image of your business in action.
Always link up your Google Plus account to your website and post all of your articles or blog posts to Google Plus. Make sure to select “public†for all posts, so they’ll be visible to everyone. Posting regularly is also important. Google rates pages higher when they’re frequently updated with quality information.
Which brings us to another point: Only post quality content and only link to quality content on Google Plus or any other social media networking site.
Google and other search engines are working hard to promote excellent content in their search results and severely punish poorly written or spammy content.
If you’re going to post, make sure it’s content that’s valuable to readers.
One of the things that attracts users to Google Plus can actually be a downside to business. Google Plus more emphasis on protecting personal privacy than Facebook and some of the other social networking sites. The defaults are private and you have to manually set them as public.
To make your Google Plus profile visible, go to the “about†section and select “profile discovery.†Then, make sure “visible†is selected. When you set up a Google Plus profile, “visible†is not automatic, so you have to do this before your profile is publicly seen.
Once you make these four easy changes to your Google Plus profile, you’ll soon see better local search engine rankings and enjoy more action on your site.
Have a business and/or technology event coming up in the New York City area that you’d like us to add to our weekly post  If so, email us at eve...@smallbiztechnology.com.
April 1, 2013, 6:30 pm: Wix Lounge, 10 West 18th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10011
In this two-hour workshop at Wix Lounge*, we’ll look into the many ways you can incorporate personal stories into your business and professional life. Through a series of improvisation, writing, and pitching exercises, students will have the opportunity to workshop individual stories to take back to the office or boardroom.  We’ll also delve into the specific uses of storytelling in business, from marketing and public relations to product design and human resources.
By the end of class, each student will have at least one story to take away and a deeper understanding of the role of storytelling in business.
April 2, 2013 - 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM: 1221 Avenue of the Americas; 2nd Floor, Room 208; New York, NY 10020
April 2, 2013, 6pm: General Assembly East, 902 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10010
Learning how to most effectively sell both your product and yourself is a key component in growing a successful business. This four-part workshop series provides a detailed understanding of the sales process, from identifying your audience and making key customer connections, to creating effective presentations and nailing the pitch. Students will come away with valuable sales and networking techniques, as well as a Short Form, Elevator Pitch, and Sales Presentation.
This second workshop focuses on your business concept and offers step-by-step guidance in researching the market including your competition. Â We will help you identify your potential customers. At the end of the Business Concept workshop, you will be able to:
April 4, 2013 - 6 pm to 9 pm: NYIT School of Management, 16 West 61st Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY
Every entrepreneur knows that the path to success contains many challenges and that it’s how you face those challenges that determines whether your journey will end or if you’ll continue towards success. War Stories shares how successful entrepreneurs made their journey.
Attend this event to learn how you can grow your business in challenging times. You’ll hear from keynote speaker Robert Gluck, former Vice President and COO of Smartbalance and Chair of the Advisory Board for the School of Management Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, who shares his own war stories and what he did to overcome the challenges he faced in business.
Visitors searching navigation sites via mobile devices has increased 25 percent in the last nine months and nearly 86 million people are now seeking local business information on their mobile devices in the United States alone. Of that 86 million, more than half are using their mobile devices because they are on the move. What does this mean for the local small business Two things:  1) Consumers are most likely looking for you right now and 2) You’d better make sure your local listing is accurate and optimized to get people to your door.
“What we can clearly see is that the local search market is maturing - what we previously described as a Social, Local and Mobile (SoLoMo) revolution is now embedded in consumer behavior,†said Jeff Beard, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Neustar Localeze. “Tablet adoption is growing at a blistering pace: It took smartphones nearly a decade to reach 40 million users, while that number was crossed only two years after the iPad arrived. This market is set to keep growing, and businesses need to fundamentally rethink the way local customers are going to find them.â€
Here is an infographic that shares additional results from the survey:
As you can see, consumers are searching for a variety of business types. While pharmacies, doctors and hospitals lead the pack, close behind are restaurants and various other retail operations, including clothing. Furthermore, the survey revealed that successful local business searches conducted via mobile phones are most likely to result in an in-store visit when compared to the outcomes of searches conducted on other devices ( PC’s, for instance). While those searching via mobile phone or tablet had a tendency to conduct multiple searches as opposed to those using PC’s, they were also more likely to make a purchase as a result of their last search; 78 percent for mobile phone users and 77% for those using a tablet.
“The greatest impact of the Internet is to offer access to information on a global scale, yet it’s equally important in driving business at the neighborhood level,†said Gregg Stewart, President, 15miles. “Consumers now expect accurate, easy-to-absorb information on local businesses on a variety of computing platforms, and those companies that can adapt to this new world have the most to gain.â€
Another very interesting discovery in the data was the fact that application-based local search nearly doubled in just the past two years, which significantly outpaced the growth of the SMS and browser markets. 35 percent of those using applications to search use Google Maps. Turning to the social media side, a staggering 92 percent of those searching for local business information on social networking sites from all devices used Facebook for that purpose in 2012.
It’s quite clear that if you are a small business with a brick and mortar location or a small business that services a local region or area, you NEED to ensure that your business is listed on the local search sites.  This may not be enough, though.  Due to the rapid increase of mobile searches and expected increase in use of applications to search, you may need to up your game and invest in a service, such as Neustar Localeze or 15 Miles, to help you optimize the way your business is listed to ensure that you appear to those searching in an effort to get them in the door and spending dollars!
Is your business currently listed to be found in local searches If so, what kind of impact has it had on your business  If not…what are you waiting for Much like that ‘internet’ thing, this ‘mobile’ thing has caught on and it’s only going to increase in popularity until it becomes the ‘norm’.
Whether you run a private practice or a company in the services sector, keeping up with client appointments shows your clients that you’re serious about doing business with them. They have a tendency to run away and never come back if you don’t stand by your commitments. The risk of falling off the radar increases...
The post Two Solutions That Help You Show Your Clients Some Love By Keeping Appointments Organized appeared first on Small Business Technology.
Have a business and/or technology event coming up in the New York City area that you’d like us to add to our weekly post  If so, email us at eve...@smallbiztechnology.com.
April 1, 2013, 6:30 pm: Wix Lounge, 10 West 18th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10011
In this two-hour workshop at Wix Lounge*, we’ll look into the many ways you can incorporate personal stories into your business and professional life. Through a series of improvisation, writing, and pitching exercises, students will have the opportunity to workshop individual stories to take back to the office or boardroom.  We’ll also delve into the specific uses of storytelling in business, from marketing and public relations to product design and human resources.
By the end of class, each student will have at least one story to take away and a deeper understanding of the role of storytelling in business.
April 2, 2013 - 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM: 1221 Avenue of the Americas; 2nd Floor, Room 208; New York, NY 10020
April 2, 2013, 6pm: General Assembly East, 902 Broadway, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10010
Learning how to most effectively sell both your product and yourself is a key component in growing a successful business. This four-part workshop series provides a detailed understanding of the sales process, from identifying your audience and making key customer connections, to creating effective presentations and nailing the pitch. Students will come away with valuable sales and networking techniques, as well as a Short Form, Elevator Pitch, and Sales Presentation.
This second workshop focuses on your business concept and offers step-by-step guidance in researching the market including your competition. Â We will help you identify your potential customers. At the end of the Business Concept workshop, you will be able to:
April 4, 2013 - 6 pm to 9 pm: NYIT School of Management, 16 West 61st Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY
Every entrepreneur knows that the path to success contains many challenges and that it’s how you face those challenges that determines whether your journey will end or if you’ll continue towards success. War Stories shares how successful entrepreneurs made their journey.
Attend this event to learn how you can grow your business in challenging times. You’ll hear from keynote speaker Robert Gluck, former Vice President and COO of Smartbalance and Chair of the Advisory Board for the School of Management Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, who shares his own war stories and what he did to overcome the challenges he faced in business.
There are a number of solutions to this problem, such as using index cards, Post-it notes, or a wall calendar. Many businesses still use these because they’re unaware of the new technologies that can keep them organized with their clients in a manner that’s much more efficient and less messy. Such solutions include using cloud-based CRM software (like Citrix’s Podio) or desktop database applications like ClientTickler. Both solutions have their advantages, and both of them get the job done with little need for effort or technical know-how.
With Podio, you get a fully-customized interface on the cloud that lets you create your own applications. The learning curve is a bit hefty sometimes, but you don’t have to be an IT engineer to understand the concept. Once you get used to it, you can create an application within minutes that allows you to track all of your clients. For small teams with up to 5 users, it’s free, so it doesn’t hurt to try it out. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the interface may be confusing at first, but it’s worth going through the learning curve.
If you’re looking for a strictly calendar-based application that allows you to keep a tight relationship with your clients, you might find ClientTickler more to your advantage. The company offers its software for free on the first 25 uses, after which you would have to pay $99 for a basic license. The professional license that allows you to send emails via Outlook, add multiple tasks at once, create templates for tasks, and track billable time runs at around $199. They also offer a multi-user version, which you can run on a centralized server for your employees to share the database with.
Basically, ClientTickler lets you schedule appointments, arrange introductions, and get all of your client data organized into one database. This is the ideal solution for doctors, lawyers, and real estate agents running their own practices; but it’s also great for small inns or restaurants that have receptionist computers that are cut off from the Internet but are still connected to the local area network of the establishment, as is the case with many small operations.
So, there you have it! These are two solutions that can keep your business from falling into Santa’s naughty list. With streamlined client management, you can now focus on other things such as making that perfect espresso!
There are a number of solutions to this problem, such as using index cards, Post-it notes, or a wall calendar. Many businesses still use these because they’re unaware of the new technologies that can keep them organized with their clients in a manner that’s much more efficient and less messy. Such solutions include using cloud-based CRM software (like Citrix’s Podio) or desktop database applications like ClientTickler. Both solutions have their advantages, and both of them get the job done with little need for effort or technical know-how.
With Podio, you get a fully-customized interface on the cloud that lets you create your own applications. The learning curve is a bit hefty sometimes, but you don’t have to be an IT engineer to understand the concept. Once you get used to it, you can create an application within minutes that allows you to track all of your clients. For small teams with up to 5 users, it’s free, so it doesn’t hurt to try it out. As I’ve mentioned earlier, the interface may be confusing at first, but it’s worth going through the learning curve.
If you’re looking for a strictly calendar-based application that allows you to keep a tight relationship with your clients, you might find ClientTickler more to your advantage. The company offers its software for free on the first 25 uses, after which you would have to pay $99 for a basic license. The professional license that allows you to send emails via Outlook, add multiple tasks at once, create templates for tasks, and track billable time runs at around $199. They also offer a multi-user version, which you can run on a centralized server for your employees to share the database with.
Basically, ClientTickler lets you schedule appointments, arrange introductions, and get all of your client data organized into one database. This is the ideal solution for doctors, lawyers, and real estate agents running their own practices; but it’s also great for small inns or restaurants that have receptionist computers that are cut off from the Internet but are still connected to the local area network of the establishment, as is the case with many small operations.
So, there you have it! These are two solutions that can keep your business from falling into Santa’s naughty list. With streamlined client management, you can now focus on other things such as making that perfect espresso!
Visitors searching navigation sites via mobile devices has increased 25 percent in the last nine months and nearly 86 million people are now seeking local business information on their mobile devices in the United States alone. Of that 86 million, more than half are using their mobile devices because they are on the move. What does this mean for the local small business Two things:  1) Consumers are most likely looking for you right now and 2) You’d better make sure your local listing is accurate and optimized to get people to your door.
“What we can clearly see is that the local search market is maturing - what we previously described as a Social, Local and Mobile (SoLoMo) revolution is now embedded in consumer behavior,†said Jeff Beard, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Neustar Localeze. “Tablet adoption is growing at a blistering pace: It took smartphones nearly a decade to reach 40 million users, while that number was crossed only two years after the iPad arrived. This market is set to keep growing, and businesses need to fundamentally rethink the way local customers are going to find them.â€
Here is an infographic that shares additional results from the survey:
As you can see, consumers are searching for a variety of business types. While pharmacies, doctors and hospitals lead the pack, close behind are restaurants and various other retail operations, including clothing. Furthermore, the survey revealed that successful local business searches conducted via mobile phones are most likely to result in an in-store visit when compared to the outcomes of searches conducted on other devices ( PC’s, for instance). While those searching via mobile phone or tablet had a tendency to conduct multiple searches as opposed to those using PC’s, they were also more likely to make a purchase as a result of their last search; 78 percent for mobile phone users and 77% for those using a tablet.
“The greatest impact of the Internet is to offer access to information on a global scale, yet it’s equally important in driving business at the neighborhood level,†said Gregg Stewart, President, 15miles. “Consumers now expect accurate, easy-to-absorb information on local businesses on a variety of computing platforms, and those companies that can adapt to this new world have the most to gain.â€
Another very interesting discovery in the data was the fact that application-based local search nearly doubled in just the past two years, which significantly outpaced the growth of the SMS and browser markets. 35 percent of those using applications to search use Google Maps. Turning to the social media side, a staggering 92 percent of those searching for local business information on social networking sites from all devices used Facebook for that purpose in 2012.
It’s quite clear that if you are a small business with a brick and mortar location or a small business that services a local region or area, you NEED to ensure that your business is listed on the local search sites.  This may not be enough, though.  Due to the rapid increase of mobile searches and expected increase in use of applications to search, you may need to up your game and invest in a service, such as Neustar Localeze or 15 Miles, to help you optimize the way your business is listed to ensure that you appear to those searching in an effort to get them in the door and spending dollars!
Is your business currently listed to be found in local searches If so, what kind of impact has it had on your business  If not…what are you waiting for Much like that ‘internet’ thing, this ‘mobile’ thing has caught on and it’s only going to increase in popularity until it becomes the ‘norm’.
Visitors searching navigation sites via mobile devices has increased 25 percent in the last nine months and nearly 86 million people are now seeking local business information on their mobile devices in the United States alone. Of that 86 million, more than half are using their mobile devices because they are on the move. What does this mean for the local small business Two things:  1) Consumers are most likely looking for you right now and 2) You’d better make sure your local listing is accurate and optimized to get people to your door.
“What we can clearly see is that the local search market is maturing - what we previously described as a Social, Local and Mobile (SoLoMo) revolution is now embedded in consumer behavior,†said Jeff Beard, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Neustar Localeze. “Tablet adoption is growing at a blistering pace: It took smartphones nearly a decade to reach 40 million users, while that number was crossed only two years after the iPad arrived. This market is set to keep growing, and businesses need to fundamentally rethink the way local customers are going to find them.â€
Here is an infographic that shares additional results from the survey:
As you can see, consumers are searching for a variety of business types. While pharmacies, doctors and hospitals lead the pack, close behind are restaurants and various other retail operations, including clothing. Furthermore, the survey revealed that successful local business searches conducted via mobile phones are most likely to result in an in-store visit when compared to the outcomes of searches conducted on other devices ( PC’s, for instance). While those searching via mobile phone or tablet had a tendency to conduct multiple searches as opposed to those using PC’s, they were also more likely to make a purchase as a result of their last search; 78 percent for mobile phone users and 77% for those using a tablet.
“The greatest impact of the Internet is to offer access to information on a global scale, yet it’s equally important in driving business at the neighborhood level,†said Gregg Stewart, President, 15miles. “Consumers now expect accurate, easy-to-absorb information on local businesses on a variety of computing platforms, and those companies that can adapt to this new world have the most to gain.â€
Another very interesting discovery in the data was the fact that application-based local search nearly doubled in just the past two years, which significantly outpaced the growth of the SMS and browser markets. 35 percent of those using applications to search use Google Maps. Turning to the social media side, a staggering 92 percent of those searching for local business information on social networking sites from all devices used Facebook for that purpose in 2012.
It’s quite clear that if you are a small business with a brick and mortar location or a small business that services a local region or area, you NEED to ensure that your business is listed on the local search sites.  This may not be enough, though.  Due to the rapid increase of mobile searches and expected increase in use of applications to search, you may need to up your game and invest in a service, such as Neustar Localeze or 15 Miles, to help you optimize the way your business is listed to ensure that you appear to those searching in an effort to get them in the door and spending dollars!
Is your business currently listed to be found in local searches If so, what kind of impact has it had on your business  If not…what are you waiting for Much like that ‘internet’ thing, this ‘mobile’ thing has caught on and it’s only going to increase in popularity until it becomes the ‘norm’.
Your company is doing great. Sales are increasing phenomenally, profits are strong and more new customers are calling every day. Yet you suddenly find you can’t pay your bills.
What has gone wrong
By focusing on sales growth, you may have ignored the signs of a mounting cash flow problem. Profits may only be on paper. You may not have collected from customers yet, but you have incurred the costsâ€"and your creditors are knocking on the door.
This scenario can happen when you have a product that requires you to pay for the costs of production up front, such as with a manufacturing company. Growth is desirable, but if it occurs too quickly there may not be may not be enough cash to meet commitments.
For example, let’s say you need to manufacture 10,000 widgets at a cost of $4.00 each. You will sell them for $10.00 each and net a nice profit. Getting these widgets to the market will require $40,000 up front to manufacture them. Unless you can get credit, you would need $40,000 to pay your production costs.
Now suppose your widgets increased in popularity and sales suddenly rose to 50,000 widgets. Your outlay of cash to build the widgets would rise from $40,000 to $200,000.
If you have enough credit to borrow that much money, then fine. But if you can’t find the credit, you probably have to find other sources of funding, from loans to equity investments to factoring. And the challenge is that raising funding is not easy. If you are facing this type of situation, below are two tips to manage production costs.
And make sure they’re complete with an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement.
Of particular importance is your cash flow statement. Because even though your income statement may show lots of profits, you need to make sure you don’t run out of cash.
Estimate different levels of sales and the amount of cash shortfalls you might have at each level.
Raising funding for your business is hard and it takes time. If you are too desperate for funding, you are at a terrible negotiating disadvantage.
For example, if raising $100,000 dictates the life or death of your company, and an equity investor says they’ll only give you the money for an exorbitant amount of equity in your company, what will you do
By starting early, you won’t put yourself in such a position.
In addition, get creative with your funding options. Sure, you should seek out traditional funding like credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. But consider new, more creative funding alternatives, such as giving customers small discounts when they pay all or part of their invoices up front, or getting unique payment terms from your suppliers.
When you are getting lots of sales from your customers, it’s a good thing. But it doesn’t mean that success is guaranteed, as cash flow (and lack thereof) can literally bankrupt you.
So plan ahead and raise the funding you need to ensure you can effectively grow your business.
Raining Money Photo via Shutterstock
The biggest attack in history was caused by magnification and reflective amplification, likely by using a botnet.
Speaking to SC Magazine, Darren Anstee, solutions architect team manager for Arbor Networks, said that while attacks up to 100 or 200Gbps have previously been seen, the attack on Spamhaus of 300Gbps is "significantly larger" than anything previously seen.
Anstee said the attackers used "DNS reflective amplification" where the attacker leverages the infrastructure of the internet to magnify the size of the attack. He said: “When you visit a website you send a domain name server (DNS) query to the DNS server and this responds with the answer that resolves the domain name to the IP address, and the requests can be large.
“Here, the attacker is creating small packets and the websites are responding with large requests as the attackers have spoofed false addresses of the IP address of the victim so that a lot of queries pretend to be from the victim (Spamhaus) and this creates a large amount of traffic.â€
Anstee said that when you make a DNS query, the response back from the website you visit can be three times larger than what is originally sent.
As an example, he said if a visitor goes to SC Magazine, the browser needs the IP address to make a DNS query. “The recipient IP address is reliant on the honesty of the sending IP address, so if the sender comes from a different IP address or uses another, the data is sent back - so if there is a lot of these it leverages the two biggest holes in internet security: ISPs that do not implement spoofed address filtering; and no egress filtering at the network edge,†he said.
“Here, this may be a botnet which is being used and all hosts are sending to the victim's DNS as the source address is the target, so when the DNS server responds they send to Spamhaus as a magnification of the response.â€
Asked if the 300Gbps was completely unexpected or unprecedented, Anstee said that this was achieved by a large multiplication factor and while Arbor Networks did not have any data on this attack at the time of speaking, he did say that the attackers may have used more resources than before.
He said: “It could be where the traffic is big and here is focused on Spamhaus, but if it goes to places with large capacity, then it causes congestion.â€
