My Small Business Consultants

The following article has some great information on using Windows. 

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/setup/windowstricks.aspx

Not ready to make the jump to Windows 7 but need a new computer?  You have the right to downgrade your operating system to an earlier version, with a few limitations.  Check out this article from Microsoft for the complete details.

http://oem.microsoft.com/script/contentpage.aspx?PageID=553056#windows7

The following is a press release I recieved.  It has some great information.  If you would like to talk about using Email Newsletters and Email Marketing, please feel free to contact me.

Why Are Small Business Owners Email Marketing in the Dark?

Small businesses owners are like marathon runners. Just when they feel like they are going to cave in from stress and tiredness they see the finish line and keep on pushing. Think about the average small business owner who has 10 employees or less. They spend most of the day running the business operations. But when do they have time to work on other aspects of their business, such as vital components like marketing?

For many of them, it’s usually only after the shop closes. And unfortunately that’s also when other businesses close, leaving small business owners to scramble for answers to any questions they might have whether it’s about IT deployments or financing.

Fortunately, however, there are technologies available today that cater to small businesses, their work schedules and need for simplified processes. Take for example email marketing services like Campaigner (www.campaigner.com).

While many email marketing services still only offer customer service support during normal business hours- making small business owners virtually marketing in the dark if they have any technical issues with their email marketing tools- Campaigner worked with its customers to identify the critical support they need to design email marketing campaigns.

So what were some of its small business customers saying? According to Wendy Lowe, director of product marketing at Campaigner, one of the top priorities for small businesses is having somebody available 24×7 to answer questions and provide technical support. Other concerns now turned into features of the service include:

. Easier campaign creation to help businesses build their opt-in lists
. A redesigned email editor that resembles a Microsoft Word interface
. The ability to import contacts directly from Microsoft Excel
. A full-screen editing mode to make it easier to evaluate the overall look of the email.

So if you’re a small business looking for cost efficient tools that will cater to your needs, rest assured knowing there are companies out there keeping their lights on just as much as you are to help you and your business succeed.

Wendy Lowe is director of product marketing for Campaigner (www.campaigner.com), the email marketing solution that enables organizations to have highly personalized one-to-one email dialogues with their customers, measure how they respond, and analyze those responses to interact in a more intelligent, automated way – resulting in more profitable relationships. Campaigner is provided by Protus, provider of the highest quality Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) communication tools for small-to-medium businesses (SMB) and enterprise organizations, including my1voice, the cost-effective, feature-rich virtual phone service, and award-winning MyFax, the fastest growing Internet fax service. Wendy can be reached at wlowe@protus.com.

The following link is to an article from a good friend of mine, Douglas E Welch.  He is taking his weekly podcast asking his listeners to try different things this year.  I really like what he has to say about Facebook and Business.  If you have about 5-8 minutes, please check out his site. 

http://welchwrite.com/career/2010/01/10/career-prescription-3-use-facebook/

Comment from Douglas.  The information was too good to leave out in the Comments.

Thanks for your kind words! The full text of the column is also available, if people prefer to read instead of listen. Your readers can also discuss this column, and others, on the Career Opportunities Community Site at http://careercommunity.welchwrite.com.

Thanks again!

Douglas

This is the Press Release that I mentioned in my last post.  I would be curious if anyone has used this service and what your experiences have been.  Please comment at the bottom of this post.

Fastest-growing Internet fax service anticipates 40 percent growth this year
as faxers continue to eliminate traditional fax machines

Ottawa (July 6, 2009)- MyFax, the world’s fastest-growing Internet fax service today announced it has surpassed 300,000 subscribers. MyFax is the flagship product of Software-as-a-Service provider Protus and is targeted for customers in industries including finance, insurance, real estate, healthcare, transportation and government.

Since it was founded in 1997, the company has never wavered from its commitment to provide a superior customer experience through product innovation and customer support. MyFax sends and receives faxes using an email account, removing the need for a dedicated phone line and fax machine. The service, which fully integrates with Microsoft Office, IBM Lotus Notes and ACT!, enables users to manage their fax communication and corresponding document management workflow more efficiently and at a lower cost than traditional fax servers or fax machines, regardless of physical location.

“The fact that we have reached 300,000 subscribers represents an incredible achievement, and I attribute it to a superior product and to a staff that’s committed to impeccable customer service,” said Joseph Nour, CEO of Protus. “Everyday we strive to make MyFax an effective tool and positive experience for our customers. The numbers don’t lie. Our continually increasing number of subscribers validates we are meeting and exceeding our goals.”

Other Protus offerings include my1voice, the cost-effective, feature-rich virtual phone service designed specifically for small businesses that want professional-quality business telephone services without the overhead of installing and maintaining special phone equipment. Protus also offers Campaigner, an email marketing service enabling organizations to have highly personalized one-to-one email dialogues with their customers.

MyFax repeatedly earns industry awards and top rankings for delivering a superior customer experience. This includes Customer Service Management Team of the Year and the Customer Service Department of the Year categories in the third annual Stevie® Awards for Sales & Customer Service. The product also earned four Gold Awards from TopTenREVIEWS, an Internet publisher of expert technology and entertainment reviews seen by millions of consumers. The Ottawa Business Journal added Protus to its 2009 roster of fastest growing companies, and the 2009 Branham300, a list of Canada’s leading technology companies, included Protus for the 5th consecutive year.

For tips and tricks on using MyFax as a communications business tool, visit the MyFax blog at http://blog.myfax.com/

About MyFax
MyFax is the fastest-growing Internet fax service used by individuals, small, medium and large businesses to send and receive faxes using existing email accounts or the Web. MyFax offers services in North America and Europe, including the United Kingdom, to industries recognized among the fastest-growing adopters of Internet fax, including healthcare, finance, insurance, real estate, transportation and government. More than 15,000 new customers subscribe to MyFax each month. MyFax is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business communications solution provided by Protus. Other offerings include my1voice, a feature-rich virtual PBX service and Campaigner, an email marketing service enabling organizations to have highly personalized one-to-one email dialogues with their customers. Additional information is available at www.campaigner.com, www.my1voice.com or www.myfax.com.

This is a letter I recived and thought someone might be interested.  Part two will include the Press Release.  I personally do not use this product but have been thinking for awhile about moving my faxing into the virtual world.  I currently pay for an extra line for my fax machine.  I have an HP all in one Printer/Fax/Scanner/Copier.  I use the Scan and Copy functions a few times each month, but have not recieved a fax in at least a year.  I do send faxes, but only about one a month and that is local.  I’m thinking I could save the money on the Fax line and the electricity if I moved to a service like this.  If you have an comments, please leave them below.

Hi Dean,

I have a story I think might interest the readers of your blog because it shows that you don’t have to be able to invent something entirely new to be successful. You can also find a better way to do something old.

That’s what MyFax did. They took an old technology – faxing – and made it work better by allowing users to send and receive faxes on their PCs, laptops and PDAs rather than having to use a fax machine.

Ok, I know, who uses faxes anymore? Well, MyFax just passed the 300,000 customer mark (see the press release below for reference), so it’s obviously still a big part of the business world. In fact, faxes are sent and received daily by real estate agents, insurance brokers, healthcare workers, lawyers, construction companies and suppliers and others in industries where signatures, handwritten notes, or document security is required.

The part I thought you’d find interesting, though, is the idea that co-founder and CEO Joseph Nour saw the need for an increasingly mobile workforce to be able send and receives faxes when they’re away from the office, and then built a company around it. That’s a lesson others might find valuable.

It’s really the old story of building a better mousetrap; rather than inventing something completely new, he saw changing needs and reacted to them. He also built an amazing customer service organization, which is one of the big reasons why MyFax has been growing at such an incredible rate. MyFax is not the only Internet fax service out there. But when prospects look at reviews by both professionals and users, they see that MyFax comes highly recommended by both.

If you’d like more background information, or would like to speak with VP of marketing Steve Adams about MyFax’s approach to building a business based on faxing of all things, please call me at 847-279-0022 x228 or send me a return email and I will arrange it.

Best regards,

Ken

Ken Krause
Creative Director
Tech Image®
Ph: 847-279-0022 x228
Fax: 847-279-8922
ken.krause@techimage.com
www.techimage.com

Another great “Getting Stated” article from Microsoft.  Full article with links: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/ec3fff68-e53c-4168-ae74-8557325e57e21033.mspx

Windows Movie Maker is a feature of Windows Vista that enables you to create home movies and slide shows on your computer, complete with professional-looking titles, transitions, effects, music, and even narration. And when you’re ready, you can use Windows Movie Maker to publish your movie and share it with your friends and family.

If you’re new to digital video editing or just new to Windows Movie Maker, keep reading for an introduction to the different tools you’ll use in Windows Movie Maker and for links to help you learn more.

Keep reading here: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/ec3fff68-e53c-4168-ae74-8557325e57e21033.mspx

Another nice article from Microsoft. You will find it here with photos: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/morefun/outdoorpics.mspx

Here is a great article for those just starting out with Digital Photos.
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/924a1b6f-6202-487c-a59b-f7130ce774a41033.mspx

Photo editing and printing once required a darkroom or a professional photo lab—not to mention advanced training. But in the last decade, digital cameras and computers have revolutionized the field of photography, making it possible for anyone to edit and print photos at home. In this article, you’ll learn how the tools in Windows can help you view, organize, edit, share, and print your digital pictures.

Getting pictures from your camera into your computer

Most digital cameras store pictures on a flash memory card, such as a CompactFlash or Secure Digital (SD) card. When you’ve filled a memory card to capacity with pictures, you’ll need to import the pictures to your computer. Then you can erase the memory card and use it to take a new batch of pictures.

There are two main ways to import pictures:

Continue reading at: http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/924a1b6f-6202-487c-a59b-f7130ce774a41033.mspx

Repost from HP’s Technology at Work newsletter.  Subscribe here: http://www.hp.com/united-states/subscribe/gateway/
What would be most harmful to your health: no food; no water; or no e-mail? All over the world, people are beginning to wonder why all roads now lead to our inboxes. In less than 20 years e-mail and its off-shoot, instant messaging (IM), have monopolized business communication. Who picks up the phone anymore, or crosses the room to talk with a co-worker (!?!), unless the building is on fire?

Born in 1990, e-mail undoubtedly offers great advantages. Our inboxes record our important conversations, requests and replies. And it is a cheap, quick and convenient way to connect your business or stay in touch with far-flung friends and family.

Mail in moderation
But our growing over reliance on e-mail is leading may people to believe they have an unhealthy dependence. Check these symptoms to see if you could be an e-mail addict:

• You find it hard to focus on a task for longer than 15 minutes without checking your inbox.
• You get nervous if you can’t access your e-mail for a few hours.
• You feel lonely if you receive no new mail after your lunch break.
• You scan your inbox first thing in the morning and before going to sleep each night.

From the White House to your house
If you now consider yourself an “emailaholic”, you share powerful company. President Obama has recently revealed he is addicted to his handheld e-mail device. From the Oval Office to your office and in thousands between, people are beginning to admit they waste too much time in their inbox.

Why is this bad?
Being obsessed with e-mail actually reduces your productivity if you spend more time waiting for messages than finishing important jobs. Equally, it’s unhealthy if you find yourself getting up in the night to find a WiFi spot, or in your free time it stops you from relaxing with friends and family.

Facing your addiction
Here are four tips on how to tackle your addiction.

1. Set a virtual curfew: Outside work hours you need to reduce the impact of e-mail on yourself and loved ones. You need downtime and they want to enjoy your company without inbox incursions. If you have to, give yourself one hour when you come home from work to check and then turn-off and chill-out. Try not to get online as soon as you wake up and before sleeping. Even consider having one e-mail-free day per week.
2. Talk more, type less: Too often we type mails that raise more questions than they answer. You can actually save yourself time at work by making a quick call to colleagues to avoid unclear e-mail trails.
3. Write and post a letter:  Once your fingers remember how to handle a pen again you might even enjoy this. Receiving a hand-written letter is special. Share that with a friend or a client and remember there’s more to life than the online.
4. Go cold turkey: Take a holiday without your laptop. Don’t look at your accounts. Not once! You’ll be surprised, the world can keep going without you.

Avoid the inbox trap
It might be small, but your inbox can easily become a big time-waster. To lift your productivity and enjoyment away from work try to spend more time thinking outside your inbox.