Recently had a "potential" customer meet with me about doing what he referred to as a website. So I met with him went out things about his business and then he asked "So you do websites right?"...My answer was "no what I do is create a web presence"... Now some of you might think what in the heck is that, so i'm going to explain it to you. Anyone and I do mean just about anyone can create a website. My child created on in I think 8th grade. So yes when I say anyone I mean exactly that. Now a "web presence" is someone who can not only create a website but can make it so people can actually find the site. An example is if your domain name is "my business website" and someone goes to google and types in [+]

Paradigm Shifts for Techs: Educational Marketing by Derek R. Iannelli, IT Strategist, Progressive Integrations, Inc., We love our buzz words. This is the newest one I have grabbed onto and that is probably because I have been chewing a lot on Robin Robbins stuff lately. What is ‘educational marketing’? I will define it as: “The systematic, intentional, and customer service driven education of your current and prospective clients for loyalty and longevity by direct response.” First let me start off with, I am still learning and there are better guru’s on this topic than me (just type ‘educational marketing’ into Google). What does this have to do with the IT business and isn’t that what they pay me for? I sense this objection quite a bit when I try to talk with other techs and once I explain that it is a process, an [+]

Backups....You tell customers that word over and over again yet you still find people out there that do not backup their data properly. How many times have you told a customer about backing up their files? Sometimes you go as far as giving them a flash drive and explain how to use it or demonstrate it for them only to have them come back to you about lost data. I actually think people do not realize that it can happen to them. I can't count the amount of times I have had customers lose their data due to hardware damage and either they can't recover it or it's cost a small fortune to recover it. For that reason alone you need to get your customers on an online backup program. Yes, I know of the "great concern" about online backups and security/protection and [+]

Was reading an article today on the importance of "local listings". If you are not already doing it you need to set some time aside each day and review how you are using the Intenet to boost your business. If you are thinking the word "marketing" and Internet is not included in that thinking then you need to rethink your marketing plan. Out of all the advertising avenues you can take the Internet is the cheapest and can be the most profitable if used correctly. Here is a fact: "Over 75% of searches for local businesses & services occur online". Are you maximizing your online presence? Great read here [+]