Marketing Your Home Business For Big Profits

Marketing Your Home Business For Big Profits

by: Jim Noel

Marketing your home business for big profits takes some due diligence and the right resources.

In 1999 I started a home based business, and I submitted my website to every search engine that would take it from here to the North Pole.

I submitted classified ads; I had more links on my website, than Carter has pills.

I bought the submission software’s, the top ads on classified ad sites, the linking programs and so on.

I had about $500 to spend on this venture and I spent it all on marketing.

Yes I got a few hits, and some replies. But after a year of not really getting off the ground, I closed down shop and stuck my tail between my legs and just took the loss and figured this home business stuff was not to done.

Jan 2004 I wanted to try this home business venture again, only this time I was going to some research on home business and how people succeed in it.

I read news articles on the internet, went into forums to see what others were doing, and so on. Found out quickly everyone has an opinion on what works and what doesn’t.

Well I did learn quite a bit, like on my first venture I was linking to every website that would take my link. I found out, it is not the amount of links; it is the quality of websites you link to.

That was one mistake. Found out also that these submission software’s and programs are not all that great either.

After about 6 months of research and reading, I reopened a new home business in July 2004. I applied what I had learned to this business.

To my surprise after about 2 weeks I started getting some affiliates, had a couple sales, and things were off and running.

A little over a month went buy and I was continuing to make progress, and then I stumbled on to what I consider is one of the best business tools out there.

It was an organization that had all the proven tools, resources, experts, materials, books you name it on how to get make big profits on your home business.

Well I signed up, and for once that was the best money I spent, a low monthly fee for all of there resources. Well let’s just say, that in 1 month my profits doubled.

The next month they doubled again! All this buy just having the right resources and tools at my disposal, is what made the difference in 2004, compared to my flop in 1999.

I turn 45 years old in 2005, and have planned on retiring from my full time job in the aerospace industry. My home business as gotten so big and so profitable that I know longer need my other job.

You know what J.O.B. stands for (Just over Broke). Well I know longer need to worry about that, now that I have the financial freedom to support my family for years to come.

Copyright 2004 Jim Noel

About The Author

Jim Noel

If you like more information go to http://www.moreinfo247.com/8772985.81/IAHBE

This article was posted on September 24, 2004

by Jim Noel

Five Top Tips For A Prosperous 2004

Five Top Tips For A Prosperous 2004

by: Steve Shaw

According to many market forecasts, 2004 is likely to be a buoyant year online. These are my top tips for making the most of it, and ensuring a happy, healthy and prosperous 2004.

1. Seek out new markets and niches, and make them work for you.

This is a simple technique to find profitable niches for your business. Download the free Good Keywords software from goodkeywords.com this is a virtual crystal ball into what you should be selling online. Find keywords that have a high number of searches, and a low number of pages for those keywords on the most popular search engine, Google. The ratio between the number of searches, and the number of results found for that keyword or phrase, determines the potential profitability of the keyword.

Another method is to use the free trial service at wordtracker.com.

Create a product or service around the profitable keyword, and youกll be onto a potential goldmine online.

2. Automate, automate, automate

If you find you are doing something repetitively, is it something you can automate? Automating a repetitive task is something that could save you hours, if not days or weeks of time, in 2004, all of which you could be spending doing something more worthwhile and profitable.

Automate almost everything you can, wherever possible. An Internet business allows for a great deal of automation, from list management to product fulfillment, so take advantage of it wherever you can.

3. Seek out nonemailreliant profit avenues

With spam filters, overloaded email folders, and increasing legislation proving evermore troublesome to legitimate optin email marketers, itกs wise to develop branches of your business that do not solely rely on email for profitability.

Thatกs not to say email marketing is no longer relevant or important, it quite clearly is both of these when used effectively but my tip for 2004 is to try to find other supplementary routes to profitability.

For example, a niche area in the search engines (as outlined in tip 1 above) will bring you a lot of traffic, without overrelying on email as a traffic and sales generation tool and even if you don’t have a specific product, if you combine great content with effective use of Google Adsense, thatกs another great income stream for your business.

Success online is all about not putting all your eggs into one basket, and developing กmultiple streams of incomeก. If you lost your email list(s) overnight, would you still be profitable?

4. Take more exercise

What? Whatกs that got to do with doing business online?

Well, more than you think. For one, sitting in front of a computer for 12 hours a day can be detrimental to your health and if you don’t have your health, you won’t have much of a business.

Getting some regular fresh air and exercise will not only help to keep you healthy, it will also:

Increase your energy levels, so you can get a lot more done in less time.

Clear your head, so you can concentrate more effectively.

Help you to relax and come up with some great ideas for your business (my best and most profitable ideas come to me when Iกm on vacation, or otherwise relaxed and กswitched offก).

Boost your confidence and selfesteem, the absence of which is often at the route of many business failures. When you’re confident, you take more risks, and risktaking is closely linked to profitability. If you stay the same, and take no risks, you’re unlikely to move forward in your business.

And don’t forget, while you are exercising, you can listen to educational tapes and CDs that will help you grow and learn, all of which can boost your business longterm.

5. Set goals

Close your eyes, and picture yourself at the end of 2004. Where would you like to be?

If you continue doing what you are doing now, where will you be, realistically?

Set some goals that will get you from where you are currently heading, to where you would like to be. Break those goals down into specific steps that know you can achieve, and will ensure you reach your goals by the end of 2004.

Refer to your goals regularly, don’t be afraid to adjust them if necessary during the year, and take one step at a time.

Steve Shaw develops software and systems for effective emarketing. This article was submitted to hundreds of targeted publishers and multiple article directories on autopilot, using his powerful article submission service at http://www.SubmitYOURArticle.com.

About The Author

Steve Shaw has been marketing fulltime online since March 2002, developing software products and systems for emarketing, including PopUpMaster Pro, the Click Bank Toolkit, and most recently, the free list building system at ListInferno.com.

This article was posted on December 31, 2003

by Steve Shaw

Why Traffic Touts and List Pushers Are Bad For You

Why Traffic Touts and List Pushers Are Bad For Your Business

by: Charles Kangethe

In this Article we look at the second competitive advantage of successful Internet Marketers Warm Traffic and True Oกpt In Lists.

Good, Bad and Ugly Traffic

Marketing depends heavily on the type of Traffic you attract.

* Untargeted Traffic

Similar to Traffic passing high street shops in vehicles.

This Traffic is of very little use.

* Targeted Traffic

Similar to people window shopping on the high street.

There is a chance that if the products appeal, they will walk in to get a better look. Competition from other shops, for this type of Traffic is very high.

* Warm Traffic

Similar to browsers who walk into the high street shops to ‘touch and Feelก the merchandise.

Your best prospects and chances of sales come from this group.

=> Sidebar What Traffic Touts don’t want you to know

They can and will sell you untargeted and targeted Traffic.

Very few can deliver warm Traffic!

Sidebar What Traffic Touts don’t want you to know

Page Impressions with no filter deliver untargeted Traffic!

Page Impressions with filters result in untargeted to targeted Traffic. You have to buy big Traffic volumes to convert a small percentage into warm Traffic.

Sidebar What List Pushers don’t want you to know

You have no easily checked evidence of :

How long ago the names were obtained

Where the names were culled from

Which competitors have the same names

Whether or not the purchased list has a genuine interest in your offers

Sidebar

The two strategies above will create Warm Traffic in volume and help you build responsive True OกptIn lists. The Paid route will deliver results faster. The Free route will deliver Volume. http://www.anysurf.com Use this engine to practice

=> http://www.payperclicktools.com Information on PPC

=> http://www.payperclicksearchengines.com PPC directory

Simply Easier Marketing 1 First Competitive Advantage

=> http://www.simplyeasier.com/ownarticles.html HTML

=> http://www.simplyeasier.com/articles/affiliates.txt Text

How To Build An OกptIn List F’ree ecourse

=> http://www.simplyeasier.com/optin/theoptinstrategy

Intellectual and emotional triggers for True OกptIn Lists

=> http://www.simplyeasier.com/21mm

An unusual Cost Per Action Solution

=> http://www.simplyeasier.com/articles/radio.txt

Syndicate yourself with F’ree Press Releases and articles

=> http://www.simplyeasier.com/articles/pr.txt

=> http://www.simplyeasier.com/articles/how2write.txt

Build Search Engine and People Friendly Content Pages

=> http://www.trafficequalizer.com

=> http://www.rankingpower.com

Other relevant articles:

All Website Traffic Is Not Created Equal By Angela Wu (c) 2004

http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/article.html

Ten Tips to the Top of the Search Engines By (c) 2004

Jill Whalen http://www.highrankings.com

(c) 2004 Charles Kangethe

About The Author

Charles Kangethe of http://www.simplyeasier.com is a leading new wave Netpreneur and a published author from Suffolk. The กSimply Easierก brand name is your guarantee of high value, quality Marketing Products, Services and Resources.

[email protected]

This article was posted on April 02, 2004

by Charles Kangethe

Venus Transit and กSmall Businessก…?

Venus Transit and กSmall Businessก…?

by: Jerome Dsouza

On June 8, 2004, the world witnessed what no one living today had ever seen… VENUS the planet of Love, Beauty and Human Unity transitting across the face of the Sun.
Acording to one line of thought (and a beautiful line at that) during this transit of Venus which lasted for about six hours, the radiations from the Sun blended with those from Venus and streamed towards the Earth, and as the กblotก (beautiful line of thought) says, carried with them energies to weave love and unity into our collective consiousness and, potentially… Into Every Human Heart Too!
Though none living could have witnessed the last Venus transit, those that missed the 2004 occurence need not fret too much, for in eight years, on June 6, 2012 there will be another. (After this second transit there won’t be another for the next 100 years or more)
So how does the Venus transit connect with กsmall bizก?
Well, as the กblotก continues to say…recorded history has shown a startling relationship between occurences of Venus transits and massive shifts in consciousness. Matters get intriguingly interesting when we add that according to the Mayan calendar, which predicts major trends in human affairs, the year of the second transit i.e. 2012 is supposed to represent the birthing of… กA Golden Age of Enlightenmentก
So the eightyear period from June 8, 2004 to June 6, 2012 is supposed to mark the timeframe for a doorway into this Golden Age. A timeframe when ALL of us should reach for our greatest hopes and dreams, when ALL should seek out our greatest potential as divinely inspired humans, when…
All can come together to create the Great Oneness!
But still, how does this tie in with Business???
Alright! Human development and growth be it physical, spiritual, emotional, material or whatever will still continue to depend on the use of things. Even in the Golden Age! And ‘thingsก will continue to require money to buy them with BUT and this might well be upheaval times in the new age, business or the exchange of products & services, and the enabler of this exchange i.e. money will be forced to undergo a shift of tectonic proportions from the current…
Competitive takeasmuchasyoucan from limited existing wealth,
to the…
Creative makeasmuchasyouneed from the inexhaustible resources of the Universe.
When this happens, business, and especially small business owners will be faced with their greatest opportunity the opp for radical change!
Now whether Venus or the Mayans are instrumental in this or not, or as a believer of say christianity would be rightly justified in refusing to accept any planetary influences the กfactก remains that this eightyear period could be taken by smoกs to reinvent themselves.
(I read somewhere that those who spot world trends have already noticed a remarkable shift where just intending to be nice to each other is no longer valid. Is this the beginning to a more ethical business environment?)
And how does one reinvent oneself?
Acepting the truth that on the creative plane as opposed to the competitive plane there can never be a lack of opportunity they should immediately begin to get out of all blatantly competitive endeavours.
Broadly speaking,
…if anyone is in a business which depends on beating another,
OR,
…If anyone is in a business that promises everything for as little as nothing,
OR,
If anyone is in a business where you need to move in a hurry all the time,
Then you are most probably operating on the competitive plane and need to get out as soon as possible. For on the creative plane there is never any hurry YET you go as fast as you can. And then, nobody can beat you to what is yours because you initiate processes to create what you need and are not seeking anotherกs property.
Small businesses make up the absolute bulk of all commerce and trade so if there is going to be any kind of shift the change will have to begin with the flexible small business owners rather than from sluggish and slow to respond major corporations.
So hereกs to small business owners reinventing themselves on the creative plane and reigniting their efforts to turn into longterm, sustainable, and truly profitable กsocial entrepreneursก …
Joyously,
Jerome Dsouza

About The Author

To make the shift from the กcompetitiveก to the กcreativeก the author reccomends just one read of this f:r:e:e ebook from http://tinyurl.com/22ynf

This article was posted on June 10, 2004

by Jerome Dsouza

Mysterious Tel Aviv Lifestyle 2004

Mysterious Tel Aviv Lifestyle 2004

by: Liron Rose

Israel. What do you think when your first hear this word? Right, like most people you imagine what you probably saw on CNN or NBC. Blown up buses, Suicide Bombers, Military Operations, Outright Violence – all over the place.

The only thing that probably cannot be imagined unless experienced first hand is – Day to day living. Hmmm….what does that mean? People like us just living their lives? Do people go out? Absolutely. Yes, in spite of all security issues, most people just seem to carry on with their lives, with their families, with their jobs.

Some figures: The average salary is in Israel about $US1800 per month, and the average monthly rent is $US600 for a 2bedroom flat in a decent Tel Aviv Suburb. Yes, quite a few people don’t make that kind of money and cannot afford a $600 flat, but others, somehow, seem to make much more, and spend more too. Cars are taxed heavily over half of their price is ขsales taxข but, you see many brand new $50K European luxury models and new SUVs, some people seem to be able to pay for these.

People love to go out here. Hit a local popular bar. Imported beers don’t come cheap at $5 a bottle, and cocktails are more like $8$9. There are scores of stateoftheart well designed, wellstocked bars. This summer, many of them were packed even on weekdays.

Mostly a young welldressed local crowd. Numerous restaurants and coffee shops – ditto.

Tourists, absent for the good part of the last 3 years, could also be spotted on the Beach Promenade.

Tel Aviv, Israel 2004. The place has many faces.

About The Author

Liron Rose (MBA) has been in the Internet Marketing scene since 1999. He served as the Business Development Manager of Suntrader Interactive, a full service interactive agency based in Canada, and as the Online Marketing Manager for Zootec Innovations, a startup company in the gaming arena. http://www.rainbowmaster.com

This article was posted on September 26, 2004

by Liron Rose

Postcards Make It Rain Referrals

Postcards Make It Rain Referrals

by: John Jantsch

One of the simplest ways to expand your marketing efforts is through the consistent use of postcards. Create a list of narrowly targeted prospects and then hammer away at them with powerful marketing messages.

One of the most effective ways to get a prospectกs attention is to talk to them about problems you know they are facing. Create a card that describes, in some detail a problem a client had…then of course describe the brilliant solution you provided…and send them out to your clients, friends, contacts, and other network folks.

I would try to get in the habit of making this a monthly mailing. Over time, everyone on your list will begin to expect your cards and grow to see that you can solve their problems too.

But, I have found that one of the real ways to put this tactic into overdrive is you also ask them to forward this card to anyone they know who might have a similar challenge. The impact of this practice over time will create an automatic referral marketing machine. The longer you do it, the more effective it becomes.

One of the great challenges of most small businesses is that they usually offer a variety of products, solutions, and services…but most clients tend to think of you only for what they perceive it is that you do. Sending these problem solving postcards is a great way to gently introduce them to everything you might be able to offer them.

If you do this routinely you will be amazed at the results. Don’t just do it once and forget it. Design your campaign with the idea that you are going to do at least 6 times and you will be far better off right from the start.

Copyright 2004 John Jantsch

About The Author

John Jantsch is a marketing coach, creator of Duct Tape Marketing and the author of Referral Flood How to create a flood of new business without spending one dime on advertising. Find out more at http://www.referralflood.com.

This article was posted on December 09, 2004

by John Jantsch

Five Tips to Become a Soundbite Genius

Five Tips to Become a Soundbite Genius

by: Susan Harrow

1. Speak in soundbites to everyone.

Getting key phrases for concepts and ideas across clearly is central to all communication. As a fun practice try to shave off any extraneous details during conversation in your everyday life. In Errol Morrisก film *Fog of War* former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara said, *Never answer the question that is asked. Answer the question you wish were asked.* Begin to train yourself to speak only what you want others to hear. In this way youกll be shaping otherกs perception of youwhich is the essence of good media.

2. Answer the first interview question with your sermonette.

In a 1989 interview on the NPR show Fresh Air veteran TV journalist David Brinkley said, *Everyone of them [his guests] will arrive in the studio with some little sermonette in mind, and determined to deliver it. So one thing I do is first ask them a dull, boring question like, what do you think about this. And let them deliver their little sermonette. And then we get to the hard core of what we’re there to talk about.* Your first and last points have the most impact so plan and deliver your sermonettes no matter what you’re asked.

3. Frame your ideas for your audience.

Jennifer OกNeil, a film producer and director, explained that when shooting background footage (broll) she uses a technique called *grounding.* To *ground* the camera must end definitively on an object or scene that signals the viewer that that segment is over. I suggested to her that she probably also used the opening footage to *ground* or shape the beginning of how she wanted a viewer to perceive the scene. In this way you orient your audience to the scene or the material you want them to focus on.

You can apply the same concept to soundbites. Your opening words set the stage for what you want to convey, your final words signify the close, how you want your audience to remember what youกve told them. Use your opening and closing statements to anchor your audience to the information you want them to grasp. That way you shape the way they think about your product, service or cause.

4. Tell people what to do.

I love mystery, but this isn’t the place for it. Don’t leave your audience guessing. Be forthright about the action you want them to take by letting them know why your product or service is necessary for them to have a complete and happy life now. What gap does what you have to offer fill? Be direct in pointing this out so there is no doubt.

5. Live your words.

Get to the point with clarity and insight. The Latvian violinist Gidon Kremer said of composer Astor Piazzollaกs music, *I don’t think itกs [the music] always about embellishment. I don’t think it all can be expressed rightly just gliding on the surface of convenient rhythms. This music can’t be in fact performed, it has to be lived. And I always can distinguish if someone is flirting with Piazzolla as a convenient item of our commercial industry or if someone really lives the life or the heartbeat of the music of this great composer.*

Itกs the same with you and your soundbites. Are you living the heartbeat of what you’re saying, what you’re representing? If not, we hear your false notes, your commercial intent. If so, we know in an instant when your music is true.

Learn how to use any interview, any time, on any topic, to get your business, book, product or cause the publicityand fame you long for in this soundbite teleclass. http://www.prsecrets.com/

Copyright(c) 2004 Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.

You have permission to publish this article in its entirety electronically, in print, in your ebook, or on your web site, free of charge as long as no changes to the content are made and you include my byline, copyright, and resource box. Please notify me of publication by sending an email with a copy of your publication to: mailto:[email protected]. Thanks!

About The Author

Copyright(c) 2004 Susan Harrow. All rights reserved.

Susan Harrow is a top media coach, marketing strategist and author of *Sell Yourself Without Selling Your Soul* (HarperCollins), *The Ultimate Guide to Getting Booked on Oprah*, and *How You Can Get a 6Figure Book Advance.* Her clients include Fortune 500 CEOs, millionaires, bestselling authors and successful entrepreneurs who have appeared on Oprah,60 Minutes,NPR, and in TIME,USA Today,Parade, People,O,NY Times,Wall Street Journal,Inc.

[email protected]

This article was posted on September 15, 2004

by Susan Harrow

At Least 7 Success Tips For A More Profitable 2004

At Least 7 Success Tips For A More Profitable 2004, Online

by: Steve Nash

กI learn something new every week do you?ก

Well thatกs how I started my first Success Tips article in 2003, after my very first successful year online (2002), as a fulltime affiliate marketer.

Whilst 2003 has been a challenging year to some (including me), there are still several ways of กdoing things rightก, that can improve your chances of success this year.

So, what follows are essential tips to meet new and existing challenges that face all online businesses in 2004, based on my experiences in 2003.

And as I said in the first article, it is still very easy to กget it wrongก. There are so many new opportunities to explore, confusingly so, and it is *still* very easy to suffer from กparalysis from analysisก.

These situations can hinder your success, for sure, unless corrected.

Well, the following tips CAN HELP. They can help you focus, help you save time, help you กdo the right thingsก; they can help you succeed, as they continue to help me succeed online.

So letกs begin with an obvious tip, shall we.

==> PLAN

Plan what work you’re going to do, and stick to the plan.

A plan could consist of a set of daily activities reply to your emails, visit a forum or two, create more content for your site or it could consist of a set of activities you want to complete in a given month.

Whatever your approach, make sure you plan it first.

==> TRY NOT TO RELY ON ONE INCOME SOURCE

Try not to rely on one source of income, or one website, or one marketing strategy (only using Google AdWords for example).

I have been relying on getting free traffic from Google for far too long. And now, due to recent changes in the way Google works, this strategy is failing.

Do you rely too much on Google, or a particular marketing strategy?

And what would happen if this strategy suddenly stopped working?

Make sure you try and have alternative strategies in place.

==> COMMIT TO LEARNING

Commit to continuing to learn on a regular basis. You can do this via an online forum, via a free ebook or website, or you can buy a suitable Internet marketing product/service from a company/person you trust and respect.

Don’t trust anyone, yet? Well take a look at some of the Internet Marketers that I trust, and free ezines I regularly read

http://www.anyonecansellonline.com/learnmore.shtml

Or, take a peak at these learning resources:

http://www.sitepoint.com (Build. Promote. Profit.)

http://www.willmaster.com (Perl/CGI knowhow.)

http://www.talkbiz.com (Inspiring. Advice.)

==> ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

Your attitude is everything. There are plenty of ways to succeed online, as you may well know; ultimately, however, what you do is not important, but HOW you do it is. Iกm talking about your attitude. A positive attitude, combined with persistence, and a willingness to keep on learning, WILL seriously improve your chances of success.

Here are a few pointers, to turn around your attitude (should it be necessary):

กWhether you think you can or can’t, you’re right!ก

A quote from Henry Ford (apparently)

กOpportunities exist and will always exist. The question is whether you are able to see them and accept their challenge in time, before they fade away.ก

(Boris Vene and Nikola Grubisa in Born to Win ebook)

กStop wasting time on things you’re not passionate about.ก

Phil Wiley from http://www.ozemedia.com

กSuccessful people KNOW the best way to ensure *their* success is by helping other people become successful… You earn money *only* through satisfying the needs and wants of *others*ก

(Boris Vene and Nikola Grubisa in Born to Win ebook)

Note: this is the strategy Iกm now taking; e.g. http://www.bestdigitalcameras.co.uk/buyingguide

‘the only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.ก

John Wesley Powell

Et cetera.

Get your attitude right, simple as that.

==> CONTINUE DOING THINGS RIGHT

These tips below are some that featured in the 2003 version of this article. Basically, if you get things right once then make sure you keep on doing them right.

BuildTip: Get right to the point with your website

PromoteTip: Stop relying on free traffic from Google; investigate buying traffic via pay per click search engines, or generating traffic via articles (like this!)

ProfitTip: Spend time on activities that make you money. If you don’t know what activities these are, then find out!

The following articles can help with the above tips:

http://www.anyonecansellonline.com/3tips.shtml

http://www.howipromotemywebsite.com/writearticles.html

http://www.howipromotemywebsite.com/payperclick

And the original successtips article can be found here

http://www.anyonecansellonline.com/successtips.shtml

==> BACKUP YOUR WORK

Backup work on a regular basis. When I reviewed my collection of กwhat I learntก tips recently, some of the tips had been กcorruptedก (deleted), because I had had a problem with my computerกs hard disk at one point last year. And I hadn’t backed my files up properly.

So this tip applies to everyone, including me.

Backup your work!

Don’t just nod your head in agreement do it!

Iกm going to end my Success Tips 2004 article with this incredibly simple formula for success, taken from Robert G Allenกs inspiring book called Multiple Streams of Internet Income.

Itกs simple, but very, very powerful:

กFind the right audience.

Ask people what they want.

Give it to them!ก

Yes, itกs deceptively simple, Iกll admit. But all the tools and skills you need are available to use and to learn from right now, for such a plan to be implemented.

Such is Internet Marketing. 🙂

Keep learning, keep using the right tools, and keep persevering, and you will succeed online.

A profitable 2004 to you.

Copyright 2004 Steve Nash

About The Author

STEVE NASH is the author of the ebook: ก3 SuperTips To Build, Promote And Profit More From Your Website.ก Download your free copy now! http://www.wisebuys.info/bonus.shtml

THE RIGHT TOOLS: Use Site Build It! to develop a profitable business online! Learn more, here! http://sitebuildit.com

STEVE NASH has written many business articles useful to all. Read them below!

http://wisebuys.info/webmasterarticles.html

This article was posted on April 23, 2004

by Steve Nash

Microsoft Great Plains on Ctree or Pervasive SQL –

Microsoft Great Plains on Ctree or Pervasive SQL – what to do – tips for IT manager

by: Andrew Karasev

As you probably know, when Microsoft purchased Great Plains Software – the whole strategy for Great Plains Dynamics/eEnterprise line was changed. Initial GPS strategy was to maintain DB platform independence – via it’s Cwritten engine Dexterity, based on the believe that C programming language is platform independent. So – Great Plains was running on MS SQL Server, Ctree (Faircom – if you remember 199596 Macintosh era), Pervasive SQL (Btrieve). Microsoft obviously had no plan to keep this multiplatform capability and Great Plains was optimized to MS SQL Server and with the introduction of MSDE – the need to keep entry level Dynamics on Ctree/Btrieve disappeared.

Microsoft Great Plains Business Solutions, later renamed to Microsoft Business Solutions was sending multiple signals to Dynamics customers to migrate to SQL Server, later on to upgrade to Great Plains Standard on MSDE. Recently it promoted all the clients who own Great Plains on Ctree/Pervasive – so now they technically own so called Great Plains Standard. All they need to do is pay for Migration (around k$3 + consulting fee to whoever your MBS VAR is).

Unfortunately MBS did several rough turns in the process of this migration from ctree/Pervasive to SQL/MSDE.

Until early 2004 you could see support expiration date for Great Plains 7.5 on Ctree/Pervasive was July, 31. In about April, 2004 – Microsoft roughly changed it to December 31, 2004. This actually exposed all the clients with regulationrelated modules (such as US Payroll – where you rather do not risk with printing W2s without support) to serious problems

Clients who migrated to Great Plains standard are now in the feeling that they paid for something that is free now. See above – all the low price GP clientele now technically owns GP Standard

Ctree/Pervasive clients with high volume of employees count in GP Payroll/HR now have to cut it to 500 employees due to the cap for GP Standard. You can imagine frustration, especially due to the fact that a lot of midsize and big companies were running very cheap Dynamics on Ctree for just Payroll/W2 filing. This was a very nice alternative to products like Abra HR – not any more.

What to do. Well, if you plan to stay with GP – the only alternative is to migrate to MSDE. Contact your MBS VAR (or call us directly: 18665280577). You will be given Migration Tool quote – then install MSDE and Great Plains with exactly the same accounts structure that you have on Pervasive/Ctree. Tune Migration Tool, select all the tables in all the modules, click the button and wait a few hour – and you are in the SQL World!

If you want us to do the job give us a call 18665280577! http://[email protected]

About The Author

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies – USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, based in Chicago, Illinois, California, Texas, Florida, New York, Georgia, Colorado, Minnesota, Washington and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is CMA, Great Plains Certified Master, Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer. You can contact Andrew: [email protected]

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 10, 2004

by Andrew Karasev

StarForce Protection Solutions at Games Convention

StarForce Protection Solutions at Games Convention 2004

by: Ksenia Zakharova

A famous Russian expert in the field of copy protection and software licensing presents its brand news technologies at Games Convention 2004, Leipzig.

StarForce to introduce its latest software protection and licensing technologies at Games Convention 2004 (Leipzig, 2004, Aug. 19th 22nd). A new version of famous StarForce protection includes advanced antipiracy technologies to withstand industrial software piracy as well as casual copying and license agreement violations by end users. StarForce 3.04 features a set of brand new options for license and distribution management and supports both CD/DVD copy protection and innovative PC binding technologies based on the unique serial number activation mechanism.

StarForce license and distribution management mechanism provides software developers and publishers with a tool to define and control expiry date settings of a granted demo or sales license, combine discbased licenses with product upgrades sold via online shops, protect and control distribution of the product test, demo, promotional and prerelease versions. StarForce software protection solutions are known around the world for their ability to withstand industrial software piracy as well as casual copying and license agreement violations by end users.

Having protected more than a million copies of software within the six years of its existence, StarForce has become an expert in the matters of secure software distribution and license management. Company’s specialists are always ready to share their professional advice with business software and game developers looking for a reliable tool to secure their bright ideas and innovational technological approaches from theft and illegal use. All clients, partners and other individuals interested in the latest antipiracy technologies are welcomed to schedule an appointment with a StarForce representative in Leipzig and can send their requests directly to [email protected].

About The Author

StarForce (www.starforce.com) is a leading provider of software protection solutions designed to fight piracy and assist software developers and publishers to effectively protect their intellectual property and safeguard their revenues. The company is wellknown among industry professionals for its state of the art softwareandhardwarelevel encryption technologies. StarForce Technologies provides a broad range of highquality and costeffective protection and licensing solutions for business, educational, and entertainment applications.

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 12, 2004

by Ksenia Zakharova

The Year of Spyware

The Year of Spyware

by: James Martins

In retrospect, the year 2004 made significant milestones that will forever change the future of internet spyware related issues. Various spyware issues were addressed and a fast growing market evolved around spyware.

Prior to the past year, spyware was a term that could refer to almost anything Internetrelated (from innocuous cookies and applets to keyloggers and hacker exploits) and was largely unaddressed.

By April 2004, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Congress managed to define spyware as ขsoftware that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge and which may send such information to another entity without the consumer’s consent, or asserts control over a computer without the consumer’s knowledgeข and as early as January in the past year, various bills aimed at curtailing spyware were being drafted by the U.S. Congress, and some were passed into law as late as October in the year.

Many spyware companies cleverly evaded legislation while making their products more resistant to removal. Spyware remained a growing problem which routinely annoyed computer users. Some spyware install unwanted toolbars, display popup ads, modify system files, change security zone settings, change browser home pages, record and transmit user keystrokes to unknown third parties.

While free antispyware products such as Spybot Search & Destroy and Lavasoft Inc.กs AdAware helped in remedying the situation, companies marketing their antispyware products exacerbated the problem: by realizing that their business model wasn’t naturally watertight, many resulted to coaxing customers into purchasing their software.

The FTC, in response to this development, filed a case in October 2004 against Seismic Entertainment Productions Inc. and SmartBot.Net Inc., accusing the companies of secretly installing unsolicited software on computers, causing systems to be overwhelmed by popup advertisements, and then sending them alarming messages saying they needed to buy กSpy Wiperก or กSpy Deleterก for $30.

Other antispyware companies have taken subtler approaches. For instance; install Computer Associateกs eTrust PestPatrol (version 5.0.0.0, DAT versions 9/22/2004 was used in our tests), a popular antispyware product, on a new computer with a fresh installation of Windows XP Home (Version 2002 SP1 was used in our tests), make sure you have opened Microsoft internet explorer at least once previously (you may need to complete the Internet Connection Wizard but you do not need to connect to the Internet), then direct eTrust PestPatrol to run a scan for spyware and it will surely find ขpestsข on the brand new unconnected computer. In fact in our tests it found two with one labeled ขSystem Spyข. Such scans are usually the basis for fallacious claims by antispyware companies that 9 out of 10 Internetconnected PCs are infected with spyware which in turn spreads more fear, uncertainty and doubt.

Industry analysts at IDC and Wachovia Securities expect the antispyware software market to grow from the current US$90 million to US$305US$400 million by 2008. Already security software behemoths McAfee and Symantec have included antispyware solutions to their range of products. Other heavyweights such as Yahoo, EarthLink and much recently, Microsoft, have stepped into the market.

In particular, Microsoft’s entry into the antiSpyware business may have sounded the death knell for smaller antispyware companies whose main clientele; the desktop/consumer market, may prefer Microsoft’s offering since it is widely expected that Microsoft’s antispyware solution will be superior and more candid.

About The Author

ขWhat you don’t know CAN hurt you(TM).ข Developers of the eSurveiller monitoring and surveillance software, in use by enterprises, banks, educational institutions, libraries, small business and home users. eSurveiller has received diverse media coverage and was recently featured on WXIATV ATLANTA.

SurveilleTech is committed to protecting customer privacy and legality and enlightening the public on spyware related issues. Learn more about SurveilleTech at http://www.surveilletech.com

This article was posted on December 30, 2004

by James Martins

Stretch Your Marketing Reach

Stretch Your Marketing Reach

by: Kathleen Gage

One of the most cost effective marketing strategies you can utilize is an online newsletter, also referred to as an EZine.

You can provide valuable content to your customers and potential customers with an EZine. The beauty of utilizing the Internet to distribute your information is often people will forward your information to others who have similar interest.

The key to success with an EZine is consistency in distribution. It won’t be beneficial to have a sporadic schedule. Distribution of your online publication should be done like clockwork. With all the automation tools available you can develop a system that is relatively trouble free.

For many, the greatest challenge will be the development of content. There are a few ways you can handle this. One, take a day to write several articles and put them in a file that you can easily access. That way, the writing is over and done.

Second, have others write articles for you. Many people are anxious to write for online newsletters.

Third, a quick Internet search is bound to produce several places you can access articles that are there for the taking. Usually, the only requirement is that you give full credit to the authors.

Because I love to write so much I prefer to write my own articles. And yet, if ever in a pinch, I know there are many options.

Here are some examples of well done EZines. Each has produced excellent results for name recognition, promotion opportunities and back end business. Notice all have a place to leave an email address. I highly recommend this in that this helps you to build a solid database of interested readers.

http://www.justbearsandstuff.com/newsletter/newsoctober2004.htm

http://www.greatsmilesutah.com/october04.htm

http://www.kathleengage.com/newsletters/enewsoctober2004.htm

In my experience, I have found EZines, when sent to people who want them, are one of the most incredible marketing tools you can use.

Copyright © 2004 by Kathleen Gatge

Publishing Guidelines: You may publish my article in your newsletter, on your website or in your print publication provided you include the resource box at the end. Notification would be appreciated but is not required.

About The Author

Kathleen Gage is a business advisor, keynote speaker and trainer who helps others gain dominance and visibility within their market. She is the recipient of the 2004 Giant Step Award for Business of the Year in the State of Uta. Visit www.kathleengage.com.

[email protected]

This article was posted on October 06, 2004

by Kathleen Gage