Fast Forwarding your Business with Instant Messagi

Fast Forwarding your Business with Instant Messaging

by: Lee Traupel

Instant Messaging is rapidly becoming accepted in the business community as a viable communications tool and process itกs faster than email, free on the client side, even a novice user can easily grasp the interface in just a few minutes and it enables remote workers and business partners to ‘talkก and share files and information effortlessly using the inplace infrastructure of the internet. Its mushrooming in popularity too according to IDC, corporate and general business users will jump from 5.5M in 2001 to close to 200M by 2004.

What are some of the pitfalls and concerns you need to have when assessing and integrating Instant Messaging (กIMก another biz acronym) with your business processes? Be aware you are sending clear text messages over the public Internet so all IM technology is inherently insecure. Privacy issues can also be raised these messages are typically archived via the IM servers of the company whose services you are using and can be made public at a later date. Anyone with a network scanner may have access to and be reading your messages and if your are downloading files, you need to ensure your antivirus software is setup to scan these files when you open them.

One of the biggest pitfalls of the technology and process is that it adds another communications layer to your busy day but you can offset this by selecting or filtering who you communicate with at any point by using the IM interface to block all or selected individuals from กseeingก you when you are online.

Finally, like all things in todayกs computer industry (or many) each of the Instant Messaging vendors are trying to build applications which don’t integrate with the other (no surprise here arrogance has not faded away in the business community!). So, you need to assess the installed base of the market leaders and make a decision on which companyกs product you want to utilized my recommendation would be to review Microsoftกs or AOL/Time Warnerกs products their installed bases are in the 200 million users plus when combined (these numbers include consumer and business usage) and they both work well and have user interfaces that are intuitive.

There is one alternative company that is solving the กIM Tower of Babelก issues and claims to integrate well with all proprietary apps by utilizing XML technology, Jabber, Inc., www.jabber.com So, if interoptability is important to you then I would recommend assessing their products.

Most of the IM providers including Microsoft are integrating voice communications with their IM clients you may be able to bypass your local telephone carrier at some point using this technology, but don’t bet on it anytime soon all of those lobbyists here in the states need to keep generating fees on behalf of their telecom clients in Washington D.C. We use Microsoftกs IM product and we have upon occasion utilized the voice and video features (you must of course have a multimedia setup for your PC and camera) and they do work. Although the video quality is a little jerky and the voice is akin to the old Citizens Band (กCBก) radio your Internet connection impacts the quality of both.

Whose technology do you choose? There are some clear market leaders in the Instant Messaging marketing including Microsoft (no surprise here)http://messenger.microsoft.com But, like most Microsoft technology/tools you pay a price for the software/services, albeit a small one. You have to register with Microsoftกs NET Passport www.microsoft.com/myservices/passport service which is designed to be a universal login this only takes a few minutes but be forewarned they also try to get you to setup a Hot Mail account, but you can work around this.

The other dominant IM product is AOLกs ICQ product http://web.icq.com it has similar functionality as Microsoftกs application. The original technology was developed by a great Israeli company, Mirabellis, Inc., subsequently acquired by AOL. My chief complaint with this product is the irritating banner ads that AOL keeps pushing at you when you are utilizing their product. But, itกs a small price to pay for a free product on the client side.

Yahoo also has an IM product (กYahoo Messengerก) but I am not convinced this will stay as a core part of their business, as they appear to be still trying to figure out what they are going to become in the post ก.com gold rush eraก market; i.e. Portal, Directory, Media giant, software/services company, etc. And, theyกve certainly jettisoned parts of their business the last 1218 months and I would wager theyกve had discussions about getting out of the IM business.

Finally, IM is also quickly moving into other markets and devices including PDAs and Pagers if you’re a real geek and you can’t stand to be out of touch while your in the shower and you have a water proof device you can ping away. But, I think we all need some down time for friends and family, but wanted to make sure I covered all possible bases with this column until next time!

About The Author

Lee Traupel has 20 plus years of business development and marketing experience he is the founder of Intelective Communications, Inc., http://www.intelective.com, a resultsdriven marketing services company providing proprietary services to clients encompassing startups to public companies. [email protected]

[email protected]

This article was posted on July 25, 2002

by Lee Traupel

SMS Text Messaging … 21st Century Vice or Virtue?

SMS Text Messaging … 21st Century Vice or Virtue?

by: Jo Wintour

The Short Message Service (SMS), more commonly known as text messaging, is currently the most used mobile phone service. Frantic wrist action is enjoyed everywhere, even to the point of etiquette, as consumers are spotted texting in restaurants and bars, at weddings and in meetings. The semianonymity of ‘text’ seems key to its popularity, as it provides a comfortable amount of distance, but allows almost instant communication. The world of SMS is expanding so rapidly that many people are of the opinion that text will overtake talk as the preferred form of communication. It could be argued that a great percentage of people find ขtextข easier and perhaps less embarrassing to articulate their thoughts. Many intimate confessions have been communicated by text, including the recent escapades of Paris Hilton and Charlotte Church.

Research suggests that introverts prefer texting as they have the opportunity to think about what to say, removing the pressure of articulating an instance response. Some people also find text a useful timesaving medium by removing the opportunity for smalltalk. With text, mobile users can get straight to the point, much appreciated by people who simply do not enjoy talking on the phone.

Text opportunities are endless. The Live 8 ticket lottery was a very high profile use of text. Over 26 million people took part in the text messaging campaign this month to support the work of Live 8. Throughout the concerts, viewers were urged to send a text message consisting of their names in order to strengthen the message sent to the world leaders. As text is such a convenient option, many believe that this campaign was more successful than a ขphone inข campaign would have been. The appeal posed little challenge for the public viewers, who sitting in the comfort of their own homes, could easily reach for their mobile phone and interact with the Live 8 campaign. Furthermore, the lucky concert attendees were encouraged to send a quick text in between dancing to the live acts. As this took very little effort the response rate to the text appeal was phenomenal.

There are many companies keen to exploit entertainment products and packages through mobile phones. The media industry, particularly radio and reality TV shows, is continuing to cash in on this popular method of communication by engaging viewers to text in and express their opinion. Hit TV shows, such as Big Brother, Pop Idol and Celebrity Love Island, are inundated with texts from the public wishing to save their favourite person. Other media companies promote text as a convenient way to enter competitions. Text messages ease the tedious routine of entering a competition via a phone call, where engaged lines and automated instructions are inevitable, they are also faster and less hassle than snail mail and often more costeffective.

Entertainment isn’t the only industry to exploit SMS. According to textually.org, the top 10 uses for SMS in the US include:

1) Alerting mobile technicians to system errors

2) Alerting mobile execs to urgent voice messages

3) Confirming with mobile sales personnel that a faxed order was received

4) Informing travellers of delays and changes

5) Enabling contract workers to receive and accept project offers

6) Keeping stock traders up to date on urgent stock activity

7) Reminding data services subscribers about daily updates

8) Alerting doctors to urgent patient situations

9) Letting mobile sales teams input daily sales figures into corporate database

10) Sending mobile sales reps reminders of appointments and other schedule details

A more advanced form of text messaging, dubbed the XHIBIT, involves witnesses in criminal court cases automatically receiving a text when they are due to appear in court. Many have favoured this easy method, claiming it effectively reduces the time witnesses of crime have to spend waiting around in court. This is also in place to support the police force, who claim that less time is wasted in the court through this technology. Research suggests that XHIBIT text could save 80,000 police days every year.

Additionally, text provides an additional medium for support services. Examples include encouraging messages for those trying to give up smoking and messages of advice for those suffering from anxiety problems. Furthermore, some people rely on receiving texts with the latest news, such as stock quotes and weather updates.

With the digital and communications market expanding so rapidly, research suggests that text will continue to see many improvements and will consequently become a more fundamental part of our everyday lives.

For more information about text opportunities and the latest developments see:

http://www.sonyericsson.com

http://www.newindpress.com/

http://www.ngfl.gov.uk/news

http://www.textually.org

About The Author

Jo Wintour

Loves travelling, good music and eating out

[email protected]

This article was posted on August 19

by Jo Wintour

Instant Messaging – Expressway for Identity Theft,

Instant Messaging – Expressway for Identity Theft, Trojan Horses, Viruses, and Worms

by: Dee Scrip

Never before with Instant Messaging (IM) has a more vital warning been needed for current and potential IM buddies who chat on line.

John Sakoda of IMlogic CTO and Vice President of Products stated that,

กIM viruses and worms are growing exponentially….Virus writers are now shifting the focus of their attack to instant messaging, which is seen as a largely unprotected channel into the enterprise.ก

Because Instant Messaging operates on peertopeer (P2P) networks, it spawns an irresistible temptation for malicious computer hackers. P2P networks share files and operate on industry standard codec (encyrption codes) and industry standard protocols, which are publicly open and interpretable. Anti virus software does not incorporate protection for Instant Messaging services.

Like sharks in a feeding frenzy, these hacker mercenaries view Instant Messaging clients as their personal ขCash Cowข because of the ease by which they can access your computer via the publicly open and interpretable standards, unleash a Trojan horse, virus, or worm, as well as gather your personal and confidential information, and sell it to other depraved reprobates.

Please, don’t be naïve enough to think it won’t or couldn’t happen to you!

Want to see how easy it is for hackers to access your Instant Messaging chat and what can happen to you as a result?

Did you know that some hackerfriendly providers offer processor chips that can be bought on the Internet? (I guess it would be pretty hard to walk into a store and ask the clerk to help them find a processor chip that could be used to illegally hack into a victim’s computer for the sole purpose of spreading malicious code or stealing someone’s identity!)

Did you know that hackerfriendly providers actually offer hacker software that enables these criminals to deliberately disable security on computers, access your personal and confidential information, as well as inject their Trojan horses, viruses, and worms?

Hacker manuals are also conveniently accessible via the Internet. One of these manuals shows how to DoS other sites. DoSing (Disruption of Service) involves gaining unauthorized access to the ขcommand promptข on your computer and using it to tie up your vital Internet services. When a hacker invades your system, they can then delete or create files and emails, modify security features, and plant viruses or time bombs onto your computer.

ขSniffข is a tool (originally intended to help telecommunication professionals detect and solve problems) that reprobate hackers use to tamper with the protocol and ขsniff outข data. When hackers sniff out your IM data packet from Internet traffic, they reconstruct it to intercept conversations. This enables them to eavesdrop on conversations, gather information, and sell it to other depraved criminal entities.

Don’t set yourself up to be the next Identity Theft Victim because you like to chat using Instant Messaging.

Identity theft is one of the most sinister of vulnerabilities you can inadvertently be subjected to. Identity theft is defined by the Department of Justice as

ข…the wrongful obtaining and using of someone else’s personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain.ข

Identity theft is the byproduct of hacker mercenaries obtaining your social security number (including those of your spouse and children), your bank account, your credit card information, etc., from the Internet. You become a virtual ขCash Cowข for hackers as your information is then sold to other felons for financial gain. Using your information, these criminals then:

access your bank account funds

create new bank accounts with your information

create driver’s licenses

create passports

Attorney General Ashcroft stated that,

กIdentity theft carries a heavy price, both in the damage to individuals whose identities are stolen and the enormous cost to Americaกs businesses.ข

A group hosting a website known as shadowcrew.com was indicted on conspiracy charges for stealing credit card numbers and identity documents, then selling them online. While this group allegedly trafficked $1.7 million in stolen credit card numbers, they also caused losses in excess of $4 million.

According to a Press Release issued by the Department of Justice on February 28, a hacker was convicted of several counts of fraud, one in which

ข…he fraudulently possessed more than 15 computer usernames and passwords belonging to other persons for the purpose of accessing their bank and financial services accounts, opening online bank accounts in the names of those persons, and transferring funds to unauthorized accounts.ข

Trojan Horses, Viruses, and Worms – The Toxic Trio

According to Dictionary.com, a Trojan horse is ข…a subversive group that supports the enemy and engages in espionage or sabotagean enemy in your midst.ข The toxic cargo of Trojan horses can include viruses or worms.

A Trojan horse is a program that Internet criminals use to interrupt and interfere with your security software and produce the following results

Terminates processes

Removes registry entries

Stops services

Deletes files

Hackers, who have gained access to your computer, because of the easily accessible programs and software as mentioned above, are enthusiastically incorporating this venomous little program into their arsenal of weapons.

As recently as March 4, a new Trojan horse was discovered that modified settings in Internet Explorer. Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP were the reported systems that could be affected.

On January 28, a press Release issued by the Department of Justice reported that a 19 year old was convicted for his criminal activity by ข…creating and unleashing a variant of the MS Blaster computer worm.ข Christopher Wray, Attorney General – Criminal Division stated that,

‘this … malicious attack on the information superhighway caused an economic and technological disruption that was felt around the world.ข

By the way, ขmaliciousข is defined by Webster as ข…intentionally mischievous or harmfulข.

On February 11, in a Press Release issued by the Department of Justice, reported that another criminal was sentenced for circulating a worm. This worm,

ข…directed the infected computers to launch a distributed denial of service (DOS) attack against Microsoftกs main web site causing the site to shutdown and thus became inaccessible to the public for approximately four hours.ข

March 7, Symantec.com posted discovery of a worm named ขW32.Serflog.Bข that spread through filesharing networks and MSN Messenger – networks that operate on publicly open and interpretable industry standards administered by P2P systems that host Instant Messaging clients—none of which are protected, regardless of the anti virus software on your computer. The W32.Serflog.B worm also lowers security settings and appears as a blank message window on the MSN Messenger.

SOLUTION

Avoid at all costs, P2P file sharing networks as they operate on publicly open and interpretable industry standards. (Instant Messaging services run on P2P file sharing networks.)

If you like the convenience of text chatting via Instant Messaging, then why not consider an optimally secure VoIP (voice over internet protocol), also known as a Computer Phone, that incorporates the Instant Messaging feature. Make sure the VoIP internet service provider does not operate on P2P file sharing networks that use industry standard codec or industry standard protocols that are publicly open and accessible. (Don’t forget, these standards create the vulnerability which hackers are capitalizing on because of their easy accessibility.)

Optimally secure VoIP service providers that incorporate a secure Instant Messaging feature, operate from their own proprietary high end encryption codec on patented technology which is hosted in a professional facility. Simply put, when a VoIP internet service provider is optimally secure, the Instant Messaging feature on the VoIP softphone is also incorporated in their optimally secure technology.

Here’s the bottom line.

If you are currently using Instant Messaging of any sort, you need to make a decision:

Continue enticing hacker mercenaries and remain as a user of an Instant Messaging service, or

Take immediate corrective action.

If you decide to take immediate corrective action:

Find an optimally secure VoIP internet solution provider that includes the Instant Messaging feature in their proprietary patented technology.

Find an optimally secure VoIP internet solution provider that has their own proprietary high end encryption codec.

Find an optimally secure VoIP internet solution provider that has their own proprietary patented technology.

Find an optimally secure VoIP internet solution provider that hosts their proprietary patented technology in a professional facility.

Here’s a place you can look over to see what an optimally secure VoIP internet solution provider looks likeone that operates on their own proprietary high end encryption codec with their own proprietary patented technology hosted in a professional facility, AND one that incorporates the Instant Messaging feature.

http://www.freepcphone.com

By Dee Scrip © All rights reserved

**Attn Ezine editors / Site owners **

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include the resource box as listed above.

About The Author

Dee Scrip is a well known and respected published author of numerous articles on VoIP, VoIP Security, and other related VoIP issues. Other articles can be found at http://www.freepcphone.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on March 20

by Dee Scrip

Internet Communication Methods

Internet Communication Methods

by: Sharon Housley

How do we keep Internet communication simple? Letกs start by taking a look at the different methods used to communicate on the web. It is important to understand the nuances and benefits of the different forms.

Email

This is the most popular communication method. Users typically use desktop software to receive, read and respond to messages. Some users use webbased mail and manage messages in a web browser like Internet Explorer. The downfall to email communication is that anyone can send email messages to anyone else if they have (or guess) the correct email address. This systemกs Achilles heel is its simplicity and universal popularity.

Email accounts are often burdened by spam or unsolicited email. Despite software developers having created complex spam filters and legislators having introduced new antispam legislation, the problem persists and spam continues to burden email as a messaging medium.

Email Clients http://www.messagingsoftware.net/emailclientsoftware.htm

Spam Software http://www.emailsoftware.org/spamfiltersoftware.htm

Instant Messaging

Instant messaging allows users to กchatก in real time. Users can send text messages to anyone online and receive instant replies if the user is also online. The กinstantก fad gave way to parental fears as children made กfriendsก online. With no way to confirm if กfriendsก are who they represent themselves to be, and multiple security holes, instant messaging has taken a back seat in internet communication.

Instant Messaging http://www.instantmessagingsoftware.com

Blogs

Online journals and daily diaries have taken hold. Some blogs are interactive, allowing users to respond and comment on posts. Locating topicspecific blogs that provide relevant and interesting content on a daily basis can be a challenge. The nature of a blog is to contain fresh public content. As our lives become more complicated blogs are often abandoned, as they require constant updating.

Blog Connections http://www.blogconnection.com

RSS

RSS is the latest messaging medium and shows genuine promise as a means to communicate. RSS files are produced as XML files and are designed to provide content summaries of news or information. The biggest benefit to RSS is that it does not have the spam issues inherent to email; users optin to the RSS feeds that interest them.

RSS Specifications http://www.rssspecifications.com

Forums / Newsgroups

A forum is an online discussion group. Forums can be newsgroups, or they can be webbased discussion groups. Forums have proven themselves as valuable business resources often creating communities of customers helping customers. Without moderation and oversight they can potentially create an unfriendly environment.

Message Board Software http://www.messagingsoftware.net/messageboardsoftware.htm

Listservs

Liststervs are mailing list programs for communicating with other people who have subscribed to the same list. Using email, you can participate in listservs pertaining to your topics of interest. When you submit a message to the server, your message is relayed to all on the listserv. You receive messages from other participants via email.

Yahoo Groups http://www.yahoogroups.com

Whatกs Next?

Internet communication is intrinsically tied to the hardware options available. Wireless technology has accelerated the development of messaging software, opening the market to a dizzying array of devices for web access. Where we were once tied to a keyboard and mouse, we will soon be navigating the web with our voices from a moving automobile, or browsing via screens in our eyewear, with tiny cameras reading our eye movements to move the cursor and make selections. Our interactive conversations will include more and more participants at once. Evaluating the many options and choosing what works best for you is the first step to effectively communicating on the web.

Copyright 2004 Sharon Housley

About The Author

Sharon Housley manages marketing for NotePage, Inc. a software communication company with websites at: http://www.notepage.net and http://www.feedforall.com . Other sites by http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com , and http://www.smallbusinesssoftware.net

This article was posted on October 04, 2004

by Sharon Housley

Stay In The Know With Google SMS

Stay In The Know With Google SMS

by: Jakob Jelling

The Short Messaging Service (SMS) from Google sends short, quick, text answers in response to your queries from an SMSenabled mobile device, such as a cell phone. For example, you can look up phone numbers and addresses of local restaurants, do local phone book searches, compare prices from online merchants in Froogle to those you find in local stores, even look up definitions of words from the dictionary.

SMS has long been a common means of mobile communication in Europe. It has been available in the US for some time, but hasn’t been widely used. You don’t need a phone with a web browser to use Googleกs SMS. Since the information is transmitted as text only, without graphics, only the ability to send and receive SMS messages is needed. At present, the service is only available only in English, through major US wireless carriers like AT&T, Nextel, Sprint, and TMobile. Your service plan must allow for SMS messaging also. Use of SMS doesn’t generally count against minutes under most plans, but both your SMS to Google and the answer received from Google will typically count towards messages allowed.

Use of the Google SMS service is free at present, though of course users will need to pay any connection and messaging charges from their wireless carriers.

Google SMS can be handy for travel in particular. For example, letกs say youกve arrived at your hotel, and really have a taste for Chinese food. You may be able to use Google SMS to enter กChinese food deliveryก followed by the zip code of your hotel. Google will return, usually in less than a minute, a list of local Chinese restaurants that offer delivery. This is a nice alternative to looking in a phone book, where you may not know the city, and also is handy for situations where you may not be able to connect to the Internet easily.

By Jakob Jelling

http://www.sitetube.com

About The Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.sitetube.com. Visit his website for the latest on planning, building, promoting and maintaining websites.

This article was posted on November 08, 2004

by Jakob Jelling

An Introduction to Text Messaging

An Introduction to Text Messaging

by: Deryck Richards

Why Text?

Text messaging is a quick way to stay in touch with people for personal or business purposes. With text messaging, you can chat with a partner by typing on the keyboard and reading what they write to you on the screen. Many text messaging products can work with cell phone text messaging (aka SMS or Short Messaging Service) so you can chat with people who aren’t in front of their computer. So, why not just pick up the phone and talk?

It’s faster than email and phone calls. And you don’t have to pay anything to text. If you need to chat with someone briefly or ask a quick question, it’s much less intrusive than calling someone. As with most developing technologies, several types of text messaging are available and each one is incompatible with the others. But don’t let that keep you from trying it out. The main text messaging products are ICQ (www.icq.com), MSN Messenger (www.msn.com), AIM (www.aim.com), and Yahoo Messenger (www.yahoo.com).

btw (By the Way…)

Each one is free and simple to download, install, and sign up. You can locate your ขbuddiesข by searching in an online directory by their screen name, email address, name, or telephone number. Once you get the hang of it, text messaging can be extremely addictive. As you continue to use text messaging, you will find yourself learning to abbreviate words and sentences. When you leave an online chat, you might say BRB (Be Right Back), I’m afk (away from the keyboard), or TTYL (Talk to You Later). See glossary below.

Some text messaging products are beginning to offer voice and video chat. The future of digital communication is an integrated product, since voice, video, interactive text messaging, and email are all effective means of communication. In the future, you will be able to switch between text, voice, and video with ease. Until then, we will continue to use different methods for different communication needs 🙁

Glossary

🙂 Smiley face. Means that someone is happy

😉 Smiley face with wink.

🙁 If someone sends you this in an email, they’re probably not having a good day

BTW By the Way

FYI For Your Information

FWIW For What It’s Worth

IMHO In My Humble Opinion (or IMO)

TIA Thanks in Advance

WRT With Respect To

LOL Laughing Out Loud

ROTFL Rolling on the Floor Laughing

AFK Away From Keyboard

TTYL Talk To You Later

CYA See You Later

About The Author

Deryck Richards is the founder and managing partner of Desktronix. With an extensive educational background in computer information systems, Deryck currently manages hosting and data center operations for Desktronix. He also provides system administration and technical support directly to small businesses as he has since 2000. His areas of expertise include networking, Windows, Linux, and Macintosh systems and he is the author of The Guide to Technology for Small Business. For more information on Desktronix, visit www.desktronix.com.

This article was posted on September 13, 2004

by Deryck Richards

Instant Menaces or Instant Messengers?

Instant Menaces or Instant Messengers?

by: Dee Scrip

Many vendors offering Instant Messaging (IM) services have added new capabilities such as voice messaging and file sharing. Among others, AOL, Microsoft, and Yahoo offer these IM services.

Clients of Instant Messaging services are also easy prey for the community of hackers. Using a simple monitoring program, the plain text from Instant Messaging can be easily captured and creates vulnerability to electronic eavesdropping.

In one version of AOL’s Instant Messenger, aka AIM, a user was found to have been the target of a hacker attack. The villainous hacker had crafted a URL which, when clicked by the user with AIM on their desktop, allowed the hacker to execute a virus on the victim’s system. What is particularly sinister about this is that AIM does not have to be running for this type of virus to deployed.

Another avenue of attack is when victims are simply sent an HTML email with a link that when clicked will execute one or all of the following: a privilege elevation attack, a denial of service attack, or the installation of a backdoor for later use, to name a few.

Using a computer phone service that operates on secure lines with high end encryption codec on proprietary patented technology that features IM capability will optimally protect you against these vicious hacker attacks.

The above information is an excerpt taken from an indepth and exclusive Report entitled ขWhy Hackers Love Computer Phones – A Shocking Report You Must Read!ข by Dee Scrip available only at http://www.whypay4calls.com/gtp/to.pl?l=ART01

**Attn Ezine editors / Site owners **

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed above.

By Dee Scrip

© All rights reserved.

About The Author

Dee Scrip

The above information is an excerpt taken from an indepth and exclusive Report entitled ขWhy Hackers Love Computer Phones – A Shocking Report You Must Read!ข by Dee Scrip available only at http://www.whypay4calls.com/gtp/to.pl?l=ART01

This article was posted on February 05

by Dee Scrip

Developing a Formal Brand Messaging Document

Developing a Formal Brand Messaging Document

by: Richard Cunningham

Ensure everyone in your company sings from the same sheet of music when it comes to communicating a consistent brand message.

Imagine one of your customers calling six different people in your company. The customer asks why they should consider purchasing your product. What do you think these six people would say? Would their explanation be consistent?

That’s where brand messaging comes into play. In the audio book, ขSound Advice on Brand Marketing,ข author Tom Miller says brands need to speak with a single unified voice in every communication with customers and prospects.

ขBrand messaging is a formalized document that captures the most important points about your brand,ข says Miller. ขIt is then used to create all of the various brand communications, such as ads, press releases, web sites, literature, and so forth.ข

The best place to begin the brand messaging process is with the elevator pitch. ขThink about getting on an elevator with a senior executive from a great prospect company. He asks you to tell him why your product or service is so special and better than all the others are. You’ve got 30seconds. Go!ข

Distilling your brand message into a short, memorable description or value proposition sets the stage for the rest of the brand messaging to flow in a logical, informative fashion. ขIt may take a little hard work now, but it pays big dividends in the future,ข says Miller. ขNot only is your message consistent, you should also realize major time savings in developing communications pieces. The heavy lifting from a messaging perspective has already been done.ข

Tom Miller offers brand marketing advice each week in the free audio newsletter from What’s Working in Biz – http://www.whatsworking.biz/full_story.asp?ArtID=92 – and is president of the branding firm, Miller Brooks.

About The Author

Richard Cunningham is a principal of What’s Working in Biz, http://www.whatsworking.biz, a publisher of business audiobooks and online audio programs on marketing, sales, and small business strategies.

This article was posted on March 08, 2004

by Richard Cunningham