IT Marketing: Finding Prospect Lists

You may have written a great sales letter and created beautiful marketing materials, but now you need someone to send them to. That's where prospect lists can come in handy. The other way to get lists is to simply get out there and network.

In the United States, all of these companies offer great advertising lists: Zap Data (http://www.zapdata.com) and InfoUSA (http://www.infousa.com). If you're outside the U.S., try these resources: Australia – Accountable List Brokers (http://www.listbroker.com.au), UK – List Angels (http://www.listangels.co.uk), and Canada – InfoUSA Canada Lists (http://www.infousa.com).

If you are trying to sell locally, you should also consider networking. Tell people about your business. Offer to speak at a Chamber meeting. Hang out where your prospects spend their time. The more people you meet, the better the chance that you will find new clients.

Learn more about finding prospective clients when you read the entire article (link above).

Submitted by Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

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IT Consulting Rates: What Should You Charge?

Your IT consulting rates will differ based on your location. If you're in the United States you can probably charge a different rate from companies in New Zealand. At the same time, though, you may have to lower your rates if you live in a small town.

Sweet spot clients are generally willing to pay anywhere from $75 per hour to $125 per hour or more depending on your location and their budget. Micro small businesses, though, often don't want to pay more than $25 or $50 per hour.

Now, $50 per hour may sound good, but in reality you can't make the change from a full-time job with benefits to running your own computer consulting firm on $50 per hour. With all the taxes and other expenses you will have, it's just not feasible.

The best way to determine what to charge is to calculate exactly how much you need to pay all your expenses plus taxes and start calculating your rate from that point. You'll also need to consider how much the companies you are working with are willing to pay.

Learn more about setting your rates in the full article (link above).

Added by Computer Consulting Kit

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Two New IE Bugs Uncovered

Security analysts at Microsoft as well as those at SANS Institute's Internet Storm Center and Symantec Corp. are warning of two new Internet Explorer bugs that could cause major problems for users.

One of the vulnerabilities would let attackers execute code remotely if they can convince users to double click on a button on a web page. Disabling IE's active scripting may help this problem, and the ISC warns that we'll be seeing this type of malicious code becoming a problem very soon.

There is a second bug in that IE does not enforce cross-domain policies. These cross-domain vulnerabilities could be used by hackers to obtain passwords, user IDs, and other personal information from users.

The note from the Internet Storm Center said, "This vulnerability can be potentially nasty as attackers can use it to retrieve data from other web sites [that the] user is logged into (for example, webmail) and harvest user credentials. Several handlers have spent a little more time validating this particular issue and while it is a subtle exploit and rated a lower level risk, this issue has raised some of our neck hairs."

To learn more about these bugs so that you can warn clients and try to protect against attackers, read the entire article (link above).

Submitted by Joshua Feinberg

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Two New IE Bugs Uncovered

Security analysts at Microsoft as well as those at SANS Institute's Internet Storm Center and Symantec Corp. are warning of two new Internet Explorer bugs that could cause major problems for users.

One of the vulnerabilities would let attackers execute code remotely if they can convince users to double click on a button on a web page. Disabling IE's active scripting may help this problem, and the ISC warns that we'll be seeing this type of malicious code becoming a problem very soon.

There is a second bug in that IE does not enforce cross-domain policies. These cross-domain vulnerabilities could be used by hackers to obtain passwords, user IDs, and other personal information from users.

The note from the Internet Storm Center said, "This vulnerability can be potentially nasty as attackers can use it to retrieve data from other web sites [that the] user is logged into (for example, webmail) and harvest user credentials. Several handlers have spent a little more time validating this particular issue and while it is a subtle exploit and rated a lower level risk, this issue has raised some of our neck hairs."

To learn more about these bugs so that you can warn clients and try to protect against attackers, read the entire article (link above).

Submitted by Joshua Feinberg

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SWsoft Launches Worldwide Partner Program for Resellers, Integrators

SWsoft today announced their new worldwide partner program. They are the leading provider of operating system virtualization and automation, and they are looking for resellers and integrators to work with their company.

SWsoft is guaranteeing great benefits for their partners, including product discounts, sales leads, market development funds, discounts on training and access to the SWsoft partner portal resources.

For the past month, the company has held a pilot program, and they've had about 20 partners join. They have more than one great success story to share. Take this one, for example: "Thin Client Computing in Scottsdale, Arizona delivering Virtuozzo in an implementation at one of the largest cable company operators in the U.S."

Darren Harvey, director of enterprise channel sales, SWsoft, said, "This is an opportunity for partners to get in on the ground floor to help meet rapidly accelerating customer demand for OS-level virtualization and provide customers with a more efficient and scalable virtualization solution. Our company is committed to the channel and has built a model around providing world-class sales support to our partners starting with marketing initiatives, sales leads and extending through the entire sales cycle."

Learn more about SWsoft's new partner program and its benefits in the full article (link above).

Added by Computer Consulting Kit

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IT Support: Are You Covering all the Bases?

When you start to develop a new IT support business, the owners are usually doing all jobs, including sales, technical work and administrative work. This trend will continue until the company has a large enough collection of clients to be able to pass certain tasks along to a salesperson or some separate technical experts. Wearing so many hats in IT support is necessary at the beginning but can change with time.

WHY SHOULD YOU DO EVERYTHING?

Many IT support professionals are not necessarily comfortable filling every role. Some may not be comfortable in a tech capacity, while others might not be great at administrative support. Unfortunately, those that can’t do all these relatively well are already behind the competition. You firm will be competing for sweet spot clients against single consultants that may be working out of their homes with no overhead, and they will typically have fairly good technical skills and be very good at sales.

WHEN DO YOU DELEGATE?

Just because you currently have a good technical person doesn’t mean you can’t make him into a very good full-time salesperson. But an IT support business takes time to develop, and the owner has to usually be both the salesperson and the technical go-to guy. As your company starts doing more business, you can begin to subcontract out some of your overflow or specialty work to others, allowing more time for sales calls.

When you are at a point where you can deal with the same subcontractors for consistent projects, you can start the process of getting someone on permanent payroll.

Make sure you remember that in the IT support industry some of your competition will be better at sales and technical issues right away than you are. Keep track of them as you grow your business.

Created By: Computer Consulting Kit

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Small Business Networking and Even More Tips for Wary Clients

When you are dealing with small business networking clients you will encounter some wary attitudes. Discontinued technical support is very powerful when you are dealing with industry-specific software such as niche applications for accountants, attorneys, doctors, realtors, auto body shops and food service establishments.

OFFER SUPPORT

Eventually the independent software vendor that sells industry-specific software will put limitations on technical support, annual updates and patches for older product incantations. If your small business networking client is an accounting firm that requires new tax tables, often the client will have to upgrade the software and the server. This required upgrade involves a phone call to your firm and several incredibly expensive sales and service opportunities for your firm. Extra opportunities can be a direct result of ISV’s setting strict boundaries.

WHAT IS THE COMPETITION DOING?

Along with the chance of unreliable systems and required upgrades, you can also overcome wary client attitudes towards small business networking by talking to a prospect’s or client’s competitors. If you work with a lot of small business within the same field and you are noticing a new software or technology trend that is changing the industry you should report this immediately to allay any fears of falling behind.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

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Hiring a Computer Consulting Firm: What You Need To Ask Before Signing Papers

Not asking questions guarantees that you won't know what you're getting. You are just asking for problems. Instead, make sure you ask, at minimum, the following questions to weed out the B.S.:

1. Do you have a "day job"? Are you moonlighting?
2. What do you mean by the "we"?
3. Are there any other people who work at your company?
4. Are they employees or contractors?
5. What are their names, specialties and backgrounds?
6. How long have they been with the company?
7. Will they be involved with this account?
8. What "size" is your typical consulting client, in terms of number of PCs, employees and annual revenue?
9. What industries or vertical markets have you worked with?
10. And in what particular aspects and software applications?
11. What kinds of products, services, and platforms does your company shy away from?
12. Do you work with any specialty hardware, software or services vendors?

Learn more about the right questions to ask before hiring a computer consulting company by reading the complete article (link above).

Submitted by Computer Consulting 101

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US Interstate Highway System Turns 50

Gen. Dwight Eisenhower learned the value of good roads when, as a young Army officer, he led a convoy across the US in 1919. During that journey, vehicles got so mired in mud that they had to be abandoned. Nearly 40 years later, Eisenhower used Hitler's own state-of-the-art Autobahn to pursue the retreating Nazis. So when Eisenhower became President, it's little surprise that he pushed for -- and got -- a national superhighway system.

Today, that Interstate Highway system, commissioned in June 1956, is turning 50 years old (Eisenhower sold the system as a civil defense mechanism at the height of the Cold War). Most of us are too young to remember life before the Interstates, but they radically changed the way Americans travel and commute, providing lessons in the unintended consequences of a major disruptive innovation.

Foremost, the Interstates marked the transition of the major land transportation vehicle from the train to the automobile... leading to many good things (more personal freedom, a robust auto industry that provided good jobs, an equally healthy travel industry that catered to auto travelers and vacationers) and bad (pollution, dependence on oil, decline of the rail industry). The car-centered society that the Interstates fostered begat other innovations such as suburban tract housing developments, shopping malls, motel and restaurant chains, suburban office parks, and, most recently, "edge cities." Older city centers, by contrast, were emptied and left to those who could not afford cars.

As Interstates replaced older US highways (such as the legendary Route 66), their proximity to existing towns and businesses was literally a matter of life and death. "Mom and Pop" stores, motels and even whole towns that did not have the good fortune to be located near an Interstate exit were bypassed, and many eventually declined. Everywhere in America are ghosts of our pre-Interstate past.

Next week, millions of Americans will be hitting the road for the July 4th holiday. Most likely, that road will be an Interstate, celebrating its birthday along with the nation's.

Source: Washington Post (via MSNBC)

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Small Business Computer Consulting: Smart Marketing

Marketing isn't all about the numbers. It's all about the RIGHT numbers. You can send out 5,000 flyers, but if you are sending them to wrong people, then you've just wasted a chunk of your marketing budget. You don't want to put thousands on the line the first time you send out materials.

Start small by focusing on a target market. You can spend $500 or less and begin honing your skills. Remember also that advertising in the phone book and newspaper is not generally worth the money. Why advertise where 95% of the people aren't interested?

Before you spend a lot of money on marketing in these venues or others, test a smaller market. You'll want to find out what your rate of return is on your marketing. Try different wording and see what works best for your prospects. If needed, hire a professional designer and copy writer so that they can create a polished product for results.

Learn more about smart marketing in the full article (link above).

Posted by Joshua Feinberg

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IT Consulting Firm AEC s.r.l. Partners with Centric Software

California-based leading product intelligence solution provider Centric Software renewed a reseller agreement with AEC s.r.l. Consulting, an IT consulting firm in Italy. AEC s.r.l. is known for its work with European apparel and other goods manufacturers and will now offer customers collection management solutions that will apply to thousands of items and allow for improved tracking, thanks to this new partnership. This will allow a secure web-based area that will allow for shared information, activity coordination and collaboration among employees.

The IT consulting firm is very excited to add Centric’s systems to its repertoire. This partnership will help AEC increase their global presence and speed up the manufacturing process. Demand for more new products drove the IT consulting firm to seek out alternative solutions, and because of the product intelligence technologies offered by Centric, AEC will be able to help choose the best products to bring to market, reduce the cycle times of development and meet increasingly demanding budgets and time constraints.

AEC Consulting recently helped Centric establish a relationship with Artsana, an apparel and children’s clothing manufacturer in Italy. This relationship has already helped the company learn more about how to specifically help AEC Consulting with its fashion work, in turn helping the latest partnership strengthen. The solutions provided by Centric will help expand an online presence to European operations as well as partners in the Far East.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

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VARs Magazine Gives New Scanner Glowing Rating

In late May, the VARs magazine VARsBusiness Magazine gave the new Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. scanner, the Fujitsu ScanSnap S500 a top rating. The “two thumbs up” rating is the highest that any product can receive from the popular VARs magazine and is recommended for solution providers and leading vendors.

According to reviewers, the best features of the new product is its speed, compact form and simple-to-use technology. On top of that, the VARs magazine states it is affordable for any type of business. This new product is the first and only high-speed color scanner that can scan double-sided documents and is under $500. The Fujitsu ScanSnap S500 comes with ABBYY FineReader for ScanSnap 2.0 and a customized optical character recognition software package. The ScanSnap allows users to convert documents of any type into editable documents in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. This scanner also offers file compression capabilities that allows file sizes to be reduced by anywhere from 20 to 50 percent without compromising file integrity.

VARSBusiness Magazine is a nearly 20 year-old VARs publication that provides resources for solution providers. The magazine is known for conducting intensive studies along with hosting channel events and offering web services that help IT professionals make important decisions about their businesses, partnerships and customers.

Fujitsu is a provider of IT and communications solutions globally. The company provides up-to-date technologies that help improve efficiency in businesses that use technology as part of their daily lives.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

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Canada: The First Cashless Society?

The Great White North is leading the way toward cashless payments. Canadians are the world's most enthusiastic users of debit cards and smart cards, and appear to be more interested than those in other countries in cellphone payments and fingerprint scans. Canadians are even applying cashless technology to such items as parking meters.

However, not all is perfect in this cashless scenario. Payment errors and customer service problems abound, and 12% of Canadians surveyed said they would quit using electronic payment if problems persisted.

Those involved in cashless payment systems in other countries will surely be watching Canada to learn which services consumers embrace, what problems emerge, and how they're resolved. Ultimately, they'll want to see if Canadians eschew cash altogether in favor of high-tech payments.

Source: Canada.com

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US Middle-Class Neighborhoods Disappearing

Wither the middle class in America? If you wanted to search for it, you'd have an increasingly hard time finding it in American neighborhoods. Between 1970 and 2000, widening income disparity and new real estate options available to those who can afford them have sent middle-income communities on the decline. In Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia, these neighborhoods have fallen by more than 20% in 30 years. In that same period, the percentage of middle-income neighborhoods in the top 100 US metro areas declined from 58% to 41%.

The Brookings Institute survey, which measured the decline, also noted that this decline has led to more segregated communities and lower quality services for poorer neighborhoods. Middle-income neighborhoods sometimes gentrify, attracting wealthy homebuyers interested in restoring quaint communities (and displacing their poorer neighbors in the process). More typically, the affluent move to newer "exurb" communities with larger homes and more property, inadvertently causing property values in their old neighborhoods to fall. That scenario becomes a downward spiral; high-income people move out, home values decline, low-income people move in, schools deteriorate, crime goes up, repeat.

Zoning laws also help make communities more homogeneous. "As upper-income Americans are drawn to the new houses, neighborhoods become more homogeneous," says Thomas Bier, executive in residence at the Center for Housing Research and Policy at Cleveland State University. "The zoning is such that it prevents anything other than a certain income range from living there. It is our latest method of discrimination."

So long as upper-middle- and high-income homebuyers have the mobility to move out of middle-class neighborhoods, the decline of those neighborhoods will be a future trend. Formulating a solution, however, isn't easy; some say that this isn't even a problem, that homebuyers are simply making intelligent choices for their families. Attempts to develop sustainable, moderate-income communities have had limited success, and have little appeal in an upwardly mobile housing market (though they may interest aging baby boomers seeking a tighter-knit community and smaller, more manageable homes). Just as the American preference for SUVs has been limited only by the rise in oil prices, it will likely take an economic crisis, such as a full-blown collapse of the housing market or a major recession, to put the brakes on this trend.

UPDATE: Visit this forum for an insightful discussion about this theme and the possible origins and future of our class divisions.

UPDATE 2: Newsweek explores new approaches to creating sustainable, attractive suburbs throughout the world.

Source: Washington Post

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Thorium for Safe, Clean Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is touted as an atmosphere-friendly, cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels as a means to generate electricity. But even though the safety of nuclear power plants has improved greatly in recent years, nuclear power has one problem -- what to do with spent nuclear fuel, which can remain radioactive for thousands of years.

Scientists have begun looking to thorium as a safe fuel source that produces far less nuclear waste, no weapons-grade byproducts, and at lower cost than uranium. Unlike uranium, thorium cannot start a fission explosion, making it useless as a weapon. It also degrades more quickly, and retains only 5% of the radioactivity of uranium. Spent fuel still needs to be stored safely, but for only a fraction of the time of spent uranium.

The biggest challenge to using thorium in nuclear power is that it isn't a good fuel by itself; it needs an amount of uranium or plutonium to kick-start it. Some companies have developed blends of nuclear fuel that balance thorium's beneficial properties with the other elements needed to make it work; these blends can be used to retrofit existing nuclear reactors. A Washington, DC-based company called Thorium Power has created such a blend, which is currently being used in reactors in Russia. Another technology called an Accelerator Driven System (ADS) uses an accelerator beam to energize and regulate thorium fuel rods.

Thorium may be as close as we'll come in the near future to "green" nuclear power. It's not perfect yet, but the twin crises of global warming and fossil fuel depletion will surely drive innovation and demand.

Sources: COSMOS, FuturePundit, advanced nanotechnology

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FON Could Re-define Wi-Fi

So-called "mesh" wireless networking, in which users can access wi-fi Internet through one of many local hotspots, finally has a champion -- FON, a Spanish company that hopes to combine social networking with $5 wireless routers for its members to share their access points and create a ubiquitous network of hot spots.

The key to FON's success will supposedly be its portal, through which network users will need to pass, and on which business members can purchase ad space. Users wishing to acccess the network but not sharing an access point can do so fot $3 per day, versus $10 per day to access many other wi-fi networks.

Some observers remain dubious as to how much revenue this will generate, but FON's approach is, if nothing else, an innovative attempt to get inexpensive wi-fi access into underserved areas.

Sources: Red Herring, Futurismic

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Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit Author to Speak at Ziff Davis Event

Joshua Feinberg, author of Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit, will be speaking THIS AFTERNOON at the Ziff Davis Small/Medium Business Virtual Tradeshow. Although the tradeshow is going on all day today, this panel will be held at 5:00 p.m. EST. To register for the event, visit http://smb.eseminarslive.com/.

Feinberg will be part of a three-person panel discussion with Donna Childs, Co-author of "Contingency Planning and Disaster Recovery: A Small Business Guide," and Tom Serio, Director Business Continuity Management - Office Depot. The three will focus on creating Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Solutions for both computer consulting firms and their clients.

Be sure to join in this event to prepare for hurricane season 2006. And, no matter where you live, you never know when a disaster may affect your area. Prepare now instead of being sorry later. Feinberg and the others will offer great tips for creating your own disaster business plan so that you can keep working through the crisis.

Learn more by reading the full article (link above). You can register for the event all day at http://smb.eseminarslive.com/.

Submitted by Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

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Got Business Plans For Hurricane Season 2006?

After Hurricane Katrina, businesses actually began to worry about disaster plans, but do you really have plans for this hurricane season? Having a backup work environment, a good data backup service, and a comprehensive plan will help business owners in the Gulf rest area when a tropical depression forms.

James Moak, CEO of Gulf South Technology Solutions (GSTS), says, "After Katrina, we were inundated with calls. People needed a temporary work environment as much as they needed help in getting their information systems back up and running. We could only provide limited space last year, but we are prepared to help businesses this year. We have 100 dedicated workstations/cubicles setup in an environmentally secure data center for our customers."

He suggests the following ten steps to all his clients. Have you taken these steps yet? Have your clients?

Phase I – Information Gathering

1. Organize the Project
2. Conduct Business Impact Analysis
3. Conduct Risk Assessment
4. Develop Recovery Strategy
5. Review Onsite and Offsite Backup / Recovery Procedures
6. Select Alternate Facility

Phase II – Writing and Testing the Plan

7. Develop Recovery Plan
8. Test the Plan

Phase III – Maintaining and Auditing the Plan (Ongoing)

9. Maintain the Plan
10. Perform Periodic Audit

To learn more about each step and how to prepare your company and your clients' companies, read the entire article (link above).

Blogged by Joshua Feinberg

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IT Marketing: Sell Your Expertise

Finding and keeping clients isn't about having the best prices or reselling just the right products; instead, it's about the relationship you create with your clients and how you relate to them. Proving yourself and your concern for your clients is really the way you make and keep happy customers.

Customers want to buy you, not your prices or your services. If you try to sell based on cost, you will eventually lose, either money or customers or both. You want to also focus on your background the backgrounds of your employees in your marketing materials. Don't try to be anonymous in your advertising; instead, focus on your good points.

Additionally, you should make sure that your marketing materials don't look like everyone else's. Your clients should be able to quickly recognize your logo and materials and notice a difference from the rest. This isn't the license to be obnoxious but do be unique.

Learn more about selling your expertise in the full article (link above).

Blogged by Computer Consulting Kit

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IT Consulting: 3 Steps to Success

When you are starting up your IT consulting firm, there are 31 steps you'll need to take in order to create a successful business. Steps seven, eight, and nine will help you make further progress toward your ultimate goal.

Step Seven: Arrange Your Telecom Services

You immediately want to set up telephone service, whether it's a land line or a mobile number, so that you can answer your business phone professionally all the time. You'll also want to get a fax number or use an eFax number.

At the same time, make sure that you have a domain name. It's really best to do this when you choose your company name to make sure that you get the best possible domain. You'll also need to decide which address to use, but be sure to check your local zoning laws for home-based business rules.

Step Eight: Order Your Business Cards

Stick with two or four color business cards as you start out. You'll probably want to budget about $60 to $80 for 1,000 of them. Check out Vistaprint.com as they offer great deals on business cards. Don't order too many, though, or you'll just be stuck with them if your logo or address changes.

Step Nine: Set Up Your Sales Tax

If you will be reselling products, you'll need to get a sales tax certificate or sales tax collection receipt from your province or state.

Learn more about starting your business when you read the entire article (link above).

Submitted by Computer Consulting 101

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US, European Consumers Continue to Embrace Self-Service

Consumers in the US and Europe appear to prefer retailers who offer multiple channels for sales (online, kiosk, self-checkout, etc.).  Such self-service adds convenience while serving a population that has grown accustomed to online shopping.  There is even evidence showing that self-service actually increases sales, especially when it provides customer tools such as comparison shopping and order tracking.

In France, a majority of consumers say they prefer self-service checkout over checkout by a human cashier, and consumers in other European countries aren't far behind.  In both the US and Europe, retailers favor self-service because it has been shown to reduce employee theft from cash registers.

Source: ePayNews

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The Friend-less American

It's been said that one can never have too many friends.  Yet despite greater online connectivity, the average Americans has fewer friends that he or she did 20 years ago, with nearly a quarter claiming to have "zero" close friends and half citing one or two.

The findings are the result of a survey of 1,500 Americans conducted for a paper to be published in the American Sociological Review.  "This is a big social change, and it indicates something that's not good for our society," said Duke University Professor Lynn Smith-Lovin, lead author of the paper.

The results were compared to a similar study done in 1985, in which respondents cited having between three and five close friends on average.  The decline in friendships is attributed to Americans lacking the resources to form and maintain lasting relationships -- working longer hours, commuting farther, changing jobs and being downsized more frequently, staying single, having fewer children and shunning traditional social organizations (the "bowling alone" phenomenon).  Our high-tech, convenience-oriented society, moreover, enables us to conduct our daily business with minimal human interaction.  In many "bedroom communities," neighbors rarely speak to one another and have little in common, if they're not completely transient, and neighbors often regard one another as nuisances or even threats rather than as friends.  Perhaps it's not surprising that a generation taught not to talk to strangers would find it difficult to regard them as "friends they haven't met yet."

Sociologists are concerned about this trend, not only because friendships contribute to individuals' psychological and even physical well-being, but because friends provide a social "safety net" that can be invaluable in times of crisis.  Smith-Lovin cites hurricanes as examples of friendships serving as lifesavers:  "It's one thing to know someone and exchange e-mails with them. It's another thing to say, 'Will you give me a ride out of town with all of my possessions and pets? And can I stay with you for a couple or three months?'"

Odds are that such isolation will only worsen in the future unless Americans make fundamental changes in their work and social lives.  Improved work-life balance may help, along with communities that are designed to foster interaction and common activities.  Social groups can also foster individual relationships in a safe and inviting atmosphere, as can leveraging online social networks to promote face-to-face activities.

Source:  CNN.com

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Computer Consulting: The Pros and Cons of Franchise Ownership

There are many benefits and negatives to owning franchise organzations in the computer consulting industry.

THE BENEFITS

The benefits of franchise ownership in computer consulting is that you get all the pluses of being part of a larger company. You will get a support network of your peers built-in along with a series of resources. You will typically find yourself with access to people that can solve problems that might arise.

THE NEGATIVES

The biggest problem computer consulting entrepreneurs run into with franchise ownership is that they need a lot of capital investment to get them going. A percentage of your revenue and profit every month as a franchise owner will be paid to the franchiser, and you will have less freedom in your general business operation.

COMPUTER CONSULTING IS ABOUT TIME

Starting a computer consulting business is not a huge overhead investment. The real investment in starting a computer consulting business is time. You will need three to six months or more to get enough contacts, prospects and project opportunities so that you will get 20 to 24 billable hours each week.

WHEN DOES THE REVENUE IMPROVE?

Even if you are diligent about all the groundwork, including local networking event attendance, sales calls and follow-up activities, you will not start seeing real cash flow until about three to six months after you start. If you want more than just you on staff, including tech staff members and sales people, you might find that starting a computer consulting business takes years.

In order to get a franchise, you need capital so you can pay business expenses. Just keep your overhead reasonably low to decrease stress.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101

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Three Final Steps to Consider in IT Consulting

If you intend to move from part-time moonlighting into a full-time IT consulting job, the following steps are the final you will need to take:

KEEP MEETING NEW PEOPLE

You should go to networking meetings as often as possible and continue to make your IT consulting prospect file larger even when you find yourself with very little spare time. You will always need to have new people on the horizon. Get to know a trade organization’s needs, what kind of speakers panels and programs for education they have and any other relevant information. You should volunteer to speak at a meeting on a topic affiliated with IT consulting. Speaking is an important way to reach prospects and clients, and speaking at a large event can help you gain future IT consulting customers and valuable business contacts.

PLAN THE FIRST COLD DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGN

You need to use a targeting method to carry out a good cold direct mail campaign. Pick a list of people within a certain field or industry so your ad copy will directly speak to them. Offer a free analysis with a deadline.
Your direct mail campaign should initially be a 1000 card postcard test to let you gauge the response you will get. If you get a fairly good response and feel you have control over the process, mail 1000-2000 postcards per month. Don’t spend more than $300-$700. You are looking for a one percent response rate, meaning you should be getting 10 to 20 inquiries to add to your IT consulting prospect list.

PUT A FOLLOW UP SYSTEM IN PLACE

As you continue to go to networking events, get the contacts you meet their involved in a structured follow-up system that includes attending regular prospect meetings and mailing until you get a substantial list of leads. You should go to a networking event every other week and send postcards once a month. Within 90 days, the goal should be to get 3 to 5 steady clients to get yourself on the right path to a steady IT consulting income. The events you attend will help you understand what clients’ biggest computer problems are and how you can solve them.
You should keep good track of prospects so you are ready to run to them as soon as they tell you they need you.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting Kit

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3D Web Browsing Makes a Comeback

Remember the hype surrounding Virtual Reality Markup Language (VRML) and how all the next-generation Web browsers were going to be three-dimensional? Well, the 3D buzz is coming back -- but will it be more than just talk this time around?

New technologies, greater bandwidth and more computing power are behind the latest efforts to incorporate 3D into the browsing experience -- an effort that, its supporters say, was simply ahead of its time back in the '90s. An XML-based 3D coding architecture called X3D, along with 3D application support in the Windows Presentation Foundation (aka: Avalon) that's expected to be a part of the Vista OS, offer a new framework for 3D tools of all kinds. Also, a new generation of 3D browsers such as 3B offers rich browsing environments.

But beyond the technical improvements, 3D browsing is still hampered by the fact that, aside from certain uses, it remains the proverbial hammer in search of a nail. Most people are comfortable with the 2D browsing environment, and find three dimensions disorienting and unnecessary. Gamers and those already accustomed to 3D environments may find 3D browsers appealing (expect players in youth markets to take the lead in experimenting with 3D websites), and 3D browsing has a role in education and simulation training. But otherwise, 3D browsers will likely remain a niche item, used only in situations that call for a rich navigation space.

Source: Extremetech

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Using Ethnography to Innovate

To innovate and compete in today's global and rapidly changing economy, businesses are turning to ethnography to help them better understand their current and potential customers. Using principles of anthropology and cultural demographics, this relatively new discipline allows companies to market to specific groups in specific regions.

Intel is a leader in this effort, identifying such groups as "transnationals" who travel extensively and depend on technology to keep them connected. Such observations come as a result of studying people's daily behaviors, interviews, partnering with other experts, and understanding of local customs and preferences. Other organizations with fewer resources will surely want to leverage this practice... perhaps leading to opportunities for consulting ethnographers.

Source: BusinessWeek

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US Population to Hit 300 Million by Fall; Hispanics Driving Growth

The US Census Bureau estimates that the population of the US will reach 300 million sometime this coming October. Much of this growth is coming from Hispanics, who, between birth and immigration, account for half of the nation's population growth. By contrast, white non-Hispanics contribute to only one-fifth of the growth.

The last such milestone for the US population was when it reached 200 million in 1967. Since then, the number of people in the US who were born in other countries has risen from 10 million to 36 million.

Source: MSNBC

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Solution Providers: HP Partners Experience Boost in Sales

Solution providers acting as Hewlett-Packard business partners have been growing their HP business at a speed twice the rate of other solution providers, according to experts at HP. The partners that are investing more deeply are growing more quickly than those that are being more conservative. Similarly, partners aligned with the TSG sales force are growing faster than other HP partners.

Rich Baldwin, president and CEO of Nth Generation Computing in San Diego, CA is an enterprise partner part of the group of solution providers attached to the TSG sales engagement plan. He states that he’s been able to secure much larger accounts because of the increased closeness of his HP partnership. His business has increased nearly 40 percent in the past year.

HP executives are happy with the progress made with solution providers, and HP’s ability to be more inclusive with enterprise business partners that are part of the TSG sales team. This news comes on the heels of news earlier this year that reported disappointment among solution providers and HP partners over lack of progress as part of the partnership earlier this year. According to experts, the strength of the success is related to an increased understanding among HP enterprise sales representatives of the true value of solution providers.

Added By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

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Computer Business News: Ziff Davis Announces Virtual Trade Show

Computer business and media company Ziff Davis Media stated on Wednesday that it would be holding a SMB Virtual Tradeshow on June 27, 2006 in New York City entitled “The World is Flat – Using Technology to Compete on a Grander Scale.” This live event will help explore ways to modernize business and manage time on strict financial and IT budgets.

Spokespeople from Ziff Davis state that this trade show is unique and interactive, covering every sector of the IT community and featuring computer business leaders that will demonstrate to attendees exactly how technologies can transform and are changing the SMB marketplace.

This special computer business Trade Show will offer a keynote presentation followed by three panel discussions that will focus on improving efficiency, fully using technology, choosing IT support and streamlining workflow using outsourcing strategies. Experts will include analysts, consultants, IT managers, applications specialists and vendor executives that will offer real solutions to participants.

Event speakers will include the following, and many more:

Liz Ryan, CEO, WorldWIT
Francie Dalton, Founder and President, Dalton Alliances, Inc.
Debra A. Dinnocenzo, President, VirtualWorks!
Phil Fersht, Vice President, Everest Research Institute
Paul Hernacki, CTO, Definition 6

For more information about this computer business conference, professionals can visit the ziffdavis.com website.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

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Computer Consulting: Proving Ground Projects Can Provide a Good First Step

In the computer consulting business, you can determine whether you and potential clients work well together through proving ground projects. You should use these projects in computer consulting before signing any long-term contracts.

WHAT ARE PROVING GROUND PROJECTS?

Proving ground projects are initial projects completed by computer consulting professionals with new customers that are not long-term or regular clients. These projects are designed to display the knowledge of consultants along with their dependability, people skills and the value of their computer consulting services. These projects also help prove to consultants that customers have reasonable expectations, compatible personalities and are willing to pay for IT services at appropriate rates.

OBSERVATION IS IMPORTANT

If things go well during proving ground projects, a computer consulting professional can be on the road to a new, steady client. But many times consultants forget to watch carefully during the proving ground project and end up beginning a long-term relationship with a difficult client. These problems happen when consultants miss important warning signs, including the following signals:

Constant mind-changing
Lack of punctuality
Verbal abuse of employees
Belief that important rules don’t apply to them.

As a computer consulting professional completing proving ground projects, don’t rush a relationship with a client until you are certain the customer is a good fit. Proving ground projects can help ensure both consultants and clients have the right expectations of each other from the beginning of the computer consulting relationship.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

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Computer Consulting Services and Handling Sensitive Client Information

When you are responsible for providing computer consulting services, you need to communicate to your prospects and customers that those with access to P2P servers can get to any file or folder on that server. Even the Microsoft Windows 9x/Me logon dialog box does not provide enough protection.

STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA PROTECTION

If a computer consulting services client does not believe how vulnerable their P2P server makes data, you can show them in about 90 seconds. You can use a boot disk and the Escape key, or boot it up in Safe Mode and show them that someone without any operating system awareness can expose the Microsoft Windows 9x/Me server to problems in a matter of seconds.

A dedicated server can help enforce logon procedures and offer local file security. Each user account can be assigned interactive logon access to the server. Similarly, a dedicated server can be locked when clients step away from their servers, manually or through a screen saver that is time sensitive.

AUDITS OF SHARED FILES AND PRINTERS

Your computer consulting services clients can use a dedicated server to audit file usage on shared files with very little effort and no extra software. Auditing can help track sensitive files such as payroll, credit card data and other important elements. Auditing can also help track the use of resources such as color laser printers and check printers. The Microsoft Windows 9x/Me P2P server does not provide this option.

Make sure that you, a computer consulting services specialist discuss the many benefits of protecting data through use of a dedicated server with your clients to help them make the right decisions about their business networks.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

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IFTF Uncovers Five Hot "Artifacts of the Future"

The Institute for the Future has identified five products that it believes will be disruptive breakthroughs in the coming years.  Presented as "artifacts of the future" for Protcer & Gamble, the mock-ups were shown as ordinary products that might appear on store shelves 10 years from now:

• "Pharma-Fruit," fruits fortified with medications and vitamins



• RFID tag blockers and locators



• Bottled water from melting glaciers (might as well get some benefit out of global warming!)



• "Reputation accounts," a universally recognized metric for measuring contributions to blogs, wikis, and other online activity



• Ticketing systems that know your social networks and offer group discounts for you and your "buddies."

Source:  Business 2.0

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ALERT - Net Neutrality at risk

http://www.google.com/help/netneutrality.html

 

- - - snip - - - (from the above site)

The Internet as we know it is facing a serious threat. There's a debate heating up in Washington, DC on something called "net neutrality" – and it's a debate that's so important Google is asking you to get involved. We're asking you to take action to protect Internet freedom.

In the next few days, the House of Representatives is going to vote on a bill that would fundamentally alter the Internet. That bill, and one that may come up for a key vote in the Senate in the next few weeks, would give the big phone and cable companies the power to pick and choose what you will be able to see and do on the Internet.

Today the Internet is an information highway where anybody – no matter how large or small, how traditional or unconventional – has equal access. But the phone and cable monopolies, who control almost all Internet access, want the power to choose who gets access to high-speed lanes and whose content gets seen first and fastest. They want to build a two-tiered system and block the on-ramps for those who can't pay.

Creativity, innovation and a free and open marketplace are all at stake in this fight. Please call your representative (202-224-3121) and let your voice be heard.

- -

Or follow the links on the page above to submit your feelings online to your representatives.

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Small Business Server Business Tips

Microsoft's Small Business Server has certainly come a long way in the past several years. It is now widely considered to be the best and most important server system for small businesses. Before you try to sell your clients on it, however, be sure to read the following tips.

1. Most small businesses in your area have never heard of Microsoft Small Business Server.
   
   I know it may seem unbelievable, but most small businesses have never heard of Microsoft Small Business Server, even though they are excellent candidates for it. Never assume a business owner knows about it. In order to maximize your profits and avoid price wars, use a more general pitch – getting rid of computer viruses, stopping SPAM, or preventing computer security breaches.
   
   
2. Sell your small business prospects on YOUR company first.
   
   Your business should never be based on a product or price structure. Instead, focus on developing your RELATIONSHIP with the small businesses you work for. You should become their outsourced IT department. Business owners do lose sleep over what will happen if their computers fail. Become the solution to the problem and you won't just have their business, you'll have their loyalty as well.
   
   
3. Microsoft doesn't value computer consultants as much as they sometimes say.
   
   Little known fact: the first version of Microsoft Small Business Server, planned in 1996 and released in 1997, was code-named SAM because Microsoft's goal was for Small Business Server to completely bypass their reseller channel and be sold at Sam's Club warehouses.
   
   However, Microsoft quickly realized that the most cost-effective way to reach small businesses with Small Business Server was through their reseller channel. But even today, you can often find 5-user versions of Microsoft Small Business Server in retail stores.
   

So the point: Microsoft isn't putting all its Small Business Server eggs in one basket, so why should you?!? Sell YOUR company and yourself to prospects, and then give them the products that will best meet their needs. Learn more by reading the entire article (link above).

Posted by Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

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IT Consultant: How To Manage Your Time During Start Up

As you start your computer consulting firm, there are hundreds of tasks that you could focus on, but you really need to focus only on the most critical aspects of starting your business. Managing your time during this phase will contribute to the ultimate success of your business.

During the first six months to a year, you will need to put all the time you want to spend on learning new technology on other essential tasks like finding clients. Since most companies in your area adopt technology late, you really don't have to worry about getting behind during this time.

Instead, you should focus on finding clients and building your network. Whether this means visiting companies in the area, speaking at Chamber luncheons, or hosting free seminars, your primary goal has to be finding clients.

To learn more about managing your time during the start-up phase, read the full article (link above).

Added by Joshua Feinberg

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"Red Crystal" the Newest Humanitarian Emblem

The world is familiar with the Red Cross and Red Crescent, and the good work they do. Yet those symbols, derived from Christianity and Islam, have triggered controversy and resentment in areas experiencing religious strife, as well as in countries that are neither predominantly Muslim nor Christian. To alleviate needless friction, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has adopted a new, religiously neutral symbol of a diamond, or "crystal."

The Red Cross/Crescent controversy has been especially pronounced in Israel and Israeli-occupied territories. Also in recent years, concern has been raised that the cross and crescent emblems may provoke anger in religiously volatile regions.

Source: Telegraph

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HP, EMC, Hitachi Data Systems, Sun and Symantec Partner to Create Industry-Standard Storage Management

HP, EMC, Hitachi Data Systems, Sun, and Symantec are coordinating their efforts to create Industry-Standard Storage Management. The partnership will help the companies develop the new technology more quickly, efficiently, and inexpensively.

The companies have plans to offer resources, code, and staff so that the project can be finished quickly. Although the venture will be expensive, consumers and companies will eventually benefit from the cost-efficient system the companies create.

According to Wayne M. Adams, chairman of the SNIA board of directors: "SMI-S has been very successful to date in providing a standard way to discover, model and provision storage devices, so increased SNIA member commitments to enhance the specification with more advanced management functions and create a reference implementation of the specification will serve all SMI-S developers and implementers. The commitment from these SNIA member companies, and other SNIA members who will join this effort, will further propel SMI-S to meet the needs of ILM, data protection, grid computing, and interoperable storage management applications."

To learn more, read the complete article (link above).

Submitted by Joshua Feinberg

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Microsoft Wins Best Telematics Solution Award at Telematics Detroit 2006

Microsoft not only wants to rule the PC world but apparently, they're ready to take over the automotive software industry as well. "The Microsoft(R) Windows Mobile(R) for Automotive platform was named Best Telematics Solution at the Telematics Detroit 2006 conference and exhibition." Microsoft made their announcement today.

Windows Mobile for Automotive was highly rated for its reliability, flexibility, and fast time to market. Additionally, users found that the system was easy to use and upgrade. They also agreed that it is affordable.

Ven Pedro, event director for Telematics Detroit 2006, said, "People spend a large amount of time in their vehicles, and telematics is changing part of peoples' lives for the better. The more the industry matures, the more this technology will filter down from the high end into the mass market and change driving for everyone, forever. The winning companies in the 2006 awards have achieved a lot in the past year and are taking strides to make this future a reality."

According to Mark Spain, director of the Automotive Business Unit at Microsoft: "We are honored to receive the Best Telematics Solution Award for Windows Mobile for Automotive. At Microsoft, our focus is to help motorists stay connected with the people, information and entertainment they want, with enhanced safety features and convenience. We're delighted with progress we have made, but this is just the beginning. The advances in software and technology are taking us into a new era of rich, personalized in-car experiences unlike anything we've seen before."

Learn more about Microsoft's advances in the automotive industry as well as updated news on other Microsoft projects when you read the full article (link above).

Added by Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

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Joshua Feinberg to speak at Ziff Davis SMB Virtual Tradeshow on June 27, 2006

Tuesday, June 27, 2006, Ziff Davis Media will hold their SMB virtual trade show: The World is Flat - Using Technology to Compete on a Grander Scale." Joshua Feinberg will be a speaker at the event. For one-day only, they will hold this interactive event focusing on modernizing business processes with limited time, financial and IT resources.

Martha Schwartz, Senior Vice President, Ziff Davis Custom Solutions Group, said, "Ziff Davis is a leader in virtual trade shows and continues to develop innovative and interactive platforms to reach every sector of the IT and business community. The SMB Virtual Tradeshow is a unique and interactive experience in which industry leaders and business experts can convene to demonstrate how technologies are transforming the SMB market."

The keynote presentation will be given by Judith A. Roussel, District Director, Illinois District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration and it will focus on business efficiency and customer service through automation.

Other speakers include the following executives:

• Joshua Feinberg, Author, "Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit"
• Liz Ryan, CEO, WorldWIT
• Francie Dalton, Founder & President, Dalton Alliances Inc.
• Debra A. Dinnocenzo, President, VirtualWorks!, Author, "Managing Telecommuters"
• Phil Fersht, Vice President, Everest Research Institute
• Paul Hernacki, CTO, Definition 6
• Anita Campbell, CEO, Small Business Trends
• Donna Childs, Co-author, "Contingency Planning and Disaster Recovery: A Small Business Guide"
• Tom Serio, Director Business Continuity Management, Office Depot

To learn more, read the entire article (link above).

Blogged by Computer Consulting 101

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Computer Consulting Business: Nail Down the Vendor Support Options

Vendor technical support is essential when you are working as a computer consultant. If you're stuck sitting at your clients' site and running up their bill as you can't figure out what's wrong, you'll be on the verge of losing a valuable client.

With good vendor support, you can retain your credibility. No matter how much you know, sometimes you just don't know it all and need the services of a specialist. Before you recommend a purchase, be sure to get all the info on vendor support to make sure the low price is worthwhile. The best plan is to get everything in writing from the company before purchasing hardware or software.

PC Magazine regularly provides an updated list of PC vendor' support quality. Make sure you check this resource. You should also check with other computer consultants to get firsthand feedback on different vendors.

Learn more about checking out vendor support before a purchase by reading the full article (link above).

Submitted by Computer Consulting Kit

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Web Video: The Next Bubble?

Web video is all the rage, and everyone's rushing to cash in.  At least 173 video sites like YouTube and Broadsnatch are currently competing for eyeballs... and some are getting venture capital funding in the millions. 

However, the questions surrounding the online video goldrush are hauntingly familiar.  What's the unique angle that new players bring to the table?  What happens when online video is no longer the "cool new thing"?  And everybody's favorite question:  Where's the revenue?  Video sites have additional risks that web startups in the '90s didn't have.  For one, they need to be careful of copyright infringement, as many web videos are ripped from commercial sources.  Also, running a video site requires a lot of overhead in the form of storage, bandwidth and servers, not to mention staff and marketing costs.

Those who observe the online video space warn of a possible shakeout, perhaps within the year.  Meanwhile, those brave enough to enter into the online video space are trying to develop new revenue models and carve a unique niche for themselves that will let them prosper once the dust settles.

Source:  CNN/Money

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Data Security is About Prevention

Data security is an important issue in today’s technology world. Just when security seemed to be getting better, news items like the Reuters report of the Aetna laptop theft in May that resulted in the leaking of highly sensitive information on 38,000 members cropped up to question what could be done to make security stricter. The following measures can be taken to help improve security on both portable laptops and traditional desktop PCs.

1. SECURITY EDUCATION: The most important thing that can be done in the business world is to educate corporate users about specific security issues tied to their machines. Organizations can combine security messages with regular security training sessions and even conduct tests to make sure the information is really processing.
2. SECURITY RESPONSIBILITY: Assigning a specific member of the company or an outsourced firm to handle security and make sure company policies are being followed is an important part of keeping information secure.
3. USE POLICIES: Company policies must contain information about Internet use, instant messaging and the use of computers and other company equipment. Many spyware attacks happen when rules are unclear and users go to unsanctioned Internet sites, or receive email or instant messages from unknown senders.
4. FIREWALL: Firewalls should absolutely be a given in any company. The firewall should be designed to look for typical spyware anomalies and virus programs.
5. ANTI-SPYWARE AND ANTI-VIRUS PROGRAMS: Some anti-spyware programs are actually virus and spyware sources, so top commercial programs from companies such as Norton, Symantec and Trend Micro, Inc. are the best option for companies. They should be set on automatic update.
6. PASSWORD AUTHENTICATION: Passwords can help make sure that only authorized users have control over the computer, but are not useful if they are written on paper and pasted to the screen or too simple. The best password is a combination of letters and numbers, and should be changed regularly.
7. SENSITIVE INFORMATION BELONGS ON THE SERVER: A server is less likely to be stolen than a laptop or a PC, so a secure server is the best place to store important information.
8. SECURITY FIRMS: Outside vendors can provide excellent complex security for companies and can help support a company and its policies.
9. ENCRYPTION: Encrypting files can help create copies of information and ensure it cannot be read if it gets stolen.
10. BACK UP FILES: Backing up files periodically with backup media kept in a separate location can help restore information quickly if a computer is damaged by any means.
11. LAPTOPS AS PCs: Laptop users should follow the same security protocol as those with desktop PCs.
12. PHYSICAL SECURITY: PCs and Laptops need to be protected, meaning building security should include guards, security cameras and most importantly locking down the machines when they are in the office so they cannot be stolen. A traveling laptop should also be in sight at all times.

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

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Moonlighting Jobs for a Small Business Computer Consultant

Finding good moonlighting jobs can be difficult for computer consultants working ith small businesses because you are usually on duty when these companies are not. You need to be able to conduct moonlighting jobs in the evening and on weekends, and many small businesses will not respond well to that concept because they want you to work on their schedule.

The best way to get small business moonlighting jobs is to pick businesses that fit naturally with your schedule. Restaurants, health clubs and call centers can be perfect choices for you as a computer consultant as well as businesses that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and those that have second and third shifts.

The issue with this way of finding moonlighting jobs is that these clients may not end up being the best full-time customers, unless you are willing to often get called at 2 a.m. The only other option if you can’t work with this type of schedule is to work on your flexibility in working with small businesses.

FLEXIBLE MOONLIGHTING JOBS

You need to create a base of 9-5 clients while having a moonlighting job as a computer consultant because you will probably not want to give up nights and weekends once you get into the full swing of computer consulting. Because you are mostly available on nights and weekends, you have to start thinking creatively and flexibly about your moonlighting jobs. Start thinking about using vacation days, personal days and sick days to work with clients. If you can take long lunches, go in late and leave early, you will have better luck with your 9-5 moonlighting jobs. You can even work in a networking breakfast if you come in late to work. If your day job does not have the potential to be flexible, you will have a very hard time finding the ideal moonlighting jobs to grow your business.

Securing good moonlighting jobs in the small business arena means being flexible and persistent while making sacrifices that will help you create a good client base that can help you more smoothly transition into the world of full time computer consulting.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

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The 2006 National Entertainment State

Ten years ago, The Nation mapped out what it called "The National Entertainment State," plotting out the major entertainment conglomerates.  Now, they've revisited that map, adding in Internet influences to Disney, GE, News Corp. and other media giants.  The Nation explains the glaring absence of up-and-comers like Google and Yahoo by saying "they do not own--not yet, anyway--the major television networks, which remain Americans' #1 source of news."

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A new era in IT services

IDC's recent study showed that the rate of demand for IT services will increase 5.4% in the next four years. Things have been somewhat stagnant for the past few years and IT companies can look forward to upcoming growth.

Although news remains good for IT companies, there will still be competition. Organizational structures and company needs are quickly changing, and IT consulting firms will have to be up to the challenge, offering innovative ideas.

IT companies are also adopting pay-as-you-go subscription-based services for their clients. Companies tend to save money with this kind of setup and IT consultants can stay up to date with their clients' ever-changing needs.

To learn more about the predicted changes in IT services in the next few years, read the entire article (link above).

Blogged by Computer Consulting Kit

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Compliance Announcements Show Breadth of Concerns

Government regulations generally cause more difficulties for IT consultants than anything else. As the virtual IT department for a company, it is your responsibility to ensure that the company meets all government regulations.

Input is a research group that studies government businesses. They found in their recent study that "almost half of federal IT security executives lack a specific plan to help their agencies meet an October deadline for compliance with the Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12)."

According to Glenn Groshans, Symantec's senior director of business opportunities and alliances: "The number of people tuned into storage issues is growing; we see about 75 percent of our [security partners] working with storage now. People are tuned into the fact that they have to plug all their holes, and compliance is a huge driver of that."

Learn more about compliance concerns and IT consulting in the full article (link above).

Posted by Joshua Feinberg

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Experts Say Solution Providers Need to Focus on Customer Relationships and Simplicity

With an economy that is becoming more and more global, solution providers are starting to question their role. According to expert IT marketing consultant Geoffrey Moore, solution providers need only focus on their strengths with customer relationships and keeping it simple.

Moore feels that VARs and solution providers need to get more creative about marketing, and that up until recently American IT companies have had the advantage. If a foreign company wanted to compete in the industry, it had to create a U.S.-based branch of its business. The increase of broadband service throughout the world is quickly changing the landscape for solution providers and IT professionals, forcing American companies to expand their reach and foreign companies to find their businesses more in the game.

Moore states that American companies that focus on their customers and not just technology advancements will have the advantage in the new marketplace. Solution providers that are diligent about maintaining and strengthening relationships with their clients will thrive.

Moore spoke at the Citrix Online launch seminar of GoToWebinair in New York City last Thursday on this subject and others. His assessments were consistent with reports that research and development spending among competitive IT companies has been reduced recently.

More information on Moore’s commentary about solutions providers and their role in the current economy can be found in the attached link.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

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IT Consultants: IBM Gets Outsourcing Contract with Arla Foods

IT consultants from IBM are set to take over the development and management tasks of operations in Denmark and Sweden-based company Arla Foods starting on July 1. As part of this agreement, IT consultants will provide consulting services, development and facility management for IT operations for seven years. 130 members, 100 Danish and 30 Swedish members of Arla’s IT staff will move to IBM. Approximately 30 It consultants will stay with Arla in order to assess the company’s needs and report them frequently to IBM, acting as negotiators between the two companies as part of the outsourcing agreement.

Experts are not surprised Arla chose IBM, as the food services company has already worked with the computer business by allowing it to run its servers. IBM is currently the leading provider of IT services in Denmark, having overtaken the Danish provider Maersk Data in the summer of 2004. In the past two years, IBM has secured deals for IT consultants with companies including Carlsberg and Lego.

Arla is a global company with production centers in Denmark, Sweden, the UK, Germany, Poland, Canada, the U.S. and even the Middle East and China. Because of its scope, company leaders were looking for a more globally-minded IT service provider. The current deal with IBM is mainly a method to support IT infrastructure at Arla’s headquarters, but the company hopes to be able to apply IT support strategies to other regions and areas as well.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

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PC Purchases: The Benefits of Adding Network Cards

Network cards are no longer optional additions to your system. Adding a network card later may be the same price as the bundle but your clients should go ahead and purchase the network card with the system anyway.

Even the smallest offices now have cable Internet, wireless routers, and peer-to-peer networking. With these important changes network cards have become mandatory parts of computer systems. Most manufacturers include a network card automatically.

If the manufacturer installs the card, then everything will already be set up and properly configured so that your clients can immediately start using the card. Ethernet adapters are also an option, but if they fail, you will likely have to replace the motherboard if it's out of warranty.

Learn more about the benefits of adding network cards when you read the full article (link above).

Posted by Computer Consulting Kit

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How to Become a Computer Consultant

You may have considered becoming a computer consultant in the past but doubted your ability to make it in the profession. If you have the right technical and non-technical skills, however, you will have a good chance.

The need for computer consultants is growing, and you can make a name for yourself in your community by providing high-quality service. You can increase your income, because you will be in charge of the clients you work with and the prices you set.

If you already work in the computer consultant field as a technician, you likely already have the technical skills you need to start a business. For more advanced skills, you will likely hire a subcontractor anyway.

There are some non-technical skills you need as well, so be sure to ask yourself these questions before branching out on your own:

• Are you self-motivated?
  
  
• Can you maintain the drive to work just as though you had an employer looking over your shoulder?
  
  
• Are you ready to wear the many "hats" (i.e. accounting, marketing, sales, operations, etc.) self-employment requires?

Learn more about becoming a computer consultant by reading the entire article (link above).

Blogged by Joshua Feinberg

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What Types of IT Certifications Will Benefit Your Clients?

Small businesses have very specific needs in terms of support needs, including desktop support and LAN skills. So what specific IT certifications are necessary in order to best serve your sweet spot small business clients?

TASKS FOR CLIENTS

Small business sweet spot clients will be looking for your expertise regarding popular desktop applications, including the following items: Microsoft Office; Intuit QuickBooks; Interact ACT! and others. They will also need help completing hardware upgrades and setting up shared folder backup systems as part of a plan to keep antivirus and firewall software current. They may also need PDA support and network help.

THE NEEDS OF MICRO SMALL BUSINESSES

Micros small businesses, those with less than 10 PCs of the P2P variety don’t need a lot of IT certifications from their support staff. To them IT certifications are status symbols that mean they must pay more for simple support from someone that is overqualified.

IT CERTIFICATIONS AND REAL IT MANAGERS

When you are selling your services to an actual IT manager in larger small businesses with 50 or more systems, you will find that IT certifications become incredibly important. A real IT manager knows first-hand details about IT certifications and is typically certified. He will look for you to be a very deep specialist to compliment and fill in the gaps of his general work.

For example, the IT manager might have a Microsoft Exchange Server installation, and will want to bring your consulting firm in if the IT certifications reflect skills in forms development or hooking up Java-based applications. Your IT certifications in this instance will be vital.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg

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Mothers of the Future May be Older... Much Older

Research unveiled at the 22nd annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Prague gives hope to women who want to freeze their eggs for later fertilization, perhaps decades down the road. Using the new technique, called Cryotop, eggs have a 90% survival rate, yield a pregnancy rate of 42%. The process prevents formation of ice crystals that can damage eggs.

Until now, freezing of unfertilized eggs has been a trickier process than freezing of sperm or embryos. But techniques such as Cryotop will provide new options to women who want to preserve their eggs for later fertilization.

The entire process of in vitro fertilization (IVF) adds a new wrinkle to the birth process, and the differences between our physiology and modern society. IVF is popular because women increasingly want to delay childbirth until they are financially stable and otherwise in a good position to start a family. Yet this might not occur until relatively late in life -- and with increasing lifespans, women might choose to wait to have children until their 50s, 60s or even later.

This, of course, conflicts with the way that the human body has evolved over the last 150,000 years. Until about 100 years ago, women's peak childbearing years were in their teens and early 20s; after that, with lowered fertility, they could help their daughters raise their children, and relatively few women lived long past menopause. Therefore, infertility had a social benefit, and post-menopause was a rare and unnatural condition.

Today, we discourage teen girls and young women from having children, urging them to focus on their educations and other aspects of life. Meanwhile, women in their 50s may have 40 or 50 healthy years ahead of them -- years that they might want to devote to parenthood.

As our notions of aging and childbirth change, so will our expected timeline for starting a family. Some futurists believe that people might have multiple families at different times in their lives, while others believe that people's youth (teen years through their 30s) will be devoted to self-fulfillment, with marriage and childbirth reserved for what we today consider to be "midlife."

Source: Eurekalert

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The Computer Consulting Business and Client Issues with Cost

In order to ease clients through the process of accepting your solutions in the computer consulting business, you have to stress value and return on investment (ROI) instead of presenting your services as an expense. Even though each client will have different ideas of what is “expensive” or “affordable” with your computer consulting business, you need to make sure they all understand, regardless of their ideals, that your networking solution is worth it.

AN EXAMPLE

As an example, if you are working with an insurance agency, it might have 11 employees and PCs running Microsoft Windows 98, Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional desktop and notebook PCs. The agency might be attempting to hire three new independent contractors (either part-time or virtual employees). Each agent at the company might currently have their own modem line, modem and dial-up account once with the company for 90 days. This means every agent costs approximately $25 per month to support plus message units.

HOW TO COMMUNICATE COSTS

With 40 hours per week of Internet access, the cost of the analog line will go up to $60/month. Then $20/month will be added for a dial-up account, meaning that for 14 agents and employees, your computer consulting prospect will spend over $1,100 per month for analog lines and dial-up ISP accounts. Even if your computer consulting client or prospect uses no component of your networking solution aside from the centrally managed, shared secure high-speed Internet connection, his investment will only take a few months to show noticeable improvement.

COMMUNICATING BENEFITS

Besides monetary gains, your computer consulting business prospect will gain more control over his business, administration and Internet usage monitoring. These benefits are almost priceless in the long-run, so the prospect can already afford your computer consulting business’ solution because they will see a return on their investment both monetarily and structurally within just a few months.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101

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Nielsen Will Measure Online, Portable Media Viewers

Realizing that audiences are viewing video content through many media other than TV, Nielsen Media Research will begin measuring viewership through the Web, video iPods, DVRs and video-capable cell phones. The new program, called "Anytime Anywhere Media Measurement," (A2/M2) will enable a variety of new-media producers to measure their ratings -- opening up new possibilities for advertising and other forms of sponsorship, and providing a better understanding of viewer demographics and behavior. Measurement of portable media will be especially revealing.

Nielsen will begin rolling out A2/M2 this summer, but sees full implementation as a multi-year initiative.

Source: BuzzMachine

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"Star Trek" Fans Create Their Own New Episodes

Hardcore fans of Star Trek are adding a whole new meaning to the adage, "If you want something done right, do it yourself." With no new Star Trek series or episodes currently in the works, fans are writing and producing their own original episodes, and making them available online.

Digital technology is putting a whole new spin on fan fiction, giving enthusiasts the tools to create and distribute entire episodes that explore different themes, create new characters and re-interpret existing ones, and that are as optimistic, funny or dark as their creators want them to be. Among the productions available online -- featuring varying levels of technical sophistication -- are Hidden Frontier, StarshipExeter.com, Starship Farragut, and Star Trek New Voyages.

One would think that the copyright attorneys at Paramount Studios, which owns the rights to Star Trek, would be having fits over these ventures. But admirably, Paramount is taking a hands-off approach, regarding the producers as hobbyists who don't profit from their work. Plus, most of these productions honor the original spirit of Star Trek, which would give Paramount little concern. Some of the original Star Trek actors are even getting involved in the productions.

These productions, combined with the copyright holder's benevolent attitude, may set a new precedent for fans wishing to breathe new life into their favorite TV shows or movies. The most creative and successful ones might even find that their passion will translate into profit.

Source: New York Times

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IT Consulting Firm CITI Gets Department of Defense Contract

Leading IT consulting firm Creative Information Technology, Inc. (CITI) announced last Thursday it would be providing IT consulting and management services to the Department of the Navy through a Seaport-e IT contract. CITI will offer system engineering, design, software development, network support and many other services to the Department of Defense through this contract.

IT consulting company CITI’s CEO Sunil Kolhekar states that this contract is a major step forward for the firm. The company has worked with several civilian agencies, including State, HUD, Commerce and others in the past ten years of business, but looks forward to serving the Navy and expanding its scope.

The Seaport-e contract was developed by the NAVESEA Warfare Centers with a web-based e-business procurement portal and was created to help service acquisition, improve buying power and general business. Several other Navy groups use this contract in order to help support a variety of programs and services. Through this contract, CITI and other IT consulting firms and vendors can support agencies outside the Navy Department.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

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Solution Providers Partnership: Juice Media Joins with LEI Financial, Inc.

Quickly expanding solution providers at Juice Media announced on June 15 that they would be partnering with LEI Holdings, including all its different divisions: LEI Financial; LEI Mexico; LEI Financial Services and Lyons Realty.

Juice Media is one of few solution providers today offering advanced marketing technologies. LEI hopes this partnership will help communications, tracking and the company’s online message, ultimately increasing revenues. The two companies are also working to create custom video messages and video tours for existing clients to help increase awareness of properties and investments available in both the U.S. and Mexico. LEI has always had a very customer-driven plan and is making plans, thanks to this partnership with solution providers at Juice Media to better their already excellent services.

Solution providers at Juice media combine automated messaging with online video, creating a package that allows for very detailed tracking and business analysis. The San Diego-based company hopes to work together with LEI to find new methods of using online resources and customer information. Juice’s philosophy centers around education, motivation and solutions that help achieve realistic goals that create, overall, a better marketing experience for clients.

Blogged By: Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit

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Stereo Systems: Yet Another Victim of iPod Disruption

Music purchased on physical media (CD, tapes, etc.) apparently isn't the only technology that the iPod is disrupting:

Indeed, by plugging the iPod into a pair of speakers, many people are dispensing with a traditional home hi-fi set up altogether. The sound quality isn't as good (purists say), but it's good enough, and for many - perhaps most - of us the gain in control and simplicity easily outweighs the disadvantages. So the iPod signals the end of another, if less malign, producer tyranny - hi-fi manufacturers beware...

One lesson is the importance of using the right medium, and executing it properly. The iPod is a textbook example of getting applications - for playing, organising and buying music - to work seamlessly together through the net without dropping you between the gaps. The second is simplicity. The more complicated the product, the harder it has to work to make you love it. A large part of the iPod's appeal is how easy it is to use - put another way, the fact that nothing gets between you and what you want from it.

Long ago, complicated tape decks, turntables, equalizers and amplifiers -- all driving sound through massive speakers -- were the ultimate status symbols for audiophiles. Indeed, their size and complexity (embodying everything the iPod is not) was a large part of their appeal. Then "boom boxes" (remember those) made music portable, simpler and more controllable. Today, the PC/laptop, coupled with the MP3 player, has displaced the hi-fi system for the most part.

Sources: Guardian, Emergic

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Staying Away from Small Business Computer Consulting Moochers

Even when you are just starting out in the small business computer consulting business you will find yourself confronted with a lot of moochers. Whether you call these computer consulting problems vampires, cheapskates or freeloaders you have to cut them off from the beginning to save your business.

WHAT’S THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM?

You need to make your mission clear to prospects that have unrealistic visions of the cost of professional computer consulting services. It is your job to convince them that hiring your firm is an investment towards their future business rather than just an expense. Highlight the concrete benefits of what your computer consulting firm can deliver and how this outweighs any out-of-pocket costs prospects or clients might find painful.

MAKING PREDICTIONS IN SMALL BUSINESS COMPUTER CONSULTING

Because you are selling very specialized computer consulting services, your mission and value predictions will be different from your competitors. To convince potential moochers and regular clients that your firm is the best option, the following tool is important.

Look for small business decision makers that pay for other B2B services, including accountants, legal services, PR services or marketing efforts. These prospects will already be accustomed to paying for highly skilled professional services that cost $100 per hour , so the idea of having a retained professional services provider at $1,000 per month or more will not be surprising.

SMART WORK

Your sales staff will find it more efficient to go after leads and prospects that are qualified than to try to talk potential freeloaders or those without a clue about computer consulting value into accepting your solutions. In your area there will most likely be hundreds, if not thousands of leads and prospects that understand the value of computer consulting services, leaving you no excuses to go after small businesses that might suck you dry of time and resources.

Added By: Computer Consulting Kit

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Computer Consulting Services is About Selling Peace of Mind

For many small business clients, your computer consulting services will be an important part of an insurance policy. Your service agreement will tell them what is covered as part of this policy and what is not and will give them boundaries. Each month, quarter or year you will collect a deposit from them that is like a premium payment.

COMPUTER CONSULTING SERVICES AND VALUE

Small business owners will be likely to pay you premiums on time because they want to ensure you will stand behind them when they need you. Your computer consulting services will be treated as security, and you should acknowledge clients see them this way by stressing the value of your services. You can even add security and data protection as part of your major selling points.

THE BEST FOUNDATION FOR SECURITY

You should emphasize security and data protection measures into all computer consulting services sales presentations. A P2P network is definitely not as secure as the client/server network you are pushing. Therefore, a P2P network only allows for “share-level” access, meaning anyone that connects to it has the same username and password combination and there is no control over how much access users get and no way to end access once an individual leaves the company.

STRESSING COMPUTER CONSULTING SERVICES

A dedicated server, as opposed to a P2P network offers more control over access and sharing. Every person can have a password and username, and pointing out this feature to prospects and clients will strengthen your case. Security with this type of network also offers greater flexibility; with P2P networks, security can be controlled only in the area of sharing, whereas with a dedicated service, control can be exerted down to the level of specific files.

As part of your computer consulting services presentation, ask the following hypothetical question of clients and prospects: would you rather give employees free access to an entire room full of filing cabinets or just some hanging folders in specific drawers that are important to their specific jobs?

Blogged By: Joshua Feinberg

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Political Blogging Gets More Interesting with Age

The YearlyKos convention held by the liberal blog Daily Kos last week attracted a lot of media attention -- and not merely because of the high-profile Democrats who showed up. YearlyKos was cited by many pundits as one more sign of the mainstreaming of bloggers in the political arena, and the meeting of the digital and "real world" spaces. Surely, its only a matter of time before conservative blogs host a gathering of their own.

Political blogs have been making their presence known since the 2004 election (even though Daily Kos and other liberal blogs couldn't get John Kerry elected). Increasingly, the impact of political blogging is appearing in unexpected ways:

• The government of Iran is recognizing the potential power of blogging. It has reportedly gone so far to set up an "Office of Religious Blogs," through which bloggers can receive technical training and support (and obstenibly be "coached" to write pro-regime posts). The office claims to have trained 500 novice bloggers.


• Republican strategist Jack Burkman, who has appeared as a commentator on Scarborough Country and other political cable shows, has been accused of trying to solicit sex from a girl who was attending the recent DC Pride parade. The girl, who claims Burkman gave her his business card, blogged about the alleged encounter on MySpace.

RELATED: It wasn't blogging, but it's an example of how politics, sex and technology can get all jumbled up. When chatting with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl, former DHS press aide Brian Doyle said that President Bush was a "nice guy but not a good president ... he is not very bright and it is evident ... bush is a liar ... there were NO weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. total lie to go to war." Of course, with his real intention apparently being to seduce the "girl" (actually an undercover police officer), openly mocking his boss's boss would be the least of his worries... especially after he was arrested in April.

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Computer Consulting Business: Know about Vendor Hard Drive Replacement

The business owners you will be working with aren't likely to come from a technical background. Instead, they'll be from the business world, and they won't understand why a failed hard drive can't simply be replaced by a new or refurbished one.

In order to help your clients understand the process, you need to fully understand it yourself. You should know all about formatting a hard drive, loading the OS, configuring device drivers, loading software applications, customizing the OS and applications and restoring data.

Additionally, you will need to understand the types of warranties available to your clients through the vendor. Clients will assume that they should be able to get a warranty for little to nothing, but this is not usually the case. Since hard drives are generally only about $100 to $200, your clients may consider letting their guru do it themselves. You need to warn them, though, that this could take the guru, and possibly another person, away from their jobs for half a day or longer.

Learn more about educating your clients on vendor hard drive replacement when you read the entire article (link above).

Added by Computer Consulting 101

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IT Reentry Strategies; Joshua Feinberg Interviewed

Joshua Feinberg was recently interviewed by Monster Tech Jobs Expert, Allan Hoffman. Allan's article discusses the challenges consultants faced when returning to IT consulting after a hiatus. Although difficult this task is not impossible.

Joshua shared his rather optimistic viewpoint with Hoffman: "Up to two years, returning to IT is very possible. Between two and five years, it's possible but difficult. More than five years, you'd be facing an uphill battle."

Hoffman also provided these important steps that consultants should take when reentering the IT field:

* Stay in close touch with your network.

* Retain your old technical skills and develop new ones while you're gone.

* Remain enthusiastic about IT consulting.

* Keep your motivation and initiative even while you're on hiatus.

To learn more helpful hints when reentering the IT field, read the full article (link above).

Blogged by Computer Consulting Kit

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