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....

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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,...

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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...

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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 SUPPORTEventually 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...

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

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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 ServicesYou 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...

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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: ePayN...

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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...

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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 BENEFITSThe 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 NEGATIVESThe 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...

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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 PEOPLEYou 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...

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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...

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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:...

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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: MS...

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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...

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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,...

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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 IMPORTANTIf things...

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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 PROTECTIONIf 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...

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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 ...

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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...

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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.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.Sell your small business prospects on YOUR company first.Your...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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:...

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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...

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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 new...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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 CLIENTSSmall 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 BUSINESSESMicros small businesses, those with less than 10 PCs of the P2P variety don’t need a lot of IT certifications...

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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...

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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 EXAMPLEAs 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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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 VALUESmall 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 SECURITYYou should...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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