IT Alliance invites Wayne Schulz to speak at April 2009 conference

April 26, 2009 by Wayne Schulz

The IT Alliance (ITA) has invited Wayne Schulz to speak and lead a workshop session April 28 at their 2009 conference being held in Atlanta Georgia.

The IT Alliance is a group of Value-Added Resellers (VARs), CPAs, Specialty Technology Consultants, Chief Information/Technology Officers, and Developers/Providers of Technology Products and Services (Vendors)

ITA is the only national organization where these constituencies come together as equals. Their members believe success comes through the sharing of the knowledge and experiences our different disciplines bring to the profession. They do this by active networking, this website www.italliance.com, surveys, newsletters, and biannual retreats. ITA is a place where independent thinking and alternative points of view are openly promoted and respected.

IT Alliance scope includes:

Hardware, Network Services, Security, Project Management, Business Management (CIO and Consulting), Systems Design and Implementation, Skills Education, and Certification.

Wayne’s session “To blog or not to blog” will cover the ways that organizations can use easy and inexpensive tools to publish content on their website that is helpful to site visitors.

IT Alliance Atlanta 2009 Agenda:

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Brochures & Catalogs consulting atlanta

Link: ITAlliance
Additional Info: Corporate Blogs: It’s The PageRank, Stupid

Sage Insights 2009 Tip: You Do Have A Better Web Strategy Than THIS – Right?

April 23, 2009 by Wayne Schulz

Is buying expensive Google Adwords your only web strategy?

I probably should keep my mouth shut and let the competition keep wasting their money.

It’s sad to see companies so lost in a lack of any web strategy that their only apparent online plan is to finance a bunch of random Google AdWords hoping that a big lead randomly lands in their lap.

If you’ve ever tried to sell to a raw Web lead then you know they are almost always using you for a discount, third bid or free advice can be some of the least qualified (and most expensive) types of potential customers.

Of course, done right, a web lead doesn’t have to be difficult to close. Many of them can turn into a $50,000 project. The key is to know the right way to market on the web so as to attract the quality leads – and repel the discount seekers, quick question askers and tire kickers.

Let me ask you this first – because maybe I’m making some incorrect assumptions…

You do have a better strategy than buying Google AdWords – or waiting for someone like a software publisher to deliver free leads to you. Right?

There’s nothing wrong with Google Adwords. They’re a great way to supplement an online strategy.

There’s also nothing wrong with free leads from a software publisher (assuming you can get them). These supplement any marketing strategy quite well.

Notice I’ve used the word “supplement”. It means “in addition to”

What’s your strategy online?

Have you developed any of the new tactics that people are talking about?

Twitter
Facebook
Friendfeed
Social Media Sites
Blogging

Or are you still talking with those in your office about how you “don’t get” some of these new tools?

How most of these new uncomfortable marketing tactics are huge wastes of time. You haven’t tried any of them for more than a day – but you’re pretty sure that they’re a waste of time.

Here’s another question.

How are TRADITIONAL marketing efforts such as: Direct Mail, Telemarketing, Lead Buying (Findaccountingsoftware, et al) working for you?

If you have not become involved in other methods of marketing (many of them free) and you are located in the Connecticut area – then I advise and hope that you stay home from the Insights 2009 conference. Insights is expensive and there’s no big announcements expected. The economy is crappy. Stay home and plug away at a more productive marketing activity like telemarketing because if you just put more effort (and a lot more money) into these old school tactics you’ll surely turn better results. If that doesn’t work just buy AdWords against my company name on Google.

For those NOT in Connecticut – the choice is yours.

If you’re interested in some of the new marketing methods (many totally free) that people are using to get business – be sure to attend Beyond The Hype – Social Media Marketing for B2B on Wednesday May 13 from 1:30 to 3:oo pm.

Here’s the Agenda:

The way to reach business decision makers is migrating from traditional marketing efforts to the Web. More and more consumers are researching their next purchases online using search engines and social media sites. This session will explore how you can use social media to grow traffic to your Web site, make real connections, and join the conversations already happening on social networking sites. Find out which social media sites work best for business, how to develop a strategy for success, how to measure your campaign’s effectiveness, and where this rapidly evolving medium may be taking us next.

I’m planning on attending to answer questions that may come up during the session from a Sage Business Partner point of view. Note that I’m not leading this session – but after it’s over I plan to stick around and answer any questions. Unless of course you’re from Connecticut.

Bloggers wanted – no pay, lousy hours, invaluable experience

March 27, 2009 by Wayne Schulz

First, I’m hopeful my competition is too lazy to find this post. You may not believe me when you read this – but it’s my secret marketing weapon. And it can become yours too – with just a little effort.

This really is a job posting. It’s a non-paying job — but it’s a job.

The only blog that I write for every morning from 4:30 to 7:30am (and often during the day) is looking for some volunteer writers.

What the hell does this have to do with Sage or accounting software?

How many of you have web sites?
How many of you update them every day?
How many of you publish email newsletters?

Uh-oh — I don’t see many hands up on the last two questions….

If you’re in marketing, sales or just technical support — trust me when I tell you that the ability to write and publish online is THE skill for the coming years.

You don’t even have to write WELL – you just have to DO IT.

A huge (almost 100%) of your competition doesn’t do this because they never get started…..well, they get started — with excuses….lame stuff like – I don’t know how or what to write.. .or. I can’t spell/type/compose a sentence.

I was a “C student” at best in English. It was the subject I hated with a passion. Still do. Now it’s my most useful marketing tool ever.

If you’re thinking about how to get started writing/blogging — the web site I write for has an excellent opportunity to get your feet wet and learn how it all happens.

YOU have to make the effort though.

You’ll learn how to write stories, use WordPress, edit yourself, come up with interesting topics (if you think writing “how to select accounting software” twice a month is an interesting topic to most customers – you’re dead wrong)

Sure, the economy sucks and clients suck and business sucks and employees suck.

Perfect time for you to learn a new skill

Interested? Read more at the following:

http://www.geardiary.com/2009/03/27/help-wanted-gear-diary-contributors/