Keeping Cloud Computing Costs in Check

keeping cloud computing costs down

The cloud is a boon for companies with small budgets and small (or no) IT staff. It is seen as a way to keep costs in check.

But as so often happens with budgets, there are expenditures that you plan for, and then there are the costs that  seem to appear out of nowhere.

The cloud, of course, is not immune to cost overruns. According to Carl Fransen with CTECH in Calgary, Alberta, cloud-related costs seem to be nice at the start  but can add up after a while.  “Many cloud services charge extra for exceeded bandwidth, extra processor power, etc.,”…

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The Entrepreneur’s Guide To Writing Faster Articles For SEO

We all know the importance of writing quality articles for your website. Without great content, search engines can’t find you and visitors won’t stay on your website. If you write a bad article, people will leave. If you don’t write an article at all, you’ll never have the chance of being found.

There is a success formula I use every time that helps me generate traffic to my website through the art of writing articles. It’s not the conventional ways of generating traffic such as video marketing, search engine optimization and pay per click advertising. It’s the simple act of writing articles faster.…

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Shaking Hands in Cyberspace

In the good old days, a town’s small businesses (the barbershop, the general store, the soda fountain) served as the hub of a community. Employees and customers were typically on a first name basis, and any sales conversations began with inquiries about family and life events.

Even if you still live in a small town where that sort of community exists, it’s possible that you make your living online, dealing with customers you’ll never meet face-to-face. Although it takes some extra effort through the web, you can create real relationships that make clients feel special and encourage loyalty, repeat business, and word-of-mouth marketing.…

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5 Tips to Succeed in Your Startup

5 business startup tips

Businesses start up nearly every day all over the U.S. Many entrepreneurs are lean and mean when it comes to setting up their businesses. They’ve learned all the right lessons to starting a business. Consider these steps below to create a successful startup.

1. Stick With What You Know

Start a business in an area of familiarity or industry expertise. Doing what you love has a direct relation to how successful a startup can be. This also enables you to anticipate the needs of potential customers and clients.

2. Make A Plan

Your well-researched business plan should be your company guide for the first few months of business.…

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Five Items Needed To Keep Your Office Safe

items needed for a safe office

Although industrial workplaces may have more incidents of serious injury, those operating businesses in normal office environments must also concern themselves with the safety and well-being of their employees. The following lists some of the items all offices should have on hand for emergencies.

1. First Aid Kit. No office is complete without a basic first aid kit. Employers should store an adequate number of first aid kits, based on the number of employees, in prominent locations throughout the office. At a minimum, each kit should contain bandages, antibiotic ointment, hot and cold packs, burn cream, rubbing alcohol, over-the-counter pain relievers, throat lozenges, and tweezers.…

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8 Do’s and Don’ts When Confronting a Customer about Delinquent Accounts

If you’re a small business owner who operates on credit, than you know all too well what it feels like when a payment date passes and you still haven’t received your check. To get paid, you have to confront the customer.

Confronting a Customer about Delinquent Accounts

However, this communication is crucial, so make sure when an account is first past due, you follow these 8 do’s and don’ts to reach out to the customer successfully.

“¢   Do send a letter first – When the payment date first passes, immediately respond with a reminder letter.

“¢   Don’t send a generic letter – Don’t send the same letter to all customers.…

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Streamlining Your Workstation For Productivity

What’s all the fuss about keeping a clean desk? In college, my favorite professor had stacks of books and articles that rivaled the Empire State Building. CEOs like Apple’s Steve Jobs and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos have even been photographed at desks that didn’t exactly display a model of organization.

streamline your desk for better productivity

Still, if you’re running a small business, you want things to work efficiently. That boils all the way down to your work station, both as an example to your employees and a place where you can be as productive as possible in the least amount of time necessary.

At the end of the day, your desk should have little more on it than your computer, keyboard, mouse pad, phone, and perhaps a framed photograph of a loved one.…

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Five Ways New Business Owners Can Save Money

5 tips for cutting business expenses

Starting a new business is a gamble, especially in the current economic climate. You might have a winning concept, excellent leads and the drive to succeed, but how do you keep your business afloat until the money rolls in?

1. Review Your Bills. There’s no need for both landlines and mobile phones – cut out the landlines and call clients from your office for free with Google Talk. Your insurance plan is another area in which you could cut costs, at least temporarily. Go with a plan that offers a higher deductible to cut monthly premiums.

2. Shop Smart. Planning ahead when it comes to shopping is critical.…

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Marketing Like A Kung Fu Master

When 18 year old Bruce Lee arrived in America in 1959 he had several things working against him. He only had $100 in his pocket, barely spoke the language, and had no employment prospects. However, he did have an insatiable desire to bring his love of the martial arts to all Americans.

Determined to introduce Americans to his style of martial arts, Lee didn’t allow the lack of a marketing budget deter him getting his message out. In fact you may consider Bruce Lee a marketing pioneer in that he mastered the art of free demonstrations long before infomercials gained popularity!…

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Prevent Cyber Crime: Tips To Combat Cyber Criminals At Your Company

preventing cyber crimes in your business

Imagine what would happen if your company’s data was compromised. Cybercrime can cause a company to lose money, credibility and customer trust. Cyber criminals work hard to gain access to your files and personal information. Needless to say, protecting your company against cybercrime should be a priority.

Don’t Rely on Firewalls Alone

Just because your company’s network is protected by a firewall doesn’t mean it’s totally safe. While the use of mobile marketing, desktop mobility and social media make branding and engagement easier, these new technologies also make data much more vulnerable to malicious threats. Because the threats are constantly evolving, the approach to cyber security has to follow suit.…

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