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Strip Away The BS! What You Need To Score Big With Your Marketing

UlisticListen to today’s episode HERE.

Today Karl talks to Ulistic’s Stuart Crawford who gives a run down on the types of public relations they do for their managed service provider clients. Ulistic is a full-service marketing agency for MSPs that includes services that cover outsourced web-marketing, business websites, social media, email blasting, case study writing, Google AdWords, and more!

 

Dave Seibert

Dave Seibert, from IT Innovators, talks about the various IT conferences he is involved with currently, to include the SMB TechFest quarterly conference and the SMB Online Conference.

 

Rayanne BuchianicoRayanne Buchianico also joins us in our Oddballs segment and gives a QuickBooks tip on how to handle bounced checks.

 

 

 

 

Click to listen to today’s episode!

Odd Tuesdays

 

Listen out for today’s listener coupon to save on Karl’s upcoming 4th annual MSP Online Conference!

MSP Conference

 

*LINKS from today’s episode*

* SMB Online Conference 2015
June 23 – 25
Online
Find Out More HERE.

*ASCII Success Summit Tours
June 24 – 25
New York / New Jersey
Find Out More HERE.

* Windows 10 Behind the Curtain Event
June 23rd
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Find Out More HERE.

* Windows 10 Behind the Curtain Event
June 25th
Austin, TX
Find Out More HERE.

* Webinar – Globalization of SMB – Featuring TechSoup’s Chris Worman
June 30th – 10:00AM Pacific
Online *Free*
Register now HERE.

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter.
Sign up at KarlsNews.com to sign up!

Business Solutions for MSPs

Listen to today’s episode HERE.

Bernadette Wilson_OT_5Bernadette Wilson, Associate Editor of Business Solutions Magazine, joins the show today to talk about the resources and articles the magazine provides for IT channel company executives, VARs, integrators, and MSPs.

Bernadette also highlights some current article features and updates listeners on their current Channel Transitions conference tour (Odd Tuesdays listeners are given a special code in the interview to access a free pass to one of the conferences.).

Rayanne Buchianico

 

Resident Oddball Rayanne Buchianico also joins the show in our Oddballs segment. Rayanne runs through tips on how to make use of downloading bank transactions via QuickBooks.

 

The episode also includes the latest in Tech News and upcoming tech events!

 

Click to listen to today’s episode!

Odd Tuesdays

 

Listen out for today’s listener coupon to save $$ on the upcoming MSP Online Conference!

MSP Online Conference

 

*LINKS from today’s episode*

* ASCII Success Summit Tours
May 27 – 28
Chicago, IL
Find Out More HERE.

* WITI Summit (Women In Technology)
May 31 – June 2
San Jose, CA
Find Out More HERE.

* LabTech Automation Nation
June 1 – 3
Orlando, FL
Find Out More HERE.

* Webinar – Globalization of SMB Series
May 26th – 10:00 AM Pacific
*Free* Registration HERE.

* Great Little Seminar Online Courses 
June 2 – June 30
Online Classes
Financial Processes that Make All the Difference
Register HERE.

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter.
Sign up at KarlsNews.com to sign up!

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SaaSMAX’s Reseller-Friendly Apps

SaaSMAXListen to today’s episode HERE.

Today we are joined by SaaSMAX CEO Dina Moskowitz and VP Partner Clinton Gatewood to discuss the marketplace they have available of reseller-friendly SaaS applications.

During the discussion it is revealed that SMBs have on average 8-9 SaaS applications, particularly managing marketing and sales business activities. Clinton notes that following their SaaSMAX blog, WiseSaaS, is a good way to learn of new and upcoming applications.

Sales Coach Gil Cargill joins the show as well to give a teaser on his upcoming presentation in the June MSP Online Conference.

Rayanne BuchianicoRayanne Buchianico also joins us today in our Oddballs segment. Rayanne shares tips on keeping things simple with your business accounting.

 

Click to listen to today’s episode.

Odd Tuesdays

 

Listen out for today’s listener coupon to save $$$ on MSP classes over at GreatLittleSeminars!

MSP Online Class
CLICK TO ENLARGE

 

*LINKS from today’s episode*

* Robin Robins Boot Camp
Apr 22 – 25
Nashville, TN
More info HERE.

* SMBTech Fest
Apr 23 – 24
Anaheim, CA
More info HERE.

* ChannelNext East
April 27 – 28
Quebec, Canada
More info HERE.

* Great Little Seminar Online Courses
Apr 28 – May 26
Online Class – Managing Your Service Board – Setup, Core SOPs, and Daily Procedures
Register HERE.

* ASCII Texas
April 29-30
Austin, TX
More info HERE.

* Globalization of SMB Webinar Series
April 28, 10AM Pacific: With Special Guest Richard Tubb!
Online
*Free* Registration HERE.

 

You can find a full 2015 listing of MSP & Tech events happening in Karl’s weekly newsletter.
Sign up at KarlsNews.com to sign up!

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Generating Leads With Social Ammo

Social Ammo

While on our 2014 Roadshow, Karl and I met a fan in Sydney who spoke extremely highly of a lead generation company that secured him so many leads for his MSP business, he was considering removing any in-house sales positions that currently had lead generation responsibility. He raved that the difference in results from Social Ammo compared to his in-house team in teeing up new business was night and day.

 

Today Karl talks to Social Ammo’s Peter Caddick who shares how his company got started and how they can specifically help MSPs create leads. The focal point of Social Ammo’s efforts is on data mining LinkedIn connections, which can perhaps be viewed as daunting work or even an unproductive way in which an MSP can gain new business. Peter explains just how they take the reins of this strategy and outlines how successful it can be.  

 Rayanne Buchianico

Rayanne Buchianico also joins us today in our Oddballs segment. Rayanne gives step-by-step instruction on how to enter bartering transactions into QuickBooks.

 

Click to listen to today’s episode!  Odd Tuesdays

 

 

 

 

 

The 4th annual SMBOnline Conference, Time to Thrive-2015, is now accepting registrations!

The first 50 to register, get all 3 days for just $99. Don’t miss out! Visit SMBOnlineConference.com to register!

SMB Online Conference

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Systematic Success Breakdown

Online Conference

 

We at Small Biz Thoughts recently held our 3rd annual Online Conference and today’s Odd Tuesdays episode features snippets from some of the best keynotes this year.

The Systematic Success 2014 Conference featured 12 of the best business and technology speakers from North America and the UK in our ongoing pursuit to bring the best practices and tips for MSPs to your “online door”.

 

Rayanne Buchianico

We also welcome back Rayanne Buchianico in our Oddballs segment.

Rayanne offers tips on the Desktop Premier version of QuickBooks vs. the Online Essentials version.

 

Also announced in this episode is that Karl’s latest book is out!

 

Project Management

The Project Management in Small Business book, co-authored with Dana J Goulston, features project planning & management processes that are quick to learn and easy to teach to your assistants, fellow techs, and sub-contractors.

The book highlights the processes for dealing with spinoff work and is a true How-To on managing scope creep!

 

 

 Click below to hear July 15th’s show:

Odd Tuesdays

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How business-grade Sync is Changing The Security and Remote Access Landscape

efolder
More geek talk & tech news in today’s 7th episode of Odd Tuesdays!

 

Our special guest is Ted Hulsy, VP of Marketing at eFolder.  Ted talks to Karl about sync and security for MSPs and VARs. Ted also notes a number of eFolder offerings that can make business clients happy. Ted extends a free-trial offer as well for listeners.

 

Rayanne Buchianico

 

Also on today’s episode, Rayanne Buchianico, from ABC Solutions and one of our resident Oddballs, continues her QuickBooks tips segment with today’s tips surrounding the variety of preferences you can take advantage of in making QuickBooks much more user friendly with daily entries.

 

 

Click below to hear April 15th’s show:

Odd Tuesdays

 

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Lead with Training, Follow With Managed Services

Bigger Brains
Karl talks to Chip Reaves, from Bigger-Brains, about their Bigger MSP Program.

Chip says the program is a high quality video series featuring online training for business professionals covering Windows 8, QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, Gmail, sales & marketing, and more. The training series has several key elements.

1) The training is compelling – Chip says the videos were filmed with multiple cameras in studio with a focus on engagement. He says any clients that have compared the Bigger-Brains training next to comparable online training programs have found the difference to be night and day. Often online training is quite boring with a simple voiceover and screen shots. He claims their training is a cut above the rest.

2) The training is convenient for the end user –  The videos are structured so you can do the 10-minute training sessions on basically any device that can access the internet.

3) The training was built with resellers in mind – Chip says the program is IT Channel focused and adds to the offerings MSPs have overall for their clients. It is noted that MSPs could put together creative bundles/packages featuring the online training and managed service plans.

There is some mention that MSPs often neglect to consider the budgets SMBs designate annually for training, which goes beyond the IT budgets MSPs normally target. In fact, it is noted that this can be a good angle in targeting more business, with MSPs first earning new clients based on business professional training offerings and then moving into a managed services soft sell. Karl mentions that another angle to consider is that as the economy begins to recover, there are untapped government grants that pay for people to get training. MSPs could educate themselves about such grants and include that in pitches to potential clients.

Chip encourages anyone considering their training to check out their website at http://biggermsp.com. He also notes the further training Bigger-Brains is currently developing, to include a HIPAA training they hope to have up and running by the end of March 2014.

Bob Nitrio, Computer WallahAlso featured in this Odd Tuesdays episode is our returning Oddball Computer Wallah Bob Nitrio discussing Software Defined Networks (SDN).

 

 

 

Click below to hear March 18th’s show:

Odd Tuesdays

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Bigger Brains & Oddballs

Bigger Brains

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Join us March 18th when Chip Reaves from Bigger-Brains talks to Karl about the Bigger MSP Program.

Bigger-Brains has put together a series of studio-quality, unique training programs. The courses are highly interactive – a cut about the typical “screenshot and lecture” training videos.

Bigger-Brains allows MSPs access to selling these trainings as part of their Managed Services packages. Videos cover training in MS Office, QuickBooks, Sales, Marketing, and more.

The episode will feature as well our Tech News & Oddballs segment – More tech & MSP highlights to keep you going!

Odd Tuesdays

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HIPAA and HaaS

April Sage, Online TechApril Sage, from Online Tech, joins us to discuss HIPAA compliance – a topic our Odd Tuesdays audience has been asking more and more about (Follow Karl’s HIPAA Pinterest Board).

April encourages MSPs to embrace the notion of HIPAA compliance because trying to work against or get around the regulations can cause a lot of headaches. She says it is a good idea to become familiar with the Business Associates Agreement – a contract that outlines the accountabilities in the chain of trust and what the flow of responsibilities are. She notes that the Department of Human Services has a good example of what that agreement should look like (See link here).

Rayanne Buchianico joins us in her debut Oddballs segment. She discusses how to record Hardware as a Service (HaaS) in QuickBooks. She outlines four key points:

1) What to record right after you buy the equipment

2) How to set up the rental income accounts

3) How to track associated costs

4)  How to retire the item at the end of the lease term

Click below to hear March 4th’s show:

Odd Tuesdays