BestBizCom

The Influencer Book – Changing the World

Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:14:17 -0700

A new book is about to be released that is closely tied to communications and business communications – Influencer: The Power to Change Anything. It is written by the same group of people who wrote the New York Times bestseller Crucial Conversations, another great book involving business communications. Influencer is scheduled for nationwide release to book stores on Oct 1, 2007. The authors are Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler of the company VitalSmarts.

I’m excited to get a copy of this book. Influencer is the culmination of a 20-year long project to document the best and most powerful ideas social science has accumulated in the past five decades. As one of the authors, Joseph Grenny, said: "Our new book describes vital work done by the most influential social scientist of the past 50 years who have shown repeatedly that most any behavior can be changed if you just know how to do it. In addition, we've traveled over 100,000 miles to report first-hand about the miraculous work of some quiet but brilliant influencers who have solved world-scale problems in world-class ways—by influencing the behavior of millions of human beings. The stories are astounding and the principles are life changing. We've felt a tremendous sense of responsibility to do justice to these ideas. I hope we came close. You be the judge!"

I feel this book could be very impactful and inspirational—it discusses scores of amazing people from all walks of life, business, and nationality, who have made real changes in this world, who have answered the question "How can one person change the world?" I’m curious to see the role of communications in these stories.

The book is available for pre-order online at a 34% discount through Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble if you order before Oct 1, 2007. Also, you can then access a free case study video about some of the Influencers around the world by going back to http://www.influencerbook.com/offer and entering your order confirmation #. Here is a great new Influencer book trailer video on YouTube:

Business Communication Integral to Online Timeshare Industry Success of SellMyTimeshareNOW.com

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 18:12:17 -0700

The process of communication between business buyer and business seller is facilitated online by SellMyTimeshareNOW.com, a company that uses its website to link timeshare sellers with buyers. A new press release speaks of the challenge of managing the communication between all these buyers and sellers in the timeshare industry, even on a global level.

BestBizCom "On Leave"

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:39:46 -0700

We’re sorry, but BestBizCom.com is currently “on leave” and inactive. However, please enjoy the existing valuable articles about business communication. Thank you!

Web-Scheduled Standard Conferences

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 18:38:12 -0700

One of the services that I use quite often is free telephone conferencing. Web-Scheduled Standard is a free telephone conferencing service that can be use immediately after signing up for a user account. The way it works is everyone participating in the conference call the same dial-in number. This service is free; the caller may be charged a long distance or tolls by their individual phone companies. The moderator or host of the conference usually calls in first and can have up to as many as 100 callers; although the conference begins when the first caller enters the conference and ends when the last caller exits the conference. The maximum time is 3 hours per conference call. This only one free conference calling service and they are great to use. I use them all the time.

Online Collaboration Service Octopz

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 16:21:03 -0700

Octopz is an online service that facilitates online collaboration, in either synchronous or asynchronous environments through the use of digital media, web conferencing, VoIP and content management technologies. You can easily import and collaborate on any printable document including Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Octopz requires no training or downloads. It features on-screen annotation and allows you to markup files and add personalized time-stamped comments, in text or audio format. You can invite people to participate by sending them invitations via email. You can collaborate and brainstorm using a shared online whiteboard. Communicate with other participants via text messaging and promote your company identity through custom branding.

Controlling Customers with GoToAssist?

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 15:05:41 -0700

Now here’s an online tool that really caught my eye. GoToAssist advertises to control your customers, resolve more support calls the first time and “significantly increase customer satisfaction.” It definitely does not sound like outsourcing. GoToAssist is a secure Web-based screen-sharing solution that enables full remote desktop sharing with mutual mouse and keyboard control between you and your customers. It requires no installation on end-user machines, and it works with firewalls. Get this, they guarantee you will see immediate results. Scott Antczak, Manager of Technical Support says, “With GoToAssist, we can handle more calls in the same amount of time, while improving the level of service.” Hey, you know me; I’m all for helping improve customer satisfaction.

Collaborate Online with WebEx Mail

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 13:59:48 -0700

WebEx Mail is a fully-hosted business-class email on the web. Although it is integrated in your WebOffice, it is equipped with all the features you’d expect from online collaboration and its accessible anywhere you may be working. With WebEx you get your own domain name. It provides SSL encryption for server connections that ensure a high level of security for your information. You can create mailboxes, assign permissions, manage contacts, and track travel and entertainment expenses for all employees online. It boasts to deliver a professional desktop-like email experience using your web browser. With right-click menus, drag-and-drop functionality, keyboard hotkeys and fast page updates.

Welcome Internet Fax Channel

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 12:15:14 -0700

Technology is getting mo better! Can I say mo? Anyhow, RingCentral Fax in a complete Internet fax solution that allows you to send, receive, broadcast and manage faxes for your business. Here’s how it works, you get a toll free or local fax number with which you can receive faxes in your e-mail inbox as well as in your own Web-based RingCentral account. This Internet fax is integrated with Microsoft Office so you can send a fax instantly from Word, Excel or Outlook along with your RingCentral tools. You get free fax software for signing, managing and editing faxes electronically. You can get a 7-day free trial and it costs an affordable $7.99 a month.

Free Lunch Seminar on Internet Telephony for Small Businesses

Sat, 14 Oct 2006 23:00:44 -0700

Internet telephony boasts revolutionizing business communications as BlueWave Computing hosts a free lunch seminar on Internet Telephony for small businesses. The free lunch seminar is to take place on October 26, in Atlanta, . BlueWave Computing is a computer and network management company that assists small and medium-sized businesses get back control of their technology. The event will be free to attend but only limited, reserved seating is available. BlueWave’s CEO Dr. Steven Vicinanza said, “Experts predict more than 75 percent of all businesses will end up using this technology so we wanted to create a risk-free, comfortable environment for business owners who want honest answers to their questions and help them identify a solution that works when they need it.” So if you’re a small business owner and in the vicinity, check it out.

Online Collaboration Makes Life Easier

Sat, 14 Oct 2006 21:50:20 -0700

It’s time to share a new product. Office 2.0 is new online collaboration that brings business communications and productivity through your web browser. Rajen Sheth at a conference said, “Office 2.0” collaboration will be about composing a document, publishing it, collaborating with others and then being able to easily find that document afterwards.” Currently, workers often collaborate via e-mail and then file various parts of that exchange in disparate enterprise systems and this is where Office 2.0 is closing the gap. Key for business users in the ability to share, edit and add outside information to a document in real-time online. Office 2.0 includes various web tools, such as forms, databases, blogs, wikis, images and drop-down lists.

So You’ve Found a Brand, Become Your Brand

Sat, 14 Oct 2006 20:40:54 -0700

Once you have found a brand for your small company, becoming loyal to your brand and sticking with it for the long haul can become significant to your branding success. Not changing in the middle of the stream will add to your branding success. To be successful, your business may have to defend your branding and remain loyal to your target audience even though the competition might change in mid-stream. Large business can change their brand hoping to attract another niche market, but small businesses rarely experience that luxury. That’s why remaining loyal to your niche and target market in your branding will work better for the small business owner. You don’t have to be everything to everyone.

Branding Good for Customer Relations

Sat, 14 Oct 2006 19:12:03 -0700

When you have successfully branded your business, not only can you experience business growth, but you can also develop a high degree of customer loyalty. So branding allows your business to grow, gain profitability and improve customer relations. Branding can cause your customer loyalty to increase while at the same time, constantly adding new customers and augmenting value and long life to the business. Branding can also keep you ahead of the competition and staying ahead of the competition in a plus for any business, large or small. If you have not considered branding for your small business, now is the time to do some research and plunge into branding your business now, it’s not just for the big boys anymore.

Communicating the Branding for Your Small Business

Sat, 14 Oct 2006 17:58:33 -0700

Now that you have established your brand philosophy, it’s time to communicate it to your target market. Getting your branding message across does not have to be a huge undertaking because the best way to communicate and advertise the branding is by way of very inexpensive advertising, which is by word of mouth. Utilizing your customers is the most cost effective way to communicate your brand. Some other ways to communicate your brand is with logos, inexpensive giveaways (key chains, magnets, stickers) and business stationery. Think about the brand in every faucet of your business. Although you may not want to become a big business, branding will bring growth and more importantly, it will improve your customer relations and as well as customer loyalty. Everyone likes to be associated with something good.

Engaging Creativity in Branding Your Small Business

Sat, 14 Oct 2006 16:55:27 -0700

One suggestion I have for identifying the brand for you business is to take a look at the competition in your industry. Are there any marketing strategies they are implementing that you admire? If there is, and there’s usually at least one or two that strikes your fancy, use your creativity and take there efforts to the next level for your business. Build upon their concept, but tailor plan it to your business. Is it stealing someone else’s idea? No, it’s admiration for their work I think and just making it different and better to benefit your company. Really that’s what marketing is all about, building upon different concepts of what’s already working to gain inspiration for your business.

Is Your Branding in Your Product?

Sat, 14 Oct 2006 15:51:05 -0700

As you are looking and trying to identify the branding for your small business, you may not have to look far. Take a long hard look at the product or service that you already provide. In reality, if you have spent considerable time on developing and ensuring that your product or service will be the corner stone for your business, then you might have also discovered your business branding. Branding does not have to be expensive, it just have to be right for your business. If you have a product or service that is well received by your customers, why try and reinvent the wheel, all you have to do is jump on the band wagon. Concentrate your branding around the product or service you already have.