ECM Executive Commentary
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Books Services Providers Can Reference Again And Again
12/23/2014
As we wrap up 2014, I wanted to give my Service Manager Brethren a few of the books that have helped me in an operational or managerial capacity over the last 15 years. Some of the books are pricey and are more like text books than typical business book fare.
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Ask Coach: How Do I Develop My Staff To Believe In Themselves?
12/18/2014
How do I develop my staff to believe in themselves? I am going to answer this question with some lessons I learned from my father and a swamped canoe. Before I tell my story, I want to remind you of the challenge you face.
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Why You Should Stop Using Unpaid Interns
12/16/2014
Interns have been used in many companies across almost all industries for dozens, if not hundreds of years. Many SMBs find the use of interns invaluable, as they can ease the burden of operations from both a staffing and financial perspective. Additionally, many interns gain valuable skills and connections as a result of their exposure to their chosen profession, and these are the “perks” many employers hang their hats on.
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Channel Sales Vendor/Partner Relationships: What Vendors Want (Part 7)
12/16/2014
It’s not love at first sight. It is all about the relationship between the vendor and the partner if a channel sales partnership is to be successful. A better understanding of what a vendor expects from a partner helps the solution provider make well informed and prudent business decisions that have a positive and profitable impact on their organization.
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5 Steps Toward Creating A Culture Of Innovation
12/12/2014
“We value a culture of creativity and innovation.” These words, or something like them, appear in almost every company’s About Us or Corporate Culture page. Whether or not it’s true is an entirely different story, as everyone throws these words around so much they’ve been reduced, unfortunately, to inflated buzzwords.
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5 Warnings About Jurisdiction And Cloud Storage
12/5/2014
Technology and law are two things that can never seem to get on the same page. Technology moves at such a rapid pace that the law can never seem to catch up. Now, mix in the advent of cloud storage and the complexities begin to mount. Cloud storage has spurned a global phenomenon where your clients data can be housed anywhere in the world. Without even knowing it, your clients data stored in the cloud can be subject to local, national and even international laws.
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My Dog Doesn’t Understand Me: MSP Sales Isn’t An IT Job
12/2/2014
When you get a new dog, he doesn’t understand anything you say. “Not on the rug, Duke.” “Outside, Duke. Right now!” “ Let’s go for a ride in the car, Duke.”
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3 Tips For Using Video To Benefit Your Company
12/2/2014
In any industry, all forms of content are important when promoting and marketing your business. Utilizing “free’” space, such as social media platforms, helps your company create a user-friendly portal from which to engage with customers and makes it easier to offer expert advice and support.
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Stop Training Your Sales Team!
11/25/2014
The headline of this article may sound like blasphemy from a sales trainer who has more than 38 years of experience training salespeople, but it is a heartfelt suggestion. When many CEOs and business owners see revenue problems, they default to a statement like, “Let's get some sales training going.” Whereas, in reality, I believe the same CEO will realize a far greater improvement when he/she trains their company to sell.
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2 Websites To Bookmark For Stock Market, Business Information
11/19/2014
My favorite website that I have book marked is http://www.marketwatch.com/. It is a fascinating website which would entertain people gone crazy with stock market. The reason I bookmarked this website is so that I can easily keep track of global market trends.