Be Realistic About Cross-Referrals And Your CRM

As you build your business, you naturally explore different avenues of networking for new opportunities. One such source is the cross-referral. A powerful formula for success in lead generation outcomes and accelerating sales velocity is the proper use of cross-referrals and your CRM solution.

Cross-referrals are strategic agreements, whether formal or informal, between companies serving like markets to trade their clients’ contact information to the other for marketing their complimentary products or services. For instance, web designers may build referral resources from freelance writers, marketing and branding companies or web developers and other businesses that do things that the designers don’t, but offer complimentary services to their end-customers.

Cross-referrals are a great way to use free, word of mouth advertising though referral agreements may not always be free. There will be some arrangements where a commission can be earned based on a prearranged percentage or a flat-rate referral fee; but many startups are happy to give free referrals in return for the same courtesy. While these referral arrangements may seem like promotional gold, you cannot always rely on other companies to sell you to their customers. There may never be more than a passing comment made to the occasional client. If you are relying heavily on referrals from others, you need to make a change in your approach. While paid referral agreements may offer more of an incentive, it is your responsibility to provide your referral sources with adequate materials to help them promote your business.

Some ideas include:

Professional-looking brochures and business cards that contain your website, contact information, and a blurb about your services or products. If the situation warrants, you can regularly provide referral sources with discount offers and coupons they can pass along to their own clients that are exclusive to referral clients or customers

Promotional items such as pens and magnets that can be passed along to others.

Say Thanks

When the referrals do begin to come in, make sure your cross-referring business partners know how much you appreciate them. Courtesy thank you notes are crucial after referrals made bring you business. Keep a stack of personalized thank you cards to drop in the mail after a referral pans out. You may consider a small gift basket of cookies or snacks to say thanks from time to time. A nice lunch meeting can also help reinforce your gratitude for the referral assistance. This is a great opportunity to leverage reciprocating for your cross-referrals and your CRM‘s power to manage the entire process.

Referrals Aren’t For Everyone

Don’t expect everyone to be open to engaging in free referrals. You can quickly become tiresome to others if you are constantly asking for help in getting business. You should have a strong marketing system in place, so that you aren’t relying exclusively on referrals for new business, making any referral that comes in icing on the cake. It is good practice to touch base with your cross-referring sources to keep them up to date on what is new with your business.

Remember – it’s a two way street, and you should be working as hard to make referrals to your cross-referring business partners as you expect them to in exchange. The more often you make referrals, the more likely the favor will be returned.

Don’t Forget Your Clients

One of your biggest resources for referrals may not be from other businesses. In fact, it is your clients’ praise that will warrant consistent word of mouth advertising for you. This is one of the reasons that excellent customer service is vital to your referral success. Clients who have consistently had a good experience with your company will be more than willing to spread the word to others who are in need of your product or service. While there is no obligation to reward these acts, you might provide something in return for their advertising on your behalf. The better you take care of the clients you already have, the more likely you are to expand your client base. For those clients who are particularly good to you, a token of appreciation like a gift basked of cookies or treats sometimes goes a longer way than a discount on a service or a referral commission, and it humanizes the relationship between you beyond a business one.

Referrals can be a great source of business for you, especially when you are just getting started. You cannot expect everyone to cooperate, but you certainly cannot be a wallflower when approaching the situation. Be direct but flexible – and always offer to return the favor.

Click here to learn how Virtual IT Managers, Inc. can help you maximize cross-referrals and your CRM with our effective CRM Solutions for your business in Miami, FL and surrounding cities.

An IMPORTANT Security Warning For Businesses Running Windows Server 2003

If your organization is currently running Microsoft Server 2003 on one or more servers in your office, you need to know about a dangerous security threat to your organization that must be addressed very soon. Please take a moment to read this important announcement.

As your local Microsoft Partner, we are aggressively reaching out to all businesses within the Miami-Dade area that use Microsoft Windows Server 2003 to alert you to this serious security risk to your organization and inform you about what you need to do now to protect your company.

Server 2003 Changes Must Be Made Between Now And The Middle Of 2015

Microsoft has officially announced that it will retire support on the Server 2003 operating system on July 14, 2015. Once support ends on this 11-year-old product, there will be no further patches or security updates, exposing any company running this software to major security and compliance risks. Any server with this software installed will be completely exposed to serious hacker attacks aimed at taking control of your network, stealing data, crashing your system and inflicting a host of other business-crippling problems you do NOT want to have to deal with.

Unless you don’t care about cybercriminals running rampant in your company’s server, you MUST upgrade any servers running this operating system.

FREE Windows Server 2003 Migration Plan Shows You The Easiest, Most Budget-Friendly Way To Upgrade

As a local Microsoft Certified Partner, my company has committed to helping businesses in the Miami-Dade area by offering a Windows Server 2003 Migration Plan for FREE.

The first step in any major project is preparation. At no cost, we’ll come to your office and prepare a customized Server 2003 Migration Plan for your office. In this plan, we will map out the exact steps you need to take to ensure proper migration, including the need for planned downtime, software and data restore procedures, and alternative migration options that minimize the costs involved.

I understand that this consultation will not be a “heavy pressure” sales meeting and that it will arm me with the information and facts I need to best address this situation. Should I decide to seek your office and services after the consultation, then I will contact you.

During this assessment, I will receive:

• A Customized Migration Plan that will show me how to painlessly upgrade my old Windows Server 2003 equipment. If appropriate for my business, I will also receive information on how I can upgrade my old machines while eliminating the need for me to spend a small fortune on new hardware and software.
• A FREE Multi-point analysis of my computer network aimed at exposing any security risks and issues that I wasn’t aware of and also to find ways to make my business FAR more efficient and productive.

To secure your FREE Server 2003 Migration Plan, call us today at 305-574-2169.

Or E-mail us at info@virtualitmanagers.com

Important: The average server upgrade project takes nearly 200 days to complete. Don’t wait until July when everyone is begging for urgent help.

Does The Thought Of Your In-House Computer Expert Leaving Scare You To Death?

Here’s a scary question most businesses don’t think about: what would happen if your computer guy suddenly quit? Most business owners think it would only be a temporary inconvenience, when, in fact, the opposite is usually true. Want to know how much you are at risk? Ask yourself the following 6 frightening questions:

• Do you have written network documentation about your computer network? What software licenses do you own? What are the critical administrator passwords to your systems and devices? How is your computer network structured? What hardware do you own and when do your equipment warranties expire? Are there cloud vendors for e-mail, online storage, hosted line-of-business applications, etc., that you don’t currently have? You should NEVER allow a single IT person or company to keep this information under their full control over your network and company. If they suddenly left for any reason, this could lead to huge consequences for your company.

• Do you know where your backup files are stored and if they are being stored properly? If you are like most business owners, you’re too busy dealing with the “crisis of the day” to think about system backups and probably leave tasks to your internal expert. If your database gets fried and your tech is nowhere to be found, you might be in a lot of trouble.

• Do you have a written plan for restoring your network fast in case of a disaster? If you don’t have a fully tested disaster recovery plan for your office, you could be at serious risk without ever knowing it until something happens.

• Do you know where all of your software is stored? Bad things can happen to computers and servers, and the situation can be made worse if you are not prepared. Taking a minute to organize and store your software in a secure place can save you a considerable chunk of money in the event that you need to restore a program on your systems. If you don’t have access to the software or don’t know where it is located, you might be forced to buy the software again.

• Do you know what routine maintenance is being done on your network? I know that the very idea of learning about and keeping track of all the servers, workstations and peripherals on your network is about as welcome as a black cat crossing your path, but it is important information to maintain. If your in-house expert leaves, who will take over?

• Do you know how to protect yourself from an ugly security breach if your in-house computer expert leaves? What happens if your in-house expert splits with no warning AND has access to your company’s network? As soon as humanly possible, you should disable his or her access, including remote access to your network and all cloud-based applications.

So how did you do? If you answered “no” to even one of these questions, you need to get the answers now, before it’s too late.

No Tricks Here! Never Be Stranded With Computer Problems Again!

Finally, An Easy Way To Keep Your Computers Running Faster, Cleaner And Problem-Free Without The Expense Of A Full-Time IT Staff

Does your computer network have frequent problems that frustrate you and your staff, interrupt your business and cause you to waste precious time?

Are you concerned about security, viruses, spyware and hackers, but don’t have the time or expertise to keep up with all of the latest security patches and updates?

Would you like to save thousands on IT support and repairs while practically eliminating downtime and other annoying computer problems?

If so, then you’ll want to know about our Proactive Managed IT Services Plans. This ongoing monitoring and maintenance service will keep your computer network up and running by preventing outages and downtime, and securing your data from loss, hackers, viruses, spyware and a host of other problems.

Call Today For A Free Network Security Audit.

305-574-2169

Or visit:

http://virtualitmanagers.com/managed-it-services/

7 Signs Your Computers Been Hacked

The world has witnessed a tremendous change with the advent of the Internet. Sharing and receiving information was never this easy. Banking, shopping, retailing, blogging, socializing, etc. went big in no time – and so did hacking. With the Internet spreading all across the globe, gave rise to serious security threat. This hijacking of your data is put to check with sophisticated PC or Mobile security software. So, how will a user know in the first place, whether a device is hacked? Check out few sure-shot signs to let you know that your device is under threat.

No.1: Fake Antivirus Messages

You cannot stop them by simply clicking on stop or cancel icon. These are generally malicious program to create a lure to buy the product and the services of some useless and unauthorized sites.

No.2: Useless Browser toolbars

New toolbars show up in your browser, which are of no use. The browser will give you a choice, to dump or remove the bogus toolbars. These are requests from unknown vendors. Always reject.

No.3: Redirected Internet searches

You land on some other page where you never intended to go. Most of the hackers get paid for redirecting your browser to some other website.

No.4: Random Pop-ups

The device receives unnatural pop-ups from several websites while browsing the Internet. You can’t stop them even with your browsers’ anti-pop mechanism.

No.5: Sending Fake emails from your email account

Receiving useless and fake emails is fairly common. The malware program or hackers obtain your list of friends from your email account address book and forward emails to access critical information from your PC or mobile device.

No.6: Sudden change in your online password

Change in your email account password. These are done purposefully by the hacker to take the user to the phishing page. Logging on this page will give them all personal details of your account.

No.7: Automatic movement of your mouse

This is the most significant sign of hacking. The mouse pointer moves automatically and makes selection without your choice.

If you have concerns about your computer or network security our team would be happy to provide you with a FREE comprehensive Security Audit (A $450 value). Schedule your Audit today by calling our office at 305-600-5459.

Maintaining HIPAA Compliance with Online Data Storage

Keeping patient records secure and private is the concern of every hospital and health care provider, but they are often overwhelmed with years and years of patient information and the lack of adequate storage space. Destroying these health records in order to make room for more storage is often not an option. Patients want access to all of their health care records, and physicians need them in order to better diagnose patients. Online data storage is a way to satisfy all of these issues.

Using online data storage for these records allows easier access for patients, and offers easier sharing of patient information from hospital to physician, as well as from physician to physician. Storing health records online isn’t, however, without security concerns. Patients, hospitals, and physicians want assurance that these confidential records will remain safe, private, and secure, and will only be accessed by those authorized to do so.

What is HIPAA?

HIPAA or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 was created in order to protect health information and give patients certain rights regarding their private health information. It also allows for disclosure of health information necessary for patient care. This act specifies safeguards necessary for administrative, and physical and technical handling of patient health information.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS.gov) HIPAA has many requirements and restrictions. It requires safeguards for:

• Access Control
• Audit Controls
• Person or Entity Authentication

Access control is defined in the HIPAA Privacy Rule as “the ability or the means necessary to read, write, modify, or communicate data/information or otherwise use any system resource.” It should allow authorized users to only access the minimum amount of information necessary to complete job functions. The Access Control specification also requires the implementation of an exclusive user identification or user ID, and immediate access in case of an emergency.

What Type of Security is Necessary?

When dealing with patient records in an office, maintaining privacy and security usually involves storing patient files in locked cabinets where the files can be physically secured and visibly monitored at all times. When you are storing patient information online, certain precautions must be met in order to maintain the same security and privacy guaranteed each patient.

While HIPAA permits patient records to be transmitted over the Internet, businesses will want a service that offers file encryption, authentication and password protection in order to secure the information. Although HIPAA does not require online data storage services to have encryption, it does require that patient information be adequately protected and accessible only to authorized persons. Encryption is the best way to protect that information and ensure authorized access to those records. It is also important to offer backup services in case of a virus attack, flood, or fire. Finally, the service must offer a method of tracking any security breach, as well as the ability to lock out former employees after they have left or been terminated.

When storing patient information, it is important to stay HIPAA compliant, as the fines for not doing so are expensive. While online data storage for health care businesses guarantee less worry, work, and expense for health care providers, the service is only as good as the security offered. Remaining HIPAA compliant is vital in order to continue a good business relationship with the health care industry.

Click here to learn how Virtual IT Managers, Inc. can help you maintain HIPAA compliance with our Remote Online Data Storage Services for your practice in Miami, FL and surrounding cities.

Password Strength is Key in Business and Personal Information Security

In today’s technologically driven business marketplace one of most often overlooked points of vulnerability to your business and personal information security is the strength or weakness of the passwords that you define for usage when logging into: your computer network, email provider, online banking, accounting or payroll applications. To underestimate the importance of strong passwords is to leave the door wide open to identity theft and corporate piracy. Your passwords must be a robust combination of all the characters that are available, must be unique for different applications and must not be a word commonly found in any dictionaries, in any language.

How do you maximize your business and personal information security?

We have been conditioned to use weak passwords. For many people the first password we ever needed was for our ATM cards. If this is the case we were limited to the numerals on the keypad 0-9. That simply will not cut it anymore. Malicious computer deciphering programs can run through all of the possible combinations in a matter of seconds. The same types of programs can run through all of the words in the dictionary, plus most common names, in multiple languages even spelled backwards, in a matter of minutes. You cannot have the same password for all of your password needs; if that one password was to get compromised then all of your sensitive private data would be at risk.

How do you come up with strong passwords that you can actually remember, without writing them down where they could be easliy found and used to cause you or your business harm?

A good method is to come up with a phrase that is meaningfully unique to you, and therefore it will be something you will be likely to remember. For example: “I love muscle cars and custom motorcycles” or “Ping golf clubs are my favorites”

Use the first or last letter of each word to create a string or characters, from the example above: “I love muscle cars and custom motorcycles” I could come up with: “Ilmcacm” or “Iemsdms”

Replace one or more of the characters with its numeric position in the alphabet or a special character as in: Ilm3a3m or Ilmc@cm

Add a suffix or prefix to make it unique to each application that you will use it for.

• For my Yahoo email I could use: YeIlm3a3m
• For my Chase bank account I could use: CbIl3ma3m

Make sure that your each unique string of characters is at least eight characters long.

Now that you have a strong passwords, that last thing you need to worry about is using them wisely.

Do not write them down on a sticky note and put them under your keyboard or behind your monitor. Do not store them in the file system of your computer.

Do not use your passwords on computers that have open access to the general public, such as those found in Internet cafes, airports or mall kiosks.

Do not enter personal information such as your user names and passwords on unsecured websites.

Do make sure that the computer terminals that you use your passwords on have up to date anti-spyware and anti-virus applications.

Click here to learn how Virtual IT Managers, Inc. can help you strengthen your business and personal information security with our Network Security Services for your business in Miami, FL and surrounding cities.

6 Password Tips to Protect Against Business and Identity Theft

Ah, those pesky passwords. If you work in the corporate world or in an office, you have one for your PC/Network and, unless there is a password synchronization application that combines them, you probably have more than one for other applications. Add those to the ones that you have for your home Internet, your banking and other websites that require passwords, and before you know it you have a nightmare on your hands in trying to manage them. How easy a target are you for business and identity theft?

Part of the frustration has to do with the different requirements for password formatting. Some systems only require four characters, some require eight. Some need a combination of alpha and numeric characters and others do the same with the addition of a few capital letters thrown in for extra security. It can be positively maddening.

The worst thing you can do with your passwords is to place them in a text document which can be accessed on the hard drive of your computer. Your files are vulnerable to business and identity theft- even if you think they are not. If someone is intent on finding them, they can. Even if you place them into a password protected document, those can be cracked, too.

Writing them down has its own vulnerabilities, too, and there are varying opinions on this practice. If you do write them down on a piece of paper, put the document in a locked location whether it is in your home or at work.

Here are 6 tips on how to handle your passwords to protect against business and identity theft:

1. Make them complex. People who use easy to remember or short passwords are inviting disaster. Use a little imagination and pick a password that is very difficult to attach to your life. Stay away from birth dates, phone numbers, house numbers, or any other number that is associated with your life.

2. Keep passwords unique. When you change your passwords, make them unique from each other. Do not use the same password on all of your sites. If you do, then you are open to having every site that you have a password to being vulnerable to hackers to log on and steal your identity, money or destroy your reputation.

3. Be obscure. Use a combination of letters, numbers, capital letters and special characters if possible. The more you do this, the more secure your passwords will become. Create an alphanumeric version of a term you can remember. Using this technique the word “Spaceship” becomes “Sp@ce5h!p”.

4. Change regularly. This is the singular tip that can save you if you do not heed any of the other tips. How often should you change your password? How secure do you want to be? The frequency with which you change your password will determine how secure you are from becoming a victim. The more often you change it, the better you are. The longer you leave it the same, the more vulnerable you become. Three months is a good cycle for a password, but certainly if you fear for the security of your identity, then a monthly change is not out of the question.

5. Password-protect your PC. Be sure to give your PC a password on power-up. This will help protect your files unrestricted access to your PC.

6. Password-protect your wireless home network. If you have a wireless home network, be sure to password protect it as well. Use the same principles above in order to secure your wireless network. This will prevent others from accessing your connection and using it maliciously to hack the personal or business PCs and laptops you and your family use at home.

Finally, there are password programs that can help with this important task, but the best advice is to start with the tips above right away. Password software can be useful as an organizational tool, but it is no match for using sound methods to manage and make your passwords difficult to crack.

Click here to learn how Virtual IT Managers, Inc. can help protect you against business and identity theft with our Network Security Services for your business in Miami, FL and surrounding cities.

Do You Allow Employees To Use Their Own Devices For Work?

The evolution of personal mobile devices and the rise of how necessary they are to business success these days are forcing many small business owners to make a choice – “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) vs. “Corporate Owned, Personally Enabled” (COPE).

The Typical Solution – BYOD. According to the CDW 2012 Small Business Mobility Report, 89% of small-business employees use their personal mobile devices for work. But the headache involved here is how do you support and secure all of these devices? The scary thing is that most small businesses don’t even try! The CDW survey found that only 1 in 5 small businesses have deployed (or plan to deploy) any systems for managing and securing employees’ personal devices.

The Alternative – Is COPE Any Better? A minority of small businesses have implemented a Corporate Owned, Personally Enabled (COPE) policy instead. They buy their employees’ mobile devices, secure them and then let employees load additional personal applications that they want or need. And the employers control what types of apps can be added too. The “personally enabled” aspect of COPE allows employees to choose the company-approved device they prefer while permitting them to use it both personally and professionally. COPE is certainly more controlled and secure, but for a business with a limited budget, buying devices for every employee can add up pretty quick. If you go the COPE route and are large enough to buy in volume, you can likely negotiate substantial discounts.

Security Concerns With BYOD. If you have client information that must be kept secure or other industry-specific regulations regarding the security of client data, then COPE is likely your best approach. It removes any gray area around whose data is whose. Plus there is a certain comfort level in being able to recover or confiscate any device for any reason at any time to protect your company without any worries about device ownership.

Struggling to figure out which option is best for your business? Our FREE Mobile Device Policy Consultation ($297 value) helps point you in the right direction for your business.

http://virtualitmanagers.com/mobile-computing/

Or Call Us Direct: 305-574-2169

Could Buying A Computer Actually INCREASE Your Cash Flow?

If you dread writing checks for a network upgrade because it hits your cash flow in a big way, then you’ll want to look into HaaS or “hardware as a service.”

HaaS is becoming a more common option for businesses because it allows you to pay for ALL your IT services – hardware, installation, security, backups, applications, Internet, etc. – as a flat-fee service, thereby eliminating the heavy cash-flow hit of upgrading or expanding a computer network and giving you the ability to write off 100% of your IT expenses without having to depreciate those assets over time. Additionally, your IT provider takes total responsibility for the maintenance of your network.

Like businesses that lease their equipment, HaaS customers pay monthly for their infrastructure. This allows them to keep more cash in their pocket and gives them the tax advantage of converting a typical capital expense into an operational expense. But unlike leasing, HaaS can also do the following:

     1) No More Expensive Surprise Upgrades. With HaaS, your computers are automatically replaced with new ones every 3-4 years, ensuring compatibility with almost any software refresh. No end-of-lease buyouts of outdated equipment or ever having to re-lease equipment again.

     2) Warranties Are A Thing Of The Past. With a HaaS program, you get your equipment AND the service included in the monthly cost. Anything that goes wrong with the computer (like the inevitable computer crash just days after your warranty expires) is our problem to resolve. Plus, since HaaS computers are replaced on a regular schedule, you don’t have to settle for refurbished parts or old computers for long.

     3) One Easy Invoice. Purchasing via a HaaS program is like having a condo. You get control of what goes in it, but don’t have to worry about maintenance, building-code issues or updating the facade. Everything in one low monthly fee!

     Looking to upgrade equipment while saving cash? Call us today at 305-574-2169 to find out if HaaS is right for you.

Call Us Today To Find Out If HaaS Is Right For Your Business!

Looking for a way to get new computers without the big up-front outlay of cash? Call us today to learn more about HaaS and find out if it’s a right fit for your business.

Enjoy these benefits with HaaS:

• Avoid expensive computer and server hardware upgrades.

• Free software licensing and upgrades.

• Your warranty is covered by us.

• Pay-as-you-go service.

• Your full monthly expense is a tax write-off.

Call 305-574-2169 or go online: www.http://virtualitmanagers.com/it-solutions/hardware-as-a-service/ to start saving today!

It’s Time To Declare Freedom From Online Identity Theft

If you want to prevent your personal or business identity from being stolen by a cybercriminal, this report is a MUST-read!

This informational report outlines in plain, non-technical English common mistakes that many small business owners make with their computer and network security that puts their personal information and identity at risk of being stolen. It also further explains what identity theft is, and how you can prevent it from happening to you and your business.

You’ll Discover:

• The top 3 ploys used by online identity thieves to easily gain access to your business and personal information, and how to avoid them.

• 10 sneaky e-mails used to steal your identity that you should IMMEDIATELY delete if they land in your in-box.

• One easy, surefire way to keep your network and computers safe and secure from online thieves.

• What you need to know about the NEW scams being used to steal personal information via social media sites like Facebook.

• Best practices to prevent you or your employees from inadvertently giving away passwords and other “keys to the castle” to Internet criminals.

Download your free copy today!

During the month of July, we are offering a free download of our 15-page informational report, What Every Business Owner MUST Know To Protect Against Online Identity Theft.

Get yours FREE today at http://virtualitmanagers.com/onlinetheft  – through July 31st!