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    Recent Best Controversial
    • How Much Do You Know about PCI Compliance? [QUIZ]

      0_1450449620720_How_Much_Do_You_Know_about_PCI_Compliance_QUIZ.jpg

      Merchants are responsible for complying with the standards set by the PCI Security Standards Council. Since most of the standards have to do with systems, networks and security protocols, your clients may turn to you to make sure that everything checks out. Even if you have run an assessment, remediated any issues and provided the necessary proof, you're client isn't off the hook. PCI compliance isn't a one-time check in.

      Before you instruct your clients to understand PCI compliance inside out, don't you think you should know its intricacies?

      Take our quick quiz and see just how much you know about PCI compliance!

      Once you've aced it, pass it along to your clients and test their knowledge!

      How'd you do? Share your results below!!

      posted in Self Promotion
      M
      MKM8DY
    • Do you offer network assessments for free?

      Our awesome partner, ImageQuest, was recently recognized for excellence in managed IT services. To learn more about how they've been so successful, I conducted a Q&A with CEO Milton Bartley, the responses of which are captured in this blog post.

      One thing that came up was the idea of charging for network assessments. When I asked why they don't offer them for free, Milton had this to say:

      "A free assessment is worthless. If you don't place a value on it, how can you expect the prospect to do so? We have turned the assessment into a competitive advantage in our markets. We conduct a professional business and IT security assessment for every client - and we charge for it. We explain to the prospect that most [read all] of our competitors will offer them a free assessment. In order to do it for free, they will likely send their least talented IT person to do the work. In contrast, our assessments are conducted jointly by a business analyst and a technical analyst. Working together, they utilize a battery of technical tools, business processes, and discovery Q&A with key members of the prospect's executive leadership teams. That level of expertise and professional services has a real value, and prospects are willing to pay for it."

      What do you think? Do you agree? Do you charge your network assessments or offer them for free and to what end?

      Read the rest of Milton's interview here!

      posted in Self Promotion managed services
      M
      MKM8DY
    • RE: Are there any web hosts or hosting providers in the house??

      I specifically mean hosting providers that may offer clients server backup as a premium service.

      posted in IT Discussion
      M
      MKM8DY
    • RE: Healthcare is in Dire Need of HIPAA Compliant MSPs

      @scottalanmiller oh so very true! You've just inspired a new blog post for us - stay tuned! 🙂

      posted in Self Promotion
      M
      MKM8DY
    • What were your worst data disasters of 2015?

      Hey guys,

      I recently came across a list of top 10 data disasters, the causes of which ranged from an overheated server to a phone that was destroyed by a lawn mower. The post got me thinking about real world examples of data loss some of you may have experienced in your IT careers. What were some of the biggest disasters of 2015? How'd they go down? Were you able to recover the data? How?

      posted in IT Discussion
      M
      MKM8DY
    • What Malware Had You the Most Worried This Month?

      According to Verizon's 2015 Data Breach Investigations Report, nearly one million new malware threats were released each day last year, with approximately 90% of attacks exploiting vulnerabilities that have been around since the early 2000's.

      In our monthly malware roundup, we serve up December's biggest headlines and most disconcerting trends in the world of malware, as well as share key Microsoft security patches worthy of consideration.

      What were some of the biggest malware stories to catch your eye? Any of these?

      1. Hyatt Hotels Attacked with Payment-Card Stealing Malware

      2. Malware with Intent to Steal Classified Data Found in Christmas-Themed Apps

      3. New Malware Called "Pro POS" Targets Payment Systems and Evades Antivirus Detection

      Which bug gave you the hardest time this month? Sound off!

      posted in Self Promotion
      M
      MKM8DY
    • Examples of Malware My Clients Once Fell Victim to Include...

      0_1454962059551_bonzi-buddy-nightmare.jpg

      I still remember the little purple nightmare named Bonzi Buddy that single-handedly brought down our family computer. Hey, I was young. I liked monkeys that sang to me.

      It's time to get nostalgic. What are some of the most notorious examples of malware that have fooled clients throughout your IT careers? What malware have you forgotten about until now? Any viruses that have been haunting you for years?

      posted in IT Discussion malware virus security
      M
      MKM8DY
    • 3 Ways to Ensure Greater Sales Velocity in 2016

      Before you can sell, you first have to understand your customer. If you don’t know what their wants, needs or desires are, then you have no way to know if you are effectively communicating with them. In my last sales related blog post, I explored a few paths to understanding your customers and touched on the importance of being able to convey value quickly and plainly when in a sales situation. In this second post, I'll continue to build upon that notion by providing three distinct sales strategies for convincing prospects to buy your products and services.

      1. Stop Using Generic Statements and Lead with Specific Business Value

      We've all been subject to that showy sales person who hops on the phone and starts spouting off anecdotes about how their award-winning product is changing businesses and improving people's lives...you know, before you've even been able to splutter out a "Hi, how are you?" After their multi-minute tirade, you're left wondering how they got your number and wishing you had never picked up the phone in the first place.

      To NOT be that annoying sales person, lead with concrete and compelling facts that will interest each individual person that you talk to. Remember that what's interesting to you may not align with what they want to hear about your solution. It’s also a good practice to weave relevant statistics into your story to illustrate a need that your product can fill.

      Let’s examine the following statement to show how MSPs can position and sell their backup and disaster recovery (BDR) solution to a prospect by strategically supporting business value with industry data:

      “IDC reports that in 2015, 62% of small to medium sized business reported a disruption to their companies due to downtime and a third of those said their profits took a hit as a result. Our BDR solution will ensure 99% uptime in the event of a disaster, saving our customers an average of $12,700 per year from unplanned downtime."

      Now, that's a powerful value proposition! Sending this message in a sales email or rephrasing it on a sales phone call is effective because it uses a timely stat from a reputable industry authority to express a business problem that could easily affect the decision maker you speak to. It takes it one step further by then demonstrating how your solution addresses that problem, citing specific business results like costs saved. I emphasize specificity because anybody can say their solution cuts costs. It's too general. Stating how much you've saved other customers like them is compelling proof of your value. That being said, make sure all figures you use are accurate and truthful.

      Pro tip: First hook your prospect with the benefits of your solution. Once you’ve captured their attention, then you can move onto features, pricing, etc.

      Main takeaway: Actual data and facts are far more convincing than anecdotes and abstracts. Context matters!

      2. Use Anchoring to Your Advantage

      There is a common human tendency in all of us to rely heavily on the first piece of information - known as the anchor - offered when making decisions. We use anchors to help us interpret other information and to make subsequent judgments and decisions. Anchoring is a useful tool to use during the MSP sales process. To illustrate, we'll walk through two examples that do this well:

      “The cost of purchasing this software for one year is roughly equivalent to buying one large cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee each day.”

      Here we have used one large cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee as the anchor for the conversation. When the prospect thinks about the cost of the solution relative to a cup of coffee, they may be more willing to sign a 12-month commitment.

      Another similar example could be:

      “Our software pays for itself by identifying and troubleshooting computer problems before they affect your productivity, and costs as much as taking your family to the movies once a year.”

      Equating the cost of the services to something nominal, while highlighting the increased benefits is generally a good way to convey the value of your products or services.

      What could you use as an anchor in selling your managed IT services? Write your response down, and use it in your next email send!

      3. Strengthen Your Pitch with Norms as Anchors

      A social norm is a value, custom, or tradition that represents individuals’ basic knowledge of what others do and think. Sociologists describe norms as informal understandings that govern individuals’ behavior in society and claim they have a way of maintaining order and organizing groups. The advanced MSP sales pro will begin to use norms as anchors to win over prospects. There are two very effective types of techniques to employ when doing this: the foot-in-the-door technique and the door-in-the-face technique.

      Keep reading to learn how to apply each technique!

      Do you use any of these sales strategies? What have you found is a good anchor in positioning your services?

      posted in Self Promotion managed services sales strategies it sales
      M
      MKM8DY
    • What was your favorite Windows 95 game?

      It's been over two decades since Microsoft released its groundbreaking Windows 95 OS on August 24, 1995. Since then, we've written love letters to Windows XP and popped Listerine tabs to get that awful taste of Windows Vista out of our mouths. We then resumed with Windows 7 and 8, skipped over 9 (why? what's the story here??) and are now adjusting to Windows 10. So since most of us have seen more operating systems than presidents in our lifetime, it's worth taking a look back at the release that put Microsoft on the map.

      What do you remember about Windows 95? I asked various people here at Continuum, and here's what people of all ages and tech experience had to say!

      Windows 95 as Told by Kids Who Grew Up in the 90s

      While most of us instantly picture this classic maze screen saver...
      0_1458135761203_windows-95-maze-screen-saver.jpg

      or hear a dial-up sound followed by "YOU'VE GOT MAIL!"...

      ...let's be real. It was all about the Windows 95 games for us kids who grew up in the 90s. Forget Angry Birds or Candy Crush! We couldn't get enough of:

      Pinball
      0_1458135823954_windows-pinball-space-cadet.png
      Yes, we were all pinball wizards when this game was released, and our thumbs paid the ultimate price. Who else remembers hitting the space bar with the determination of a teen attempting to get into an online chat room on AOL?

      Minesweeper
      0_1458135876577_windows-minesweeper-game.png
      Yeah...like anybody ever won this game. You. were. always. so. close. You had almost all of the mines mapped out, and then the slightest distraction would rattle your focus. For me, it was usually my mom calling up, "MAAAAARYYYYY, you need to let the dog out now!" Sure, it wasn't the most exciting game. There were no special effects or post-apocalyptic world visuals, but how good did you feel each time you sidestepped catastrophe and discovered the little emoticon at the top remained smiling?

      That Cat and Mouse Game!!
      0_1458135911482_rodents revenge windows 95.png
      Rodent's Revenge was my undoing. Out of all Windows 95 games, this is the one I was the most addicted to. As that little gray mouse I scurried to dodge the hungry felines - up arrow, down arrow ahhhhh left arrow! - and watched with relief as they'd be forced to curl up when blocked in. I'll leave you with that comforting thought rather than remind you of the sheer terror of two cats coming at you at once. Yes, you actually screamed. Don't deny it.

      SkiFree
      0_1458135947583_Skifree_screenshot.png
      Chocolate milk, AIM and SkiFree. That's how I rewarded myself for enduring hours of geometry (I was always more of an algebra fan), P.E. and petty locker gossip - after I completed my homework, of course! The animation was crude, but we all felt like Olympic skiers gliding through the stark white Swiss Alps, narrowly avoiding tree concussions.

      And then of course we can't talk about SkiFree without calling to attention this possessed Snowman and demonic Yetti hybrid...

      Warning: the following Game Over image may be unsuitable for small children...
      0_1458135978610_ski-free-windows-95-game-end-yetti.png
      EXCEPT SMALL CHILDREN WERE FORCED TO WATCH THEIR PIXELLATED SELVES GET GOBBLED UP BY THE SCARIEST CREATURE TO COME OUT OF THE 90S, AND WE'RE STILL NOT OK.

      What were your favorite Windows 95 games? Chip's Challenge? I can still hear the theme music in my head. JezzBall? Pipe Dream?

      Keep reading to see what features and functionalities our IT professionals remember, and even watch a video of teens reacting to Windows 95! It's aggravating.

      posted in Self Promotion
      M
      MKM8DY
    • RE: What was your favorite Windows 95 game?

      I remember the ice skating level of Chip's Challenge!!!

      Also, Oregon Trail anyone?

      posted in Self Promotion
      M
      MKM8DY
    • Are your clients and prospects ready for a disaster? Quiz them!

      0_1459438411865_Could-IT-Disasters-Make-April-Fools-Out-of-Your-Clients--[QUIZ].jpg

      Happy World Backup Day! Today celebrates a global, independent initiative that stresses the importance of regularly backing up both personal and professional data. Since its debut in 2011, World Backup Day has become a movement in its own right with one unifying mission. People are simply asked to take the pledge and back up their important documents and precious memories on March 31st.

      As an MSP charged with the health of clients' IT environments, preserving company data is a top concern. And not just today, but all year round. To help you make your BDR case more effectively, we've created a short quiz measuring IT disaster preparedness. Send to clients and prospects in the hopes that they'll see the value of your business continuity services and take your backup pledge!

      Get quiz here!

      What other questions would you ask to judge whether they need BDR or not?

      posted in Self Promotion
      M
      MKM8DY
    • RE: What is Gated vs. Non-Gated Content?

      So in theory when you download a piece of content, you should be getting more than what you're giving (your contact information). It sounds like that hasn't been the case. In having a good content strategy, the follow-up email communication should not read as SPAM. It should offer a deeper understanding of the associated topic focus, answering more of your questions and those questions that you have at that point in your buyer's stage.

      So when you fill out a form and give contact information, it helps marketers determine what content they should send you more of. Is this not valuable to you?

      You can read the rest of my response at this dedicated landing page.

      Well, you need to not enable video thumbnails because that just took out all the fun.

      posted in Self Promotion
      M
      MKM8DY
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