Happy Holidays Folks! It’s a very special time of year – of course – and I’m here in the trenches working away right up to the factory whistle on Friday afternoon. Then it’s a few days off for everyone here at SMB Nation. No matter how you celebrate the season, don’t forget the reason and enjoy yourselves!

In this issue, focused on telecommunications/voice/unified communications, I square up and share with you how to make more money now by using the square attached to your phone to take credit and debit cards!!!! And we’re sneaking in a telepresence webinar this Thursday at 10AM PST where we explore the video conferencing opportunity.

PS – Join us December 29^th for our webinar: Use Clicks, Not Code to Build Custom Applications for your Customers, Grace Schroeder, CEO of idea2, Ltd. and Harry Brelsford, Founder SMB Nation, Inc. and Cloud Nation speaking.

Cheers,

harrybbb

Harry Brelsford | Founder | SMB Nation, Inc. | www.smbnation.com

New Year’s Resolution = SQUARE Up = Revenue Up!

What started as a simple giveaway for our annual salary survey has grown into a story in-and-of itself. I’m talking about the SQAURE (www.squareup.com). It’s the hot new toy with a distinctly telecom twist. At the most basic level, you insert the square device in the 3.5mm female port (typically used for headphones) on your mobile phone. You install and configure the SQUARE application on your mobile phone, sign-up for the account and then start making money, honey.

For more information on how to get your own SQUARE, read our salary survey article below, complete the salary survey and we’ll send you a SQUARE!

Before I get into the procedure for implementing the amazing SQAURE solution, I want to share SQUARE insights, both secular and sinister. On the good side, imagine my son Geoff, an avid sailor at Bainbridge Island High School, using his mobile phone with a SQUARE to talk the docks after school and asking well-heeled boat owners if he can clean their boats (soap, suds, etc.). “Sure, Geoff,” one boat owner would remark. “Great – give me your credit card – that’ll be $25!” Geoff shouts with glee. My other son Harry enjoys bike racing. Imagine if, on a multi-day extended ride such as the 200-mile Seattle-to-Portland ride in July, Harry were strategically placed at mid-point (end of day one) offering $50 tune-ups. Wealthy week-end warriors would glad whip out their credit and debit cards to pay for Harry’s bicycle tune-up services. Let your mind wander. Artists could now accept credit and debit cards at street festivals and easily sell artwork over $1,000 without havig to accept a check or have the art patron interrupt her purchase to go to an ATM machine that would disperse large amounts of cash. Think about kids mowing lawns, shoveling snow, washing cars! Craigslist sellers could now accept credit and debit cards instead of insisting on cash or certified cashiers checks.

On the sinister side, you could easily imagine the SQUARE using to facilitate transactions on CraigsList and Backpage promoting the world’s oldest profession. High school kids could charge cover charges for weekend keggers. I’ll leave it at that!

Now for ten easy steps to get SQAURED straight!

1. Acquire and insert the SQUARE in your mobile phone.
2. Go to the Apps Store for your mobile phone. In my case, it’s a Apple iPhone Apps Store.
3. Search on “Square” and select the SQUARE application.
4. Install the application (standard stuff – agreement, Next, Finish).
5. Go to www.sqaureup.com and create your logon account and password.
6. Select I have a card reader at the welcome screen:

7. Provide answers on the "How will you use Square?" page:

8. Answer three questions on the Confirm your identity page.

9. Now for the good part. Complete: Where should we deposit your money?

10. Savor your success when you see the Congratulations screen!!!! You are now ready to go make money in ways you didn’t previously imagine.

Again, see the Salary Survey article below for the information on completing our annual salary survey and acquiring the SQAURE device!!!

Office 365 – Bringing Enterprise-Class Cloud Email Capabilities to the Masses

Have you considered migrating your current messaging system to Microsoft’s Office 365 cloud-based messaging and collaboration solution? If not, you should – the benefits for your business are off the charts in terms of functionality, availability and outright cost savings. And if you’re intimidated by thought of a long, over-budget and under-staffed migration process, don’t be – it’s easier than you think.

In this Windows IT Pro technical brief by Quest Software, learn how your company can benefit from enterprise-class cloud email capabilities. Get an overview of Office 365, the advantages of using a cloud solution, the path to follow when moving to Office 365 and the best way to quickly, easily and safely perform a successful migration. You’ll see what to consider when planning your migration, various scenarios to consider and powerful solutions to speed your migration so your organization reaps the benefits of Office 365. Read this technical brief today.

Take our 2012 SMB Nation Salary Survey, and Get a Free Gift!

By Regina Ciardiello, Editor, SMB Nation

In case you missed our November/December issue, our cover story discussed what is on the wish list of tribal members for the holiday season. Since we always want to continue in the spirit of giving, especially to you, our loyal readers, we have come up with a special gift that will surely be a conversation piece at your next holiday party as a cool stocking stuffe. The gadget in question is the SQUARE mobile application device – a credit card with built-in technology to process MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover cards on a smart phone or iPad device. However, there is one catch – you must take and complete our Annual Salary Survey, which will be published in the January/February edition of SMB Nation magazine.

(Above right): The SQUARE mobile application device in action at a local coffee shop.

So now you are probably wondering how you can sign up to take our survey (and receive your free gift). It’s simple – just click to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RT99B5Q, and you will be taken to our full survey questionnaire housed on Survey Monkey. All we need is no more than 10 minutes of your time, and unlike other surveys, the Square device will be distributed as part of our gift to you—it’s not a raffle—so there is 100% chance that you will get your free gift, just for spending a few minutes of your day to provide us with important data.

Because your privacy and confidentiality is important to us, once you have completed our survey questions, simply click the field at the end, and the prompt will ask you to email Heather Childers, our database administrator at: heatherc@smbnation.com. In order to obtain your free Square device, just let Heather know you completed the survey, and include your contact information, so we can ensure your device gets sent out to you:

In fairness to everyone completing the survey, no cheating please! We ask that only those completing the survey to send their information for the free Square device gift. Heather will be able to confirm if the survey was completed prior to requesting the free gift, so please keep it fair and balanced!

Cisco UC-320 Rocks!

Blast from the past! The Toronto pre-day hands-on lab in June was a hit! Known as SMB Spring, over 20 IT Consultants fully setup the CISCO UC 320 in under an hour without a hitch. (15 had never installed a phone system) This system was the easiest install I have ever seen on a full featured UC product. There is a special website for you to engage with the UC 320 here. You can sign up to be a partner that will get you free training on the system and other goodies. There is no fee or certification cost for this program yet, so we urge you to be an early bird.

Here is what folks learned at the hands-on lab:

• For under $800 the UC 320 is a front runner for the very small business that wants to enjoy cost savings and a robust feature set.

• Fully installs, from opening the box to making calls, in under an hour

• Support for 24 users

• SIP trunking support to deliver clear, high-quality voice over IP services

• Interoperability with up to 12 public switched telephone network (PSTN) analog lines (4 FXO ports)

• Voicemail and automated attendant and Voicemail to email notification

• 4-port Gigabit Ethernet switch with VLAN support, to connect devices or expand

• Gigabit Ethernet WAN port that can be designated as the network edge

• Integrated 802.11n wireless access point for voice and data, so that employees can connect to the network while away from their desks

Why Do You Need to Partner with Cisco, Today?

Teaming with Cisco can be a profitable proposition. Here are the top five reasons to become a Cisco Registered Partner and benefits from the Cisco Small Business Advantage:

• Products: We have the broadest portfolio of solutions to help you meet your customers' needs.

• Profitability: You have the potential to realize greater profits when selling Cisco Small Business products by earning rebates with Partner Development Funds and taking advantage of rewards, promotions, and incentives, offered from programs such as Fast Track 2.

• Support: Get the help you need to sell, deliver, and support Cisco solutions with pre- and post-sales support and customized tools like SMART Designs.

• Marketing: Use co-branded materials to help drive sales; having ready access to free customizable marketing materials can help put more money in your pocket.

• Financing: We have EasyLease options for those who qualify. EasyLease may help you overcome customer budget objections and help eligible customers acquire technology solutions based on business needs.

It's easy to join. No training courses, exams, or additional costs required. Visit HERE.

Webinar: Telepresence – It’s Not What You See…It’s Who Sees You!

Introduced in the popular Star Trek television series, telepresence truly is the last frontier. Merging IT infrastructure, telecommunications and video, telepresence presents an amazing opportunity for SMB Nation tribal members, partners and resellers to grow another profitable line of work in 2012.

This one hour webinar will cover a lot of ground at warp speed:
• Who is Vu Telepresence?
• Vu Features Technology
• Vu Telepresence Demo and What It Means
• Quick Cover of Pricing
• Demonstration of Vu Meet
• Demonstration of Vu Webinar
• What is Telepresence
• Why SMBs Need

Hosts:
Harry Brelsford, Chairman and founder, SMB Nation
Clinton Gatewood, Vice-President of Corporate Development, VU Telepresence

Register Here!

Award-winning HaaS from Equus

Remember the day when you bought that Tivo set top DVR? It was an expensive, bulky machine, but you loved it. Then the cable companies figured out the demand for this and began including the equipment with their service. This is called “converging” solutions; this new, converged product/service has been able to provide additional service revenue, and give the customer a friendly, expected, user experience. The Tivo-like experience has become the standard in the cable industry and everything is pointing in the direction for the computer industry to go the same direction. Hardware as a Service has been around for many years. It provides computer equipment on a monthly basis, to the IT service provider, rather than the client, allowing complete control and “convergence” of hardware and services. This helps increase recurring revenue and allows IT companies to start making profits on hardware again. Early adopters of Hardware as a Service found it to be expensive, and didn’t see enough value to their client or their bottom line to make it a permanent part of their solution. Those days are over! Equus Computer Solutions a well-known industry leading system builder for the channel, has created an affordable, easy to sell, and well-rounded solution stack to help IT service providers “converge” their service with hardware. They provide Hardware as Service products, which include servers, desktops, notebooks, networking equipment, and licensing all with no upfront cost and a low monthly fee. On top of this, Equus has announced several initiatives for their partners to “converge” their service-based solutions. This includes Mobile devices and applications, Managed Service SaaS products, and has just announced a partnership with Intel to provide the Intel Hybrid Cloud solution. Are you ready to “converge”? Become a partner today! Visit our website at www.equusmsp.com or contact 612-617-6249

SMB Nation.com’s sister site, Telephonation.com, is hip and cool!

Telephonation.com boasts an average 16,000 unique views per month (for 2011) and is a great place to connect with fellow telephony enthusiasts, or just to learn more about VoIP services. The forum community is friendly and knowledgeable about all things Telephony. Stop on by and check it out! http://www.telephonation.com.

Stop Leaving Money on the Table!

By Tim Brien, Director of Managed Print Services for OKI Data Americas

According to a recent article in MSP Mentor, only 20 percent of the top 100 managed service providers currently offer managed print services (MPS). That fact reveals two things: 1) There is limited awareness among MSPs about the unique advantages and revenue-generating opportunities inherent in including managed print as part of their suite of services, and 2) there is plenty of room – and tremendous opportunity – for MSPs to establish themselves and stake their claim within the MPS arena.

Many MSPs hesitate to employ MPS because they believe that managing printers, copiers and document output seems like a lot of work and expense with minimal associated profit. In actuality, managed print solutions provide partners with the means to increase margins and revenue streams quickly while generating real and quantifiable savings for their customers. It’s truly a win-win situation!

There are a number of MPS solutions featuring a broad range of offerings from which to choose. A cloud-based solution provides a cost-effective, complete MPS business model that can also be utilized at the individual component level to augment the MSP portfolio of IT offerings. This type of flexible, modular solution gives MSPs a unique and competitive edge by providing a wave of new opportunities for developing both immediate and long-term, recurring revenue streams while maximizing workflow efficiencies for their customers.

The remaining 80 percent of top MSPs should understand that if they’re not offering MPS as part of their overall service offerings, they’re leaving money on the table – money that their competitors will gladly pick up. Consider these statistics:

• MPS revenue globally was nearly $31.6 billion in 2010 and is projected to exceed $68 billion by 2014.
• For MSPs, inclusion of managed print solutions will help boost revenues by 20 percent or more while driving markups of 50 percent – all with minimal effort and no added costs or infrastructure.

One final statistic: MSPs will miss out on 100 percent of the benefits of MPS if they continue to hesitate in committing to this cost-effective, revenue-generating, easy-to-use solution. Why wait? Act now and quit leaving money on the table! For more information visit http://www.okidata.com/tmp or email me at tim.brien@okidata.com.

Great New Line from Cooler Master!

Continuing with its tradition of revolutionary design and cutting edge technology, CM Storm surpasses the competition with the Trooper chassis. The CM Storm Trooper contains a wealth of features coveted by most gaming enthusiasts, including USB 3.0, external 2.5” and two 90 degree rotatable HDD cages for easier hard-drive installation. The CM Storm Trooper is the first full tower with a carrying handle for easy transport. For more information, please go to the site here to get the latest information, review and support. CM Storm Trooper Model# SGC-5000-KKN1.

Cooler Master also just launched two new coolers into the market. Hyper 212 Evo and GeminII S524. If you are looking for reliability and performance cooler for your processor (AMD or Intel), come check out the Hyper 212 Evo, Model# RR-212E-20PK-R1 and GeminII S524 Model# RR-G524-18PK-R1.

Nov/Dec 2011 SMB Nation Magazine is HERE! Download NOW!

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