That is a HUGE number.  I wouldn’t believe it, but I can tell you that Windows 7 was definitely the talk of the MSPWorld event I attended in Las Vegas last week.  MSPs said that their customers are fired up to get their hands on it.

This makes me think I need to answer the following questions, and you should do the same:

1. What am I doing to establish my managed service provider as a Windows 7 expert?
2. How can I clearly communicate the benefits of this new operating system to my prospects and clients?
3. Which of my clients are ripe for an upgrade?
4. How can I use Windows 7 to reach new prospects?

MRC

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Kutenda’s director of online marketing – James Omdahl – is holding a webinar series starting on December 2nd to teach Kutenda’s search engine optimization process. Here are the details:

Want to generate more leads for your business? Kutenda suggests you S.L.E.E.P. on it!

Join the Kutenda team on Dec 2nd for the first of our webinar series: S.L.E.E.P. Your Way to the Top of Google’s Search Results.

http://kutenda.com/webinar_seo_sleep.html

Intended for small-business owners and marketers, the series will cover best practices, tips and tricks for driving qualified consumer traffic to your web site.

Throughout the three sessions, Kutenda’s very own director of online marketing, James Omdahl, will discuss keyword research, on-page optimization and link-building strategies with a focus on generating inbound leads online.

Attendees will receive checklists created by Kutenda online marketing specialists to help you begin optimizing for your business immediately.

The first session is Dec 2nd at 2pm EST so reserve your spot today.

Check out http://kutenda.com/webinar_seo_sleep.html for info on all 3 session.

Everyone’s invited – pass on the word!

MRC

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1. It’s become too easy to start a managed services business. What I mean by that is the tools necessary to offer managed services have become so cheap that everyone is jumping into the field. This is both a good and a bad thing.

The good is that anyone that wants to be an entrepreneur, can be. I’m all for entrepreneurship, so that’s encouraging. The bad is that the 1 man shop is jumping into the market and making the same promises to prospects that Everon is making, but only has 1/50th of the resources that Everon does to pull those promises off. At the same time, they are usually making these promises at prices that are 1/2 to 3/4 of Everon’s pricing.

This is bad for the industry. It’s going to confuse consumers and create bad experiences. The unfortunate reality is that a lot of these service providers really believe they are going to make this pricing work, and it will only occur to them how off they are when it’s too late.

2. There are a lot more ways to make money in this industry than most of us are taking advantage of. I had some fantastic conversations with a few people this week that really opened my eyes to some revenue opportunities. And I think I was able to open theirs to some too. The net is that we are all going to make more money in the next year!

3. The telecom providers are all really waking up to the potential of managed services, and are hungry to get in the game somehow. This could come in the form of direct competition, or it could come in the form of partnership. I don’t know about you, but I’m all for partnership!

I had the pleasure of meeting the organizers and some of the members of MSPTel.com while I was there. It was interesting to hear their take on our industry and how we can all leverage each other for success. I’ll explore this more in future posts.

MRC

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He is a very interesting mix of academic and practitioner.  He reads a ton, and does a great job of using the conepts from the most impactful books as lessons on how to run your business better.

The following is a list of books he recommended as “must reads”.  Full disclosure – these are all affiliate links – if you click on them here and buy them you will be putting some money in my pocket.  If you don’t, I will still eat dinner tonight, so don’t sweat it.  Just READ THE BOOKS!

MRC

By the way…I can’t recommend the Kindel highly enough – especially if you are a traveler! My wife got me one for my birthday and I use it daily. All the books you want at your fingertips, anywhere you go.

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A few years ago, I took a couple of senior members of the Everon management team to a live 2-day Great Game of Business training program at their headquarters in Missouri.  The experience was a game-changer for all of us.

I think that this program is responsible for at least 5% points to Everon’s managed services bottom line each month!  Hopefully that catches your attention!!!

I tell everyone I know about their program.  EVERY business should study their methodology for running a business.  I think managed service providers in particular have something to learn from them.

They recently sent me an email indicating that they are now offering a free webinar to introduce people to the Great Game of Business concepts.  If you aren’t already studying their methodologies, I highly encourage you to check it out!

Get the GGOB webinar information here.

MRC

PS – just to show you how much I believe in GGOB – and to see if any of you readers are actually paying attention – I’m going to send a free copy of their book to the first 5 people that respond to this post.  Just post a comment with your contact info and I’ll get in touch and get it to you.

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If you are planning on being at MSP World in Las Vegas tomorrow night (Thursday, November 12th), I’d love to meet up with you.

Kutenda is sponsoring a little get together for MSPs.  Here are the details:

We have a private area set aside at Jet Nightclub in Mirage – very close to the MSP World event. The first 20 that RSVP and meet us at 945pm Thursday night in the Venetian lobby will get a free limo ride and cover charge covered by Kutenda. I’ll also be covering the first X bottles of drinks.

For those that come later, please just plan on paying $20 at the door to the organizer that I have working for us and he will get you right in so you don’t have to wait in line. Just mention that you are with Mike Cooch and the Kutenda party.

When the Kutenda sponsored drinks are gone, you’re on your own!

Hope to see you there! Vegas baby!

MRC

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And if you are looking for something to do on Thursday night, I’ll be buying a couple of rounds of drinks at a yet-to-be-disclosed location.  That sounded kind of mysterious…nothing like that…I just haven’t finished booking the venue yet!

But I promise it will happen!

I’m looking forward to seeing you there.

Mike

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Second, I agree with what she has to say about 95% of the time.

But in Robin’s November issue of her Marketing Strategy Brief – her monthly newsletter to members – I think she has led
her members astray.

Let me clarify.

In this issue, she has an article titled “Expensive Lessons and Unfiltered Facts Every Small Business Owner Ought to
Know BEFORE Spending a Dime on Google AdWords” that she apparently wrote for the Wall Street Journal.  In it, she had this to say about Google AdWords:

“Google AdWords is simply another form of media, just like direct mail, Yellow Pages ads, or radio advertising.  There’s no magic in it.”

The rest of the article is filled with great advice, but I think this statement is dead wrong.

Why?

My reasons are simple yet powerful.  The most important reason is summed up in one word:

SEARCH.

AdWords is of course part of the Google SEARCH Engine.  SEARCH is the operative word here.  Every day, depeding on the products or services you are selling, hundreds of thousands or even millions of people are SEARCHING for your products and services!

SEARCHING!  THEY ARE LOOKING FOR YOU!

Please don’t let the power of this simple statement go in one ear and out the other.  This is the simple reason that Google has exploded onto the business scene, becoming a goliath in only 11 years.

It’s the reason why online marketing is now surpassing television, radio, and many forms of print advertising
in many of the major markets of the world.

It’s the reason why small businesses are rapidly moving their advertising dollars online.

It’s the reason why Everon has been able to average 50 inbound managed services leads per month for years now, enough to give our business a growth turbo-boost.

And it’s the main reason why Google AdWords and other forms of search marketing are more powerful than other media.

With the exception of the Yellow Pages, every other form of media is an interruption.  This is why the Yellow Pages has traditionally been the most successful form of advertising for many businesses for years.  The only reason someone opens the Yellow Pages is to search for something.

So then is it fair to compare search engines to the Yellow Pages – it’s just another media, right? Ask the executives at the Yellow Pages companies if Google is “just another media”.  They’ll try to answer you through their tears as they look at their rapidly declining Yellow Pages revenue!

Which brings me to the second reason why online marketing is not just another media:

ADAPTABILITY.

There is no other form of advertising where you can place an ad, get results, modify the ad, get more results, decide to include a video in your ad, then change your mind and take it down – all in a 24 hour period!

If something isn’t working online, change it that day and test your new results!  Can you do that with a
newspaper ad, direct mail, or the Yellow Pages?  No!

And all of this can now be done by a non-technical person, like me.  I manage all of Everon’s online advertising and I don’t have a technical bone in my body.  The result is that small businesses are now truly empowered to take marketing into their own hands.

And finally, the third reason:

PAY FOR PERFORMANCE.

No other media lets you advertise to millions and millions of people without spending a penny until somebody responds to your ad.  This single innovation has opened up marketing to an audience of advertising buyers that would probably have never advertised otherwise because they saw the risk of spending money on traditional media as too high.

Now…hear me loud and clear.  I’m not saying this is the only media that should be used.  I’m a big believer in the value of direct mail, radio, and television advertising when used properly.  They are still very effective in many cases.  But online advertising is hot for a reason, and it’s not just because there are a lot of people out pitching online marketing services, as Robin suggests.

Online marketing is hot for one reason: IT WORKS.

AdWords and online marketing just another media?  That’s like saying a Ferrari is just another car.

Sorry Robin, but I have to disagree with you on this one, and I have to strongly encourage ALL small businesses – including managed services providers trying to find more powerful and effective ways to market their business – to explore the incredible online marketing opportunities that are available to them.

Mike

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The official MS video is a bunch of fluff and not really worth watching: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60Oxw_Qzfyk&NR=1

But this video from someone at the store when it opened is interesting. I wonder how hard it was to find a bunch of happy screaming MS fans to rush the store when it opened.

One of the best comments I have heard is that they should have PC laptops running MAC OS on boot camp or something to get the MAC crowd into the stores… good luck with that.

Anyway, win 7, MS retail stores, discounted office licensing online…. times are a changing that is for sure.

Josh

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Today I was reminded that we all learn quite differently and that a blended approach to learning is most impactful.

I am sure you are familiar with different styles of learning, I know I am from Psychology studies and I would have told you with 100% confidence that I am a Physical learner – I do things to learn them. Everything I do in my learning is driven by this because it sticks better for me.

After completing this quick questionnaire I now will pay more attention to my learning and my habits as i came up as a Auditory / Physical learner, which makes sense when i think about it but I would not have been conscious of it otherwise.

Anyway, check out the link to the file from Brian Tracy and if you are not familiar with his stuff check him out in general. He is an authority on self development, writes a great newsletter, and from the materials of his that I have bought, is right on with his guidance and focus.

Josh

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