10 Geeky Flicks to Raise Your Kids On: "In our never-ending quest to provide you the tools and knowledge to raise your kids in your own geeky image, we present you with a list of 10 geeky movies to share with your kids.
(Via Clippings.)
Top 5 Gadgets That Could Get You Arrested: "
OK, we'll admit it. Some of us are drawn to dangerous gear like bears to a picnic basket. There's just something devilishly appealing about mixing a few of our favorite things (tech toys) with one of our least (a ride in the back of a squad car).
Although we'd never condone breaking the law with these five gadgets, we can't deny our morbid fascination with them. Just remember: If misused, these gizmos could get you slapped with a set of handcuffs along with a criminal record.
1. The WASP Knife
width="350" />A vicious double-whammy of sharpened steel and freezing gas menaces watermelons everywhere.
Designed to quickly dispatch marauding undersea predators, this 5.25-inch hunting/tactical blade conceals a catastrophic one-two punch. After you shank say, a Great White Shark, a flick of a button injects the beast with an 800-psi blast of compressed air. This basketball-sized sphere of freezing gas decimates the interior of whatever it's injected into; whatever's left simply floats to the surface. It works great on watermelons, too.
Why It'd Get You Arrested:
Stabbing random objects on dry land (and then making them explode) is the fast track to a vandalism charge. Turning the WASP Knife on an innocent creature for non-defense purposes, though? Depending on the state, you're looking at aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, animal cruelty or even the rarely used 'mayhem' charge.
2. Sonar II Burner
width="350" />The Sonar II can burn through garbage bags and retinas with equal aplomb.
Look, everyone wants a lightsaber. But we can't have them because: A) midi-chlorians don't exist and, B) law enforcement agencies are already less-than-enthused over high-power handheld lasers. Consider for a moment, Wicked Lasers' Sonar II Burner. Essentially a more powerful version of the lasers found in Blu-ray players, this six-inch tool doesn't have to compensate for anything; it can light matches, burn holes through paper and melt plastic.
Why It'd Get You Arrested:
Where to begin? At 60mW, the Sonar II is totally capable of starting fires (arson), burning retinas (assault) and disorienting airline pilots (Gitmo).
3. EMT Paintball Sentry Turret
width="350" />Fires 30 rounds per second. Fully automated. Illegal in virtually all forms of competitive paintball.
May the Flying Spaghetti Monster's noodley appendage help the poor schmoe who ends up in the cross hairs of the Sentry Turret. This remote-controlled, tripod-mounted paintball cannon unleashes oil-based vengeance at 30 rounds per second on full-auto. And all you paint-balling pros take note: The EMT is not some glorified sloppy-shot Brass Eagle. Integrated-vibration dampeners plus rotation/tilt mechanisms make rounds fired from this gadget highly accurate.
Why It'd Get You Arrested:
With the amount of paint the Sentry is capable of unloading, you'd definitely be facing accusations of assault, disturbing the peace and any other charges your welt-covered victims care to press.
4. Fiber Laser Marking System
width="350" />It may not look menacing, but this portable laser can sear images into rock, glass and metal.
If you're going to deface public property, you might as well get an assist from technology. Laser Photonic's unintentional contribution to this practice is the 'Handheld Fiber Laser Marking System.' This portable, high-power laser was originally designed for etching graphics into industrial surfaces like metal, glass and stone. Sure, it lacks the DIY charm of spray paint. But it makes up for this by running off a car battery, and being able to etch almost any graphic you can load on a multimedia card.
Why It'd Get You Arrested:
Tagging public property with such creativity and zeal is likely to bump up the charge. A number of states reserve the right to boost vandalism charges to the felonious level if the damage exceeds $400, is especially malicious or is performed by a repeat offender.
5. Lil' Buttie LB110
width="350" />Don’t let the name fool you; this gadget is not your friend … if you get caught illegally tapping a phone line with it.
You don't have to work for the NSA to listen to other people's phone calls. A nifty lineman's handset like the Lil' Buttie LB110 is enough to do the trick. This cheap, easy-to-find gadget is the cornerstone of tapping a phone line. All it really takes is hooking the handset's alligator clamps to a set of exposed telephone wires and syncing up the handset. Once you're on the line, you can snoop on conversations, record them or even dial out at your leisure.
Why It'd Get You Arrested:
Despite what you may think, owning a 'butt set' isn't illegal. Don't be fooled though -- unless you're using it for running diagnostics on your own phone line, someone's bound to drop the hammer. Getting caught using (or even installing) an unauthorized line is the express lane to a felonious wiretapping charge, and/or a lifetime of government scrutiny. Trust us on this one.
(Via Clippings.)
Google Gears beta for Safari: "
Filed under: Internet, Internet Tools
Video: Four trends that will transform IT over the next five years: "
Gartner has cited its top 10 IT trends to watch over the next three to five years. IT leaders should put these trends on the radar to exploit them for competitive advantage. In this episode of Sanity Savers for IT executives, I share four of these trends and give you my take on each one.
Here’s the original article that this episode was based on:
Sanity check: 10 trends that will transform IT over the next five years
(Via Tech Sanity Check.)
The correct way to update Windows' device drivers: "Visit the system vendor's site to download the latest versions of the software that runs your PC's important components."
(Via Clippings.)
10+ ways to help your users transition to Word 2007: "
If you’re one Word 2007 support call away from a nervous breakdown, these tips may help. Susan Harkins addresses the most common areas of confusion and offers practical advice for helping users conquer the steep learning curve.
Word 2007 has been out for a while now, so you’re probably pretty familiar with it. However, despite your best efforts, many of your users might still be struggling. In fact, some of them probably took one look at the new version, closed it, and never opened it again.
Let’s face it: For anyone who’s been using a previous version of Word, opening Word 2007 (or any of the Office 2007 applications) is a bit like landing on an alien planet. It’s completely different and not terribly intuitive. Some users are going to need bit of help and encouragement before they’re willing to embrace Word 2007. Easing them into embracing Word 2007 will cut down on calls to you and help them be more productive.
Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.
The Ribbon is by far, the most controversial change to the Office 2007 products. However, you’re in luck in this department because Microsoft provides a downloadable Excel worksheet that maps Word 2003 menu commands to Word 2007 Ribbon tabs, groups, and commands. You can distribute the worksheet as is or quickly create handouts. This worksheet will help your users conquer their apprehension by allowing them to start using Word 2007 much quicker.
Users can also access an online guide via Help. Simply search on Word 2003 To Word 2007, click Interactive: Word 2003 To Word 2007 Command Reference Guide, and then click Start The Guide to watch the demo. Of course, the local system must have a live connection to the Internet for this to work.
Better yet, download the Word 2007 Guide: Word 2003 to Word 2007 interactive command reference guide and then show users how to use it. All they have to do is point to a 2003 command or tool, and a tip window shows them exactly where to find it in Word 2007.
Word 2007’s Ribbon is so different that it can be a bit overwhelming. Break down its geography so your users will understand the way it works. The Ribbon has three components:
Encourage your uses to spend some time familiarizing themselves with each tab and its many groups. And don’t forget to introduce the dialog box launcher — that’s the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of some groups, such as the one shown in Figure A. Dialog box launchers display more options related to the group, often in the form of the more familiar dialog box interface.
Most users don’t think about file formats; that’s your department. Word 2007 blurs the boundaries a bit because 2007’s format isn’t compatible with earlier versions. Word 2007 files are XML-based, but don’t expect that to mean much to your users. This format creates smaller files and is more secure than previous formats, which is important to you. However, your users will want to know why they can’t open Word 2007 documents in earlier versions of Word. There’s really no way around that limitation. If it’s a problem, show users how to use Word 2007 while saving files in a previous format, as follows:
After you make the switch, users can open Word 2007 documents in previous versions of Word. Be sure to introduce users to the new extensions:
Word 2007 can open documents created in older versions, but options new to 2007 won’t be available.
Your users are probably used to configuring things via the Options dialog box on the Tools menu, but there’s no such place in Word 2007. They’re going to be lost when they can’t find the options they need. Show them how to click the Office button and select Word Options when they would normally go for the Options dialog box. Most of Word’s configuration settings are in there somewhere.
As you can see in Figure C, the old tab interface is now a list to the left. Click one of these items to update the options and settings to the right. The downside is that the options aren’t organized exactly the same way, so your users still might have to look around a bit. There’s little you can do to make this adjustment easier beyond pointing out the change and encouraging them explore.
The Quick Access Toolbar is one of my favorite new features because the Ribbon displays only items for the selected tab. By adding commands to the Quick Access Toolbar, users can have ready access to what they need, regardless of the tab that’s currently in use.
The toolbar comes with a few options, but it’s easy to customize. Now, you can do this for your users, but it’s so easy, you should just teach them how to do it for themselves. That way they can adapt it as their needs change.
To add a command to the Quick Access Toolbar, click the appropriate tab or group (on the Ribbon) to display the command you want to add. Then, right-click the command and choose Add To Quick Access Toolbar from the shortcut menu. To remove a command from the toolbar, right-click that command and choose Remove From Quick Access Toolbar.
It’s important to remind users that not every tool on the Ribbon is a traditional command. That means that not every tool can be added to the Quick Access Toolbar. If Add To Quick Access Toolbar isn’t on the shortcut menu, you can’t add that tool.
Occasionally, users will want to add a command that they can’t find on the Ribbon (because it’s not there). Fortunately, they can add these commands to the Quick Access Toolbar, as follows:
Users can also use this method to find an elusive command when everything else fails. They might find it quicker than some of the methods reviewed in #1.
The selected tab determines which commands are available at any given time, so the commands users might need aren’t always available. They can add those commands to the Quick Access Toolbar (#5) or use the Mini Toolbar. This toolbar displays a number of common commands. For instance, if you point at selected text, Word 2007 displays a faded version of the Mini Toolbar. Click a formatting option on the Mini Toolbar instead of clicking the Home tab and hunting for the same tool.
On the other hand, some of your users may find the Mini Toolbar intrusive. If that’s the case, disable it as follows:
The traditional menus use an underscore character to indicate a hotkey, or keyboard shortcut. For instance, the letter F in File is underscored. Most users know that pressing Alt + F will display the File menu. Word 2007’s Ribbon doesn’t support hotkeys the same way — it offers Key Tips instead.
To display Key Tips for the Ribbon, Office button, or Quick Access Toolbar, press the Alt key to display the labels as shown in Figure D. Then, with the labels displayed, press the appropriate key for an action. For instance, pressing H will display the Home tab. Just keep pressing keys (as long as they labels are available) until you complete your task.
Ctrl + C, Ctrl + X, and Ctrl + V still work to copy, cut, and paste. In addition, users with good memories can continue to use the Alt shortcuts. Word 2007 still supports them, but there are no display clues to remind users.
Zooming in on text and other content is as easy as ever, if you can find the tool! There’s a new Zoom tool in the lower-right corner. It’s a slider: Slide to the right to zoom in, slide to the left to zoom out. This tool really isn’t hard to find and your users will probably find it on their own, but you might have to show them how to use it more efficiently:
In earlier versions, users chose the Header And Footer command from the View menu to access those sections. In Word 2007, it’s incredibly easy, but you might have to learn the method by accident the first time. That’s why you need to show your users how to open a header or footer section the easy way. Simply double-click the section — that’s it! Word automatically positions the insertion point marker in the section and you’re ready to go.
When you’re in the header or footer section, you can use the Design tab, which Word displays automatically. After you finish, simply click Close Header And Footer in the Close group or double-click the section tab.
Word count is critical to me and it might be to you. In 2003, you display the Word Count toolbar, but that’s gone in Word 2007. Now, the word count is on the status bar. You don’t have to do a thing. If nothing’s selected, the word count considers the entire document. Select text and the control displays the number of selected words and the total word count, as shown in Figure E.
That’s probably easy enough for most users to find on their own. What you might need to show them is the additional statistical information that they can also display. Simply right-click the Word Count tool to display the Status Bar Configuration menu shown in Figure F, which displays the statistics for the current document. To add a statistic to the status bar, simply select it. Of course, you can remove statistics by deselecting the item.
Your users probably have a few favorite, or required, templates, and they’ll have trouble getting those to work in Word 2007. That’s not because the templates aren’t compatible, but because users won’t be able to find the feature. All the commands for working with templates are on the Developer tab, along with macro and XML commands. (It’s an odd place for sure.) The problem is, the Developer tab isn’t enabled by default. Instruct your users to enable this tab as follows:
To attach a template, click the Developer tab. Then, click Document Template in the Templates group.
Word 2007’s takes up a little more space than the traditional menu/toolbar interface, and you can hide those if you like. If users mostly enter and format text, they don’t need the Ribbon often, especially if you show them how to use the Mini Toolbar (#6). Fortunately, your users are just a double-click away from hiding the Ribbon and gaining an extra inch of working space. To hide the Ribbon, double-click the active tab. This action is a simple toggle, so double-clicking the active tab will display the hidden Ribbon.
(Via Clippings.)
Terminal Tips: Make your Screensaver a desktop background: "
Filed under: Terminal Tips
/System/Library/Frameworks/ScreenSaver.framework/Resources/ScreenSaverEngine.app/Contents/MacOS/ScreenSaverEngine -background(Via Clippings.)
10 common security mistakes that should never be made: "
There’s no shortage of difficult security challenges — so why take chances and overlook the easy stuff? Chad Perrin describes some of the worst (and all too common) security oversights he sees on a regular basis.
The following is a list of security mistakes I see all the time. They’re not just common, though — they’re also extremely basic, elementary mistakes, and anyone with a modicum of security knowledge should know better than to make them.
Note: This information originally appeared as an entry in our IT Security blog. It’s also available as a PDF download.
Stop sending me passwords, PINs, and account data via unencrypted e-mail. Please. I understand that a lot of customers are too stupid or lazy to use encryption, but I’m not. Even if you’re going to give them what they want, in the form of unencrypted sensitive data sent via e-mail, that doesn’t mean you can’t give me what I want — secure communications when sending sensitive data.
Social security numbers, mothers’ maiden names, first pets, and birthdays do not constitute a secure means of verifying identity. Requiring an end user to compromise his or her password by specifying a question like that as a means of resetting the password basically ensures that the password itself is useless in preventing anyone who is willing to do a little homework from gaining unauthorized access.
I’ve seen an unacceptable number of cases where some online interface to a system that lets you manage your finances — such as banking Web sites — impose password restrictions that actually make the interface less secure. Six-character numeric passwords are dismayingly common, and the examples only go downhill from there. See ‘How does bad password policy like this even happen?’ for another example in more detail.
I’ve said before that there’s no such thing as a vendor you can trust. Hopefully, you were listening. Ultimately, the only security a corporate vendor really cares about protecting is the security of its own profits and market share. While this may prompt a vendor to improve the security of its products and services, it sometimes prompts exactly the opposite. You must question a vendor’s definition of ‘good security,’ and you must not let vendors tell you what’s important to you.
People in positions of authority in corporations often fail to understand the necessity for specific security expertise. This applies not only to nontechnical managers, but to technical IT managers as well. In fact, standards working groups such as the one that produced the WEP standard often include a lot of very smart technologists, but not a single cryptographer, despite the fact they intend to develop security standards that rely explicitly on cryptographic algorithms.
Even those with security expertise specific to what they’re trying to accomplish should have their work checked by others with that expertise as well. Peer review is regarded in the security community as something akin to a holy grail of security assurance, and nothing can really be considered secure without being subjected to significant, punishing levels of testing by security experts from outside the original development project.
Many security software developers who make the mistake of underestimating the importance of review couple that with overestimation of the importance of secrecy. They justify a lack of peer review with hand-waving about how important it is to keep security policies secret. As Kerckoffs’ Principle — one of the most fundamental in security research — points out, however, any system whose security relies on the design of the system itself being kept secret is not a system with strong security.
Anything that involves faxing signatures or sending photocopies or scans of ID cards is basically just a case of security theater — putting on a great show without actually providing the genuine article (security, in this case) at all. It is far too easy to forge such second-generation (or worse) low quality copies. In fact, for things like signatures and ID cards, the only way for a copy to serve as useful verification is for it to be a good enough copy that it is not recognized as a copy. Put another way, only a successful forgery of the original is a good enough copy to avoid easy forgery.
Often, developers of new security software are re-creating something that already exists without any good reason for doing so. Many software vendors suffer from Not Invented Here disease and end up creating new software that doesn’t really do anything new or needed. That might not be a big deal, except that new software is often not peer reviewed, it makes security mistakes that have already been ironed out of the previous implementation of the idea, and it generally just screws things up pretty badly.
Whenever creating a new piece of software, consider whether you’re replacing something else that already does that job and whether your replacement actually does anything different that is important. Then, if it is doing something important and different, think about whether you might be able to just add that to the already existing software so you will not create a whole new bundle of problems by trying to replace it.
This is a mistake so absurd to make that I have difficulty formulating an explanation. It is also so common that there’s no way I can leave it out of the list. People give up the keys to their private security kingdoms to anyone who comes along and tells them, ‘Trust me, I’m an expert,’ and they do it willingly, eagerly, and often without thought. ‘Certificate Authorities’ tell you who to trust, thus stripping you of your ability to make your own decisions about trust; Webmail service providers offer on-server encryption and decryption, thus stripping you of end-to-end encryption and control over your own encryption keys; operating systems decide what to execute without your consent, thus stripping you of your ability to protect yourself from mobile malicious code.
Don’t give up control of your security to some third party. Sure, you may not be able to develop a good security program or policy yourself, but that doesn’t mean the program or policy shouldn’t give you control over its operation on your behalf.
(Via Clippings.)
10 things you should know about launching an IT consultancy: "
There’s no shortage of books on how to start your own business — and some of them are excellent resources. But if you’re preparing to launch an IT consultancy, you need more than general business strategy. You need nitty-gritty tactical details like these.
Oh yeah. You’re going to work for yourself, be your own boss. Come and go when you want. No more kowtowing to The Man, right?
Running your own computer consulting business is rewarding, but it’s also full of numerous and competing challenges. Before you make the jump into entrepreneurship, take a moment to benefit from a few hundred hours of research I’ve invested and the real-world lessons I’ve learned in launching my own computer consulting franchise.
There are plenty of launch-your-own-business books out there. I know. I read several of them. Most are great resources. Many provide critical lessons in best managing liquid assets, understanding opportunity costs, and leveraging existing business relationships. But when it comes down to the dirty details, here are 10 things you really, really need to know (in street language) before quitting your day job.
Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.
You don’t want to lose your house if a client’s data is lost. If you try hanging out a shingle as an independent lone ranger, your personal assets could be at risk. (Note that I’m not dispensing legal nor accounting advice. Consult your attorney for legal matters and a qualified accountant regarding tax issues.)
Ultimately, life is easier when your business operates as a business and not as a side project you maintain when you feel like it. Clients appreciate the assurance of working with a dedicated business. I can’t tell you how many clients I’ve obtained whose last IT guy ‘did it on the side’ and has now taken a corporate job and doesn’t have time to help the client whose business has come to a standstill because of computer problems. Clients want to know you’re serious about providing service and that they’re not entering a new relationship in which they’re just going to get burned again in a few months time.
Incorporate. Form an LLC. Have questions about whether an S-Corp is right for you? Talk to an accountant. Then hit LegalZoom.com. The site will walk you through a questionnaire (you’ll need to have the advice of your accountant at the ready to answer the queries), and then it’ll file the appropriate paperwork for a fraction of the cost an attorney would charge.
Next, you need to register for a federal tax ID number. Hardly anyone (vendors, banks, and even some clients) will talk to you if you don’t.
Wait a second. Didn’t you just complete a mountain of paperwork to form your business (either as a corporation or LLC)? Yes, you did. But attorneys and online services charge incredible rates to obtain a federal tax ID for you.
Here’s a secret: It’s easy. Just go to the IRS Web site, complete and submit form SS-4 online, and voila. You’ll be the proud new owner of a federal tax ID.
You need a state sales tax exemption, too (most likely). If you’re in a state that collects sales tax, you’re responsible for ensuring sales tax gets paid on any item you sell a client. In such states, whether you buy a PC for a customer or purchase antivirus licenses, taxes need to be paid.
Check your state’s Web site. Look for information on the state’s department of revenue. You’ll probably have to complete a form, possibly even have it notarized, and return it to the state’s revenue cabinet. Within a few weeks, you’ll receive an account number. You’ll use that account number when you purchase products from vendors. You can opt NOT to pay sales tax when you purchase the item, instead choosing to pay the sales tax when you sell the item to the client.
Why do it this way? Because many (most) consultants charge clients far more for a purchase than the consultant paid. Some call it markup; accountants prefer to view it as profit. But you certainly don’t want to have to try to determine what taxes still need to be paid if some tax was paid earlier. Thus, charge tax at the point of sale to the customer, not when you purchase the item.
Local government wants its money, too. Depending on where your business is located and services customers, you’ll likely need to register for a business license. As with the state sales tax exemption, contact your local government’s revenue cabinet or revenue commission for more information on registering your business. Expect to pay a fee for the privilege.
Once your paperwork’s complete, it’s time for more paperwork. In fact, you’d better learn to love paperwork, as a business owner. There’s lots of it, whether it’s preparing quarterly tax filings, generating monthly invoicing, writing collection letters, or simply returning monthly sales reports to state and local revenue cabinets.
QuickBooks can simplify the process. From helping keep your service rates consistent (you’ll likely want one level for benchwork, another for residential or home office service, and yet a third for commercial accounts) to professionally invoicing customers, QuickBooks can manage much of your finances.
I recommend purchasing the latest Pro version, along with the corresponding Missing Manual book for the version you’ve bought. Plan on spending a couple of weekends, BEFORE you’ve launched your business, doing nothing but studying the financial software. Better yet, obtain assistance from an accountant or certified QuickBooks professional to set up your initial Chart of Accounts. A little extra time taken on the front end to ensure the software’s configured properly for your business will save you tons of time on the backend. I promise.
Speaking of backend, backend systems are a pain in the you-know-what. And by backend, I mean all your back office chores, from marketing services to billing to vendor management and fulfillment. Add call management to the list, too.
Just as when you’re stuck in traffic driving between service calls, you don’t make any money when you’re up to your elbows in paper or processing tasks. It’s frustrating. Clients want you to order a new server box, two desktops, and a new laptop. They don’t want to pay a markup, either. But they’re happy to pay you for your time to install the new equipment.
Sound good? It’s not.
Consider the facts. You have to form a relationship with the vendor. It will need your bank account information, maybe proof of insurance (expect to carry one million dollars of general liability), your state sales tax exemption ID, your federal employer ID, a list of references, and a host of other information that takes a day to collect. Granted, you have to do that only once (with each vendor, and you’ll need about 10), but then you still have to wade through their catalogs, select the models you need, and configure them with the appropriate tape arrays, software packages, etc. That takes an hour alone. And again, you’re typically not getting paid for this research. Even if you mark hardware sales up 15 percent, don’t plan on any Hawaiian vacation as a result.
Add in similar trials and tribulations with your marketing efforts, billing systems, vendor maintenance, channel resellers, management issues, etc., and you can see why many consultants keep a full-time office manager on staff. It’s no great revelation of my business strategy to say that’s why I went with a franchise group. I have a world of backend support ready and waiting when I need it. I can’t imagine negotiating favorable or competitive pricing with computer manufacturers, antivirus vendors, or Microsoft if I operated on my own.
Before you open your doors, make sure that you know how you’ll tackle these wide-ranging back office chores. You’ll be challenged with completing them on an almost daily basis.
This is one of those business facets I didn’t fully appreciate until I was operating on my own. Everyone wants you to sell their stuff, right? How hard can it be for the two of you to hook up?
Well, it’s hard, as it turns out, to obtain products configured exactly as your client needs quickly and at a competitive price if you don’t have strong vendor relationships. That means you’ll need to spend time at trade shows and on the telephone developing business relationships with everyone from software manufacturers and hardware distributors to local computer store owners who keep life-saving SATA disks and patch 5 cables in stock when you can’t wait five days for them to show up via UPS.
Different vendors have their own processes, so be prepared to learn myriad ways of signing up and jumping through hoops. Some have online registrations; others prefer faxes and notarized affidavits. Either way, they all take time to launch, so plan on beginning vendor discussions, and establishing your channel relationships, months in advance of opening your consultancy.
All the start-your-own-business books emphasize writing your 50-page business plan. Yes, I did that. And do you know how many times I’ve referred to it since I opened my business? Right; not once.
The written business plan is essential. Don’t get me wrong. It’s important because it gets you thinking about all those topics (target markets, capitalization, sales and marketing, cash flow requirements, etc.) you must master to be successful.
But here’s what you really need to include in your business plan: a succinct and articulate explanation of what your business does, how the services you provide help other businesses succeed, and how you’re different. Oh, and you need to be able to explain all that in 10 seconds or less.
Really. I’m not kidding.
Business Network International (plan on joining the chapter in your area) is on to something when it allots members just 30 seconds or so to explain what they do and the nature of their competitive advantage. Many times I’ve been approached in elevators, at stoplights (with the windows down), and just entering my car in a parking lot by prospective customers. Sometimes they have a quick question, other times they need IT help right now. Here’s the best part; they don’t always know it.
The ability to quickly communicate the value of the services you provide is paramount to success. Ensure that you can rattle off a sincere description of what you do and how you do it in 10 seconds and without having to think about it. It must be a natural reaction you develop to specific stimuli. You’ll cash more checks if you do.
Why have I been approached by customers at stoplights, in parking lots, and in elevators? I believe in branding. And unlike many pop business books that broach the subject of branding but don’t leave you with any specifics, here’s what I mean by that.
People know what I do. Give me 10 seconds and I can fill in any knowledge gaps quickly. My ‘brand’ does much of the ice breaking for me. I travel virtually nowhere without it. My company’s logo and telephone number are on shirts. Long sleeve, short sleeve, polos, and dress shirts; they all feature my logo. Both my cars are emblazoned with logos, telephone numbers, and simple marketing messages (which I keep consistent with my Yellow Pages and other advertising).
I have baseball hats for casual trips to Home Depot. My attaché features my company logo. My wife wears shirts displaying the company logo when grocery shopping. After I visit clients, even their PC bears a shiny silver sticker with my logo and telephone number.
Does it work? You better believe it. Hang out a shingle and a few people will call. Plaster a consistent but tasteful logo and simple message on your cars, clothing, ads, Web site, etc., and the calls begin stacking up.
Do you have to live, eat, and breathe the brand? No. But it helps. And let’s face it. After polishing off a burrito and a beer, I don’t mind someone asking if they can give me their laptop to repair when I approach my car in a parking lot. Just in case they have questions, I keep brochures, business cards and notepads (again, all featuring my logo and telephone number) in my glove box. You’d be surprised how quickly I go through them. I am.
The business plan books touch on this, but they rarely focus on technology consultants directly. You need to know your market niche. I’m talking about your target market here.
Will you service only small businesses? If so, you better familiarize yourself with the software they use. Or are you targeting physicians? In that case, you better know all things HIPAA, Intergy, and Medisoft (among others).
Know up front that you’re not going to be able to master everything. I choose to manage most Windows server, desktop, and network issues. When I encounter issues with specific medical software, dental systems, or client relationship software platforms, I call in an expert trained on those platforms. We work alongside to iron out the issue together.
Over time, that strategy provides me with greater penetration into more markets than if I concentrated solely on mastering medical systems, for example. Plus, clients respect you when you tell them you’re outside your area of expertise. It builds trust, believe it or not.
Whatever you choose to focus on, ensure that you know your niche. Do all you can to research your target market thoroughly and understand the challenges such clients battle daily. Otherwise, you’ll go crazy trying to develop expertise with Medisoft databases at the same time Intel’s rolling out new dual-core chips and Microsoft’s releasing a drastically new version of Office.
(Via Clippings.)