B2B Growth Strategies for a Down Economy

B2B media luminary shares some tips.

Via http://www.aicpalearning.org, Hank Berkowitz writes:

When it comes to B2B e-newsletters for financial professionals, no discussion would be complete without checking in with Rick Telberg, President of Bay Street Group Research in Dobbs Ferry, NY. Arguably the most widely-read journalist and analyst covering the accounting profession, Telberg is the co-author of a new research report: Beyond the Click: Maximizing Advertising ROI in B2B E-Newsletters.

Request a FREE copy of the executive summary of the report, here.

CPA Marketing Insider (CMI): Rick, it sounds like you’re not a big fan of using clicks to measure the success or failure of online ad campaigns, especially in e-newsletters.

Rick Telberg: Correct. I’m just not seeing much of a correlation between advertisers who are continually renewing their campaigns in their favorite media properties and the clicks they’re getting from those campaigns. Several media partners I’ve talked with note that some of their longest-standing clients fall into the middle and even lower tiers in terms of raw click-through rates they’re seeing.

CMI: With marketing departments and ad agencies stretched so thin these days, can media partners really expect their advertisers to develop creative specifically for their own publications and Web properties?

Telberg: I’d flip that around. Read more

Posted on April 17, 2008
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Mint.com Raises $12 Million

mint_white.jpgThe online upstart challenger to Quicken seems to be gathering momentum.

Here’s their media release, hot off the PR wire… Read more

Posted on March 5, 2008
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Now Available: “At the Crossroads” by Gale Crosley

Gale Crosley’s highly anticipated new book, “At the Crossroads: The Remarkable CPA Firm that Nearly Crashed, then Soared,” is now available.

I’ll just repeat what I told Gale when I had the privilege of reviewing the galleys:

gale_crosley_headshot.jpg“At the Crossroads” is a compelling fable with an inspirational lesson for every CPA firm. It’s an entertaining page-turner of a novel that shows how a little vision, courage, and knowledge can transform any group of also-rans into a team of true champions. More than merely a lesson in business, Gale gives us a lasting lesson in life. Every managing partner should take a dose of this book each morning before going into the office. Every aspiring CPA should embrace the message. They won’t succeed without it.

Congratulations, Gale!

Get it in hardcover, 194 pages, from Wiley & Co.: For under $20 at Amazon. 

Posted on February 27, 2008
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Premiere Global Services standardizes on NetSuite

Score another win for NetSuite

Premiere Global Services Inc., a global provider of on-demand business process improvement solutions, has moved more than 1,000 CRM users to NetSuite. Premiere Global has an established customer base of more than 47,000 companies, including nearly 95% of the Fortune 500, and a presence in 23 countries. Read more

Posted on February 14, 2008
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AICPA/fi360 Handbook Defines A Fiducially Prudent Standard Of Excellence For Investment Advisors

aicpa_logo_pill_150x50.jpgNEW YORK - The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and Fiduciary360 (fi360) have announced the publication of the U.S. edition of Prudent Practices for Investment Advisors handbook. The handbook adapts the Prudent Practices for Investment Fiduciaries, defined by the Foundation for Fiduciary Studies, to provide a framework for a disciplined investment process specific for investment advisors.The handbook identifies 23 practices for investment practitioners and addresses many ethical and professional requirements. The handbook arranges the practices into a four-step investment management process: organize, formalize, implement and monitor. Read more

Posted on February 6, 2008
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A Keyboard Even a CPA Could Love?

rtab.jpgEver wonder why the number pad on your keyboard is on the right — but the tab key is at the opposite end of the keyboard on the left?

Well, if you haven’t been wondering. Bill Sheridan at the Maryland CPA Society has.

And he’s found an answer, the R-Tab, a right-handed tab-button keyboard developed by CPA Wayne Wilson, here…

(Hat tip, as well, to our friends at SmartPros for breaking the story.)

Posted on January 31, 2008
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Sage Names Elite Resellers

Sage Software has announced its Chairman’s Club members, representing the elite of the Sage Software Business Partner community.

Chairman’s Club membership is earned by Sage Software Business Partners that develop an exceptional level of new business with Sage Software through defined sales and marketing programs, making these the top-selling Sage Software Business Partners in North America. Chairman’s Club members receive a variety of marketing benefits and attend an annual business retreat with Sage Software executives to discuss industry issues and business strategy. Members were determined based on their performance during the company’s 2007 fiscal year, which ran from October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007.

“Chairman’s Club members represent some of our most successful business partners in North America, helping small and mid-sized businesses achieve great results with Sage Software solutions,” said Nina Smith, Sage Software president, Business Management Division. “Their hard work and dedication over the past year to achieving our mutual success has earned them this prestigious honor.” Added Doug Meyer, Sage Software president, Industry & Specialized Solutions Division, “Like Sage Software, these partners are very customer-focused, and strive to always keep their customers and their continued satisfaction in mind by implementing and maintaining exceptional business management programs for them.”

Sage Software Chairman’s Club members are:

Posted on January 25, 2008
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Job 1: Protect Your Notebook PC Investment

How to get the right carrying case for your laptop

By Rick Telberg
for Hewlett Packard

Does your laptop case reflect your work and travel style? Or is it the same one you’ve had for years—possibly included with a former laptop purchase?

Too many laptop users just use whatever is handy to tote their laptops, regardless of whether it’s the right choice.

Why the brouhaha over a simple case? After all, the point of a laptop case is just carrying your laptop. Isn’t it?

Actually, that’s just half the story—and maybe not even the more important half. The above statement about moving a laptop from one place to another is true, as far as it goes. But it’s missing one key word that makes all the difference: Safely. A major purpose of a laptop case is to safely move a laptop from one place to another.
Read more

Posted on January 13, 2008
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The Great Debate: Inkjet vs. LaserJet

Fast, crisp, high-capacity printing at an affordable price

By Rick Telberg
for Hewlett Packard

Everyone knows the mantra-laser printers are for business, inkjet printers are for home. Many accounting and finance firms were just waiting for the day when they could replace the inkjet printers they used for color graphics with affordable color laser printers.

If you’ve been hanging on until color laser printers get even cheaper, you may have made the right decision. The tide seems to be turning, making inkjet the printing method of choice.
How has this happened? After all, everyone knows that the cost-per-color-page is less with a color laser printer. And that print quality is better with a laser printer than with an inkjet.

What “everyone” knows, however, isn’t necessarily right. Let’s take cost-per-page first. Much of the argument about inkjet printing costing more per color page than laser printing comes from using different measuring sticks for each mode of printing.
Read more

Posted on January 13, 2008
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Taylor Macdonald Takes Top Channel Post at Deltek

Macdonald Named Vice President of Worldwide Channels and Sales Alliances

HERNDON, VA — Deltek, Inc., a provider of enterprise applications software for project-focused organizations, has named Taylor Macdonald Vice President of Worldwide Channels and Sales Alliances, responsible for managing and developing Deltek’s global channel and sales alliance operations. Macdonald will report directly to Deltek’s Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales, Carolyn Parent.

Macdonald brings over 19 years of experience to Deltek and has been named one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People” in the accounting profession by Accounting Today on five separate occasions. He was also named Top Channel Executive by VARBusiness Magazine, made the top ten list of CRN.com’s “Most Influential Channel Chiefs of 2007”, and was named to CRN Magazine’s list of “Top 50 Channel Champions” for the past 3 years. Most recently, Macdonald served as the Executive Vice President, Channel and Sales Operations, NA of Sage Software where he led the design and implementation of all U.S. channel programs.

“As we continue to leverage third-parties to facilitate our growth, we are fortunate to have acquired someone with Taylor’s vast knowledge and experience in developing world-class channel and alliance programs,” said Kevin Parker, president and CEO of Deltek. “The expansion of our network of alliance partners is an important component of our overall growth strategy as we penetrate new markets and increase our geographical sales force coverage.”

Macdonald serves on the board of directors for the Information Technology Alliance. He is a frequent speaker for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, various state CPA societies and other business organizations. Macdonald holds a B.S. degree from Yale University.

Posted on January 7, 2008
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AccountantsWorld Launches Accounting Relief – Web 2.0

See the demo

Application allows accountants to collaborate with clients online

HAUPPAUGE, NY (www.accountantsworld.com) – AccountantsWorld has unveield a new web-based software product Accounting Relief®, which lets accountants collaborate with their small business clients to help them streamline accounting and manage their finances more effectively.

“Most bookkeeping programs are excellent—when the clients know what they’re doing. But most of the time they don’t, and that creates a mess. Accountants spend enormous amounts of time correcting the mistakes clients make before they can do their work and produce finished financial statements,” said Dr. Chandra Bhansali, CEO of AccountantsWorld. “When you consider the complete workflow that includes the work performed by accountants, the entire process of managing small business finances is marred with many problems and significant inefficiencies. Accounting Relief eliminates these issues and offers many new capabilities that benefit both accountants and their small business clients.”

Read more

Posted on October 15, 2007
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DocuLex Launches Web Based Document Management for Accounting Environments

Archive Studio software as a service offering enables secure document warehousing and sharing with remote access

(Winter Haven, FL) DocuLex (www.doculex-usa.com), creators of electronic document management software, announced the launch of Archive Studio Web based document management for accounting environments. This software as a service offering enables secure document warehousing and sharing with remote access to organizations with a need to share documents among multiple offices, other companies or the public. DocuLex utilizes Internet-enabled search and retrieval software WebSearch, designed to allow sharing of document collections for colleagues to enable rapid information distribution and workflow collaboration.

Each user is presented with a custom portal design specifically to meet their needs. Document collections include scanned paper converted to PDF and all electronically created files, such as Word, Excel or Outlook email. Documents may be uploaded to the server from any location, by the user or 3rd party service provider. Secure document access is a key component to the architecture of this hosting offering with encrypted site access and SSL protection.

About WebSearch _ Document Management and Retrieval

WebSearch manages security and retrieval of indexed and stored electronic files housed locally on a network or remote file server with secure access to the Internet. The electronic files may be easily located by searching document-specific descriptions or a combination of full text key words contained in the document. Proximity searching is also available using visual file cabinet and folder structure methods. WebSearch is the electronic document management component accompanying the document imaging and content indexing programs, Goby Capture, Office and Professional Capture. Read more

Posted on October 9, 2007
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‘Unified Communications’ Trickles into SMB Market

Convenience, Mobility, and Speed-of-Business are Driving Adoption

New York (AMI-Partners) - Small and medium businesses are facing numerous challenges that are forcing them to become more flexible in order to compete in an increasingly global economy. This demands increased productivity from employees and optimized operational efficiency from SMBs to enable short response times and quick information-driven decision making. While SMBs are yet to fully comprehend the notion of unified communications (UC), AMI-Partners’ tracking of this space reveals US SMBs have started to adopt various facets of UC in a best-of-breed, piecemeal manner.

“Whether using Skype on their smartphones, or installing in-house IP-PBXs or using web conferencing services, SMBs are clearly signaling their desire to utilize all available communications and collaboration solutions,” says Sanjeev Aggarwal, Vice President at AMI-Partners.

Read more

Posted on October 7, 2007
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