Chamber Member Blogs

Welcome to the Official Blog Page of the Boca Chamber!
If you are interested in having your posts appear in this webpage, please contact us at [email protected]

5 Dangerous Phishing Attack Trends to Know
Matt Rosenthal is CEO and President of Mindcore
As our society has become more technology-focused, phishing attacks have become more frequent. Whether hacking into people’s emails or stealing personal information, these attacks are increasing yearly with almost every person or company receiving a suspicious email at one point or another. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

How to Say Goodbye to Your Underperforming IT Service Provider (MSP)
Matt Rosenthal is CEO and President of Mindcore
In today’s business landscape, technology is an essential component of operations. Keeping up with IT demands and staying competitive in the market requires a reliable IT service provider. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
By Stephanie Prince-Springmyer, Vice President & Market Manager
There’s a reason the Miami Marlins put out advertisements for New York Mets fans!
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE


GET THAT LOOK: PATTERN PRINTS  16 AUG 2022
By Darren Zidel of Fully Promoted Boca Raton
Transform any design with this look
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Is Pro-Am Where Its At? 20 July 2022
By Darren Zidel of Fully Promoted Boca Raton
Can the pro’s play with amateurs in sport?
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

CELEBRATE THE MOMENTS 12 July 2022
By Darren Zidel of Fully Promoted Boca Raton
5 garment customization ideas to elevate your audience engagement
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Lets Reflect 6 July 2022
By Darren Zidel of Fully Promoted Boca Raton
Check out this embellishment feature to light up your branded apparel
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MERCH ME 28 June 2022
By Darren Zidel of Fully Promoted Boca Raton
Follow any Youtuber these days and you will no doubt know they all have their own range of
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

CHOOSE LOVE 21 June 2022
By Darren Zidel of Fully Promoted Boca Raton
On a Saturday afternoon in May, unspeakable tragedy struck Buffalo, NY.
In less than 10 minutes.
CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW A T-SHIRT HAS THE POWER TO UNITE A COMMUNITY
Interactive Sportswear For the Fans 14 June 2022
By Darren Zidel of Fully Promoted Boca Raton
The English Premier League and The NBA have introduced new ways to interact with its fans using … 
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE


FASHTECH 7 June 2022
By Darren Zidel of Fully Promoted Boca Raton
The QR code has seen a surge in adoption.
Shoppers enjoy the simplicity of a touch-free interaction using only their smartphone, while businesses are empowered to CLICK HERE TO READ MORE 

By You Clothing 31 May 2022
By Darren Zidel of Fully Promoted Boca Raton
Live sporting events and concerts are back in full force for spectators and fans.
But being away from the stadiums for quite some time has created new challengers for brands to get the fans back to the stands.
How can you engage with your fans? Read more here

TIE-DYE IS BACK IN A WHOLE NEW WAY:
By Darren Zidel of Fully Promoted Boca Raton
 
Tie-dye evokes the carefree fun of music festivals, concerts and other packed positive-vibe gatherings, all of which COVID-19 made impossible—so we’re gravitating back to those happier places, but at home. Celebs like Katie Holmes, Victoria Beckham and Bella Hadid tried tie-dyeing their own clothes, and then posted the results on Instagram. Fashion designer Pamela Ptak summarized it best, “The trend toward optimistic clothing will continue because actual life is becoming less optimistic. There is no better type of garment that screams out happiness quite like a tie dye garment especially during these difficult times. Promote your business now by offering your audience a range of tie dye garments customized with your logo. Reach Darren at [email protected] or (561) 405 7727


POSTCARD MARKETING IMPACTS YOUR BUSINESS
Blog By Dale "DataDale" Filhaber 

Postcard marketing gives your business an edge over the competition. An eye-catching, well-designed postcard can go a long way in advertising your business.
You can really excite your recipients with customized printed postcards. It’s a hugely effective way to reach your target audience and engage with them.
Postcards can be great for your branding. They are a great way to introduce your business to new customers, promote sales or holiday events, show off new products, or simply “hello” to your customers. READ MORE 


Dynamic Governance and Agile, A Practical Implementation
Blog By The SilverLogic Team
The SilverLogic (https://tsl.io/)  has grown dramatically as an agile software development company over the past several years. Now 10 years old and with almost 60 members, we faced the question: how do we —the organization—introspect, course-correct, learn at scale? A company-wide retrospective is unfeasible, and surveys only take us so far.  We needed a method for the company, composed of development teams, a small operations team, and an even smaller sales team to have a mechanism for introspection, retrospection, adapt to change and plan for the future as a business. READ MORE
NFTs: Strategies to Reduce Speculation
Blog By The Silver Logic Marketing Team
NFTs: From Speculation to Utility
A lot of the current talk about NFTs is about collectability rather than their usability, or functionality. What can you really DO with non-fungible tokens that make them valuable aside from purchasing something like a “Bored ape” and becoming a member of the “Bored Ape Yacht Club?” READ MORE  


February 2022 Market Update
Blog By John Browning, MBA,CSA.Principal, Best Selling Author and Professional Speaker
 Quick question – have you ever been sitting in “that lecture”?  You know the one where despite your best efforts your eyes begin to droop and you find yourself taking those micro, or not-so micro naps?
Well, the goal of my monthly market updates is to write things in a way that people who are not as into the statistics and “nerdy analysis” can read and understand without falling into a deep sleep.  So here is the deal as I see it and folks can feel free to disagree!
 Inflation has, in comparison to recent history, skyrocketed basically due to the age-old factor of too much money chasing too few goods.  That is economics 101.  Lots of money from the government while folks stayed home with more time to think about shopping with their new money and low interest rates.  Meanwhile, since folks were staying home, supplies did not get produced and were/are not being delivered.  It has been a perfect storm for inflation. READ MORE  
  

SOLOMO - MARKETING BUZZWORD FOR 2022
Blog By Dale "DataDale" Filhaber 
One of my favorite marketing buzzwords for 2022 is SoLoMo. This is a combination of Social, Local and Mobile media.
The concept revolves around the idea that customers now consume more content via mobile and trust the opinions of their community (social) around their geographical location (local).
It’s not just a marketing buzzword. SoLoMo represents a fantastic opportunity for businesses to attract more customers, boost sales and improve customer experience.READ MORE
 
Compassion In ABA
Blog By Dr. Janessa Dominguez
What Is Compassion?When I think of compassion, I think of my behavior. More specifically, how I am actively behaving in ways to demonstrate kindness, care, dignity, and empathy to those around me. Compassion is what brought me into the field. In fact, it was 13 years ago in October that I began my career in ABA. My goal has only evolved from what it was 13 years ago; to help others, bring positive change to people’s lives, and make a lasting difference with rippling, systemic change. READ MORE
 
 
2022 - A Year of Transformation
Blog By Dale "DataDale" Filhaber
2022 is destined to be a year of continuing transformation for business.
According to Alan Murray, CEO of Fortune Magazine, these changes will be fueled by: 1) a technology revolution; 2) a post-pandemic imperative to reinvent office work; and 3) a continuing drive to put purpose at the center of business. The most successful companies will be those that embrace these three interlocking waves of change. And the performance gap between those that do and those that don’t will grow READ MORE
 

December 2021 Market Update
Blog By John Browning, MBA,CSA.Principal, Best Selling Author and Professional Speaker

Have you ever strained a muscle, twisted an ankle, or had some type of injury? If you have experienced this, you may have also experienced how interconnected your body is. I learned that when you have pain or injury in one part of the body, it can impact an entirely different area. When compensating for one injury, I also found that we often overcompensate and injure other parts of our bodies. I remember spraining my ankle, and while trying to get off the basketball court on one foot, I ended up twisting the other one as well!
The economy feels a little like that as we head towards the end of an eventful year of investing. One strain leads to another and then another. First, a pandemic with all the supply chain issues that went along with it.  Next, a great deal of worldwide money printing, which caused the current inflation we are seeing. Then, another worldwide supply chain issue, and now a new strain of COVID has begun. Now we can add some extra infrastructure spending that is just starting to add money to the system while the Fed warns of tapering and increased interest rates toward the end of next year. It would even seem that the consumer may be tapering a bit as well, given the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales numbers. READ MORE 






Trends Driving Direct Mail ROI for 2022
Blog By Dale “DataDale” Filhaber

Direct Mail still yields the lowest cost-per-lead and highest conversion rates of any medium.  We are so digitally over-saturated that the only way to get important information into our customers’ hands in through direct mail.Direct mail continues to be a critical component for both B2C and B2B products and services. It’s always more effective than digital-only channels like email or social media ads. And, when you combine the power of direct mail and digital – well, that’s the golden ticket.
Three trends are driving new strategies in direct mail marketing. READ MORE

Generation Z Direct Mail Tips
Blog By Dale “DataDale” Filhaber
Generation Z is an up and coming buying cohort. These consumers were born after 1996, which means they are now in their teens and twenties.  As a matter of fact, the oldest Gen Z-ers are turning 24 in 2021.
This is a large group – and represents about 20% if the U.S. population.
It’s true that Generation Z has literally grown up on social media. They naturally incorporate digital communication into almost every facet of their lives. Gen Z-ers have very agile texting and typing thumbs. Most of them learned how to unlock their parent’s cell phones by the time they were four. They are every grandparent’s go-to to solve cell phone problems.
This generation is also highly creative and socially conscious. And, they are becoming a highly diverse, well-educated U.S. consumer population.  READ MORE
 
USING EMAIL FOR SALES PROSPECTING
Blog By Dale "DataDale" Filhaber
Email can be a wonderful channel for sales prospecting.  It can help your company with visibility and branding. It can turn cold contacts into warm leads. You can literally grow your stable of warm B2B leads overnight.  If, you do your email marketing the right way. Email marketing can be an invaluable tool for connecting with your target audience, even if your first point of contact is to a cold prospect. The value in a purchased list lies in the opportunity to consistently push new leads into your sales funnel. You need to be smart about email marketing to purchased lists. Most of the well-known CRM systems (Mail Chimp, Constant Contact) seriously frown on using imported commercial lists into their system. READ MORE
 
CURRENT MARKET TRENDS-TAKING OFF THE MASKS
Blog by Karen R. Laurence, Keller Williams

This past year's pandemic has caused a shift from the workplace to a work-at-home lifestyle. Spending so much time at home, with children out of school and daycare, caused parents to reevaluate their homes. Note the surges in all home improvement related industries. Two-income family housing now saw the need for an additional home office or two depending on the size of your family. Our older generation had been more complacent towards being technologically savvy as families were trying to stay together without being together.

It also sparked a desire to have a second home or vacation property in rural or sunshine states to escape that horrible in-house winter that they just experienced. The idea of having and using a second home is more feasible than ever before. Remote or working at home has now impacted the workforce to the point where outside of certain service­ related jobs, most office workers are now able to set their schedules part-home and part-office. Many people saw the need to sell their homes and relocate closer to family so that the memory of this past year would never again become a reality.

Some other results of the Pandemic. Renters are planning to move to larger apartments and many younger Genz renters have moved back home with their parents over the last year. Another reason why the housing supply has been so weak is that we are not moving as much as we used to. Homeowners are sitting on a lot of equity and since 2012, equity has more than doubled. Attom Data Solutions estimate that in the first quarter of this year, almost one in three homeowners had more than 50% equity in their homes. Even the newest homeowners, who purchased in 2019mor late, still have an average of $65,000 in equity.

Home prices skyrocketed in March 2021, having the biggest gain since 2005. Home Prices from March 2020 to March 2021 have increased byn13.2 %. Home prices have risen for the last 10, months and inventory has dropped to a little over a month. A good market for both buyers and sellers is a 3 to 6-month inventory. No major city in the US saw home prices drop. New home permits and starts pulled back in February 2021 last spring as lumber and other products saw huge price increases as well as delays in deliveries. Promised openings and building occupancies have been pushed back. Customizing your new home may now result in less choices of product as there are less supplies being shipped to the builders.

Home prices, resales and new, maybe skyrocketing but there does not appear to be a housing bubble on the Horizon as most of us remember what happened in 2008-2009. Dozens of economists indicate that we should have a healthy economy for at least
the next few years.


The Role of Creativity in the Modern World
Blog by Michael Taylor, Taylor Made Dance and Theatre
“What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare”
Who has the time to stand and stare these days?  It seems like every second of every day is accounted for with responsibilities and obligations that erode the spare time we have to have some recreation. Adults are overwhelmed with jobs, appointments, bills, and worries. Even our kids are more stressed than ever. Who remembers being stressed as a kid? Now children as young as eight are riddled with anxiety at the pressures of school, testing, college applications, resumes, social media and the future. People feel guilty at taking time for themselves and our constant connectivity means work comes home with us and we are never truly off work. Recreation becomes impossible or at best, difficult. Think about that word for a second. Recreation.  Re-create.  Re. Create.  Recreate what? .... Ourselves.
That’s how important it is to indulge this side of ourselves. We literally recreate ourselves through leisure. We replenish body and soul in our downtime, we get back in touch with who we really are.  For some this is through physical activity like exercise, golf, running; all of which are important to maintain balance in our lives, but what about creativity? When we were young, we created constantly. Give a five year old a piece of paper and a box of crayons and their eyes light up. Give them a cardboard box and they have a rocket ship or a time machine or a fort. But give a teenager the same and they’ll look at you in bemusement. “Draw something” I’ve often said to my students, and this only seems to puzzle them more. “Draw what?” they say or “Is this for a grade?”. When did we lose the ability to just create?
Mankind has created since we first walked upright. Caves from hundreds of thousands of years ago show early attempts to document life, to portray our ancestors’ view of their world and, let’s be honest, to just plain make the insides of their caves more pretty! They evolved beyond drawing to music, dancing and singing. All helped tell stories and unite communities, but all also helped nourish the souls of those performing and watching.
Recently, the Florida legislature made moves to limit funding for degrees which they deemed “economically unimportant”, on the list of courses they believed should be defunded were art, music, dance and theatre. On the surface, their decision has some logic. All of these courses tend to result in low paid jobs and struggles to find regular work but there isn’t an artist out there worth their salt who didn’t realize the risks when they embarked on their chosen path. They chose creativity because of the human, not economic results.
This last year, perhaps more than ever has illustrated the essential nature of creativity to our society. Where would we have been during lockdown without film, television, and music? Shelves in stores were stripped of colored pencils, paper and paint because in times of difficulty, human instinct turns to our baser instinct to find comfort in creativity.
In our school, we don’t just teach performing arts by rote and repetition, we teach our students to connect with themselves and create. The students have been desperate for a creative outlet and we saw what it meant to them to be able to perform during these traumatic times. We encourage expression and individuality and try not to foster unhealthy competition because everyone’s creative spirit has value. We want to create young people who can contribute to society in ways that are not immediately marketable but we believe that in whatever path our students take, the skills they have learned will be useful and help shape their future and the future of the community.
Regardless of the stresses you may be under, the pressures of your life or the people depending on you to function, try to make time to create. Paint, draw, color-anything that activates that part of your soul, which has been hidden ever since you “grew up”. To create can be as nourishing for the mind and body as a gym session or yoga class and it may help you recreate who you once were and shape who you want to be. Thomas Carlyle said: “culture is the process by which a person becomes all they were created capable of being”. Imagine not becoming all that you were capable of being?
I can’t think of anything worse.
  
 
Lists, Prospects and Leads - What's the Difference? 
by Dale "DataDale" FilhaberI get many calls from marketers looking for data. Many people use the terms list, prospect and lead interchangeably. But, that could not be further from the truth.
The term list is the broadest. There are lots of people on a cold list; all kinds of people. In the “old days of spray and pray”, advertisers mailed to everybody and hoped that some their efforts would pay off. Well, not everyone on a cold list is your prospect. The truth is that marketing to non-prospects can actually weaken your brand’s impact.  Not only that, it’s a tremendous waste of time and money.
In lead generation, the key is to take that cold list and narrow down the possibilities to create a workable list of solid prospects. These prospects can be used for direct mail, telemarketing, email or digital advertising. READ MORE

 
Strength in the Post-Covid Era
by Rachael Allen
If there has been one upside to the past year of personal and professional challenge, the world is starting to recalibrate its focus on what it means to be strong. Historic visions of weight training in gyms remain, but society is slowly recognizing the importance of mental health and wellbeing. It feels long overdue.
Importantly, strengths are NOT, to paraphrase Tony Soprano, about being ‘more Gary Cooper’ and toughening up. In fact, understanding your own strengths is a critical tool in navigating the unique internal and external climate we all face as – we hope! – the Covid era comes to an end.
Firstly, that strange feeling of normality returning, but not QUITE being back, has been given a name. Described in the New York Times as “the dominant emotion of 2021” languishing is ‘that feeling somewhere between joyless and aimless’: everyone I’m sure will recognize this in their careers, their families and even their love life. And it’s not a great feeling. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.html
So, what role do strengths have to play? Understanding your strengths – the innate characteristics of what makes you, you – can form an anchor in uncertain times. Many of us will focus on our weaknesses (languishing is a catalyst for introspection, often not in a good way) and many
As many of us return to the office for the first time, the workplace is a great place to start. According to Gallup research, employees who use their strengths daily are 8 percent more productive and 15 percent less likely to quit than employees who do not. Many research studies allude to strengths-based development and its links to engagement and productivity and a Gallup survey highlighted hat strength-based development leads to:
    10% to 19% increased sales
    14 to 29% increased profit
    3% to 7% higher customer engagement
    9% to 15% increase in engaged employees
There is of course no cure-all for uncertainty and each one of us is different. But we all – every one of us – have strengths that can help us as we return to normal. Strength Coaching Associates works with organisations, managers, and individuals to increase performance and wellbeing. We have also designed a kid’s program to identify their superpowers: the results, even from small adjustments in focus and language, can be genuinely life changing.  Why languish when you can thrive?
 
 
Marketing to Small Businesses
by Dale "DataDale" Filhaber
According to the Small Business Administration, there are over 30 million small businesses in the United States.  Small businesses have much different needs than businesses with 50+ employees.  
Small businesses can be very productive for service providers. They have a much shorter sales cycle than big businesses. That’s because there are fewer hoops to jump through; fewer people to have to impress. Often the business owner can make a decision quickly and painlessly. And, it’s relatively easy to procure a quality list of small business prospects to work.
Distinctive Buying Behaviors
Small businesses practice distinct buying behaviors. If you’re selling products to small businesses, you need to understand what matters to small business owners.
• Need
• Speed
• Value
• Customer Service
• Time
• Social Proof
• Pride of ownership

READ MORE



Marketing Re-Entry – It Takes a Plan
by Dale "DataDale" Filhaber

Marketing re-entry properly is not as easy as it feels it should be. Do you really believe that after a year of lock down you can just open the door and they’ll come?  And, when people do feel comfortable re-entering, why should they come to you?
The first premise we need to talk about is the success of your crisis communication. Many of my readers have heard my lectures on Crisis Marketing or read some of my blogs. If not, lets’ start with some of the key bullet points:
• We’re here for you today
• This is how we’re handling your needs
• Transparency with clients, prospects and employees
• Tone
• Have a plan in place
• We’ll be for you tomorrow
Good communication during a crisis makes a company stand out. It helps inspire. It reassures.  You need to explain how you’re handling people’s needs. 
READ MORE
 



Immunity Passport vs Vaccination Card 
Blog By A1A AIRPORT & LIMOUSINE SERVICE    
As the world starts moving again, it makes you wonder about what type of precautions will be put in place to protect the flying public. For years people flying to West Africa have had to show  their yellow fever card.
You get the card after taking the vaccine, which protects against the viral infection. The yellow fever card can be attached to your passport and shown upon arriving at your destination. Many West African countries require proof of immunization or you won’t be  allow you to enter the country without it.
Experts said the same process would likely apply to so-called health or immunity passports. This would be a form of proof that you’ve taken the coronavirus vaccine, and it could roll out in the upcoming months. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) already provides a vaccination card that tells you key facts about your inoculation, including the date you received the vaccine and the type you received, and this may play into a health passport ultimately used for travel. A coronavirus vaccination card is a wallet-sized card that details your personal coronavirus vaccine information. It's designed to be a helpful reminder for each person who receives the first shot to be aware of when they need to return to get the booster shot.   For example, one vaccine may require that you come back three weeks later, while the other may require that you return in a month for the booster.
What is an COVID-19 immunity passport?
An immunity passport (or vaccine passport) isn't an official US document. Some suggest that it could serve as an official immunity certificate that would show your immune status after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and allow you to return to normal travel activities.  A vaccine passport could take the form of a physical card, but more likely it will be a mobile app, a QR code or a sticker on a passport.  With an immunity certificate, people could be able to return to the workplace and enter restaurants and stores, for example, and participate in less strict physical distancing measures, to The Lancet, a leading medical journal. At present, immunity passports for coronavirus don't exist, as governments agree on a coordinated roll out. 
How does a vaccine card differ from an immunity passport?
A COVID-19 vaccination card won't be the same as an immunity passport. Instead, it'll serve as a reminder to get your second shot of the vaccine. It also details which vaccine you received -- but that's all. It can't be used for any other purpose. Immunity passports have been used for Yellow Fever, and polio, to give international travelers the OK to travel. The immunity passports would certify that an individual is immune to the coronavirus and can then give people more freedom to travel and socialize in public. 
How will doctors use the vaccination card?
The COVID-19 vaccine cards will be used to help medical providers keep track of which vaccine was administered to you, so that you receive the correct second dose from the same vaccine manufacturer.  For example, if you receive the Pfizer vaccine in the first shot, you'll need to receive the Pfizer vaccine in the second shot. The same goes with the Moderna vaccine, since the two aren't interchangeable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PDF). This is because, while the two vaccines use the same technology that focuses on the mRNA of the virus, they're developed differently.

Does the COVID-19 vaccination card mean I can stop wearing a mask and social distancing?
No. Even after you receive both doses of the coronavirus vaccine, it's still recommended by the CDC that you continue wearing your mask while in public and social distance. "Experts need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide," the CDC says, before it can make a decision on when to end mask wearing and social distancing. Now is not the time to let your guard down. The coming weeks after the increase in Holiday Travel are going to be very critical.  
  
 
DECODING THE LATEST MARKETING BUZZWORDS
I wanted to start 2021 by giving my readers an easy way of decoding the latest marketing buzzwords.
You will find these marketing buzzwords in lots of articles and blogs. Sometimes, it’s good to have the definitions close by so we can figure out what the experts are all talking about.
So, here is the list – and in alphabetical order!
A/B Testing
This is when you test two different versions of a marketing piece against each other to see which performs better.  For example, you might want to test the Offer you are using. One web page might say “Buy Now”. The other web page may say “Buy Today.”  Some marketers test colors to see if that makes a difference. Another A/B test option might be the photo. READ MORE
 


News Without Politics
By Paul Einbinder
 
Journalists are supposed to gather information, report the news accurately and list the news stories in order of priority. Each and every step needs to be evaluated with the utmost integrity. The freedom to question and interpret the information should be your prerogative. In addition, as the consumer, you have the right to be informed without being influenced. News Without Politics is your alternative news source, for access to the many interesting and relevant stories taking place every day apart from politics. You’ll be amazed to discover the wealth of valuable, thought-provoking, and compelling news stories available worldwide. newswithoutpolitics.com




FEEL GOOD ADS RESONATE WITH THE PUBLIC
by Dale "DataDale" Filhaber

Direct mail copywriter Frank Johnson once said, get a cute child and a cute puppy and “you’ve got a winner there.”
It’s just a fact that consumers respond to ads that resonate with them. And it’s not just print or T.V. A recent survey by a Vancouver-based marketing performance management company indicates that the same is true of marketing emails.Shoppers particularly like to see ads that reflect: READ MORE




CUBICLE AND WORKSTATION DESIGNS IN 2020
Blog by Office Furniture Warehouse

The right cubicles and workstations can make all the difference in an office space. Office Furniture can change how your customers view your business, and the ways your employees keep safe and management engages employees. The right cubicle and workstation configurations is essential. Open office plans have taken a backseat to safety during the pandemic and office furniture Warehouse has solutions. Office Cubicles can not only maximize space and look aesthetically pleasing with the right design, but they can be affordable as well. As businesses need to find a way to safely return employees to work, the right cubicle and workstation designs are top of mind. READ MORE
 
Why People Move
Blog by Dataman Group Direct
Almost 31 million Americans moved in 2019. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, these are the reasons why people move: 
• Wanted new or better home/apartment: 17.4%
• To establish own household: 12.2%
• New job or transfer: 10.8%
• Other family reason: 10.5%
• Wanted cheaper housing: 8.2%
• Other housing reason: 6.7%
• To be closer to work/easier commute: 6%
• Wanted to own their own home, not rent: 5.9%
• Change in marital status: 4.8%
• Other reasons: 4.4%
• To attend or leave college: 3.2%
• Wanted better neighborhood/less crime: 3.1%
• Health reasons: 1.8%
• To look for work or lost job: 1.5%
• Other job-related reasons: 1.2%
• Foreclosure/eviction: 0.9%
• Change of climate: 0.8%
• Retired: 0.7%
• Natural disaster: 0.1%
Businesses that want to reach these households can use a New Mover list. This list is available every week, which gives businesses a chance to “hit them while they’re hot”. We know that new movers will need a myriad of products and services when they get into their new home. And, we also know that shopping habits and buying preferences start right away.
 It is true that there are differences in what New Homeowners and renters need. However, many of the basics are the same. Newcomers need to find new grocery stores, restaurants, houses of worship, banks, hair and nail salons, and physicians. The list is endless.
Reaching People who Move
Direct mail is probably the most efficient means of reaching new movers. After all, we have their new address. Because they are so new, telephone numbers and email addresses will typically not be available. These are generally appended to the mail file at about 3 months. Another way to reach these new movers is by using addressable geofencing. This means using the actual mailing list to plot their GPS locations. This was you can serve ads to the new movers on their mobile phones, tablets and home computers. Call Scott Filhaber, Leadership Boca 2019 class, at (561) 451-9302 for more information or email him at [email protected]. 
Staying on Track with MindBody and QuickBooks
Blog By: The Silverlogic -

If you’re in the health and wellness industry, you are fully aware of the hours wasted daily dealing with disconnected records, managing customer data, and fighting with outdated or archaic payment systems.
You probably use a scheduling system like MindBody to run your business, but it’s probably not synced to your marketing machine as closely as you’d like and it’s certainly not connected to your accounting system.
Fortunately, API integrations, business automation, and helping enterprises reduce repetitive work and overhead are becoming more and more accepted by small business owners as worthwhile investments.  READ MORE 

Trigger Marketing Gives Businesses an Edge
Blog By Dataman Group

The best time to reach consumers is when they come to crucial decision-making times in their lives. An event is triggering a new stage in life. This gives marketers the ability to provide a solution at the right time.

We call this 'trigger marketing'.  Wikipedia also refers to it as event-driven marketing.

Some of the most responsive triggers include the purchase of a new home, birth of a baby, a home refinance, the purchase of a new car, getting married.

These events force consumers to make purchasing decisions because of need. And need is the best reason for buying something.

Trigger Marketing is an awesome strategy for small business owners who want to spread their marketing budget. Well timed, relevant offers can more than quadruple the likelihood of customer engagement.

Timing is everything
Studies have shown that marketing responsiveness declines each additional week after a trigger occurs. With all the resources that are available to consumers, they’ll find a solution to their needs quickly. That’s why speed is essential.
We know that using life-event triggers can double your targeted reach and almost double your marketing’s effectiveness. However, this responsiveness plummets 30%–40% each additional week after a trigger. This means you have to send the perfect message ASAP.

Identifying prospects and reaching them quickly is the key to maximizing ROI. And, securing these accounts over the competition.

You need to make sure you have your marketing material ready to execute. Speed to market is key to driving higher response.

Business to Business
While much of trigger marketing seems to be consumer-focused, the same principles can apply when your marketing is focused on B2B customers. Trigger marketing practices can collect data pertinent to startups and small businesses, such as new-to-business filing information including new licenses, incorporation filings, as well as proprietary databases of business ownership and change of ownership.

In the business world, Trigger programs can signal when it’s the perfect time to make an opening move to spark a new relationship. Who looks for new business? Think accounting firms, credit card processors, printers, marketing companies.

B2B Trigger marketing can be through an email campaign, direct mail or personal outreach.
 
Dataman Group has been a chamber member for 35 years. The company provides lists for direct mail, telemarketing, email, social media marketing and addressable geofencing. Dataman Group VP Scott Filhaber is a 2019 Leadership Boca alumni. Call him at (561) 451-9302. Or email  [email protected] 


Is Your Marketing Message “Right Now”?
Blog By Flying Chimp Media

I have a question for you. Is your marketing message right now, about right now? Well I’m going to help you figure that out. Guess when? Right now. Sadly, most people do a website, put it together, put all the messaging and then it dies. It sits there for 7 to 10 years and they don’t update it. But with what’s going on with the COVID shutdown, and now the gradual reopening, I’m telling you your marketing message needs to be about right now....
WATCH THIS VIDEO-BLOG NOW: https://flyingchimp.com/marketingrightnow/
 
 
Data Extraction - Pros and Cons
Blog by SilverLogic

Data extraction, or web scraping, requires that tech experts examine the HTML source code of a given website to be able to extract useful information from it. This source code can be revealed through most computer web browsers by pressing Ctrl+U or the F12 key—feel free to try it while visiting any website. Software development companies such as The SilverLogic (https://tsl.io/) in Boca Raton can effectively comb through this frontend code with proficiency, using programming libraries such as Beautiful Soup and tools such as such as Regex to decode and extract whatever data a company needs.
There are two kinds of websites that can be scraped: basic and dynamic. Basic websites are static and straightforward, and scraping them is akin to simply reading a web article. Dynamic websites are more complex and have more moving parts, such as slideshows, live feeds, and social media integration. Both types can be efficiently scraped for any information you may use with a well-developed web scraper that is tailored to your company’s needs.
A web scraper runs as frequently as needed and automatically downloads information relevant to your company from predetermined internet sources. This data can then be exported to and seamlessly integrated with any platforms or systems that your company uses, such as QuickBooks or Google Sheets, to present relevant information in the most convenient way possible. It can naturally also be integrated with a company’s websites, applications, internal documentation, or general software.

Learn more about data scraping today.
What Information Is Available?
Interested in monetizing their information, most websites want consumers to have to stop by their platform in order to see the advertisements that fund their platform. As such, any website that relies heavily on user traffic may be more difficult to scrape for data, as they may design their website’s code to randomly change every so often, such as with machine-generated class names, for example. These websites will certainly ban scraping in their terms of service. Certain other platforms, such as Twitter, have banned it in their terms of use, with the additional intent of banning Twitter bots, a controversial form of mass media manipulation that is separate from web scrapers. 
Scraping has become even more difficult for websites to enforce as conventional captcha prompts, to prove a user’s humanity, are often beaten by modern A.I. Even if the captcha is particularly advanced, such as Google’s, captcha solvers (remote human workers who manually fill in captcha prompts for an A.I.) often help bypass website restrictions.

Although becoming increasingly smarter, web scrapers still have to be updated periodically to function. With frequently changing websites, web scrapers also have to be updated occasionally to continue working at maximum efficiency. For this reason, it is highly recommended that you pursue this technology with a long-term ally in tech support, such as The SilverLogic. Our team of experts is prepared to work closely with you throughout the development process and will remain available afterwards for your technical needs, with updates and long-term support.
Is Data Extraction For You?
If you are a business leader looking to boost company productivity, automate repetitive tasks, facilitate research, or develop an application, data extraction may very well be the key to your success. The technology is powerful and robust, and the applications are endless. For more information, please click here to schedule a meeting with The SilverLogic’s experts to see how new technologies can provide the tools you need for your business to succeed. m

Read More About: Data Scraping  
 ●     What is data scraping & where to apply it
●     Innovation during COVID-19
●     Finding Success in the Automation Era    
 
Moving Virtual Programming from FREE to FEE 
Blog by Dataman Group

Today’s article has to do with what I call moving from FREE to FEE. Many Americans have been stuck indoors for months, watching the world in a much different way than ever before.
In fact, the Coronavirus has created a brave new virtual world.
When our schools and businesses came to a total stop, we all had to improvise. And improvise we did, creating a new world of amazing virtual programming to educate and entertain. Our children attended virtual classes, we joined into meetings on Zoom and we got used to attending events via webinar.
Free virtual programming has become a norm in most of the county. We are living in a world of virtual touring. Our moms are playing cards and attending book clubs on Zoom. Or staffs are participating in virtual conferences instead of live conventions. We are celebrating family life events in cyber-space.
For businesses that thrive on programming (schools, conventions, business, non-profits and social organizations) this has created a huge loss in revenue.  The not-so-easy answer is to charge for virtual services.
Moving from FREE to FEE for any product or service represents a challenge to managers. Especially when consumers have plenty of free alternatives.
There are hundreds of virtual programs at our fingertips. People are used to getting this gratis. So, why should they pay for the cow when they can get the milk for free?
There are lots of implications that marketers and managers need to consider when moving programs and events to paid virtual.
Moving from FREE to FEE - Best Practices

1. You can’t just move from Free to Fee without pissing some customers off. You need to continue with some free programming.  This might include broader “lower level” options that don’t carry a high cost, re-runs of previous “live” programs, introductory sessions.
2. Content is king. If your content is valuable and aimed at helping / supporting your customers / users to be successful, it justifies the cost.
3. Differentiating the digital event. Making the overall experience interactive, sophisticated, and much more robust than other free virtual events that are being offered through one-way webinar-type platforms. This may mean investing in fancy recording devices and more complex software than Zoom. This may also mean investing in and training real moderators.
4. Give your customers / supporters plenty of notice. Offer them a chance to comment and contribute feedback.  Survey them and ask for their opinions.
5. Price it fairly. Use your survey data and research the competition.
6. Consider “grandfathered” pricing for long-time customers / supporters. What about series pricing?
7. Think about membership pricing rather than single event pricing.
8. Exclusivity has a huge impact is fee-based virtual programming. Exclusive events for paid members.  Think virtual red carpet treatment.  Consider pre-workshops; special post-event Q&As with authors. In the world of free vs fee online software, think Pro Member benefits. In TV, think NFL Sunday package.
9. Make the Free to Fee transition gradual, if possible. People will only want to pay if they know you’re delivering   value.
10. A paid event ensures a higher percentage of attendance. Typically, free or complimentary events have a much higher no-show rate.
Surveys have indicated that many individuals have become accustomed to the convenience of in-home learning and entertainment. They want to continue having this option at their fingertips.  Consequently, businesses and organizations will need to offer both live and virtual programming of the same event. And, price them accordingly.
Will our brave new world ever go back to predominantly live events? I don’t know. What I do know is that businesses that want to stay profitable will need to monetize some of the virtual services they are giving away for free.
Marketers and managers need to figure out a constructive way of moving from FREE to FEE. And this transition needs to benefit all parties involved.
Dale Filhaber is President of Dataman Group Direct, a boutique direct marketing agency in Boca Raton, FL.
Dataman Group provides lists for direct mail, telemarketing, email and social media. The company offers hundreds of lists, including new homeowners, mortgage data, charitable donors, families, and businesses. Dataman Group has been a proud member of the Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce for 34 years.  Visit the Dataman Group website or call (561) 451-9302  
 
Hello Ladies & Gentlemen!
Blog by BAWA Medical

I want to talk about the very real problem of hair loss. This is a silent epidemic, not just in boca Raton but worldwide.
** 2/3 American men have visible hair loss by the age of 35.
** 25% of male pattern baldness starts before the age of 21.
** 85% of men have significantly thinning hair by the age of 50.
** 21 million women in this country alone have thinning hair.
** 40% of women have visible hair loss by the age of 40.
** 40% of people suffering from hair loss are female.
These are sobering statistics. Hair loss is not just a male problem, it is a human problem. If you have hair, you risk losing it. I suffer from hair loss and as a woman with hair loss, there simply is not much out there for information. Hair loss is a very intimate issue for anyone but for women it is humiliating in so many ways. We are not supposed to go bald! We don’t want to admit that we have a problem with hair loss, and we certainly don’t want to talk about it. However, I am here to take the shame out of hair loss for both men and women. I have had a hair transplant myself. I started to lose hair in my early 30s and by the time I was 39, I needed a hair transplant. My own experience with a doctor who didn't fully understand hair loss is what changed the course of my career. I now specialize in skin, hair and intimate rejuvenation in Boca Raton. I provide both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for hair loss. I work closely with my patients to address the various causes of hair loss to provide a great and natural long-term result. No one needs to know that you had a hair transplant or restoration, but you will want to tell friends and family about your great results!
 I have been named as the “Expert in Hair Transplantation and Restoration” by Boca Raton Magazine. I see patients from Boca Raton, Delray Beach and surrounding areas in South Florida as well as patients from as far as Australia. It takes a village. We are in this together. It's good to talk about it! Please feel free to call our office to set up a complementary consultation. What do you have to lose but more hair?
About BAWA Medical:
 Dr. Kanwal Bawa is not your average physician – she offers unique treatments and brand new, state-of-the-art equipment. Dr. Bawa is proud to offer exceptional quality in every procedure she performs. She underwent specialized training and certification for hair transplantation and restoration, scalp PRP, Vampire Facelift®, Facial® and Breast Lift®, as well as the O-Shot® and P-Shot® for sexual enhancement. Her goal is to help patients feel good on the inside and out.
Meet The Doctor:
 Welcome to Bawa Medical. I was born in New Delhi, India into a family rooted in the military and academia, both of which shaped much of my outlook on life. I completed an honors degree in English Literature at the University of Delhi followed by another degree in English Literature as well as pre-medical courses at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I attended medical school at Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine and then completed an internship and residency in Emergency Medicine at South Pointe Hospital/ Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.
https://www.bawamedical.com/

Holiday Blog by Christy Zwenger…www.christyzwenger.com
 JUICE UP YOUR JOY!
Holiday Greetings!  Need a little shot of JOY this Season?  I’ve created a simple “exercise” using the letters in the word, “joy,”  to empower us all to live more “fully” this Holiday Time of Year.  Read ahead…
J = JUST  BE  PRESENT!
Start here and STOP.  Lol…start and stop??  Yes…Start by purposefully releasing all distracting thoughts…all edgy-pressury emotions…LET THEM GO…and BE PRESENT IN THE MOMENT…the here and now…the minute of time straightaway. 
Take a deep breath…exhale…and envelop your senses with the present moment!  What do you see?  What do you hear?  What do you smell?  What are you touching?  And…if you’re eating…what are you tasting? 
Basically activate your senses to be aware of what each is doing.  This simple practice helps center us in the NOW. 
Put this exercise to work throughout the day…on the hour…at noontime…whenever!
Remember:  JUST BE PRESENT! 
O = OPEN YOURSELF!
As you center yourself to be present, open yourself to the emotions…the sounds…the energy…the “vibes” you are experiencing right then! 
Release any thought, any emotion that doesn’t serve you…and OPEN YOURSELF UP! 
Like a flower unfolding to the morning sun…open up!  Breathe in!  Be excited!  Infuse your being with gratitude and expectation!
I like to be childlike in this exercise.  Think back on some of your most happy times as child, especially with the memories you have (choose the good ones!) of this time of the year when you were little. 
I imagine my Christmas tree at home…the lights…my sister and I dressed in our robes…watching RUDOLPH on TV (when you only saw it once a year back then!)…the anticipation…the excitement of the Season! 
Whatever joyful memories you have…open yourself to them! 
Come back to the present…be open to the freshness, the gracefulness of the moment…it’s so chaste and pure!!!  Relish in it!
Remember:  OPEN YOURSELF!
Y = YIELD!
Now that you’re “warmed up” with being present and opening yourself, the yielding part is primed and ready!
Yield…basically “give in” to what your heart is saying at this moment.  What promptings are you getting?  Any nudges?  Any hints in your gut? 
Basically, it’s tuning in…
Let me give you an example.  I was at the store last week purchasing 3 pairs of shoes (I hadn’t bought any new ones in a while!) and had struck up a cordial conversation with my cashier, Charlie.  We both had lived in St. Louis, which was an instant connection.  I went on to tell him I had written a children’s book, THE CURSIVE LETTERS REVOLT!!  Come to find out, his daughter is a third grade teacher in the area. 
I can’t explain it, but at once…I felt a tenderness…an urge… to give…And it just so happened, I had a copy of my book in my bag. 
Without a second thought, I grabbed it and gave it to him to give to his daughter to share with her class!
He of course was taken aback…didn’t know how to respond…and started to refuse it.  I pressed in…and he received it with awe and thankfulness! 
The cashier next to him, overhearing our conversation…was “dazzled” by the giving moment and responded with an “Oh my gosh!  How nice!” 
I left the store on cloud 9…so BLESSED from this act of giving spontaneously from my heart! 
I share this story…not to be boastful, but to encourage all of us to JUICE UP OUR JOY this Season…to be ready and sensitive to those moments our heart is telling us something…
Remember:  YIELD!
This IS the Season of Love!  JUICE UP YOUR JOY!  Be present…Open yourself…Yield!  You’ll be surprised how peace-filled and blessed in the moment you really are!! 
 
 


Your Business Should Have A Facebook Group (or Several!)...Here’s Why and How.

By Kurt Lucien
Facebook has become such an important way for businesses to market their products and services. But with recent changes to the Facebook algorithm, many businesses are struggling to get the same exposure they used to get on Facebook.

Click here to read the complete blog post.


The Sunshine State

By Unlimited Solar
When it comes to installing Solar Panels there is no substitute for experience. Make sure to hire experts so that your Home Solar System investment will be completed on time and provide the maximum energy from your photovoltaic PV panels.   Florida homes demand special attention due to the sun, salt, heat, humidity and high winds found in Florida.
How Does It Work?
Solar Panels:
Solar panels harvest the suns energy and convert it to electricity.

Inverter:
The inverter then converts the DC electricity to AC electricity. This is the electricity that we use in our every day household.

Grid Tied:
The electricity that is produced will go into your home first. Any extra power will be sent back out to the grid and be given to the customer as a credit.
 
https://youtu.be/xKxrkht7CpY

For more details, click the following link: http://vid.us/a3iidm
Or contact us directly to set up a FREE energy assessment.
Your  Solar Team at your Service,
Martin (954) 404-4239 or Ana (954) 560-9716


Supreme Court Rules States Cannot Tax Trust Income Solely Based on Beneficiary’s Residence
By Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O'Gara LLC
 
In N.C. Dep’t of Revenue v. Kimberley Rice Kaestner 1992 Family Trust, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision on June 21, 2019 holding the State of North Carolina may not tax a beneficiary on the income of a trust merely because the beneficiary resides within its borders.  In Kaestner, an individual domiciled in New York formed a trust for the benefit of his children.
 
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
The Millennial Consumer Want To Do Business With Ethical, Sustainable and Socially Responsible Companies
According to an article in Huffington Post, 61% of millennials are worried about the state of the world and feel personally responsible to make a difference.   Smart businesses are taking this statement and developing their marketing plans to reach the millennial consumer around it.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Bossbabe Nicole Mastrangelo Takes Over The Family Business
By Women On Topp
Nicole Mastrangelo a 33-year-old small business owner and budding entrepreneur. Four years ago, Nicole left her career on the fast track in luxury fashion, to take over her family’s pest control business. Pause for reaction… yes you read that right- Pest Control!
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Take advantage of the seasons in your Marketing - It's time to focus on Spring
Businesses that take advantage of the seasons in their marketing initiatives get a leg up on the competition by showing that they are current, in the spirit and have the competitive edge.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
  
Clean Up Your Inbox to Start 2019
By DataDale
One of the nicest things you can do for yourself to start the New Year off right is to clean up your inbox. I have been to dinner with friends who have thousands (and I mean thousands) of emails on their phones. How do they find anything? Just think of your inbox at work. Like yours, mine is seriously overloaded.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Strategies for Gifting Interest in a Closely Held Business To Charity
By Attorney Jason S. Palmisano
Gifting interests in a closely held business can result in a significant planning opportunity for the right donor as well as a substantial benefit to a favorite charity. Consider the following three planning strategies for charitable gifts utilizing private and closely held business interests:
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Interchange Optimization - What is It?
By Adam Moss
Visa and MasterCard, along with card issuing banks, set the cost of interchange or the base cost to process a credit card transaction. There are over 300 levels of interchange with rates ranging from as low a .05% to as high as 3.25% and everything in between. What determines the cost of interchange is based on many factors, including benefits given to the cardholder and perceived risk.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Data Breaches Target Hospitality Industry - What Can be Done?
By Adam Moss
The Hospitality Industry has been and will continue to be a target of data breaches. Business owners need to assess the risk a data breach will have on their business. As you will see below, Clarity EPS, powered by CardConnect, offers a patented solution for tokenization and encryption combined with Point-to-Point Encryption.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
No Signature Required - Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
By Adam Moss
For as far back as we can remember, signing for a credit card purchase was simply part of the purchasing process. Customers signed the credit card receipt, the employee or business owner would check the back of the card to ensure the signatures match and the sale was completed. Ok, so nobody really checked the back of the card to match up signatures. However, signing the credit card receipt helped reduce the risk to banks that purchases would be disputed. As a result, the cost of processing an in-person transaction, with a signed receipt, was lower than transactions with no signature or those taken over the phone or online.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Credit Card Processing 101 - The Major Players
By Adam Moss
For as far back as we can remember, signing for a credit card purchase was simply part of the purchasing process. Customers signed the credit card receipt; the employee or business owner would check the back of the card to ensure the signatures match and the sale was completed. Ok, so nobody really checked the back of the card to match up signatures. However, signing the credit card receipt helped reduce the risk to banks that purchases would be disputed. As a result, the cost of processing an in-person transaction, with a signed receipt, was lower than transactions with no signature or those taken over the phone or online.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
The Cash Discount - Is it Right for Your Business?
By Adam Moss
For years, consumers, have been offered a lower price when buying gas if they paid with cash. The reason is very simple; the fees paid for processing a credit card take a very big chunk out of gas station profits who already have low profit margins. As a business owner I am sure you have given thought to how such a program would help your business, but it wasn’t offered, until now.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Developing an Application? Define Your MVP First!
By Juan Lopez, NearSource
We all According to Wikipiedia an MVP (minimal variable product) is a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers, and to provide feedback for future development. Some experts suggest that in business to business transactions an MVP also means saleable: "it's not an MVP until you sell it. Viamble mean you can sell it". Before you decide to build a new product or application, make sure you define your MVP first.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Creating Synergy Between Direct Mail and Digital Channels: Dos and Dont's
By Dale Filhaber, Dataman Group Direct
We all know that marketing via multiple channels increases response rates, raises awareness and enhances branding.
According to DM News, combining direct mail and email could lead to response rates that are more than double the typical results.
While many businesses combine direct mail & email, different businesses combine them differently.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Your Website Needs a Check-Up!
By Juan Lopez, NearSource
Your website is your online business card, so it is important that you monitor your website and make sure it is in good hands. Many business owners have learned how to manage their own sites, run campaigns and often do a good job. However, more often than not, there is something that can slip by. Maintaining a website is very time consuming and now more than ever, because it is never finished! In order to be relevant, you need to be adding and updating your website content, ensuring the overall design is still up to standards, and that the message is geared to your target audience. Updating your website is takes a lot of time so you need to make sure you are editing the right pages with the right content. Whether you manage your own website or pay for a service to do this for you, here is a list of basic things you can review to do a website check-up.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Boca Raton Credit Card Processing
By Adam Moss, Clarity EPS
Working in the world of credit card processing since 2003, we understand business owners face challenges dealing with merchant processing and trying to determine the optimal solution for their business. Too often, business owners are not given proper information regarding pricing, products and services available to them that would result in increased savings and protection of their bottom line. We ensure that this is never the case with our clients.
Our approach in working with businesses helps to separate ourselves from the competition. There are no promises, guarantees or gimmicks. Rather we begin with a basic question; When was the last time you performed an audit of your merchant services program? The impetus behind this question is to gain a better understanding of your business, allowing us to present a tailored solution to meet your specific needs based on technology, security and added value solutions.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Difference Between Domain Hosting and Web Hosting
By Juan Lopez, NearSource
It can get confusing on understanding the difference between domain hosting and web hosting. Often when I ask a client “Where is your domain hosted?”, they say one of the following:
“Oh, I have everything in GoDaddy or X service.”
“What’s domain hosting? I bought the domain many years ago, I don’t know.”
“Don’t you host my website? You should know.”
“I don’t know, ask my IT guy.”
Click here to read the complete blog post...
How and Why to Use Images on Your Website
By Juan Lopez, NearSource
There are many reasons to add images on your website and blog posts. Besides illustrating your content, it makes your site look nicer, more user friendly and can help you with your SEO (Search Engine Optimization). You don’t want to have a boring page with just paragraphs and no images. It has been proven that adding images increase the chances of user engagement, social media sharing and can increase your site traffic. However, you need to do it right otherwise you won’t get the most benefits out of them. If your images are too large, it will make your page load slower and page load speed is an important factor for both user experience and SEO. You have to make sure you have rights to use your images, you can’t just do a Google search and grab images and put them on your site.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
5 Essential WordPress Plugins
By Juan Lopez, NearSource
What WordPress plugins should you have on your site? This is something a lot of newcomers or DIY (“do it yourself”) website builders ask when getting started with their WordPress website. This is a basic list to get you started, but I am sure you will come across many more that you will setup for your site. Each website is different and has different needs and different target audiences. Some sites need an image gallery, other sites need an e-commerce component (we suggest using WooCommerce), and the different options goes on and on. WordPress lists more than 40,000 plugins in their repository, so the possibilities are endless! Whatever the case, I am confident you will need the following plugins, so this is our list of 5 essential free plugins you need on your site. Each of these plugins have alternative options, so it is up to you which one to use, but we find these the easiest and most comprehensive plugins to use that are free.
Click here to ready the complete blog post...
 
Does Your Direct Mail Measure Up?
By Dale Filhaber, Dataman Group
40% of consumers regularly make purchases because of direct mail they’ve received – Does your direct mail measure up?
Creating direct mail that works is one of the biggest challenges faced by marketers.  There are lots of great ways to create an interesting and irresistible piece of Direct Mail both in appearance and content.
Here are 6 great ways to make your direct mail content interesting, irresistible, personal and thought-provoking, which will direct people to your site and generate dollars.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Steps to Build a New Website
By Juan Lopez, NearSource 
Have you wanted to build a new website but not sure how to get started? Or you hired a web team or developer to get your site done and want to make sure you will be happy with the results? Everybody has their style or approach. Some people are design oriented, others are content driven while others just start throwing things together to see what works. The following is an overview of our basic steps to build a new website with a web development team. When we work on a new website, we start with a questionnaire which helps both the website owner and the development team to understand or define what is wanted. This will help clear up many typical questions that come up in any website project. The following are the steps we follow when building a new website.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Marketing Trends in 2017
By Dale Filhaber, Dataman Group 
The year 2017 will be an exciting year for marketers, particularly in terms of enhanced digital skills.  As new trends, technology and customer behaviors emerge, the key to success will be in continually learning and staying up-to-date.
Marketers need to experiment with new tools, tactics and marketing campaign ideas and continue to monitor each project so they can discover where their greatest return on investment can be made.
Click here to read the complete blog post.
 
SSL is Now a Must for Your Website
By Helder Martins, NearSource
There was a time when you only even knew what SSL was if you ran an eCommerce website or online store. Today, more and more people know what SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is or at least know that it is “something” that creates a secure connection between a website visitor and the server through which to send information. Some people would recognize it when seeing a “lock” symbol in the browser when doing online shopping or doing online banking.
SSL is what encrypts the communication between the person who is browsing the website and the website’s server. All data/text submitted either way is encrypted. This way any prying person or software can’t see anything in this connection because it’s encrypted in real time. You have to be able to decrypt it with a “key”. Nowadays keys are very strong so it is very hard to hack.  You can notice you are using SSL in a website when you have to use HTTPS in the address bar.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Business Owners - Make Sure to Take the Proper Steps to Protect Against Chargebacks
By Adam Moss, Clarity EPS, Inc.
As a business owner, it is imperative that you take the proper steps to protect yourself from unnecessary and unwanted chargeback’s.  With that said, there is no doubt that consumers tend to have the upper hand when it comes to disputes based on the chargeback process.
It is important to know that banks that issue cards, such as Citibank, Wells Fargo and Chase, earn a percentage of every transaction processed with their card. To that end, issuing banks want to keep their customers happy, ensuring their card will be used for future purchases. This is where I believe the consumer has the upper hand when initiating a dispute and the resulting chargeback.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Does the Thought of Customer Data Breaches Keep You Up at Night?
By Adam Moss, Clarity EPS, Inc.
In today’s highly technological world, data breaches are becoming more commonplace. The theft of personal data and how that data will be used is a very real and worrisome concern. Too often we hear about the data breach of a large company and how that breach of personal information has left thousands or even millions of customers vulnerable. One need not look further than the recent breaches of Target, The Home Depot and ADP, to name a few.
Data breaches can result in significant monetary fines to a business, as well as reputation and brand damage in the event policies are violated or a breach occurs. But data breaches are not limited to large, well-known companies.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
Should I Go with WordPress for My Site?
By Juan Lopez, NearSource
You are thinking of developing a new website and you keep hearing of WordPress. As of now more than 25% of websites on the internet run on WordPress, so it would be hard to believe that all these people are wrong. However, it is not for everyone. WordPress is a Content Management System (CMS) which allows users to easily setup and edit their website via a user friendly interface.
When we first started developing websites for our customers, we did all kinds of sites from static HTML Websites, custom CMS systems to custom coded websites. Over the last few years we have been developing more and more WordPress websites because of it’s many benefits.
Click here to read the complete blog post...
 
6 Questions to Ask a Production Company Before Hiring
By Rob Jager, Plum Productions Media
It’s time to add video to your website and now you need to find the right video production company. What questions should you ask? If you have never produced a video before, you might want to read this blog. If you have produced a video, but it didn’t go as well as planned, you might want to read this blog. These are the Six Questions you should ask your video production company BEFORE hiring them.
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Get Real: Don't Be a Phony
By Lewis Fogel, Sandler Training
Are your prospecting calls falling short of setting meetings? If so, It's time to change your style and build rapport that creates mutual trust & respect. Rapport is about Getting Real; Don't be a phony and you will achieve three things crucial in building the relationship.
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10 Simple SEO Tips You Can Use Right Now
By Madeline Barrett, LoSoMo, Inc.
In today’s ever-growing online world, business owners shouldn’t be asking, “Should I do SEO?” but rather, “When can I start?” And luckily, the answer is that you can start today!
Though it may seem intimidating, Search Engine Optimization is easier to grasp than you might think. As search engines like Google, Bing, and Spotlight get smarter, optimizing your website for search engines aligns more and more with optimizing your website for your consumers, which leads to higher conversion rates. Who doesn’t want a user-friendly website that converts?
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The Three Videos Your Business Must Have
By Rob Jager, Plum Productions Media
Video is fast becoming a necessity for any business website. Both product and service companies are starting to see that video can make a website much more productive. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) looks for “sticky” websites, that is, websites that visitors spend more time viewing. Visitors stay longer on websites with video because they’re busy watching a video…not clicking around.
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Are You Ready to Inbound?
By Sean Tibor, Red Reef Digital
Are you looking for a better way to generate leads and close customer deals? Are you spending more and more on your paid advertising campaigns and seeing smaller and smaller returns? While online ad spending is going up, so is the complexity and fragmentation of the online advertising space, making it harder to see if your marketing efforts are effective. For example, a December 2015 study revealed that only 37% of small business owners thought their online marketing efforts were helping to grow their business. Even more shocking was that 14% of the respondents said they had no idea if their marketing was effective!
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Charmingly Up-Front
By Lewis Fogel, Sandler Training
Have you ever been charmingly up-front and told a prospect that your product or service may not fit their needs? Probably not. Traditional selling doesn’t work that way. Learn to establish and use up-front contracts to determine the next step in the sales process, in what order, & when. If it happens to be a no, move on.
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What's Your Zero Moment of Truth Potential?
By Madeline Barrett, LoSoMo, Inc.
Your potential customer just searched online for a business like yours… Did they find you? As the online and mobile world continues to expand, your first interaction with your customer is no longer in your store or office, or even on your website. It’s in search engine results, social media, video, and review sites, and it’s called the “Zero Moment of Truth.”
Google defines this “Zero Moment of Truth” or “ZMOT” as the moment when you grab your laptop, phone or other device to learn about a product or service you’re considering trying or buying. If your business doesn’t have a wide-spread online presence, you could be lacking serious ZMOT potential.
When it comes to ZMOT, how does your business measure up?
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What You and Walt Disney have in Common
By Lewis Fogel
Envisioneering Me? And Walt Disney--really? Yes, because great business leaders are envisioneers; they know how to turn their dreams into reality. You and Walt are alike in that, you both could see far into your companies’ futures. You are dreamers. But there is a difference in dreaming and dreaming successfully. Successful dreamers—envisioneers—know how to get to the next step. They know how to make it happen.
Visions and Goals
Recognize that visions are big and goals are smaller. Visions are where you ultimately want to be, whether professionally or personally. Goals are the steps you take to achieve your vision. Disney, for example, envisioned owning a company that created graphic animation. He saw its potential in comic books and celluloid (movies). From newspaper delivery boy to ambulance driver to drawing caricatures for newspapers, to creating advertisements and landing a job as a cartoonist; each job was a step closer to his goals. He eventually saw his vision evolve. What he thought would be his ultimate achievement was, in reality, just one of the goals to his most magnificent envisioneering; the creation of Disney Land, Walt Disney World and EPCOT.
Knowing your company’s vision is a good beginning. Planning the goals it will take to attain it is a must. But unless you are your company’s sole employee, your vision and the means to reach it need to be shared with your staff.
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