Great! Now, what do you do?

A.     Sit back and watch who signs up.

B.     Communicate with your new registrants right away.

C.    Send valuable information to your list on a regular basis.

If you answered B and C… Ding, Ding Ding! You are right!

Newsletter Set Up is Just the Beginning.

The whole reason you have an online newsletter registration
is so that you can collect the contact information for potential
customers.

Once you get their names and e-mails, the real work begins…

• Send a thank you.

Immediately after people register for your newsletter, send them
a personalized, e-mail thank-you note. It should include a welcome
message, all the benefits they will be receiving and any kind of
free e-report, survey, white paper, etc. that you agreed to send
them if they registered.

• Schedule e-mail auto-responders.

What are they?

Well, after you send out your initial thank-you
and welcome e-mail, you need to communicate with your
list on a regular basis.

With e-mail auto-responders, you send e-mails to your
audience to remind them about your business. And these 5-10
e-mails are scheduled for automatic delivery over a matter of weeks.

However, you want to ensure these e-mail messages are personal
and provide value to the readers.

Perhaps, you can share a story about something that happened
to you recently, provide a business tip or talk about a current,
news story?

At the end of your e-mail, you remind your list about
a particular product or service that you are selling.

This way, you communicate with your list in a way that provides value,
reminds them you are around and allows them to get to know you
over time.

It is a fantastic way to build long-term, customer relationships.

• Are you blogging and using social media?

In addition to sending out the e-mail auto-responders mentioned above,
you also want to let your list know when you have a new blog entry,
article, sale, etc. And this is just a simple process of scheduling an
e-mail to go out whenever you have a new entry.

For these services, check out:

http://aweber.com/?324776
www.constantcontact.com
www.icontact.com
www.myemma.com
www.verticalresponse.com

This way, you can easily stay in touch with your list on a regular
basis and keep your products and services top-of-mind while
providing value.

• Monitor e-mail auto-responder results.

Once your newsletter-registration and e-mail auto-responder
process is in place, be sure to monitor it regularly.

By checking your e-mail service, you can see how many people
opened your e-mail, the most popular content and clicks,
the best subject lines and send times, undeliverables, spam notices,
and more.

This is valuable information you can use to get the best results
for your e-mail efforts. Plus, you can use this data to discover key
trends with your list members, conduct follow-up, stop issues before
they become big problems, and create new content to meet their
specific needs.

Take Advantage of This Process.

Having a newsletter registration allows you to create and
grow your own list of customers. But this is just the beginning.

Once you offer your newsletter, it’s important to provide
personalized information  to your list on a regular basis via
an e-mail auto-responder series.

Now, you may think that your customers will turn away if you
send them too many e-mails. And sure, you will get some
unsubscribes. But you do not want these “uninterested” people
on your list anyway.

Just be sure to send valuable information your customers can
use. And note that there is an art to the content and timing of these
e-mails… so I strongly advise that you hire an experienced, SEO
copywriter to help you write and send them.

But it’s well worth the time, cost and effort. With good, e-mail
auto-responders, your list will actually look forward to
receiving  your e-mails.

And this means you can build valuable,
long-term customer relationships that will catapult your business
above the competition and dramatically increase sales.

Do you need assistance setting up your newsletter process and
e-mail auto-responder series? Please write to me here or at
www.rembrandtwrites.com. Your site traffic will increase!

Scrub Your Hard Drive

Just like you would before you sell a computer, clean your office copiers before reselling them. Some software programs on the market available for purchase are:

• Sharp has an encryption package erasing all your images from your copiers hard drive.
• Xerox on the other hand has been making strides to make their digital copiers safer since 2001. As of 2006, many of their copiers in the Officeportfolio have a feature called “Disk ImageOverwrite” that helps protect your information for free.

Enlist an IT Expert

Regardless if you think you are an expert, always seek professional help from someone in the field - especially when it comes to security concerns for your company. If you don’t have an IT expert in-house, there are plenty of them available to outsource and should be able to take care of wiping these machines clean just like they would a computer. As much as I hate to admit it, GeekSquad is nationwide, quick and easy.

Implement a Digital Filing System

Creating a digital filing system can be a great way to minimize your risk. Many businesses are digitizing their files for this reason - BoardPortal and NeatDesk are just two popular document management software programs that will digitally file the information. The fewer places information is handled, the less likely it will be that the information will get in the wrong hands. Some companies are going down to one digital copier machine that all employees are required to use.

Alert Employees

Just like a security attack, it is extremely important to alert your employees of the risks by an office copier. Send an email letting them know that all information is saved (this could also help if employees are copying items that are not business-related so-to-speak) and to be careful of scanning, photo copying confidential and proprietary information. If you decide to move to another system (digital filing) or limit use to only those in HR, it could cut down on the amount stored on the copier’s hard drive.

Educate Yourself

After news broke in April of these threats, the FTC has gotten heavily involved. Although this development is new, keep up-to-date on the latest security developments the FTC will be issuing. They are currently in talks with the major copier distributors and manufacturers to get a grip on the situation.

The big, boxy first cell phone was my best friend and every technological evolution has enamored me even more. It is not just a matter of having the first new technological advancement; it is what I can do with that new technology.

I function best when I can change my surroundings. I enjoy warm places, nice hotels and traveling. Today’s technology allows me to leave Seattle and go either where I want to be or where I need to be at any given time, still staying connected to my business ventures and allowing me the opportunity to build my business.

What will work best for you depends upon the type of business that you are involved in. Multitasking, though something I don’t believe is very productive, has been made much easier. And yes, I am guilty of the practice, though it is out of necessity and is greatly overrated. With a Smartphone in your pocket and a laptop, notebook, tablet or netbook in your briefcase, the world can be your workplace.

Video conferencing has become a real time and money saver. Why travel for a meeting, wasting valuable time and money when you can arrange a video conference with as many people as necessary and accomplish the business at hand? It might even save you money if you were to supply your clients with the necessary equipment, when you consider the number of flights, meals, hotel rooms, tips, rental cars…

So, take a look at the technology in place. If you are not technologically savvy, then find someone who is. Explore your options when it comes to technology and how it can help you as you go about your business, and even with your family life. Most large communication companies have Small Business or Corporate specialists that can explain every single aspect of the technology at hand and the amazing difference it can make in your business and in the quality of your life.

Bear in mind that the original monetary outlay may seem to be high, but when put into the proper perspective in terms of money and time saved and the ease of doing business, the cost is value-added and well worth the expenditure, which, of course, can be written off at tax time.

What are you waiting for? Get a move on!

If you plan to open or already operate a retail store, restaurant, café, boxing club, salon, bed and breakfast, or even a cupcake store, here are a few of the advantages of a POS system and software:

Better transaction processing: Business POS systems process transactions much more quickly and with fewer errors than lower-tech methods. Restaurant POS systems are a good example: before POS systems became popular, servers would take orders by hand and physically walk them over to the kitchen. A POS system organizes all information in one place: the server inputs the order at a terminal, the kitchen can print it out, and the customer can pay the bill based on the entered information,

Easy record storage: Using a POS system is a better way to keep records: since transaction information is stored electronically, there’s no need to save paper receipts or sales slips. A POS system can capture nearly every relevant piece of information about at transaction- who made a particular sale, the items sold, the total sale amount, and even data like customer information can be stored and referenced easily. When you’re planning your next marketing promotion, you can send out an email blast to customers that already own a certain product, or plan a sale of complimentary products together. More accurate record keeping also makes computing employee tax amounts, bonuses, and commissions easier.

Information management: Retail business owners know never to underestimate the importance of good inventory management. Since POS systems keep track of sales, they can also tell you when you need to reorder a certain product. A POS system also allows you to manage intangible information, like scheduling: for example, POS software for gyms and exercise studios allows a business owner to schedule exercise instructors, desk receptionists, and other staff based on class attendance and sales information for certain times of day.

Cost savings: The chief reason most businesses switch to a POS system is cost savings. Monitoring inventory, employee sales efforts, promotions, and marketing efforts all ultimately lead to more strategic and effective business management, which will save you money in the long run. The right POS software for your business can also cut down on theft and unauthorized employee discounts- since inventory is reported accurately and with regularity, missing items will be easier to spot. Using a POS system enables you to make decisions based on real-time data, and to plan future promotions and sales more effectively.

True, a POS system is a big investment. You’ll also need to consider the logistics of the switch- entering your inventory or product offerings into the new system, training employees, and learning how to use reporting features can all take some time. If you’re considering purchasing a POS system, check out the StartUp Nation Buyer Guide – the more information you have about system requirements, purchasing details, and vendor offerings, the easier it will be to choose the right system for your business.

The Small Business Startup Kit was assembled in collaboration with Office Depot, which is supplying all the cool equipment and services included in the Kit. Here’s what in it:

• 1 Toshiba Satellite® U405-S2911 Notebook Computer With Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Processor
• 1 Fellowes® PS 79ci 100% Jam Proof Cross-Cut Shredder
• 1 Lexmark X 7675 All-In-One Printer/Copier/Scanner/Fax Machine
• 1 $100 Gift Card to use at Office Depot

So, why are we doing this?

For StartupNation, this is all about helping you remove the barriers to starting and growing your business. That’s why we included essentials like the notebook computer, all-in-one printer, and the jam proof shredder. (By the way, trust me - you want to use a shredder. I just visited a transfer station where our garbage is dumped. You could see people’s personal papers flying all around in the wind.)

In any event, with these necessities on hand, the winner will have a well-oiled machine ready to support him or her on a path to success.

Here’s all you have to do for a chance to win this giveaway:

Leave a comment below in this blog as to why you look to retailers like Office Depot for your small business needs.

It’s that simple, folks!

We will then select a comment/answer AT RANDOM and name that person the winner. One comment is allowed per person. Must be 18 years of age or older to participate and based in the U.S. 

We will stop taking comments in this blog post at midnight EASTERN TIME on March 13, 2009. We will announce the winner on March 16, 2009 within this blog entry as a comment with instructions on how the selected winner should contact us with a SHIP TO address. The suite of equipment and gift card will be delivered shortly thereafter. Your only problem at that point is… what excuses do you have left NOT to “start it up”?!

All StartupNation spam rules apply and StartupNation retains the right to delete any blog comments it deems to be spam. If the selected winner does not respond to instructions by March 18, another winner will be selected at random on March 19, and a similar process will be used to reach them.

Jump in! Become a winner! We look forward to reading your comments.

As always, we want you to start it up and we hope this Small Business Startup Kit helps!

With speed, affordability, functionality and flexibility being hallmarks of a well-oiled small business, this little printer is definitely fitting the bill.

It’s lightning fast, first of all. The pages seem to crank out of it before you swivel your chair to pull the pages off the tray.

The color and clarity are perfect.

In particular, I found the setup to be a cakewalk. No complex stuff, no disruptive, cumbersome software on my desktop downloaded against my will. Basically, I didn’t have any learning curve - it seems like there was nothing to learn. Just do things like you always have. It’s extremely intuitive.

It comes with a wifi capability so you don’t have to figure out wiring, but I’ve opted to go the wired route since it was easy and in proximity.

Size-wise, it’s sitting on top of my little rolling filing cabinet, a very small footprint indeed.

Faxing is a snap. One cool feature - USB port for downloading scans directly to a thumb drive. I don’t know about you, but it’s always been a pain in the rear trying to get computers and printers to jive when it comes to scans.

But most of all, it’s FAST. And that’s the speed at which my mind and schedule is moving when I’m sitting at my desk.

If you’re considering upgrading to a completely functional, networkable computer for your home office, the Epson Workforce 600 is a great choice.

Here are a few links if you want to learn more:

Epson Workforce 600 site

Product Tour (not my voice!)

Downloadable PDF

But there’s one thing I love more: Inspiring people to start and grow successful businesses.

That’s why I passionately accepted an invitation from Franchise India, Asia’s largest small business publisher and coordinator for entrepreneurship events, to chair their conference on entrepreneurship this year and to share all that I can about American style entrepreneurship, what works, what doesn’t, how to do it, why to do it, and who it’s for.

Yes, that’s me you see through the dust on that billboard.

The two-day event spans November 28-29 and will be host to an international audience of people wishing to catch the spark of business ownership and successful business growth. While you’re eating turkey with cranberry sauce, I’ll be scrambling for a Tandoori variation on a theme wherever I can find it!

Here’s the event website.

Yes, the global economy is going to belly smack in the months ahead, and the sting may not go away for a while, but one thing is for sure: Entrepreneurship will not slow. In fact, we believe it will speed up. As more and more people are turned away from large employers, they will have to turn to themselves.

And the beauty is, it’s easier than ever to do so. The tools–websites, software, devices, etc.–are there. The culture is there. In fact, working for yourself and working from home are “in”. The outsourcing resources–accountants, web designers, virtual assistants, etc.–are there. Entrepreneurship is tee’d up like never before.

StartupNation community members - the people who LIVE THE DREAM every day - I promise to take your spirit with me to inspire your peers in India and TURN THEM ON to what’s possible. And don’t be surprised if you start seeing a groundswell of them probing for help in our entrepreneur forums in the near future.

I used to keep mental notes. Then I got married and had kids. No more room on the chalkboard, people. So, I decided to carry around one of those mini-tape recorders to act as my auxiliary memory bank. But, I grew tired of the looks from people around me when I would pop out my tape recorder and whisper, “Pick up kids. Dog food at grocery store.”

To me, that makes total, perfect, jewel-of-wisdom sense. It means: pick up the kids and go to the grocery store for dog food. According to the child welfare agents, they thought I was feeding my children dog food. Go figure.

After that, I explored lots of other–high tech, lo tech, and no tech–ways of keeping track of my family duties and my startup business: Jot thoughts on post it notes. Scribble on scraps of restaurant napkins. Keep a Google calendar. Leave Cell phone messages for myself. The thing is, now I can’t remember what the message was, where I left the message, or if I left the message at all.

I hit the wall yesterday. I found a Post-it note reminding me to take a scrap of paper out of my coat pocket that told me to check my cell phone message about verifying a date on my Google calendar.

Mental note: My synching feeling has just sunk to an all-new low.

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But when it comes to things that you don’t directly control, like the quality of your communication tools, you can either choose not to engage in this battle by throwing more money at the solution than may be necessary and walking away knowing that you don’t need to worry about its performance, or you can dig your heels in and pay less with the compromise of lesser performance.

Maybe it’s because I’ve been an entrepreneur for so long, 23 years, and it sickens me to think of all the money I’ve spent on phone service over the years, but the voice communication battle is one that I’m willing to engage in.

Enter Skype. I had heard about Skype from Adam Curry and his podcast. It’s unbelievably inexpensive. Free actually when you make and receive calls from other Skype members. And Skype is a free download. So talking within our Showcase U team spread throughout the country using Skype was a no-brainer. That is, once I got my internet connection issues straightened out - no small task working with Comcast.

The only hardware I needed is a microphone for my computer since Skype uses the internet connection and your computer to make calls. I even purchased a camera so that we can see one another on video while we talk. I was skeptical about this at first, after all I’ve been talking on the phone for 47 years without video. But I have found that it really does enhance the communication experience.

All that is nice and efficient as an internal company communication tool. But I have enhanced my Skype account to include the ability to make outgoing calls, unlimited for $3/month, and to receive incoming calls, unlimited for $2/month. I receive calls on my computer, complete with caller ID and a forwarding option to send calls to my cell.

I LOVE how little I’m paying for phone service. BUT I admit that the quality of each call varies based on the consistency of a strong internet connection. I expect that issue will continue to improve as it has over the few months I’ve been using Skype, and I’m willing to live with it in the meantime.

So Skype mostly rocks. And that’s good enough, for now.

Some of the winners have bragged about their good fortune in the StartupNation community forum. It’s kinda cool to see that people are actually winning in contests such as these and it’s even cooler that there is a community forum here at StartupNation that provides a platform for sharing good fortune.

And I’m not just talking about lucky contest-winning good fortune. Much more importantly, people are sharing the good fortune of successfully moving from dreaming about starting their own business – leaving behind that corporate cubicle or whatever chains that bind, to actually doing it!

All across the nation, the StartupNation, people just like you & me are using the inspiration and the information found all throughout StartupNation.com to embark on their dream life.

It might be a free contest that catches your eye, but it’s the desire to live the life you want that will make you a true winner. And there just ain’t no luck involved in that.