The 4-Letter Word That Increases Cash Flow And …...maker in your business, you should remind yourself that the role is not the person who fills the role (for the most part), but

Get More Free Tips, Tools, and Services At: www.CMITDenver.com

“As a business owner, you don’t have time to waste on technical and operational issues. That’s where we shine! Call us and put an end to your IT problems finally and forever!” - Debi Bush, CMIT Solutions of Denver

Volume VI, Issue 8 August 2013

Denver, Colorado

Inside This Issue…

The 4-Letter Word That Increases Cash Flow And Saves On Taxes..….Page 1 How To Implement A Customer Appreciation Schedule…......…….…....Page 2 Financial Wealth Is NOT The Only Sign Of Success…. ………………Page 3 Do You Love Your Computer A Little Too Much? ........Page 4 10 Ideas You Need If You Want To Succeed............Page 5 A New Favorite Way Hackers Are Gaining Access To Your PC.........Page 6 Untapped Potential Exists Within You; You Just Don’t Know It...……………......Page 7

If you dread writing checks for a network upgrade because it hits your cash flow in a big way, then you’ll want to look into HaaS or “hardware as a service.”

HaaS is becoming a more common option for businesses because it allows you to pay for ALL your IT services – hardware, installation, security,

backups, applications, Internet, etc. – as a flat fee service, thereby eliminating the heavy cash-flow hit for upgrading or expanding a computer network and giving you the ability to write off 100% of your IT expenses without having to depreciate those assets over time. Additionally, your IT provider takes total responsibility for the maintenance of your network.

HaaS is particularly popular with startups who need to direct the majority of their cash towards marketing, but many businesses are opting for HaaS over installing a traditional network because:

1) No More Expensive Surprise Upgrades. With HaaS, your computers are automatically replaced with new ones every 3-4 years, ensuring compatibility with almost any software refresh. No end-of-lease buyouts of outdated equipment or ever having to re-lease equipment again.

2) Warranties Are A Thing of The Past. With a HaaS program, you get your equipment AND the service included in the monthly cost. Anything that goes wrong with the computer (like the inevitable computer crash just days after your warranty expires) is our problem to resolve. Plus, since HaaS computers are replaced on a regular schedule, you don’t have to settle for refurbished parts or old computers for long.

3) One Easy Invoice. Purchasing via a HaaS program is like having a condo. You get control of what goes in it, but don’t have to worry about maintenance, building code issues, or updating the façade. Everything in one low monthly fee.

Looking to upgrade equipment while saving cash? Call us to learn more about HaaS and find out if it’s right for you.

The 4-Letter Word That Increases Cash Flow And Saves On Taxes

Page 2

Phil’s In The Corner

Phew! I am so excited that August

has arrived and my kids will start

school in a couple weeks. The

month of July was hectic at work

and our team successfully rode

the wave and we held down the

fort while Debi was taking care

of her mother.

Debi having been away from the

business for a month made me

relook and think about what

would happen if a key member

were out of the picture due to

illness or family emergency. You

don’t want to think about bad

things happening to those around

you, but there is a lesson to be

learned to have contingency

plans in place. To back it up even

more, it’s more important to have

all major processes documented

for roles such as operations, accounting, marketing and sales.

As the owner or key decision

maker in your business, you

should remind yourself that the

role is not the person who fills the

role (for the most part), but the

tasks and activities that the role

handles on a regular and

sometimes irregular basis.

This was another AHA moment for me and so crucial.


While it’s rare to find a marketing plan for most businesses, it’s even MORE rare to find a customer nurturing schedule. And given that most people walk around grossly underappreciated, developing a plan to thank and show appreciation for your customers is actually an easy way to stand out. Of course, this shouldn’t replace good old fashioned customer service. If you don’t deliver extreme value to your customers and treat them as you would like to be treated, then no amount of “nurturing” in the form of gifts, newsletters or other client appreciation will make up for it, right?

So… provided you’re already delivering “extreme value,” here’s a model for you to layer on a customer appreciation plan:

STEP 1: Divide your clients into 2 or 3 levels. Naturally you should invest more into the clients that are most profitable for you (don’t forget to include referrals, connections, assisting you with ideas, etc. in this evaluation). STEP 2: Create a budget for this. I recommend 2-6% of what they are spending. If you’re worried about the extra cost, just build it into your price. Besides, this cost will come back in multiples. STEP 3: Create a schedule of every other month to deliver something new. Ideally this something would be unique to you and your client and not just a random gift. FREQUENCY: You might plan on sending all your “A” clients a gift 6 times a year, “B” clients a gift 4 times a year and “C” clients once a year.

How To Implement And Profit From A Customer Appreciation Schedule

Viva Italia! Cortona became known to Americans through the book, Under

The Tuscan Sun. It’s a quaint town with medieval architecture

and steep narrow streets while

it sits on a Tuscan hillside. I

visited Cortona less than two

years ago and loved the

quaintness, churches and

special hot chocolate.

“You may have the universe if

I may have Italy.” ~ Giuseppe Verdi

Email Debi at [email protected] for insights to Italy.

Page 3


Shiny New Gadget Of The Month:

IFI (I Found It)

This day and age we have so many electronics to keep up with. Now there’s a simple way to track where you’ve left them and keep them from getting stolen. The iFi Systems Smart Tags work like a two way pager between you and your valuables. The iFi utilizes a Bluetooth connection through an app on your iPhone or Droid device. It can easily be attached to a handbag, camera case, or just about anything else you’d like to protect. These Smart Tags can also act as a handy reminder that you’ve forgotten something or, worse, that your valuables are walking off with an opportunistic thief! You can attach multiple tags to multiple items and check the status of each one directly from the home screen. You can customize the names and the alert sounds for each item individually, and you can even monitor battery life via your smartphone. Can’t find the phone you say? Simply use your tag to track it. The communication system works both ways. iFi Systems Smart Tags come in both iOS and Android models and the associated app can monitor up to 6 different items at a time. It gives a Google map of where a tag was at the time of separation. You can also set up safe zones, like when you’re at your office, so you do not have to endure alerts every time you walk to the water cooler. Get yours at www.amazon.com

Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American poet in the transcendentalist arena, a philosopher and essaying in the 19th century. He was born and raised and lived most of his life in and around Concord (MA) where he became known as “the sage of Concord.” It is always intriguing to me how over the centuries certain areas become the heart of literature, art, or innovation. whether it be Concord/Boston in the 1800s for literature or Florence and Italy for the Renaissance (rebirth). “To laugh often and much,

To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children,

To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty.

To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden path, or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier because you lived.

This is to have succeeded.”

Financial Wealth Is NOT The Only Sign Of Success

Page 4


Insights From Our Past To

Apply To The Present & Future Our person of the month is Confucius. He must have been one of those first name “celebrities” - a precursor to Cher and Oprah. According to biography.com, he was also known as Kong Qui or K’ung Fu-tzu and born during the Chou Dynasty. Confucius was a philosopher, teacher and is best known for his sayings or aphorisms.

“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full

potential...these are the keys that will unlock the

door to personal excellence.”

Like many influential people, the influence and impact of Confucius came after his death, at least in the mind of Confucius. He didn’t believe that he had made a difference with his teachings. “Life is really simple, but

we insist on making it complicated.”

Confucius 551 - 479 BCE

Do You Love Your Computer A Little Too Much?

It’s the relationship you spend more time on than any other. It deepens every year. And when things go wrong, you become afraid, tearful, and in some cases so enraged that you lash out by throwing things—but you’re willing to go right back into the relationship no matter what happens.

What are we talking about? The bond you have with your computer. If you work in an office, chances are you spend more time staring into your computer screen than having conversations with real live human beings. And you probably spend more time at your PC than you do with your significant other, best friend, and even your kids.

According to research conducted by SupportSoft Inc., a firm in Redwood City, California, that makes software for computer help desks, people are spending an increasing amount of time at their computer. This survey also revealed how computer problems can unleash powerful—even dangerous emotions. When confronted with a dead computer, 19% admitted to wanting to hurl it out the nearest window, 9% felt stranded and alone, 11% used language normally reserved for special occasions, 7% did so loudly, 3% did so tearfully and another 3% vented their wrath on inanimate objects.

With these results it should come as no surprise that 48% said they would rather help a friend move than deal with a computer problem, and 30% said they felt more frustration with their computer now than in previous years.

Want to have a healthy relationship with your computer? Then check out our CMIT Marathon program at www.CMITDenver.com. We’ll make your computer “behave,” which will lower your stress and anxiety, reduce computer problems to zero, and give you more time to spend with REAL human beings. We’ll love your computers and take great care of them and you’ll be even more productive and efficient than before.

Page 5


Quotes for August

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” “All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” “All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen.” “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” “For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.” “It is not length of life, but depth of life.” “Men are what their mothers made them.” “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” “It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.” “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.” “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

1. Do what you need to do now so you will eventually get to do what you want to do later. 2. Discipline is the ability to get things done regardless of how you feel about doing them. 3. Passion only pays off when channeled into productive effort. 4. Others may believe in you, help you and support you, but ultimately nobody will do it for you. You are responsible for your own life. 5. If you don’t do your job any differently than anybody else who does it, you won’t get paid more than anybody else. 6. More often than not, you succeed in spite of not because of your circumstances. 7. If you think a little better and work a little harder you will always accomplish more than others. 8. If you can’t control it, get over it. 9. If you don’t appreciate where you are at, you won’t appreciate where you are going. 10. Get clear on what really matters to you and then get busy pursuing it. If you want more insights into how to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, go to Mark’s site at www.marksanborn.com.

10 Ideas You Need If You Want To Succeed

A Special Note from Debi Bush, CEO,

CMIT Solutions of Denver:

You know CMIT as an IT consulting and support company. But we can

offer more to you, often at no charge. I have been providing IT support for 9 years and was in the corporate world before that (cable TV). I have made

quite a few alliances and know people and companies that provide services to businesses. I have always been one who recognizes the need for being

“connected” and being a resource for others. If you need services that may not be IT, I may still be able to recommend someone

to you. I am constantly looking for companies that may be of service to

our clients. If we can help you with your business, then everyone wins. Please give us the opportunity to service you beyond your IT needs.

Mark Sanborn, CSP, CPAE, is president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea studio dedicated to developing leaders in business and in life. Mark is an international bestsel-ling author and noted authority on leadership, team building, customer service and change. Mark is the author of eight books, including the bestseller The Fred Factor: How Passion In Your Work and Life Can Turn the Ordinary Into the Extraordinary which has sold more than 1.6 million copies internationally. Learn more about Mark at www.marksanborn.com

Page 6


A New Favorite Way Hackers Are Gaining Access To Your PC

Do you have Java turned on in your web browser? If your an-swer is “Yes” or “I’m not sure” then it’s time to take action to find out. Why? The biggest threat to your computer sys-tems in 2013 (and beyond) is no longer Microsoft Windows - it is Oracle Java. After 20+ years as the poster child for insecure software, Microsoft’s newest operating systems (Windows 7 and 8) have gotten their act together. Cybercriminals like to get the greatest bang for their buck and therefore they’re attacking the Java platform because of its huge market share and because it’s an easier platform to hack than the Microsoft operating system. Java is now installed in over 1.1 billion desktops and 3 billion mobile phones. That’s a big target that is very attrac-tive to hackers. Hackers also love that Java is multi-platform, which means it’s capable of

corrupting PCs running Windows, Mac OS X or Linux. And since many Mac users don’t have anti-virus, hackers were able to infect over 600,000 Macs with serious malware via the Java software installed on their machines. Right now, cybercriminals are aware and exploiting any security flaws in Java that could lead to infections on your computer. There are even au-tomated kits now available to capitalize on any security hole found within days, if not hours of them becoming known.

It’s not unusual to see hackers use Java as a first attack to weaken the defenses before serving up an Operating System specific attack. Even the Department of Homeland Security suggested that “To defend against future Java vul-nerabilities, their users should consider disabling Java in web browsers.” Here are 3 steps you can take today to minimize your risk: 1. Disable or uninstall Java

wherever you can. If you don’t need it, remove it.

2. Where Java is necessary, use a separate web browser only used for Java-based websites and be sure to patch Java regularly.

3. Have your staff report the first signs of slowness, possi-ble infections and web browser popups to your IT guy as soon as they happen.

Free Report Download: The Ultimate Guide To Setting Up A

“Work From Home System” For Your Staff

If you are thinking about implementing a “work from home” program for your employees, or if you want to install a virtual network to allow your key employees to work seamlessly on the road or from a remote office, DON’T – until your read this eye-opening guide first!

Download your FREE copy today at www.CMITDenver.com/workfromhome or call our office at (303) 756-2648.

Page 7


The Lighter Side: Did You Know?

A can of Diet Coke will float to the top of water, but a regular Coke will sink to the bottom. (Try it.)

The fourth richest man in

the world (Warren Buffett) still lives in the house he bought for $31,500 in 1958.

The Munich Technical

University has a 3-story slide used for students to get to class faster. (See photo above.)

The “I’m Feeling Lucky”

button costs Google $110 million each year.

There are already more

than 250 cryopreserved (frozen) in the hope that someday technology will be invented to revive them to extend their lives.

Peanut butter, under

high (very, very high) pressure has the probability to turn into a diamond.

Untapped Potential Exists

Within You; You Just Don’t Know It I would venture to say that most of us have hidden

or untapped talents that may or may not be useful

in our line of work. But, you just don’t know the

heights of success that you can achieve unless you

extend yourself beyond your perceived comfort zone.

It’s time to ignite your courage and your untapped skills! Whether

you implement a new strategy at work or with a service organization

or even at home, you don’t know what you can do until you take that

leap of faith.

For the month of July I was basically off two

grids in my life – my CMIT Solutions business

and Rotary. The third and most important grid

– family – took a position front and center and

on a 24/7 schedule. I learned really fast that I

had to get beyond, way beyond, my comfort

zone in being one of my mother’s caregivers

for what ended up being her last month of life.

I had to learn to do new things. There wasn’t a

choice in the matter if I was to be there for my

mother. It was the most challenging and at the

same time rewarding experience of my life to be

able to step up and give back.

As much as activities at work are not a matter of life or death, I would

posit that any and all activities surrounding the health and well‐being

of your business—as well as your family—are critical. You and your

colleagues need to get beyond your current comfort zones by trying

new things, solutions or programs to fortify and grow your business.

Also, strategies that have been successful in the past should be con‐

tinued and possibly tweaked because things have changed in how

and why people respond (e.g. with the advent of social media).

My mother, Nancy Rosenthal, was not a businesswoman nor a

Rotarian like I am. However, Mom was an advocate for those who

sought new opportunities and she challenged the status quo. If

someone told her that she couldn’t do something for herself or on

someone else’s behalf, the gauntlet was thrown down and you

better watch out.

My Mom, Nancy Rosenthal

1936-2013


Too many times over the years, especially in my own business, I

have been guilty of including tactics in my marketing plan and

calendar and then not following through with the execution of

them. Why is that?

The avoidance of getting out of your comfort zone when you

absolutely don’t have to provides the excuse or rationalization

that perhaps the tactic wouldn’t have made a difference had it

been done. Conversely, if you were to treat such activities and

projects as “life threatening” to your business, the fire would be lit

beneath you to ignite you into action. Is this true for you?

Over the past fifteen months my mother was an inspiration to me,

family members, caregivers and her doctors. For the month of July

2013, Mom’s status became elevated where her courage put life

into a more refined perspective and outlook for those of us who

stood by her. May her words, music and actions continue to be

uplifting to me and even those who didn’t know her so that we

may be better and stronger individuals.

“Always do what you are afraid to do.”

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every

time we fail.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

925 S. Niagara St., Suite 220 Denver, CO 80224 Phone: 303-756-2648 Fax: 303-484-7314 Email: [email protected] Web: www.CMITDenver.com Blog: cmitdenver.wordpress.com E-Newsletter Articles: cmitdenvernews.wordpress.com Facebook: www.Facebook.com/cmitdenver LinkedIn: www.LinkedIn.com/in/cmitdenver

Debi’s Reading List REWORK by Jason Fried The Essential Writings Of Ralph Waldo Emerson by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Page 8

Have a magnificent month!

P.S. If you’re not receiving my monthly e‐newsletter or CMIT QuickTip,

please email me at [email protected] to request that your name

be added.

Documents

The 4-Letter Word That Increases Cash Flow And …...maker in your business, you should remind yourself that the role is not the person who fills the role (for the most part), but