|
Don’t
Miss the
Microsoft
Small Business Summit
2008
For Information Only, this Event has
already occurred!
Broadcasting LIVE
October 14
–
16, 2008
(starts every day at
12PM EDT/9AM PDT)
The
Microsoft
Small Business Summit is a
free
online event designed to help small business owners who want to start, run, and
grow their business more effectively in today’s competitive business
environment. As the most comprehensive virtual small business conference, the
Summit provides information on Microsoft technologies and offers valuable
strategies that will help small businesses save time and money, and better
connect with
their
customers.
Topics include:
·
Sales and Marketing
(Tuesday, Oct.
14)—Make
an impact.
·
Productivity,
Mobility and Security (Wednesday, Oct.
15)—Go
where the business is.
·
Financial Management
(Thursday, Oct. 16)—Achieve financial
security.
NEW!
Connect with other small business owners.
Exclusive
Business-to-Business
Chat lets you connect with your peers
while watching the Summit online. You can even submit questions to be asked live
on the air. Microsoft Small Business Specialist will also be online to answer
your technology questions.
We hope you can join us!
Pete Blackshaw,
The Power of Customers
Word of mouth can make or break a small business, especially in
today’s Internet-driven world, where customers have more power than
ever. Interactive marketing expert Pete Blackshaw studies the impact of
"consumer-generated media"—blogs, social networking pages, message
boards, product review sites—where even a single disgruntled customer
can broadcast his or her complaints to an audience of millions. Pete
will show you how to turn customer power to your advantage, by forming
relationships built on openness, transparency, and trust. |
 |
 |
Jodi Watson,
It’s in the Bag
Jodi Watson’s company harnessed the Internet to create a heretofore
unheard of business: renting brand name handbags instead of buying them.
The company, Avelle, got a huge boost when it was mentioned--under its
former name, Bag, Borrow, or Steal--in the movie Sex
and the City. Learn how Avelle markets online, and why they
changed the company name—a doubleheader in e-commerce and branding. |
Net Success
Do you think your business is too small to be online? Do you think
you lack the skills to create a Web site? Come see how easy it is to get
your small business up and running on the Internet—and you can do it at
no cost! |
 |
John Jantsch,
Duct-Tape Marketing
Author of Duct Tape Marketing and an
extremely popular blog, John Jantsch is renowned for dispensing
practical wisdom on small business marketing. You won’t want to miss
John’s insights on how small businesses can create sure-fire marketing
campaigns on a shoestring budget. |
 |
 |
Victor Lozano,
Swimming with Dolphins
Victor Lozano is living his small business dream—he runs Dolphin
Excursions, a Hawaiian company that brings tourists face-to-face with
some of the ocean’s most magnificent creatures. But it’s not all
splashing around with Flipper and his friends; there’s a business to
run! Learn how Victor has leveraged technology to keep the company
running smoothly. Get Victor’s tips on how to keep your small business
swimming along. |
Marketing with Microsoft Office
Turn on your marketing power of Microsoft Office 2007 Small Business
Edition. Learn how to create professional quality marketing materials,
mount email marketing campaigns, and maximize the value of your existing
customers. If you’re just using Microsoft Office for word processing and
spreadsheets, you’re not taking full advantage of this powerhouse
software. |
 |
Bill Stainton,
Lessons from the Fab Four
Yes, that Fab Four: the Beatles. Bill Stainton, best-selling author
and Beatles expert, will take you on an entertaining and insightful
journey through the business decisions that took the Beatles to the top
of the charts. And believe it or not, what worked the boys from
Liverpool can work for your small business! |
 |
 |
Starr Hall, PR
Toolbox
After leaving a high-paying corporate job, Starr Hall decided to
launch a full service boutique PR agency with just two clients and
$2,500. In just two short years, Starr built her agency into an
international brand-communications firm. In addition, she has become a
widely sought-after speaker, who wows audiences with her acumen about
brand-building and the value of public relations. Tune in for Starr’s
Summit talk on PR, marketing, and branding. |
Rieva Lesonsky,
Rieva to the Rescue
Rieva Lesonsky has been offering guidance and inspiration to small
business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs for more than two decades. As
an author and editor, Rieva has written and shaped countless articles
and books on small business, among them her top-selling
Get Smart, which provides more than 300
practical tips and strategies for establishing and sustaining a
successful small business. A nationally recognized speaker, she has
appeared on Good Morning America and Oprah to discuss entrepreneurship.
Join Rieva as she fields questions about sales and marketing in small
businesses. |
 |
 |
Phone It In
Have you been dreaming of an affordable business phone system that’s
easy to set up, easy to use, and can grow with your business? Well then,
your dreams can be reality with Microsoft Response Point. See why this
is the perfect telephone system for small business. |
Andy Wibbels,
Blogging for Bucks
Andy Wibbels is an expert on online marketing of small business,
including the use of blogging, podcasting, email marketing, and online
advertising. Winner of the "Best Marketing Blog” in both 2005 and 2006,
Andy believes that blogs are a fantastic way for any business to
generate sales. Join Andy as he explains how blogging can help your
business save time, make money, generate leads, increase visibility, and
nail a top position with search engines. |
 |
 |
Bob McDowell,
The Software Advantage
Join Microsoft Vice President Bob McDowell for an information-packed
journey through the benefits that the right software can provide to your
small business. Learn how a PC running Windows Vista can make you more
secure and productive. Don’t let someone else tell you what to think—see
for yourself how you can get the edge with Windows Vista. |
Scott Montgomery,
Customer Care Kit
Scott Montgomery understands how to connect with customers—the
survival of his and his clients’ businesses depends on it. Scott is
co-founder of Bradley and Montgomery, an innovative agency that
specializes in advertising, design, and branding for clients large and
small. Scott will share his tips on how to connect with customers. |
 |
 |
Tina Wells,
Building Buzz
Every teenage girl loves fashion and glamour magazines, but could
that interest launch a successful career? It did for Tina Wells. At the
tender age of 16, Tina began writing product reviews for The New Girl
Times, a newspaper for young women and companies that target youth.
Realizing the gap between teens’ desires and companies’ misdirected
outreach, Tina developed an inventive and creative strategy. In 1996,
she launched Buzz Marketing Group (Buzz MG)--a full-service marketing
company dedicated to helping clients connect with youth. Tina will share
her secrets on buzz marketing and targeting customers. |
Stephanie Frank,
Work Less—Make More
Stephanie Frank is an expert in harnessing the power of small
business while creating the dream life. An internationally recognized
expert in “business acceleration” techniques, Stephanie helps
entrepreneurs and independent professionals who want to make more money
while working less. Come hear Stephanie’s advice on how to “turn
overwhelm into overdrive, challenge into choice, and shambles into
strategy.” |
 |
 |
Thanh Hua,
Lunch--and a Side Order of Productivity
In 2006, Thanh Hua turned her passion for delicious food into a
gourmet boxed-lunch company called Selfish Box. “Our highest goal is to
create cuisine so good you won’t want to share it,” Hua says. Selfish
Box uses fresh, organic ingredients to create sophisticated, prepackaged
lunches for local business clients. But creating great food is only half
the battle—keeping prices competitive is vital. See how Thanh has tapped
the power of software to raise productivity and keep the cost-monster at
bay. |
Pump Up the Productivity with Microsoft Office
Would you like to run your business more efficiently? Maybe spend
the evening with your family instead of another long night at the
“shop”? Microsoft Office 2007 Small Business Edition has the
productivity tools that can make these dreams a reality. Learn the
expert’s tips and tricks for using Office to be more productive. |
|
Rieva Lesonsky,
Rieva to the Rescue
Rieva Lesonsky has been offering guidance and inspiration to small
business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs for more than two decades. As
an author and editor, Rieva has written and shaped countless articles
and books on small business, among them her top-selling
Get Smart, which provides more than 300
practical tips and strategies for establishing and sustaining a
successful small business. A nationally recognized speaker, she has
appeared on Good Morning America and Oprah to discuss entrepreneurship.
Join Rieva as she fields questions about productivity and security in
small businesses. |
|
 |
Kevin Royalty,
Run Your Business from Anywhere
Kevin Royalty has a passion for helping small businesses. As
co-founder and managing partner of Total Care Computer Consulting, part
of the Microsoft Small Business Specialist Community, Kevin not only
works with small business customers every day, he runs a small business
himself. He knows firsthand how important it is to get out of the office
and into the field. Kevin will share his insights on mobility and how to
harness technology to set you free. |
Bob Rosner and Sherrie Campbell,
The Multi-Tasking Myth
Best-selling business author and consultant to Fortune 500
companies, Bob Rosner has been featured in People and The Wall Street
Journal, and is a regular contributor to the Today Show. Sherrie
Campbell is a veteran speaker and the “Northwest’s Funniest Mom.”
Together they will show you how to work more productively. If you think
the answer is multi-tasking, think again. |
|
 |
Dave Benson,
Cutting Edge Technology
Dave Benson runs Epicurean Cutting Surfaces, a fast-growing company
that had its genesis in efficiency. The owners’ original company was a
skate-park designer and manufacturer. Eager to recycle scrap, they
founded Epicurean to create kitchen cutting boards using leftover
skate-park materials. Today, Epicurean cutting boards are sold worldwide
in more than 4,000 stores by such retailers as Bed Bath and Beyond and
Sur La Table. Learn how server technology has boosted productivity and
security for Epicurean. Cutting edge technology meets cutting board
manufacturing. |
Michael Santarcangelo,
Security
Michael Santarcangelo is an expert on information protection –
including compliance, privacy and awareness – and the author of
Into the Breach, a must-read guide on business
security. A the voice of optimism in an industry of doomsayers, Michael
provides the advice on how to increase revenue, protect the bottom line
and efficiently manage people, information and risk. |
 |
The Vista Advantage
Wondering if Windows Vista is right for you? Learn how Bit Locker
can protect your customer information and sensitive company data. Find
out how Shadow Copy can save you from the despair of “oops, I didn’t
mean to delete that!” Discover how Instant Search can save you precious
time. In short, see how Windows Vista can make your small business more
secure and more productive. |
Dan Forrester,
Security Made Easy
Dan Forrester, IT chief at fiber-optic cable manufacturer Timbercon,
knows the value of security. His company is entrusted with sensitive
data from its many customers, including the federal government, so an IT
breach could mean big, big trouble. Learn how Timbercon secured its
systems and has become one of the fastest growing small businesses in
the Pacific Northwest. |
 |
Mark Hurst, Bit
Literacy
Widely credited for popularizing "customer experience" online, Mark
Hurst has worked since the birth of the Web to make Internet technology
easier to use. Mark is the founder of Creative Good – the world’s first
user-experience consulting firm. In 2007, he authored Bit Literacy to
help people manage information overload. Mark’s strategies work for both
the individual and an entire team. Let Mark help free you from today’s
onslaught of digital information. |
 |
 |
Anne-Marie Faiola,
Your Passion--Your Business
Anne-Marie Faiola followed her passion to create Bramble Berry, an
Internet retailer of raw materials for making soap and toiletries. Today
that passion has become a thriving business with more than 25,000
customers, primarily small handcrafters, who buy melt-and-pour bases,
oils, herbs, dyes, lip-butter flavorings, lotion-making supplies, and
molds. So, what is your passion? Anne-Marie will help you visualize the
potential of turning it into a business. |
You Run the Business; We’ll Handle the IT
You’ve heard the buzz and catchphrases: software as a service,
software plus services, cloud computing. What does it all mean? Can you
afford to move your IT online? Can you afford not to? Learn about the
latest in hosted services from Microsoft and decide if they’re right for
you. Kevin Royalty has a passion for helping small businesses. As
co-founder and managing partner of Total Care Computer Consulting, part
of the Microsoft Small Business Specialist Community, Kevin not only
works with small business customers every day, he runs a small business
himself. |
 |
Nell Merlino,
Make Mine a Million $ Business
This one’s especially for the women entrepreneurs who want to break
the barrier into $1 million of annual revenue. Co-founder and CEO of
Count Me In for Women's Economic Independence, Nell Merlino will share
advice for growing your business, networking, and taking charge of your
success. And guys, you’ll pick up some great tips, too.
Hear Nell’s podcast featuring advice and tips during these tough
times. (
wmv ) |
 |
 |
Dave Dederer,
Rockin' the Balance Sheet
We go behind the scenes for the small business-side of rock with the
guitarist of the Grammy nominated band 'The Presidents of the United
States of America.' Dave Dederer has a head for business as well as
music. Learn how he managed the band's business and how he's now
pioneering music in the mobile, online, and digital world. See how
financial strategies that work for the band just might work for you. |
Free Accounting Software
Here’s one thing every startup can use: free accounting software.
With Microsoft Office Accounting Express, you can keep your books, sell
online, and analyze your business performance. All for free, and all
with the familiar look and feel of Microsoft Office. |
|
Jean Chatzky,
Make Money, Not Excuses
An award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and popular
motivational speaker, Jean Chatzky has helped millions of men and women
battle an epidemic with a devastating impact - debt. Jean is the
financial editor for NBC's Today Show, a contributing editor for Money,
a columnist for The New York Daily News, a contributor to The Oprah
Winfrey Show, and a featured money coach on Oprah's "Debt Diet" series.
She is the author of four books, and her latest, Make
Money, Not Excuses, is a Wall Street Journal and New York Times
bestseller. You will definitely want to hear Jean’s advice on managing
debt. |
 |
|
Save Money on Software
Want to save money on the software you need to keep your business
running smoothly? Well, duh…of course you do! So you won't want to miss
Jon Trehimovich’s informative session. Jon will explain your options for
software licensing and show you how to get the most bang for your buck. |
Tips from the Trenches: How Thrive in a Down
Economy
Get some great advice from the people who understand small business
the best: other small business owners. Join the three winners of our
"Bump the Slump" contest as they share their money-saving tips. |
 |
Rieva
Lesonsky, Steve Strauss, and Susan Schreter,
Financial Roundtable
Don't miss this lively discussion as three of America's top small
business experts weigh in on how to thrive under any economic
conditions. This group is smarter than a whole barn full of owls, so
tune in for some business wisdom. |
Cheryl Broussard,
Sister CEO
Author of the best-selling Sister CEO, Cheryl Broussard has cemented
her reputation as a leading financial advisor to entrepreneurs and their
families. CEO of Cheryl Broussard & Co, Inc., a financial and small
business consulting and training firm located in Oakland, CA, she is a
former personal finance advisor on CNN Financial Network and served as
the host of the radio talk show “Mind Your Money.” Join Cheryl as she
explains how small businesses can find funding and secure the financial
future. |
 |
 |
Emmy Jordan,
How Your Chamber of Commerce Can Help
What small business can’t use a little help, especially in these
times? Your Chamber of Commerce provides a gateway to a wide array of
business resources. Discover from Emmy Jordan of the Seattle Chamber of
Commerce how a little help from your friends at the Chamber can make a
big difference. |
Rieva Lesonsky,
Rieva to the Rescue
Rieva Lesonsky has been offering guidance and inspiration to small
business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs for more than two decades. As
an author and editor, Rieva has written and shaped countless articles
and books on small business, among them her top-selling
Get Smart, which provides more than 300
practical tips and strategies for establishing and sustaining a
successful small business. A nationally recognized speaker, she has
appeared on Good Morning America and Oprah to discuss entrepreneurship.
Join Rieva as she fields questions about money and finance in small
businesses. |
|
|
Keep Your Books in Order
Discover accounting software that’s intuitive, powerful, and
affordable. Save time, get organized, and do business online with the
accounting solution designed especially for small business. |
Steven Rogers,
Tackling Tough Times
Steven Rogers grew up on the Southside of Chicago, where he earned
his business chops. By age 14, he had delivered newspapers and milk,
bused tables, restocked grocery shelves, and sold furniture at a weekly
flea market, all to help his single mother keep the family afloat
financially. He went on to become a successful entrepreneur and to earn
a Harvard MBA. Today he is Professor of Management and Director of the
Levy Institute for Entrepreneurial Practice at Northwestern University’s
Kellogg School of Management. You won’t want to miss Professor Roger’s
insights into how small business can weather the ups and downs of the
economy. |
 |
Dan Fine and Jim Wenzinger,
Quality In, Quality Out
You know the old programming expression: Garbage In, Garbage Out?
Well, the reverse is equally true. Join Dan Fine of FineSolutions and
Jim Wenzinger of HyperQuality as they explain how the right business
solution software can help your business achieve outstanding results. |
Managing the Big Bucks
Ready to step up to a comprehensive business-management solution?
One that integrates seamlessly with your familiar Microsoft products?
Then you’re ready to learn about Microsoft Dynamics GP. |
 |
|
