How is ‘the cloud’ affecting business?

Cloud computing is already nothing new but as usual, with technical terms, it is taking some time to be understood and used in mainstream business.

In this post, I aim to clear up some of the misconceptions about what cloud computing is, and isn’t, and hopefully provide some useful pointers for how it could be deployed in your business.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a revolutionary concept because it can dramatically reduce the IT costs of businesses whilst sharply increasing their efficiency. Perhaps the greatest benefit it brings is that of infinate scalability. When you buy IT services through the Cloud, you only pay for what you use, from a single byte of storage, or a single user software license, to hundreds of terabytes and thousands of users.

It means therefore that IT costs can become variable instead of fixed.

It is especially appealing to small businesses because it means they don’t have to make disproportionately large investments in technology at start up.

Basically, there are three ways in which ‘the cloud’ is implemented and of use to us through the Internet.

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IAAS)

This is the provision of a networked computer infrastructure over the web. So, instead of buying locally stored network server hardware and peer-to-peer access, for example, you can now pay a monthly fee for a remote host which is infinitely scalable, and which only you and your organisation, have access to.

2. Platform as a Service (PAAS)

The object of PAAS is to enable a complete development platform to be provided over the web. It is especially useful therefore to workgroups and teams who are sharing, and working on, data files concurrently.

Otherwise known as ‘cloudware’, PAAS is an alternative to companies who use workflow facilities for building software or web applications, or collaborative projects just as architechture. It also includes highly scalable hosting solutions (as an alternative to a dedicated server, for example).

3. Software as a Service (SAAS)

The days of downloading and installing software, or buying it in a box and installing from disk, are coming to an end.

SAAS is perhaps one of the fastest-growing industries in the cloud, and already there are hundreds of applications which can be run efficiently through your web browser instead of locally.

Google docs, for example, now provide a real (free) alternative to Microsoft Office. There are other software services available too, for graphic design, brainstorming and flowcharts, help-desk, appointment and event management… and the list is growing all the time.

One of the main advantages of SAAS to the software provider is that new updates can be made seamlessly, without the need for the customer to install patches or upgrades. Everything required to run the software is held remotely and so minimal processing power is required on the local machine.

Following is a list of recommended SAAS resources:

Email list management:  Aweber

Online survey design and management:  Survey Gizmo

Brainstorming/Mindmapping: MindMiester

Helpdesk management: Zendesk

Email + Office-like apps: Google

Graphics: Aviary

Diagrams/Flowcharts: Gliffy

How to start an Internet Business Part 1

At the face-to-face Action Time consultations last week I was giving personal coaching to clients in how to be productive with their time.

Click Here for the next private consultations.

All too often I hear people telling me they suffer from information overload, or that they know exactly how to set up and run an internet business but still can’t get off the starting block…

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Fact is, you can get all the information you need pretty quickly.  And once you’ve got it, no one ever tells you, “you’ve learned enough now -  you can make a start”.

Read more

Are you taking profitable action?

 

 Listen to Tim Brocklehurst [12:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

That single word is the biggest hurdle for most people trying to earn an income online: Action.

And yet, once you’ve done it, everything can fall into place.

Everything that is, if the action you take is the right one. If not, it could be an expensive waste of your most precious resource: Time.

Its funny – we all know we can only earn an living if we do something, but on the Internet, when there are so many different things you can do, the act of doing is often so difficult.

Why can that be?
Read more

Action Freedom: Preview Videos Available

Videos from the recent Freedom Class in London are now available Read more

Blog Storm Blueprint

Its no secret that a blog can propell your fame and fortunes online. So here’s an excellent Read more

How To Get To The Top Of Search Engines Fast

Yesterday’s post got to the front page of Google for a popular search term, within Read more

A Useful Free Internet Marketing Tool

So many things are taken for granted, once we get to know them. Read more

Build Your List While on Holiday…

I’m just setting myself up to go away, as half the world are, for Christmas.

But the other half are still on the Internet, they’re not going anywhere and they’ll be busy while we’re away.

There’s no reason why the time we spend away from our computer should prevent us from building our lists, and our businesses, just as fast as they are (if not faster)… while we’re on holiday.

If you’d like a quick 5-step plan you can set-and-forget while you’re away… have a look at this.

List Building Tools – what’s most important?

There are so many great ways out there of building a highly targeted responsive list. My ebooks and courses tell of all the ones which have worked well for me…

Recently, I’ve been using a new technique with considerable success too. I’ll tell you about it soon, when I’ve got all the results in. But here’s the thing..

No matter which techniques you use, nor what long-term strategy you deploy for building your list, it is vital that you get the right tools in place for looking after it.

I mean it, the last thing you want to have to worry about when you’re running your list-building campaigns is the tools you’re using such as the autoresponder and the software, (or script that sits, and runs, behind your website). All you want to worry about is your marketing: maximizing traffic to your opt-in page and converting as many as possible.
Recently, I’ve been juggling autoresponders. Not something I recommend, infact its been quite a headache. But I needed to do it just so I could be sure to have as many of my lists as possible on an engine I can trust to be reliable and helpful to my listbuilding.

I figured with a new year approaching, its time to consolidate. I’ll be glad when its done and I know it won’t happen quickly. Unlike switching other services, switching autoresponders is a long-term and frustrating process: You have to get all your list members to opt-in again, you can’t just move the list without infringing spam regulations.

So, settle for the autoresponder you want to stick with long-term. And my advice (given I currently have accounts with 3 leading ones!) is Aweber.com.

Another vital tool in my business-building armoury is the script behind my sites. This is crucial especially if you’re to be efficient in using viral marketing methods to promote your business – and if you’re not, then frankly, what are you doing on the Internet?

That’s why I wanted to give away Motivated Marketing with the List Mission membership. This script does for Internet Marketers what Word Press does for bloggers. It automates, it gathers, it provides scalability and, by golly it delivers.

All software programs take a while to see which piece goes where. Its a conceptual thing. Once the mind has grasped the technique and the way it all fits together, then suddenly we realise what all the fuss is about.

That is my perception of these scripts. And Motivated Marketing is no exception. It is different from Butterfly Marketing, certainly a lot less in-depth and with fewer features. But it does the job of beck-ending affiliate sites, and its equipped with everything you need to give yours that vital dimension.

New users at List Mission will now be able to upgrade to the full version of Motivated Marketing (from the Lite version), at a fraction of its recommended price, as long as they do it on signup. Yes, its a One-Time-Only offer.

They then get all the additional features and benefits the full version brings.

But I don’t think its fair for previous members to be excluded from this deal, just because they joined early. Especially since the price is now the lowest it will ever be.

I may increase it, but it will never be lower than this.

If you’d like to see for yourself what the full version includes, over and above what you’ve already got, log into your account at http://www.listmission.com/login.php

If you haven’t got an account yet, and if you’re thinking about, or already, building a list, then get ono over and sign up while the price is still less than $20. I guarranteee you won’t find a better deal for all the software, advice and guidance you’ll get, or your money back!

Start building a targeted, responsive list of your own TODAY, so you can profit from it with one tiny email tomorrow…

See you there!

Related articles: Build it FAST! Lesson 1.

Build your List FAST…

I’ve been getting alot of people asking me lately for straight forward steps on how to build a list. I was in discussion about it with someone on the phone the other day and it dawned on me just how easy it is, when you know how.
So I’ve just posted lesson 1 of ‘Build it Fast’, which will take someone with no list, to someone with a list, in a few short steps. Similarly, it will take someone with a small list to someone with a big list.
If you’d like to see how it is, – have a look here.

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