Microsoft Dynamics

Search Engine Optimization.  SEO.  What is it really?  Why is it sooooo hard?  Why is it soooooooooo hard to find someone you can trust to help you optimize your site? 

Google Search has Indexed 1 Trillion URLs.

When someone types in your company name, or your main product/service and your geography, you want the search engines to serve up your site to the human being conducting the search.  The only way to make that happen is to optimize your site so that the search engines can find it. 

There are three main components of search engine optimization.

• Keyword research — must be done first, and done right!
• On-site search engine optimization – using keywords, title tags, URLs, etc.
• Off-site search engine optimization – getting backlinks, directory listings, etc.

Keyword research is the foundation, then the on-site and off-site components must be used together to “optimize” the effectiveness of your search engine optimization efforts. 

I can teach you how to do the on-site search engine optimization yourself.  It’s not that hard.  In fact, the next post I write, I’ll give you the crib notes to do-it-yourself on-site search engine optimization. 

But getting backlinks?  The off-site optimization piece takes time, know-how, discipline…and did I mention TIME, which is something all of us are short on.  That’s why I outsource all my SEO projects to a trusted partner, because I know I don’t have the time and discipline to do it myself — nor do my clients. 

Channel partners (VARs, ISVs, distributors) often worry about channel competition.  If they outsource their SEO work to someone like me who knows the channel model intimately, won’t I just equalize everyone?  Actually the answer is NO.  Everyone won’t do the work to the same level.  PLUS, why would you want to spend the time education someone who knows NOTHING about your industry?!   

Look at Blytheco, the “800-lb. gorilla” of the Sage channel.  They were early to recognize the power of search engine optimization, and they’ve been deeply focused on SEO for years and years.  You might not be able to beat Blytheco for broad terms like “Sage Mas 90″, but you might be able to win more specific terms, like “Phoenix AZ Sage Mas 90 Reseller.”  Because we know the industry, we can guide you to terms that might work — in a way that a SEO company off the streets never could.  

PLUS, we can help you capture the leads that visit your website and convert them into paying customers.   Being found online is just the first step.  Then the work begins to get people to know, like and trust you!

Microsoft Convergence 2010 is right around the corner.  I’m looking forward to a great trip to Atlanta — and hope to see you there!

Whether you’re showcasing your Microsoft Dynamics ISV products with a tradeshow booth at the Expo or you’re a Microsoft Dynamics VAR bringing customers, or you are a customer, independant consultant, etc., my feeling is that if you are going to spend the time and the money, you may as well do it right.  You need a strategy in place!  

Step One:  Build Pre-Show BUZZ!   Let people know you are attending and why they might want to meet with you.  I see some companies doing a great job of building pre-show buzz!

• Rock-N-Rave and The Spot are two consortiums of Microsoft Dynamics ISVs who have put together the “IT” parties for Microsoft Dynamics GP partners and customers.  Both have put together a professional looking website, and have been promoting the event through email and the social media sites:
  • Follow Rock-N-Rave on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.  
  • Follow The Spot on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (no account, but use the hashtag #thespot2010)
  • While I’m sure they don’t have quite as many followers/fans as they would like — I know they’ll get a fabulous turn-out for the event.  Social media marketing is just starting to catch on in the Microsoft Dynamics community. Perhaps Rock-N-Rave and The Spot should make it interesting by having a bet on who can get the most Facebook fans?! Throw down a challenge and see who rises to the occasion.
• I see others who just want “a select few” attendees sending out promotions for their parties and dinners as well. The point is — you can’t wait until the show date.  People’s schedules will already be filled.  You need to give advance notice whenever possible.

Step Two:  Pull Your Look Together!   Make sure all your employees have current business cards (AND that they bring them along).  Shine up your website.  Shine your shoes while you’re at it…. Set yourself up for success.  Make sure you look as good as you are!

Step Three:  Be Prepared for Follow Up.  Follow up is THE most important thing you can do.  Don’t leave it as an after thought.  Know exactly how you will follow up with the people you meet at the show.  Will you send a hand-written note? Will you send follow up emails?   What will your follow up offer be?  You should know this NOW so that you can execute on your plan immediately while the leads are hot.  Leads grow colder by the day…

P.S.  If you want to meet up at Microsoft Convergence in Atlanta — either to discuss marketing or to taste test favorite beers, give me a call at 949-357-6356.  See you soon!

VARs, Systems Integrators, Solutions Providers, IT Consultants, and their Channel Partners should enjoy a good laugh watching this video.  

It’s Friday.  You deserve it!

When I grow up, I want to be a CRN Channel Champion…

How many times has this happened to you? 

You discover an urgent need with one of your customers or prospects.  They have budget.  They’re raring to go.  They are a qualified lead in every way – EXCEPT the product or service isn’t something you can deliver.  You either don’t have the training, you don’t love doing it, or it’s just not part of your business model.  What do you do? 

Sometimes, you can refer that client to someone you already know and trust.  Of course, you have a go-to business network that you can usually rely on.  However sometimes, you don’t have anyone in your Rolodex who is a perfect fit….but you want to be helpful.  You may gain future business from this client – and it’s just nice to be nice, right?

I’m encouraged to see lots of good online matching programs popping up to fill this void.

For any industry, check out Referral Key, which allows you to easily expand your circle of trust to give an receive qualified lead referrals.

If you are a Microsoft Partner, check out  Microsoft Matchmaker.  Microsoft Platform Partners will get paid $250 for every Microsoft Dynamics lead they enter into the system.   Use the link above to register for the free introductory webinar they’re hosting on April 30, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. PT. 

For dental industry referrals, look into DDS Weblink, a program that allows you to make sure your patient recieves the proper care and follow up. 

Know of any other programs that fit this niche?  Post a comment with a link to the referral lead service.  We all know that referrals are the BEST source of business.  The more you give, the more you’ll get!

Today, Abra Gilman from Borek Business Solutions is writing a guest post.  Borek Business Solutions is a Microsoft Dynamics GP partner in Bend, Oregon.  Abra Gilman is their Existing Customer Sales Manager.  I used to work with Abra, and I can tell you she’s one of the best.  She’s deeply committed to her customers, and in return, they trust that she’ll lead them in the right direction. So for all you Microsoft Dynamics Partners, here are some tips for a strong year-end.

Microsoft’s fiscal year end is coming, how’s your forecast?

by Abra Gilman, Borek Business Solutions 
email: abra [at] borekbusinesssolutions.com

Abra Gilman, Customer Sales Manager at Borek Business Solutions

A timely email from my Microsoft PAM informed me there are 62 selling days left until the end of Microsoft’s FY09 year.  So, how do we keep the inspiration going from Microsoft Convergence last month, pass it along to our customers, and end this quarter with numerous existing customer add-on sales for our Microsoft Dynamics GP practice?

Through the years I’ve learned to start with the resources that Microsoft and our own staff have already created for our customers – and build upon them.  We know there are current promotions – so keeping that in mind, I did the following:

1.  I thought about the exciting news and products I saw at Microsoft Convergence that still excite me.  I’ve downloaded most of the Microsoft Dynamics GP, CRM, and SQL session material through my Convergence Session Builder. If  you haven’t done that, I encourage you to take a look.  The Microsoft Convergence site has a great overview of most of the concurrent sessions.  I picked a couple of the most inspiring sessions and looked for useful content within the powerpoints. For me this year, I found Smartlist Builder/Excel Report Builder to be of particular interest.

2. I emailed the presenter (email addresses are almost always listed on the last PPT slide), who was more than eager to send me her notes/steps to creating the actual demo portion of the session.

3.  I emailed my customer base and announced a free webinar to introduce and give Microsoft Dynamics GP Tips and Tricks using Smartlist Builder and Excel Report Builder (SLB & ERB).  We’d already told them through a ‘Post Convergence’ Newsletter that we had seen exciting features in this module while we were at Convergence – now we want to share what we’d learned with them.  We mention the benefits of SLB/ERB  to any customers when speaking to them, and add taglines to our emails for a couple of weeks to advertise the upcoming webinar to our customers.

4.  As attendees started registering, I made sure we geared the presentation to show the capabilities within those areas that SLB/ERB will extend (ie. Quantities in Inventory crossing several tables).

5.  During the presentation (which was simpler to create because I started with the Microsoft presenter’s materials), I used the current Microsoft promotion to make the product pricing more attractive.  We also offered 10% off installation/training for this module within the current month for attending the webinar (whether they already own the product or not).

Using this method, we usually get 2 sales of a product immediately. But following this example, we may also get:

• 2 customers upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics GP Version 10, or at least the latest service pack, to take advantage of the capabilities I’ve shown.
• Several hours of consulting for installation, planning, training, and implementation of the product.
• Another touchpoint with our customers through them even glancing at the webinar announcement or attending the demonstration. We’ve planted a seed throughout our customerbase of this product.
• Plus, we’ve made sure our customers know we are staying up with the latest enhancements so we are the “go to” resource for them for their ERP system.

We just met with a customer last week who wants to see a product we did this exact type of campaign for last year.  They saw it briefly and now want to plan for the implementation/rollout of it this quarter.

Next installment – using our Microsoft Dynamics ISV partners to extend our expertise and offerings to our customers…

Thanks Abra. Thanks Borek Business Solutions! 

 

Microsoft Convergence has become a can’t-miss event for many.  Microsoft Convergence is Microsoft’s premier customer event, and is preceded by a Microsoft Dynamics partner day.  I’ll be headed to Sage Insights in May and can’t wait to see how their event compares to Microsoft’s. 

Now I know many of you can’t afford to put on an event on the scale of Microsoft, but who can?!  Everyone has to start somewhere.  The first Great Plains Stampede and Great Plains Convergence had only a handful of people - but they built from there. (Great Plains Software was acquired by Microsoft in 2001.)

With more people looking to get referrals and build their business through word-of-mouth, now is a great time to think about hosting a small, locally-based user group.  If that’s something you are interested in trying, let me share some lessons I’ve learned over the years from attending Microsoft Convergence. 

1.  Make sure your top executives are actively participating in your event.  Although your clients (hopefully) love your staff; they want to know they are important, and that they are being heard at the highest levels of your organization.  They want to understand the direction your company is headed. 

2.  Make sure your information is educationally-focused.  In past years, I would hear sporadic complaints when a conference became too “sales-y” only talking about an upcoming product releases.  Make sure you provide value that can be used TODAY, not just in the next version of your products. 

3.  Provide plenty of socializing and networking time.  All work and no play make for a dull event.  Build in some time and ways for people to get to know each other.  If you have partners, this might be a great opportunity for them to sponsor part of your event.  Microsoft Dynamics GP partners and customers have come to look forward to Rock-n-Rave  year after year.  Their party at Harrah’s this year was as phenomenal as ever!  With their clever marketing efforts to drive booth attendance, this event is both a great socializing event and a great marketing tactic.

4.  Communicate.   Microsoft had a website.  They Twittered. (http://www.Twitter.com/MBSconvergence.) They created a FaceBook group.  They created ways for people to find each other and connect online before the conference.  Once you arrived at the event, they had handouts and signs.  Partners also reached out to their clients to host dinners and cocktail hours.  All of these efforts helped to make attendees feel confident that they were in the right place at the right time.

5. Take care of the details.  Everything was meticulously planned.  The food. The meals.  The hotel rooms. The signs.  I can’t even imagine running logistics for an event of that scale!  In past years, they even had signs on all the doors, the floors and in the lights.  The devil’s in the detail, so make sure you put a highly organized person in charge.

One last thing.  Microsoft Convergence attendance was down (I heard @ 15-20%) from prior years.  Paying $1500 for a conference, plus the hotel, airfare and dinner costs for travelling across the country to attend, PLUS the out of office time was too much for many people at this time.  There wasn’t much Microsoft could do to react.  Contracts were signed long before the economy tanked, so their costs were fixed.  But if I was putting on an event today, I’d keep affordability as a top-of-mind issue.  It doesn’t have to be free, but the value has to be clearly communicated.

Microsoft Convergence is right around the corner!   Microsoft Convergence is the big customer conference for Microsoft Dynamics, and gives the Microsoft Dynamics VARs and Microsoft Dynamics ISVs a chance to connect and do business together.  

Networking is a fabulous recession-busting tactic.  Remember to bring LOTS of business cards!

While I’m sure that much of your focus is in helping your customers have a great time and learn about their Microsoft Dynamics options, you are also probably going to help improve your own business.

I know that times are tough right now.  Some Microsoft Dynamics partners are seeing deals stalled, and they don’t have enough new business in the pipeline to keep them going.  If that sounds like a problem that you’re facing, and you want to do something about it, I have a limited number of 45-minute appointments available.  Not a sales pitch.  I’m willing to help you work through any tough marketing issue you are trying to tackle.   

Interested? Just drop me an email at amachina@tornadomktg.com.  Looking forward to seeing you in New Orleans at another fabulous Microsoft Convergence Conference!  Look out New Orleans, here we come…