Small Business Blog from Microsoft

Having read the new Microsoft Press book "Office live - take your business online", I wanted to learn a bit more about the author which you can read below:

Q. How long have you been working with Microsoft? How did it all get started?

A. I started writing books for Microsoft years ago, thanks to my agent, Claudette Moore of Moore Literary Agency. She had a long-time relationship with Microsoft Press and she introduced us. I’ve written many books at Press over the years, ranging from books for beginning users (such as Share Your Story: Blogging with MSN Spaces and Microsoft Expression Web Plain & Simple) to intermediate-to-expert books, like Microsoft Office Word 2007 Inside Out. Office Live Small Business: Take Your Business Online is my most recent book with Microsoft Press, and it was a really fun one to write.

Q. What got you into writing books like ‘Office live – take your business online’?

A. I’ve always had a knack for writing how-to material. I knew I was fated in third grade when the teacher gave us an assignment on how to cook an egg. Most kids in the classroom had three or four steps - and I came up with 21! It seems to come very naturally to me to break complex processes down into simple steps. I seem to do that in other areas of my life as well. In my early 20s, I took a job editing computer books (that was in the 1980s, just as the first IBM PCs were showing up on desktops) and that gradually grew into a role that involved content development and instructional design. Eventually my job involved helping authors learn how to write computer books, which was the perfectly logical jumping off point for me to start my own business writing the books myself.

Q. How did you specifically go about the process of writing this book?

A. As early in the process of software development as possible, I begin working with the software so that I can learn how it all functions and interrelates. Then I consider the order in which a new user is likely to want to learn the software, create an outline, and write the chapters in the sequence I think readers will most likely use them.

Q. Do you get to spend time with the program managers in Redmond?

A. Not in person. I live and work in the Midwestern US, so I’m far away from the Redmond campus, but I am often able to work with program managers on various software projects as I’m working with programs. I wrote the Office 2007 documentation and the Office program managers were really wonderful about answering questions; reviewing chapters, and providing feedback on features and coverage. As I was working with Office Live Small Business they were going through a software update, and a number of people on the Office Live team were helpful in answering questions and reviewing material. This helps me make sure I’m including all the best features of the software and presenting information in a way that will connect with what readers want to do.

Q. Have you been tempted to set up your own Office Live website?

A. I set up a number of Office Live Small Business sites over the months I researched and wrote about the software - it’s a great program! I do have two sites I work with now and also use it in conjunction with Office Live Workspaces for collaborative projects. Just recently I set up a shared workspace for a non-profit so the board of directors could share drafts of a project they’re working on - and the collaboration features of Office Live Small Business and Office Live Workspaces work really well for them.

Q. What do you feel are the best things about Office Live?

A. I think Office Live Small Business is a great thing for small businesses - it includes so many different features (all the types of things small businesses really need), and it’s free! I especially like the marketing and the online sales components. The marketing feature enables you to set your own budget and tailors your keywords and ad content; you only spend as much as you want to spend, and it’s all within your control. Even the smallest small business can afford to do a little web advertising if they can control their budget (£20 a month, for example); and you can increase the likelihood you’ll appear in search results by choosing your keywords well and tracking results. The shopping cart experience is easy to set up and manage - and really looks professional. For a reasonable cost per month, you can sell right from your own (free) web site and also include listings on eBay that you can track and control from Office Live Small Business. Great features, low cost, and easy to set up and manage, so even a one-person shop can do it.

Q. Can you share a little about yourself - location, family, etc?

A. Sure! As I mentioned above, I live and work in the Midwest (Indiana, to be exact), and I’m a mom (of three), grandma (of two), and animal lover (two dogs, three cats, and a turtle). J In addition to the writing I do about technology, I have a publishing business called reVisions Plus, Inc. (http://www.revisionsplus.com) and serve as the managing editor of The Educational Forum, a scholarly journal publishing essays and research in education. I also publish a number of blogs - one about technology called BlogOffice (at http://www.revisionsplus.com/blogofficexp.html), and am working on building social networking strategies (Facebook, LinkedIn, and more). I enjoy writing about technology because I love the way it can expand and connect our world. It gives us access to information, people, places, and experiences today that we couldn’t even dream of 20 years ago. I’m excited to see where technology will take us next!

Related posts: Download 'Office Live Take your business online' free of charge, until 19 October

Time is pretty much the most precious commodity in most businesses and anything that can save you time has got to be worth a look. Email overload is often a principal culprit here - generally there are too many of them - and that's without the spam factor - and then it's too easy to get distracted throughout the working day. A New Zealand-based company has developed a potentially useful Outlook add-on called Ezidoesit, which turns emails into prioritised Ezidoesit tasks using a drag and drop, visual interface. Tasks are automatically scheduled into the Outlook (2003 and 2007) calendar based on the rules you set. Moving Ezidoesit tasks around in the Calendar will automatically update the task details. Apparently it also intelligently schedules tasks around existing meetings. 

You can download a free 30-day trial of the software, and the company is also offering a special 50% discount to Microsoft Small Business visitors and readers - find out more by visiting the Ezidoesit site.

Too many women who run small or home-based businesses get caught doing double duty. They're continually balancing work and family, weekdays and weekends, while the borders between the two keep shifting. Working from home has many perks, but with those perks come the reality that you're never away from your business. The result? Tasks and responsibilities spin round the clock and women business owners don't allow themselves any true breaks or vacation - a lunch break is too often cleaning the kitchen or folding washing.

In this time-pressed equation, technology is both a blessing and a bane. Anywhere-anytime technology helps companies of all sizes stay on top of rapidly-shifting priorities and needs. Yet, always-on access also means women never quite shut down. And taking phone calls during dinner or checking email while out with the kids usually means someone gets short shrift, whether it's the family or the client. Here are some tips on how to avoid burnout:

• Create backup before it's critical. Build support structures and safety nets before you actually need any, whether that means childcare or having a virtual assistant on tap who can handle some of your more routine tasks. Or, partner with other businesses or women who can ‘watch the shop' while you're away. "
• Learn to say no. Practice in the mirror. Shout it in the woods. Don't sacrifice your personal calendar for work tasks.
• Announce your plans. When you do take time off, let clients know exactly when you'll be away and when you'll return, including when you expect to respond to email and phone calls.
• Set boundaries. Schedule regular free time that you can maintain and that everyone will understand.
• Stay focused and efficient during work hours. Rather than being driven by the day's crop of email and phone calls, check your messages two or three times a day, such as first thing in the morning, at noon, and in the late afternoon. That will give you greater freedom to focus on the bigger picture of growing your business.
• Take short breaks. If you can't make time for a few days away, break up the week with a long afternoon walk, lunch with a friend, or go to a local event.
• Request help when you need it. Partners, significant others, relatives, and everyone else may have become accustomed to the fact that you simply do everything all the time. Stop. Ask for support.
• Give yourself small rewards. Go to the gym, the cinema, dinner with a friend or book a half-day at the spa (OK: a one-hour manicure) before you're worn out. The idea is to remember why you work so hard.

Related posts: Mompreneurs - women setting up in business; Focusing on women in business

We've had a daily news feed on the Small Business website for a while now, and it's proving a quick and easy way of keeping up-to-date with SME news. We've developed this resource so you can now view the whole news archive, not just the previous few days, and find those articles you read last week. You can also search the archive by topic, or by month. And if you haven't already done so, you can subscribe to the RSS SME news feed and get the latest news delivered to your desktop.

Related posts: Subscribe to the Smart Business newsletter

New Ask the Expert questions for September include a question about why a small business should upgrade to Windows Vista. Having heard good things about its functionality and design, the question is what benefits does Vista bring from a business perspective? John Curran, Windows Client Business Lead for Microsoft UK takes the opportunity to run through some of the main plus points of Windows Vista over XP.

Managing mobile staff more efficiently is the topic for the second expert article. An electricians business is looking for an application that will allow them to schedule visits to customers’ houses, and then to enter data via mobile devices, linking back to a central database. David Brown runs through the features of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, which will enable the company to build a profile of their customers and centralise their market information.

Related post: August's ATEs on keeping accounts and reducing admin overheads

• General overview
• Getting started
• Designing your website
• Advanced design tips
• Website statistics
• Office Live email
• Promoting your business (adManager & Email Marketing)
• Business applications (Contact Manager, Document Manager, Team Workspaces and more)
• Office Live Workspace
• Using the Resource Centre

The really good news is that between now and 19 October 2008, you can download an electronic version of the book completely for free.

Also, if you want a printed copy of the book it’s on promotion as book of the month, at 40% off the retail price.

So, if you’re interested in Office Live and want a great reference to help you build your website and use all the other tools and services available, now is a great time to get the book.

Related posts: Advanced design features in Office Live; Building a website - adding PayPal

Back in August we posted a blog about Free Small Business Resources. We had a GMTA (great minds think alike) response from a Microsoft MVP (Most Valued Professional), who has spent some considerable time compiling a very extensive list of free Microsoft Office 2007 resources. Take a look at Blake Handler's post, which is a truly impressive list of downloads and add-ins you can use to make your working day a bit smoother.  Blake's blog is ‘The Road to Know Where - Quick nuggets of technical information in an easy to understand format'.

I’m sure you know that Microsoft doesn’t sell direct to consumers, but sells instead through various channels, retailers and partners. We’re aware this can be frustrating so we’ve developed a special ‘How to buy’ section on the Small Business website, designed to help you decide exactly what you want and what the best buying options are for different scenarios. 

You may need just one copy of Office 2007 for example, or you may be thinking about purchasing licences for a mix of products and aren't sure of the best way to do it. The How to Buy section has a simple questionnaire to help guide you through the decision-making process and a comparison tool so you can see at a glance with option is best for you.

This is a good time to buy Office 2007 Small Business Edition for example – buy from a participating Microsoft partner before 31 October and you can get up to 15% off – you’ll find more details on the Special Offers page. You can buy from retailers or you can download an electronic copy from the Microsoft Store.

Related posts: The Ultimate Steal

• Use Voice-over-Internet protocol phone service (VoIP) to create a virtual office. You've probably heard about such affordable services, which, basically, use the Internet to send and receive calls. Usually, you pay only for Internet access and not for calls, much the way email works. There are dozens of VoIP providers to choose from - BT's packages start at around £5 per month.
• Use online services for office communications and banking.
• Leverage the power of a professional website. Setting up a website (free with Office Live), more than any other technological tool, will shave considerable time and effort from your workdays. With a professional site, you can more efficiently conduct business, fulfil orders, organise contacts, share documents with employees or contractors, and market your products or services, even when you're out of the office or on the road. Use your site features to stay in touch with customers. For example:
  - Set up an online forum so customers can register and post comments to you and to each other.
  - Set up a survey that customers can take online. This can be a focus group type of survey (say, about a new product) or a customer satisfaction survey.
  - Set up a special email address and ask customers for specific feedback or advice whenever you launch a new product, service, or special promotion.
• Use email software to track schedules and tasks. Software such as Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 can improve your performance. Most people are good at creating to-do or task lists, but often become distracted and don't commit to a scheduled time to accomplish those tasks. By using the task and reminder functions of an email program, you can set up a calendar that generates alerts, whether annual, weekly, or daily. Some business owners say that such alerts boost their productivity by 50 per cent or more.
• Stop thinking you must do everything yourself. Doing administrative work is necessary, but it can detract from an owner's primary purpose of growing and nurturing the business. There are plenty of ‘virtual office assistants' around who can help when you need additional resources.
• Create a sales contact database for your business. Software such as Contact Manager, included within Office Live Small Business (see a demo of Business Contact Manager for Outlook 2007), can transform your electronic address book into a sales, contact management, and marketing tool. Then, when you send out marketing or sales material, instead of hand-addressing envelopes, you can automate the process with labels or envelopes printed from your database list. Similarly, you can use the database to send email marketing messages. Just make sure that the software you use for your database (usually part of a sales contact program) can be integrated with your email program.
• Invest in email marketing that yields results. Certainly, consumers now delete email marketing messages faster than you can say ‘click-through'. However, when it's done right (which means your consumer really wants your message and knows your brand), email marketing remains relatively cheap and incredibly effective. You can automate the process of sending and tracking your mail campaigns with affordable tools and either off-the-shelf or online software. (Tip: get double opt-in permission before adding a prospect to your e-mail list.)
• Mobile phones and continual access to email now make us available around the clock. So, in the end, all the technology in the world won't let you kick back unless you make some rules.
  - Schedule specific times to check e-mail. 
  - Turn off your phone when you're home or out with friends.

Related posts: Handy software tips; Who's in the room?

"On the web the thinking of cults can spread very rapidly and suddenly a cult which was 12 people who had some deep personal issues suddenly find a formula which is very believable," he said. "A sort of conspiracy theory of sorts and which you can imagine spreading to thousands of people and being deeply damaging."

Sir Tim spoke to the BBC last week, to publicise the launch of his World Wide Web Foundation which aims to improve the web's accessibility.

Alongside this role it will aim to make it easier for people to get online. Currently only 20% of the world's population have access to the web. "Has it been designed by the West for the West?" asked Sir Tim.

"Has it been designed for the executive and the teenager in the modern city with a smart phone in their pocket? If you are in a rural community do you need a different kind of web with different kinds of facilities?"

 (Read the whole story on the BBC website.)

The world isn't going to end for a couple of months though (as far as I know) because the Large Hadron Collider has been switched off - some kind of magnet problem apparently - so we can all breathe a big sigh of relief.

Related posts: Building a website - adding PayPal

A typical conversion rate for small business websites is between 1 - 5 per cent according to marketing professionals. In other words, for every 100 visitors to your site, somewhere between one and five will follow the link to your ‘buy this product' or to a free download. Here are ten strategies on how to get them there.

1. Remember the basics, but don't oversimplify. Yes, focusing on usability and good design will lead to a better conversion rate but you also need compelling messaging and alternative navigation. (Customers who bought this also bought X and Y and Z: wine under £5, wine under £10, etc etc.)
2. Think like a customer. Design your site from your customers' perspective - what they want from you, not from what you want to give them. How do you find out what they want? Just ask. Encourage feedback and examine your web metrics.
3. Don't over-pitch to your prospects. Instead, give them another reason to return to your site. Start a blog on it for example, or offer some hints and tips for existing customers. Or you could start a forum for customers and prospects to exchange ideas.
4. Yes, discounts and promotions really do work. Online shoppers love a good deal, including weekly/monthly specials, free p&p, coupon codes, or discounts for multiple orders.
5. Nothing sells like pictures - especially detailed ones. Integrating zoom and even rotate functionality on your site can really boost sales.
6. Add tools for reviews, comments, or ratings. Good and bad reviews can build your site's credibility. Third-party reviews can add credibility to your site and potentially boost sales over the long term. Why? If you add the capability for your customers to comment, it shows you really care about what your customers think, and that you're willing to stand behind your product.
7. Entertain. Generating an engaged audience can bring prompt more buyers. If they're bored, they unlikely to reach for their wallets (and they'll probably leave your site, too). Use podcasting and video-casting to promote your products and services through email campaigns that drive traffic to your website and consumers to your store.
8. You can't have too many ‘order' buttons. If you want customers to place orders, give them plenty of opportunities. Put order buttons not just on the home page but on other sub-pages. Don't force customers to backtrack to place an order, and avoid complicated, multi-step order forms.
9. Bookmark widgets, anyone? Giving your visitors the option of bookmarking a ‘buy this product' page can draw other visitors in a Web 2.0 world. Bookmarking is the ability to tag a certain page from your web browser and then come back to it quickly. Bookmarking tools like delicious.com allows people of like interests to share information and possibly drive additional prospects to your site.
10. Don't forget your meta tags. These descriptions about your pages are embedded in the coding of your site, and can help with sales. If you don't have a meta description tag, the search engines will often choose a text extract from your page that may not be the most persuasive. You can add meta tags to the header of each page, on your Office Live Small Business site or other web publishing software.

Related posts: How to write web content for a busy audience; 12 things you shouldn't publish on your website

We don't often do blatant product plugs in Small Business Blog but sometimes, when there's a really great tool available that can save loads of time, effort and money, the temptation is just too great. So bear with us on this one...

Producing professional-looking documents will cost you money if you go to a creative agency, as it will also do if you d-i-y, because of the length of time it will take you to get to the finished article.  But with Microsoft Office Publisher, even total beginners can create publications for email, print or websites. You can just use existing templates, or you can take one and customise it. You can start by producing a business card and then with a click of a button, move on to a mailing label for example.

You can also produce marketing campaigns and track their effectiveness. For example, create your marketing campaign with the ideas and tips in Publisher Tasks. After you create your marketing campaign, the compression tools in Publisher can optimise the publications that you plan to send as email messages. Finally, the Catalog Merge Wizard can manage your multiple mailing lists to simplify the email process.

Integration between Office Publisher 2007, Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, and Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager includes new tracking tools that help you determine the effectiveness of marketing mailings. You can merge multiple customer lists from Microsoft Office Access 2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Office Outlook 2007, and Office Publisher 2007 by using the Publisher merge tools. And use Business Contact Manager to keep track of the marketing materials that you send, the responses that you receive, and the costs associated with each campaign.

Learn more by downloading a free trial of Office Publisher 2007 and take a test drive today. And learn more about Microsoft Office Small Business 2007 and Microsoft Office Professional 2007.

Over the summer, I’ve been reading a few books about Peak Oil, the Energy Crisis, Renewables and other such engaging subjects. I also thought it was a good time to start experimenting with some of the new Advanced Design features in OfficeLive Small Business. So what I did was put a small website together showcasing Office Live Small Business and also highlighting the potential ecological dilemma we all face. Have a look at the end result at www.eco-crisis.co.uk.

The first thing you may notice is that this website looks quite different from other Office Live Small Business sites you might have seen or built yourself. The reason is that the Advanced Design mode has been switched on to reveal some features not previously available:

Once the Advanced Design features have been activated, you’ll immediately notice that each webpage has an extra option of “Save as template”. This allows the designer to build a new page with its own unique features, and then save it as a template which can then be re-used for subsequent pages for the site.

Crowdsourcing is the new hot topic. Just when you thought you might be getting a grip on cloud computing (blog from 5 June), another new term and business model comes along, brought to my attention by Angeline Vuong from CrowdSPRING. As I understand it, you post your creative ‘requirement', which may be a new website for example, a logo, a brochure or something similar, along with an indication of how much you'd like to pay, and then wait for the responses. You can then choose the one that best fits your needs. Although CrowdSPRING is based in the US, the marketplace is global so there are plenty of UK participants.

Crowdsourcing is not just limited to marketing materials - in this new era of digital marketing the concept is spreading to embrace software development as well. Same principle - you have a need and someone out there can help you meet that need, it's just a case of finding them. You can learn more from this book ‘Crowdsourcing: How the Power of the Crowd Is Driving the Future of Business', available from Amazon.

On the subject of books, on special offer this month in the Small Business Centre books section, is  ‘Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Step by Step', available to SBC visitors at a 50% discount at £8.99.

Small Business blogs: True Business; moof.mobi