Nothing Happens by Itself
Copyright © 2021 Karl W. Palachuk
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So . . . in the midst of the Kaseya Kerfuffle, my friend Amy Babinchak from Harbor Computer Services mentioned that she does not use an RMM.
That led to some discussion, so Amy held a meeting where she explained how her very successful managed service business works. (I have always enjoyed the differences between the way I do things and the way Amy does them.)
That led some people to take license to insult Amy and claim that she's not really an MSP if she doesn't use an RMM or PSA. I think there were 236 people on the call. And I'll be Amy's company is more profitable than 230 of them. Raise your hand if you got more than twenty new clients in the last year.
The recording of Amy's call, along with a chat summary and the poll results, is here:
I've seen articles that make the claim that the Kaseya and SolarWinds attacks highlight weaknesses in the MSP model. I disagree. There are weaknesses when IT service providers abdicate responsibility to their tool vendors. It's not Kaseya's job to run your business or make you profitable.
And that's why, ultimately, you are an MSP based on your service-orientation and performance, not the tools in your tool box.
. . .
And then my brain started to churn on a related topic: How can we describe what we do as an industry if we can't agree among ourselves? Therefore, I've started to develop some videos and downloads to:
- Provide my take on it (obviously)
- Help give you some talking points for clients, prospects, and even the media
- Describe things like MSP, RMM, and ransomware from the MSP's perspective
I've heard some amazingly ignorant statements from news reporters and talking heads. So I think it's important that they have our perspective as well. My first attempt is the video pictured above (See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JEIQo9BhBA).
My plan is to post up resources for YOU on a new (totally free) web site we'll be launching soon. These resources will include video and audio snippets as well as supporting documents so that you can go to your local media, mix these resources with your own seven-second-quote and start building your reputation as a local resource on MSP-related news.
The site will also have media-facing documents, videos, and materials that tell the story from the MSP's perspective. After all, as regulation and legislation emerge, we need to speak up for ourselves. No one else will do that.
We're also in the very early stages of developing some media training. I'm not sure exactly what that will look like.
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Reminder: Transforming Our Industry into a Profession
That presentation has a call to action. Please join the movement. New web site coming soon.
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Now Join us for the next step . . . July 21st:
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Organizing Meeting Scheduled - July 21st
Zoom meeting. Everyone's welcome.
Wednesday, July 21st
9AM Pacific / Noon Eastern
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Calendar Updates
I think we have two dozen new live events listed this week.
CompTIA ChannelCon is virtual this year. But they are having a series of in-real-life receptions around the US. These are August 2-4 in various cities. I've added the live events to my calendar below.
Also added the next gaggle of Channel Strong roadshow stops. Plus some updates from ConnectWise. AND Lori Tisinai is about to announce her Summer Security Soirée at The Chicago Yacht Club. Details and signup page coming soon.
Other calendar info . . .
Please send me your updates as they emerge. Thank you.
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That's it for now. I appreciate the calendar updates. Keep 'em coming.
Have a great week.
-- Karl W. Palachuk
:-)
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Social Media Deep Dive:
Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn
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You only missed one week.
Sign up today, catch up,
and join us live tomorrow!
Deep Dive Into Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn
Course 5W24
Taught By: Karl W. Palachuk
Five Tuesdays
- All classes start a 9:00 AM Pacific
Part of the "Social Media Super-Charge" Series for Small Business
Did you know that Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn have all introduced new and potentially important features in the last month?
This course covers three of the largest and most important social media in great detail. In all cases, we present a thorough training on getting the most of these applications. And, for each, we talk about how that specific medium fits into your overall sales and marketing strategy.
This course takes each of the platforms in turn, but constantly reminds you to create an overall approach to branding and social media. Each platform has "secrets" and best practices that most casual users never see. We provide these secrets and best practices as a series of checklists. Some are specific to individual postings; some are based on a weekly or monthly schedule; and some have a larger, strategic approach.
Most small businesses "use" social media, but don't really have a strategy for using social media effectively. That strategy starts with understanding the strengths and weaknesses of various platforms. And it culminates with a unified approach to branding and how your company presents itself across a variety of platforms.
This course is taught by Karl W. Palachuk, a social media influencer who "touches" over one million people per month. Karl has been using these social media for more than ten years, and has demonstrated mastery across all of the major social media that small businesses need to be successful.
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Weekly Agenda
Week 1: YouTube - Setup and Optimizing for Marketing
- “Google Properties” And Webmaster Tools
- Planning Your YouTube Strategy
- One Email; Multiple Brands
- Graphics and Branding
- Creator Studio
- Channel Settings
- Next-Level Branding
- Social Media Link
- Custom URLs
- Paid Membership Channel?
- Monetizing
Week 2: YouTube - Video Upload and Tagging
- Video Uploading Checklist
- End Screens and iCards
- Thumbnails
- Tags/Keywords
- Scheduling, Captions, and Chapter Headings
- Longer Videos
- Link to Adwords Account
- Analytics and Reports
- YouTube in the Big Strategy
Week 3: Facebook - Setup and Maximizing Results
- Facebook Personal and Business
- Graphics Revisited
- Pages and Groups
- Rules for Group Management
- Successful Posting / Cross-Posting
- YouTube in the Big Strategy
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Week 4: LinkedIn - Setup and Effective Use
- LinkedIn Basics
- Three Levels of Connections
- The Greatest Profile Opportunity in Social Media
- Details and Options
- Overwhelm, Minimalist, or Super Niche?
- Sharing
- Fake Profiles Can Teach You a Lot
- Graphics and Branding
- Custom URL
- Premium Options
Week 5: LinkedIn - Optimizing for Sales
- Email Marketing – and Abuse
- Recommendations – Giving and Getting
- Posts, Articles, “Blogging” and Syndicating
- Groups
- Activities and Notifications
- All-Star Status
- Super Search
- LinkedIn in the Big Strategy
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Only $299 per student
Delivered by Karl W. Palachuk
Karl W. Palachuk, blogger and author of the most popular books on managed services.
Includes five weeks of webinars with related handouts, assignments, and "office hours" with the instructor. All classes are recorded for download. All classes include suggested "homework" that is totally action-focused and intended to move your company's marketing forward.
This course is intended for business owners and managers. It is particularly useful for Sales Managers and Marketing Managers.
A Few Details . . .
- Each course will be five one-hour Zoom webinars
- There will be handouts and "homework" assignments
- Class webinars will be recorded and made available to paid attendees only.
- All calls start at 9:00 AM Pacific Time
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All the Resources That Are Fit to Print |
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Recent Blog Posts, Podcasts, and Videos |
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Small Biz Thoughts Blog:
Relax Focus Succeed:
SMB Community Podcast - New episodes drop every Thursday
The Killing IT Podcast - New episodes drop every Tuesday
The Cheeky Sales Coach Podcast / Video - New episodes drop every Wednesday
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Top "Humor" Video of the Week |
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Selected Recent Videos and Webinars:
Note: We started auto-posting the podcasts to YouTube. Those are not listed here as YouTube Videos since they're listed under the podcasts above.
A quick guide to my Playlists:
- Total: More than 750 videos on the Small Biz Thoughts channel
- 300+ SOP videos
- 80+ Relax Focus Success videos
Plus . . .
- Training, Courses, Seminars on Managed Services
- Product Reviews
- and more
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Small Biz Thoughts Community News
SmallBizThoughts.org
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Company Monthly Meeting This Thursday |
We have a LOT of announcements in this meeting. It's going to be a VERY full Fall for all of us.
New Members: Be sure to join us!
The meeting link is always at the top of your dashboard.
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Gil Cargill on the SBT Roundtable
On the first Thursday of the month, we hold a special event - The SBT Roundtable.
Our August guest will be one of my favorite sales trainers - Gil Cargill. Gil is always educational and entertaining.
The link is always at the top of the community dashboard.
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Members get free access to the SMB Roadshow!
Grab your discount code in the Community and register for free. Strangers pay full price; members always free.
As American Express reminds us, membership has its privileges.
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Members get free classes! New members - remember that you get massive discounts on our classes over at Great Little Seminar. Monthly subscribers save $200 per student. Annual subscribers attend for free. Grab your discount code in the Community and then head to GLS to register for class.
If you need something, please post a question in a forum or email Kara (your Community Manager) or me.
:-)
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I only saw one of these signs in Nashville
Thought it was funny.
Obviously, this location has more than the average number of pedestrian incidents.
As I looked at the photo, I realized that the city is looking down at the pedestrians. They think the incidents are related to looking at cell phones.
*I* think the car accidents are related to drivers looking up at the Batman building instead of where they're driving. Now I wish I'd realized this at the time and taken a better picture with the top of the building in it.
:-)
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What's Here?
This calendar lists two kinds of things: LIVE in-person events from any organization that focuses on the SMB consulting community; and MY events, whether live, webinar, etc.
If you have live events on your calendar that may be useful to others in the SMB Community, please let us know. We'd be happy to list them.
Of course: Everything here is subject to change based on Covid. Click the links for the latest details. Please send updates so we can post them.
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July
InfoSecurity Europe
July 13-15
London, UK
Channel Strong Tour
July 19
Reston, VA
Channel Strong Tour
July 20
Baltimore, MD
ASCII Success Summit
July 21 & 22
Chicago, IL
Channel Strong Tour
July 21
Cherry Hill, NJ
Channel Strong Tour
July 22
King of Prussia, PA
Channel Strong Tour
July 23
Mahwah, NJ
Retail NOW 2021
July 25-27
Nashville, TN
Channel Strong Tour
July 26
Burlington, MA
Channel Strong Tour
July 27
Salem, NH
Channel Strong Tour
July 28
Newton, MA
SMB TechFest
July 28-29
Anaheim, CA
Channel Strong Tour
July 29
Hartford, CT
Channel Strong Tour
July 30
White Plains, NY
Black Hat USA
July 31-August 5
Las Vegas, NV
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August
IT Nation (Connectwise) Evolve Peer Groups
August 2-6
Englewood, CO
ChannelCon Reception for ChannelCon
August 2, 202
Naperville, IL
ChannelCon Reception for ChannelCon
August 2, 2021
Scottsdale, AZ
Lori Tisinai's Summer Security Soirée
August 3rd
Chicago Yacht Club
More Info: Details and signup page coming soon
ChannelCon Reception for ChannelCon
August 3, 2021
Hamilton, NJ
ChannelCon Reception for ChannelCon
August 3, 2021
San Antonio, TX
ChannelCon Reception for ChannelCon
August 4, 2021
Carlsbad, CA
ChannelCon Reception for ChannelCon
August 4, 2021
Tampa, FL
Defcon 29
August 5-8
Las Vegas, NV
SMB Roadshow - Manchester, UK
August 10th
Tentative . . . but count on it!
More info: https://www.smbroadshow.com
Join me Live!
SMB Roadshow - Cardiff, UK
August 12th
Tentative . . . but count on it!
More info: https://www.smbroadshow.com
Join me Live!
XCHange+
August 15-17
San Antonio, TX
SMB Roadshow - London, UK
August 17th
Tentative . . . but count on it!
More info: https://www.smbroadshow.com
Join me Live!
ASCII Success Summit
August 18 & 19
Raleigh, NC
IT By Design Build IT LIVE 2021
Aug 30 - Sept 1
Jersey City, NJ
IT Nation (Connectwise) Evolve Peer Groups
Aug 30 - Sept 1
Gold Coast, Aus
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September
IT Nation Connect APAC - Tentative - Stay Tuned
Sept 1-3
Gold Coast, Australia
CEDIA Expo
Sept 1-3
Indianapolis, IN
ChannelPro SMB Forum - Live Event
Sept 2, 2021
Boston, MA
SMB Roadshow - Vancouver
Sept 7th
Vancouver, BC
Join me Live!
SMB Roadshow - Toronto
Sept 9th
Toronto, ON
Join me Live!
SMB Roadshow - Montreal
Sept 14th
Montreal, ON
Join me Live!
Managed Services Summit Live
Sept 15th
London
SMB Roadshow - Providence, RI
Sept. 16th
Providence, RI
Join me Live!
IOTSSA Cybersecurity Expo
Sept 16th
Charlotte, NC
Midsize Enterprise Summit+
September 19-21
Dallas, TX
Channel Live
Sept 21-22
Birmingham, UK
ASCII Success Summit
September 22 & 23
NY / NJ area
James Kernan's Millionaire Mastermind Event
San Diego, CA
Sept 23-24th
IT Partners
Sept. 29-30
Disneyland, Paris
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October
ChannelPro SMB Forum - Live Event
Oct 6, 2021
Raleigh, NC
DTX 2021 (Digital Transformation)
Oct. 6-7
London, UK
DattoCon 2021
Oct 11-13
Seattle, WA
SMB TechFest
October 13-14
Anaheim, CA
SMB IT Professionals National Conference - Australia
Postponed!
. . . Maybe next year
Sherweb Accelerate
Oct 18-20
Hollywood, FL
More Info: https://info.sherweb.com/accelerate.html
Channel SEC London
October 19th
London, UK
Kaseya Connect IT
Oct 19-22
Las Vegas
Channel Company NexGen
October 24-26
Anaheim, CA
Join me Live!
Acronis #Cyberfit Summit
October 25-27
Miami, FL
ASCII Success Summit
October 27 & 28
Orlando, FL
I'm hoping there's a trip to the Gold Coast in my future. Stay tuned.
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November
Channel Partners Evolution
Nov. 1-4
Las Vegas, NV
Managed Services Summit Live
November 2nd
Amsterdam
Kaseya Connect Europe
Nov. 2-4
Amsterdam
ASCII Success Summit
November 3 & 4
Houston, TX
IT Nation Connect North America
November 10-12
Orlando, FL
IT Nation (Connectwise) Evolve Peer Groups
November 15-19
Sydney, Aus
Managed Services Summit North
November 16th
Manchester, UK
ChannelPro SMB Forum - Live Event
Nov 16, 2021
Los Angeles, CA
Women of the Channel Summit West 2021
November 16-17
Palm Springs, CA
Acronis #Cyberfit Summit
November 18-19
Schaffhausen, Switzerland
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December
Women of the Channel Summit East 2021
December 6-7
New York, NY
ASCII Success Summit
Orange County, CA - December 8 & 9
Acronis #Cyberfit Summit
December 8-9
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
James Kernan's Millionaire Mastermind Event
Dallas, TX
Dec 9-10th
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If you know of in-person events we should list, please let us know.
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January
Send us your updates!
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February
Acronis #Cyberfit Summit
February 17 - 18, 2022
Singapore, Singapore
Xchange+
February 27 - March 1, 2022
Dallas, TX
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March
Cloud Expo Europe
March 2-3, 2022
London, UK
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April
Send us your updates!
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May
Send us your updates!
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June
Send us your updates!
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Note: If you know of any in-person event for SMB Consultants, please send info to karlp@greatlittlebook.com. |
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