Only those who risk going too far will ever know how far they can go.

“Creating A Secure Business Environment”

“Make It Safe For Your Customers & Yourself!”

Continued below…

The HTWFH eZine
The Serious Home Business Owner’s #1 Resource!

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Hi HTWFH Reader,

I hope your Valentine’s Day was wonderful and that you and your significant other had a great time!

In this edition of the HTWFH eZine we address:

• Computer Security to Ensure Business Safety

• A Fantastic Free Gift of over Eight Hours of Internet Marketing Training by some of the Most Well Known Names Online

• Weird Little Critters Called ‘Elevator Pitches’ and How They Can Help Your Business

If you haven’t yet taken advantage of our free gift and gotten our Small Business Dynamic Duo Set, please feel free to do so with our special thanks for being an HTWFH Ezine subscriber! The Dynamic Duo Set comes with Master Resale Rights! The link is on the right sidebar; just click on the book covers.

Thanks for clicking in to our Special Issue #2. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did putting it together for you!

With warm regard and best wishes for your business success,

Brian, Editor

Send Us Your Feedback!

Selling is changing. As the ways in which people prefer to be sold evolve, salespeople’s approach to selling must evolve with them, or business is lost and money is left on the table.

~ Lenann M. Gardner, Author of Got Sales?

Check out Lenann’s book, Got Sales? (on the left sidebar)

Continued from above…

Feature Article

“Securing Your Computer System from Malicious,

Proactive Attack that May Affect YOUR Business!”

by Brian Schaeffer

Today, more and more people are using their computers for everything from communication to online banking and from internet marketing to internet shopping.

As we do these things on a more regular basis, we open ourselves up to potential hackers, attackers and crackers.  While some may be looking to phish your personal information and identity for resale, others simply just want to use your computer as a platform from which to attack other unknowing targets.  Below are a few easy, cost-effective steps you can take to make your computer more secure.

These steps are particularly important if you use the internet to market your business. You have an obligation to both yourself and your customer to provide a safe, secure online business environment; by doing so, you eliminate many potential problems before they even start to rear their ugly faces! All of those hackers, attackers and crackers would also just love to access your servers through information gleaned from the personal computer used in your business.

If they do achieve a break-through, you’re in for a long and difficult process of getting things set straight (even if that is possible – sometimes things once broken never do get back to the way they were).

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Always make backups of important information and store in a safe place separate from your computer (read ‘detachable hard drive or CDs’).

2. Update and patch your operating system, web browser and software frequently and consistently.  If you have a Windows operating system, start by going to the Microsoft site and running the update wizard for your Windows version.  This program will help you find the latest patches for your Windows computer.  Also remember to locate possible patches for your Office programs.

3. Install a firewall.  Without a good firewall, viruses, worms, Trojans, malware and adware can all easily access your computer from the Internet. Consideration should be given to the benefits and differences between hardware and software based firewall programs.

4. Review your browser and email settings for optimum security.  Why should you do this? Active-X and JavaScript are often used by hackers to plant malicious programs into your computers.  While cookies are relatively harmless in terms of security concerns, they do still track your movements on the Internet to build a profile of you.  At a minimum set your security setting for the “internet zone” to High, and your “trusted sites zone” to Medium Low.

5. Install antivirus software and set for automatic updates so that you receive the most current versions.

6. Do not open unknown email attachments.  It is simply not enough that you may recognize the address from which it originates because many viruses can spread from a familiar address.

7. Do not run programs from unknown origins.  Also, do not send these types of programs to friends and coworkers because they contain funny or amusing stories or jokes.  They may contain a Trojan horse waiting to infect a computer.

8. Disable hidden filename extensions.  By default, the Windows operating system is set to “hide file extensions for known file types”.  Disable this option so that file extensions display in Windows.  Some file extensions will, by default, continue to remain hidden, but you are more likely to see any unusual file extensions that do not belong.

9. Turn off your computer and disconnect from the network when not using the computer.  A hacker can not attack your computer when you are disconnected from the network or the computer is off.

10. Consider making a boot disk on a floppy disk or CD in case your computer is damaged or compromised by a malicious program.  Obviously, you need to take this step before you experience a hostile breach of your system.

By taking these easy-to-do precautions, you’ll be ensuring a safe and satisfactory business environment for you and your customers! Imagine the alternative, being accused by a prospect or customer of sending them a Trojan or virus!

Article

“What the Heck is an ‘Elevator Pitch’?”

by Brian Schaeffer

Simply put, an ‘Elevator Pitch’ is a quick one minute summary of your business that even your five-year-old nephew or niece can understand. It is a fast, concise, description of your product line or service and your business; one that can be given in the time of a short elevator ride. It should be well planned, well rehearsed and professionally delivered. More importantly, it’s something you need for your business!

Just to set the record straight, elevator pitches (henceforth known as EPs so I don’t have to write the term out every time I use it here) are not ’sales pitches’.

An EP is used to intrigue a prospect; to sell the idea of your business. It should not be used to go into minute detail about your product or service. It should be simple and elegant, and should wrap up the concepts of who you are, what you do, and how the prospect can benefit from associating with you. AND it should be only one to one and a half minutes long – about 150 to 250 words!

A good EP has four major components and a few very important characteristics:

• It should very briefly describe what your business sells.

• It should very briefly describe your target market.

• It should briefly describe you, your business and your successes and achievements.

• It should briefly describe your USP (unique selling position) and any competitive edge or lead you might have.

In addition, your Elevator Pitch should:

• have an attention getting opening statement or question; one that will intrigue your prospect and make them want to listen to more,

• express your passion and excitement about your business and how it can help them,

• and should finish with a question, preferably one that politely makes a ‘call to action’. May you call them to set up a time for a full presentation? May you exchange cards? May you send them a brief with more detail?

Your EP should be practiced to the point of  ‘automaticity’; that is, when you can do the whole EP with a smile and open body posture, AND without once thinking about what you’re going to say when the time is upon you. You want this well rehearsed pitch ready, because you’ll have to ‘think on your feet’ and modify your actions according to your prospects reactions to your EP. After all, one of the things your prospect might do after hearing your EP is to invite you out immediately for a cup of coffee or to lunch in order to hear a more complete and detailed sales presentation (be prepared)!

One of the major benefits of a well-planned EP is that through your delivery of it your prospect discovers how organized, concise, and focused you are. Those are precisely the major elements looked for when considering outside help. Be ready to go forward right away!

Don’t forget to also script a written Elevator Pitch; one that can be sent by email to any prospect who makes an inquiry of you. Have it ready to send and make the call to action something as irresistible as possible and with a sweetener – a gift, an offer of a free consultation, or perhaps a discount if they respond within a certain time frame. Place this version on your email program’s autoresponse too!

Also create an abbreviated EP to be placed on your phone system’s voicemail or answering machine. Try for a twenty to thirty second pitch which will be heard when your caller goes to leave a message. So instead of the usual “Hello. You’ve reached XYZ Company. Blah, blah, blah. Please leave a message at the tone.”, your caller will hear a shortened EP before being able to record their message to you.

An Elevator Pitch can be tailored for specific audiences and, in its various forms, will do wonders for both your business and your ability to communicate to others about your business. They really don’t take long to script; and with practice, they’ll be another set of tools in your marketing bag which can be pulled out and used whenever the need arises!

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HTWFH eZine’s Home Business Question for You!

THE ANSWER CAN MAKE YOU MONEY!

I would pay for the call, so it would be at no cost to you except for a few minutes of your time. I won’t try to sell you anything or talk you into doing anything.

If you’re interested in chatting with me for about fifteen minutes about how you too could be making that kind of income on a monthly basis, then I’d like to invite you to fill out the Contact Form on this web page:

www.intelligentincome.info

As soon as you send me your form, I’ll get with you to set up a convenient time for our call.

Thanks for reading!

We’ll be back soon with another excellent Special Edition of the HTWFH eZine.

Until then, may your business grow in success!

With the warmest of regard,

Brian

P.S. I’m always delighted to hear from you! If you have feedback about the HTWFH eZine, a business question, another comment which you’d like to make, or just want to say ‘Hi’ to me, please use the ˜Send Us Your Feedback!” link at the top of the page. Thanks!

Brian Schaeffer, Editor
POB 1635
Deming, New Mexico USA 88031
(575) 546-4629