tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-272900352024-03-23T15:40:53.997-04:00Mike Wagner - Perpetual betaOn Web; On LifeMike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.comBlogger235125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-88228210376283923372018-05-15T22:10:00.002-04:002018-05-15T22:10:40.490-04:00<a href="http://wagsconsulting.com/nikkei-futures-2/">http://wagsconsulting.com/nikkei-futures-2/ </a><br />
<br />Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-3543693400083380232018-01-06T15:55:00.001-05:002018-01-06T15:55:37.234-05:00Venture Capital 2018<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Oh Venture Capital, you evil mistress of every startup founder or executive. Your song is so sweet but sting can be deadly if handled without care. So the question for 2018 is where will the big boys be placing there chips in 2018? Where will the promise of being the next Unicorn be told?</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Here is my take on the VC outlook in 2018 as I see it.</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
One thing is certain, the supply of capital is still plentiful. The record-high fundraising activity of the past 19 months has been driving the growing amount deals. One differential, and I believe it to be a good thing, is that valuation as a discipline has returned as seen in the total investments as to raised by VC's themselves. The investment thesis has shifted from “growth at all costs” to “growth with fundamentals.” </div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/venture-capital-2018-mike-wagner/?published=t">continue here: </a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-5646788881874890182017-12-10T09:11:00.000-05:002017-12-10T09:11:02.154-05:00Leadership Behaviors Drive Continuous Innovation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmYJMLPPbWb3P6WmMrv7mHGGhrd1tIvD4RF1DAerEWzZGpim_LrmQV8U_Pl207h1Ca4o4C7RCQXBQPm3YS68nFCP4UuwmIuM7QWjdjVNjXOR_eHz-xR9kKKcyIsmxLoOoMmHk/s1600/AAIAAQDGAAAAAQAAAAAAAAywAAAAJGYzNGMwY2Q1LTRlNDktNGFmYy1hNmM0LTRlZTQwM2E4NTRhMA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="275" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmYJMLPPbWb3P6WmMrv7mHGGhrd1tIvD4RF1DAerEWzZGpim_LrmQV8U_Pl207h1Ca4o4C7RCQXBQPm3YS68nFCP4UuwmIuM7QWjdjVNjXOR_eHz-xR9kKKcyIsmxLoOoMmHk/s640/AAIAAQDGAAAAAQAAAAAAAAywAAAAJGYzNGMwY2Q1LTRlNDktNGFmYy1hNmM0LTRlZTQwM2E4NTRhMA.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leadership-behaviors-drive-continuous-innovation-mike-wagner/">Original Article</a></div>
<ol style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin: 3.2rem 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Avoid the assumption that current gifts will keep on giving.</span> This is a trap of the past to be avoided at all costs. The best leaders selectively forget the past, and are constantly on the lookout for the future’s raw material of new ideas. They overtly set out to create the future as a mission distinctly separate from their performance engine of today.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Be alert to “weak signals” of non-linear shifts and trends.</span> To do this, leaders must eliminate the noise of obsolete ideas and activities, by creating protective structures, including dedicated teams focused on innovation. They need to regularly listen to a few mavericks and outsiders who routinely generate nonlinear ideas and trends.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Create the future as a day-to-day business process.</span> The future needs to be treated as today by a team and a process that is insulated from interference, but empowered to draw on necessary performance engine resources. The trick is not to sweep everything aside, but to balance relevant aspects of now while making room for what is new.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sponsor experiments and measure like new investments.</span> Experiments on today’s revenue engine necessarily focus on short-term financial goals. Experiments on future ideas should be measured like investments, and judged on longer-term potential, allowed to iterate, and focused on learning and adapting quickly. Both are always recommended.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Constantly build new skills to be resilient in the face of change.</span> Ensure your firm’s fitness to act on new opportunities, and develop an evolving sense of where the future lies. A business that relies on static skill replacement is falling behind, and ripe for the next competitive crisis. Build a process also for divesting those who have lost their value.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Invest more energy in the “horse you can control.”</span> Most executives admit to spending huge amounts of time and energy on issues they can’t control, including the economy, regulatory changes, and competitor moves. The best leaders spend more time on their own processes, skills, and hard decisions on what to keep and what to divest.</li>
</ol>
Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-28493363041293605952017-12-10T07:06:00.000-05:002017-12-10T07:06:25.440-05:00Is Your Advisor a Critic Posing as a Mentor?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpukWIJ6INQEYGN_94r_DCPODrL4yYcd2N-Shxbl488N3Qu37ry-8SiVOvITvvMV4wnjK6arM7WoMleHlgVjZU6ATu3dBtXbafTyBYrRGi0RkO8WoJi0VeRjQiaK7sKnRA1oi/s1600/AAIAAQDGAAAAAQAAAAAAAAyDAAAAJGU3MDM0ODY0LWQ0YTAtNGZlOS1iNzg5LTFjNjU3NjYxM2QzNA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmpukWIJ6INQEYGN_94r_DCPODrL4yYcd2N-Shxbl488N3Qu37ry-8SiVOvITvvMV4wnjK6arM7WoMleHlgVjZU6ATu3dBtXbafTyBYrRGi0RkO8WoJi0VeRjQiaK7sKnRA1oi/s1600/AAIAAQDGAAAAAQAAAAAAAAyDAAAAJGU3MDM0ODY0LWQ0YTAtNGZlOS1iNzg5LTFjNjU3NjYxM2QzNA.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Every startup needs a couple of advisors with deep experience and connections in your business domain or financial skills to complement your technical focus. Advisors need to be mentors, looking ahead and directing you on key actions to take or avoid. Unfortunately, many prefer the role of critic, looking backward to highlight your mistakes. These people don’t help you or your startup.</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The same considerations apply to every constituent inside and outside your team, including co-founders, investors, strategic partners and every team member. Here are some clues that will help you see and attract the best advisors, as well as the right team members:</div>
<ol style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin: 3.2rem 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Is there a sense of trust and mutual respect? </span>The most productive business relationships are built on trust and respect, where both parties have the other’s interest at heart. The results are win-win relationships. Mentors have no interest in win-lose relationships.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Do advisor credentials include practical experience in the domain? </span>Critics tend to rely on anecdotal or academic evidence to support their position, as opposed to a mentor’s insider perspective based on years of practical experience. Good mentors don’t talk in terms of right or wrong, but in terms of best practices and elements of risk.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">How effective are the advisor's communication skills? </span>You need advisors that are effective and unemotional direct communicators, face to face, over the phone or via email. Beware of people who are prone to emotional outbursts, pick public forums for their discussions and hope to influence you through messages to friends and cohorts.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Do advisor ethics match your own expectations and culture? </span>You will not be well served by an advisor whose ethical rules do not match your business area or government rules. In ethics, one size does not fit all, particularly in international business roles and cultures. Questionable ethics are not a risk any entrepreneur can afford.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Can you visualize a long-term relationship with this advisor? </span>Advisors that are good mentors often lead to career-long relationships and friendships, such as the one between Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. An advisor’s value goes up over time as they better relate to both you and the business. Would you nurture a long-term relationships with your critics?</li>
</ol>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Nevertheless, you don’t always get to pick all your advisors, and we all have to anticipate some critics. Every entrepreneur needs to improve how they deal with critics to make their lives less stressful and more satisfying. Here are some recommendations that work, but all take self-discipline to implement:</div>
<ul style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin: 3.2rem 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Do not take every criticism personally.</span> All critical comments are not meant to reflect on your personal character. If you take every criticism as a personal attack, and react defensively, even the best-intentioned advisor or mentor will stop providing you the feedback and recommendations you need to improve your skills and your business.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Be an equal-opportunity listener.</span> It’s a natural human reaction to discount even good recommendations if they come from someone you don’t know well, is in a different age bracket or a non-native culture. Smart entrepreneurs learn to evaluate the content of the communication independently of the speaker.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Practice the pregnant pause before responding.</span> Pushing to reply immediately prevents comprehension or even hearing any advice or feedback. Think before you respond, and always answer with a reiteration of the points of agreement, before answering any points of criticism.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Always respond with a smile and calm sincerity.</span> Responding with anger and emotion leads to a confrontation. A smile projects confidence and a calm resolve to listen. The smile is contagious, and helps to put all parties at ease during serious and potentially volatile critiques. Your critic may actually see your perspective and become a supporter.</li>
<li></li>
</ul>
Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-44554987795132001052017-12-10T06:18:00.001-05:002017-12-10T06:18:38.009-05:008 Key Ingredients to a Profitable Consulting Business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ihJkNfgbs4ZUNEa9XsdbkO0gil2r4M_-edvY0KlIT9-V4u-ds6dBF6ySmtWr7xksRJVSSmmEGAPlKd3-6-t53iBU5XD9QoO7AVYgzOPHe6Fn7buo-Z6jxqoEpCrp_ETusJqJ/s1600/AAIAAQDGAAAAAQAAAAAAAA0zAAAAJDA0YTQ4ZDkzLWZlNGYtNDRmOC04Zjg5LTdmNGQyNGQxNjQ5Zg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="426" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ihJkNfgbs4ZUNEa9XsdbkO0gil2r4M_-edvY0KlIT9-V4u-ds6dBF6ySmtWr7xksRJVSSmmEGAPlKd3-6-t53iBU5XD9QoO7AVYgzOPHe6Fn7buo-Z6jxqoEpCrp_ETusJqJ/s640/AAIAAQDGAAAAAQAAAAAAAA0zAAAAJDA0YTQ4ZDkzLWZlNGYtNDRmOC04Zjg5LTdmNGQyNGQxNjQ5Zg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-key-ingredients-profitable-consulting-business-mike-wagner/">Original Article</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<ol style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin: 3.2rem 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Implement real competitive differentiation.</span> If your business card and website come across as just another advisor, consultant, or accountant, then don’t be surprised if price is the only focus. Internally, you also need to do things differently to rise above your peers. This includes how you find leads, close clients, and minimize free work or rework.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Shape your business by design, not by default.</span> Announcing that you are a consultant, and hoping demand will set your focus, is not a good strategy. Focus on your passion and your vision of what you want to accomplish, and make that come alive in the design and delivery of everything you do. Picking a niche is another good way to focus.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Proactively build relationships with target clients.</span> Passively waiting for transactions only makes you a commodity. Clients need to see you as a trusted value add, rather than just a service provider. Use your knowledge of evolving needs and technology to add more value than competitors, and introduce clients to each other to build partnerships.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Use visibility and social media to pull clients in.</span> The days of a hardworking introvert hiding in the back room are gone. In addition to relationships, today’s clients want to see you and your expertise on videos online, industry conferences, and social media to feel the trust for differentiation. They expect reviews and testimonials from other clients.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Set pricing to assure both revenue and profit.</span> Unless you have deep pockets, you won’t survive without an adequate margin, including all the costs of running a business and staying current with technologies and market changes. Flexible business models, including value-based pricing, bundling, and custom proposals are the places to begin.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Be targeted in marketing and lead generation.</span> Just like product marketing, professional services requires a clear profile and demographics of your ideal client. To check your return on marketing investment, you need to define metrics and a formal process to evaluate progress and cost tradeoffs. Don’t forget seminars and events.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Raise the conversion rate with effective follow-up.</span> Successful professionals today know they can’t work only from memory. They use customer relationship management systems (CRM) for more effective tracking and data. They match individual customer preferences, whether it be voice, email, texting, or social media, to close deals.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Maximize repeat business with existing clients.</span> Just as with product marketing, it can cost five times as much to attract a new customer, compared to getting more business from current ones. It pays big dividends to make realistic promises and over-deliver the first time, and then follow-up to check for follow-on opportunities every three months.</li>
</ol>
Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-39841307866296613402017-12-10T06:04:00.000-05:002017-12-10T06:04:06.219-05:007 Rules For Turning Business Conflicts Into Win-Win<ol style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin: 3.2rem 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Know what type of conflict you are in.</span> The first step is to assess whether the conflict is win-lose, win-win, or mixed (some competing and some shared goals). Each of the three types requires different strategies and tactics. Learning how to identify and respond to each type is central to success. Try a good business mentor to get you on the right track.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Not all conflicts are bad.</span> Most often, conflicts present us with opportunities to solve problems and bring about necessary changes, to learn more about ourselves and the business, and to innovate – to go beyond what we already know and do. Avoid the ones that are irrelevant to your startup, but don’t hesitate to engage in the others.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Whenever possible, cooperate.</span> Research has consistently shown that more collaborative approaches to resolving win-win or mixed-motive disputes (the majority of conflicts) work best. Therefore you should always approach conflicts with others as mutually shared problems to be solved together.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Be flexible.</span> Try to distinguish your position in a conflict (“I need a raise”) from your underlying needs and interests in the relationship (“I want more respect for my contribution”). Your initial position may severely limit your options. Creativity and openness to exploration are essential to constructive solutions.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Do not personalize.</span> Try to keep the problem separate from the person when in conflict (do not make <em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">them</em> the problem). When conflicts become personal, the rules change, the stakes get higher, emotions spike, and the conflict can quickly become unmanageable.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Meet face-to-face and listen carefully.</span> Meet in a neutral location, and work hard to listen to the other side in a conflict. Accurate information is critical, and careful listening communicates respect. This alone will move the conflict in a more friendly and constructive direction. Don’t mistake sending text messages and emails as listening.</li>
<li style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 2.4rem 0px 2.4rem 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Be fair, firm, and friendly.</span> Research shows that the <em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">process</em> of how conflicts are handled in usually more important than the <em style="background: 0px 0px; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 0.975em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">outcomes</em> of conflicts. Always attempt to be reasonable, respectful and persistent, but do not cave in. Find a way to make sure your needs are met.</li>
</ol>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Applied correctly, these methods can move most business conflicts in a positive and satisfying direction. But Coleman asserts that there are five percent that will always be “intractable.” These usually involve issues that won’t ever be resolved in the workplace, and should be avoided, like politics, religion, personal enmity, and cultural biases. Your best bet on these is not to engage.</div>
Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-10430820707865149002017-12-01T06:22:00.005-05:002017-12-01T06:22:55.039-05:00BitCoin, Bubbles & Wisdom<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 21px;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.701960784313725); font-family: Source Serif Pro, serif;">Article: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bitcoin-bubbles-wisdom-part-1-mike-wagner/">https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bitcoin-bubbles-wisdom-part-1-mike-wagner/</a></span></span></div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
I have been through two bubbles: 2000 and 2008. The first one knocked me down. The second; knocked me out. With decades of knowledge accumulated I finally found the true meaning of wisdom while curled in the fetal position on the floor after after the government took over AIG and diluted the stock to $2 from $30 the previous close. I had everything in AIG because the Chairman of the Board and Bill Gates came out saying the company was fiscally sound and after all it was the biggest Insurance company in the world. What could possibly happen? I did my due diligence, macro environment analysis and technical chart studies, but like life one sometimes needs to peel the onion a little more. I found that knowledge alone is not always enough. There is something profoundly mystical about the intelligence learned from experience. Hence:</div>
<blockquote style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 2.4rem; font-style: italic; line-height: 3.6rem; margin: 4.8rem 120px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
Knowledge + Experience = Wisdom</blockquote>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
So, here we are in 2017. I see the charts and believe me I can dissect charts like you wouldn't believe. I hear the rumblings. I see the FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).</div>
<blockquote style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: Georgia, "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 2.4rem; font-style: italic; line-height: 3.6rem; margin: 4.8rem 120px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; quotes: none; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
Different vehicle, different time, but same road.</blockquote>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Having gone through two bubble times, and we are in one I assure you, I see the similarities and the uncertain "X" factor that makes "this" time unique. Same as the "X" factor during the Internet Bubble, Financial crisis, heck the Mississippi Company in 1719. "X" made "those" times unique. This "X" factor is what drives bubbles. The exciting uncertainty of something so new, so revolutionary no one could begin to understand "its" impact on the world forever.</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Sound familiar? The Internet, Mortgage Backed Securities and Collateralized Debt Obligations, or a 'New World' monopoly trading company. These things were new, revolutionary and certainly did change the world forever. But whether technology or complex financial instruments, there will still be a massive emotional surge near the end (FOMO) of the bubble before markets consolidate, years later normalized, people are able to get in at respectable valuations and finally about 10yrs later all will be forgotten and the new "X" will take hold.</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Today we still have the Internet and it has changed the world forever. Today we have those financial instruments with different names that changed financing, regulations and so many lives. Today we have the opportunity of two recent Boom times to look back upon. Today we have the ability to choose wisdom based on those recent past experiences and our knowledge of the changing world around us.</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The reason why I haven't called Bitcoin itself a bubble as so many have is I believe there is value in alternatives to fiat currencies that are being incessantly debased. We are in emergency times. Global debt is up nearly $100 trillion since 2007 and there are scores of new bubbles everywhere now. But like all times, only one name gets called to attention and becomes the Brand name for this time in the future.</div>
<div style="background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: "Source Serif Pro", serif; font-size: 21px; line-height: 32px; margin-bottom: 3.2rem; margin-top: 3.2rem; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
History shows us nothing in the market goes up straight forever. History has also shown that the dangerous thinking in these times is "this time is different." "X" is "X" no matter what time period and one's belief will not change that. So I urge people to use not only knowledge of what the future can bring but also the lessons of the past to navigate these VERY easy money making times because it won't last forever and it will consolidate at some point. No one knows when but one thing I learned is that emotions were my worst enemies at times like these. Who doesn't love seeing the $'s grow and grow without having to do anything. It's human nature. It's beyond exhilarating. Believe me I know. Just take my and other's experience and apply it to what you know and have hopefully gained monetarily to come out ahead when we return to normal. I'm rooting for everyone and not just for the person but some many macro economic reasons too. No one likes to see the pain of others but unfortunately their will be one's in pain when the dust settles back into normalcy.</div>
Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-90679707796751775542017-11-21T00:50:00.002-05:002017-11-21T00:50:21.217-05:008 Insights For Millennials To Excel As Entrepreneurshttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-insights-millennials-excel-entrepreneurs-mike-wagner/Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-29555367185456843572017-11-20T02:44:00.000-05:002017-11-20T02:44:04.575-05:008 Keys To Providing Consulting Services To Startups<br />
<ul class="reader-article-header__meta Sans-15px-black-55% mv4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.55); display: flex; font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro", Meiryo, "Hiragino Sans GB W3", "Noto Naskh Arabic", "Droid Arabic Naskh", "Geeza Pro", "Simplified Arabic", "Noto Sans Thai", Thonburi, Dokchampa, "Droid Sans Thai", "Droid Sans Fallback", -apple-system, ".SFNSDisplay-Regular", "Heiti SC", "Microsoft Yahei", "Segoe UI"; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; list-style: none; margin: 16px 0px; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></ul>
<br />
<h1 class="reader-article-header__title Sans-42px-black-85%-regular pt6 pb4" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: 0px 0px rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85); font-family: "Source Sans Pro", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Hiragino Kaku Gothic Pro", Meiryo, "Hiragino Sans GB W3", "Noto Naskh Arabic", "Droid Arabic Naskh", "Geeza Pro", "Simplified Arabic", "Noto Sans Thai", Thonburi, Dokchampa, "Droid Sans Thai", "Droid Sans Fallback", -apple-system, ".SFNSDisplay-Regular", "Heiti SC", "Microsoft Yahei", "Segoe UI"; font-size: 42px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 48px; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 32px 0px 16px; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
8 Keys To Providing Consulting Services To Startups</h1>
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-keys-providing-consulting-services-startups-mike-wagner/<br />
<br />Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-5305883776149988852010-03-19T21:40:00.002-04:002010-03-19T21:42:37.997-04:00New Site, WWW.MikeWagnerOnline.comTitle pretty much tells the story. Although I haven't been blogging much, I'll likely be focusing my attention to <a href="http://www.mikewagneronline.com">www.mikewagneronline.com</a> where you can find more bio & contact info on me.Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-65447398591504803042009-06-27T03:04:00.000-04:002009-06-27T03:05:36.410-04:00Social Media Marketing Poll<p>I created a limited LinkedIn poll. What alone is the most effective Social Media Marketing tool poll?<br /><a href="http://polls.linkedin.com/poll-results/44998/soppp" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span>http://polls.linkedin.com/</span>poll-results/44998/soppp</a></p><p>Pleas take a second and share your thought. </p>Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-52920787405244011892009-06-09T17:48:00.000-04:002009-06-09T17:49:31.418-04:00Palo Alto-Based Picaboo Lands $1 Million in FundingPalo Alto, Calif. -- <a href="http://www.picaboo.com">Picaboo</a>, the Palo Alto-based developer of a custom online photo book and card printing service for consumers, has raised $1 million in new funding, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company now has raised nearly $3 million since its founding in 2006. Picaboo competes in the growing market for custom photo books with Blurb, Viovio, SmileBooks, Snapfish, Shutterfly and Kodak. The company's previous backers include New Enterprise Associates, CampVentures, Odyssey Research, Softbank Capital Venture Partners and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-84690856380218914832009-06-07T14:42:00.002-04:002009-06-07T14:46:12.753-04:00The Enterprise Web 2.0 Trend Continues with Business Orientated Mashups<span class="arial_12_14 normalLink bold"></span><h3 id="ctl00_content_PlaceHolder_articleAuthor_HyperLink" class="HeaderLabels arial_12_14">By <a href="http://www.sdtimes.com/about/JeffFeinman">Jeff Feinman</a></h3><span id="ctl00_content_PlaceHolder_articleDate_Label" class="arial_14_16 red">May 14, 2009 — </span> <span id="ctl00_content_PlaceHolder_articleBody_Label" class="arial_14_16 normalLink">It started slowly. First, one person in Mexico got sick. Then another. Then more. The culprit? A strain of influenza commonly known as swine flu. But before it was identified, folks returning from that country were unwittingly bringing the deadly flu back to their homelands.<br /><br />As fear of a pandemic grew, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) needed to get a handle on outbreaks of the H1N1 virus. One of the tools of their disposal was a software mashup, created by IBM, that brings together the CDC’s reporting data with Google Maps.<br /><br /></span><span id="ctl00_content_PlaceHolder_articleBody_Label" class="arial_14_16 normalLink">“The mashup could see where the outbreaks are in different regions of the country,” said Rod Smith, vice president of IBM’s emerging Internet technologies unit. “A business can now share that mashup with its stores and regions so they can see what’s going on with it, and the CDC can share it with state services, maybe to see what other health facilities or health products are out there.”</span><br /><span id="ctl00_content_PlaceHolder_articleBody_Label" class="arial_14_16 normalLink"><br /><a href="http://www.sdtimes.com/MASHUPS_ARE_POISED_FOR_A_BUSINESS_OUTBREAK_/About_MASHUPS/33484">Continue Reading</a><br /></span>Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-7434364987130743062009-06-03T15:09:00.003-04:002009-06-03T15:13:36.543-04:00Social Media and Product Marketing ConsultingI've decided to go full force into the services business and offer my expertise in Product Marketing and Social Media on a consulting basis. I've started a group dedicated to connecting organizations with Social Media needs with those who can help. I just created the Facebook group so trying to get people to join to get the wave effect going. You can join the group <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=184780280061#/group.php?gid=184780280061&ref=mf">here</a>.Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-50328922368355410052009-04-22T18:16:00.003-04:002009-04-22T18:24:05.474-04:00JackBe - Mashups and the DIAHappy to see <a href="http://www.jackbe.com">JackBe </a>still making news and especially with regards to a project which started while I was there. Click through to read the article from <a href="http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Web-Services-Web-20-and-SOA/Mashups-Give-Defense-Department-Strategic-Edge-391656/">eweek </a>in the entirety.<br /><br /><span class="Article_Date"><span class="Article_Date" align="right" style="font-weight: bold; display: block; float: right;"><span class="contentpagetitle"><b>Mashups Give Defense Department Strategic Edge</b></span><br />( Page 1 of 4 )<br /><br /><strong>Off-the-shelf Web 2.0 mashup software from JackBe aids decisions and keeps troops safe.</strong><p>To make the right decision, it's essential to have the right information at the right time. But just what information is needed, when and in relation to what other information is a subtle science that tests the mettle of <a itxtdid="7743733" target="_blank" href="http://www.eweek.com/#" style="border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important; padding-bottom: 1px ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; background-color: transparent ! important;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">IT managers</a> everywhere. </p> <p>In the armed forces, victory and defeat—not to mention human life—may hang in the balance of every decision that is made. In its ongoing effort to enable better decision-making, the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency, or DISA, has deployed an enterprise mashup <a itxtdid="7743750" target="_blank" href="http://www.eweek.com/#" style="border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important; padding-bottom: 1px ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; background-color: transparent ! important;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">server</a> running JackBe software to bring together strategic information from disparate sources, particularly geographic and mapping data. </p> <p>"The DOD [Department of Defense] has the ability to mash up multiple <a itxtdid="7743682" target="_blank" href="http://www.eweek.com/#" style="border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen ! important; font-weight: normal ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important; padding-bottom: 1px ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; background-color: transparent ! important;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">data sources</a> on the fly and display them geospatially with off-the-shelf products," said DISA CTO David Mihelcic.<br /></p><p><a href="http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Web-Services-Web-20-and-SOA/Mashups-Give-Defense-Department-Strategic-Edge-391656/">continued....</a><br /></p></span></span>Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-59286740576113211982009-04-16T17:33:00.002-04:002009-04-16T17:36:08.950-04:00Summon Service Adds New Content Providers and Beta Partner<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kppMIX2QKCvak8GcuUTKC-rV3CgcF-EYKOg2HTM5Hgi9yrvfmi4vqjs0PAup-yU7FHWVURWzTQ5VzuR62ouHQhf5XcWot2pLwjBF8hFAcKEkQCwEH7eiW9bNM8mYTNwXPxx6/s1600-h/hdr_logo.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 183px; height: 72px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7kppMIX2QKCvak8GcuUTKC-rV3CgcF-EYKOg2HTM5Hgi9yrvfmi4vqjs0PAup-yU7FHWVURWzTQ5VzuR62ouHQhf5XcWot2pLwjBF8hFAcKEkQCwEH7eiW9bNM8mYTNwXPxx6/s320/hdr_logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325405941784994850" border="0" /></a><br /><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";}</style><![endif]--></p>Serials Solutions (<a href="http://www.serialssolutions.com/" target="_blank"><strong>www.serialssolutions.com</strong></a>), a business unit of ProQuest, has added several new content providers and a new library beta development partner for its Summon unified discovery service. The service is being developed in close cooperation with library beta partners, with a goal of not only bringing the researcher back to the library but providing a channel for greater return on the library's content investment. The new partner, Western Michigan University, which will use the Summon service with its VuFind next-generation catalog, joins Dartmouth College, Oklahoma State University, University of Sydney, and University of Liverpool in providing feedback that will refine all aspects of the service.<p>New content providers include IEEE, the pre-eminent engineering society, information technology publisher IGI Global, international scholarly publishing leader Brill, and a pair of Australian presses that expand the service's local coverage. The Summon service's contributors, which include the content resources of ProQuest and Gale, have expanded to more than 80. Harvested content now exceeds 400 million records in preparation for the service's July launch.</p><p>Summon bypasses federated search in favor of a single search against preharvested content enabling fast results, in true relevancy-ranked order. Publishers have embraced the service for this ability to surface content in the right context at the right time for the right user. The Summon unified discovery service creates a library-branded search box that eliminates the confusion users have in finding a starting point for library research, making collections simple to use. The hosted service is built with an open API that will allow it to integrate with existing library websites or campus systems with low impact on staff. To learn more about the Summon unified discovery service, visit <a href="http://www.serialssolutions.com/summon" target="_blank"><strong>www.serialssolutions.com/summon</strong></a>.</p>Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-47768597387982888122009-04-16T17:29:00.000-04:002009-04-16T17:31:04.799-04:00New Discovery Tools for Online Resources From OCLC and EBSCO<span style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;font-size:85%;"><div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">by Paula J. Hane</span></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt;"><span style="font-family:Verdana, sans-serif;font-size:85%;">Providing a single point of access to a broad range of library materials seems to be emerging as the Holy Grail of the library world. Libraries provide a vast richness of content, but that content has historically resided in separate silos of storage and access-books in the catalog, subscription content from multiple providers, ebooks, archival collections, electronic journals, and other resources on the web. Library vendors have approached the problem with federated search products that search remotely and rely on connectors, but these are generally seen to be only partial and limited solutions. <span style="color:#365f91;"><b>However, new discovery tools have begun to appear that promise to provide a single interface to multiple resources based on using a centralized consolidated index to provide faster and better search results. Serials Solutions (</b></span><a href="https://owa-aa.proque.st/owa/redir.aspx?C=b3d078b9ed9a42d4b56c32d90d2aa371&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.serialssolutions.com" target="_blank"><span style="color:#365f91;"><u><b>www.serialssolutions.com</b></u></span></a><span style="color:#365f91;"><b>) announced its Summon service in January (see NewsBreak) and garnered much interest; it is currently in beta testing in a small number of libraries with general availability expected in July. The recent announcements from OCLC and EBSCO have just moved the discovery tool competition to a new level. Now it's not just about which library vendor has the latest technology but which provides access to the most content.<br /> </b></span>--> <a href="https://owa-aa.proque.st/owa/redir.aspx?C=b3d078b9ed9a42d4b56c32d90d2aa371&URL=http%3a%2f%2fnewsbreaks.infotoday.com%2fNewsBreaks%2fNew-Discovery-Tools-for-Online-Resources-From-OCLC-and-EBSCO-53468.asp" target="_blank"><span style="color:#0000ff;"><u>http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/NewsBreaks/AP-Challenges-Google-and-Other-Ne ws-Aggregators-at-Newspaper-Conference-53423.asp</u></span></a></span></div></span>Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-86285578578689625282009-04-14T18:34:00.000-04:002009-04-14T18:36:10.444-04:00Serials Solutions Signs Beta Partner WMU and New Content Providers for the Summon™ Unified Discovery Service<ul class="news"><li> <em>April 14, 2009</em> <h5>Serials Solutions Signs Beta Partner WMU and New Content Providers for the Summon™ Unified Discovery Service</h5> <p><i>IEEE, Brill, IGI, and Australian presses bring new content to rapidly expanding service </i> </p></li><li> <p>Serials Solutions, a business unit of ProQuest, has signed Western Michigan University as a beta development site for its new Summon™ unified discovery service. New content providers will also participate. Among them are IEEE, the world's pre-eminent engineering society, information technology publisher IGI-Global, international scholarly publishing leader Brill and a pair of Australian presses that expand the service's local coverage. The Summon™ service's contributors, which include the massive content resources of ProQuest and Gale, have expanded to more than 80. Harvested content now exceeds 400 million records in preparation for the service's July launch. </p> </li><li><p>Announced in January, the Summon™ unified discovery service has captured the attention of both librarians and publishers for its creation of Google-like searching of the full breadth of content found in library collections -- from books and videos to e-resources at the article level. The Summon™ service addresses what research shows is a fundamental barrier between libraries and users: a simple, obvious starting point for searches. </p></li><li> <p>The service is being developed in close cooperation with library beta partners, with a goal of not only bringing the researcher back to the library, but providing a channel for greater return on the library's content investment. Western Michigan University, which will use the Summon™ service with its VuFind next-generation catalog, joins Dartmouth College, Oklahoma State University, University of Sydney and University of Liverpool in providing feedback that will refine all aspects of the service. </p> </li><li> <p>The Summon™ service bypasses federated search in favor of a single search against pre-harvested content enabling fast results, in true relevancy-ranked order. Publishers have embraced the service for this ability to surface content in the right context at the right time for the right user. The journals of IEEE bring significant engineering content, while Brill and IGI Global will contribute high-quality research publications in multiple fields. Australian content is expanding with the addition of University of Queensland Press, a dynamic university press best known for its risk-taking philosophy and commitment to publishing works of cultural significance, and Australian Academic Press, the largest privately owned Society journal publisher in Australia. Other recently added contributors include Adam Matthew Digital, American Society of Hematology, American Society for Microbiology, Annual Reviews, IOS Press, John Libbey Eurotext and Publishing House Technika.</p> </li><li><p>The Summon™ unified discovery service creates a library-branded search box that eliminates the confusion users have in finding a starting point for library research, making collections simple to use. It's the result of Serials Solutions' unique combination of assets and expertise, enabled by its growing list of content providers. The hosted service is built with an open API that will allow it to integrate with existing library Web sites or campus systems with low impact on staff. To learn more about the Summon™ unified discovery service, visit <a href="http://www.serialssolutions.com/summon">http://www.serialssolutions.com/summon</a>. </p> </li><li><p><strong>About Serials Solutions </strong></p> </li><li><p>Founded by a librarian for librarians in 2000, Serials Solutions is the global leader in E-Resource Access and Management Services (ERAMS) that serves more than 2,000 libraries of all sizes and types. Serials Solutions® KnowledgeWorks, the authoritative e-resource knowledgebase, is the foundation for Serials Solutions® 360, the only complete and integrated e-resource access and management solution. Serials Solutions recently introduced the Summon™ unified discovery service, a revolutionary discovery tool that provides instant access to the full breadth of the library's collection through a single search. </p></li><li> <p>Serials Solutions also is the exclusive source for Ulrichs™ Global Serials Intelligence and represents the AquaBrowser Library® unified discovery interface in the academic market in North America. The WebFeat® federated search service recently acquired by ProQuest soon will be incorporated into the Serials Solutions family of access and discovery services.</p> </li><li> <p> Serials Solutions provides fast implementation, easy customization, and outstanding value to libraries throughout the world. For more information, please visit <a href="http://www.serialssolutions.com/">www.serialssolutions.com</a> or call 1-866-SERIALS. Serials Solutions is a division of ProQuest LLC. </p> </li><li><br /></li><li><br /></li><p><strong>About ProQuest LLC</strong></p><li> <p>ProQuest creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest offers the culmination of experience from many respected brands, including CSA™, UMI®, Chadwyck-Healey™, SIRS®, and eLibrary®. With Serials Solutions®, Ulrich's™, RefWorks®, COS™, and Dialog® brands now in the ProQuest family, the company continues to build on its legacy of responsive people in partnership with librarians. </p> </li><li> <p>ProQuest consistently seeks new ways to support researchers and quality research. More than a content provider or aggregator, ProQuest is an information partner, creating indispensable research solutions that connect people and information. Through innovative, user-centered technology, ProQuest offers a depth and breadth of global content that includes historical newspapers, dissertations, and uniquely relevant resources for researchers of any age and sophistication--including content not likely to be digitized by others. Inspired by its customers and end users, ProQuest is working toward a future that blends information accessibility with community to further enhance learning and encourage lifelong enrichment. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.serialssolutions.com/press/www.proquest.com">www.proquest.com</a> or the ProQuest parent company website, <a href="http://www.serialssolutions.com/press/www.cambridgeinformationgroup.com">www.cambridgeinformationgroup.com</a>.</p> </li></ul>Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-65670159863659810062009-04-10T01:06:00.004-04:002009-04-10T01:14:48.658-04:00Serials Solutions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWwXiyM_xyW8ULk0Ev_AMVwhy0Yj_PFYIyiAgRrmKTGZ-hhWJ5P2eH8s43hv6QuHDRQHJBP1jY_z37oYizxc9e7zKdSKYifbwDUt9yhkNLacvXVgjRsvZxVnr5sRa2yjv7KnI/s1600-h/hdr_logo.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 183px; height: 72px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWwXiyM_xyW8ULk0Ev_AMVwhy0Yj_PFYIyiAgRrmKTGZ-hhWJ5P2eH8s43hv6QuHDRQHJBP1jY_z37oYizxc9e7zKdSKYifbwDUt9yhkNLacvXVgjRsvZxVnr5sRa2yjv7KnI/s320/hdr_logo.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322926823639739682" border="0" /></a><br />I joined the Summon product team at Serials Solutions this week as the product marketing manager. I have to say, it was the potential I saw in this streamlined information discovery service that was the tipping point in choosing the oppertunity over others. Just as Newspapers have been dropping like flies, acedemic libraries face a very real challenge of exposing the breadth of information in a streamlined fashion in keeping with the paradim establish by Google. Libraries are realizing that information if undiscoverable is meaningless in this experimental learning culture. Meaning, if the discovery process is not streamlined to the standards of the web search engines, people will pop out to the web and bypass all the resources behind the walled garden of the institution. Summon, unified discovery service soon to be released by Serial Solutions, aims to solve this problem... and it does as proven in early beta tests.<br /><br />More to come....Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-27234141425869324612009-04-02T02:44:00.002-04:002009-04-02T02:47:05.010-04:00And The Winner is..... MacThat's right, I went with the MacBook Pro and am extremely happy. 4gigs if proving more than enough to virtualize with Parrallels and run Windows XP for some windows only apps I run. Thanks to all that took the poll and or sent me their feedback.Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-34188973497074746132009-03-22T16:50:00.001-04:002009-03-22T16:51:45.434-04:00Mac or VaioUsing the power of the crowd to help me decide so please cast your vote on what should be my new laptop.<br /><br /><img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border="0" width="0" height="0" src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyMzc3NTQ5NTY1NjImcHQ9MTIzNzc1NDk2MzM*MyZwPTg4MDEmZD*mZz*xJnQ9Jm89ZDk2Mjc3NTU3YjFlNGU1OWIxYjYwOGYyMDAxZWQ5ZDc=.gif" /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="D5WW4MYIG761" width="220" height="300" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab"> <param name="movie" value="http://published.glowday.com/T5WW4MYIG74T.swf?resultKey=R5WW4MYIG75Z&chartKey=GlowDayChart5WW4MYIG760"> <param name="quality" value="high"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#869ca7"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never"> <param name="allowNetworkAccess" value="all"> <embed src="http://published.glowday.com/T5WW4MYIG74T.swf?resultKey=R5WW4MYIG75Z&chartKey=GlowDayChart5WW4MYIG760" quality="high" bgcolor="#869ca7" width="220" height="300" name="D5WW4MYIG761" align="middle" play="true" loop="false" quality="high" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworkaccess="all" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed> </object> <br/><a href="http://glowday.com/makeresultset/T5WW4MYIG74T?utm_source=widgets&utm_medium=footer&utm_campaign=wlinks&utm_content=get_3"><span style="cursor:pointer;font:10px Verdana;">Get This</span></a> - <a href="http://glowday.com/survey_result/R5WW4MYIG75Z?utm_source=widgets&utm_medium=footer&utm_campaign=wlinks&utm_content=results_3"><span style="cursor:pointer;font:10px Verdana;">Survey Results</span></a> - <a href="http://GlowDay.com?utm_source=widgets&utm_medium=footer&utm_campaign=wlinks&utm_content=gd_3"><span style="cursor:pointer;font:10px Verdana;">GlowDay.com</span></a><br/>Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-75905268516264564162009-03-17T03:36:00.002-04:002009-03-17T03:39:04.046-04:00Luis Derechin of JackBe on Fox News<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7Mhs59mSvcvYopJWqoHkTEBWqKWUSrl4OsB2V3tBPh88_lfREFMtcDK3jZhV9qp17o5UNpBYcTv118OXytQZYLQIGBka9AGnTumtVj4YOIm6rTeMFtRQDbaBp47dc8NGl9ts/s1600-h/jackbe.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 120px; height: 53px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7Mhs59mSvcvYopJWqoHkTEBWqKWUSrl4OsB2V3tBPh88_lfREFMtcDK3jZhV9qp17o5UNpBYcTv118OXytQZYLQIGBka9AGnTumtVj4YOIm6rTeMFtRQDbaBp47dc8NGl9ts/s320/jackbe.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314057919297994370" border="0" /></a><br />JackBe still going strong.<br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://foxnews1.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/foxnews1-foxbusiness-pub01-live/current/videolandingpage/fullPlayer/client/embedded/embedded.swf" id="mediumFlashEmbedded" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" bgcolor="#000000" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" quality="high" name="FOX Business" play="false" scale="noscale" menu="false" salign="LT" scriptaccess="always" wmode="false" flashvars="playerId=videolandingpage&playerTemplateId=fullPlayer&categoryTitle=undefined&referralObject=3630419" width="305" height="275"></embed>Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-3543438260281328752009-03-08T00:31:00.002-05:002009-03-08T00:38:11.060-05:00Another New ChapterIts been a while since I've written a personal post but the time seems to be right. I, like so many others currently, found myself victim to business reorganization. Although I agree in part, I still believe the decision was short sighted. Never the less, these are unprecedented times and with that comes uncharacteristic opportunities. For the time being I will most likely offer my broad business and product marketing skills and experience via consulting and contract work. In addition, as when I first arrived in Seattle, I have more time to work with the true startups in the area.<br /><br />Stay tuned.Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-82833894560955547002009-02-05T01:30:00.003-05:002009-02-05T01:36:05.383-05:00DocuSign Developer Center<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJeIv5rdJBeDC5GkAveMVLYsfLgLmBRo5mFuM_4MgnwhOFSg6XDYICAmKybCpVFSuVFoVWbGuCMnkdpyRi-16WC5GBpWAV8xPDmCv-gVBBc64sH8lA88-_AkAqeRkcidJ5sKL/s1600-h/logo-trans.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 58px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJeIv5rdJBeDC5GkAveMVLYsfLgLmBRo5mFuM_4MgnwhOFSg6XDYICAmKybCpVFSuVFoVWbGuCMnkdpyRi-16WC5GBpWAV8xPDmCv-gVBBc64sH8lA88-_AkAqeRkcidJ5sKL/s320/logo-trans.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299198330063359298" border="0" /></a><br />In an effort to foster Electronic Contract Execution and Electronic Signature solutions, <a href="http://docusign.com/">DocuSign </a>has officially launched its <a href="http://docusign.com/devcenter/">developer center</a>. Now developers can download API and SDK materials as well as set up a developer account to test against a dedicated development environment. I'm excited to see what creative applications folks will create to streamline their organizations arcaic contract processes.Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27290035.post-53210082682743899682009-02-03T02:05:00.002-05:002009-02-03T02:08:23.889-05:00DocuSign Unveils New Scalable Product and Support Offerings for Electronic Signature and Electronic Contract ExecutionAfter a grueling number of months aligning the product road map with service packages that make sense to all market segments, I am proud to provide the following press release.<br /><br /><p class="medium"><a href="http://docusign.com/news_and_events/press_releases/2009-01-28.php"><em>DocuSign Unveils New Scalable Product and Support Offerings for Electronic Signature and Electronic Contract Execution </em></a></p> <p><strong><u>SEATTLE - January 28, 2009 </u></strong>- DocuSign, the industry leading provider of on-demand electronic signature and electronic contract execution solutions, today announced its new DocuSign Professional Edition and DocuSign Corporate Edition are available now at <a href="http://www.docusign.com/">www.docusign.com</a>. The new product and support offerings were designed specifically to create a scalable cost-effective on-demand solution for businesses of all sizes to replace the expensive and inefficient process of <em>transporting, signing, tracking, storing contracts and capturing business data</em>. </p> <p>DocuSign Corporate Edition also features the industry's first 'Smart Envelopes™ for the precise management of complex workflows that require multiple documents and signers. A sender using Smart Envelopes uploads the documents to be signed and can easily define policies for who can view each document and the precise order in which they are to be signed by each signer. By giving the sender complete control and visibility into the contract execution process and streamlining otherwise complex contracting processes, Smart Envelopes dramatically reduces NIGO ("not in good order") rates, enables enterprises to complete more transactions and ultimately accelerates the speed of business. </p> <p>Businesses today are under tremendous pressure to manage the bottom line. By eliminating inefficient business processes, such as paper-based contract execution, organizations can dramatically reduce costs, accelerate business transactions and potentially avoid staff reductions. According to Xerox research, businesses print more than 18 trillion pieces of paper each year and HP predicts that by 2010, 53 trillion pages will be printed worldwide. DocuSign customers can slash up to 90 percent in paper processing costs and reduce overnight express shipping fees by 80 percent, while increasing sales contract close rates - resulting in a significant net increase to their bottom line.<br /> <br />"Given this tough economic climate, corporations are moving to replace inefficient business processes and adopt proven software-as-a-service offerings that deliver immediate business benefits," said Tom Gonser, founder and vice president of product strategy. "By automating the contracting and data collection process with solutions such as Smart Envelopes, DocuSign enables efficiencies that cannot be achieved or replicated by any other electronic or paper-based process. Already, DocuSign has executed more than 20 million signature events worldwide."</p> <p><strong>New Scalable Product and Support Offerings for Electronic Signature and Electronic Contract Execution Drive Value for Organizations of All Sizes</strong></p> <p><strong>DocuSign Corporate Edition</strong> - A broad set of capabilities that deliver a complete electronic contract execution platform which can be used as a separate service or completely integrated into the organizations applications environment. The new Smart Envelopes capability simplifies and accelerates complex contract execution workflows (e.g. business-to-business-to-consumer transactions) by allowing the sender to specify multiple signers to receive multiple documents and define specific visibility and workflow for each in a single transaction.<strong></strong></p> <p><strong>DocuSign Professional Edition</strong> - Ideal for individuals or small businesses that want to use electronic signatures to immediately reduce hard costs such as overnight express or courier expenses, speed business transactions and enhance customer satisfaction by enabling clients to sign from anywhere there is an internet connection. New self-branding capabilities enable customers to customize logos, colors, and email text to create a tailored sending and signing experience that maintains their brand consistency. </p> <p><strong>Pricing, Availability and Support</strong><br />The new DocuSign Corporate Edition and DocuSign Professional Edition are available now for immediate online signup at <a href="http://www.docusign.com/">www.docusign.com</a>. Professional Edition: starts at $15.95/month for a single user with an annual commitment. Pricing for Corporate Edition varies based on desired features, functionality and frequency of use. </p> <p>DocuSign now offers support tiers to meet the individual needs of each of its customers, ranging from the largest enterprises to sole proprietorships. From outsourcing help desk calls to providing online training, DocuSign's flexible support and training packages are designed to meet the needs of organizations of all sizes.</p> <p><strong>About DocuSign Inc.</strong><br />DocuSign is the DocuSign Inc., the #1 provider of on-demand software services for electronic signature and online contract execution, empowering individuals, small business and global enterprises to operate faster, more efficiently and profitably with enhanced security and compliance. DocuSign is the only Web-based service to fully automate the entire contract execution process. To date, more than 16 million signature events have been executed using DocuSign. Experience the service at <a href="http://www.docusign.com/">www.docusign.com</a>, and for regular updates go to <a href="http://blog.docusign.com/">blog.docusign.com</a>. </p> <p> DocuSign and the DocuSign logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of DocuSign, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other marks are property of their respective owners.</p>Mike Wagnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02824724778507651694noreply@blogger.com0