What is the difference between a Hosted VoIP product and a SIP Trunk VoIP product?

I decided to place a poll on my web site and at last count it was split 50/50 as to who knows the difference. We have 500 small to medium size hotels that we provide telecom services for, but I knew there had to be a way about a year ago to put them on a VoIP solution without having to replace every room phone with an IP telephone. The costs involved would be astronomical So off to work I went looking for the best program out there. I attended the Channel Partners Conference in Washington, DC and went from booth to booth looking for this product.

I explained that the properties wanted to utilize their existing PBX systems, but take advantage of the calling features and cost savings of VoIP. Let’s face it over the years I’ve become accustomed to people looking at me as if I am from another planet. In fact I do live in another world, My World. Anything is possible in “My World,” you just have to believe to succeed and my permanent restraining order to always remain a minimum of 15 feet away from inside the box doesn’t impede upon my existing world either. With that being said I carried on……and on….and on in my search for SIP Trunk VoIP.

I had a systems engineer tell me from a large provider that “it’s just not possible.” I had all this fancy literature all these new found connections if I wanted to get in the box with everyone else, but I kept moving forward. I then came across a man working at a booth for a provider and we started shooting the breeze and I told him what I was up to and that no one can provide this service. He had a colorful metaphor to say and at that point I was filled with hope again. However when he introduced to the V.P. of Agent Channels for the company he was representing I thought I was in the clear to lay out my deal for them. 500 hotels is not chump change so I was full of confidence until the V.P. told me that wasn’t, possible. I played it cool to never close a door, but I quickly made a departure.

Of course the man who told me it was possible I later ran into him again with a beer in hand he told me they just don’t know “colorful metaphor” it can be done and confirmed my thought. He proceeded to go through the process of how it can be done.

SIP Trunk VoIP can be deployed from companies existing PBX system directly if it is IP enabled. If not a gateway is installed that converts the traditional POTS line to VoIP. In layman’s term

SIP Trunk VoIP is best suite for small businesses that want to deploy telephony phone service while utilizing their existing PBX phone system. If their PBX is not IP enabled a gateway is installed on the premise on the PBX and converts all calls from traditional phone service to VoIP. This type of VoIP service can drastically decrease company phone bills by as much as 40-70%.

Hosted VoIP is best suited for companies that need a new phone system. The phone system is taken off premise and hosted in a secure facility. Users access the administrative calling system via an online portal system. I have listed reasons why businesses would opt for a Hosted VoIP PBX:

Cost savings on long distance, monthly access costs and equipment

IP applications that improve employees’ communications, productivity and capability

Existing communications system is at end of lifecycle

Limited growth or expansion capabilities

Changing or adding locations

Standardization of equipment & features across multiple locations

Reduce costs of maintenance, upgrades and growth

Improve MAC (move, add and change)

VoIP providers do not necessarily need to offer SIP Trunk VoIP as part of their product line, but to train their employees as to the differences can be beneficial to everyone involved. I have found those who deploy SIP Trunk VoIP are out of the box thinkers and really know their network capabilities. Many of them merge a little of each system and have come up with the ultimate calling plans.

Lisa Kaye
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/what-is-sip-trunk-voip-and-how-can-it-help-my-business-74703.html

Christmas is a busy season for businesses. The sales are up because almost everybody is in a festive mood. And to keep people from coming in, business owners are thinking of ways and giveaways to hand out to their clients at such occasion. And one of the most active activities during this season is calendar printing.

The main reason for this advent is that the year is about to change. People are up to a new start regarding schedule, activities and other purposes that calendars cater to. Calendars serve many functions to people. But such tool also serves many purposes for the businesses who give these away on special occasions like Christmas.

Here are some of the benefits that calendar printing brings about to businesses.

1.    There are companies who have become known for coming up with the kind of calendars that people look forward to each year. They are proud to have it. And they use the calendars to be displayed on certain areas of their homes or offices to last the whole year through. What makes these calendars stand out? The main thing about them is the style and the trend that they follow. They were made to fit the taste of the target market of the businesses behind them.

With all the beauty that the calendars present, businesses take this opportunity to include or even incorporate their brand, logos and certain elements identifiable to them to the material. So while people take the pleasure out of hanging the calendars to add beauty to certain spots, it is business as usual for the companies who had those calendars printed.

2.    Calendars can contain many or little information depending on what you want as the business owner. You can include numerous of your products on every page and include some interesting facts about them as well. You can boost the appeal of the products by creating artistic spots and nice ambience for them to be on. But calendars can be as big as posters or as little as business cards. However you use the material, you must bear in mind that there are other businesses that will give out calendars to people for Christmas.

It now becomes a battle of which calendar gets to be displayed. Fight for the spot. Make sure that people will find it hard to put down your calendars once they’ve seen them. Give them enough reasons why your materials deserve to be hanged rather than kept or thrown out.

3.    The exposure that calendars give to your company can be enormous. This is why you must aim for people to hang your materials on spots that are visible to other people. This will give your company, products and services an edge in the kind of competition that they are constantly in.

So what’s stopping you from availing calendar printing services? Christmastime is a good opportunity for you to start the tradition. Do not worry about the costs. The right printing company can offer you the medium at price you can afford and with the kind of quality that you and your target market deserve.

Carla San Gaspar

It’s a fact that international financial concerns make some people nervous about new business ventures. Many think twice about ploughing their time and money into fresh things. In reality there are actually some sorts of businesses that will prosper despite hard times.

A lot of people steer clear of the idea of beginning their own businesses and it can make those with existing businesses anxious about the best ways to keep them flourishing when they hear news of the far-reaching effects of global recession can cause

            Businesses of all types and sizes recognize the necessity to trim expenses during recession: this often means cutbacks associated with the money they spend on hiring their premises or the amount of employees they have will be affected. Some business owners make a decision to manage their companies on an online basis as a direct result of this, henceforth sidestepping the everyday expenditure attached to a bricks and mortar enterprise.

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The fact that the Internet is available to pretty well everyone (we can now access the net on our PCs, our laptops, notepads, even our mobiles) accounts for its thriving success and means that the Web is becoming an innovative and very cost-effective operating ground for people in many industries.

But why exactly is this?

The cost-effective nature of Internet business is a major contributing factor.

Most of us would agree that the Internet business is low cost. A lot of Internet businesses are home concerns) there is the issue of expenses on paper production (or business stationery) which can be drastically cut when a company is run mostly from an online locality. Paper promotional goods like leaflets, ordering forms and catalogues can be obtained from companies’ websites or submitted to clients as attachments with E-mail. This allows for swifter interactions between companies and their customers. Info can be sent to and fro in just minutes when email is used, the traditional snail mail option takes far longer. Business phone accounts can be cut too, as an email, instead of a phone call, can be sent to any global location for a very low cost. And, if the business is being administered from the owner’s home this means a major reduction in traveling expenses – no more driving needed or paying travel fees to get to the workplace. It’s common sense, not just so far as financial matters go, during recession, but with the increased consciousness of environmental topics, to lessen our carbon footprints in such a key way.

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Today really is a great time to start an Internet business, or if applicable convert a pre-existing business into an online company. If goods and services can plausibly adapt to being sold via and electronic means in an online setting, the World Wide Web is the perfect place to do trade. Publishing companies, franchise brands, software retailers, designers, architectural services, and accountants, along with many others, all have the opportunity to do well in a cyber environment.

The World Wide Web is often seen as a parallel reflection of the actual world, but it moves at a faster rate: this mean faster returns on fiscal investment and time can be attained. To endure in a quickly shifting world of commerce businesses are advised to recognize the differences between print media and web communications: The Internet allows express ‘real time’ interaction with a potential audience; print cannot provide this. In addition, the Internet is booming and has an ever-increasing number of international users, so it gives companies the chance to sell merchandise or services to a wide-reaching customer base that they would previous never have been able to commune with from a bricks and mortar headquarters alone.

Internet business gives its operator flexibility – it doesn’t matter what hours the owner dedicates to the enterprise, the shop is never closed, it’s open 24/7 even on weekends and during the evenings – the doors of the corporation website are never locked and no trading hour limitations are enforced. On the other hand, for any online business to thrive a good stream of traffic must be encouraged. That’s professional help proves invaluable.

WSI is the leading international Internet Services Franchise offering reasonably priced Internet solutions to small and medium size businesses. The corporation is categorized as the No. 1 Internet and Technology Services Franchise and has a position alongside the Top 50 Franchises globally.

To use an old adage, one stone kills two birds with WSI: During a financial downturn, when Internet business is recognized as the way to advance, WSI can do two things:

1.      Offer Internet solutions to established businesses

2.      Offer business opportunities to people wishing to start and operate their own business, as the corporation offers consultancy franchises globally.

WSI’s Internet Marketing Consultants benefit from personal and professional freedom by making the most of the company’s six-phased development plan (this plan is responsible for the success of thousands of businesses worldwide.) WSI’s Internet solutions are designed to succeed! The company’s methods radically improve profits, trim everyday expenditure and increase efficiency. And because the company’s services are so effectual, even franchise holders with little or no experience discover that they very rapidly start feeling the lucrative benefits.

Fully qualified WSI Consultants put into practice the company’s revolutionary technologies, knowledge, guidance and support to give customized Internet solutions to business clients – all of the technical work is handled for the franchisee. Astonishingly, this business opportunity is to be had for the modest recession-friendly fee of $49,700.

There’s never been a better time to get online and succeed.

Elizabeth Miranda
http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/why-now-is-the-right-time-to-start-your-own-internet-business-730578.html

In the past businesses’ advertising budgets have often been extortionate as the need to pay for good media coverage was important if those businesses were to thrive. These days the Internet offers a wide range of promotional opportunities for businesses of all sizes, and ad options to suit even the most modest of budgets. This puts smaller businesses in the previously unknown position of being able to compete with their larger competitors. Television and radio advertising costs dear, and it needs to be strategically slotted in order to reach its intended audience. Admittedly, they’re two very powerful promotional tools, just like print ads can be if well targeted. But even purchasing space in newspapers and magazines can eat into a large chunk of a business’s ad allocation. And the exposure a company receives from this kind of promotion can be limited time wise. It’s said that the best feedback from this kind of advertising is only gained after repeated airings or editions in print.

            Businesses have long awaited an accessible and affordable alternative.

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The Internet is the Answer

One particular method of using the Internet for advertising is ‘Pay Per Click’ ads. These work in the following way: The advertiser only pays for the online space when the ad is clicked and the link followed. This works out as a very economical way to promote products and services on the web, and while a closed sale isn’t guaranteed every single time the ad is clicked, the likelihood of a transaction taking place is encouragingly high.

            Pay Per Click ads are linked to consumer queries on search engines like Google and Yahoo. This means that a given ad is seen by a specifically targeted audience and potential client base – that represents very pinpointed promotion in a way that print or even TV and radio coverage cannot.

            In addition, the Internet is ‘live’ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week globally, so ‘Pay Per Click’ ads are capable of reaching a vast worldwide audience, unlike print, TV or radio exposure which usually applies at best to local or national coverage.

Low Cost – High Impact

The cost of Pay Per Click advertising is variable and depends on which search engine is being used and also the popularity and therefore ‘value’ of a keyword phrase. Obviously the more popular keywords come in a higher price – although the cost overall is very competitive and affordable for most budgets.

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Make the Most of the World Wide Web

Opting to take out Pay Per Click ads is just one way businesses can benefit from the potential of the World Wide Web. But there are a great many other ways in which to reap the rewards offered by the virtual world.

            Employing the skills of professionals can make all the difference to how successful an online campaign is. A company like WSI (an award winning corporation that specialises in Internet Solutions for small and medium sized businesses) will advise about strategies for promotion online. WSI has been aiding businesses in this way for over a decade. An added bonus with this Canada-based company is that they have franchise opportunities for sale, offering others the chance to become consultants and help more businesses thrive in the new and potentially rich world that the Internet is.

Elizabeth Miranda
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-business-articles/why-are-pay-per-click-gaining-such-popularity-731273.html

Businesses around the world invest, or to be more precise, they spend, untold numbers of dollars to advertise, market and promote their products and services to make sales and gain new clients. In an economic downturn these expenditures may be reduced due to cost constraints and consumer reluctance to buy.

As an example it costs around $1,000usd for a small classified advertisement in the weekend editions of major USA newspapers, $2-3,000usd for a similar placement in monthly travel magazines.  Radio spots, from ‘cheap and nasty’ during the hours when nobody is really awake to prime time messages to thousands, the majority of whom may not be interested and many of the rest may just go to a competitor.  In effect, business advertisers may often pay for ‘lack of performance’.  Either the advertising copy was ineffective or the reach of the medium and quality of the audience was ineffective.

In other fields of endeavour we work, perform, produce and then get paid.  Why not in advertising? 

It may be the time to rethink the effectiveness of our advertising spend and to rethink who we spend it with, what we spend it on, when we should spend it, where we should spend it, why we are spending it, how we should spend it?  Or even, ‘if’ we should spend it.

In other words, how can we get more value from our advertising spend? Is there a better way?

The internet affords us all exceptional opportunities to showcase our wares but the same problem arises: how do small businesses let the world know about their own websites when contending with the major players who are always able to buy more  ‘googling’ stuff than they can?

As well as being approached by media reps from local to national newspapers and magazines, small businesses now get inundated with internet offers such as: ‘top 10 search engine rankings for your website;  50,000 hits guaranteed;  increased visits assured with our email programs to our double opt-in email clients.’ And so on and so forth. The emails arrive daily to inboxes everywhere.

Businesses do not want looky-loos clogging up their websites. They want committed buyers to review and compare their products to others.  They do not want to give their hard-earned money to advertisers who simply want to sell advertising space. They want advertising partners.

Businesses should be given the opportunity to work with a ‘pay for performance’ option for their own advertising spend. In other words, “work with me, perform with me, produce with me, get results with me and then bill me.”  The P4P partnership could generate more advertising revenue than the old system of  “just pay, shut up, wait and be thankful for what you get.”  Let’s consider a P4P arrangement where a percentage of sales is given to advertisers who produce sales. Many businesses might welcome such an opportunity to partner with forward-thinking advertisers. Just consider how much more advertising copy could be placed.

An example:

A business that operates websites that offer travel in over 70 countries and with products available to travellers in all countries.  This company needs to advertise in every country, in all traditional media and in all e-commerce media such as e-newsletters, ezines and websites plus tv, radio and of course the electronic social media. To do this would take an enormous budget, which is not available, but to do this on a P4P arrangement could lead to sales growth that could never be realized with the traditional methods.  There could be many similar businesses around the world that could also grow more quickly.  Advertisers who are willing to accept a radical change in their business practices by operating a P4P option could also benefit from the business growth of the thousands of global businesses that would embrace this innovative new concept.  Sharing the risk of both success and failure.  End of example.

The way we now advertise, market and promote business must change.  Advertisers should consider P4P and share the risk and the greater rewards for performance. The advertising industry could experience more business, more profits and lead global economic recovery.

More global businesses will readily accept a P4P partnership.  Businesses and advertisers can perform together and make better returns for both by sharing the risk and producing improved sales.  However, the P4P format should only be implemented when both parties agree that it could produce better incomes for both parties.  If advertisers consider that there would be no benefits for them with a P4P arrangement, the business has to also rethink their own advertising methods and lack of confidence of the advertiser for declining the arrangement.  A catch 22, but real world.

Although most businesses do not want window shoppers, looky-loos, timewasters, or those who unfortunately cannot afford to buy, they must also be aware that, in travel anyway, “today’s backpacker may be tomorrow’s luxury travel buyer” and should be nurtured and even developed as future customers.  A P4P partnership of media and business could develop improved campaigns leading to healthier long-term business growth for all partners.

A recent real case example for internet advertising is as follows:

An internet marketing company stating that they had ‘a list of 3,000,000 enthusiastic travellers’ recently approached a local business.  Before even asking for the cost of using their services the business owner switched the tactics by offering them the opportunity to send their message to this list over a period of months, but on a P4P basis (at their cost).  The business owner offered to pay them $10usd per sale (out of a $35 total sale).  Their comments, “we do not do business that way.” 

The retort from the business owner:  “if you are not prepared to try and get 1% (yes one percent) of your database to buy my offer (30,000 x $10 = earnings of $300k), it appears to me that you do not have any confidence in your own database, my offer, or my product, but you would take my money upfront even though you have no belief in the success of the mailing. This is not the way I want to do business and you are not the company I want to do business with.”

If advertisers believe that your advertisement will work for you why would they not want to earn a better income from a P4P arrangement?  Or do they really have an in-house ethical conflict between editorial and advertising departments?  If so, what are advertorials and the published press releases sent from public relations agencies?

Over the years all types of businesses have been convinced by all forms of media to advertise but rarely are they asked to assess the results of the advertisement.  Advertisers keep taking the money.  Businesses keep on doing the same thing because they have been convinced that they need to be seen and to “do it this way.”  Well, maybe it’s time for a change.

The present economic climate is causing stress and strife around the world. Advertisers could find that they have so much white space available forcing them to print thinner newspapers and to offer discounted rates to their recession-proof clients.  But what if these advertising agencies and media outlets started to work on a P4P basis with all types of businesses to create new partnerships of media and frontline operations from restaurants to who knows what?  A win for the media, a win for the businesses and a win for the buyers who stay informed and are kept aware of local, regional or international opportunities.  And maybe full staffing, thick papers and magazines, robust ezines and e-newsletters that will make us all feel more confident about the economy.

Not all situations will allow a p4p partnership but there are enough out there to reward all parties and all we need to do is develop simple operating systems to make this new way attractive and secure for all participants.

The business in the example above could operate on a P4P basis.  It could have a P4P arrangement with many different partners in many different countries at the same time. Any downside for the media partners would be minimized by their thorough understanding of the business services and products. They would know the wants and needs of the business and so be in a position to not just accept an advertisement but to be totally involved in the generation of leads and buyers.  All partners could get the maximum benefit from the opportunity because the only way to earn revenues is to produce results by better use of skills, creativity, contacts and advertising reach.

A simple method for internet businesses is for unique pages or URLs to be set up for each P4P operation so that accurate assessments can be made of the specific promotion and the fees based on the same statistics and buyers.   Another ‘comfort-zone’ action could be for the media P4P partner to collect the ‘gross takings’ and to remit the net after deductions, to the other partner.  Vouchers can be created giving all parties an audit trail.  Trust is paramount in P4P partnerships.

Many small businesses will survive and help save the global economies. Big business will continue heavy layoffs, cutbacks and corrections until the good times roll again, which could be a long way into the future.  Let’s take action now.

Small business together with Small Internet Media (e-newsletters, ezines) and other Smart Media can try new ways to pull us all out of the economic mire. If they seriously consider this new way of advertising, marketing and promotion ‘with’ their clients, not ‘for’ their clients, they can  “get going now, or they can sit back, take no risks, take no chances, ignore P4P opportunities, downsize, get laid off, change careers, move away or just keep doing the same old thing and stagnate.”

Thousands of businesses around the world would welcome approaches from all forms of media to advertise, market and promote within a P4P partnership arrangement. This could be a simple way to not only help business survival in the recession but will enable us to prepare for future growth.

We go to work, perform our duties, finish the job, produce results and then we get paid. Why then should we not expect to pay only for the ‘results’ of’ our advertising and not just ‘for’ advertising?

Imagine the global acceptance of P4P.  Businesses would be able to advertise anywhere and would never again have budgetary restrictions to advertise, market and promote sales. Media businesses would be getting new clients from places that they would never have considered and at the same time, helping their own clients to expand.   Why don’t we do it?

Just because; “We don’t do business that way” is unacceptable!

The positive side of an economic downturn is that new opportunities arise for creative and progressive entrepreneurs to start new ventures such as P4P advertising.  They are out there.

Anthony Francis