I’m so confident that my insights and advice can help you become more productive ACT user, that I’m willing to give you one-hour free consultation to prove my worth.  All you have to do is call and setup a time to speak to me.  Offer expires 6-30-2009

Below are some suggested topics:

Customize layout

No contact left behind

Setting up email

Email marketing campaigns

Managing marketing campaigns

Simplifying ACT!

Sharing ACT!

Developing Prospect Lists

Setting ACT! Goals

Getting a grip on your data

Customizing Reports

Sales Opportunities

ACT! Add-on products

Leveraging ACT!

ACT! Training & Consulting

Understanding the importance of scheduling

Managing ACT! users

Client follow-up excellence

Database maintenance

Basic troubleshooting

Something new in ACT 2009 Standard is the ACT Scheduler; in previous versions of ACT (2006, 2007, 2008) it was only available in the premium version.  It is also available in the Premium version of ACT 2009.

The ACT scheduler allows automated backups, database maintenance and Outlook and ACT calendar synchronization.

A client of mine had his computer crash. Luckily, I had suggested he subscribe to Carbonite (an online backup service) and he was able to recover all his ACT files and all his other data.  

When we attempted to restore his ACT data we ran into an issue; a file was corrupted.  I suspect he had a virus.  Because ACT is made up of more than one file I urge you to do a regular backup of ACT so you have the option of restoring ACT from a backup, in case you run into issues with the files.  If you save the backup on your hard drive, it will be backed up by Carbonite. 

To create a backup, select File | Backup on the ACT menu.

On a personal note, I also created a Twitter account to learn how it works.  You can access that account in two ways: visit www.twitter.com/tonyholowitz or www.thinkingintheshower.com.

As a small business owner, I am constantly trying to figure out the most effective use of my time.  On top of my business responsibilities, I’m a husband and father and I’m constantly trying to manage the chaos of my kid’s schedules as well as mine.  In fact, I’m about to head out to my oldest son’s high school lacrosse game.

From a marketing and communications point of view, social networking (like Twitter, Facebook, blogs and LinkedIn) sounds like a great tool.  However, it can be very time consuming to produce the content for the social networking sites that are available to small business owners.

So here are some questions I think you should ask yourself before embarking in social networking (in no particular order):

• How much time do I have to put into social networking?
• What do I expect to gain from my efforts?
• Do I have something interesting to say?
• Do I like to write?
• Am I willing to promptly reply to questions?
• Is the information that I write helpful to others?
• Is my time better spent calling or visiting my clients?
• Will the information I write lead to new clients via search engines?
• Are my objectives business or personal?
• Can I use social networking to promote the writing I’m already doing?

I send computer tips to my clients via email.  I’ve also taken the step of posting my tips on my blog (www.getmyacttogether.com) with the hope that someone finds my information via a search engine and ultimately uses my services.

I’ve been using Netflix for about six months and I love it.  Our local video store closed and left me without access to DVD’s (movies), so I decided to give Netflix a try and have been very pleased.

There are two main parts to Netflix: DVD rentals and online viewing in their “watch instantly” area.  When you order your DVD’s online, you’ll receive an email when your DVD is shipped, as well as, when you send it back and they’ve received it (in Netflix’s prepaid envelope). There are no late fees and you can keep the movies as long as you like.

There are more than 100,000 movies available on DVD and more than 12,000 movies that you can watch instantly.  I have their $8.95 plan which gives me one DVD at a time and complete access to all of their online movies which I can watch on any computer with internet access.

I would urge you to visit www.netflix.com and start a free trial. I think you’ll be thrilled with it.

Every so often I have an experience with an ACT! software user that makes me stop and think about how I could have done a better job explaining my key points.  A person I did some work for missed the two key points that I was trying to get across and I created a video about the experience.  My hope is that you’ll learn from the experience as I have.

Links related to the story:
ACT! Training Videos Free Trial: www.johnanthonygroup.com/freetrial-act

Goal Setting Worksheet for ACT!: www.johnanthonygroup.com/goals.htm

ACT! training classes trial: www.johnanthonygroup.com/freetrial-act

I was recently interviewed by the Boston Business Journal (January 23-29, 2009) for an article about how to choose a computer trainer, “The right click: Recession pays for computer trainers,” by Keith Regan. I’ve included an excerpt:

Computer training professionals say the industry has evolved dramatically in recent years. As personal computing has become ingrained in everyday life, the need to teach basic skills has waned considerably. At the same time, the Internet has opened up new avenues for teaching skills to workers.

“Ten years ago, e-mail was new, the Internet was new and even Microsoft Word was new to a lot of people,” said Tony Holowitz, the founder and president of John Anthony Group in Arlington.

Holowitz’s firm now offers an online training option to all clients as well as in-person training in skills such as the contact management program ACT, Web-design programs and other applications.

“When you talk to the trainer, do they speak in technical jargon that’s going to difficult for employees to understand?” he added. “You’ll also want to know if they use the software they’re teaching on a regular basis. I teach QuickBooks and ACT to a lot of small businesses and, because I use them on a regular basis to run my own business, I can really relate to how people want to use them.”

A good training firm will also offer a variety of options for training, perhaps using a combination of in-person training and online support. Web-based options may enable employees to learn at their own pace, which may suit some worker’s learning style better while others may need the immersive experience of in-person, classroom-style teaching.

Here is a link to the entire article: http://www.johnanthonygroup.com/Tony_Holowitz_Boston_Business_Journal.pdf

I’ve always felt there were two work seasons here in the Boston area (I’m about 7 miles from Boston). 

The primary work season starts in September when the kids go back to school and ends at the end of June when we start to celebrate the beginning of summer (the off-season).  From July 1^st until Labor Day (which is celebrated in early September) I tend to work in a more laid back manner during the summer months.  We typically take a few weeks vacation as a family and most other people are vacationing as well.

I started thinking about this for a few reasons.  First, I have a new client in Perth, Australia and when I Googled Perth to learn a little bit about the area I learned they were celebrating summer.  I wondered if this is their laid back off-season.  Second, here in New England we are coming out of a long and snowy winter and March can bring a variety of weather.

This past Sunday I spent the whole day working in the yard because it was about 60 degrees outside and a beautiful day; it felt like the off-season.  The following day (Monday) it snowed and was raw and cold; it felt like the on-season.

Here in New England, we are starved for spring and the summer that is sure to follow.