In last week’s Pronto Insider, we announced important updates about your blog content. If you haven’t done so already, we want to remind you to update your subscription preferences. This will only take a few moments of your time and ensure that you have the blog content that really works for your unique business.

Questions? Read: How to Update Your Subscription Preferences

The next super important thing you can do to ensure that the content Pronto delivers to your blog each week is right on target, is to join the discussion in the Pronto IT Services & MSP Content & Blog Discussion forums.

Pronto’s Managing Editor, Barb Levisay and I are actively involved with clients in sharing and developing ideas for new blog articles. You can shape the content on your website with your active participation in these forums.

More White Papers in 2012

In the Pronto IT Services & MSP Content & Blog Discussion forums, you’ll see: Forum White Paper & Copy Ideas & Discussion. We have a few open discussions on new white paper topics including Cloud Services, BDR and Business Continuity Planning. We’d love to have your feedback so we can deliver new white papers you can really use.

Don’t wait – update your preferences and join in the fun by visiting these forums. Let’s make 2012 the best year ever for the content on your website.

I am very happy to announce that Pronto and our newest team member, Barb Levisay, are expanding our partnership in a new and exciting direction. Barb has now taken on the responsibilities as Pronto’s Managing Editor.

Many of you may know Barb and her company Marketing for Partners, from her years of work in the channel with IT service providers, partners, ISV and other companies just like yours. Others of you probably know Barb from her weekly “Marketing Matters” column in Redmond Channel Partner magazine. Regardless, one things is clear – she has a really unique blend of industry experience with technology companies and the ability to tell their stories with effective marketing and editorial content.

In 2011, we launched our services for Microsoft Dynamics partners with Barb. Right away, Barb’s depth of professional knowledge and fantastic editorial skills were made clear to the Pronto team. All of this combined with Barb’s delightful personality made her an excellent choice to join our extended Pronto team. Given the opportunity to work together, we decided to expand our partnership with Barb and have her take on the role as Pronto’s Managing Editor for our blog and newsletter content.

Over the next month or so we are going to more than triple the number of blog articles we write, improve the overall quality of articles and give you the opportunity to both contribute ideas and tailor the content to your specific business needs.

IMPORTANT ACTIONS FOR YOU

Update Your Blog Topic Subscriptions

First, if you haven’t already, please go to your WordPress Dashboard, and update your blog article subscription preferences. You’ll see the “My Subscriptions” link in the upper left corner, right under your Dashboard menu. There you will find over 40 blog topic categories that you can select from.

Tell Us What You Want

After you’ve updated your subscription preferences head on over to the Pronto IT Services & MSP Content & Blog Discussion forums. It is super easy share some of your ideas and requirements for YOUR blog content. Barb and I are actively involved in these forums – taking client ideas and developing them into content that meets your business requirements. Of course Barb will be developing many great article ideas on her own, and she will share them in the forums as well, but this is your opportunity to make sure that Pronto is delivering the right message, on the right topics for your unique needs.

We’re sure over the coming months you’re going to be very pleased with the breadth, quality and frequency of your blog updates. Help us help you, by updating your subscriptions right away and then joining the discussion in the Pronto IT Services & MSP Content & Blog Discussion forums.

Thanks,
Derek Brown
Managing Director

Pronto for Everybody is Launching Today

We are ready to go with Pronto for Everybody we announced last month, our services for non-IT small businesses of all kinds. We’ll be doing lots of updates the next week or so to our website and other supporting marketing and communication so this is just the starting point. You can find information at our Pronto for Everybody landing page.

As I mentioned in our last Pronto Insider for this first phase we’re going to go with a simple referral fee for each client you send to us. I’ve had discussions with some clients about deeper partnerships and will continue to reach out and see if we can build a program.

As a 90 day kick-off we’re going to offer $200 for each referral, paid when the client’s website goes live.  We’ll make the 90 days starting today, ending November 11.

The referral could be an existing client of yours, another IT service provider or any business you send our way. As an extra kick-off bonus if you get to 10 referral sign-ups within the 90 days we’ll make that $300 per referral, retroactive for all 10 referrals, assuming they go live. In other words a free year of your Pronto service!  We do expect this referral structure will change over time based on our experience but this gives us a good starting off point. And gives you a fabulous opportunity to turn your professional network into money!

Next week we will roll-out client facing marketing materials if you want them. If you’d like us to email information on the websites to your newsletter list we can do that. There’s no charge for this and would include a landing page on your site. This could be on your menu, or just a landing page on its own. If you are interested or have questions, just let us know.

Once again, you can begin directing your friends and clients to the Pronto for Everybody page. We’ll be sure to track the referals and get going Pronto!

Updated Billing System

On another topic we’re right in the middle of a migration from our current PayPal & FreshBooks billing system to an integrated subscription platform from a company called Zuora. It’s a very powerful and flexible subscription management platform that is a big step forward in terms of improving your billing and subscription experience with Pronto.

During this time there might be a few bumps in the road. If anything is amiss in your billing, please let us know. But at least you’ll understand that this transition is probably the reason.

As always, thanks!

Thanks for everything and let’s get going on Pronto for Everybody!

Derek