Service Archives - TODAY INDIA

Hire iPad Application Developers – Top-Class Apple iPad Application Development Service Provider

Today, the market of iPad is in its boosting era due to the features, capacity and capabilities of it. With the boost of its market, the demand of iPad developer has also increased. Thus, the availability of them has been increasing rapidly. It is good news for its users for getting their device more attractive, professional, advanced and eye-catching than others. For that, you have to hire iPad application developers that are available at bearable cost looking to the skills and creativity of them.

iPad itself contains industry best features and functions that give users more than they know. Today, this device is ruling on the tablet PC market containing highest user of it. It is very useful to fulfill small business as well as enterprise purposes as it works as computer. It has changed the view of the world as far as the mobile technology and computer technology is concerned. Thus, they are needed most in the market.

They can develop tremendous applications that attract the viewer most. As it has been launched by Apple, the brand name itself shows the popularity and demand in this technological market. iPad app programmer has perfect knowledge of Apple SDK and that allow them to produce dynamic and magnetic applications for their clients.

Gaming attracts everyone. Gaming brings us into our childhood. Everyone has played, and is playing games inside or outside, on mobile or on computer. But, its users can play 3D games with the best quality and amazing features and functions in their 9.7 inch multi-touch screen liquid crystal high resolution display tablet PC with eye-catching graphics, and that produce the real gaming to its users. They are also holding the skill of designing marvel games for it. You can also hire them for iPad game development, as they are well-experienced in this service. Thus, you can also hire iPad games developers from the best gaming application services provider company.

Their great skilled and vast experience allows them to provide top iPad software development service for the small business to a large organization. They are at top in rendering its business apps as well as enterprise apps in the market. If you are doing business then you should hire iPad app developer for the best business applications that prove very helpful in your business and save your cost and time, too.

For all the iPad development services, its users can hire them on the following basis:

• Hourly and Daily basis for short term projects

• Weekly and monthly basis for medium term projects and

• Yearly basis for long term projects

Looking to the demand and need, you can get them from the tablet PC and mobile development experts.

So, get the benefit by hiring iPad application developers for top-class Apple iPad application development service.

What Does It REALLY Take to Be Making 6-Figures as a Service Professional?

Over the past 30 years, I’ve read so much on how to make money that I know I can write a series of books on the topic, books that would cut through the junk and you don’t have to buy 101 things for each area.

Most of the information repeats itself — same author, different title and packaging or different author repeating someone else’s list. All the how-this and how-that was driving me crazy as to what is REALLY required to make $100,000 or more in revenue.

A few months ago, I decided to go on a pilgrimage to create a quick and easy-to-see, all-in-one-place list of what does it REALLY take to generate a six-figure income as a service professional — accountant, coach, consultant, and other solopreneurs? Of course, the list is easy to read, but takes conscious awareness and consistency to achieve.

What this list did for me — it freed up valuable time that I was chasing for what I could possibly need in the future, it kept me focused, it increased clarity, and best of all I was able to narrow down my reading time. I also had a plan. Here’s the list of what I consider the top 50 — the list was actually 350 — but I chose the top ones and removed the repetitions.

1. Get up early and start early.

2. Take time to reflect on the day every evening for at least 30 to 60 minutes.

3. Create a vision before getting out of bed every morning on how you see the day progressing. See clients coming to you, see meetings going perfect, see your planning, etc.

4. Start and diligently use a business journal to record ideas, thoughts, suggestions, and reading/learning.

5. Dress so that you feel comfortable and powerful with your energy. It radiates and attracts.

6. Work more hours. (Don’t shoot the messenger.)

7. Schedule your time.

8. Always ask yourself every night, “What can I do better tomorrow from what I learned today?”

9. Complete a one-page SMART business plan with a professional so that they can have an aerial view, because you’re too close, and because you are paying them, they have an investment in your success.

10. Complete a one-page SMART marketing plan — ditto the above.

11. Complete a one-page SMART sales plan – ditto the above.

12. Complete a one-page SMART project plan – ditto the above.

13. Complete a one-page SMART service product plan – ditto the above.

14. Complete a one-page SMART product plan for every product BEFORE starting.

15. Always know your BE point (break even point) for every project/service/product you do.

16. Separate your learning time out from the time you think you are marketing.

17. The best sales call hours and days are Tuesday – Thursday between 10 am and 4 PM.

18. When you want to reach the business owner, try calling them before 8 am or after 5 PM.

19. Passive revenue generation products are required.

20. Have a strong business support system.

21. Either be a writer or speaker to promote.

22. Become technically proficient at the software you use (not expert, proficient).

23. Post to-do lists daily.

24. Monitor your time as if it’s gold.

25. Have back up plans, alternative solutions, to everything.

26. Learn to say no and say it quickly when it isn’t currently in your focus.

27. Have a twice-a-year planning vacation with yourself.

28. Outsource anything that can be completed by less hourly than you.

29. Leverage all your resources as much as possible.

30. Drop networking groups if you aren’t getting leads, don’t hang on.

31. Leave the volunteering alone until you have made the 6-figures, people will not listen to you anyway until you are making that level or more anyway.

32. Don’t allow technology to steal your time.

33. Sleeping in.

34. Spending your energy talking about X instead of taking action on it.

35. Write your goal dollar amount on the biggest piece of paper you can find and take it to the wall in front of you and ask this questions to every to-do on your list, How will this make me that figure? Is it short-term, mid-term, or long-term money generating project.

36. The percentage of time you spend on short-term projects will determine how much money will arrive sooner. Percentage of time = when the money comes in.

37. Keeping irregular office hours doesn’t help.

38. You can grow only as big as the fish bowl you are currently in. If you want to grow, move to a pond, then a lake, and then an ocean. The fish will get bigger as you go until you are the whale in the ocean.

39. Only read and learn what you need now, all else is a waste because it will change to quickly by the time you need it.

40. Work with a good coach, one with years of experience in what you want to accomplish.

41. Become proficient at creating revenue-generating products.

42. Have a system or process for everything.

43. Work with a Virtual Assistant as soon as possible, even before you think you can afford to. In actuality, you can’t afford not to.

44. Create strategic alliances — people that you are very aware of what they do, how they do it, how good they are, how you can send them referrals, you them yours, how you work together on joint products to creating something that is powerful and can’t be found anywhere else.

45. It is a numbers game. If you want 10 new clients a month, you have to speak to 100 to 300 prospects a month and you have to have the means for doing this set up in a process that works smoothly (otherwise overwhelm will be your partner).

46. Set mind-boundaries. When you’re working, your mind is 100% there, when you’re home, 100% there. The more they cross, productivity drops 50% or more.

47. Finish what you start — always. Half finished to-dos at the end of the day creates an energy debt that carries into the night. The payment for this is very great. Don’t write on-going goals on your list. Create a to-do list that only fits into the time you have for that day. The to-do can be mini for a larger project (that is listed in the one-page project plan mentioned earlier).

48. Create an R&D team for every project.

49. Don’t buy anything unless you have use for it now. Be in the now with your buying and not the “some day I’m sure to use it.”

50. Go on a 30-day information diet to reprogram your focus, learn to listen and get in touch with your higher self and knowledge, and to increase clarity of your life, business, career, and self-path.

How to Be a Successful National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Member: How to Be a Professional Corper

The NYSC scheme is an avenue for corps members to acquire useful skills, knowledge and abilities. These skills are acquired through seminar, training, workshops, symposia, colloquium, etc. organized by the NYSC in conjunction with other organizations. These life-changing activities are one of the most profitable aspects of the NYSC scheme.

From the orientation camp, every corper will be given opportunities to acquire skill and information that will be very profitable in life. Speakers, professionals and practitioners from various fields will be invited to educate corps members on how to maximize their service year. Life after service year will also be discussed. Some community development service groups like: Nigerian Road Safety, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Millennium Development Goal, Humanitarian/ Welfare Group, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Crimes Commission. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Red Cross. Etc, will also be invited to give specialized lectures. Their operations, goals and objectives will be unveiled. Corpers will be persuaded to join any of the CDS groups. It is compulsory that you must be a member of at least one CDS group. At the end of the service year you will be given membership certificates, which are very useful after service.

Apart from the above benefits, there is another silent but celebrated privilege of the NYSC scheme that will make you self-dependent, self-employed or gain employment before the end or after your service year. The NYSC always partner with various professional bodies in the quest to make youth corps members self-reliant. These professional bodies train and equip corpers with necessary skills to make them successful. Through the process of lectures, seminar and examination corps members are fully empowered. These prestigious bodies are nationally and internationally recognized. The importance of these professional trainings and certificates are innumerable.

Although these professional bodies offer world-class services, their fees are very affordable. You may not believe the cost of acquiring these training and certificates. The reason for the reduced fees is that these professional bodies are aware of the allowance of corpers, and they know the importance of corps members to national development. A typical example is the Institute of Strategic Management Nigeria. This Institute is one of the brains behind my successful writing and speaking career. Its courses on entrepreneurship opened my eyes to profitable business opportunities in the Nigerian environment. They offer comprehensive services, and I can testify that their lectures and reading materials are of good standards. The fee was very affordable. Non NYSC members pay a very high fee to acquire this professional certificate.

So many professional bodies exist, take advantage of the reduced, priced and acquire professional skills and certificates. You might never have the opportunity again.

Most uninformed corps members perceive these professional trainings and certificates as waste of time and resources. They believe it is irrelevant. A wise man said that” no knowledge is a waste.” As an engineer you need managerial and administrative skills, even a doctor needs it, in fact, everyone that dreams to be a self-employed must acquire these skills. A social scientist or a management graduate needs technical knowledge because diversification is necessary in the business or employment market. Let’s briefly discuss some of the benefits of becoming a professional corper.

Self-Employment

One of the cardinal goals of these professional bodies is to raise professionals who will take the world economy to the next phase through the establishment of profitable small and medium-scale businesses. Their entrepreneurial and managerial lectures equip corpers to face the challenges of small and medium-scale enterprises and emerge successful. You will learn how to identify business opportunities and how to cheaply tap and execute them. The various means of capital generation and the practical steps to access these funds is one of the lectures I will never forget. These professional bodies offer vibrant and interesting lectures that will lead a young entrepreneur to the top.

Statistics have shown that only 50% of small businesses are still trading after their first three years from the initial set up. Most failure is attributed to lack of administrative, marketing and managerial skills. These skills can be acquired cheaply through professional training. I sold close to seven hundred copies of my books within one month through personal sales. It was possible because I acquired profitable management skills from various professional bodies. They offer practical courses that you can never acquire from any higher institution.

Majority of both national and international organization when recruiting make membership of professional bodies a criterion for employment. In most recruitment forms, there are always provisions to fill the professional bodies you belong to. In some cases, the vacancies are limited to only applicants who possess a certain professional certificate.

Don’t deprive yourself of a lucrative employment opportunity only because you fail to utilize an opportunity to acquire a professional training. Nigeria has millions of unemployed graduates, with just few jobs available. Only graduate with a niche can grab these limited employment opportunities. ‘Go the extra mile’, empower yourself and employers will beg for your service. Your curriculum vitae will even speak for you when you have acquired various training and certificates, they will send for you immediately you possess the skill they want. Professional training gives you an advantage over other applicants.

I secured my first job immediately after service without undergoing any aptitude test or formal interview. The owner of the firm was a Fellow of a professional body in which I am an associate. When I discovered that, I told his assistant that I wanted to see his boss. When I introduced myself the only question he asked was; can you do the job? And I said yes, that was all. I was given the job while other applicants continued the employment process just for formalities.

Knowledge

The training, lectures, seminars and reading materials offered by these professional institutions are sources of uncommon knowledge. As an entrepreneur you need knowledge to outshine your competitors, and a worker must possess special knowledge to attract promotion and increase in earnings.

In addition, acquired knowledge can lead to the establishment of a profitable business enterprise. You can become a consultant with your professional skills and certificate. Immediately, you are inducted and certified, you are permitted to start practicing. You can establish a professional firm where businesses will come to seek professional advice, and you can make good money from consultation.

Currently, I am a management consultant, entrepreneurship expert and professional debt collector. I am qualified to carry out these skilled tasks because I am a member of Nigerian Institute of Management, Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria and the Institute of Debt Recovery Practitioners of Nigeria.

Information

Information is the only tool for development. Anyone who doesn’t value information will become obsolete. The world is moving, and things are changing every day. Your skills and professional knowledge must be updated constantly to enable you to compete favourably in the business environment and in the corporate circle. Membership of a professional body is a sure means to modernize your skills and knowledge.

Professional bodies always engage in diverse research. This leads to innovative discoveries and mind-blowing inventions. Members also engage in brainstorming sections that always produce solutions to challenges facing their profession. The only means of accessing this information is to be a member. They also organize seminars, workshops, exhibitions, meeting, etc., to acquaint members with the current trend in the profession. You can never be outdated as an active member of a professional body. They also give professional advice to members to enable them to overcome business or corporate challenges.

Association

All you need to succeed in life is meeting the right people at the right time. Your professional body can link you to people that can lead to your advancement in business and other endeavors. During professional body meetings, you will meet successful business executives and professionals. Most of them are very influential in the society; they can connect you to a job, contract, business opportunities and even a political appointment. Nobody is an island, so you must interact with the right minds to succeed.

It is very important to state that the more you associate with successful people, the greater your chance of becoming successful. You can stand on the shoulder of some senior colleague and make giant strides. All you might need to become successful might be a call or a recommendation letter from a prominent citizen.

It is possible to enroll and grab as much as three professional certificates within the one-year service period. Just choose any professional body of your choice regardless of your course of study, because no knowledge is a waste.

Please grab this opportunity now, lest, it may be difficult and expensive to acquire such certificates at the expiration of your service year.

Exposing the Top 5 Myths About VoIP Service Providers

It’s stunning to think about the changes we’ve experienced with communication methods in such a short time. What used to take months with a stamped letter now takes seconds with the click of a mouse or tap of a finger. Unfortunately, as with most things people come into contact with, there are bound to be some critics.

Despite VoIP having proven time and time again that it offers clear benefits in regards to business communications, VoIP service providers have garnered a bad reputation that has kept businesses from experiencing its vast benefits. Some would say this is due to fear of the unknown or a simple misunderstanding of the technology itself.

It’s time to turn this fear of the unknown into growth! That’s why we’re here to dispel the 5 common myths about VoIP.

Small Businesses Can’t Benefit

This is an unfortunate myth because its stopping so many small business owners from pursuing a resource that can ultimately save them time and money. We’re not talking a few pennies every month, either; some businesses see 30%-60% savings in annual cost! Although large enterprises have successfully managed to rely on VoIP service providers, small businesses would actually benefit the most! When you’re running with a tight budget and scarce resources, consider VoIP service providers who can offer valuable business communication tools such as auto attendant, call logging, customized caller menus, and more.

Unreliability

You wouldn’t run a business without internet connection, would you? Of course not. How would you receive emails, research competitors, and keep in touch with colleagues across the pond? Many VoIP deniers oppose the technology because it is seen as an unreliable resource when in reality, it’s just as reliable as your internet connection. In fact, if you already have an internet connection established in your business right now, then you’re just about ready to start using VoIP. As for dropped calls, call continuity is there to ensure you never miss an opportunity.

Call Quality Suffers

This may have been true in the earlier PBX days, but just as businesses themselves evolve and improve over time, VoIP has seen significant improvements since its inception. With a wider range of frequencies for voice data to travel through, congestion is less frequent and adding high-speed internet connection will only make the call quality better.

Higher Cost

Gone are the days when you needed to spend a fortune just to add another line of service or expand across locations. These days, VoIP service providers have made it easy to expand your team and business locations without compromising your budget. Most VoIP service providers offer different tiers for the type of services your business currently needs, which saves you money by providing you with the absolute necessary and none of the excess. VoIP is truly a more cost effective telephony method; maybe that’s why millions of businesses are already relying on VoIP service providers for their communication strategy.

Installation and Maintenance are a Headache

When you think about a business phone system, you may be picturing a server that needs to be stored in a closet and maintained by a highly-trained (and pricey) IT staff. Thankfully, clunky equipment is no longer needed when implementing a VoIP phone service. Most VoIP service providers offer remote provisioning with their hardware for fast and easy set up. If you decide to purchase phones along with service, all you have to do is connect the phones to the correct ports and watch your phone initialize. In under 10 minutes, you can be up and running with your new office phone; no cabling or heavy equipment needed. As for maintenance, most VoIP service providers have their own IT staff who are responsible for handling software updates.

Renewing Your Trust in VoIP Providers

It can be scary to take the first step towards something you previously thought was bad for business; but if you know someone who is currently using VoIP, ask them about their experiences. What did they like? How did it help their business? If possible, start on a trial period and see for yourself if VoIP is really living up to its hype. Once you’re familiar with the many ways VoIP providers can make a positive impact on your business, you’ll be wondering why didn’t make the switch sooner.

So what should you do when you decide that VoIP is right for your business?

Choosing Between Business VoIP Providers

We’ve established that business VoIP providers bring benefits to businesses of all sizes. If you’re a small business looking to save on costs and time, there is a practical communication technology waiting to be discovered.

Choosing the Best Printing Service For Your Printing Needs

Printing services which encompass commercial, educational and scientific areas have become a major industry today. Many businesses give preference to best printing services for their advertising requirements and all printing needs.

Locating best printing service is not an easy task. There are different factors that can help you in selecting one good service which meets all your printing requirements.

These factors include:

Whether the company can offer services for both offset as well as digital printing? If this facility is available, you can get all your printing work done from one dependable source.

Offset printing is meant for handling bulk orders. Very large quantities of prints can be created and reproduced at affordable costs. Unit costs drops as order quantities increase.

Digital printing is suitable for smaller quantities of print. This process enables direct printing without use of mechanical processes like plate production or film stripping.

A second factor in selection of best printing services is the product it handles. You will benefit from a printing service that handles wide range of products. A big advantage with such a company is that you don’t have to run to different companies for getting different products.

The products that one best printing services should offer include: business cards, catalogues, brochures, calendars, door hangers, envelopes, letterheads, newsletters, greeting cards, posters, stickers, flyers and labels. The best printing service should have facility for format printing of large posters and vinyl banners. It should also provide different options for customisation.

Another important factor in deciding best printing services is the support it offers to clients, like free proofs, project estimates at no extra cost and free review of files.

One more factor that will differentiate one best printing service from another ordinary service is the response time. When you want something to be printed on short notice, the best printing service provider will always be able to supply you quality product in shortest possible time without printing errors. Such situations arise more often and you have to depend fully for express service on your printing service.

Thus the best printing services would be the one which can be set up for different printing processes and products, which is very quick to respond and produces high quality of printing.

Trademarks, Service Marks and Copyrights – How The Laws Have Changed As Of October 2010

When clients engage us to create a logo for their brand, we are often asked whether they need to register the logo as a trademark or service mark. While it is not a requirement, doing so provides broad-reaching legal protection for the use of the mark in commerce.

Whether a trademark attorney should handle the registration is another common concern. Our advice is that you may attempt to do the registration yourself for a maximum filing fee of approximately $375 but the involvement of an attorney who would conduct formal searches and submit acceptable proofs of use in the registration process may prove to be a wise decision when considering the liability, inconvenience, expense and negative outcome of conflicts of rights or flawed filings.

What is a trademark?

According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), “a trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.” That means that logos, taglines and slogans may be eligible for trademark registration if they meet all qualifying parameters and are approved by the registrar.

What is a service mark?

The USPTO defines a service mark as “the same as a trademark, except that it identifies and distinguishes the source of a service rather than a product.” The terms “trademark” and “mark” are used equivalently to refer to both trademarks and service marks.

What is a copyright?

The United States Library of Congress’ Copyright Office, which is the registrar for copyrights, describes a copyright as “a form of protection provided to the authors of ‘original works of authorship’ including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works, both published and unpublished.” Protecting the form of expression rather than the subject matter of the writing, a copyright would only prevent others from copying the description. It would not prevent others from writing a description of their own.

When to use the superscript symbols: TM, SM and ®

Another question we are often asked to address involves when it is appropriate to use the superscript trademark, service mark or registered trademark symbols: TM, SM and ®. The use of the first two symbols is a way to formally claim eventual intent to register either the trademark or the service mark but such registration is never a requirement. Furthermore, if use of the trademark or service mark can be adequately shown with dates of use clearly evident, the inclusion of the superscript symbols TM or SM in conjunction with such usage is not a requirement as proof of ownership. The symbol ® can only be used after formal trademark registration has been completed and approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and doing so without approval would be noncompliant with federal law.

When to use the Copyright Notice

To protect your “original work of authorship,” it is recommended by the Library of Congress Copyright Office that a copyright notice be placed on copies of the work “to inform the world of copyright ownership that generally consists of the symbol or word ‘copyright,’ the name of the copyright owner, and the year of first publication, e.g., © 2008 John Doe. While use of a copyright notice was once required as a condition of copyright protection, it is now optional.”

What the Copyright Protects

It is important to note that documentation from the United States Copyright Office states that “a copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim copyright in your description, but be aware that a copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work.”

According to this office of the U.S. government, “your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created.” Such “work” now includes websites, but not domain names, which are registered and protected as such through The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a nonprofit organization responsible for domain name system management and administration through accredited registrars.

Why Register a Copyright

Copyright registration is strictly voluntary but will be required in the event that you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement. It is helpful to have your certificate of registration a matter of public record, possibly making your work eligible for statutory damages and attorney’s fees in successful litigation. Proving copyright infringement requires skillful understanding, interpretation and defense of the frequently changing copyright laws which contain many gray areas of application and usually deter legal pursuit due to inordinate expense.

How to Register a Copyright:

If you choose to file online, registration of your copyright is $35 per work. If you file conventionally, the fee is $50 per work. You are not required to disclose your real name; pseudonyms are acceptable forms of identification. Also, it is advisable to keep in mind that your registration will become a matter of public record so you should be careful about disclosure of your private information. With more than 600,000 submissions received by the United States Copyright Office per year, the registration process can take up to six months if filed online, and up to two years or more if filed on paper. Fees are nonrefundable. You must also submit at least one nonreturnable electronic or hard copy of the work(s) you wish to register subject to an array of other requirements depending on the type of work, whether published and other variables. The length of this process should not impact your plans to publish either the copyright notice or the work itself. Only your need to file copyright infringement may be affected by the date of actual registration. For more information about this, go to http://www.copyright.gov.

How to Register a Trademark:

Before applying for trademark registration, a formal search of existing or pending trademarks is conducted in order to avoid conflict of rights. This can be done for free by the registrant or his attorney via the online federal TESS (Trademark Electronic Search System) database as well as at selected public search facilities nationwide. In the event that the trademark is defined by a unique design, it will need to be searched with the use of a design code available within the government’s Design Search Code Manual. If a possible conflict is detected, it can be checked further by searching the federal TARR (Trademark Applications and Registrations Retrieval) database. In order to conduct this type of search, you will need the serial number or registration number of the conflicting mark.

If no conflict is revealed, the next step is to prepare a “drawing” of the mark you intend to register. There are two formats possible for mark registration: (1) standard character format; or (2) stylized/design format. The USPTO describes the first as a mark that includes “word(s), letter(s), number(s) or any combination thereof, without claim to any particular font style, size, or color, and absent any design element. Registration of a mark in the standard character format will provide broad rights, namely use in any manner of presentation.” The second format would seek to protect a mark having a particular stylized appearance, such as logos we design for our clients. In the past, such a drawing had to be submitted in black and white with a range of patterns to depict differentiation of tones used. Today, the drawing can be submitted in color with precise accompanying descriptions detailing where the colors are used. Such drawings must be consistent with proofs of actual use also required for submission in the application process. These proofs are referred to as “specimens.”

In the registration of a product trademark, as opposed to a service trademark (or service mark), an acceptable example or specimen must show the mark used on the actual goods or packaging for the goods. This includes a tag or label for the goods; a container for the goods; a display associated with the goods; or a photograph of the goods that shows use of the mark on the goods. Actual products are not acceptable examples in the registration process.

When seeking to register a service mark, the USPTO states that approved samples of use can include “a sign; a brochure about the services; an advertisement for the services; a business card or stationery showing the mark in connection with the services; or a photograph showing the mark as used in rendering or advertising the services.” However, it is specifically stated that if the mark does not include terms that describe what kind of service is offered, it would not be an acceptable specimen of use.

It is essential to file the trademark registration form and its required components of application properly to avoid ensuing problems and delays in the process. If filing electronically, an immediate reply with a serial number of the application should be expected. However, the entire process can take up to several years depending on what legal issues arise during the course of the examination of materials. Findings by a federal attorney citing conflict of previously registered or pending rights, or failure to qualify as a trademark are common reasons for delay. These may include use of a surname or determination that the mark is purely ornamental or even deceptive in its presentation. Such criticisms can be appealed but often are unsuccessful and tend to add further postponements and additional expense to the process if you have engaged an attorney to represent you.

If all obstacles are overcome and the mark is approved, the registration remains valid for a period of approximately five years at which time a subsequent Affidavit of Use must be filed, with a Renewal filing due prior to expiration at ten years. Should any of these deadlines be missed, there is a six-month grace period allowance for either filing with the payment of additional fees.

In any case, it seems that the major reason to pursue formal registration of a trademark, service mark or copyright is to provide tangible grounds for suit if unlawful infringement of rights becomes an issue. For some small businesses, the cost to prevail in such a lawsuit would probably be so prohibitive that the decision to bring a case forward would be ultimately discouraged, rendering the effort and expense to submit all trademark or copyright registrations an exercise in futility. Therefore, the value of such registrations is dependent on the circumstances affecting each individual case.

For further information from The United States Patent and Trademark Office, go to http://www.uspto.gov/

Resume Writing Service – 10 Critical Tips on Picking the Best Writer

When you want a resume that will get your phone ringing with calls from hiring managers who are salivating to interview you for jobs you’d die for — how do you know who to hire?

The resume writing industry is not regulated. The internet is crawling with wannabe and would-be resume writers who’d love to take your cash and give you a garbage resume in return, written in broken English on a template, like thousands of other resumes they crank out daily in resume mills for $99 each.

Or maybe they’ll take one you already have and just re-key it into another format. You may be laughing, but hey, it happens every day to folks who aren’t thoughtful and wary of web advertising and careful how they pick a resume writer. Your resume is one of the most important documents of your life. It should represent you extremely well.

The good news? There are great writers out there, waiting for your resume assignment. You can find one using these steps. Follow these tips and you can’t fail.

1. Read online ads analytically and critically. Don’t believe assertions that aren’t backed up by believable proofs. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Beware especially of pushy advertising based on dark emotions, garish graphics, and strange formatting. And guarantees that are so good they’re obviously ridiculous. Nobody can guarantee you’ll be hired based on a resume, even if a master writes it.

2. Understand what pricing is reasonable and customary in the legitimate resume industry. Be ready to pay a fair price for value received. The most frequent victim of a resume scam is someone whos’s trying to get something for less than it’s really worth. Remember, the cost of your resume is an investment in your future success.

3. Interview the writer on the phone. Listen to how they speak and ask them questions about their background, like how they became a resume writer, who they have written for, and what their process is. Trust your feelings. If the person sounds credible and intelligent, great. If they don’t sound like someone you’d like to introduce you to your next boss, move on.

4. Review some sample resumes. Start with the writer’s own resume. Then check out a couple they have written for others. Would you hire the individuals who are represented by the samples? If not, why expect someone to hire you based on that writer’s work?

5. Don’t use an online resume mill. You are not like everyone else. Your resume can’t be done well by someone who pops them out like biscuits. Get a real writer — someone who makes a living by writing based on specific research. Probably someone with a degree in English or writing.

6. You can’t really completely hire out the responsibility of creating your perfect resume. Expect to stay involved and provide lots of answers to the writer’s questions.

7. The writer should be doing research and you are the only source of all the detailed data they will need to represent you well. Expect (and check for) a rational, organized process. The writer should have you fill out forms and send any old resumes. They should also interview you by phone and ask you a lot of relevant questions. They should be able to explain what they do and why they do it.

8. What questions are they asking you? To write well for you, the writer needs to gather specific kinds of information. They should be asking you questions like these:

What important qualifications does the job require?

What are your best and highest qualifications?

Tell me about the high points of your career.

Is there anything we should keep in the background?

What about you stands out that will help win the job?

Describe your best skills and greatest expertise.

Do you also have minor qualifications that are relevant?

Are there personal traits that make you a good fit?

What have you accomplished that you’re proud of?

Can we express any of your qualifications numerically?

How did you develop your particular skills?

What do people in your field find impressive?

Have you accomplished things in those areas?

Is there any special language that is frequently used in your field?

And so on.

9. Does the writer offer all the documentation and help you need? There’s a lot more required to get a job than just a resume. Do they also write your cover letters, follow up letters, references sheet, and salary history? Do they offer you an elevator speech to help you promote yourself? Do they coach you on how to use all parts of your job change documentation to your best advantage?

10. What are the writer’s special qualifications? Have they written for people like you? Do they have experience with writing persuasively, perhaps with some form of marketing? Do they speak about resumes to groups? Do they have experience as a hiring manager so they understand how people who make staffing decisions think?

When it comes to your resume, quality control is up to you. The best assurance of quality in your resume is in the skill and integrity of your resume writer. You deserve a writer who’s a cut above — the kind who’d be chosen by a CEO or other executive. Check your writer out carefully. Don’t settle for less than one who truly captures exactly who you are professionally and how you’re qualified for the job you want.

Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Satellite Internet Service Provider

If you are a corporation in search of disaster recovery networking solutions, a first responder who may need connectivity from anywhere at any time, or you simply need broadband internet connectivity from remote locations you have probably considered that satellite may be your only reliable option. In the midst of a disaster many businesses and first responders may find themselves without communications of any kind due to the loss of terrestrial infrastructures, or the lack of it ever existing in the first place.

The problem is that most business professionals and emergency service workers do not have a complete understanding of the satellite business and the idiosyncrasies of communications via satellite, and why should they? Satellite communications is not their profession. In the quest for a satellite internet service provider there are certain questions you should be prepared to ask before you get locked into a contract for services that won’t satisfy your needs:

1) Do you have Non pre-emptible satellite space segment?

Satellite operators such as SES Americom, Intelsat among others lease space segment to satellite service providers. There are different levels of protection available in varying price ranges. Many service providers will opt to contract for pre-emptible space segment because it’s much less expensive and they can make larger profit margins which they may or may not pass on to their end users. Pre-emptible space segment gives the satellite operator the ability to deny access to the satellite for the service provider in the event of an on board equipment failure, or to make room for a service provider who is willing to pay the Non pre-emptible premium.

During large scale disasters such as the hurricanes in the Gulf States in 2005 many pre-emptible segments of satellite space were cleared to make room for government requests for satellite service leaving other service providers with no access. If you are considering contracting for service for disaster recovery applications it is highly recommended that you find service providers that guarantee that they have contracted for Non pre-emptible space segment. The service provider should be able to provide you with evidence of their service agreement with the operators if you ask. You may pay a little more each month for your non pre-emptible service, but at least it will be available when you most need it.

2) What is your “Over Subscription” or “Contention Ratio”?

Most satellite service providers who are providing Internet services are operating systems that use TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) based systems. A TDMA system is normally controlled by a central hub location which will command the remote units in the field to transmit their data when the hub is ready to receive it. This allows for many remote units to share the same slice of bandwidth improving the overall efficiency of the system. The transmissions from the remote units are sequenced at a very high rate, many times per second, which makes the service appear to be continuous.

However, the more units that are added to the system, the slower the service will be. A true enterprise level operator will never allow their contention ratio to exceed 20:1 or essentially 20 terminals per segment of bandwidth. Many operators that offer lower grade services will over subscribe their systems as high as 40, 80, 120:1 or more. Some operators may not be willing disclose this information to their end users. If a service provider will not tell you their contention ratio, you might consider looking elsewhere as their ratios are likely to be high. This will directly affect the quality of the service you receive. Enterprise level operators with contention ratios of 20:1 or less will charge more for their services since they have fewer users for their contracted space segment. But, you get what you pay for.

3) What is your system Latency, and does your hardware or software include TCP/IP acceleration?

Any IP transport platform will have a certain amount of latency that is inherent to the structure of the system. Latency is normally measured by how long it takes for a TCP/IP “Ping” to be sent to a server on the other side of the transport link and be returned back over the link to the point of origin. Satellite systems, due to the physics involved will have much higher latency figures that any terrestrial link. Data is transmitted to the satellite at the speed of light, or 186,000 miles per second. The satellite is located 22,223 miles above the equator.

For a ping to make its round trip it must travel up to the satellite, back to earth to the server, up to the satellite again and back to the origination point. This is a round trip is approximately 88,892 miles. When calculated with the speed of light, in a perfect world the round trip will take about 448 milliseconds. When you add in coding delays and processing delays you can increase that figure by 100 to 250 milliseconds. On an efficient system, a round trip ping should take between 550 and 700 milliseconds (225 ms one way in each direction).

Many lower grade systems on the market today will actually return ping times of 1200 milliseconds or greater which is too slow to allow for functionality of certain software applications. Some system operators have added TCP/IP acceleration products to their equipment. This can either be a hardware or software solution. Acceleration of TCP/IP does not speed up the actual transmission as it is already being transmitted at the highest speed possible, the speed of light. The acceleration is achieved by modifying the TCP protocol in ways that allow for more efficient transmission over high latency networks such as satellite. Acceleration can significantly improve the speed of loading web pages, so it is a highly desirable product to have. Most of the products are not capable of accelerating encapsulated data such as VPN’s, but the system should still pass that data, however more slowly. Be sure to ask whether or not the system has an acceleration product included.

4) Does your system support VoIP, VPN, and Streaming Video transmissions?

If you have certain applications that you intend to operate, be sure to inquire whether or not these applications are supported on the system. VoIP (Voice over IP) for telephone connectivity is becoming a very common need in satellite communications. All types of users from emergency services to business continuity are asking for telephone connectivity. The biggest concern most prospective users of VoIP over satellite have is that the latency will be too high for effective voice communications. This has largely been proven to not be true. In fact, most cellular telephone systems will experience as much or more delay in their systems than VoIP over satellite. Most satellite providers will support these systems, but if the system latency is more that about 800 milliseconds, you may experience difficulty carrying on a conversation. Some service providers will also sell VoIP equipment. If you choose to purchase from them, or on your own you will want to make sure the equipment includes good voice compression.

Most off the shelf VoIP systems that are not designed for use with satellite will occupy between 40 Kbps and 90 Kbps of bandwidth to complete each call. If you purchase 128K of satellite uplink bandwidth you may consume all of your bandwidth with one or two phone calls leaving none for internet access for your computers. There are compression VoIP systems available that have been designed for use over satellite that will use as little as 8 Kbps per phone call and the call is toll quality. There are even compression systems that will allow for a 1544 Kbps T1/PRI connection over less than 256 Kbps of satellite bandwidth. You will also want to inquire about connectivity to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). When the signal lands at the hub it will need to connect your VoIP traffic to a telephone line. Some service providers will provide this service for a fee; some will not provide it at all, so be sure to ask. If you need to operate a VPN over the system, keep in mind that it will likely not be accelerated over the satellite.

Acceleration of VPNs can be achieved with external hardware; however it is normally up to the customer to provide that equipment. There are some systems, mostly consumer grade, that will not support VPN’s at all or there are additional charges so be sure to ask. The same goes for Video transmissions from a streaming device, or a web cam. Video streams are highly bandwidth intensive applications and most service providers will require dedicated bandwidth for these applications. The pricing for dedicated bandwidth will be substantially higher than the shared ratio pricing as it consumes 100% of the bandwidth 100% of the time. If you are planning to stream video to multiple receive sites it is recommended that you stream the video over the satellite to a server, and allow other users to get the stream from the server. This way there is only one active stream over the satellite where the bandwidth is expensive.

5) Do you offer CIR or CRA services?

CIR (Committed Information Rate) and CRA (Committed Rate Assignment) are different acronyms with the same meaning. It is dedicated satellite bandwidth that is usually required by the service provider if you intend to operate high bandwidth applications such as video streaming over the satellite. Most enterprise level service providers offer CIR/CRA packages, most consumer level operators do not. The pricing for these services will be significantly higher than shared ratio services, so be prepared. Some providers also require CIR/CRA services for VoIP. Be sure to inquire if this is something you need as some operators may not volunteer this information until it’s too late.

6) How many public IP addresses do I get?

Many consumer level services do not assign public static IP addresses for you to use. This is primarily why they don’t support services such as VoIP and VPN. Enterprise level providers usually provide at least one address, some will provide more. Most providers will give you a fixed number of addresses with your service and charge you if you want additional static IPs. The recommended way to avoid the additional charges is by using your own router on the system and natting your own addresses. Some systems will not support natting so be sure to inquire if this is what you need.

7) Do you have a FAP?

A FAP or Fair Access Policy is a set of rules that you agree to abide by when contracting for their services. They also will include certain restrictions on your service. Read this policy very carefully as the providers like to include wording that can seriously restrict your usage. Some service providers will “meter” your throughput on the system. If you reach a certain level of usage, usually recorded in Kbps, or Mbps they may restrict your bandwidth to a low level, or cut off your service entirely until the next billing cycle. It is very difficult to measure your own usage since most people have no Idea how many Kbps are sent or received when loading a web page. The FAP is also where the provider will spell out the rules of usage concerning applications such as streaming video and VoIP. Going over that document with a fine toothed comb will be in your best interest.

8) What will be my actual measured speeds?

The service providers will sell you a specific rate plan that will have an uplink or return data rate, and a downlink or forward data rate. This will usually be expressed in a manner such as “128/512” or sometimes “512/128”. The larger number will always be the forward channel which is your downlink as a user. Most providers will not tell you that the speeds include IP overhead. Every internet system whether its satellite or terrestrial uses IP protocols that require a certain amount of bandwidth to process the IP traffic. Because of the overhead you can expect that your actual measured payload speeds will be around 20% lower than what you are paying for. Actual speeds can be measured by running a speed test from a PC over the satellite link.

If the service provider has their own speed test server at the hub location this will give you a more accurate test of the satellite link than an Internet based speed server. The internet based servers have too many variables to obtain accurate results since the data is being transferred over connections that are not under your control, or theirs. Most systems will be similar in their IP overhead usage, but be aware of this when you purchase your service. If you don’t think the speeds will be high enough when you factor in the 20% overhead you may want to consider a higher service level plan.

9) What Pricing plans do you offer?

In your search for a service provider you will likely encounter a multitude of pricing plans. Each provider will create pricing structures that meet their business model, and that will give them an edge over their competition. Because of this you may find it difficult to compare price. All providers will offer full time 24x7x365 service plans. Some will also offer plans based on usage, and some will sell daily or hourly plans. There are even providers that will sell service for a fixed number of days each month. These plans can be attractive as you will not likely use a system designed for disaster recovery every day of the month, so why should you pay for full time service? If you are comparing price between providers it is easiest to look at their full time rates to determine the cost. However, keep in mind that operators base their pricing on their cost for the satellite space segment. If they are charging less it may be because they don’t have non pre-emptible space or because they operate with high contention ratios, or both.

10) Do you offer other services such as terrestrial connectivity and collocation?

Be sure to inquire about value added services such as collocation space and terrestrial connectivity. Unless you are only buying internet access and have no need for VoIP, streaming, or data backup, you will likely need these services. Some service providers will provide connectivity to the telephone network, and some will not. If you need dial tone you will probably want to contract for that as well. For disaster recovery solutions it is highly recommended that you originate your dial tone from a safe location that is far away from the affected area.

In many disaster scenarios the terrestrial connectivity including cellular phones will not be available. It is important that this is taken into account when designing a backup network. Some of the satellite providers will also offer services to back up corporate or government server data at the satellite hub location. This is highly beneficial to the customer as it provides both off site storage of valuable data, and easy access to that data via the satellite when it is most needed. A satellite hub with a collocation facility can be a powerful tool, and should be highly considered when contracting for satellite services.

What You Can Expect From A Good Productized Service Software

Productized services are simplified and focus the business marketing operation into a more predictable model that is easier to sell. The services are packaged in such a way that they are more like products which sell easily. Most service providers are productizing their services because of the various benefits they come with including:

Increased revenues
Improved company cash flow
Reduced stress in managing and running the business
Improved scalability of the business

Whereas there are different ways of productizing your services, getting software designed for such can make things even easier for you. When you take your time in finding the right software you will enjoy lots of benefits. If you are just getting familiar with productized service software option, here are some of the things you can expect to enjoy when you get a reliable one for your business.

Ease of building order forms – Traditional shopping carts can be complicated, but with the tight software for your productized service, you can design one page form for selling the services. On the form you can create an easy process that covers everything to do with orders.

Track payments – Good productized service software will log all payments, whether they are one time or recurring so you can keep track of them. With such a feature, it becomes easy for you to know when customers are billed, when payments fail and even when subscriptions are canceled.

Ease of delivering orders – Any good and reliable software will offer access to the order management system so you are able to keep your contractors, virtual assistants and your company team all on the same page. This way, you can see order status, all messages related to it and who is working on the order. It is a more streamlined process of delivering the orders compared to other processes.

Customization abilities – Using the right software will make it possible for you to customize everything you need to including email notifications, messages and navigation items. It requires a templating system that is reliable to achieve this so you can create a client panel that is appealing in every sense.

Ease of collecting project information – The truth is that customers do not like those lengthy forms they are asked to fill during a checkout. The forms can actually be lots of confusion and even end up negatively impacting sales. But by getting right productized service software, you will make it possible for clients to place orders and give you the other details you need later. Giving them the freedom of submitting details when they are ready is better than frustrating them with forms when they really need a service from you instead.

Improved user experience – When customers are in a position to manage their own order, download services and even keep track of their subscriptions they feel part of the process improving their experience of working with you greatly. Your good software should be able to give them such features so they feel confident working with you and in turn become repeat customers.

How Does VoIP Phone Service Work?

For years, businesses have been replacing their analog phone lines with VoIP phone service. In its early years, VoIP picked up its own reputation among users and skeptics who touted it as unreliable; however, throughout its history, this new communication technology has grown in popularity and left its mark as a reliable and practical communication solution for businesses of all sizes.

Today, businesses use VoIP features to stay in touch with customers and colleagues, expand their businesses seamlessly, monitor employee performance, and build customer loyalty. By harnessing the power of the cloud, VoIP also offers a degree of flexibility and simplicity that analog users just can’t experience.

While analog phone service keeps communications fixed in one location, VoIP allows you to make and receive your business calls from any device (office, mobile, or soft phone app) or forward them to external sites and extensions.

The flexibility and convenience of this technology is what most users love about business VoIP providers.

Small businesses and entrepreneurs are also able to use VoIP phone service to create the image of a larger company with features like auto attendant and custom prompt menus.

What can you expect from a VoIP phone service?

VoIP takes analog audio signals and converts them into digital data which can be transmitted over the internet. With less bandwidth required to transmit the data, there is less occurrence of jitter which causes that choppy audio and lackluster call quality that drives everyone crazy.

Call quality, cost savings, and easy setup are the main drivers of VoIP’s success but there are several features and capabilities that set this communication technology apart.

These are few of the standard features you can expect when using a VoIP phone service:

Call forwarding
Voicemail to email
Auto attendant, also known as a digital receptionist or cloud receptionist
Call continuity
Programmable keypads
App integration
Caller ID display
Call blocking
Call conferencing
Mobile capabilities

VoIP phone service can seem like a drastic change to your communications strategy but if you’re willing to speak with consultants, you will see that it’s actually a simple transition.

A Better Business Communication Solution

Convenient set up

Even with more recent, premise-based business phone systems, set up is cumbersome and expensive compared to a cloud-based phone system. It requires users to connect wires and figure out which line pairs with which extension; most busy business owners usually end up either having to hire someone to install it for them or spend hours on the phone with their phone company.

With VoIP, the time it takes to get up and running is minimal and most VoIP service providers offer support to help you every step of the way. Usually, however, it’s as easy as plugging in your IP phone and letting it initialize to your existing network.

There are no wires or lines to worry about since your service provider takes care of most of the set up before you receive your new equipment. When you use VoIP phone service, your settings come pre-configured to your phone so all you have to do is connect your phone to the correct ports and you’re on your way.

The best part?

Since VoIP is cloud-based, your provider is able to take the maintenance of equipment and servers that help power your communications off your hands by managing their own servers and IT staff for your convenience.

This means any business can enjoy using this technology regardless of the size of their location.

Minimize costs

Businesses see significant savings when they switch from traditional phone service. With older PBX systems, you had to hire an IT staff to maintain the equipment housed in your office, pay for long distance charges, and if you wanted to add a line to your office you had to pay the phone company more for the phone number and installation.

Today’s VoIP technology only requires one-time hardware costs and a monthly subscription based on service plan rates. Long distance calling rates vary among providers but many offer unlimited calling along with competitive international rates.

Easy setup, lower costs, and robust features make VoIP a great solution for business communication. It’s no surprise that VoIP is seeing rapid growth with no signs of slowing down in the coming years.