Wednesday, April 14th, was a big day for Minutes Matter. We celebrated Studio 3.0’s anniversary with a special webinar. If you missed the webinar, you can view the recorded version. Merlyn, did an outstanding job that day. You won’t want to miss a single minute of this Anniversary Webinar.

That same day, Jerry and I left Nashville to drive to High Point for the Spring Furniture Market. Sandy Cruz was kind enough to allow us to join the Anniversary Webinar at her place. After the webinar, I took a few photographs to share. Check out all the computers in her office! I thought I was bad, but she definitely is worse! She has everything you can image when it comes to technology.

Sandy used her talents to decorate every room. Every room had beautiful custom window coverings and, of course, every room was neat as a pin.

Her workroom had every tool or piece of equipment any workroom could want. For some reason, I only took a photograph of half of her workroom.

Thank you, Merlyn and Sandy, for a great day!

SPECIAL NOTE: While we were in High Point, we heard from numerous people that stopped by our booth that they could not join the webinar that day and wanted to know if we would be giving away the bedding template again. Good news! We have decided to give the template away again during the May 19th webinar. The only stipulation is that you have to attend live.

We have been busy this month moving our office. After spending lots of time reading and watching numerous videos, we decided we were ready to pack our office files and move to the Clouds. For some time now, we have worked with Google email and Google Docs. Working with Google Docs was one of the main reasons we decided to make the switch. Having documents, images, spreadsheets and other files online and available to everyone, anywhere and on any computer creates infinite possibilities for a business. We have already found so many things that have totally amazed us. We didn’t even realize some of these features would be available to a small business. In fact, I am presenting a FREE seminar on Cloud Computing at the IWCE Vision10 show in Atlanta in May.

Take a little time to read this entire ezine and watch the video to get an understanding of how Cloud Computing works. At Minutes Matter, we upgraded to Google Apps. Google Apps is the business side of Google and costs $50 per user per year. Another compelling reason for us to move was the Google Apps Marketplace, which is similar to apps that you would add to your phone. Keep an eye out for future articles from Minutes Matter on Cloud Computing.

What exactly is Cloud Computing? The Cloud is a platform – the Internet platform. Traditionally, we would buy hardware (like a desktop PC or laptop, for example) and install some software on it. With Cloud Computing, however, the software runs on the Internet. To put it simply, the cloud is the Internet, so we can say that any software or hardware running on the Internet is Cloud Computing. In other words, instead of using your own personal computer to carry out your work, you use the software on machines ‘in the cloud’. This is what we mean when we talk about Cloud Computing. Most of you are probably already using Cloud Computing without realizing it. Instead of installing an email software program on your local machine, you might be using a service like Gmail or Hotmail. The cloud is like one huge collective ‘computer’ (the internet) and everyone connects to it in order to get their work done.

But what’s the point of using Cloud Computing and what are its advantages over the traditional way of installing software on your own computer and using that? Read on and I know you’ll get excited about Cloud Computing!

Simple Technology
There’s no need to install any software on your own computer. All the software is installed on a remote machine somewhere on the Internet and you use it. There’s no need to install hardware or software. This means that you don’t have to worry about different versions of the software, compatibility (since everything runs from your browser), maintenance, etc.

Quick Startup
How long did it take you to get your Gmail account and send your first email? Now apply that concept to other software models. You can start creating todo lists, send messages, upload files, chat, and a whole lot more in a mere minute.

Low investment
Instead of paying a crazy amount of money to buy a piece of software (not to mention the hardware required to run it), with Cloud Computing you often only pay a small subscription fee. Sometimes there are also free-for-life versions of the software, so you only pay for what you (and sometimes that means you pay nothing). Instead of investing in a software program that does everything in the hope that one day you will need all the features, you can start off with the lowest plan and then upgrade when the need arises. Low investment means low risk. Imagine buying an expensive software program only to realize that you hate using it after a few days!

A comparison you will often find of Cloud Computing is that it is like plugging into an electricity grid. A century ago, companies stopped having to produce their own electricity and they could plug into the national grid. In the same way, individuals and organizations can now just connect to the Internet to use lots of applications without having to install their own software or hardware.

The low investment also applies to the computers that you use to connect to the Internet. Previously, you would need expensive PCs to be able to get your computation done. With Cloud Computing, since the bulk of the computation is done by the servers in the Cloud, you can get away with machines with lower specs. In fact, you can often use your laptop, netbook, or even mobile phone to connect to the software in the Cloud.

No Maintenance
Software that runs in the Cloud is updated by the vendors – that means that you won’t need to download and install every few months. When’s the last time you ‘updated’ your Gmail software? You just log in as before and see all the new and improved features automatically.

The same goes for hardware. What happens when the hard drive fails on your machine? You’d have to buy another drive, install the software all over again and then try to restore your data from your backups (you did backup, right?) With the Cloud, it is the vendor’s responsibility to backup your data. If something fails, they have to sort it out.

No IT Specialist Required
Since all the maintenance and updates, etc, are handled by the vendor, all you need is to be able to get online and use a browser like Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or Chrome. Then, you hop over to the vendor’s site and away you go. Did you need an ‘IT guy’ to ‘install Gmail’ for you? OK, maybe some of you did! But did he have to continue ‘maintaining’ Gmail for you once you started using it? Or did you find you could use Gmail anywhere from any computer that is connected to the Internet without him having to install software or hardware?

Omnipresent
Since the Cloud is ‘everywhere’, so is the software that runs in the Cloud. Just as you can access Gmail anywhere you have access to the Internet, most software in the Cloud is the same.
This means that you can work from the office yet have access to the same data and software when you’re at home.

Scaling on demand
One of the biggest reasons for companies to move to the Cloud is for scalability. Say your inbox reaches 50gb (OK, unlikely I know – but let’s say you’re Bill Gates and everyone wants to send you large zip files called ‘Click here to view my photo.zip’)? Then what? What if your hard drive is only 55gb? Uh oh, need to buy a new hard drive! And then all the hassle of installing it and making sure your email client uses the new hard drive and and and….

With Cloud Computing, the underlying hardware is not your problem – that’s the vendor’s problem. If you need more space, just upgrade for a small increase in the monthly fee. No upgrading, no restore.

What if the server goes down?
This is an age-old argument against Cloud Computing. Seriously, what’s more likely to go down, a server that is being maintained by the professionals or your own personal computer? Ever got a virus and had to reinstall? Ever had a hard drive failure or your mother board went kaput? Internet servers are, more often than not, much more secure than your personal computers. The data on them is usually backed up and there are often redundancy checks and failure mechanisms in place (e.g., if one server goes down, another takes over).

Is it safe?
It is known that employees often store company data on their private computers. Laptops may get stolen and data is often lost or can get in the hands of others. With Cloud Computing, as I said earlier, data is backed up. This also means that you can always delete data from your own machines (although it’s always good practice to have your own backups as well). What happens when one employee leaves? With Cloud Computing, her data would be online in one place so another employee can take off from where the first left.

New Look for High Point!
Minutes Matter has a brand new look for the Spring High Point Market. Be sure to come visit us at the Suites of Market Square (Space G-4029). We will be exhibiting several of our products, including Studio, April 17th – 22nd. A video demonstration will be showing on two 47″ LCD Screens and popcorn will be served, so come by and enjoy the show!

Recently, The Suites of Market Square underwent a major transformation to add modern conveniences to the vintage appeal of this charming Market destination. While being careful to preserve the unique historic nature of the building, Market Square will feature a welcoming courtyard. The Suites at Market Squarewill open for the April 2010 Market with a completely new look on the ground and mezzanine floors.
Buyers will find a reconfigured aisle system, new carpet, polished concrete floors within the booths, new signage, and new food service options. There will also be a new corridor leading directly from the Commerce Street entrance to the historic section of the building, making it even easier for buyers to get to the permanent showrooms in Historic Market Square.

Jackie Von Tobel at High Point!
We are so excited that Jackie Von Tobel, the author of The Design Directory of Window Treatments and The Design Directory of Bedding, will be joining us at market this year. Be sure to purchase The Design Directory book series at High Point to receive your autographed copy. Jackie also has several Studio Modules, which allow you to customize her book illustrations within your Studio software.

New Seminar at High Point!
Are you High Point bound for the Spring Market in April? If so, join me for this inspiring FREE seminar entitled It’s All About Attitude. The seminar will be held in the IDS seminar room at 11:00 AM on Monday, April 19, 2010. Casey and I both believe that anything is possible. Positive attitudes lead to open doors.

What does attitude really mean – it affects every hour of every day. Improving your attitude could be the single most important thing you do for your business. Happy organized people are optimistic and creative. Frustrated stressed people have a poor attitude and generally have little or no patience with people and, worst of all, creativity can be totally stifled. In this seminar you will see that a change in attitude doesn’t just happen by chance.

IDS is located at 164 S Main Street, 8th Floor, High Point, NC 27260. Visit theIDS website for a complete listing of all the seminars being held during the High Point Spring Market.

Are you High Point bound for the Spring Market in April? If so, join me for this inspiring FREE seminar entitled It’s All About Attitude. The seminar will be held in the IDS seminar room at 11:00 AM on Monday, April 19, 2010. Casey and I both believe anything is possible. Positive attitudes lead to open doors.

What does attitude really mean – it affects every hour of every day. Improving your attitude could be the single most important thing you do for your business. Happy organized people are optimistic and creative. Frustrated stressed people have a poor attitude and generally have little or no patience with people and worst of all, creativity can be totally stifled. In this seminar you will see, a change in attitude doesn’t just happen by chance.

The IDS offices are located at 164 S Main Street, 8th Floor, High Point, NC 27260. Call the office for a complete listing of all the seminars during the High Point Spring Market (888) 884-4469.

Purchase Wall Templates Now!

Want to close more sales? It’s a proven fact, illustrating using the “Design In 5” technique is the key to making more and working less! Because your clients are thrilled with the presentation, they’ll be compelled to show off their renderings to their co-workers and friends. This makes Studio 3.0 YOUR best marketing tool ever! Haven’t tried Studio 3.0 yet? Click here for our 60-day free trial. Our tech support is the best in the industry! So what are you waiting for?

If you own Studio or you’re using the trial version, next time you open your program, you will receive a prompt alerting you there is an update available. Once the update is complete, we recommend confirming the latest update was installed; click Options > About MMStudio > (Build 3/2/2010). If you do not receive an update notification, email the office at
Send Mail for further assistance.

This update is for ALL Studio 3.0 users and contains enhancements as well as two modules:

• NEW Images: Wall Templates (Over 30 Templates)
  
• NEW Images: Jackie Von Tobel Module 4 (Over 260 New Designs)
  
• Workspace|Canvas: Selected actual paper size (i.e., 8 1/2″ x 11″ or 8 1/2″ x 14″)
• Printer Margins: Display printer margins under the View Tab > Workspace Options (dotted lines will appear)
  
• Protection: Protect objects from Printing|Exporting using Image Components > Protect from Printing/Exporting
  
• Dimension Tool: When using Dimension Tool, numbers no longer round to nearest 1/4″; dimensions are now exact
  
• Image List: While viewing the Image List, right click on a component to identify a specific shape on the workspace
  
• Updated Images: Several image enhancements
  
• Misc: Miscellaneous program revisions and improvements
  

Remember, even though everyone will be able to see the Wall Templates and Jackie’s designs, only those who have purchased these modules will be able to drag those images onto their workspace.It is easy to recognize the Wall Templates and Jackie Von Tobel images as they are the only images that have blue and turquoise text which makes it easy to distinguish them from the other images inside Studio.

It’s here … Jackie Von Tobel’s Module Four is now available! There are over 250 gorgeous new designs for you to customize and use for your clients and they are only 77¢ per design!

If you haven’t purchased this module yet, now is the time. Adding images to Studio will allow you to create renderings so much quicker. Remember, all full designs break-apart so you can mix and match to create a unique look. You can even save your unique illustrations to your custom tab or search for a specific design using Studio’s search feature. Simply type in the page number and the program will locate the design for you. Module 4 sells for $197. 

Purchase The Directory of Window Treatments
Purchase The Directory of Bedding

Jackie’s books are the must-have resource for designers and workroom professionals. Both books are beautifully illustrated by Jackie Von Tobel. Each book contains over 1,000 illustrations.

Jackie Von Tobel is an award-winning interior designer with over twenty years of experience and a passion for design. She is a leading authority on soft treatment design and construction and travels extensively teaching at various trade shows, schools, and design centers across the country. Jackie is the author of the groundbreaking book The Design Directory of Window Treatments, and a member of the IFDA, WCAA, and is certified by the WFCP.

Vickie Ayres sent a link to an article written by Steve Strauss on Open Forum hosted by American Express. I have been meaning to check out this forum for some time after seeing numerous TV ads. Their articles are a perfect read for a small business owner.

This article discusses traits that great small business owners have in common. It was hard to pick out my favorite but here are three of them:

3. They are creative: We have all been to the rote business where by the book is de rigueur: ‘You pay for that and I give you this. Don’t expect more because I won’t give more.’ What a bore. What a waste. What a lost opportunity.

Great businesses tap into the creativity of their staff. People are allowed to try out new ideas and be individuals. New programs, policies, ideas, and campaigns are tried. Some work, some don’t. They adapt and move on.

4. They are led by a charismatic entrepreneur: Groups need leaders, and any time you see a successful small business you can bet that there is a driven entrepreneur (or entrepreneurs) at the helm – someone who can enroll people behind a vision, who understands business, someone people like; the rising tide that lifts all boats. (okay, I had to include this one since Casey and I implement so many new ideas every year and somehow manage to get everyone excited as well.)

9. They strive to be the best: These businesses are, not surprisingly, not content to be good. As it is said, “good is the enemy of great.” The best small businesses strive to excel. Maybe they want to create the best strudel in town. Maybe they want to offer exceptional value. Whatever the case, greatness is the goal; mediocrity is not tolerated.

Read entire article by visiting Open Forum.

From the website: OPEN Forum is loaded with tools to help your business make connections, gather insights and get exposure. Much of the site is open to everyone, but to participate and use special features, you’ll need to be an American Express OPEN Cardmember.

This photograph was taken during the Minutes Matter Studio Interior Design Graphic (IDG) Certification class at Camp Allen on Friday, March 5th. Most of the attendees had already had a full day on Thursday with the Interior Design QuickBooks & Quoting (IDQ) Certification class. After two intense days of learning, I am sure everyone slept great Friday night.

In the Studio certification class, we started out creating a rendering from scratch and then Designed on a Photograph using the Photo Clip tool to allow draperies to fall behind the sofa. Everyone loved learning that the Custom Index had so many different uses. We discussed the easiest and fastest way to file every item on a computer that pertains to a particular client.

On the spur of the moment, after class on Thursday, I decided to offer a bonus “Computer Class.” I was inspired to offer the class after I noticed people were storing lots of items on their Desktop. I concentrated on proper filing and how to add items to their Taskbar. I helped everyone install FireFox and install Add-ons like Favicon. It seems most people experience fewer problems when Firefox is the default browser. A few of my other favorite Add-ons are Wise Stamp, After the Deadline and Evernote. All of us at Minutes Matter have switched to Firefox.

Everyone arrived early, ready and eager to learn how to maximize their use QuickBooks for their business.

Vickie started her class with “The Commandments of Quoting.”

Yesterday we had record attendance for one of our webinars, and were pleased to “see” so many designers interested in learning more about how to use Jackie’s designs in Studio. Congratulations to Pamela and Deborah on winning the $50 Minutes Matter Solutions gift certificates. I bet I know what they’ll be using them for!

Internet savvy designers are realizing the possibilities of offering their services via email, including mood boards, floor plans, and suggested purchases. Studio makes this very convenient with Photo Clip and Photo Knockout tools built right into the program.

Please visit The Lounge, Studio’s interactive Forum where you’ll see answers to questions posed by attendees and some examples of elevation renderings and a floor plan for an Internet client’s dining room, as well as how to save any designs you’ve created by mixing and matching components from the JVT modules.
http://www.minutesmatterstudio.com/forum/showthread.php?p=15917#post15917

If you have read Jackie Von Tobel’s blog, Jackie Blue Home http://www.jackiebluehome.blogspot.com or heard her recent interview on The Skirted Roundtable http://skirtedroundtable.blogspot.com/2010/02/interior-designer-author-fabric.html you may be interested in learning more about how her designs are used in STUDIO graphic design software.

You are cordially invited to attend a FREE, 30 minute webinar sponsored by Minutes Matter Solutions on Thursday, March 4 at 1 PM Eastern. Studio translates the gorgeous draperies, cornices and valances from Jackie’s book, The Design Directory of Window Treatments, into elevation renderings filled with fabrics, colors, and textures. These complete designs can also be broken apart quickly and mixed and matched for an infinite variety of styles. Inspire your imagination with new ideas for treating your clients’ windows – watch how easy it is to drag and drop these beautifully illustrated images and create drawings that your clients will want to show their friends.

To register for this free event, please click here:

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/240892040

As I was doing my morning reading, I was shocked to see that Jeffrey was inviting everyone to attend his first LIVE webinar for FREE Thursday, February 25th from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. PST (12 Noon Eastern) . He loves the interaction he receives from a live face-to-face audience, but he jumped on this unheard of, unprecedented opportunity. The reason for that statement is that Nevada State Bank has hired him to speak to their current business customers as well as potential customers on How to Strengthen Your Business in These Economics Times. Nevada State Bank offers full online banking capabilities so they are not limited to local customers. They have banking customers all over the United States. Jeffrey was super impressed that they are spending this much time and money on their customers. As you know, Jeffrey believes in giving exemplary customer service, which in return creates loyal customers.

Note: Jeffrey mentioned he has spent double his normal time preparing for this event. However, he did not mention an attendee limit. If you would like to attend, I recommend that you sign up now. I have already reserved my seat! For those of you that decide to join me for this event, come back here and share your thoughts.