If your accounting or tax practice has been using ACT! for years, your database probably contains much more than names, addresses, and phone numbers. It may contain years of client history, notes, activities, custom fields, relationships, documents, and other information that your firm relies on every day. So when you’re ready to move from ACT!…
How to Convert Your ACT! Database to GoHighLevel Trying to move from ACT! to GoHighLevel? If you’ve spent years building your ACT! database, you probably have much more than a list of names and email addresses. Your database may contain custom fields, notes, activities, groups, opportunities, sales history, and other information that’s important to your…
If you have been using Act! CRM for years, your database probably contains far more than names, phone numbers, and email addresses. It may contain years—or even decades—of notes, histories, activities, opportunities, groups, custom fields, secondary contacts, relationships, attachments, and other valuable customer information. That is why moving from Act! to another CRM is not…
If you’ve been using QuickBooks Desktop for years, you’re probably familiar with a recurring tradition: another price increase. Beginning with renewals in February 2026, Intuit has once again raised the cost of nearly every QuickBooks Desktop product, including Pro Plus, Premier Plus, Enterprise, Payroll, and Accountant editions. Existing Desktop users can still renew their subscriptions,…
Which Companies Specialize in CRM Data Migration Services for Small Businesses? Migrating from one CRM to another can be one of the most important technology projects a small business undertakes. Done correctly, your team gains better reporting, improved automation, and easier access to customer information. Done poorly, you risk losing years of valuable customer history,…
For more than 20 years, I’ve relied on Quicken to manage my personal finances, while I use Zoho Books to run the financial side of my business. Both products do an excellent job in their respective roles, and I’ve become a big believer in using the right tool for the right purpose. Simply put, I…
For many small and midsize businesses, Act! CRM has been a trusted customer relationship management platform for years—even decades. It helped organizations organize contacts, track sales activities, and maintain customer relationships long before cloud-based CRMs became the norm. But as business needs evolve, many Act! users are asking an important question: Should we continue investing…
Key Features of Zoho One Zoho One is a comprehensive suite of over 45 integrated applications designed to manage and automate your business processes. One of the standout features of Zoho One is its unified interface that allows you to access all these applications from a single platform. This eliminates the need to switch between…
For years, businesses using Zoho CRM and QuickBooks have relied on third-party integrations, custom development, or manual data entry to keep sales and accounting aligned. Zoho has now introduced a native QuickBooks Online integration that makes connecting these two critical systems much easier. Why This Matters One of the biggest challenges growing companies face is…
I recently got pulled into one of those technology disasters that starts small and somehow turns into a full-time job. Apparently, someone mistakenly used my Gmail address as a backup authentication email while setting up their Xbox account. Harmless enough… until Microsoft’s account recovery system decided that I now needed to solve a digital escape…
Watch Now You’re invited to my free Zoho Wednesday Webinar on Wednesday, May 27 at 12 PM EST. Join us for our FREE Wednesday Webinar on Wednesday, May 27 at 12:00 PM Noon EST as we cover one of the #1 questions I receive from Zoho users — email setup and marketing communication inside Zoho. We’ll discuss creating…
Zoho CRM gets a bad reputation for being complicated. In most cases, that’s not the issue. The issue is how it was set up. Here are the mistakes I see all the time—and what they’re costing you. 1. Trying to Build the “Perfect” System Too many fields. Too many modules. Too many rules. The result? No one…
For many long-time ACT! users, the software has been a reliable companion—tracking contacts, managing relationships, and keeping sales efforts organized for years (sometimes decades). But lately, there’s a growing sense of hesitation when that annual renewal notice shows up, especially when it’s hovering around $500 per year. And the question is simple: Is it still…
If you’re using Zoho regularly, you’ve probably run into a few “why is this happening?” moments. The good news? Many of the most common questions have very simple fixes. Here are three quick ones I get all the time: 1. Why isn’t my CRM Notes Report showing all notes?This one can be frustrating—especially when you…
For years, “enterprise software” has carried a certain reputation: powerful, comprehensive… and wildly expensive. Traditionally, only large organizations with deep pockets could afford fully integrated systems that handled sales, marketing, finance, support, and operations all in one place. That’s exactly the gap Zoho Corporation set out to close with Zoho One. What Is Zoho One?…
For years, many loyal ACT! users enjoyed a simple arrangement: buy the desktop version of the software once, install it, and use it for years without thinking about another payment. It was reliable, familiar, and for many small businesses, it became the backbone of customer management. Then came the dreaded computer upgrade. Many longtime users…
Zoho One gives you 45+ fully integrated apps in one powerful platform—eliminating the cost, complexity, and headaches of managing multiple systems. The result? Lower expenses, better visibility, and a business that runs smarter and faster. It’s not just a better deal—it’s a competitive advantage. Try Zoho One Now. Zoho One Sales & Marketing Apps…
We Got Promoted (No, Not the Corner Office Kind… the Zoho Kind) There are a few moments in business that feel like a real “level up.” Landing your first big client. Hiring your first employee. Finally figuring out where that one setting is in Zoho that’s been hiding from you for three years. And then…
Let’s be honest. Prospecting often looks like this: Open CRM.Open LinkedIn.Search company.Search people.Click profiles.Get distracted.Twenty minutes later you’re reading someone’s post about their dog getting promoted to “Chief Happiness Officer.” There’s a better way. LinkedIn Finder for Zoho CRM helps you find the right people at the right companies without leaving your CRM—or falling down…
View the Webinar You’re invited to my free Zoho Wednesday Webinar on Wednesday, March 18 at 12 PM EST. In this session, I’ll demonstrate 12 new features in Zoho CRM that can help you work smarter, stay better organized, and get even more value from your CRM. Whether you’re a long-time user or fairly new to Zoho, you’ll likely discover…
If you’re frustrated with Zoho CRM, you’re not alone. However, most of your Zoho CRM problems are easy to fix. Most people don’t leave Zoho because it’s a bad product.They leave because it was never set up correctly. Before you start looking for a new CRM, fix these five things first. 1. Your Zoho Data…
If you’re still running your business on ACT!, this might feel a little uncomfortable to read. Good. Because for many companies, their ACT! database isn’t just “old software.” It’s a single point of failure quietly sitting in the corner… humming… waiting… 😬 Let’s talk about why. 1. It Lives on One Computer (Usually the One…
Email is still at the heart of most CRM activity. Sales conversations, follow-ups, support threads—it all lives (or should live) alongside your customer records. One of the things Zoho CRM does well is giving you multiple ways to send email, depending on how you like to work. If you’re coming from ACT CRM, especially if…
Watch Now Are you using Zoho CRM but feel like you’re only scratching the surface? Or maybe you’re brand new and want to start strong without feeling overwhelmed. Either way, this webinar is for you. In this session, we’ll share 10 practical Zoho CRM tips that work for both new users and seasoned pros. These…
Reporting is where a CRM either earns its keep or exposes its age. On paper, both ACT! and Zoho CRM offer “custom reporting,” but the experience of creating those reports—and the value you get from them—could not be more different. If you’ve ever tried to build a custom ACT! report and then built one in Zoho…
In the fast-growing ecosystem of business software, recognition isn’t handed out lightly—it’s earned. That’s why the recent promotion of Karen Fredricks from an Authorized Zoho Partner to an Advanced Zoho Partner marks a significant achievement, not just professionally, but as a reflection of consistent client success. What This Promotion Really Means Within the Zoho Corporation…
Bigin had a busy year in 2025, rolling out smart upgrades designed to save time, reduce manual work, and improve how you connect with customers. Here’s a quick look at the most useful new features and why they matter. Easier Scheduling with Booking Pages: Bigin now lets customers book appointments through simple, no-code booking pages.…
ACT! Pro has long been a trusted CRM for small businesses, but many users now find it limiting as their needs grow. Modern teams want a CRM that’s easier to use, cloud-based, and tightly integrated with everyday tools like email. Zoho Bigin was built with those needs in mind. It delivers the essential CRM functionality ACT!…
The New Year is all about fresh starts. We clean out closets, set new goals, and promise ourselves we’ll finally get organized. But what about the technology running your business? If you’re still relying on an ACT! database, chances are it’s not exactly helping you start the year strong. Slow performance, outdated functionality, and recurring technical…
Zoho One includes a virtual smorgasbord of 40+ products, but these are my favorites: Zoho CRM: The heart of Zoho One this is the place to keep all the data for your contacts. Zoho Books: Tired of QuickBooks – and the large price tag? Zoho Books has all of the QuickBooks functionality with the extra…
Installing software in 2025 should be simple. Click a button. Maybe wait a few minutes. Get coffee. Done. Installing ACT! v27 Premium Desktop, however, is not an installation—it’s an experience. One that involves patience, reboots, research, and a surprising amount of self-reflection. Step 1: Download Act!… and Wait I bought myself a new laptop for…
A multi-generation family business modernizes operations, cleans up critical data, and unlocks automation for growth. Client: Playground King Consulting Partner: Tech Benders Location: Florida, USA Industry: Recreational Equipment & Playground Installation Employees: Approximately 24 Introduction: Playground King is a well-established, family-owned business specializing in the design, sale, and installation of residential playground equipment. Serving schools, municipalities,…
I’ve always known Zoho had strong marketing… but my recent trip to Canada proved that Zoho’s marketing team might actually be telepathic—or at least incredibly efficient. It all started on the New Jersey Turnpike. I’m driving toward the exit for the GW Bridge, mentally preparing for the gridlock that only New York City can provide,…
Every business owner expects a little healthy competition. What we don’t expect is for a competitor to help themselves to our hard-earned content like it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet. For months, something odd kept happening on my site. On the 22nd of every month—like clockwork—a single visitor would politely (and I use that term loosely) tour all…
If you’ve ever tried to move from Act! CRM to another CRM platform, you may have discovered a frustrating truth: while migrating basic data like contact names, phone numbers, and emails is fairly straightforward, getting your Act! Notes and Histories out of the system is another story entirely. In fact, for the average user, exporting…
Choosing a CRM isn’t just about tracking contacts — it’s about enabling your business to sell smarter, market better, and support customers consistently. Zoho CRM Plus is a complete customer-experience suite, while Act! CRM is more of a traditional contact management tool. And when you put them side by side, the advantages are hard to…
One of my favorite ACT add-ons is the Call On CRM solutions that allows you to dial your phone directly from ACT!.
If you’ve ever worked with a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system, you’ve probably noticed lots of built-in fields—things like First Name, Last Name, Email, and Phone Number. Those are standard fields that come with every CRM. But what happens when you need to track something unique to your business—say, a customer’s favorite product line, franchise location,…
This message from my website absolutely made my day: Visitor: “Do you work with Act! for DOS 1.1?” Me: “Is that a typo? You mean Act! 21.1, right? Act! 1.1 is nearly 30 years old.” Visitor: “Nope. Still using Act! 1.1. Attached a photo.” Before I moved on to Zoho CRM, I spent over 20…
If you’re still using an older version of Act! CRM—especially classics like Act! 6.0—you’ve probably noticed the cracks starting to show. What was once a powerful contact management system has become outdated, harder to maintain, and increasingly incompatible with modern business needs. Worse yet, upgrading to the latest versions of Act! often comes with higher…
What’s Missing in Act! for Web Act! for Web brings the convenience of browser access, letting you work from anywhere without installing software. But if you’ve been using Act! Premium for Desktop, you’ll quickly notice that the Web version still doesn’t measure up in several key areas. Missing Word Processor and Mail Merge: Act! for Web…
“Free” sounds great—especially when it comes to CRMs. Zoho’s free editions of Zoho CRM and Bigin are surprisingly capable, but they’re not one-size-fits-all. Here’s who they’re ideal for—and who will quickly outgrow them. 🎯 Zoho CRM Free Edition: Best for Small Teams Ideal for: Up to 3 users Businesses that need basic contact and deal…
Watch Now! Still hanging onto ACT! CRM? Join us this Wednesday for a free webinar where we’ll show you why it may be time to move on. We’ll compare ACT! head-to-head with Zoho’s powerful suite of products, highlighting the differences in pricing, features, customizations, automations, mobile access, and ongoing support. Whether you’re frustrated with outdated…
If you’re ready to move on from ACT! CRM, you may be wondering how to export your data. The truth is, getting your information out of ACT isn’t as simple as hitting “export.” Here are two important facts you need to know: 1. ACT! is a Relational DatabaseYour contacts, companies, activities, and opportunities are stored…
Back in August, 2000 I ran an Act 6.0 launch event. I was super excited as it had been over 4 years since a previous release of Act, and this version had Outlook integration! I planned for the event for months in advance. I enlisted over a dozen Act Add-On vendors to attend and have…
As more ACT CRM users begin upgrading to Windows 11, it’s important to understand how the change may impact your ACT! CRM software. While Tech Benders continues to support ACT!, we can’t guarantee that older versions of Act will work reliably on Microsoft’s latest operating system including Windows 11. For many long-time ACT! users, this…
QuoteWerks integrates seamlessly with contact managers like ACT! and ACT! for Web, eliminating the need to re-type customer information. QuoteWerks also has its own built-in contact database.
This year has been a milestone for Tech Benders—we’ve experienced an incredible 159% increase in total revenue as of 8/27, and the driving force behind this growth has been our strategic shift from selling Act! software to Zoho CRM solutions. The move to Zoho has not only expanded our offerings but also allowed us to…
Salesforce and Zoho CRM are both great products. So why do I prefer Zoho? Quite simply, it’s a lot better “bang for the buck.” There are a number of reasons for this. Salesforce has long expanded through big acquisitions and even bigger buildings. Salesforce Software Acquisitions Over the years Salesforce has made between 65 and…
Tired of Office 365? There is an alternative. Zoho Workplace is an all-in-one, cloud-based productivity and collaboration suite that brings together the tools you need to work efficiently – and they all integrate with Zoho CRM! Zoho Workplace bundles three core suites into one unified experience: Mail Suite: Zoho Mail (with calendar, tasks, contacts), Zoho…
Choosing accounting software? While QuickBooks is the big name, Zoho Books delivers more value, tighter CRM integration, and online access—at a fraction of the price of QuickBooks. 💰 Zoho Books Pricing Zoho Books starts at $15/month (with a free plan for small businesses), while QuickBooks begins at $35/month with no free tier. Extra Zoho users…
Tired of juggling phone calls, sticky notes, and your CRM? With Zoho Voice, you can make and receive calls right inside Zoho CRM or Zoho Desk—no extra software, no switching tabs. It’s a cloud-based phone system designed for teams that want to sound professional, stay organized, and keep conversations flowing. Why You’ll Love It: Call from…
Watch Now Are you getting the most out of your CRM? Whether you’re currently using Zoho or Act, there’s a good chance you haven’t tapped into some of Zoho’s most powerful (and often overlooked) features. Join us for a free, live webinar where we’ll showcase 10 Zoho CRM features that can save you time, boost…
Data is the lifeblood of any CRM system. Whether you’re switching platforms, updating contact info, or simply backing up your data, the ability to easily import and export records is critical. If you’ve ever tried performing these tasks in Act! CRM, you already know it can feel like solving a Rubik’s cube blindfolded. Fortunately, Zoho…
I receive a lot of inquiries about Zoho’s product line. There are three basic Zoho products: Zoho Bigin, Zoho CRM and Zoho One. And there are additional levels for both the Bigin and CRM products ranging from free to $480/year/user. If that wasn’t confusing enough there also Zoho One that includes both Zoho CRM Enterprise…
Back in 2019 I wrote this article about the QuickBooks Link that connect Act to QuickBooks. Fast forward six years and I’m finding that many businesses running on QuickBooks eventually look for tighter integration with their CRM. Here’s the truth: you don’t need to purchase a link between your Accounting and CRM software if you…
View Now If you’ve ever felt like your Zoho data is trying to tell you something—but you’re not quite sure what—it’s time to tune in. We’re hosting a free, practical webinar all about Zoho Reports & Analytics. Whether you’re using Zoho CRM, Zoho Bigin, or Zoho Analytics, this session will help you get more value…
WATCH NOW! Whether you’re sending a personalized note to one contact or launching https://meet.zoho.com/yari-ogx-nara full-blown email campaign to hundreds, we’ve got you covered! Join us as we explore: ✅ How to send single, personalized emails using Zoho CRM✅ How to run professional email campaigns using Zoho Campaigns This session is perfect for anyone looking to…
Act! CRM has been around for decades—over 30 years! And many businesses have loyally used it just as long. But even the most loyal Act! users have likely faced this recurring issue: database clutter. A few years ago, I shared some helpful tools available in Act! to help with cleanup—everything from deleting old histories to…
Are you using both ACT and QuickBooks? Tired of doing double-entry? We’ve got the answer!
When it comes to managing customer relationships, Zoho has a whole toolbox ready—but two of its most popular options are Zoho Bigin and Zoho CRM. If you’re wondering which one fits your business better, here’s a friendly breakdown. 🚀 Zoho Bigin: CRM Made Simple Zoho Bigin is like the “CRM Lite” version of Zoho CRM.…
If you’re still using ACT! CRM on a Windows 7 machine, it’s time to talk security—and no, we don’t mean installing another antivirus tool. While ACT! CRM has served businesses faithfully for decades, using it on an outdated system like Windows 7 poses a serious risk. Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7 in 2020, which means…
Are you ready to take your Zoho CRM knowledge to the next level? Our Zoho CRM Wednesday Webinar series is here to help you do just that! Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2025 @ 12 PM EST Topic: Importing & Exporting into Zoho Listen Now! Every second Wednesday, we dive into exciting and practical topics to…
When customizing your Zoho CRM modules, choosing the right field type is key to capturing accurate and useful data. Whether you’re setting up a sales pipeline, contact form, or support ticketing system, understanding the field types available in Zoho CRM can streamline your workflows and enhance your reporting. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of Zoho CRM’s…
In a previous article I talked about the escalation in the Act CRM product when they introduced “Act Advantage.” If you’re looking for a cheap CRM – or one that doesn’t carry an annual subscription – there is no better price than FREE. That’s right: Zoho CRM has a FREE edition. If you’re just starting…
Are you ready to take your Zoho CRM knowledge to the next level? Our Zoho CRM Wednesday Webinar series is here to help you do just that! Date: Wednesday, April 23 @ 12 PM EST Topic: Importing & Exporting into Zoho Watch Now! Every second Wednesday, we dive into exciting and practical topics to help…
When it comes to choosing the right CRM for your business, the options can be overwhelming—and sometimes, the prices downright shocking. If you’ve taken a peek at ACT Advantage lately, you might’ve experienced a little sticker shock. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Let’s break it down. ACT Advantage is a familiar name in the CRM…
Are you ready to take your Zoho CRM knowledge to the next level? Our Zoho CRM Wednesday Webinar series is here to help you do just that! Date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025 @ 12 PM EST Topic: Importing & Exporting into Zoho Listen Now! Every second Wednesday, we dive into exciting and practical topics to…
Spring has sprung – and so have a lot of amazing new Zoho CRM features Expanded Messaging Integrations: Now connect with customers via Line, in addition to improved WhatsApp features like message templates, threaded replies, and audio previews.Zoho Advanced Account Management: The new Account-Based Marketing (ABM) add-on helps identify and engage high-value accounts through enriched…
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 @ 12 PM EST Topic: Roles & Permissions View Now! Every second Wednesday, we dive into exciting and practical topics to help you maximize the potential of Zoho CRM for your business. From learning the basics to exploring advanced features, our sessions are tailored for users of all levels. Here’s what…
As the tech world marches forward, a significant milestone is approaching: Microsoft will officially end support for certain versions of Windows on October 14, 2025. For everyday users, this might just seem like another update on the horizon. But for businesses relying on specialized tools like ACT! CRM software, this change carries deeper implications. What’s…
Date Wednesday, March 12, 2025 @ 12 PM EST Topic: Customizing the Zoho Home Page View Now! Every second Wednesday, we dive into exciting and practical topics to help you maximize the potential of Zoho CRM for your business. From learning the basics to exploring advanced features, our sessions are tailored for users of all…
Are you ready to take your Zoho CRM knowledge to the next level? Our Zoho CRM Wednesday Webinar series is here to help you do just that! Next Webinar: Wednesday, Dec 14, 2024 @ 12 PM EST Topic: Working with Zoho Layouts & Canvases Register Now! Every second Wednesday, we dive into exciting and practical…
When it comes to choosing a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system, one factor that often gets overlooked is database size. If you’re planning to host your CRM database on the web, you might be wondering: How much space do I actually need? Today, we’re comparing the storage needs of ACT! CRM (which uses SQL) and…
Are you ready to take your Zoho CRM knowledge to the next level? Our Zoho CRM Wednesday Webinar series is here to help you do just that! Next Webinar: Wednesday, Feb 12, 2025 @ 12 PM EST Topic: Creating Zoho Custom Fields & Modules Register Now! Every second Wednesday, we dive into exciting and practical…
I get it—Windows 11 is shiny, new, and packed with features. But before you hit that upgrade button on your trusty Windows 10 machine, let’s talk about a few things that might make you pump the brakes, especially if you rely on ACT! (which uses SQL) for your daily workflow. 🚨 SQL Users, Beware! Upgrading…
In recent years, there’s been a notable shift in the CRM landscape. A growing number of businesses that once relied on Act! are now jumping ship to Zoho CRM. If you’ve been scratching your head wondering why, let’s break it down. The Decline of Act! For 40 years Act! has been a fixture in the…
Are you ready to take your Zoho CRM knowledge to the next level? Our Zoho CRM Wednesday Webinar series is here to help you do just that! Date: Wednesday, Jan 22, 2025 @ 12 PM EST Topic: Finding Your Way Around Zoho Watch Now! Every second Wednesday, we dive into exciting and practical topics to…
Back in 2017 I had to make a difficult decision. After many, many years invested in Act!, it was finally time to move on. A decision I didn’t take lightly! My relationship with Act! had been a long one. I’d written 7 books on Act! as well as created a set of learning videos for…
I’ve worked with MicroCadd for more than 20 years, starting back in the days of Act! 6.0. Over time, it became clear that they had simply outgrown Act!—and for good reason: They needed to track transactions in multiple currencies. They operated across numerous locations. Their team included both English and Spanish speakers, requiring a CRM…
Are you ready to take your Zoho CRM knowledge to the next level? Our Zoho CRM Wednesday Webinar series is here to help you do just that! Date: Wednesday, Jan 8, 2025 @ 12 PM EST Topic: Zoho Templates Watch Now! Every second Wednesday, we dive into exciting and practical topics to help you maximize…
You use Zoho CRM. You’ve got a smartphone. And you want to link the two together! Luckily, you don’t need to buy any extra software—Zoho has you covered with its free Zoho CRM mobile apps for iOS and Android. With the Zoho CRM apps, you’ll have instant access to your leads, contacts, accounts, and deals…
For decades, ACT! Pro was a trusted name in customer relationship management (CRM) software, helping businesses track leads, manage contacts, and use a sales pipeline. However, as of 2023, ACT! Pro is no longer available for purchase. While this marks the end of an era, it also opens the door to new opportunities. Enter Zoho…
Are you ready to take your Zoho CRM knowledge to the next level? Our Zoho CRM Wednesday Webinar series is here to help you do just that! Date: Wednesday, Dec 18, 2024 @ 12 PM EST Topic: Finding Your Way Around Zoho Listen Now! Every second Wednesday, we dive into exciting and practical topics to…
Having the right task scheduling tool can make all the difference when trying to automate your business. Both Act! and Zoho have functionality designed to automate follow-up tasks. Act! has the Act Scheduler and Zoho has many automation tools, the most recent one being Zoho Cadence. Act Activity Series: Act!’s Only True Automation Feature The…
Ah, the 1990s—a simpler time when your biggest tech worry was whether your dial-up modem would scream its way to a connection. Back then, if your computer misbehaved or you needed to install software like ACT! CRM, help often came in the form of a living, breathing tech support agent. That’s right: a human being…
For years, I ran events focused on ACT! CRM, helping users get the most out of their system. I held a number of Launch Events every time a new version was released. In 2000 I held an event that attracted over 500 users for the launch of Act 6. I also held events for new…
You might have received an email this week regarding the relationship between Act! LLC and Tech Benders. Act! LLC, formerly known as Swiftpage LLC and Sage LLC, may be undergoing restructuring and has decided to take over your account directly, rather than using me for support, servicing, and sales. Many of my customers have already…
Act! has been around for 40 years. You might think of it as an old house; new features were sometimes added but unfortunately they do not always work as planned. The biggest offender? The dreaded Act! “Attachments” folder. Proper file management is crucial for any business. It improves efficiency, reduces stress, and prevents data loss.…
Act! Connect Link, the third-party technology that enables Web-API-based features to operate with the Act! Premium Desktop product, is being retired by the vendor on December 31, 2024. If you are using one or more of the following features in conjunction with your Act! Premium Desktop Subscription an action must be completed BEFORE this date to ensure uninterrupted…
There have been a lot of changes going on in the Act! world. In addition you’ve probably been receiving some scary messaging from the folks at Act!. I’m hoping I can explain them to you as easily as possible. Question: I’ve been getting messages about my version of SQL; does that mean Act! will stop…
One of the most common questions I get is, “How do I export Act data out of Act CRM.?” Most users have figured out that they can easily export their Act contacts to an Excel spreadsheet. If not, you can read my previous blog article. But what about the rest of the data including the…
Moving from Act to Zoho can be as easy as, well, the ABC’s. Or in this case the A-Z’s. Switching from ACT to Zoho CRM could be a great move for your company – or a total disaster! Zoho offers a lot of flexibility, with features like workflow automation, AI-driven insights, and extensive integrations. Plus,…
I’ve been doing a lot of Act to Zoho conversions lately. I have written several previous articles on what to expect when you convert your data and where to start. Here are a few great questions I received from one of my Act to Zoho conversion clients recently along with my answers in RED: After…
As the author of 14 books on various CRM products I receive a ton of questions every week both from my own clients and prospective clients. Here are the top five questions people often ask me about CRMs along with my responses. What’s a CRM, and do I really need one? One of the most…
If you are an Act subscriber you received a message last week announcing that Act v26 Premium Desktop has been released. Those of you who are already Act subscribers can download and install Act v26 at no cost. Better yet, those of you who purchased your Act subscription through Tech Benders need only reach out…
ACT! Premium Mobile is a mobile app version of the ACT! CRM designed to help you manage your contacts (and sales) from your mobile device. Key features include: Contact Management: Access and manage customer and prospect information from anywhere. Calendar and Activity Management: Schedule meetings, tasks, and follow-ups with reminders. Opportunity metrics at a glance:…
It started as a trickle; my phone started ringing today and I saw dozens of incoming email sitting in my Inbox. Microsoft is ending security support for Microsoft SQL Server 2014. Your Act! Version is at risk. Yikes, Chicken Little, the sky is falling! Life as I previously knew it, at least my Act life,…
Several times a month I receive a call from an organization that has lost their ACT! password. Sometimes this happens when the ACT! Administrator leaves the company – and takes his password with him. Fortunately we are able to recover those passwords and send the new administrator on their way with the advice to have…
I have received literally hundreds of inquiries since Act Pro was discontinued. Some of my Act Pro customers understand this decision and ultimately move to the subscription based Act Premium for Web ($360-480/user/year) or Act Premium Desktop ($450/user/year less discounts) version. Others, however, “refuse to move to a subscription” and decide to use their Act…
I am often asked to give an Act! demo or a Zoho demo. I’ll do them but the truth is that I feel they can be very misleading. Like a movie trailer, they show the highlight reel without the bloopers. Relying on them alone is like expecting a microwave dinner to taste like a chef’s…
If you are an existing Act user looking to purchase an Act Perpetual license I can’t help you as they no longer exist. However, I can make sure you get the best deal when you move into an Act Premium subscription. The end of the year isn’t just a time for reflection; it’s an opportunity…
I receive a lot of inquiries about Zoho’s product line. In a previous post I outlined Bigin, the entry level Zoho product. In this post I’d like to give a quick comparison of the Zoho’s full-scale CRM products. Whether you’re ready to simply replace your existing maze of spreadsheets and scattered notes, or want a…
I receive a lot of inquiries about Zoho’s Bigin product. Bigin is meant to be an entry level crm. Whether you’re ready to move beyond spreadsheets or simply replace legacy CRM tools, anyone can “bigin” their CRM journey and grow their business. Choose one of our pre-defined templates or simply get started by customizing the…
Every year many of my clients ask me if there is a way to get holidays loaded into their ACT! database. Unfortunately, holidays do not come pre-loaded in the ACT! calendar. Obviously, some holidays such as the Fourth of July and Christmas are easy to add manually. However, other holidays such as Easter and Chanukah…
This morning started with a flood of calls with various eMarketing questions. Small wonder considering that the Triumvirate of Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Christmas are right around the corner. Not to mention the various health insurance and other industry-specific deadlines. Why Can’t I use Outlook For My eBlasts? In short, while Outlook is useful for…
I field a lot of calls about various aspects of CRM; I have yet to receive a call from a CRM user asking to add more work into their schedule. I am, however, asked for just the opposite: “How do I Avoid Doing Double Entry between my CRM and other applications that I use?” Typically,…
By now you’ve probably that the Act Pro product is no longer available. IYes, it is true that the Act Pro product is being discontinued but it does not mean that you have to panic. You have a number of options and things to understand. First the fine print: If you have ACT! v18 Pro…
If you’re a Mac user looking for a CRM, you’ve probably discovered something frustrating: there are very few CRM applications that run natively on macOS. For years, many popular CRM products—including ACT! Premium Desktop—were designed exclusively for Microsoft Windows. While that may have made sense twenty years ago, today’s workforce is increasingly mobile and platform-independent.…
This week brought not one but three clients that called me upset that Act! had “eaten” some of their contacts. In all cases we were able to solve the mystery of the missing Act! contacts and hopefully prevent it from happening again. When a user feels that contacts have gone MIA from their Act! database…
Since the discontinuation of the Act! Pro product on September 15, 2023 my mailbox has been flooded with the same question: “Where can I buy an Act! Perpetual license?” In a nutshell, the answer is “nowhere.” Act Pro users are furious that they were once able to “buy” their Act Pro license and use it…
The Act! product was officially retired on 9/15/23. Apparently, a lot of existing Act! Pro customers either didn’t receive the message or don’t want to believe the message as I am being bombarded with questions from existing Act! Pro users. Keep in mind that Act! Pro had a “perpetual” license which meant that you could…
Using the Act Dialer or Zoho Dialer The other day someone asked me for my daughter’s phone number; although I call her almost every day I didn’t know it. My cell phone has made me lazy. I used to have her on “speed dial.” Then she was moved to my Favorites on my iPhone. Now…
Back in August, 2000 I ran an Act 6.0 launch event. I was super excited as it had been over 4 years since the release of Act 2000, and this version had Outlook integration! Act 6 was sold in a physical box in those days. The box included a CD and instruction book along with…
Many Act! users routinely head to the Export Wizard to send their information not realizing that there is a much easier method for exporting Act! data. You’ll find the Export Current List to Excel icon at the top of the Contact, Group, Company, Opportunity, History and Task List views. If the button is “greyed out”…
Yes, it’s true. Effective September 15, 2023 you can no longer purchase a copy of ACT! Pro. I’ve had no less than 3 dozen phone calls in the last 3 weeks from ACT! Pro users expressing their dismay, concern and/or outrage. And they all have the same questions: Where can I get a copy of…
One of the most common questions I receive from Act users is about the Act and Outlook integration. Some users complain that they could never get it working at all. Other users report that the Act Outlook integration “just stopped working.” If you have never used the Act Outlook integration there are three simple rules for…
Zoho has just surpassed the 100 Million Users Mark. I am not surprised. Zoho represents an amazing value in today’s world of software. I personally moved my own software from Act & QuickBooks to Zoho One over 5 years ago and have never looked back. Prior to moving my accounting from QuickBooks to Zoho Books…
Are you currently using CRM software and feeling that it might be time for a change? The world of Customer Relationship Management is constantly evolving, and finding the right CRM solution for your business can be a daunting task. That’s why we invite you to join our exclusive webinar, where we will help you explore…
Sometimes I feel like a broken record. I am constantly receiving emails from Act! users telling me that they don’t want to purchase an Act! subscription because they “don’t want to have their data in the clouds.” Let me make this as clear as possible: having an Act! subscription does not mean your data will…
Many CRM software users get confused with the distinction between fields, records and entities. In a CRM product, a field is a single piece of information such as a zip code, e-mail address or phone number. A record is all the associated fields for a single entity. An entity is a set of records. For…
Since the demise of Act Pro on September 15, 2023 my mailbox has been flooded with the same question: “Can I still buy an Act Perpetual license?” In a nutshell, my answer is “NO!” To fully understand perpetual licensing you need to understand two key concepts: End User License Agreement (EULA): Most software has a…
A couple of years ago Swiftpage announced that they would no longer sell the Act Pro product. Indeed, there was no Act Pro v23; however, there was an Act v24 Pro. Yesterday, Swiftpage announced that they are sunsetting Act v24 Pro on September 15, 2023 after which time you will not be able to purchase…
The last day to purchase Act Pro v24 will be on September 14, 2023. Here’s what you need to know: I want to continue using Act!. What are my options? Do Nothing. Maybe things will change. Maybe you’ll never need to add more users. Maybe you’ll never buy a new computer. Maybe Microsoft will never…
A good CRM implementation requires a lot of planning. To put it into perspective, if you try to create a spreadsheet and fail to get the results you anticipated you can easily delete a formula or even the entire spreadsheet. However, with CRM it might not be as easy to identify the problem area(s). You…
This week Act Premium v25 was released; here is a rundown of my favorite features: New Act v25 Premium Desktop Features Act! Insight Advanced Dashboard Builder: create advanced, custom Act Dashboards Advanced querying allows for multiple sets of criteria Create new dashboards based on contact, group, company, and opportunity data Pull in associated field data Configure…
At Tech Benders we specialize in both Act and Zoho. And we understand that once you get your information into your CRM system, you may need to get it out again in the form of a report. The Act Report Writer has not changed in over 20 years. Although Act users can make simple edits…
Struggling with content for your eMarketing Campaigns? This webinar will help! If you have either Act Premium or Zoho CRM your account includes a FREE eMarketing Account. Unfortunately, many of you are not using it and don’t know where to start. This webinar is designed to get you up and running quickly by giving you…
I have been working as a fulltime CRM consultant for over 20 years. I like to say I work with CRM from “A to Z” as i have worked with Act, Zoho and many other CRM products. Unfortunately, no one ever calls me up to tell me how much they love their CRM, or to…
2023 started off with a bang – particularly where Zoho is concerned. Over the past 12 months Zoho has released over 150 enhancements. Here are a few of my personal favorites: Roll Up Summary fields: This will give you a count of key touchpoints (number of deals, calls, etc) on a per contact basis. Global…
Many of my long time Act users want to transition to Act! Premium Cloud but wonder how it differs from Act Pro or Act Premium desktop. Act! CRM Cloud is the web-based version of the Act!. It offers most all the features and functionalities of the traditional desktop software, but with the added advantage of…
I love the Clash and “Should I Stay” is one of my favorite songs. And one of the questions I am frequently asked. Prospects often ask me for my advice on whether they should remain with their present CRM solution or switch. I can usually make the assessment within a few minutes and often my…
So, you’ve purchased ACT and you’re ready to install it. Sounds easy, right? Sure it is – if you’ve got your ACT together! Here’s a few hints that will help speed you on your way: Make sure that Windows is up to date by rebooting your machine. If you are going to be integrating Act…
Act Pro vs Act Premium There are 10 basic differences between ACT! Pro and ACT! Premium: ACT! Pro will only work for up to 5 users in a database even if you purchase additional licenses. ACT! Premium has contact level security; that means that in addition to have Public and Private contacts you can allow…
Selecting a CRM is NOT a “one size fits all” solution. For that reason Tech Benders recently decided to expand our product offerings to include three great products: Act CRM, Zoho One and HubSpot. Nearly every day someone reaches out to me with questions about a potential CRM product. Quite frankly, I have heard very…
No one ever calls me with an initial greeting of, “Hi Karen, I just wanted to tell you how great my CRM solution is working. Quite the opposite; I am usually hit with a litany of complaints ranging from, “our database is full of duplicates and outdated information” to “no one will use our CRM…
If you have ACT! 2010 or 2011 and you’re not using the Web Info tab you are missing the banana boat as we say in Florida. And, if you haven’t figured out how to use the Web Info tab in conjunction with your favorite social networking sites, then you’re in for a treat.
Losing weight got me to thinking how I could apply the same concept to removing some of the “dead weight” often found in databases. Although I work with a variety of CRM solutions I find that my clients deal with the exact same issues.
In a previous article I listed the Top 10 things former Act! users need to know when moving to Zoho. Once you start learning your way around Zoho you’ll be amazed at all the additional functionality at your disposal. Or you might be overwhelmed. If you’re feeling overwhelmed the best solution is to invest in…
I’ve written several articles comparing Act! to Zoho. Most of my Act! users simply don’t want to change. Occasionally clients do want to move to Zoho and are wondering: where do I start? Here are my planning steps: Determine level of Zoho you need. There are two questions I normally ask prospects: How many custom…
I’ve written 14 books on various CRM products as well as created training videos for LinkedIn Learning. There are 10 pitfalls I see all the time; learn simple ways to avoid them! Whether you use Act, Zoho or another product, most CRM users struggle with the same issues and questions. Join me as I share…
I am both an Act! Consultant and a Zoho Consultant. Or, as I like to say, I cover CRM software from A (Act!) to Z (Zoho). I am not saying that one product is necessarily better than the other; they are just “different.” My Act! users tend to represent smaller business (1-15 users) while my…
Over the last several years I have converted hundreds of Act! databases to Zoho. Once you’ve made your decision to move from Act! to Zoho, converting your Act! data is easy. I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t lose one drop of your Act! data. However, the hard part begins after your Act! data…
Karen Fredricks, noted author of thirteen books on various CRM software programs, has published her latest book on Zoho One Essentials: Mastering Zoho CRM, which provides user-friendly instructions on basic and advanced Zoho features. According to Fredricks, “As a top Zoho Consultant, I have a vast amount of experience that enables me to identify the…
What’s in a name? These days a lot – if your name happens to be Karen. Who knew that “being a Karen” would become a thing? I try to keep a really low profile, especially if I am unhappy with one of my service providers. And I try to give positive reviews whenever possible hoping…
Reap the competitive benefits of Zoho, one of the best customer relationship management (CRM) solutions on the market today. Read Zoho One Essentials: Mastering Zoho CRM Learn How To: > Store complete contact information, including name, company, phone numbers, mailing addresses, and e-mail addresses. > Record dated notes for each of your contacts so that…
Act v21 Pro is no longer available. Sorry. It’s been discontinued. David F wrote this email to me today: “I’m using version 20.1.120.0 Update 8. I’ve been using Act! almost from the time of it’s entry into the marketplace. As I understand the situation, Act! Pro version 21 will become unsupported after Nov. 30, 2021 and…
Last week my phone started ringing off the hook; Swiftpage had sent out an email announcing the release of Act v24 and the demise of Act v22. The message started, “As you’ve likely heard, Act! v24 was released last fall, and as an Act! subscriber, you have access to all new versions released, including v24!…
In the course of writing 14 CRM books, and working as a full time CRM consultant for the last 20 years, I am fortunate to be blessed with a fairly constant stream of new CRM clients. I have observed that they fall into two very different categories: Those that have forged ahead on their own,…
I recently received this email recently from a client with a whole lot of questions about Act v24 Pro: Are you aware of any enhancements / bug fixes in v24 Pro, or did they just rebuild it for 64 bit? This is not an upgrade of v22 Pro is it? The $449 is for a…
I have consulted in Act for over 20 years. As a result I am often asked by my clients whether they should remain in Act or move to Zoho. The response varies on a case by case basis. Here are a few things to ask yourself when deciding between Act! or Zoho: What am I…
Oh my! Whenever I receive a barrage of email from panicked Act! users I can pretty much assume that Swiftpage sent out a new mailing went out. The latest one informed users of Act V21 that their Act software is “being retired.” Rest assured, there is no need for immediate panic but you might want…
Purchase Act Pro v24 Here. ACT! Pro – It’s b-a-a-a-a-ack! ACT! Pro is back – for a short time only. Yes, the product that you were told had been discontinued has been “undiscontinued.” Is that even a word? In any event you can make your purchase of ACT! Pro v24 for $449.99. And yes, this…
Tuesday, October 26, 2021 @ 12:00 PM EST What’s Happening with ACT! CRM? Are you wondering if ACT! CRM is still the right solution for your business? If you’ve been using ACT! for years, you’re not alone. Many businesses have relied on ACT! to manage their customers for decades. In fact, many of our clients…
Start your free trial of Zoho One Here! Replace your patchwork of cloud applications, legacy tools, and paper-based processes with one operating system for your entire business. Zoho One includes over 40 apps designed to manage all facets of your business. And they are all included as part of Zoho One for one low price!…
Act! or Zoho: which is the best way to go? I received the following emails from one of my clients this week. It’s typical of what I have been hearing from so many of my clients lately. They are not happy with Act but don’t know what to do. “Karen, I’ve been using ACT for…
Whether you are running a start-up that needs an easy, low-cost accounting system or you are a well established company that has outgrown your existing accounting system you might consider taking a look at Zoho Books. There are several reason you might find Zoho Books to be a great accounting solution for your business including:…
No matter what kind of business you have, you need the proper software to run it and the proper hardware to run it on. But with so many platforms available, it can be difficult to make a decision That’s where a great Zoho CRM Consultant can help. The initial foray into software for many startups…
Act by Sage. Sage Act. Act Premium. Act Pro. Act for Web. Act Growth Suite. Act Saas. Act CRM. Act Companion. Act Essentials. What’s in a name? In this case, a whole lot of confusion! Although the Act product has been owned by Swiftpage (who purchased it from Sage Software) since 2015 the upper management…
There’s no doubt that QuickBooks is a great accounting system used by over three million subscribers. After all, it is the Number One selling accounting product in the US. However, not everyone who uses QuickBooks loves it; in fact, I often hear from my clients that they actually hate it. However, many QuickBooks users feel…
Good news for all of you Act Premium subscribers: starting with your April, 2021 renewal you will now be receiving the Basic Version of Act EMarketing free of charge with your paid subscription. What does that mean to you? Quite simply, you will be able to send out 2,500 templated emails each month to your…
When I do an Act to Zoho conversion for one of my clients the first thing I am often asked is “Where Are My Act Groups?” As the name implies, a group is a collection of contact records. The Act Group can be populated statically (manually) or dynamically (automatically). I’ve often discussed how much I love…
One of my clients recently reached out to me asking if there are any CRM addons or other features that he should be considering to go with their CRM installation. My first thought was I didn’t fully understand what they found lacking in their CRM, or what they were looking for. On second thought I…
A prospect called me this week. He had a ton of issues with his Zoho CRM usage and was looking for a Zoho Consultant. Apparently Zoho CRM had “lost things” including his notes from his old Act product. He found Zoho CRM to be “confusing” to the point where he didn’t even know how to…
ACT! Pro – It’s b-a-a-a-a-ack! Just in time for Halloween ACT! Pro is back – for a short time only. Yes, the product that you were told had been discontinued and been undiscontinued. Is that even a word? In any event you can make your purchase of ACT! Pro v22 until Halloween Eve (October 30th,…
I have consulted in ACT! for over 20 years. More often than not, especially in the current Covid environment, companies require “remote access” to all of their data. I have Act clients and I have Zoho clients. So which CRM is better in a remote environment: Act or ZOHO? Zoho, hands-down. I used to explain…
ZOHO is probably best known for its CRM functionality. However, in recent years this functionality has expanded to include 40+ productivity tools; this suite of products is known as ZOHO One. These tools are so comprehensive that some people refer to ZOHO One as the “operating system for business.” Log into the Internet and you…
If you are an ACT! subscriber you’ve probably received an email from SwiftPage letting you know that the Act support you had thought you had purchased was being yanked out from under you. Don’t shoot the messenger here; I am as ticked off about this as you are! When you purchase a year-long gym membership…
It is easy to remove records in ZOHO. Fortunately, it’s just as easy to recover them! The ZOHO Recycle Bin stores all the records from all the CRM modules as and attachments that are deleted from the ZOHO CRM.
In Outlook 2010 Essential Training, author Karen Fredricks provides in-depth instruction on the key features of Outlook 2010. The course shows how to master fundamental Outlook features
There is a famous story about Pablo Picasso. A woman is strolling through a local park when she spots Picasso sitting on a bench. She summons the courage to speak to him. “Excuse me. You’re Pablo Picasso right?” Picasso smiles and nods yes. “Would it be possible to have you sketch my portrait? I’ll be…
Accounting might be the hardest part of running a business. One mistake might keep you awake for hours. That’s why you need Zoho Books. Zoho Books will make most of your accounting hassles disappear. This online accounting software makes everything cloud-based and completely digital so you can better manage your finances, automate business workflows, and…
Please note that ACT v22 PRO is no longer available. Please contact us for other options. Q: How can I purchase Act v22 Pro? A: Sorry, ACT v22 Pro is no longer available for purchase. Q: Can I continue to use Act v22 Pro after June 30? A: Yes, and you’ll be able to purchase…
Many users of ZOHO have recently converted from other products including Act CRM. One of the first questions I’m often asked is “Where’s the ZOHO Calendar?” That’s an easy one; the Calendar icon is hidden away at the top right corner of ZOHO’s menu bar, cleverly disguised as a date. Can’t identify the icon? Think…
If you have recently gone through an Act to ZOHO conversion you might be looking for help. As a 20-year ACT! Consultant – and the author of 7 books on the subject – it’s small wonder that so many ACT! users turn to me when they are ready to switch from ACT! to ZOHO. If you’re…
As a 20+ year ACT! Certified Consultant and the author of 7 books on the ACT! CRM software, ACT! users represent a large portion of my business. And as a ZOHO Partner I’m often asked: “Which product is better? ACT! or ZOHO?” This question is a challenging one to answer. Both ACT! and ZOHO are great…
I did it! Last week I finalized my conversion from QuickBooks to ZOHO books. I’ve been working on this since January. I am not a slacker; frankly, I was just scared to make the final plunge. After all, I have been using QuickBooks since I started by business over 20 years ago. I am a…
Congratulations! You flew out to Denver, closed a big deal, and now you are sitting in the airport relaxing with a well-deserved glass of wine. But wait! It’s the end of the month and your expense report is due tomorrow. And if you don’t get the latest batch of expenses logged in you’ll have to…
Current Act Premium Subscription subscribers have been receiving emails lately that are, frankly, pretty confusing. Their “plans” are being changed. If you read between the lines this most probably means that the prices, they are a changing! But, in order to entice loyal users with Act Premium Subscriptions there is currently a great promotion in…
You probably have already received a notification from SwiftPage that Act! v22 Pro will be the last version of the ACT! Pro product. You probably have questions so here’s what you need to know: This does not mean that you will “lose” your database. This does not mean that ACT! is “going away.;” you can…
Are you using both ACT and QuickBooks? Tired of doing double-entry? We’ve got the answer!
Act Growth Suite – What You Need to Know NOW In my last article I gave you a fifty cent history of the various Act E-Marketing solutions. I also mentioned that two of them, Swiftpage E-Marketing and Act E-Marketing were being discontinued, and that the Act Marketing Automation product had been renamed to Act! Growth…
Act! Growth Suite – Part 1 Anyone remember New Coke? Me neither. Manufacturers often like to change naming conventions; why, I’m not sure. Maybe they feel compelled to “freshen” things up a bit, or maybe their marketing folks just needed further justification for developing new strategies. I have been bombarded by questions lately from confused…
An Act! consultant can get you up and running quickly so that you will soon be able to see the benefits of Act for yourself.
Act Pro vs Act Premium There are 10 basic differences between ACT! Pro and ACT! Premium: ACT! Pro will only work for up to 5 users in a database even if you purchase additional licenses. ACT! Premium has contact level security; that means that in addition to have Public and Private contacts you can allow…
Act License Error Message In November I held a webinar about the changes that were being made to the ACT! license services sometime after December 31, 2018. In the webinar I showed you how to update your ACT! version if you were on ACT! v18 – v21. This update would automatically change your existing license…
Top Act Tips from the Top Act Consultants Talk about mixing business with pleasure! I recently took a cruise with over a dozen of the top Act Consultants. We had a contest to see who could come up with the best Act tip. I have to admit that I learned a few new tricks even…
I learned today that SwiftPage will be issuing an Act licensing update as of January 1, 2019. This change will impact all existing ACT! users. I have been selling, supporting and customizing ACT! for over 20 years and this change will have a bigger impact on ACT! than anything I’ve ever seen before. Honestly, at…
We recently repaired a corrupted Act database for a client. In fact, it’s the SECOND time we’ve repaired his database. Needless to say he was not a happy camper, although he was thrilled to get ALL of his data back safe and sound. Needless to say, we wanted to make sure this never happens again…
I am asked to compare Constant Contact vs Act E-Marketing several times a week. My explanation revolves around all the benefits you receive from using Act Emarketing. Constant Contact and Act Emarketing are both “email service providers.” That means that these products send out your messaging using their servers. Typically you must pay a fee…
Register for the Act Database Cleanup Webinar Can you perform an Act Database Cleanup? Are you plagued by duplicate contacts in your Act database? Is your Act database filled with obsolete contacts? Wish you could organize your mess of a database into a lean, green marketing machine? You can – with the help of this…
Register for the Act EMarketing Webinar Are you struggling to reach out to your Act! database? Are some of your contacts old and outdated? Does pressing “Send” make you a nervous wreck? Maintaining the accuracy of a database takes time – which most of us don’t have. But you do have a secret weapon: Act…
As the saying goes, I wish I had a dollar for every time an Act! user started the conversation with these words, “Karen, I am a long-time Act user.” In fact, there are millions of long-time Act software users out there because the Act! product has been around for over 30 years. And by the…
I know what some of you are thinking – another year, another Act! version. Like it or not, technology is not standing still and one of the reasons that the Act! software product has thrived for over 30 years is that Act! has always kept up with the times. In fact, you might even argue…
Sign up for the Act v20 Webinar Here In the late 90’s I owned a computer school in Boca Raton, Florida. If you are a Seinfeld fan you can equate Boca with the fictional “Del Boca Vista” and be able to accurately picture my clientele. It was around this time that Dragon Naturally Speaking voice…
One of the most common questions I receive from Act users is about the Act and Outlook integration. Some users complain that they could never get it working at all. Other users report that the Act Outlook integration “just stopped working.” If you have never used the Act Outlook integration there are three simple rules for…
Act Tech Support Webinar: Click Here to Register You probably love a good mystery – but not when it comes to your Act database! If you’re like most Act users you rely on Act to run your business and when your Act starts “acting up” panic sets in. I receive dozens of calls and emails…
Curious about what’s new in Act v19.1? You’ve come to the right place! Act has lots of great new features including: Act eCommerce Connections Connect with popular eCommerce solutions BigCommerce, Ecwid, Etsy, Shopfy, Volusion, and WooCommerce for visibility into customer purchase history in Act! Premium. Use those details to have informed sales conversations and send…
I recently discovered that the Lynda.com training library is available free of charge at most local libraries. And Lynda.com includes my Act! training videos. A number of years ago, I created a series of Act! training videos for Lynda.com. Lynda offers online training videos on just about any software product you can imagine including Act!.…
Wow! As hard as it is to believe the Act software program is celebrating its 30th birthday this year. If you’re into numbers that translates into 19 versions, six owners and millions of users. Believe it or not, it is not unusual for me to have a client tell me that he’s been using Act!…
Tech Benders is pleased to announce that Act Consultant Roy Laudenslager recently earned the spot of Featured Partner on the Act! Community forums. Laudenslager was honored for his numerous contributions in answering questions for Act! Users and for His Act! expertise and contributions. Laudenslager is no stranger to receiving awards for his knowledge of Act! software. In…
I’ve been personally using Act! Premium v19 for my own production database since it came out earlier this month and feel that Act! v19 is “ready for prime time.” However, there are still many Act! users of prior Act! versions who have not as yet upgraded to Act! v19. My e-mailbox has been flooded with…
In the past I’ve shared one of my favorite Act! tricks which is to copy the holidays from outlook to Act! so that you’ll have them on your Act! calendar. You might want to review my past blog article because this is a quick way to populate your Act! calendars with holiday information. Act! has…
So, you’ve purchased ACT and you’re ready to install it. Sounds easy, right? Sure it is – if you’ve got your ACT together!
I recently had a client call me to tell me that they were not going to upgrade their Act! to the latest version because they had outgrown Act!. “Karen,” they explained, “Act! just isn’t giving us what we want. We need a good pipeline report. We can’t find any of the opportunities that we log…
ACT for WebWho says you can’t have your cake and eat it to? Not us! There are lots of companies who will sell you a “cloud-based” CRM solution – for a hefty monthly fee. And just try to wrestle your database away from them.
The Act! software is a great tool for businesses, but you may be having a hard time getting the most out of it. If you find your operation struggling with the expansive software, you should consider bringing in a certified Act consultant to assist you in operation of the software. These professionals are here to help…
Back in August, 2000 I ran an Act 6.0 launch event. I was super excited as it had been over 4 years since a previous release of Act, and this version had Outlook integration! I planned for the event for months in advance. I enlisted over a dozen Act Add-On vendors to attend and have…
We’re excited to announce that Act! v18.2 is now available! If you are an Act! Premium subscriber, you are entitled to receive the latest Act! Premium updates and enhancements as they’re released. If you are currently on Act! v18 Pro some of the new features (specifically those that focus on the web.api) do not apply…
I usually don’t mix politics with my Act! consulting but I read an article over the weekend that just fascinated me mainly because it showed that even the wealthiest folks with ostensibly the best consultants can run amok when it comes to e-marketing. Unfortunately, the story reminded me of all too many of my Act!…
We all receive an over abundance of e-mail, and your Act! E-Marketing blasts might get lost in the clutter. Here are a few tips that will increase your “open rate” when using Act EMarketing. Concentrate on the words you choose. The subject line makes the first impression on your email audience so avoid selling language…
Are you still running an older version of the Act! software? Maybe you’ve thought about upgrading to a newer version, but were not sure it would fit into your budget. Act! is much more affordable than you might think, especially when compared to other solutions such as Salesforce. And Tech Benders will insure that you…
Using Zapier to import data into Act! is an easy-to-set up method for adding information into Act! from your various other business sources. Zapier does this by performing ‘zaps’ that automatically collect useful data from commonly used applications such as PayPal, Woofu, and Slack and transferring that data into your Act! v18.1database. The most obvious…
Although most ACT users are “ACT FanACTics” they are sometimes a bit technically challenged. Here are a few “myths” I often hear.
Whether your business is large or small you know the amount of time it takes to keep organized, track customers, follow-up with them, and market your products to them. It can be overwhelming to keep track of all the details and have everyone in your organization on the same page. This is where customer relationship…
Hiring an Act consultant is a smart investment if you own Act! and want your business to grow. Sales are the lifeblood of any business and having a good sales pipeline along with a good foundation of clients is important if you hope to make your business more successful. An Act! consultant can customize your…
One of the primary purposes of using a system like Act! is being able to learn more about your customers. This customer data will make your business more successful. Act! has a variety of tools that you can easily implement to help retain and establish better relationships with your customers. Here are a few of…
We have to ask…what are some of the Salesforce.com causes for attrition and how may those considerations affect the choice your business makes when it comes to choosing the right CRM solution? “The financial metrics are clear enough — it doesn’t make sense to invest a lot of dollars in acquiring customers that may only be…
Act! software can benefit any type of business. It’s never too late to get started building processes into your database that will make you more productive and profitable. Using your Act! database as an electronic rolodex and calendar is not a viable option, particularly if you find that contacts and opportunities are “falling through the…
As the author of 14 books on various CRM software applications and the creator of the lynda.com Act! training videos I am often asked to compare the various CRM products. Potential CRM users aren’t sure which product to choose, and existing CRM users often want to “jump ship” to another CRM solution. In the final…
Act Ides of March Seminar Register Now for the Act Tech Support Webinar You probably love a good mystery – but not when it comes to your Act database! If you’re like most Act users you rely on Act to run your business and when your Act starts “acting up” panic sets in. I receive…
You’ve purchased Act – now what? It’s time for some custom Act training! ACT! customer relationship management software is one of the most cost efficient and popular choices available today. The easy to use software boasts millions of users across a huge virtual market. This program comes with every essential tool a small business team…
When I purchased my new all in one tablet last year I thought I was going to purchase the Microsoft Surface Pro. However, I decided on the Lenovo Yoga 900 because the comparable Surface Pro model was much more expensive and there was a wait time of nearly 6 weeks. Turns out I made a…
We’re really excited about this version of Act! because it adds new features designed to make you more productive in less time. But don’t just take our word for it – see it yourself! Go to my You Tube Channel for video demonstrations on all the features. Click Here to Purchase Act! v18 at a…
We’re really excited about this version of Act! because it adds more new features than any previous release.
I have had numerous calls and emails from Act! users over the course of the last month asking me if Act! will work with Windows 10. I’ve also had a number of calls from users who have updated to Windows 10 with various outcomes. My advice? If you are using Act! v16 or older I…
As one of the top Act! resellers, I wanted you to be aware of this news: Starting on May 15, 2015 Act! Premium moved to a Subscription platform. Starting then, you will have two options for purchasing Act! Premium software: Pay an Annual Subscription that you will need to renew annually. If you don’t renew…
When I work with Act users with either Swiftpage E-Marketing or Act E-Marketing I like to point out that there are two separate but equal processes: Composing and sending an e-blast Reporting on the results If you are sending an E-mail blast in Act to more than 50 contacts I strongly recommend that you use…
I had someone call me last week who was enraged that Act! Support was not able to help them convert their Act! 5 database (circa 1999) to the latest version, Act! v17. Another customer couldn’t understand why Swiftpage wasn’t willing to convert their 1997 Maximizer database to Act. The customers felt that this service…
For all of you who are currently using Act! v17 – or thinking of moving to v17 I have great news: Act! v17.1 is due to be released on Wednesday, February 25th. This update is free to all users of Act! 17. New features include: Act! v17.1 Call List Improvements You’ll notice an expanded Call…
Now that you have purchased Act! v17 for your business you may think that hiring an Act! consultant is a waste of time and money. The software does it all already doesn’t it? Wrong! Act! is only beneficial to your business if you utilize it properly, and that is what an Act! consultant can help you…
You’ve seen my posts about the benefits of bringing Act! CRM into the workplace, the help it can provide in customer management and organizing the office, and how it can not only save you money but increase it by making your business more efficient. You decided your business couldn’t do without it, so you bought…
It seems these days that everyone wants to have use Act hosting so they can view their Act! database in the clouds. We provide Act! web hosting and think we do a great job of it: We provide you with all the support you need to get started We give you with the ability to…
No, Virginia, there is not a version of Act! for “the Mac.” In fact, there has not been a version of Act! that was Apple compatible since Version 4. And yes, I agree, it would be nice to have one. So please, don’t call me looking for a Mac compatible version of Act!. And no,…
Having written over a dozen books on CRM software, it’s not unusual for me to receive calls from CRM users who want to “jump ship” and move from one product to another. The reasons may vary but the bottom-line is that the user feels that the current solution “just isn’t working.” I know first hand…
Customer Relation Management (CRM) systems have come a long way. Did you know that this sector is growing at an impressive 6% rate per year? The demand for quality CRM systems is growing at a fast pace because these tools help businesses boost their sales and productivity. There are a plethora of CRM tools on…
A recent survey conducted by the American Research Group, Inc. showed that Americans were planning on spending an average of $861 on gifts for the 2014 holiday season. This number has increased by 8% compared to the 2013 holiday season and experts agree on the fact the online shopping will continue growing. And according to a…
Whether you’ve been using ACT! for years or are fresh in the game, there is always something new to learn. Now that you’ve upgraded to ACT! v17, you’ll need to make sure everyone on your team receives the proper training. Even a beginner can figure out the basics, but often times there are some fields…
On Thanksgiving, we take pause to appreciate what we have and to celebrate with family and friends. Numerous customers and even vendors impart the feeling of Thanksgiving within your company and your Act software makes it easy to thank them. As we begin to anticipate the new year, it’s the perfect time to think about…
The holiday season is quickly approaching. Your events calendar is filling up twice as fast. Between the marketing meetings and researching your target market for segmenting, you barely have time to breathe. The note you wrote yourself about the lunch meeting with a long-time customer was accidentally thrown away and it completely slipped your mind…
Act v17 was release on October 23, 2014. E-marketing which means Act! users will have the ability to design and send e-marketing pieces in the newly designed editor and have more options for tracking their effectiveness directly within Act! . It also means that all users of Act v17 will receive a complimentary Act E-Marketing…
The newest release from the ACT! team, ACT! v17 software, is here and it is better than ever! If you run a business, you need to see what this software will be able to do for you. ACT! 17 makes setting up integrated work flows, sales automations, and nurturing marketing leads easier than ever before. One of the key…
Act! can be used by virtually any industry. The out of the box contains over 70 contact fields as well as additional Company, Group and Opportunity fields. You can change these fields to make them your own, or add additional fields to make Act! more closely align to the way you are used to…
The major focus of my business comes from being an Act! consultant. With all due modesty, I am great at what I do. I often come up with the perfect solution to a client’s problem in an extremely timely fashion. I did not garner my CRM knowledge through osmosis; I spend quite a bit of…
Back in 2008 I wrote a blog article recommending that you switch to an Act! E-Marketing account if you were sending out marketing blasts of over 50 emails/send. Here it is 2014 (gasp!) and I’m still passing out that same exact advice. However, as the world of the internet – and e-mail – gets more…
If you have an older computer with an older version of Act, you might be wondering about the Act and Windows XP sunset options. Windows XP, the operating system of choice for most PC users for over ten years, is being officially phased out as Microsoft “sunsets” support for the product in all respects. I loved XP…
Many Act! users routinely head to the Export Wizard to send their information not realizing that there is a much easier method for exporting Act! data. You’ll find the Export Current List to Excel icon at the top of the Contact, Group, Company, Opportunity, History and Task List views. If the button is “greyed out”…
The Act QuickBooks Link Small businesses require two solutions to effectively manage their front and back office operations: A CRM solution to manage front office processes such as sales and service An accounting solution to manage the back office operations including invoicing. Typically sales people don’t have access to accounting information and the bookkeeper doesn’t get…
Act! Outlook Synchronization Clients often ask me to “setup their Act! Outlook integration” and are dumfounded when I respond that there is no such thing. “But Karen,” they insist, “you told me that my version of Act! is compatible with my version of Office. How can that be?” The confusion lies in the fact that…
The Contact field can prove to be surprisingly confusing for both new and old Act! users alike. Although the field seems very straightforward at first glance, it contains a bit of “magical Act! functionality” that can prove to be either a help or a hindrance. Let’s start with the Salutation field. I often ask Act!…
One of my favorite Christmas carols is a parody called “The Bathroom Door Said Gentleman” (sung to the tune of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman.” During the course of the song we find out what happens when an unsuspecting male accidentally wonders into the Ladies Room because the signs had been reversed. I laugh every…
Implementing a CRM solution can be a daunting – and expensive – proposition. Many organizations are already using tools including Outlook and Excel spreadsheets and can’t justify the expense involved in transitioning to a true CRM solution. As a CRM consultant advise prospective CRM users to “keep their eye on the prize” and remember the…
We’re really excited about this version of Act! because it adds more new features than any previous release.
As most of you know the “C” in CRM stands for Contacts and that’s the focus of these clean-up tips. I see a lot of databases in a variety of formats (Act!, SugarCRM, Salesforce, Zoho) and I’ve made one assumption: the typical database consists of 25% “dead wood.” I define dead wood as: Contacts that…
I recently received this plea for help from one of my ACT clients: “Karen, we have added a couple of new people to ACT and they are up and running. As a disciple of your teachings, I created a customized “Opportunity Layout Screen”(OLS) which fits our business and includes new fields. All of our Team…
I came across a great post written by fellow ACT consultant M Scott Schaffernoth. I laughed for ten minutes when I read it and Scott kindly offered to share. Her Parts May Have Often Been Ditzy Blondes, But Marilyn Monroe Was a Smart Cookie and She Would Have Loved ACT! CRM It would have helped…
Last week I shared a story about an ACT! user who thought he had a major problem which turned out to have a rather easy, if not silly, answer. My second story involves an ACT! user who could not open his ACT! database; he kept receiving an error asking him to verify his user name…
Any Administrator or Manager user can create an automatic schedule for creating backups using the ACT! Scheduler. Combine this power with your free Drop Box account to save your database “in the clouds.” Download and install Drop Box. In ACT, click the Tools menu, and then click ACT! Scheduler. The ACT! Scheduler – Create, Edit…
Every year many of my clients ask me if there is a way to get holidays loaded into their ACT! database. Unfortunately, holidays do not come pre-loaded in the ACT! calendar. Obviously, some holidays such as the Fourth of July and Christmas are easy to add manually. However, other holidays such as Easter and Chanukah…
Many of you already know the common definition of assume; if not, look at the word again and break it into smaller pieces: ass_u_me because that’s just what happens when you “assume” something. ACT E-Marketing is a wonderful tool. It’s easy, inexpensive and it works directly from ACT. And, as is the case with all…
Last year I switched to a new publisher, PackT, after many years of writing the ACT for Dummies books. My new titles are called “Cookbooks.” Although you won’t find a great recipe for lasagne inside you will find dozens of easy-to-follow recipes that will help you master the more advanced areas of ACT. Packt Publishing…
Act 2013 will become obsolete on 9/30/15 If you are using Act 2013 there are a few important pieces of information you need to know. If you’re using Act 2013 you’ll want to upgrade to the latest version of Act by the end of the month. After September 30, 2015 you will not be able…
A few weeks ago I wrote about some of the changes that ACT! has experienced during its 25 year history. I received a call this week from one of the original ACT! co-founders , Mike Muhney, prompting me to take you on another trip down Memory Lane in Mike’s own words. “The mid-1980s were a…
Back in the days of ACT! 6 (was that really ten years ago?) my telephone message asked callers if they had recently “Compressed and Re-Indexed” their database. Back then, there was no way to automate this process although a reminder could be set to prompt a user to run maintenance. Unfortunately, many ACT! users either…
I have a page on my website that offers free software for the old ACT! 6 product. Unfortunately, ACT! 2006 users frequently try to download and install those freebies and find that they don’t work. Let me make this abundantly clear – ACT! 6 and ACT! 2006 are not the same product. If you’re not…
I often expound on the virtues of ACT! E-Marketing, formerly known as Swift Page E-mail. I thought I’d share a conversation with one of my clients who had some reservations about switching to ACT! E-Marketing from one of the “other guys.” “Hey Karen, I know you push ACT! E-Marketing. I use MailChimp and I’m pretty…
Wow! As hard as it is to believe the ACT! software program turned 25 this month. If you’re into numbers that translates into 14 versions, five named owners and millions of users. I received an e-mail this week from a long ACT! user who was complaining about everything from the confusing naming conventions for ACT!…
Hard as it is to believe, I’ve written over a dozen books on technology and created training videos for LinkedIn Learning. Trust me, writing is a labor of love. My “day job” is to help my clients utilize CRM software to make themselves – and their businesses – more efficient, effective and profitable. For me,…
The other day I was working with a client when his ACT! alarms window opened; I must say that the number of alarms he had was, well, alarming. He quickly clicked the Select All button, selected Snooze and put all the alarms to rest for the remainder of the day. Curiosity got the better of…
When I was five I spent a week with my family at a vacation spot that included a water park with a rather large slide going into the deep end of the pool. My older brother and sister spent the week using that slide but alas, I was too scared to try it. I remember…
Several years ago a marketing company offered to do a mailing for me to all businesses within a 50 mile radius of my office. This sounded like a great idea until I realized that areas to the east and south of me contained nothing but the deep blue sea, and a large portion of the…
It seems that these days “everyone wants to be in the clouds” but alas, many business owners don’t know what that means and/or how to get the job done. There are a number of ways to access an ACT! database “from the clouds.” You can use a product like CompanionLink to sync ACT! to Google. …
OK, I’ll admit that as a 30 year user of, and consultant for, Windows products I might be a bit prejudiced but can anyone explain to me the current obsession with Apple products? My local Apple store had a line wrapped around the mall before the holidays, and I witnessed similar occurrences at the Apple…
Many of you have been asking me when my next “ACT for Dummies” book is coming out. I’m pleased to announce that it’s here – although maybe not in the same format as you might expect. Anyone familiar with the publishing industry – or the local bookstore for that matter – knows that the industry…
There’s a reason why ACT has been around for over 20 years and has over 6 million users world wide. It’s a great product! In addition to all the great functionality found in ACT 2011, here are some of the brand new features: The ACT Scratchpad Kiss your pen and paper good-bye! The ACT Scratchpad…
Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was your database. However, if you stick to my 5 simple Commandments you’ll soon be reaping the benefits of an effective CRM solution!
The cookbook style is designed to give you simple steps to help you learn a new software feature. The recipes will show you how to create custom dashboards and reports, as well as utilize the new templates available in recent ACT! versions.
A common question I’m asked is whether there is an easy way to add the incoming leads you receive from a website form directly into an ACT! database. My answer is a resounding YES.
There are lots of cool shortcuts in ACT! that users take advantage of every day to make ACT! even more powerful than it already is.
‘Twas the holiday season and all through the house, Not a creature was clicking, not even your mouse. The stocking were hung by the “Windows” with care, Glad that Win 7 was finally there! My clients were sleeping, all snug in their beds, While visions of Microsoft danced in their heads! Elf Karen has taught…
I can’t claim that CRM software will help you get your holiday shopping done on a timelier basis but I can claim that it will help automate many of the office chores to make you much more productive and efficient.
Put yourself in the shoes of your prospects when designing marketing materials. What has more appeal – a sales pitch or useful information? Which one would entice you enough to open it and which one would be instantly deleted?
Two books on the ACT software program by Karen Fredricks have been selected by Packt Publishing for inclusion in their R.A.W. (Read As We Write) program.
In the ACT! realm I’m happy that Sage just released ACT! 2011 Service Pack 1 (SP1).
I am currently working on two new titles for PackT – ACT! By Sage 2011 Cook Book and ACT! by Sage Reports and Dashboards Cook Book. I’m even more excited to announce that both books have been accepted into the new “RAW” (Read as we Write) program. RAW is a cutting-edge new program that enables…
Gary and I attended the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert Rally on Saturday. Frankly, we were motivated more by the incentive of a $19 airfare than any political leanings.
I personally use an importing product and recommend that you use one as well if importing into ACT on a regular basis.
If you’ve been sitting in the Stone Age and are still clinging to your tried and true version of ACT 6, you might want to take a look at the features that you missed by not upgrading previously. Here’s my list of the Top 10 best new features in ACT 2011.
Technology upgrades should be considered a necessary, recurring cost of doing business. You can’t run your business without a telephone and office supplies, and you shouldn’t be running a business with outdated technology. Ironically, technology is the single best way to lower the overhead of a business.
sync act to your cell phoneYou use ACT. You’ve got a smart phone. And you want to link the two together! Companion Link is the product you need. CompanionLink will synchronize your ACT! data with your phone
If you’re any kind of sports fan then you heard about the marathon John Isner/Nicolas Mahut match at Wimbledon this year. Of course, as a marketer I can see how that same mind-set and determination would lead to great results in the marketing world.
QuoteWerks integrates seamlessly with contact managers like ACT! and ACT! for Web, eliminating the need to re-type customer information. QuoteWerks also has its own built-in contact database.
I received a rather bizarre e-mail last Saturday night just as I was getting ready to enjoy a lovely evening at a Marlins game. It came in to my business account from my Yahoo account and was asking me to send money to myself.
If there’s any doubt as to Karen’s knowledge of any and all things related to CRM software, check out the impressive list of titles that she has written. In addition to 5 titles on ACT and 2 titles on Outlook, Karen was asked to write books on several other CRM software products including:
For those of you who might not be familiar with lynda.com I’d describe it as an online software school. You can take out a monthly subscription for roughly $25 a month which give you access to all of the courses including my own.
Today many of my clients are opting to use an online fax service such as MyFax or eFax with ACT.
It’s amazing what you can do online, for free, in terms of connecting with your potential and existing customers right now! What’s really great is that it doesn’t take a lot of time, and it’s a great place to promote your uniqueness and your personality.
If spring represents the time to clean-up your database, then summer should represent the time for the smart e-marketer to ramp up their marketing efforts. Take advantage of the slow time to plot your future marketing efforts.
Maybe you can’t offer a secret menu, but you can make your customers feel like insiders by treating them like members of the family. And although you might not garner celebrity endorsements, you can ask for referrals or post positive comments on your website.
If you were brand new to CRM it might be a different story, but you obviously know ACT and have liked it for years. If you move to another product you’ll constantly be missing core ACT features like dynamic groups and lookups.
There is indeed a black hole area in the minds of many ACT users when it comes to synching their ACT database to their cell phone. I’ve been synching ACT database to my phone for years and have a few tidbits that I thought I’d share with you.
I spend a great deal of time working with my clients on creating e-marketing campaigns with the use of an ESP (e-mail service provider) However, much of the day to day e-mail that so many of us send can also be problematic.
These days that’s not as easy to qualify prospects as it sounds. Companies and people used to be easier to read and qualify. Now image and brand can hide their truth. The outside is no longer the best criteria for a solid, quality prospect, but it still is what can draw our attention to them.
Like it or not, unless you’re working for one of the Fortune 500 companies you too are an underdog when it comes to your business. It’s an uphill battle to get your name to stand out against the competition.
This being Easter weekend I thought I’d share a couple of my favorite ACT Easter eggs. In case you’re not familiar with the term, a software Easter egg refers to a bit of hidden code in the software. Although these Easter eggs are all represented by fields and aren’t necessarily hidden, they do tie into…
Losing weight got me to thinking how I could apply the same concept to removing some of the “dead weight” often found in databases. Although I work with a variety of CRM solutions I find that my clients deal with the exact same issues.
Once your e-mail address –or worse yet – your company’s domain – becomes black listed it can take you months or years to get the problem rectified. And, even if you don’t get blacklisted, most spam filters will eat your message for lunch if you don’t follow a few e-mail best practices.
Your parents probably taught you as a child to invest in your future. Shouldn’t you also be investing in your business?
My rule of thumb for writing a marketing piece is to pretend that I am writing to one of my buddies with a bit of friendly advice.
If I need training on a rapidly changing site such as Facebook I’ll be using lynda where I know I’ll get the latest and greatest information.
I’ve learned over the years that money I spend on a consultant, book or course is well worth its price when I compare it to the time it might take me to eventually wave the white flag and concede defeat.
It pays to advertise. After all, the harder “they” sell the more likely we are to buy.
Software companies are in the same boat as your local hardware or office supplies store. Hard as it may be for the average consumer to believe, software companies are in business to make money – or at least to remain solvent.
You could market only to people who think – and communicate – the way you do. Unfortunately, that idea makes the somewhat flawed assumption that those people will still be around at the end of the next decade!
I’ve decided to stick with Amazon for their book reviews but leave other reviews to the experts!
ACT 2010 is here and it’s all about social networking!
My dad taught me that when I pointed my finger at someone (or something) I was in fact pointing two fingers back at myself. Think about it the next time something goes wrong with your computer.
For me, not using ACT to manage a business is tantamount to using an abacus to total a long column of numbers.
Whether you’re new to the world of CRM or have been using a CRM product for years, your goal is to become a “CRM Master.” This article will grade your CRM efforts based on your use of various CRM features.
Sending an e-mail blast in ACT can be a pain. Learn how to send ACT e-blasts with a minimal amount of pain and effort!
ACT! has been around for over 20 years – and it just keeps getting better and better! Find out if you should upgrade to ACT 2009.
It’s here – ACT! 2009 – right on schedule. So, do you need to race out and upgrade?
For 5 years I ran an ACT Users Group in my hometown of Boca Raton, FL. It was a fun – although time intensive – endeavor. The meetings were typically attended by 25-50 “ACT Fanatics” who welcomed the chance to learn more about ACT as they munched on cookies. Currently I run a Virtual Act…
The biggest advantage of using ACT is to improve your marketing efforts. Here’s a few simple tips to turn your ACT database into a lean, green, Marketing Machine!
So, just how do you measure success in your business? Obviously, if the dollars are rolling in then you must be doing something right! ACT’s Opportunity feature is a great way to measure your sales success. Using ACT correctly will help your business reach an even higher level of success. Use these simple tricks to…
So, do you think you want to start using ACT!, Microsoft Office Live or Outlook Business Contact Manager to help manage – and grow – your business? You’ll want do a bit of homework first to see if you’re ready to take the plunge into the world of CRM . 1. How different are your…
We specialize in Act Database repair. Many Act users use their databases year after year without running routine Act maintenance. Consequently, they may find that one day they can’t open their Act database, or perhaps Act data seems to have disappeared. If you have Act you should be using the Act Scheduler to perform Act…
As the author of four “For Dummies” books on ACT I am often asked to comment on the negative reviews that a potential user might find on the Internet. Please realize two things about these comments: People tend to voice opinions when things go wrong, not when things are working well. You have no idea…