"IT professionals know the stakes are high when it comes to email phishing security. Phishing is deceptively dangerous because suspicious links are hyperlinked within an email text and can be hard to distinguish as dubious by an untrained eye. It takes only one click to affect or even compromise the whole network. This is complicated by the fact that phishing is not easily eliminated by software alone. It takes a combination of threat detection systems, security awareness training and a vigilant security team to create a solid defense against phishing threats..."

"Not long after the first internet email protocols were developed, computer scientist Andrew S. Tanenbaum wrote, 'The nice thing about standards is that you have so many to choose from.'

He wasn't wrong. Although the original internet application protocols rarely addressed security, there are now many choices for email security protocols.

Basic, unsecure email depends on just a handful of protocols:..."

"And simply maintaining those relationships is not good enough, client bonds need to be as strong as possible. By doing so, client lifetime value goes up, ensuring your business will be successful far down the road.

According to Forbes Expert Panel, 'Customer retention and satisfaction are crucial for every company's success. If you want to increase sales, you'll have to prioritize your relationships with consumers. That means paying attention to their wants and needs and marketing to them accordingly.'

The following ways to strengthen client relationships can serve as your quick guide for increasing client lifetime value, growing your business year after year. Let's dive in!..."

"Instead, get smarter about your cold calling strategy, which is possible with today's data tools. They can help you be smarter about your contacts and provide insight into their buying plans that gives you the competitive edge. Brushing up on your sales techniques and being persistent about making calls also pays dividends.

Here are some quick tips to make cold calling work better than you ever thought possible..."

"Sales Training Strategy Cs: 10 Focus Areas

Challenge: What's the goal? Be clear about the objective. 'Increase market share by 10 percent in a flat market', 'Generate 50 percent of revenue from our top 10 percent of accounts'. 'Failure only comes when we forget our ideals, objectives and principles'. Agree what success looks like before going ahead with training...."

"One of the most devastating things to our goal attainment is our mistaken view of what it means to be 'customer responsive.'

Recently, I was watching a sales team work. They were constantly busy, but at the end of each day, as we reviewed their progress against their goals, the progress didn't align with the activity. As we discussed what happened, these comments started showing a pattern:

• 'A customer called asking a question, I stopped everything to research the answer and get back to them.'

• 'i got an email from a potential customer looking for information, it took me about 45 minutes to put it together and get back to them.'

• 'Someone in marketing wanted to know.'

The patterns, were pretty clear, everyone was instantly re-prioritizing their time around responding to interruptions. As a result, they were accomplishing nothing that was on their priority list..."

"When I talk to sales people about the importance of sales call/meeting planning, the responses tend to fall into two categories.

The first category is 'the voice of experience.' These sales people look at me, roll their eyes, saying, 'You don't understand, I've been selling for year, I've made 1000s of calls.. I know how to get it done!'..."

"Mow that most of us know what is CRM software, we implement an easy to use CRM to help manage the processes company-wide and watch the data start flowing into the CRM database and wait for evermore.

Now, if you are not paying attention to the proper metrics, you can never figure out whether the relationship with your customers is really growing the way you expected them to grow before adopting your easy to use CRM tool..."

General Provision - Fort Lauderdale

Join us for the next vBeer+ South Florida. vBeers events happen four times a month on the first four Wednesdays. Check the vBeers meetup.com page for the locations.

These informal networking/social events provide a relaxed environment to meet with other hands-on IT professionals and promote the growth of IT in South Florida.

I would like to invite local firms who are seeking new IT employees to sponsor a table which they will staff before or as part of the vBeers+.

These tables will be set up before the vBeers+. Job fair attendees and the hiring firms' representatives are encouraged to stay for the networking and talks.

In advance of the vBeers+, I will post a list of the positions that are available from the table sponsors.

I am now looking for sponsors to deliver short commercial talks during vBeers+. The idea is to describe an IT problem such that people will relate to it then briefly describe the sponsor's solution. Attendees will be able to visit the sponsor's table, after the presentations, to discuss the presented solution.

As I ramp up the sponsorships, the food and drinks will be covered by the sponsors.

If you are interested in sponsoring a table at the Job Fair and/or presenting a commercial solution, please email sales@itnewsandevents.com for details.

Hosted by John J. McLaughlin and Lauren H. McLaughlin

"When you hear the word 'diversity', what comes to mind? Per the Bing dictionary, it can mean a 'variety of something such as opinion, color, or style', it can be 'ethnic variety, as well as socioeconomic and gender variety, in a group, society, or institution', and it can be 'a discrepancy, or a difference from what is normal or expected'.

And we'd like to add:..."

"As I laughed through this most recent series and followed the storyline, I was reminded of a few lessons that I have lived through. Sheriff Woody and his Space Ranger sidekick, Buzz Lightyear helped to nudge these thoughts forward through some of the key takeaway lessons played out in this most recent movie..."

"Sales Hiring from a resume alone. We are all impressed by a resume but does it really mean what it says? In the world of sales if someone has sold before, even for a competitor, that doesn't mean they were good and doesn't mean they aren't going to bring bad habits to you.."

"I've been there many times in my life. In fact, the other day I slammed on my brakes when a woman in a convertible sky blue Mercedes whisked passed me in the parking lot and I almost hit her. Her eyes met my eyes with a dark glare.

We both were driving too fast, but once the red and orange rage left my eyes and I parked, I realized it was 100% my fault as I was not fully present. 'Own it, Julie,' I said to myself. Take responsibility, apologize if you can, do not create a validating story of victimhood. Do not ruin this glorious day..."

Biergarten Boca - Boca Raton

These informal networking/social events provide a relaxed environment to meet with other hands-on IT professionals and promote the growth of IT in South Florida. Come out and connect with other professionals in your industry! vBeers is a great event meant to promote growth of the IT industry here in South Florida. Register today so you can be a part of this great monthly event! Feel free to invite all of your friends and co workers who work in the IT industry!

Hosted by John J. McLaughlin

SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM

• ISACA South Florida Chapter outreach to more than 1,000 professionals, and partner organizations which represent a range of Corporate IT Audit, IT Compliance, IT Governance & IT Security responsibilities in a cross section of industries and business sizes
• Extensive networking opportunities, face-to-face contact and one-on-one meetings
• Display of your latest products and services to all attendees
• Traffic flow throughout the exhibition area
• Display of your logo and link to your home page on our ISACA South Florida Chapter web site

Find out more! Contact us at president@isacasfl.org

The ISSA South Florida Chapter (SFISSA) is a not-for-profit organization of information security professionals and practitioners. It provides educational forums and peer interaction opportunities that enhance the knowledge, skill and professional growth of its members.

Members include practitioners at all levels of the security field in a broad range of industries, such as communications, education, healthcare, manufacturing, financial and government. SFISSA is an excellent vehicle for those who need to acquire CPE credits for certification needs.

Chapter sponsorship:

• Platinum sponsors $1,500/meeting
• Program sponsors $1,000/meeting

We need your support, so we hope that you will consider becoming a sponsor to support our chapter.

The SFTA is an organization of collaborative trailblazers passionately curating content, inspiring creativity, building tech brands, and connecting business leaders to cultivate and expand the tech ecosystem in South Florida.

• Diamond Membership Benefits $5,000/year
• Platinum Membership Benefits $3,500/year
• Gold Membership Benefits $2,000/year
• Individual Membership Benefits $200/year

Learn. Connect. Grow.

Become a Refresh Corporate Member!

Be front and center at all our monthly speaker events, get training on the latest technologies, break bread with our distinguished speakers, and find qualified candidates via our sponsored job listings.

Refresh Corporate: $2000/Year

• Guaranteed ticket to all speaker events
• Complimentary ticket to three (3) Refresh Miami workshops ($150 value!)
• 40% discount on all other Refresh Miami workshops ($160 value!)
• Preferred Access to VIP/Speaker Dinners
• Discounts on Community Events
• Partner Discounts
• Refresh Miami T-Shirt
• Ability to post relevant events to Community Calendar
• Ability to post jobs to Refresh Job Board
• Ability to post business to Refresh Miami Tech Map

$2000/Year

Our Memberships are based on Exposure, Talent, & Business

• STARTUP - $500/year
• Tier 3 - $1,000/year
• Tier 2 - $2,500/year
• Tier 1 - $5,000/year

Palm Beach Tech is a nonprofit membership association Building the Palm Beaches into a Tech Hub.

The South Florida Interactive Marketing Association (SFIMA) is dedicated to educational excellence and expertise in digital marketing. The organization serves as the primary interactive voice in South Florida offering lifelong learning, top-notch networking and professional growth opportunities to marketers in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.

Sponsorship options:

• Platinum Sponsorship
• Gold Sponsorship
• Event Sponsorship

Founded in 2004, SFIMA is an all-volunteer organization. Since its inception, the South Florida IMA board has partnered with other IMAs in the United States and top sponsors to present outstanding programming.