IT News and Events
React Miami 2023 (April 20 - 21)
Aug 17th, 2020 — Aug 23rd, 2020 Generate the Custom HTML Email for this Issue
IT News and Events IT News and Events
Volume 269, Issue 3 << Previous Issue | Next Issue >>
IT - Marketing
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10 Must-Haves For Your Linkedin Company Page To Drive Leads (+ Tips And Examples)
LinkedIn has become the premiere channel for B2B marketing online. It's the perfect vehicle to promote your products and services, recruit new talent, and share useful information with customers and prospects
"So, make sure your own Company Page does just that!

A LinkedIn Company Page can be one of your best online assets for building your business if you approach it properly. All too often, businesses will create a page on LinkedIn, usually because someone in marketing told them they had to, and there it will sit complete with bare bios, infrequent updates, and unused career sections.

The key to LinkedIn - or, in fact, any online efforts - is to create a place where people (your customers, employees, and prospects) will go to gather information, exchange ideas, and engage with your business..."

Business 2 Community, August 18th, 2020
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From B2B Customers To Brand Enthusiasts
How cool is it that the most effective way to market your B2B company is also the most cost-efficient way to market it? If this sounds too good to be true, let me explain.
"Word-of-mouth marketing is the single most compelling marketing tactic to date, and it always has been. As a consumer, don't you feel great about making a purchase when your close friend has told you all about the product?

Here's an example: Since the popularity of sponsored posts makes it hard to trust the truthfulness of product review articles, I don't buy any skincare or beauty products without first running it by my sister and group of friends. Have they tried the product, or know anyone who has? What was their experience? Did it do what it claimed to do? Would they buy it again? Do they think it's the right product for me and my needs?..."

Heinz Marketing, August 21st. 2020
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Opportunities For Digital Marketing Professionals: Skills And Potential
Opportunities for digital marketing professionals continue growing, although the graphic above is from 2017
"Specific data on the growth of digital marketing from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics are hard to come by, as digital marketing gets folded into their reports under the general category of marketing, which will grow by 10% - a figure exceeding that for other careers. So, if you ever thought about a career in digital marketing, here's some information to get you on the right track..."
Business 2 Community, August 20th, 2020
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Why Digital Marketing Is Imperative During Uncertain Times
It has been a couple of months since the pandemic caught us unawares, with many people still struggling to come to terms with this new reality
"Obviously, the crisis is coupled with a number of global consequences, with certain industries coming to the brink of extinction. This is a two-way road; with multiple companies going under by the minute, more and more people are losing their jobs.

We have seen viewpoints shift, too. The other side of the coin is that certain industries are actually blossoming. The gig economy, for example, has witnessed a sudden boom, and so has remote work. Experts are already discussing long-term changes that are likely to be adopted when all this passes.

Be that as it may, it is always difficult to think of future benefits when one's immediate existence is endangered. People don't think about exotic destinations when they can't be sure whether they'll lose their job tomorrow..."

Business 2 Community, August 19th, 2020
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Why Is Most B2B Marketing So Forgettable?
Every marketer wants to make an impact. Today, with 80 percent of the sales cycle happening in digital or remote settings, you've never had a greater opportunity to directly influence buying decisions
"And the number one factor driving those buying decisions? Memory.

Your buyers interact with your marketing in one moment, but they make the decision to buy in the future. That means the messages and assets you create must stick in your buyer's mind long enough to influence their purchase decision.

Unfortunately, most marketers don't believe their content is memorable or actionable.

In our recent industry survey, 87 percent of B2B marketers admitted they're unsure or don't believe that their audience acts on their content.

And even though the vast majority of marketers (91 percent) agree that it's important for their audience to remember their content, only 26 percent feel confident that the marketing materials they produce are, in fact, memorable..."

Business 2 Community, August 18th, 2020
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Why Your Marketing Needs A Feedback Loop
Ever since I was 10 years old, I have been a musician. You may be a musician, too, or you may just be a music lover.
"I am sure you've been to a concert performance of some sort where you heard microphone feedback.

Feedback is the high-pitched squeal that happens when a microphone gets too close to a speaker or somebody turns up the mic way too much and creates that squealing sound. It can get super loud and just annoying as heck. That's bad feedback, but did you realize that there's also, from a musical standpoint, good feedback?..."

Business 2 Community, August 21st. 2020
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IT - Sales
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Should You Go Back To Basics For Selling?
This week has been somewhat frustrating in the Jones household. It all started when I noticed that the butter I got out of the fridge was slightly softer than usual. I put it down to the hot weather
"After all, the outside thermometer in the back garden was reading 34 degrees. However, I had to re-evaluate my thinking when I noticed the kitchen floor near the fridge was rather wet. You guessed it - the fridge/freezer had broken.

So, I called a local company that provides engineers for domestic appliances and booked an appointment. The next day, though, my wife Cathy was trying to make the washing machine work, and all it would do was to flash its lights at her..."

Business 2 Community, August 19th, 2020
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Top 3 Technologies Changing The Way Sales Teams Function In A Post Covid Economy
Over the last few months, the entire sales industry has seen dramatic changes in the way teams function and interact with customers
"Technological innovations in AI and automation are creating a new generation of small and focused hyper-intelligent sales teams able to service and manage thousands of customers.

Our friends over at Groove, a fast-growing sales engagement platform, put together a list of the top 3 technologies that are changing the way sales teams function in a post COVID economy..."

insideBIGDATA, August 18th, 2020
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6 Dos And Don'ts Of Post-Pandemic Sales Pipeline Management
People are buying differently now, during the pandemic, than they were before. You probably know that already, but something you may not have realized is that people will buy differently post-pandemic as well
"The landscape is shifting, making business as usual anything but that.

Pre-quarantine pitches and campaigns won't appeal to prospects who are cost-sensitive and hesitant to buy. Buying journeys have changed. And more and more people are embracing online transactions and virtual business.

Instead of waiting on a return-to-normal, we all need to adapt. And if we hope to keep our pipelines full, we need to start making changes now. Today, we'll look at six Do's and Don'ts of post-pandemic Sales pipeline management..."

Sales Hacker, August 21st. 2020
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How To Deal With Disrupted Sales
Coronavirus has dramatically altered how we work, but perhaps for no one more than salespeople
"As businesses shifted to remote working and social distancing out of necessity, in-person selling disappeared, replaced by videoconferencing and webinars.

For salespeople pursuing new prospects in particular, this virtual form of relationship building is especially challenging. Taking a potential client out for dinner or attending a sporting event with them is no longer an option, making it harder to develop a personal connection that often precedes a sale.

The sales cycle has also lengthened in light of the economic downshift caused by the shuttering of businesses. Decision makers at many companies have put a freeze on purchases, or at least are taking more time to ensure they're making the best buying decision..."

Business 2 Community, August 20th, 2020
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The Future Of Selling Is Not What You Think It Will Be
There seems to be wide agreement that the pandemic and related economic and social challenges we and our customers face, will change selling forever (and I think for the good.)
"The concept of 'virtual selling,' seems to be dominating many of our conversations. Digital transformation, more broadly, covering selling, marketing, customer experience, and other parts of the organization has become a buzzword for business, selling, and marketing in the future.

But I've been troubled by those concepts, not because I disagree, but I don't know that I know what they really mean..."

Business 2 Community, August 21st. 2020
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Wondering How To Increase Sales? Answer The Buyer's Most Important Question
Lately we have been talking about the customer's Mindset and the critical role it plays in your marketing. If you really want to know how to increase sales, that's the factor that you need to focus on first
"I've been defining the customer's Mindset, at the start of their buying process, as the combination of their desires, concerns, and questions. If you know precisely what these are (guessing or assuming wont' work), you can answer them. The more desired information you provide, the longer they'll stay on your site. The longer they stay on your site, the more likely they are to buy from you, and Google will appreciate the amount of time people stay on your site - and rank you higher in results..."
Business 2 Community, August 18th, 2020
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IT - Social Media
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How Social Media Is Changing Customer Service
Social media has really changed customer service behavior in recent years
"The days of telephone, fax, letters and email are gone and social media is becoming more prominent when it comes to offering customer support and services. According to Invespcro, more than 80% of customers use social media to engage brands. This is huge! In other words, your would be losing big if you don't invest in social media customer support. If you fail to monitor the market, stay on top of the latest trends and strategize, you risk being left behind in an era where everything seems to move very fast..."
Business 2 Community, August 20th, 2020
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IT - CRM
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It's Still A Young CRM Market
The IDC CRM market share numbers are in for 2019 and for the seventh consecutive year Salesforce leads the pack, this time with 18.4 percent of the market.
"Other big vendors trailing the leader include, SAP 5.3 percent, Oracle 5.2 percent, Microsoft 3.7 percent, and Adobe 3.6 percent.

The list is impressive, but the numbers are absolutely binky after 25 years of competition. The runners-up have a combined share of 17.8 percent, still less than that of Salesforce.

Most interesting is that the top five vendors, including Salesforce, add up to an unimpressive 36.2 percent. That means the majority of the market is made up of CRM vendors that we may know well, but that don't hit the radar..."

CRMBuyer, August 18th, 2020
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SF IT Sales
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Monthly Meetup of IT Sales and Marketing Professionals (South Florida)
Online - Zoom
This is a group for IT Sales and Marketing Professionals to meet with their peers, learn from each other and share referrals.

Note the new time: Lunchtime!

How has COVID-19 changes how you do sales and marketing?

After the intros, the rest of meeting will be an informal hangout!

In-person meetups are suspended until the COVID-19 threat is diminished and public gathering are again allowed, we will run the meetups as Zoom video conferences.

Enjoy your lunch with IT sales and marketing colleagues and competitors!

Hosted by John J. McLaughlin

Monday, August 24th, 2020: 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM
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SF IT vBeers Broward
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vBeers South Florida - Weekly Virtual Meetups via Zoom
Online - Zoom
vBeers meetups are informal networking events for South Florida Tech professionals.

In-person vBeers are suspended until the COVID-19 thread is diminished and public gathering are again allowed. I will host a Virtual vBeers every Wednesday until in-person events resume.

After the intros, the rest of meeting will be an informal hangout!

Please join the live meeting at 6:00PM EST with this Zoom link:

You can also join by phone:

  • Meeting ID: 792 850 274
  • 646 558 8656 US
  • +16465588656,,792850274# US (New York)

vBeers@Boca is sponsored by TechLauderdale:

  • "TechLauderdale promotes the growth, connectivity, and awareness of the thriving technology ecosystem in Greater Fort Lauderdale"

Hosted by John J. McLaughlin

Wednesday, August 26th, 2020: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
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vBeers South Florida - Weekly Virtual Meetups via Zoom
Online - Zoom
vBeers meetups are informal networking events for South Florida Tech professionals.

In-person vBeers are suspended until the COVID-19 thread is diminished and public gathering are again allowed. I will host a Virtual vBeers every Wednesday until in-person events resume.

After the intros, the rest of meeting will be an informal hangout!

Please join the live meeting at 6:00PM EST with this Zoom link:

You can also join by phone:

  • Meeting ID: 792 850 274
  • 646 558 8656 US
  • +16465588656,,792850274# US (New York)

vBeers@Boca is sponsored by TechLauderdale:

  • "TechLauderdale promotes the growth, connectivity, and awareness of the thriving technology ecosystem in Greater Fort Lauderdale"

Hosted by John J. McLaughlin

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
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PeopleTek News
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Virtual Team Building
The difference between success and failure is a great team. - Dave Kerpen
"Building team strengths and relationships is always important, and given our current challenging times, even more so. We've talked about including in your weekly staff meeting time for team members to share something personal, but what about having something that is simply fun?

Enter ice breakers and games. The intent is simple: build team relationships in a relaxed forum where people can share thoughts and opinions that are not linked with work efforts or deliverables..."

PeopleTek News, August 19th, 2020
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Kelly Merbler News
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3 Things I Did To Create My Dream Job After 40
I don't know about you, but when I hit my 40th birthday, I began to get restless as I pondered what the rest of my career would look like
"I became bored in my corporate job and it felt as if I was just spinning on a hamster wheel. It was the same old routine every Monday through Friday. By my own admission, I was actually pretty good at, but it just didn't rock my world like it once did.

You see, as I grew more into the true version of myself, I realized that chasing a large paycheck and being concerned with my ranking on the company scorecard just didn't seem important to me any longer. It's not that there is anything wrong with that, but my priorities had changed as I went through several life experiences..."

Kelly Merbler News, August 19th, 2020
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Sponsor - TechLauderdale
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Promoting the Growth, Connectivity, and Awareness of the Thriving technology ecosystem in Greater Fort Lauderdale
Become a Member of the Ecosystem, Join TechLauderdale Today
Membership benefits for TechLauderdale were designed to provide individuals and organizations with the choice on how to best utilize member benefits, with a great deal of flexibility and exclusivity. Key benefits of this structure include new ways for members to support the Greater Fort Lauderdale tech ecosystem, while at the same time taking advantage of ongoing tech education and training, exclusive networking and learning opportunities, and making valuable connections.

  • Individual - $100/year or $10/month
  • Bronze - $500 (1 to 3 Employees)
  • Silver - $1,500 - (4 to 25 Employees)
  • Gold - $2,500 - (25 to 50 Employees)
  • Platinum - $3,500 - (over 50 Employees)

TechLauderdale has recently updated its membership levels with increased benefits for each level to better align the value we have to offer with the mission of the organization and our value pillars of: Learn, Connect, and Grow. Read the full membership letter here that explains the changes to the program in greater detail.


Sponsor - SIM
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Connects the Area's Premier IT leaders - for Business Solution Exchange, Professional Development, and Timely Education
Joining SIM connects you with top IT leaders in the industry, including: CIOs, senior IT executives, prominent academicians, consultants, and other top IT professionals
The Chapter strives to strengthen professional communications among members who direct the application of information technology in private and public organizations. Chapter activities include:

  • Meeting to share innovative ideas and real-world experiences which address enterprise information needs. We have excellent speakers from our membership and bring in industry executives or subject matter experts from many sources.
  • Providing presentations by leading national information-management professionals and executives who benefit from management-information systems.
  • Challenging our comfort levels by exchanging ideas with peers and business counterparts.
  • Being a resource for each other, and personal networking.

The geographical scope of the South Florida Chapter is Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach County. Subscribe to receive emails from the chapter to get notified of all relevant events in the area. If you are already subscribed, you will be sent a link to update your preferences.

Society for Information Management (SIM) - South Florida Chapter
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Sponsor - ISACA
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ISACA South Florida Chapter
A diverse group of innovative thought leaders partnering with the community to serve as the first choice for professional development and a global role model for ISACA Chapters by 2024
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

Corporate IT Audit, IT Compliance, IT Governance & IT Security Professionals
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Sponsor - ISSA
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Not-for-profit Organization of Information Security Professionals and Practitioners
The ISSA South Florida Chapter (SFISSA) is a not-for-profit organization of information security professionals and practitioners
ISSA 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. We need your support, so we hope that you will consider becoming a sponsor to support our chapter.

Sponsorship Options: Chapter sponsorship

Platinum sponsors $1,500/meeting benefits include:

  • Non-marketing presentation at one SFISSA meeting (including attendee/sign-in list)
  • Higher priority in speaker selection for SFISSA Annual Conference
  • Logo signage displayed at meetings*
  • Logo, name and company URL on SFISSA website for event
  • Materials distributed at SFISSA meetings*
  • 5 minute presentation at 1 SFISSA meetings per year

Program sponsors $1,000/meeting benefits include:

  • Non-marketing presentation at one SFISSA meeting
  • Logo signage displayed at meetings*
  • Logo, name and company URL on SFISSA website for event
  • Materials distributed at SFISSA meetings*
  • 5 minute presentation at 1 SFISSA meetings per year

Conference sponsorship opportunities coming soon.

South Florida Chapter of the ISSA
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Sponsor - Refresh Miami
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Educate, Inspire, Connect and Grow South Florida's Tech and Startup Ecosystem
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
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


Sponsor - Palm Beach Tech
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A Nonprofit Membership Association Building the Palm Beaches into a Tech Hub
Check our Membership options and help build the Palm Beaches into a Tech Hub!
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.


Sponsor - SFHIMA
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Create and Encourage an Environment Conducive to Promoting HIM Practices and Emerging HIM Occupations
We are the SMEs in health information! So whether you are a student, a recent graduate, seasoned professional or profession partner, your local chapter is here for you.
South Florida Health Information Management Association.

The theme from FHIMA for this year is 'Smooth Sailing Ahead'.

SFHIMA is ready to set sail with more great informational sessions, networking and continuing education opportunities. Sessions this year will be offered in person and via remote web connections.

South Florida Health Information Management Association (SFHIMA)
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Sponsor - PMI
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Advance the PM Profession Through the Promotion of PMI Certification Training
To be a conduit of innovation, networking and support for the next evolution of Project Managers through strategic focus, customer centricity and operation agility
Mission

  • Advance the PM profession through the promotion of PMI certification training and project excellence acknowledgement.

  • Provide members and volunteers with networking, leadership roles and superior development and education events and activities,

  • Ensure alignment with PMIs talent triangle, compliance with PMIs core values and contribution to the improvement of the PM body of knowledge.

We are only one of over 270 Chapters serving Project Management Institute (PMI) members and communities in more than 70 countries around the world. These local communities help spread awareness of the profession and PMI by reaching out to local governments and organizations, hosting events or seminars for local practitioners and providing opportunities to learn, network and earn Professional Development Units (PDUs) toward maintaining credentials.

PMI South Florida Chapter
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Sponsor - IIBA
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Premier World-Wide Professional Association for Business Analysts
We are the local representative of the International Institution of Business Analysis (IIBA), the premier world-wide professional association for business analyst
Sponsorships are available.

The objectives of the Chapter are to:

  • Promote and advance the profession of Business Analysis
  • Provide opportunities to our members to gain knowledge and network with experienced professionals across various industries and government agencies
  • Provide access for members to a formal "knowledge base" as well as forums for sharing expertise, expressing professional opinions and building a reputation within the industry
  • Provide pathways to learn about business analysis best practices
  • Create corporate support for the IIBA within the local market by superior marketing/awareness programs that demonstrate the value of business analysis and the IIBA
  • Liaise with industry and association partners to increase awareness and benefit of IIBA Chapter members
  • Encourage and provide opportunities for our members to become Business Analysis certified professionals

As our events calendar and past events reflect, we have a mix of day time symposiums for professional development, after work meetings focused on a topic of particular concern to business analysts, and online meetings and webinars to develop your technical skills and analytical competencies, as well as one to two premiere dinner events per year with at least one distinguished guest speaker.

International Institution of Business Analysis (IIBA), March 12th, 2020
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