Welcome to Insight, the newsletter that delivers small business advice and technology information to help you succeed. Insight provides you with valuable business strategies and software tips, as well as advice from small business experts and free software downloads. Get even more from your Insight subscription with Small Business+. Register to access our premium small business information, Small Business+ templates, and exclusive special offers. You’ll continue to receive the same great newsletter but with articles and information tailored to your needs. Look for the plus sign  to identify Small Business+ exclusives. 
Making the leap from employee to entrepreneur will change your life dramatically. That’s why careful planning is so essential. The key is to do your homework. Create a workable business plan that fits your objectives and the needs of your financial backers. And make the transition systematically, assessing what works and what doesn’t as you go along. Here are five tips to help you start a business on your terms.
Don’t miss the second episode of the Microsoft Small Business Show. Chris Cashman hosts another hour of inspiring and entertaining interviews with entrepreneurs who will share the secrets of their success. Watch it LIVE TODAY January 24, 2:00 P.M. Eastern/11:00 A.M. Pacific.
If your technology hasn’t kept up with your business needs, tell us your story and you could win $100,000 in software, hardware, and services with the Small Business Summit Total Technology Makeover*, sponsored by Dell. Enter online by February 15.If you're a woman running your own company, you're likely missing out on lucrative opportunities if you haven't yet become certified as a woman-owned and operated business. Owners who have been certified report that it definitely helps when selling their services and products. This article seeks to help you get started in the lengthy certification procedure and learn some insider tips about how you can leverage your certification as a woman-owned company.
|
|
|
|
7 startup tips for women entrepreneurs
Women-owned companies are growing at nearly twice the rate of all businesses, according to the Center for Women’s Business Research. If you're a woman thinking about starting a business, check out these practical tips from women entrepreneurs across the country that can help you jump some initial hurdles.
Marketing: Creating a professional image
All businesses need to build credibility in the marketplace. When you start your business, you need to work toward establishing your brand. This course teaches you how to develop your core marketing materials and logos and how to protect your brand from competitors.
4 ways businesswomen can combat bias
Look under the proverbial microscope. The only reasonable conclusion is that bias is, indeed, still alive and well in the business world for women. It's subtle, but it's there. Women business owners and entrepreneurs need effective strategies to fight this discrimination.
Advice for starting a business with friends
If you plan to start a business with a friend, you’re in good company. About half of all startups today are organized among friends or spouses. But best buddy entrepreneurs face special challenges. Learn how friends can successfully make the transition to becoming business partners while preserving their friendship.
|
|
Get professional results with Microsoft Office Publisher 2003
Microsoft Office Publisher 2003 includes designs for newsletters, brochures, Web sites, business cards, postcards, greeting cards, media labels, and more. Learn how you can start with and modify a pre-designed publication in Publisher to create your own professional-looking documents.
5 ways to speed up your PC
By following a few simple guidelines, you can maintain your computer and keep it running smoothly. This article discusses how to use the tools available in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Windows Vista to efficiently maintain your computer and help safeguard your privacy when you're online.
Take a guided tour of Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2
This series of demonstrations shows how easy it is for workers to be productive using computers connected to a Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 (SBS 2003 R2) domain. Whether working from a desktop or accessing information remotely, system resources are just a click away. Network administrators can also perform common tasks from remote locations.
4 ways to put campaign responses to work for you
Your organization may send hundreds of thousands of e-mail messages, faxes, direct mail, and other marketing material each year, hoping to grow your business. By running reports that contain the campaign response data that you've captured in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, you can measure the success of specific activities based on their response rates.
|
|
Windows Vista Test Drive
The Windows Vista Test Drive enables you to try (or “test-drive”) the latest operating system from Microsoft without having to install it on your PC. You can explore the product on your own, or follow along with guided exercises and videos. Take the Windows Vista Test Drive.
Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 Phone Edition
Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 Phone Edition is the first-generation Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone that is directly compatible with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. Try it for yourself.
60-day trial of Microsoft Office Publisher 2007
Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 helps you create, personalize, and share a wide range of publications and marketing materials in-house. New and improved capabilities guide you through the process of creating and distributing in print, Web, and e-mail. See for yourself with this 60-day trial.
|
|
|
|
Grow your woman-owned business through certification
The WBE certification through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council is accepted by thousands of corporations—including Microsoft—and some federal agencies. Being certified as a WBE can be a powerful tool for marketing your company to decision-makers within the corporate supply chain. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Need a business plan?
Get started with this free eBook—“Your Road Map to Success: How to Write a Winning Business Plan”—from the Microsoft Startup Center. |
|
|
Build more profitable relationships with your customers
Order your FREE resource CD and find out how Microsoft Dynamics CRM can help your growing business simplify everyday communications, access your customer information while on the go, execute targeted marketing campaigns, and provide effective customer service. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How Windows Vista and the 2007 Office System Work Better Together
Live webcast
Tuesday, February 12
9:00 A.M. Pacific
Join this advanced-level webcast and discover how you can benefit from the integration of the capabilities in Windows Vista as a user of the 2007 Microsoft Office system. Register to learn more. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
