[ { "type" : "Case Study", "title" : "Bold Creative Design", "url" : "/case-studies/bold-creative-design/", "company" : "Bold Creative Design", "company-type": "Specialty Products Startup", "content" : "THE CHALLENGEOne entrepreneur. Too many phone calls. No easy way to sort them quickly or prioritize, especiallyon the road.THE SOLUTIONmagicJack for BUSINESS VoIP phone services featuring auto attendant and virtual fax.THE RESULTSPhone response now near real-time. Customer satisfaction is through the roof.Sam A. Meyers is happy to be an entrepreneur. After years spent managing others as an IT program manager, he felt burned out and decided to strike out on his own. “I really enjoy having the control of working for myself,” says the New York native, now owner of Bold Creative Design, based in Suwanee, Georgia. “Setting my own course is very important to me. When I close a deal, the feeling is huge.”Always on-call, always responsiveEstablishing his own distributorship for branded promotional marketing items requires Meyers to think fast, act fast and be available to clients, vendors and manufacturers at a moment’s notice.Meyers says the challenge is “being everywhere at all times,” and still supplying responsive service to his vendors and clients. Right now, his company consists of just him and one other individual.“Before I could work eight hours, go home, and relax. Now I’m on call all the time.”When researching business office phones, Meyers was first attracted to VoIP phone services from magicJack for BUSINESS because of its price point, an enticing feature for a small startup on a tight budget.Essential business features includedYet, for Meyers, price was not the only deciding factor. Previously relying solely on his mobile phone for his business, Meyers says the auto attendant and virtual fax were important features he was looking for, and they have allowed him to perform his job at a higher level.For example, auto attendant has empowered him to be exceptionally responsive. “I interact a lot with my suppliers while I am traveling,” he says. “In this new millennium of immediate contact, it’s important to answer calls in real time rather than waiting to pick up all my voicemails later. Especially if it is a first touch with a client, and I’m trying to build a relationship.”From a branding standpoint, auto attendant gives Meyers’s small business a big business image and a more professional phone presence while eliminating the cost of hiring a full-time receptionist to answer the phone. “magicJack for BUSINESS makes our business three people instead of two. It’s the best value in business phone service with all the professional features we need at an unbeatable price,” says Meyers.Virtual fax recently allowed him to close a deal on the road. “I needed some documents from my home office desktop right away to close a deal. With magicJack for BUSINESS, my partner was able to virtual fax them to my laptop and I was off and running.”Does magicJack for BUSINESS fit into his plans for growing his business? “Absolutely,” Meyers notes. “My vision is to add more employees and add more lines for them. I can still do business development while they support customers. If they need me, they would be able to contact meAbout magicJack for BUSINESSmagicJack for BUSINESS is the smart choice for savvy business owners that want an easy-to-use internet phone system tailored to meet the unique needs of SMBs. With an ultra-low cost network infrastructure and proprietary telecom software, magicJack for BUSINESS provides a feature-rich, reliable, and affordable offering to entrepreneurs and small businesses who strive for phone service that will keep them professionally connected to customers while keeping expenses low.For more information, please visit magicjackforbusiness.com or call 888-652-4976." } , { "type" : "Case Study", "title" : "Vizionz Unlimited", "url" : "/case-studies/vizionz-unlimited/", "company" : "Vizionz Unlimited", "company-type": "Graphic Design & Recording Studio", "content" : "CLIENT PROFILEVizionz Unlimited delivers an array of services such as graphic design and studio recording with a goal of providing clients with results that are personalized to their specific need. High quality and professional output is critical.THE CHALLENGEFinding an affordable phone system for an on-the-move entrepreneurTHE SOLUTIONmagicJack for BUSINESS keeps costs down while giving Vizionz Unlimited a “big company” appearanceTHE RESULTSCrystal-clear sound and outstanding customer servicemagicJack for BUSINESS Helps Multitasking Owner Stay ConnectedTala White owns Vizionz Unlimited, a small faith-based firm that provides graphic design and studio recording services as well as non-profit ministries to the Jackson, Mississippi community. Her main client base is small businesses, which she can certainly relate to in running her own business. That’s why the service aspect of her B2B work is so important. We understand the issues that small businesses face. One thing we can do to help our clients compete is to make sure their advertising and marketing is on point,” White said. “Our motto for graphic design is ‘It’s not just a layout, it’s your voice in your absence.’Multitasking is a way of lifeBecause she is involved in several different businesses and nonprofits, White is adept at multitasking and is often on the move about town.Never being out of touch with her client base and others who may rely on her was critical to getting things done, and she needed a phone system that would help her stay connected.White was looking for inexpensive business phone lines. “I have worked in both small and large offices before with all kinds of phone systems - T1s, landlines with extensions - but I found VoIP to be perfectly capable of meeting my needs.”She conducted a price comparison between several vendors, including Vonage, and found magicJack for BUSINESS to be the most affordable by far. With magicJack for BUSINESS, businesses can pay up to 60% less than with other VoIP providers and enjoy an annual savings of nearly $1,000 on the Home & Office Plan compared to the average phone/cable landline.White did have one reservation about choosing magicJack for BUSINESS – she had never heard of the company before and didn’t want to go with an unknown entity. A quick, and very cordial phone call with magicJack for BUSINESS changed her mind, though. Her Atlanta-based service rep answered all her questions and demonstrated that she would be well covered with 24/7 dedicated phone support. “I am in the customer service business myself, so I appreciate people who take the time to treat others with respect and professionalism,” she said.Now that she has the phone system up and running, one of the benefits she appreciates most is the flexibility that it provides. “If I am going to be out of town for a week working, I like to take the phone with me. I just plug it in at the hotel,” White said.If she isn’t in the office, her magicJack for BUSINESS phone simply forwards calls to her mobile phone so she doesn’t miss important calls, and she can transfer or forward calls to her two employees. White has also found the sound quality to be “crystal clear” and without problems with dropped calls, jittering, or call degradation.As White grows her business, she can foresee adding the auto attendant feature to enhance the level of professionalism to her first contact process. The auto attendant provides a variety of options to reach different departments, dial by name, leave a message, dial by extension, and more.White’s magicJack for BUSINESS phone has provided her with one unexpected benefit. Being in the music business herself, she really appreciates the music on hold feature. “It makes it seem like we are a large corporation,” she said.Now that’s music to the ears of any small business owner.About magicJack for BUSINESSmagicJack for BUSINESS is the smart choice for savvy business owners that want an easy-to-use internet phone system tailored to meet the unique needs of SMBs. With an ultra-low cost network infrastructure and proprietary telecom software, magicJack for BUSINESS provides a feature-rich, reliable, and affordable offering to entrepreneurs and small businesses who strive for phone service that will keep them professionally connected to customers while keeping expenses low.For more information, please visit magicjackforbusiness.com or call 888-652-4976. magicJack for BUSINESS makes phone and virtual fax affordable for my business. I was worried the sound quality wasn’t going to be good, but it’s GREAT! magicJack for BUSINESS makes running my business easy." } , { "type" : "Case Study", "title" : "Tax Plus", "url" : "/case-studies/tax-plus/", "company" : "Tax Plus", "company-type": "Accounting Firm", "content" : "Taxes Plus a Whole Lot MoreFrom his office in Charlotte, North Carolina, Eddie Gutierrez at Tax Plus provides tax preparation services and financial advice in English and Spanish to individuals and businesses in the Carolinas and around the United States.Eddie has the knowledge and the expertise to prepare individual and business tax returns for all 50 states, including gift and estate tax returns and partnership and corporate tax returns. He also advises individuals, business startups and companies on estate and succession planning and tax and education planning.Using Technology to Stay AheadSince not all clients are local, Eddie holds tax preparation interviews in person, by mail, or email. This makes reliable technology and communications a must for his business.For instance, to collect the documents required to prepare clients’ tax returns, Eddie has set up a client portal accessible from his website. Using the portal, Eddie and his customers securely exchange documents and messages. Clients in the Carolinas can also check the status of their federal tax refund or NC or SC state refund from the website.With cyber security being a top priority, the internet portal is secured, encrypted and password protected.Why Did Eddie Choose magicJack?Eddie started his business in 2009 and started to use the original magicJackGO device right away because he wanted a separate phone number for his business. He didn’t want to use his personal cell number. That worked out well and was doubly advantageous in that he could easily relocate his office and keep the same number.When magicJack announced magicJack for BUSINESS, Eddie jumped right in. “It was exactly what we needed, I was really happy,” recalls Eddie. “I have someone that does marketing from her home, and she takes the [magicjack for BUSINESS] phone home with her and sets up appointments. What I like about that phone is that I have things like call waiting or forwarding or we put someone on hold and they hear on hold music, so really it sounds professional.”The Alternatives Don’t Add UpIn the eight years Eddie has been using magicJack and magicJack for BUSINESS he has looked at alternatives, including regular landline phone lines and other VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) systems. He has stayed with magicJack because, he says, other systems “seemed to be more complicated. Not as nimble. And definitely not as cost effective.”Personable and Helpful Technical SupportEven though the phone and service are excellent, Eddie called magicJack for BUSINESS technical support one time. The problem could not be resolved right away so he was given an appointment to get a call back from a technician. The technician returned the call at the appointed time and as Eddie recalls, “we solved the issue right away. A lady by the name of Linda. Very personable and very helpful.”Doing Business from Abroad with magicJack for BUSINESSEddie has grown his business beyond taxes. He calls it “taxes with a forward-thinking mindset of saving money.” He likes to sit down with clients and find out what their objectives are for the next five, 10, or 20 years. He finds out where clients want to be and then puts a plan together that will get them there.Because of this, Eddie values the portability of magicJack for BUSINESS. He can check his messages or make and receive calls anywhere he has access to the internet. The voicemail to email feature makes it easy to quickly scan and play recent voice messages from mobile or desktop, and return the urgent ones first. This proves very useful for keeping in touch with those clients he helps with business analysis and financial planning. People call him throughout the year, including during the holiday season: “When I was on vacation in Guatemala, it was nice to be able to take calls from people who did not know where I was,” says Eddie. “[For them] it is just a local phone call.” And the best part, he says, “Using it has been seamless and it has been very cost effective.”The Way ForwardEddie has just started a marketing program in the Charlotte area and is looking forward to growing his business. The features built into his magicJack for BUSINESS phone system–including enhanced call forwarding, voicemail, 3-way and conference calling, and auto attendant–will present the professional image his clients are looking for and will help Eddie continue to be efficient, productive, and available to his customers.Start saving today. Call 888-652-4976" } , , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "3-Way Calling", "url" : "/features/3-way-calling/", "content" : "3-Way Calling allows you to talk with two people at the same time. You can easily add a third person to your phone conversation by dialing them in while you’re on an existing call. You’ll have an opportunity to speak with the third caller privately before joining all parties together. This is useful to give a brief introduction to the third party about the group call they’re about to join. Or you can immediately join all parties into one call with the touch of a button.If you are in a call and want to add another participant, it’s as simple as 1-2-3.On your Yealink T21P phone: Press the Conf soft key to place a new call. Dial the number of the person you would like to add and press the Send soft key. After the person has answered your call, press the Conf soft key again to join all parties in the conference. " } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Voicemail", "url" : "/features/voicemail/", "content" : "Voicemail records a caller’s audio message when you can’t answer the phone. It is provided for each of your extensions. Your phone’s message indicator will blink when you have unheard voicemails. You’ll also receive email notifications of each voicemail. A separate voicemail box is included for each extension. You can set up a custom voicemail greeting and change it anytime." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Call Waiting", "url" : "/features/call-waiting/", "content" : "If you enable call waiting, your phone can quietly beep in the background to notify you about an additional incoming call. Then you can decide whether you want to have someone else take the call, place the caller on hold, or to send the incoming call to your voicemail.To set up call waiting on a Yealink T21P, follow the steps below. Press Menu, then Feature, then Call Waiting. Press the left or right arrow key, or the Switch soft key to select Enabled from the Call Waiting field. Press the left or right arrow key, or the Switch soft key to select Enabled from the Play Tone field. (Optional) Enter the call waiting on code or off code respectively in the On Code or Off Code field. Press the Save soft key to accept the change or the Back soft key to cancel." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Caller ID", "url" : "/features/caller-id/", "content" : "Caller ID shows the name and number of incoming calls. As for the calls you place, your identity is important to your business and Caller ID is one of the first things that people see when you call them. When you sign up, we set up your Caller ID exactly as you prefer it so that it is available for lookup to the provider of the person you are calling." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Unlimited US and CA Calling", "url" : "/features/unlimited-us-and-ca-calling/", "content" : "Unlimited calls are within the US, except for Alaska. Unlimited calls to some parts of Canada except for the Yukon and Northwest Territories of Canada or calls to non-8YY calling card, platform, conference or chat lines for which additional fees will apply. magicJack for BUSINESS does not provide service to Canadian customers." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Conference Bridge", "url" : "/features/conference-bridge/", "content" : "Our customers have access to a free conference bridge. This is a great solution for times when you need a meeting with more than a couple of participants in which a call or 3-Way Calling would do. You can quickly create your conference bridge and provide the details to your meeting participants.To set up a conference call: Dial 305-848-8888 Select “Set up a Conference Call” and follow the promptsYou will create a password and will be given a 10-digit code.Distribute the code, time of call, and dial in number (305-848-8888) to all conference call attendees. You may use the access code for any future conference calls as well.To join a conference call: Dial 305-848-8888 Select “Join a Conference Call” Enter the 10-digit code" } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "E911 Service", "url" : "/features/e911-service/", "content" : "We provide Enhanced 911 (E911) Service to our customers. E911 is a feature of the 911 emergency-calling system that automatically associates a physical address with the calling party’s phone number. Your E911 location is the address associated with the phone on your account. Having a valid E911 location is important to ensure that emergency personnel are dispatched to the correct location when responding to a 911 call made using your magicJack for BUSINESS™ phone." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Do Not Disturb", "url" : "/features/do-not-disturb/", "content" : "Ever need some time when your phone isn’t ringing off the hook? You can set your phone to reject all calls with the Do Not Disturb function.Press the DND soft key on a Yealink T21P phone while the phone is idle to turn the Do Not Disturb function on. You can turn it off again by pressing DND one more time.Calls received during this time will be logged to your Missed call log in the portal." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Enhanced Call Forwarding", "url" : "/features/enhanced-call-forwarding/", "content" : "Enhanced call forwarding is a way for you to manage how inbound calls to one of your phone numbers are routed. This is a powerful feature and one that allows you to never miss a call from a customer.There are 4 different enhanced call forwarding options: always forward a call, forward a call if not answered, and simultaneous or sequential forwarding of calls to multiple destinations.Always forward a call:The straightforward option. Any call to your phone number will be forwarded directly to the number you specify. This can be a different extension or phone number in your business, your mobile number, or any other number in the USA or Canada.With this option, your magicJack for BUSINESS desk phone and mobile application will not ring at all.Forward a call if not answered:The fallback option. Any call to your phone number will first ring your magicJack for BUSINESS desk phone and mobile application. If you are not able to answer the call, then it will be forwarded to the extension or other number you selected.Simultaneous call forwarding:When using this option, a call to your phone number will ring on one or multiple devices at the same time. You can add extensions from your business or any other numbers like your mobile phone or home phone.All other devices will stop ringing as soon as the call is answered from any other device.Sequential call forwarding:When using this option, a call to your phone number will be forwarded to a single destination from your forward list. If there is no answer, the call will be forwarded to next number in the list and so on.Finally, any call that is eventually not answered on any destination, will be routed to your voicemail to allow the caller to leave a message. Read more about voicemail here.You can easily change the Enhanced Call Forwarding options from the magicJack for BUSINESS portal on the settings page under the respective extension or phone number." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Music on Hold", "url" : "/features/music-on-hold/", "content" : "Music on Hold plays music when you place the person you were talking to on hold. This is a useful feature, as you don’t want your customers sitting in silence not knowing if you are still there.No setup is involved. Simply press the Hold soft key on a Yealink T21P phone during a call, and your Music on Hold will play." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Caller ID Blocking", "url" : "/features/caller-id-blocking/", "content" : "You can block your outbound Caller ID so that the people you call don’t see your business name or number.You can block your Caller ID by dialing *67 followed by the 10-digit phone number you are calling." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Extension Dialing", "url" : "/features/extension-dialing/", "content" : "Extension dialing is another great feature to help project a professional image for your company. It also makes it easy for people to dial by an easy-to-remember extension number (ex. extension 123) instead of having to dial or transfer to a 10-digit telephone number.You can find the extension for your Yealink T21P phone by pressing 0000#." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Online Call Logs", "url" : "/features/online-call-logs/", "content" : "We provide call logs in our portal, so that you can have a detailed record of all incoming and outgoing business calls for a particular extension. You can view information about all incoming and outgoing calls, including the name of the caller, the number or extension dialed, and the time, date, and duration of the call." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Auto Attendant", "url" : "/features/auto-attendant/", "content" : "What is Auto-Attendant / IVR?Auto attendant is a cost-effective voice menu system that provides callers with a variety of options to reach different departments or employees of your company. It works as a virtual receptionist and can serve as the main phone line to your business. With auto attendant, not only can you record a message to greet your callers, but you can also provide them with a dial by name directory, dial by extension, or the option to leave a message.Setting up auto-attendant is easy: " } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Call Transfer", "url" : "/features/call-transfer/", "content" : "There are 3 ways to transfer a call: blind transfer, semi-attended transfer, and attended transfer.  Blind TransfersDirect transfer to another extension without initiating a call to the end destination.Semi-Attended TransfersTransfer the call when the target phone is still ringing.Attended TransfersTransfer the call after the 2nd party answers.The following instructions detail how to transfer a call on a Yealink T21P phone.You can transfer a call in the following ways:Blind Transfer Press the TRAN button or the Tran soft key during a call. The call is placed on hold. Enter the number you want to transfer to. Press the TRAN button or the Tran soft key.Semi-Attended Transfer Press the TRAN button or the Tran soft key during a call. The call is placed on hold. Enter the number you want to transfer to and then press the #SEND key. Press the TRAN button or the Tran soft key when you hear the ring-back tone.Attended Transfer Press the TRAN button or the Tran soft key during a call. The call is placed on hold. Enter the number you want to transfer to and then press the #SEND key. Press the TRAN button or the Tran soft key when the second party answers." } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Virtual Fax", "url" : "/features/virtual-fax/", "content" : "What is Virtual Fax?Virtual Fax allows you to send and receive signed documents or contracts through your email, without the costs of buying and maintaining a physical fax machine.With Virtual Fax, you no longer have to wait until you're back at the office to send and receive faxes.Setting up Virtual Fax is easy: " } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Mobile App - iOS & Android", "url" : "/features/mobile-app-ios/", "content" : "Free yourself from your desk. Be seamless. Send and receive calls anywhere, anytime with the new magicJack for BUSINESS mobile app. Your business phone number will be your caller ID so you can keep business and personal separate. Simply download from the App Store or Play Store, login with your mJB credentials, and start calling!" } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Toll Free Numbers", "url" : "/features/toll-free-numbers/", "content" : "magicJack offers toll free numbers, so customers can easily contact you. A toll free number also adds credibility to your business, giving your customers more ease of mind when contacting you.Additional details about our Toll Free Charges:The following setup charges apply to each individual Toll Free Number that you order. Toll Free (8xx) available in inventory pool Service Charge $5.00 per month & $0 setup fee The following are the per minutes charges for Contiguous US and Canada. Rate within Contiguous US 4.0¢ /minute Rate within Canada 6.0¢ /minute ALL RATES, CHARGES AND PRICES ARE IN US CURRENCY" } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Call Queue", "url" : "/features/call-queue/", "content" : "A Call Queue group is a group of users which receive queue calls to be answered by the next available member of the group. This is useful when you are expecting several calls to be coming to a direct number. Call Queues are important for businesses with a large inbound call volume. VoIP makes it possible to manage these calls in an efficient and organized way, without the high cost of a third party system.Call queues help to reduce the number of missed calls, reduce the negative effect of the busy signal on the customer experience, provide different service levels for different customer groups and, as the result, to improve customer service.Cloud virtual phone system can divide the incoming call flow into groups on the basis of several parameters: the business number the caller dialed (useful if you have several numbers in your phone system and the call option they selected through the Auto-Attendant)Queues consist of: Incoming calls being placed in the queue Members that answer the queue (extensions or users that log in as agents) A strategy for how to handle the queue, such as dividing the calls between members On-Hold Music played while callers wait Announcements for members/callers" } , { "type" : "Product Feature", "title" : "Call Blocking", "url" : "/features/call-blocking/", "content" : "Put an end to unwanted phone calls!Call Blocking allows you to take back control of your phone service. You can utilize Call Blocking to prevent specific phone numbers, domestic or international, or even an entire area code or country code from ringing your devices. You can add phone numbers to block for each line on your account, or globally to be blocked on all lines.When a number is blocked, the caller is immediately rejected. They won’t even be able to leave a voicemail or send you a text. You can track blocked calls via our online call logs.Enjoy some peace and quiet and let magicJack for BUSINESS block all of those distracting calls and texts, so you can have more time to focus on the ones that matter.Call blocking is included free of charge with every magicJack for BUSINESS account." } , { } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "About magicJack for BUSINESS", "url" : "/about/", "content" : "About magicJack for BUSINESS We understand what it means to be a startup. Small and medium businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. And your phone is the lifeblood of your business. Businesses need reliable, quality phone service at a reasonable cost. We saw a marketplace riddled with confusing pricing, fine print, surprise bills, forced contracts and add-ons, and poor customer service. We’re here to offer you something better, for less. Our parent company, magicJack Vocaltec, pioneered Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), having sold over 10 million magicJacks since product launch. magicJack owns one of the largest US wireline-based telecom companies. We also own our own softphone, softswitch, session border controller (SBC), app server, and chip companies. Our patents include the most important intellectual property assets in the VoIP and Telecom industries, and we continue to innovate to bring you the most reliable connection and clearest sound quality, now for your business. Over a quarter million businesses already rely on magicJack. This unique combination of proprietary assets allows us to offer low prices and high quality, eliminating any dependence on third-party products and service licensing. The reliability of our network, the clarity of our calls, and the quality of our service set us apart. We’re committed to helping you grow your business. We’re not just your VoIP provider, we’re your partner in success. magicJack for BUSINESS™ offers everything you need in a business phone system at a fraction of the cost of standard providers without sacrificing quality or reliability, and maintains a 99.99% network uptime. You get one low, flat rate per line. No nickel and diming you with extra fees or fluctuating bills. Reliable phone service. Incredible price." } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Accessories", "url" : "/accessories/", "content" : "Products and Features Features Phones Mobile App Desktop App Accessories magicJack for BUSINESS Accessories Yealink WF50 - Dual Band Wi-Fi USB Adapter Securely connect your IP phone to your wireless network and enjoy crystal clear HD calls with the Yealink WF50. Dual-Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi Connectivity High Transmission Rate Interference Free Plug and Play Our Price: $29.99 Learn more about the WF50 Yealink BT41 - Bluetooth USB Adapter The Yealink BT41 adds wireless connectivity to your IP phone and allows you to use it with a wide variety of Bluetooth headsets. Bluetooth specification: V4.1 Control basic phone functions using your headset Operating distance: Up to 32 feet Built-in security Our Price: $29.99 Learn more about the BT41 Yealink EHS40 - Wireless Headset Adapter The Yealink EHS40 USB adapter allows you to connect your IP phone to a wide variety of wired or wireless headsets. Plug and play Easy to use Control basic phone functions using your headset USB 2 to RJ45 (8P8C) or RJ9 (4P4C) connectors MSRP: $45.00 Our Price: $42.99 Learn more about the EHS40 Yealink YHS34 - Lite Mono Headset The Yealink YHS34 is a lightweight headset that is comfortable to wear all day and provides crystal clear HD calls. Plug-and-play Ultra Lightweight Design HD Voice/Wideband speaker performance RJ9 Connectivity MSRP: $30.99 Our Price: $23.99 Learn more about the YHS34 Yealink YHS36 - Mono Headset The Yealink YHS36 a standard headset that provides crystal clear HD calls and is comfortable enough for long conference calls and all-day use. Plug-and-play Bio-mimetic protein-based leather ear cushion HD Voice/Wideband speaker performance RJ9 Connectivity MSRP: $64.00 Our Price: $35.99 Learn more about the YHS36 Yealink WH62 - Professional-grade Dual Wireless Headset The Yealink WH62 is a professional-grade wireless headset that provides crystal clear HD calls and work seamlessly with major communications and IP Phones. USB connectivity to PC and IP phone Control basic phone functions using your headset Wireless Talk Time up to 13 hours Wireless range up to 525 feet MSRP: $249.99 Our Price: $144.99 Learn more about the WH62 Yealink WH63 - Convertible Wireless Headset The Yealink WH63 is lightweight and convertible wireless headset that provides crystal clear HD calls and work seamlessly with major communications and IP Phones. USB connectivity to PC and IP phone Control basic phone functions using your headset Wireless range up to 525 feet Headset weight: 19 grams MSRP: $199.00 Our Price: $144.99 Learn more about the WH63" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Blog", "url" : "/blog/", "content" : "This content is hidden ." } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Case Studies", "url" : "/case-studies/", "content" : "Case Studies See how magicJack for BUSINESS helped these companies save time and money while delighting their customers. View Study Bold Creative Design Specialty Products Startup Specialty Products Startup Makes the Right Call with magicJack for BUSINESS Read More View Study Vizionz Unlimited Graphic Design & Recording Studio Graphic Design Firm Saves Time & Money with Business VoIP Features Read More View Study Tax Plus Accounting Firm Eddie Gutierrez saves thousands per year and hours of talk time at his accounting firm. Read More" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Compare Us", "url" : "/compare-us/", "content" : "Think bundling saves you money? Try magicJack for BUSINESS and save 75% against the big guys.* SAVE up to $65 per month* Your savings really add up when you switch to magicJack for BUSINESS. Save hundreds of dollars a year compared to average phone/cable landline options. Start saving now *Savings claim is based on pricing research performed on May 4, 2018, comparing the cost of magicJack for BUSINESS to AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, and Time Warner. Comparison excludes any promotional pricing, fees, surcharges or taxes. Save more. Get more. All the small business phone features you need for less. Compare us against the other guys. magicJack for BUSINESS Average VoIP Competitor‖ Average Phone/ Cable Company* Setup Fee $0 $64.99 Up to $199 1 month of service (1 line) $15.99 $21.79 $70.46 1 year of service (1 line) $191.88 $261.48 $845.49 Flat rate pricing and clear, predictable bill Free Conference Call Number Conference Calling included free Unlimited local and long distance in US and Canada‡ Music on Hold Do Not Disturb Online Call Logs Customer Support agents in USA Standard Phone Features§ ‡Limited in some areas such as Alaska. §Standard phone features include: 3-way calling, call forwarding, caller ID, caller ID block, call transfer, voicemail, and call waiting. ‖Savings claim is based on pricing research performed on February 22, 2018, comparing the cost of magicJack for BUSINESS to Vonage Business, Ring Central, 8x8, Ooma Office and Grasshopper. Comparison excludes any promotional pricing, fees, surcharges or taxes. Get started now" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Conference", "url" : "/conference/", "content" : "Never pay for a conference call again. It couldn’t be easier … or cheaper! Create your FREE magicJack conference room number: Dial 305-848-8888 Press 2 Enter a 3 digit pin Don’t forget to write down your new conference number. Give your conference attendees your dial-in number and instructions to join: Dial 305-848-8888 Press 1 Enter conference number Learn More" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Contact Us", "url" : "/contact/", "content" : "" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Desktop App", "url" : "/desktop-app/", "content" : "Products and Features Features Phones Mobile App Desktop App Accessories   DOWNLOAD NOW Use your magicJack for BUSINESS phone service right from your computer with the magicJack for BUSINESS Desktop App. Best of all, it’s included with your active phone service! Work more efficiently and increase your flexibility by making and receiving calls on your computer without needing to switch devices. The magicJack for BUSINESS Desktop App integrates your business phone system seamlessly onto your computer allowing you to stay connected even when you’re away from the office. Available for both Windows and Mac®. Desktop App Features: Make and receive calls on your computer Transfer calls to either an internal or external number/extension Transfer a call between devices See and manage your business contacts Mute yourself Place a call on hold Connect with a headset or use your computer’s built-in microphone/speaker View recent calls history Access your voicemail Get notified of incoming and missed calls DOWNLOAD" } , { } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "E911 Disclosure Notice", "url" : "/e911/", "content" : "THIS MAGICJACK® FOR BUSINESS E911 DISCLOSURE NOTICE (this “E911 Notice”) is agreed, acknowledged and accepted by Customer as a user of magicJack’s business services and any associated software and hardware (the “Services”), pursuant to the magicJack® for Business Terms of Service, located at: www.magicjackforbusiness.com/terms/ (the “Agreement”) between magicJack SMB, Inc. (“magicJack”) and Customer. Any capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this E911 Notice shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Agreement. In the event of any conflict between this E911 Notice and the Agreement, this E911 Notice shall control.Customer acknowledges and understands that it is Customer’s responsibility to determine the technology or combination of technologies best suited to meet Customer’s emergency calling needs and to make necessary provisions for access to emergency calling services (such as maintaining a conventional landline phone or wireless phone as a backup means of completing emergency calls).1. Emergency Services – 911 Callinga. Non-Availability of Traditional 911 or E911 Calling Service.  magicJack® for Business E911 Service (the “E911 Service”) is a mandatory component of the Services and is only available in certain areas. Most Customers have access to either Basic 911 Service or Enhanced 911 Service, as defined in Subsection 1.b.1. below. The E911 Service enables Customers to communicate with emergency services by dialing 911. However, the E911 Service is different in important ways from traditional landline 911 and cellular/wireless 911, depending upon where Customer is located and the device used with the Services. Customer agrees to notify any user or potential user of the Services who may place calls using Customer’s Services of the 911 limitations described herein. Customer agrees to place a label on and/or near each telephone or other Customer Equipment on which the Services may be utilized regarding the limitations or unavailability of 911 emergency dialing. magicJack will provide Customer with such labels for magicJack Equipment.b. Description of Emergency Dialing Capabilities.i. How it Works. When a Customer dials 911 from a device connected to or used with the Services (a “magicJack device”), the magicJack phone number and the registered address Customer has provided to magicJack is sent to the local emergency center serving the location of your registered address to enable emergency operators to send help and to call the Customer back, if necessary (“Enhanced 911 Service”). In some areas, emergency operators have access to this information; however, in areas where only basic 911 service is available, the emergency operator answering the call may not be able to see Your magicJack telephone number or your registered address. Customers in locations in which the emergency center is not equipped to receive the Customer’s telephone number and/or address have what is called “Basic 911 Service”. Customer should always be prepared to provide the emergency operator with Customer’s telephone number and location. Until the Customer gives the requisite call back and location information to the emergency operator, the emergency operator may not be able to dispatch help or return the Customer’s call. This is especially the case if the call is not completed or forwarded, is dropped or disconnected, or if the Customer is unable to speak. As local emergency centers become capable of receiving Customer’s address and call back information, magicJack will automatically upgrade customers with Basic 911 service to Enhanced 911 Service. magicJack will not provide notice of the upgrade. magicJack does not control whether or not the emergency operator receives Customer’s telephone number and address.ii. No Access to Enhanced or Basic 911 Service. Certain Customers do not have access to either Enhanced 911 Service or Basic 911 Service. If Customer does not have access to Enhanced 911 Service or Basic 911 Service, the Customer’s emergency call will be sent to a national emergency call center. In such case, an agent at the emergency call center will ask the Customer for his/her name, telephone number and location and will then contact the local emergency center for such location in order to send help. Examples of situations where 911 calls will be sent to the national emergency call center include when there is a problem validating a Customer’s address, the Customer is identified with an international location (see section 2(b)), or the Customer is located in an area that is not covered by the 911 network. Until Customer gives the agent Customer’s telephone number and location, he/she may not be able to call Customer back or dispatch help to Customer’s location if the call is dropped or disconnected.c. E911 Service Fees. Customers are required to subscribe to the E911 Service and will be subject to monthly, government-imposed fees (the “E911 Service Fees”), which are in addition to any applicable state 911 tax based on Customer’s service address and in addition to the applicable Service Fees for the associated line(s). If the E911 Service Fees are not paid, the emergency communications district in Customer’s jurisdiction may seek to collect such amounts from Customer directly. magicJack does not profit from Customer’s E911 Service and the E911 Service Fees collected are turned over to the appropriate government authority pursuant to their requirements. magicJack reserves the right to adjust the E911 Service Fees associated with the provision of the E911 Service to reflect increases or decreases in the costs it incurs in providing the E911 Service.2. Registered Location.a. Registered Location Required. Upon creation of the Customer account, magicJack initially assigns all extensions and magicJack devices to the physical street address on file for the Customer. Prior to activation of the Services, an Administrator shall: (i) register with magicJack all additional 911 locations where the Services are to be used, as necessary; and (ii) assign each magicJack device to one of the registered 911 locations. An Administrator may register multiple 911 locations per account and assign all active extensions and magicJack devices to such 911 locations. Individual end users may assign and re-assign their current location(s) on an as-needed basis. Customer agrees to ensure that the physical location(s) provided to magicJack are correct, and to immediately update such location(s) whenever the physical location(s) of the magicJack devices change. If a magicJack device will be used in a different or new location, an Administrator must create and/or register the location for the magicJack device. If Customer does not register the new location, any 911 call made from the magicJack device may be sent to an emergency center near the prior, registered location. In most cases, the registration process occurs in real-time. In some cases, the registration will be referred to a 911 provider for validation, which could take days. Customer (i) acknowledges and understands that any location information passed to emergency personnel by magicJack will be based upon the physical location information provided by the Customer, and (ii) agrees to promptly assist magicJack in validating a 911 location address that has been rejected by the 911 provider. b.Use of Service Outside United States or Canada. Customer acknowledges that if a user of the Services calls 911 from outside the United States or Canada, the user may be instructed to hang up and call their local service provider. Customer shall notify all users (i.e., business colleagues, employees, guests and other persons who may be present at the physical location where Customer uses the Services) that 911 may not be available outside the United States and Canada and that 911 service may be limited in comparison to traditional 911 service. For clarity, 911 service is available only in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Canada, and is not provided in any US territory or in other international locations.c. Failure to Designate and Identify the Correct Physical Address. Customer’s failure to provide and keep current Customer’s correct physical location(s) may result in any 911 call or other emergency communication made by Customer or from Customer’s actual location (if different from the location previously supplied to magicJack by Customer) being routed to the incorrect local emergency service provider. Most post office box addresses are not eligible as a validated 911 location. Customer’s physical location(s) may NOT be a mail drop or similar address. Customer acknowledges that magicJack’s only mechanism for routing 911 calls to the correct emergency call taker is the physical location currently registered for Customer’s account. Customer acknowledges and understands that any enhanced location information passed to an emergency operator by magicJack will be based upon the physical location provided to magicJack by Customer.3.Service Outagea. Power Failure or Disruption. Emergency dialing will not function in the event of a broadband, power or ISP Service failure or disruption. If there is an interruption in the power supply, a power surge or a power failure, the Services and emergency dialing will not function until power is restored. A power failure, power surge or power disruption may require Customer to reset or reconfigure equipment prior to using the Services or being able to make emergency 911 calls.b. Service Suspension or Termination by magicJack. A Services outage or suspension (including, without limitation, suspension of Services due to billing issues or delinquent or unpaid invoices) or termination of Services by magicJack will prevent ALL calls from being made through the Services, including the ability to make emergency 911 calls.c. Other Service Outages.  If there is a Services outage for ANY reason, such outage will prevent ALL calls from being made through the Services, including the ability to make emergency 911 calls. Such outage may occur for a variety of reasons, including, without limitation, those reasons described elsewhere in this E911 Notice or the Agreement. 4. Automated Number Identification. Due to limitations at public-safety answering points (“PSAP(s)”), it may not be possible for the PSAP and the local emergency personnel to identify Customer’s telephone number (or the number assigned by magicJack) when Customer dials 911 via the Services. PSAP and emergency personnel may be unable to identify Customer’s telephone number in order to call Customer back in the event that an emergency call is unable to be completed, is dropped or disconnected, or if a caller is unable to speak to provide the telephone number from which the caller is calling, and/or if the Services is not operational for any reason including, without limitation, the reasons and situations listed elsewhere in this E911 Notice or the Agreement.5. Automated Location Identification. Due to limitations at PSAPs, it may not be possible to transmit identification of the Customer physical location address to the PSAP and local emergency personnel for Customer’s area when Customer or any caller at Customer’s premises dials 911. A caller must state the nature of the emergency promptly and clearly, including the caller’s specific physical location, as PSAP and emergency personnel may NOT have this information. PSAP and emergency personnel may not be able to find a caller’s location if the call is unable to be completed, is dropped, or disconnected, or if the caller is unable to speak to provide the location from which the caller is calling and/or if the Services are not operational for any reason including, without limitation, those reasons and situations listed elsewhere in this E911 Notice or the Agreement.6. Indemnification. Customer shall protect, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless magicJack and its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, contractors and agents and any other service provider that furnishes services to Customer in connection with the Services, from and against any and all claims, lawsuits, losses, damages, liability, fines, penalties, costs and expenses, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and costs, arising from or related to any absence, failure or outage of the Services, including, without limitation, emergency 911 calling and/or inability of Customer or any Customer employee, third person or party, or user of the Services, to be able to call 911 or to access emergency service personnel.7. Disclaimers; Limitation of Liability. MAGICJACK SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH ANY FAILURE OF THE SERVICES, OR LACK OF AVAILABILITY TO REACH 911 SERVICES. CUSTOMER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT MAGICJACK’S WILL HAVE NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER FOR ANY SERVICES OUTAGE OR INABILITY TO COMPLETE EMERGENCY 911 CALLS FROM ANY MAGICJACK DEVICE, CUSTOMER LINE OR CUSTOMER PREMISES OR TO ACCESS EMERGENCY SERVICE PERSONNEL, OR IN THE EVENT THAT CUSTOMER OR ANY OTHER CALLER FROM CUSTOMER'S EQUIPMENT IS UNABLE TO PLACE, OR COMPLETE, A CALL TO 911 OR E911 SERVICES, OR IN THE EVENT THAT EMERGENCY RESPONDERS DO NOT RESPOND, OR DO NOT RESPOND TO THE LOCATION AT WHICH THE EQUIPMENT, CUSTOMER, OR CALLER IS PHYSICALLY PRESENT OR REQUIRE SUCH SERVICES. IN NO EVENT SHALL MAGICJACK BE LIABLE TO CUSTOMER OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, PUNITIVE, OR SPECIAL DAMAGES RELATED TO CUSTOMER’S (OR ANY CUSTOMER EMPLOYEE, AGENT, OR CONTRACTOR, OR THIRD PERSON OR THIRD PARTY OR USER OF THY SERVICES) USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE E911 SERVICE. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER WILL MAGICJACK HAVE ANY LIABILITY ASSOCIATED WITH 911 OR E911 SERVICES, INCLUDING, AND WITHOUT LIMITATION, IN THE EVENT OF: A) LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER; B) LOSS OF INTERNET CONNECTIVITY; C) DEFECTIVE OR MISCONFIGURED EQUIPMENT; D) NETWORK CONGESTION; E) DELAYS ASSOCIATED WITH UPDATING REGISTERED SERVICE LOCATION; F) RESTRICTIONS CREATED BY NONVOICE EQUIPMENT; G) RELOCATED EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA; H) THE SIMULTANEOUS USE OF ONE LINE WITH MULTIPLE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT; I) FAILURE OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTERS TO ANSWER A 911 CALL; J) FAILURES OF ANY THIRD PARTIES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ROUTING 911 CALLS; K) THE USE OF NONNATIVE TELEPHONE NUMBERS; or L) ANY FORCE MAJEURE EVENT. CUSTOMER ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT THE LIMITATION OF MAGICJACK’S LIABILITY IS A MATERIAL TERM TO THE AGREEMENT, AND THAT IT WOULD NOT OTHERWISE ENTER INTO THE AGREEMENT WITHOUT THIS LIMITATION, AND THAT CUSTOMER AGREES THAT THESE LIMITATIONS ARE REASONABLE." } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "FAQs", "url" : "/faqs/", "content" : "" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Features", "url" : "/features/", "content" : "Products and Features Features Phones Mobile App Desktop App Accessories Product Features 3-Way Calling 3-Way Calling allows you to talk with two people at the same time. You can easily add a third person to your phone conversation by dialing them in while you’re on an existing call. You’ll have an opportunity to speak with the third caller privately before joining all parties together. This is useful to give a brief ... read more Auto Attendant What is Auto-Attendant / IVR?Auto attendant is a cost-effective voice menu system that provides callers with a variety of options to reach different departments or employees of your company. It works as a virtual receptionist and can serve as the main phone line to your business. With auto attendant, not only can ... read more Call Blocking Put an end to unwanted phone calls!Call Blocking allows you to take back control of your phone service. You can utilize Call Blocking to prevent specific phone numbers, domestic or international, or even an entire area code or country code from ringing your devices. You can add phone numbers to block for each line ... read more Call Queue A Call Queue group is a group of users which receive queue calls to be answered by the next available member of the group. This is useful when you are expecting several calls to be coming to a direct number. Call Queues are important for businesses with a large inbound call volume. VoIP makes it possible to manage t... read more Call Transfer There are 3 ways to transfer a call: blind transfer, semi-attended transfer, and attended transfer.  Blind TransfersDirect transfer to another extension without initiating a call to the end destination.Semi-Attended TransfersTransfer the call when the target phone is still ringing.Attended TransfersTransfer... read more Call Waiting If you enable call waiting, your phone can quietly beep in the background to notify you about an additional incoming call. Then you can decide whether you want to have someone else take the call, place the caller on hold, or to send the incoming call to your voicemail.To set up call waiting on a Yealink T21P, foll... read more Caller ID Caller ID shows the name and number of incoming calls. As for the calls you place, your identity is important to your business and Caller ID is one of the first things that people see when you call them. When you sign up, we set up your Caller ID exactly as you prefer it so that it is available for lookup to the pro... read more Caller ID Blocking You can block your outbound Caller ID so that the people you call don’t see your business name or number.You can block your Caller ID by dialing *67 followed by the 10-digit phone number you are calling. read more Conference Bridge Our customers have access to a free conference bridge. This is a great solution for times when you need a meeting with more than a couple of participants in which a call or 3-Way Calling would do. You can quickly create your conference bridge and provide the details to your meeting participants.To set up a confere... read more Do Not Disturb Ever need some time when your phone isn’t ringing off the hook? You can set your phone to reject all calls with the Do Not Disturb function.Press the DND soft key on a Yealink T21P phone while the phone is idle to turn the Do Not Disturb function on. You can turn it off again by pressing DND one more time.Calls ... read more E911 Service We provide Enhanced 911 (E911) Service to our customers. E911 is a feature of the 911 emergency-calling system that automatically associates a physical address with the calling party’s phone number. Your E911 location is the address associated with the phone on your account. Having a valid E911 location is important... read more Enhanced Call Forwarding Enhanced call forwarding is a way for you to manage how inbound calls to one of your phone numbers are routed. This is a powerful feature and one that allows you to never miss a call from a customer.There are 4 different enhanced call forwarding options: always forward a call, forward a call if not answered, and s... read more Extension Dialing Extension dialing is another great feature to help project a professional image for your company. It also makes it easy for people to dial by an easy-to-remember extension number (ex. extension 123) instead of having to dial or transfer to a 10-digit telephone number.You can find the extension for your Yealink T21... read more Mobile App - iOS & Android Free yourself from your desk. Be seamless. Send and receive calls anywhere, anytime with the new magicJack for BUSINESS mobile app. Your business phone number will be your caller ID so you can keep business and personal separate. Simply download from the App Store or Play Store, login with your mJB credentials, and ... read more Music on Hold Music on Hold plays music when you place the person you were talking to on hold. This is a useful feature, as you don’t want your customers sitting in silence not knowing if you are still there.No setup is involved. Simply press the Hold soft key on a Yealink T21P phone during a call, and your Music on Hold will p... read more Online Call Logs We provide call logs in our portal, so that you can have a detailed record of all incoming and outgoing business calls for a particular extension. You can view information about all incoming and outgoing calls, including the name of the caller, the number or extension dialed, and the time, date, and duration of the ... read more Toll Free Numbers magicJack offers toll free numbers, so customers can easily contact you. A toll free number also adds credibility to your business, giving your customers more ease of mind when contacting you.Additional details about our Toll Free Charges:The following setup charges apply to each individual Toll Free Number tha... read more Unlimited US and CA Calling Unlimited calls are within the US, except for Alaska. Unlimited calls to some parts of Canada except for the Yukon and Northwest Territories of Canada or calls to non-8YY calling card, platform, conference or chat lines for which additional fees will apply. magicJack for BUSINESS does not provide service to Canadian... read more Virtual Fax What is Virtual Fax?Virtual Fax allows you to send and receive signed documents or contracts through your email, without the costs of buying and maintaining a physical fax machine.With Virtual Fax, you no longer have to wait until you're back at the office to send and receive faxes.Setting up Virtual Fax ... read more Voicemail Voicemail records a caller’s audio message when you can’t answer the phone. It is provided for each of your extensions. Your phone’s message indicator will blink when you have unheard voicemails. You’ll also receive email notifications of each voicemail. A separate voicemail box is included for each extension. You c... read more Features 3-Way Calling Auto Attendant Call Blocking Call Queue Call Transfer Call Waiting Caller ID Caller ID Blocking Conference Bridge Do Not Disturb E911 Service Enhanced Call Forwarding Extension Dialing Mobile App - iOS & Android Music on Hold Online Call Logs Toll Free Numbers Unlimited US and CA Calling Virtual Fax Voicemail" } , { } , { } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "How Can We Help", "url" : "/how-can-we-help/", "content" : "" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "How It Works", "url" : "/how-it-works/", "content" : "You work hard for your money. magicJack for BUSINESS makes it easy to save even more! We can get you up and running in 10 minutes! 1. Pick a phone number or port your existing one.* 2. Choose a desk phone and/or use our FREE mobile app. 3. Install the app on either iOS or Android to start immediately. 4. Your desk phone(s) will arrive within 3-5 business days. arrow arrow arrow get it now Or call 1-888-657-6282 to speak with one of our super awesome agents! *See additional terms below. Switching made easy. Savings achieved. Tired of paying for features you don't need? Want simple, affordable phone service tailored to your business needs? Switch to magicJack for BUSINESS and save 75% against your average phone/cable company†. †Savings claim is based on pricing research performed on May 4 2018, comparing the cost of magicJack for BUSINESS to AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, and Time Warner. Comparison excludes any promotional pricing, fees, surcharges or taxes. check mark No-hassle setup check mark No expensive contracts check mark No IT person required Watch how easy it is to get started with magicJack for BUSINESS sign up now Want to professionalize your business? Try our Auto Attendant feature! Instantly create extensions, like “Press 1 for Sales” or “Press 2 for Service.” You can select this feature when you sign up here." } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Home", "url" : "/", "content" : "This content is hidden." } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "International VoIP Calls", "url" : "/international-voip-calls/", "content" : "X Clear" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Privacy Policy", "url" : "/legal/", "content" : "magicJack SMB, Inc. (“magicJack”, “we” or “us” or “our”) know that you care about how your personal information is used and shared and we take your privacy seriously. Please read the following to learn more about how we use your personal information. All capitalized terms not defined in this Privacy Policy shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the magicJack® for Business Terms of Service, which may be found at: www.magicjackforbusiness.com/terms/ and as may be modified thereafter (the “Agreement”).By using any of our Services (including any mobile apps that may be offered from time to time by us in connection therewith), you agree that you have reviewed and understood this Privacy Policy to your full satisfaction, that you consent and agree that you are subject to this Privacy Policy, and that we are permitted to collect, use and share information as outlined in this Privacy Policy. Your access to and use of the Services is subject to the terms of the Agreement. Effective Date: June 3, 2016. Privacy Policy OverviewThis Privacy Policy covers our treatment of personally identifiable information (Personal Information) and other information that we gather when you access and/or use the Services. In addition, this Privacy Policy covers how you may control your Personal Information when you use our Services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of companies that we do not own or control (including any third-party products or services used for logging into the Services), or to individuals that we do not employ or manage. Personal Information Collection and UsageThe information we gather from users enable us to personalize and improve our Services and allows our users to register to set up a user account to use our Services by voluntarily providing registration data and other requested information. Except as otherwise described in this Privacy Policy, we do not sell or rent your Personal Information to third parties without your consent. As described in this Privacy Policy, we share non-personally identifiable information with interested third-parties to assist them in understanding the usage patterns for certain content, services, advertisements, promotions, and/or functionality of our Services. We may contract with a third party to track and analyze non-personally identifiable usage and volume statistical information from our visitors and customers to administer our website and Services and constantly improve their quality. All data collected by such party on our behalf is owned and used by us. We reserve the right to publish non-personally identifiable, summary information regarding our website visitors and users of our Services for promotional purposes. Please note that it is not Personal Information. It is only general summaries of the activities of our visitors and customers from which your Personal Information cannot be derived or discerned. We collect and use the following types of information from users of our Services and visitors to our website: Information You Provide: We collect Personal Information in order to register your account as our customer, to process requests for Services and in connection with the provision of and billing for the Services. We ask you to provide your name, email address, street address, zip code and (when you are paying for Services) your credit card number. We provide your Personal Information to our Affiliates who provide the Services to you. In addition, we need to send your Personal Information to other companies who work as partners with us to provide Services to you. Unless we tell you differently, these other companies do not have any right to use the Personal Information we provide to them beyond what is necessary to assist us in providing the Services. This Personal Information is limited to only necessary information in reference to any Services to be provided to you. We receive and store any information you enter when using the Services or provide to us in any other way. The types of information collected in this manner include all information received upon account creation as well as provided to us while using the Services. Accessing Contact ListsYou expressly acknowledge and agree that in order to provide certain aspects of the Services, we may periodically access your contact list and/or address book on your mobile device to find and keep track of mobile phone numbers and e-mail addresses that you may use in connection with your use of the Service. You hereby give your express consent to us to access your contact list and/or address book for mobile phone numbers and e-mail addresses in connection with your use of the Service. We do not collect names or physical addresses, just mobile phone numbers and e-mail addresses. You must notify us immediately of any breach of security or unauthorized use of your mobile phone. Although we will not be liable for your losses caused by any unauthorized use of your account, you may be liable for our losses or the losses of others due to such unauthorized use. Log File Information:When you use the Services, our servers log certain general information that our application sends whenever a message is sent or received including time and date stamps and the phone numbers the messages were sent from and to. Automatically Collected Information: We and some third party providers we work with automatically receive certain types of information whenever you communicate or otherwise interact with us (including by e-mail or chat communications) or use the Services. Automatic technologies and services we use may include, for example, web server logs/IP addresses, cookies, web beacons and call records. Web Server Logs/IP Addresses: When you use our website and Services we automatically receive and record information on our server logs from your browser including your IP address and the page you requested. An IP address is a number assigned to your computer whenever you access the Internet. All computer identification on the Internet is conducted with IP addresses, which allow computers and servers to recognize and communicate with each other. We collect IP addresses to conduct system administration and report aggregate anonymous information to Affiliates, business partners and/or vendors to conduct site analysis and website performance review and to improve our Services. Cookies: Some of the advertisements and other services that may appear on our website and Services are delivered to you by Internet advertising companies. These companies utilize certain technologies including cookies to deliver advertisements and marketing messages and to collect anonymous information about your visit to our website and other websites and your use of our Services. A cookie is a piece of information that is placed automatically on your device drive when you access certain web services. The cookie uniquely identifies your device to the server and lets a web server know that you are the same person who previously accessed the server. This makes an extended interaction possible. Cookies also allow us to store information on the server to help make the Services better for you and to conduct Services analysis. Web Beacons: We may use web beacons alone or in conjunction with cookies to compile information about your usage of our Services and interaction with emails from us. Web beacons are clear electronic images that can recognize certain types of information on your computer, such as cookies, when you viewed a particular website or mobile app tied to the web beacon, and a description of a website or mobile app tied to the web beacon. For example, we may place web beacons in marketing emails that notify us when you click on a link in the email that directs you to our website or Services. We may also use web beacons to operate and improve our website, email communications and Services. Call Records: In connection with the provision of our Services, we retain call records which can also contain Personal Information. We will not provide your call records to unaffiliated third parties without your consent. Information We Do Not CollectThe contents of messages that have been delivered by the Services are not copied, kept or archived by us in the normal course of business. The texting component of the Services is meant to be a SMS replacement, using data service through your phone (either via cell network or wifi). Users type their messages, which are sent via data service to our servers, and routed to the intended recipient, if that recipient is online. If the recipient is not online, the undelivered message is held in our server until it can be delivered. If the message is undelivered for thirty (30) days, the undelivered message is deleted from our servers. Once a message has been delivered, it no longer resides on our servers. The contents of any delivered messages are not kept or retained by us — the only records of the content of any delivered messages reside directly on the sender’s and recipient’s mobile devices (and which may be deleted at the user’s option). Notwithstanding the above, we may retain date and time stamp information associated with successfully delivered messages and the mobile phone numbers involved in the messages, as well as any other information which we are legally compelled to collect. Files that are sent through the Services will reside on our servers after delivery for a short period of time, but are deleted and stripped of any identifiable information within a short period of time in accordance with our general retention policies. Interest-Based AdvertisingWhen you use our website and Services, we may collect information about your activities for use in providing you with advertising about products and services tailored to your individual interests. This section of our Privacy Policy provides details and explains how to exercise your choices. You may see certain ads on other websites based on your visits to our website or use of our Services because we participate in advertising networks administered by third-party vendors. Ad networks allow us to target our messaging to users through demographic, interest-based and contextual means. These networks track your online activities over time by collecting information through automated means, including through the use of cookies, web server logs and web beacons. The networks use this information to show you advertisements that are tailored to your individual interests. The information ad network vendors may collect includes information about your visits to websites that participate in the vendors' advertising networks, such as the pages or advertisements you view and the actions you take on the websites. This data collection takes place both on our website and our mobile app(s) and on third-party websites and mobile app(s) that participate in the ad networks. This process also helps us track the effectiveness of our marketing efforts. To learn more about how to opt out of ad network interest-based advertising, please visit: http://www.aboutads.info/choices/.We may use third-party web analytics services on our website and Services, such as those of Google Analytics, including the following Google Analytics advertising features: (i) Remarketing with Google Analytics, (ii) Google Display Network Impression Reporting, (iii) DoubleClick Platform integrations and (iv) Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting. The analytics providers that administer these services use technologies such as cookies, web server logs and web beacons to help us analyze how visitors use our website and Services. The information collected through these means (including IP address) is disclosed to these analytics providers, who use the information to evaluate use of our website and Services. We may utilize Remarketing with Google Analytics to advertise online. Third-party vendors, including Google, may show our ads on sites across the Internet. We may utilize Google Display Network Impression Reporting to allow us to see the effects on our website and Services users of different types of ads and their usefulness. We may utilize data provided by Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting to grow our website and Services and better customize our information to the interests of our customers and vistors. We and other third-party vendors, including Google, use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) together to inform, optimize, and serve ads based on visitor’s past visits to our website and past use of our Services. We may combine information we collect from you with information we receive from third parties and use it for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.Google Analytics’ terms of use and privacy policy applies to their collection, use and disclosure of your information. To learn more about Google Analytics and how to opt out, please visit: www.google.com/analytics/learn/privacy.html. Visitors can also opt out of Google Analytics features, such as Google's use of cookies, using Ad Settings at https://www.google.com/settings/ads. Location Information When you use the location-enabled feature of our Services of mobile services, we may collect and process information about your actual location, like GPS signals sent by a mobile device. We do not share that information with third parties other than as required by law. When you use mobile apps, if applicable, we collect and use information about you in the same way and for the same purposes as we do when you use our website. You can choose to allow access to your current location provided by your mobile device using GPS or similar technologies to allow others to identify your location. By changing your mobile phone settings, you can turn off the mobile app’s access to your location at any time. Sharing PoliciesBelow are the circumstances in which we may share your Personal Information. Agents, Consultants and Related Third Parties: We, like many businesses, sometimes hire third parties to perform certain business-related functions. Examples include mailing information, maintaining databases, processing payments and obtaining payment. We may provide access to your Personal Information to third parties who are performing services for us in connection with our website or the Services that you have requested. When we employ a third party to perform a function of this nature, we only provide them with the information that they reasonably require to perform their specific function. Financial Services Parties: The information you enter when making a request for Services, including Personal Information, will be shared with payment processors, financial gateways, and your credit card company to authorize credit card payments. Such information may also be shared with necessary third parties solely for the purpose or carrying out the transactions. Advertisers: We may aggregate Personal Information with Personal Information of other users of our Services and/or our website, and disclose such information in a non-personal manner, or in a personally identifiable manner, to advertisers and other third parties for marketing and promotional purposes. In these situations, we may disclose to these entities any information that could be used to identify you personally. Affiliates: We may share your Personal Information and non-personally identifiable information with the companies that are controlled by us, or under common control with us (our Affiliates), so that they and we can offer you Services that may be of interest to you and to process such information on our behalf. Sale of Business: If we or any or all of our Affiliates are sold or disposed of as a going concern, whether by merger, sale of assets, sale of equity, change of control, bankruptcy proceeding or otherwise, your information collected by us, including any of our related databases could, in whole or in part, be sold as part of that transaction. In the event we go through a business transition, such as a merger, acquisition by another company, sale of all or a portion of its assets or equity, bankruptcy, dissolution or similar transactions or proceedings, your Personal Information will likely be among the assets transferred. Legal Requirements: We may disclose Personal Information if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary: (i) to conform to legal requirements or to respond to a subpoena, search warrant or other legal process received by us, whether or not a response is required by applicable law; (ii) to enforce our Agreement and related guidelines or to protect our rights; (iii) to respond to your requests for customer service; or (iv) to protect the rights, property or safety of members of the public, users of the Services and our employees. You understand that calls to our customer support teams may be monitored and/or recorded for training and quality control purposes, and you consent to all such monitoring and/or recording. Except as set forth above, we will notify you before disclosing your Personal Information to third parties, and you will be able to prevent such disclosure. SecurityUpon signing up for an account with us you will be required to provide a password which will help protect your personal account from outside access. If you have any issues with your account protection please notify us and we will assist in resetting your password. Keep in mind however, that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. We cannot enforce or control the security of the computers, electronic devices, or electronic communication method that a user may utilize to send e-mails and submit information to us over the Internet. Users are responsible for ensuring that the computers, mobile phones, electronic devices and electronic communication methods that users utilize will provide adequate security for communicating with us. To protect user privacy and security, a website user and mobile app user must keep his or her password confidential. We are not responsible for the disclosure or interception of your information before we receive it. We use commercially reasonable physical, managerial, and technical safeguards to preserve the security of your information. Once we receive information, we make commercially reasonable efforts to ensure the security of our systems. However, please note that this is not a guarantee that such information may not be accessed, disclosed, altered, or destroyed by breach of any of our physical, technical, or managerial safeguards. Users Outside Of The United StatesOur website and Services are operated on servers located in the United States, and Personal Information is also stored on computers located in the United States. You consent to the transfer of such information to and from the United States and/or other countries for storage, processing and use by us, our Affiliates and business partners as provided in this Privacy Policy. We make no representation that the practices described in this Privacy Policy are compliant with laws outside of the United States that apply to the collection, security, use and disclosure of personal information. EmailsWe may send you administrative emails to verify your account, to assist with your requests for assistance with your account and/or the Services as well as help protect the identity of your account in case of fraud. By signing up for an account with us we may also send you updates and information on the latest releases and promotional emails to the given email address, with the option to opt-out of receiving promotional emails at any time. Links To Other SitesOther companies or organizations may have links to their websites on our website and Services. We are not responsible for how these other companies or organizations collect, use, disclose, or secure the information that you provide them. If you choose to access a third party website linked from our website or Services, you do so at your own risk and subject to any terms of service or privacy policy (if any) associated with such third party website. Information provided by our users and third parties communicating with our users through the Services may contain links to third party websites that are not owned or controlled by us. We have no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third party websites. In addition, we will not and cannot censor or edit the content of any third-party site. By using the Services, you expressly acknowledge and agree that we shall not be responsible for any damages, claims or other liability arising from or related to your use of any third-party website. Do Not Track PolicyOur website and Services are not designed to respond to do not track signals received from browsers. Control Over Your InformationWe give you the ability to edit your account information and preferences at any time. We allow you to access the following information about you for the purpose of viewing, and in certain situations, updating or deleting that information: • User e-mail address• Username and passwordYou maintain the right to deactivate your account at any time. Changes to this Privacy PolicyWe reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy. If we make any material changes in the way we use your Personal Information we will notify you by posting a prominent announcement on our website at least thirty (30) days prior to the change taking effect. Any revised Privacy Policy will only apply prospectively to Personal Information or non-personal information collected or modified after the effective date of the revised policy. You should periodically review the Privacy Policy available at our website for revisions. Use of our Services and/or our website after revision of the Privacy Policy signifies your consent to the revised Privacy Policy. California Privacy RightsWe collect various types of Personal Information about you online as described in this Privacy Policy. Under California law, our customers who are residents of California may request certain information about our disclosure of Personal Information during the prior calendar year to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please write to us at the following email address: PrivacyRights@magicJack.com. Questions or ConcernsIf you have questions, concerns or suggestions regarding privacy on our Services, send them here: PrivacyRights@magicJack.com. We will reply back in a timely manner in accordance with the message." } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Maintenance", "url" : "/maintenance/", "content" : "Thank you for visiting. Our team is upgrading our magicJack site this weekend and will return better than ever on Monday. Your existing service will not be subject to any downtime. If you are a customer interested in using magicJack for your business’ communication needs, please contact us at mjbizcare@magicjack.com." } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Mobile App", "url" : "/mobile-app/", "content" : "Products and Features Features Phones Mobile App Desktop App Accessories Your business is now mobile! Get more out of your business phone. Send and receive business calls anywhere, anytime* with the new magicJack for BUSINESS mobile app. *Unlimited calling to numbers within the United States and Canada and other services provided by magicJack for BUSINESS™ are based on normal, non-excessive use. A combination of factors is used to determine excessive use, including but not limited to the relative use when compared to the average magicJack for BUSINESS™ user, the number of unique numbers called, calls forwarded, minutes used and other factors. Unlimited calling does not include calls to Alaska or the Yukon and Northwest Territories of Canada or calls to non-8YY calling card, platform, conference or chat lines, for which additional fees will apply. Get started in 3 easy steps. Download from the App Store or the Play Store. Login using your mJB account credentials. Start using the mobile app. Get the app now." } , { } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Phones", "url" : "/phones/", "content" : "Products and Features Features Phones Mobile App Desktop App Accessories magicJack for BUSINESS Phones( ALL MODELS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY ) Yealink T31G Corded Phone The Yealink T31G Phone is part of Yealink's T3 series which bring a stronger computing ability and more upgraded functions for higher productivity and a better user experience. 2.3 Graphical LCD with adjustable brightness Enhanced CPU – faster boot time, smoother experience Smart Noise Filtering technology Support for Wireless Headset MSRP: $109.00 Our Price: $54.99 Learn more about the T31G Yealink T33G Corded Phone A powerful and affordable solution for everyday communications in the office — color display, HD Voice audio and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity. It brings comfortable operation experience and clear visual experience for users. Designed with a new powerful chip, it helps greatly improved work efficiency. 2.4 Color LCD with adjustable brightness Faster CPU with additional memory Smart Noise Filtering technology Support for Wireless Headset Dual-port Gigabit Ethernet MSRP: $119.00 Our Price: $74.99 Learn more about the T33G OPTIONAL   Yealink T43U Prime Corded Phone This phone offers feature-rich business tools for excellent communications and extended functionality. The T43U has been designed with great audio in mind so that every call if hear loud and clear on both ends. 3.7 inch graphical LCD with backlight HD Voice technology for maximum acoustic performance Dual-port Gigabit Ethernet Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capable with optional WF50 adapter MSRP: $189.00 Our Price: $99.99 Learn more about the T43U BUILT-IN   Yealink T53W Prime Wireless Phone The Yealink T53W is for today's highly active voice communication users, providing them with built-in wireless capabilities, advanced telephony features, HD communication experience and great flexibility. 3.7 inch graphical LCD with backlight HD Voice technology for maximum acoustic performance Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity Expandable features for USB recording or use as cordless base station. MSRP: $219.00 Our Price: $129.99 Learn more about the T53W BUILT-IN   Yealink T54W Elegant Wireless Phone The Yealink T54W is ideal for professionals and managers, providing them with built-in wireless capabilities, advanced telephony features, HD communication experience, and a fully adjustable color display. 4.3 inch color touch screen HD Voice technology for maximum acoustic performance Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity Expandable features for USB recording or use as cordless base station MSRP: $294.00 Our Price: $164.99 Learn more about the T54W BUILT-IN   Yealink T57W Color Touch Screen Wireless Phone The Yealink T57W is designed for executives and busy professionals, providing them with built-in wireless capabilities, easy-to-use advanced telephony features, HD communication experience, and a sizable color touch display. 7 inch color touch screen HD Voice technology for maximum acoustic performance Built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity Expandable features for USB recording or use as cordless base station. MSRP: $374.00 Our Price: $209.99 Learn more about the T57W OPTIONAL   Yealink T46U Elegant Corded Phone The T46U is the ultimate communications tool. It features Opus support for better audio quality and as well as noise filtering and acoustic shield. The Yealink new T4U series offers the same elegant appearance as the T4 lines, but with improvements for greater interoperability and better collaboration. 4.3 480x272-pixel graphical color display with backlight HD Voice technology for maximum acoustic performance Dual-port Gigabit Ethernet Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capable with optional WF50 adapter MSRP: $284.00 Our Price: $144.99 Learn more about the T46U Yealink W76P Cordless Phone & Base Combining the professional handset W56H with Yealink new DECT base station W70B, the W76P delivers superb and stable audio quality in whether high-bandwidth or poor network conditions by supporting Opus and a series of audio codecs. The Noise Reduction System also ensures the effectiveness of the conversations in complicated environments. 2.4 color screen with intuitive user interface Up to 10 DECT cordless handsets Up to 20 simultaneous calls Up to 10 VoIP accounts Smart Noise Filtering technology Support for Wireless Headset MSRP: $189.00 Our Price: $154.99 Learn more about the W76P OPTIONAL   Yealink T48U Color Touch Screen Corded Phone The T48U has an elegant 7-inch touch display with beautiful color that makes it easy to navigate the menu. Acoustic shield technology and HD Voice will guarantee that your conversations are crisp and clear every time. The T48U is a phone that nurtures interoperability and collaboration. 7” color touch screen HD Voice technology for maximum acoustic performance Dual-port Gigabit Ethernet Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capable with optional WF50 adapter MSRP: $349.00 Our Price: $194.99 Learn more about the T48U" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Plans", "url" : "/plans/", "content" : "" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Pricing", "url" : "/pricing/", "content" : "check-icon Big business benefits without the high costs. Save with magicJack for BUSINESS. GET A NEW PHONE AS LOW AS $54.99 PLUS $15.99 /mo/line* INCLUDES: Unlimited U.S. and Canada calling† Caller ID Enhanced Call Forwarding Voicemail Free Mobile App – iOS & Android Online Account Management Get Started Every magicJack for BUSINESS line includes: 3-Way Calling 3-Way Calling allows you to add a third person to your phone conversation. Learn more Call Transfer There are 3 ways to transfer a call: blind transfer, semi-attended transfer, and attended transfer. Learn more Call Waiting If you enable call waiting, your phone can quietly beep in the background to notify you about an additional incoming call. Learn more Caller ID Caller ID shows the name and number of incoming calls. Learn more Caller ID Blocking You can block your outbound Caller ID so that the people you call don’t see your business name or number. Learn more Conference Bridge Quickly create a conference bridge and provide the details to meeting participants. Learn more Do Not Disturb Set your phone to reject all calls. Learn more E911 Service Your E911 location is the physical address associated with the telephone on your account. Learn more Call Blocking Put an end to unwanted phone calls and texts. Learn more Enhanced Call Forwarding Manage how inbound calls are routed. Learn more Extension Dialing Dial by an easy-to-remember extension number (ex. extension 123). Learn more Mobile App - iOS & Android Free yourself from your desk. Be seamless. Send and receive calls anywhere, anytime with the new magicJack for BUSINESS mobile app. Learn more Music on Hold Play music when you place a call on hold. Learn more Online Call Logs A record of both incoming and outgoing calls for a particular extension. Learn more Unlimited US and CA Calling† Unlimited calls are within the US, except for Alaska. Unlimited calls to some parts of Canada except for the Yukon and Northwest Territories of Canada or calls to non-8YY calling card, platform, conference or chat lines for which additional fees will apply. magicJack for BUSINESS does not provide service to Canadian customers. Learn more Voicemail Records a caller’s audio message when you can’t answer the phone. Learn more Learn More Available Add-ons: Auto Attendant Auto attendant works as a virtual receptionist and can serve as the main phone line to your business. $10/mo. Learn More Virtual Fax Virtual Fax allows you to send and receive signed documents or contracts through your email. $5/mo. Learn More Toll Free Numbers A toll free number adds credibility to your business, giving your customers more ease of mind when contacting you. $5/mo. Learn More *Annual and monthly fees quoted do not include purchase of telephone equipment and related products or shipping, regulatory fees and taxes as applicable. †Unlimited calling to numbers within the United States and Canada and other services provided by magicJack for BUSINESS™ are based on normal, non-excessive use. A combination of factors is used to determine excessive use, including but not limited to the relative use when compared to the average magicJack for BUSINESS™ user, the number of unique numbers called, calls forwarded, minutes used and other factors. Unlimited calling does not include calls to Alaska or the Yukon and Northwest Territories of Canada or calls to non-8YY calling card, platform, conference or chat lines, for which additional fees will apply. Additional terms and conditions apply. Visit Terms of Service to learn more. Hello. Increase Your International Presence with magicJack for BUSINESS magicJack for BUSINESS offers low international rates from: MexicoFrom --¢ /min. India  --¢ /min. Dominican R.From --¢ /min. UKFrom --¢ /min. FIND MORE RATES" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Product Help", "url" : "/product-help/", "content" : "Product resources, documentation, and how-to videos.Select a product to learn more about it. Yealink T21P-E2 Yealink T31G Yealink T40G Yealink T33G Yealink T41S Yealink T43U Yealink W60 Yealink W76P Yealink T46U Yealink T48S Yealink T48U Yealink T53W Yealink T54W Yealink T57W Yealink WF50 Yealink BT41 Yealink EHS40 Yealink YHS34 Yealink YHS36 Yealink WH62 Yealink WH63" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Forward", "url" : "/features/forward/", "content" : "" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Business Referral Program", "url" : "/referral/", "content" : "Business Referral Program magicJack for BUSINESS is constantly looking for ways to show our appreciation for your continued trust and support. As a token of our gratitude, we are excited to introduce our new Business Referral Program, designed exclusively for our esteemed customers like you. We understand the value of strong business relationships and the importance of collaboration within our community. With this in mind, we have created a program that allows you to share the benefits and savings you enjoy every day with our services with your fellow business partners. In return, you, and your referrals, can earn substantial rewards. Here's how the Business Referral Program works: Refer a Business Partner - Simply refer a fellow business to us who may benefit from our services. Earn $25 Credit - For every successful referral, you will receive a $25 credit applied directly to your account as a thank you for your support. Reward Your Referral - Your referred business partner will also receive a $25 credit upon becoming our customer. Unlimited Potential - There are no limits to the number of referrals you can make, which means you have the opportunity to earn substantial credits. This program is a win-win for both you and your partners. It not only allows you to save on your services but also helps your business partners enjoy the same benefits while saving money too. Program Terms & Conditions By participating in the magicJack for Business Referral Program, you agree to the following terms: mJB Referral Program Referrer Referee Award One-time $25 credit per referral One-time $25 credit Award Period After 3 successful billing cycles for each referral After 3 successful billing cycles Award Credit Applied as a credit to the Referrer's account Applied as a credit to the Referee's account Qualification For existing mJB customers only The Referrer's account must be in good standing For new mJB customers only The Referee's account must be in good standing Referral Steps Provide each Referee with a referral code or Referrer's company name Inform the Referee that they must call 888-652-4976 to signup/register Signup/register by calling 888-652-4976 Provide the referral code or Referrer's company name Restrictions Referral credits are non-transferable, non-assignable, and have no cash value Referral credit excludes all taxes and surcharges A Referee can only have one Referrer and the referral must be provided upon creation of the new account." } , { } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Subscription Agreement", "url" : "/saps/", "content" : "Subscriber Agreement for magicJack for BUSINESS provided by magicJack VocalTec Ltd. The magicJack for BUSINESS App (the “App”) and the Services accessed through your use of the App are brought to you by magicJack VocalTec LTD, a Limited Company organized in the State of Israel (“magicJack”). Before you begin using the App or the Services, you must read and agree to this Subscriber Agreement (referred to collectively with any future amendments hereto as the “ Agreement”), subject to Section 17 of this Agreement. Before you activate the App or any Service, you must read and agree to this Agreement by checking the appropriate box when prompted. If you do not agree to be bound by this Agreement, you will not be able to activate the App or Services. By accepting this Agreement, you agree that you have read this Agreement carefully and completely, understand it, and agree to be bound by it, including, without limitation, Section 4 (Emergency Calls), Section 7(d) (Automatic Renewal), and Section 17 (Notice to New Jersey Residents). Definitions: As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings: “App” means the application sold and marketed as the magicJack for BUSINESS App offered for download to smart phones and tablets by magicJack to provide the Services over the internet. “Company”, “Companies” or “we” or “us” or “our” means magicJack. “Documentation” means our technical materials provided to you, if any, in hard copy or electronic form describing the use and operation of the Services. “Fees” means all amounts due for the Services, including subscription renewal fees. “International Communication Services” means the international Internet communications features enabled by the App, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement. “Service(s)” means the services furnished through the use of the App. “Updates” as defined in Section 19 of this Agreement. “Domestic Communication Services” means the U.S. and Canadian Internet communications features enabled by the App, subject to the limitations set forth in this Agreement. “you”, “your” or similar phrases refers to the person purchasing, using and/or downloading the App and Services and agreeing to the terms of this Agreement. 1. Description of how the Services work. The App enables your use of the Services as described in this Agreement. To enable your use of the Services you must download the App to a compatible smart phone or tablet. You may download the App from the iTunes App Store and the Google Play store. Compatibility of your smart phone or tablet will be confirmed upon download. Your use of the Services is dependent on the compatibility of your smart phone or tablet and your periodic download of Updates and what type of service plan you purchase from the Company. The Services will not work on an incompatible smart phone or tablet or if Updates are not downloaded on a timely basis. We cannot guarantee that the Services will always function without disruptions, delay or other imperfections. There may be power outages or internet service disruptions and you may experience other disruptions unrelated to the Services, which will interfere with the quality of your Service. You are responsible for obtaining or accessing third party products and services required to use the Services (such as a compatible smart phone or tablet and high-speed internet access) and for paying any fees for such third-party products and services. 2. Internet Communications Features. You may elect to choose a unique phone number to make and receive calls through your use of the App utilizing the Services. The phone number chosen by you will be assigned to you provided the Company determines that the number is available and legally permissible. If you are eligible for a phone number, it will be assigned to you as soon as reasonably possible after the Company has received your request. The Company does not guarantee that a requested phone number can be assigned to you. The assignment of a phone number to you does not constitute any transfer of title, ownership, license or other rights with regard to the phone number. If you transfer or port out your phone number to another service provider, your Service is terminated and you relinquish all claims for a refund of any Fees paid by you. The Company may, without any liability, refuse, change or terminate any phone number at any time. If the Company changes the phone number that has been assigned to you, the Company will notify you, stating the effective date of the change and your new phone number. If you do not wish to accept this new phone number, you are entitled to cancel this Agreement; however, you will not be eligible for a refund of any Fees paid by you. We will not be liable for any damages resulting from the change of the phone number. a. Domestic Communication Services. With Domestic Communication Services, you can make unlimited calls to and receive calls from other App users located anywhere in the world, and traditional telephone networks or wireless networks in the United States (other than Alaska), Canada (other than Yukon and the Northwest Territories) and calling card, platform, conference or chat lines. International calls and calls to Alaska, and the Yukon and Northwest Territories of Canada will require purchase of International Communication Services. Some restrictions in cost prohibitive areas may apply and you will not have the ability to call any number that would require the addition of any charges to your phone bill, such as 900 or 976 numbers or any other “fee per call” type service. Calls of long duration may be terminated to preserve the integrity of the network, which would prevent abandoned calls. Excessive use restrictions also apply as described in Section 13. b. International Communication Services. With International Communication Service, which magicJack may offer in the future, you will be able to make calls to and receive calls from traditional telephone networks or wireless networks in foreign countries, Alaska, and the Yukon and Northwest Territories of Canada at a per minute rate specified in the schedule communicated through the App and web portal located http://www.account.magicjackforbusiness.com/. 3. Conference Lines and Other Fee per Call Services. Unlimited outgoing calls available through the Services do not include any calling card, platform conference or chat lines. In the future, we may require purchase of International Communication Services for calls to conference lines, platforms and certain other high cost calls. 4. EMERGENCY CALLS. THE APP DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY EMERGENCY CALLING OR TEXTING CAPABILITY. THE APP DOES NOT SUPPORT ANY EMERGENCY CALLS OR TEXTS TO 911. THE APP IS NOT A TRADITIONAL TELEPHONE SERVICE OR A REPLACEMENT FOR YOUR PRIMARY TELEPHONE SERVICE. THERE ARE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TRADITIONAL TELEPHONE SERVICES AND THE APP SERVICE. YOU NEED TO MAKE ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS IN ORDER TO CALL OR TEXT 911. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THE WIRELESS 911 FEATURE OF YOUR SMART PHONE OR PURCHASE, ELSEWHERE, TRADITIONAL WIRELESS OR FIXED LINE TELEPHONE SERVICES THAT OFFER ACCESS TO 911. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM ALL USERS THAT MAY USE THE APP THAT YOU HAVE DOWNLOADED, THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SUPPORT OR CARRY 911 CALLS OR TEXTS USING THE APP, AND THAT THEY MAY ACCESS EMERGENCY SERVICES VIA THE ADDITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS THAT YOU HAVE MADE AVAILABLE. 5. Proper Use; Restrictions. Subject to Section 17 of this Agreement, you agree that you are responsible for your own communications and for any consequences that arise from them and that the Company will have the rights set forth in this Section 5. a. Proper Use. You agree that you will use the Services in compliance with all applicable local, state, provincial, national, and international laws, rules and regulations and you may have to pay certain taxes or fees or surcharges including, without limitation, regulatory fees. Among other things you will not, and will not authorize or encourage any third party to: (a) prevent others from using their Service, (b) use the Service for any fraudulent or inappropriate purpose, (c) remove any copyright, trademark or other proprietary rights notices contained in or on the App or Services, including those of any of our business associates, from whom we may have licensed certain components used in the Services, (d) collect or harvest any personally identifiable information, including phone number, from the Service, or to use the communication systems provided by the Service for any commercial solicitation or spam purposes and/or (e) spam, or solicit for commercial purposes, any users of the Service. Violation of any of these obligations may result in immediate termination of this Agreement, and may subject you to state and federal penalties and other legal consequences. The Company reserves the right, but will have no obligation, to investigate your use of the Services in order (x) to determine whether a violation of the Agreement has occurred or (y) to comply with any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request. We may monitor your use of the Service for violations of this Agreement b. Restrictions. You also agree not to use or launch any automated system, including without limitation, “robots,” “spiders,” “offline readers,” etc. or “load testers”, including without limitation, wget, apache bench, mswebstress, httpload, blitz, Xcode Automator, Android Monkey, etc., that accesses the Service in a manner that sends more request messages to the Company’s servers in a given period of time than a human can reasonably produce in the same period by using the Service, and you are forbidden from ripping the content unless specifically allowed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company grants the operators of public search engines permission to use spiders to copy materials from the website for the sole purpose of creating publicly available searchable indices of the materials, but not caches or archives of such materials. The Company reserves the right to revoke these grants either generally or in specific cases. While we do not disallow the use of sniffers such as Ethereal, tcpdump or HTTPWatch in general, we do not permit any efforts to reverse-engineer our system, our protocols, or explore outside the boundaries of the normal requests made by Company subscribers. We do not permit the use of request modification tools, including without limitation, fiddler or whisker, or any other such tools activities that are meant to explore or harm, penetrate or test the site. You must secure our permission before you measure, test, health check or otherwise monitor any network equipment, servers or assets hosted on our domain. You agree that you will not (and will not allow anyone else to) copy, modify, create a derivative work of, reverse engineer, reverse assemble or otherwise attempt to discover any source code, sell, assign, sublicense, grant a security interest in, or otherwise use the App or the Services except as specifically provided in this Agreement. You agree not to modify the App in any manner or form, or to use modified versions of the App, including for the purpose of obtaining unauthorized access to any other App subscriber or the Services. 6. No Resale. Unless expressly authorized in writing by the Company, you agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, trade, resell or exploit for any purposes any portion of the App or the Services. 7. Subscription. a. Free Trial Offer. We may offer You the opportunity to download the App and use the Services, free of charge, for a trial period of thirty (30) days (“Free Trial”). If offered, Your Free Trial will begin when You download the App and Your credit card will not be charged until your Free Trial ends. If you do not cancel Service as provided in Section 7(d) below before Your Free Trial ends, You will be charged the applicable Fees for Services until your Service term expires or is terminated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. b. Activation Page. When you purchase Services on magicJack’s website by accessing the activation page, you may elect to sign up for a Service plan with certain duration. The terms and conditions on the activation page, including, without limitation, the duration of the Services, auto-renewal (if applicable), and Fees, are incorporated herein. You represent and warrant that all of the information provided by you during activation is correct and current. c. Term. The App will have the Service term communicated to you upon purchase. d. AUTOMATIC RENEWAL. WHEN YOU ACTIVATE SERVICES, YOU CAN ELECT TO AUTOMATICALLY RENEW THE SERVICES, OR FOR CERTAIN SERVICES, YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED THAT THE SERVICES WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY RENEWED. AT THE END OF YOUR INITIAL TERM OR ANY RENEWAL TERM, YOUR PLAN WILL AUTOMATICALLY RENEW FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERM OF THE SAME LENGTH UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO TURN OFF AUTOMATIC RENEWAL OR CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AT LEAST ONE CALENDAR DAY BEFORE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION IS RENEWED (YOUR “RENEWAL DATE”). IF YOU DO NOT TURN OFF AUTOMATIC RENEWAL OR CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION BY YOUR RENEWAL DATE, YOUR ACCOUNT WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE CHARGED THE APPLICABLE FEES FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERM AT THE RATES IN EFFECT AT THE TIME OF RENEWAL. YOU MUST AFFIRMATIVELY TURN OFF AUTOMATIC RENEWAL OR CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION ON OR BEFORE YOUR RENEWAL DATE TO AVOID BEING CHARGED. YOU CAN ELECT TO DISABLE THE AUTO RENEWAL FEATURE AT ANY TIME BY CALLING 877-618-0351. YOU MAY CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AT ANY TIME BY CALLING 877-618-0351. IN THE FUTURE, YOU WILL ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DISABLE THE AUTO RENEWAL FEATURE OR CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION BY VISITING https://account.magicjackforbusiness.com. IF YOU HAVE PROVIDED MAGICJACK WITH A VALID CREDIT CARD NUMBER OR AN ALTERNATE PAYMENT METHOD SAVED IN YOUR ACCOUNT, AND YOU HAVE NOT TURNED OFF AUTOMATIC RENEWAL OR CANCELLED YOUR SUBSCRIPTION BY YOUR RENEWAL DATE, YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY PROCESSED SHORTLY AFTER YOUR RENEWAL DATE, AND THE APPLICABLE FEES WILL BE CHARGED TO THE CARD OR APPLICABLE PAYMENT METHOD YOU PROVIDED TO MAGICJACK AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. If you have elected to turn-off automatic renewal for those Services with terms longer than month-to-month, your Services may be renewed manually by calling 877-618-0351. 8. Payment. Use of the App and Services may be free for a period of time as set forth in Section 7(a) above. Your payment of the applicable Fees gives you the right to use the Services for the term of the plan purchased. To continue using Services after the end of the initial Service term, your Service subscription must be automatically renewed or renewed by You for additional terms at the then applicable Fees. You agree to be responsible for any applicable taxes, regulatory fees, or administrative charges, now in force or enacted in the future in connection with the subscription and your use of the Services. If you use a credit card issued by a non-US financial institution to pay for the App and Services, your financial institution may convert the charge and it may impose currency exchange fees, for which you are responsible. Services that are charged by the minute (such as International Communication Services) may expire six months after the date of purchase. 9. Privacy Policy. You agree and consent that your registration data and certain other information about you, including personally-identifiable information, and our collection, use and sharing of such data and information, will be treated in accordance with our Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) which is incorporated by reference into this Agreement and may be found at: http://www.magicjack.com/privacy.html and as may be modified thereafter. We strongly recommend that, as you read this Agreement, you also access and read the linked Privacy Policy since it is incorporated into and hereby made part of this Agreement. 10. Indemnification. You agree to hold harmless and indemnify us and our respective subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, agents, employees, partners and licensors, from and against any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of or relating in any way to, your use of the App or Services (including but not limited to the cancellation, absence, failure or outage of the App or Services, including specifically any claims arising out of the failure to complete emergency service calls). 11. Modification. We reserve the right to modify the App or the Services, temporarily or permanently, with or without notice or liability to you. 12. Termination. Subject to Section 17 of this Agreement, You agree that You or We may terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 12 and that You and We will have the rights set forth in this Section 12. If your Service subscription expires or is terminated for any reason, we may immediately revoke the applicable phone number, at our sole discretion, and your Service plan may be deemed obsolete or non-renewable upon the expiration of your subscription. We may terminate your use of the App and/or Service immediately if we suspect a violation of this Agreement, or if we think it necessary in order to protect other customers or our respective, parents, affiliates, directors, officers, agents, and employees from harm. We reserve the right to reclaim any telephone number that is not used to make a call for 90 consecutive days. In the event that we reclaim a phone number and your Service under this Agreement is still active, you may choose another phone number. You agree that we may immediately suspend and/or terminate this Agreement and your subscription to use the App or Services, without any refund, (a) if requested by law enforcement or other government agencies, (b) as a result of unexpected technical or security issues or problems, (c) if we reasonably suspect that you are using the Services in a fraudulent manner, (d) if your use of the App or Services violates any laws, regulations, or rules, or otherwise disrupts use of the App or Services by others, (e) as a result of nonpayment of any Fees owed by you in connection with your use of the App or Services, (f) as a result of changes in any laws, regulations, or rules that affect our ability to provide the Services or any relevant portion thereof, or (g) your breach or violation of any of your obligations undemso-bookmark:OLE_LINK22r this Agreement or incorporated agreements or guidelines. Termination of your subscription includes cancellation of your ability to use the App and Services, without refund and deletion of all related account information associated with your account. Further, you agree that any termination of this Agreement under this Section 12 will be made in the Company’s sole discretion and that neither the Company nor any of its agents or affiliates will be liable to you or anybody else for termination of your subscription or this Agreement in accordance with this Section 12. You may terminate your use of the Services at any time. Remaining balances will not be refunded. Messaging records, photos, videos, text messages, faxes and voicemails stored on the Company’s servers, if any, will be deleted within a reasonable time following expiration or termination of a App or Service account. All provisions of this Agreement that must survive in order to give effect to their meaning will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement, including without limitation, all of your representations, warranties and indemnification obligations. 13. Excessive Use. If we become aware of unreasonably excessive use of the Services, including but not limited to, usage that is extraordinarily greater than the average customer usage, or calling more than 50 different telephone numbers per day, or forwarding calls from your App for longer than a two week consecutive period, or systematic or intentional misuse, we reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to terminate your use of the App and Service immediately, and you will not be entitled to get a refund of Fees you may have paid to us. 14. Intellectual Property Rights. You acknowledge and agree that the App and Services contain proprietary and confidential information that is protected by applicable intellectual property and other laws. You further acknowledge and agree that content contained in the App and Service is protected by copyrights, trademarks, service marks, patents or other proprietary rights and laws. We expressly reserve all rights in the App, the Services, the Documentation, and all other materials provided by us hereunder not specifically granted you. You agree that all right, title and interest in the App, the Services, the Documentation and all other materials provided by us hereunder, any update, adaptation, translation, customization or derivative work thereof, and all intellectual property rights therein will remain with us (or third party suppliers, if applicable) and that the App, the Services, the Documentation and all other materials provided by us and not sold to you hereunder are provided to you on a subscription basis only for the term of your subscription. 15. WARRANTIES AND DISCLAIMERS. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, AND SUBJECT TO SECTION 17 OF THIS AGREEMENT, THE APP AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESSED, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. MAGICJACK ALSO MAKES NO WARRANTY THAT THE SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR THE APP OR SERVICES WILL BE ERROR-FREE. MAGICJACK IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PROCURING OR MAINTAINING ANY THIRD-PARTY SOFTWARE, HARDWARE OR SERVICES, SUCH AS INTERNET CONNECTION, THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE APP AND SERVICES TO OPERATE. SUBJECT TO SECTION 17 OF THIS AGREEMENT, MAGICJACK MAKES NO WARRANTY REGARDING ACCESS TO 911 CALLS THAT MAY BE PROVIDED THROUGH THE APP OR SERVICES. 16. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, UNDER NO LEGAL THEORY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, NEGLIGENCE, TORT, CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE) SHALL MAGICJACK BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR (A) ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOST PROFITS, LOSS OF GOODWILL, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION OR WORK STOPPAGE, LOSS OR DISCLOSURE OF SENSITIVE OR CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, COMPUTER FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION, OR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE APP OR SERVICES; (B) ANY AMOUNT, IN THE AGGREGATE, IN EXCESS OF THE GREATER OF (I) $100 OR (II) THE AMOUNTS PAID BY YOU TO MAGICJACK IN CONNECTION WITH THE APP AND SERVICES IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTH PERIOD PRECEDING THE APPLICABLE CLAIM. CERTAIN STATE LAWS DO NOT PERMIT LIMITATIONS ON IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR THE EXCLUSION OF LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. IF THESE LAWS APPLY TO YOU, SOME OR ALL OF THE DISCLAIMERS, EXCLUSIONS, OR LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU, AND YOU MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS. 17. NOTICE TO NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS. If you are a New Jersey resident, your rights are protected under the Truth-in-Consumer Contract, Warranty and Notice Act and New Jersey law generally. The following provisions in this Agreement do not apply to you and are not intended to vary, diminish or alter your rights under New Jersey law: specifically, nothing in this Agreement limits, varies, diminishes, affects, or otherwise voids or alters your rights under New Jersey law as they relate to limitations of liability or exculpation (including, but not limited to, limitations on indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, consequential or similar damages), dispute resolution, indemnification, venue or jurisdiction, statutes of limitation or repose periods for bringing claims, plain language requirements, representations and warranties of any type or nature (including, but not limited to conditions of merchantability, of satisfactory quality, of fitness for a particular purpose, of accuracy, of quite enjoyment, and non-infringement), contract remedies, personal injury, tort and negligence claims, conditions of sale, fee-shifting provisions, waiver of attorney fees and/or costs, and copyright. Your rights regarding these specific provisions will be governed by New Jersey law. In the event of any conflict between this Agreement and New Jersey law, New Jersey law will govern. 18. Export/Import. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, you will comply with all applicable U.S. and non-U.S. export control laws, including the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”), and economic sanctions programs including those that are or may be maintained by the U.S. Government such as comprehensive U.S. economic sanctions currently imposed against Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, and Crimea (region of Ukraine) (collectively, “Sanctioned Countries”), as well as individuals and entities identified on, or owned or controlled by or acting on behalf of entities identified on, applicable government restricted party lists such as the List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, Foreign Sanctions Evaders List, Denied Persons List, Unverified List, and Entity List (collectively, “Restricted Parties”). (Applicable export controls and economic sanctions are collectively referred to as “Trade Control Laws.”) You represent that (i) you are not any member of the Restricted Parties or acting on behalf of Restricted Parties; (ii) you are not located or ordinarily resident in, organized under the laws of, or acting on behalf of a Sanctioned Country; or (iii) you will not access or otherwise use the App and Services from a Sanctioned Country. You further represent that you will not use or transfer the App and Services: (i) in violation of any Trade Control Laws; (ii) for activities directly or indirectly related to any end-uses that are restricted by the U.S. Government (including but not limited to nuclear, missiles, chemical or biological weapons end-uses); or (iii) in the export, re-export, storage, hosting or other transfer of your data, information, services or other activities subject to the ITAR. You will not use the App or Services to export, re-export, store, host or otherwise transfer your data subject to the EAR and controlled at a level other than EAR99/AT (or equivalent level of control under non-U.S. Trade Control Laws unless: (i) you provide prior written notice to magicJack specifying the nature of the controls and any relevant export control classification numbers; and (ii) magicJack consents in writing to the use of the App and Services for the export, re-export, storage, hosting or transfer of your controlled data. magicJack may decline to receive your data subject to export controls at a level higher than EAR99/AT. You are solely responsible for compliance with Trade Control Laws in the use of the App and Services and in the access to and use and processing of your data. 19. Automatic Updates. The App and/or Services may communicate with our servers to check for available updates to the App or Services, including bug fixes, patches, missing plug-ins and new versions (collectively, “Updates”), however we have no obligation to provide you with such Updates and we do so solely at our option. To ensure that you have the most recent Updates for the App and Services you should accept and download Updates provided through the iTunes App or Google Play stores. You may also have the option to automatically receive Updates from the iTunes App or Google Play stores. We will have no liability for your inability to use certain features of the App or Services or reduced App or Service performance associated with your failure to install available Updates. 20. Representations and Warranties. You represent and warrant that (a) all of the information provided by you to us to use the App and Services is correct and current; (b) you have all necessary right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to perform the acts required of you hereunder; and (c) you are at least 18-years-old. 21. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, as it may be updated or amended from time-to-time as effectuated by posting such updates or amendments in amended versions of this Agreement posted at http://www.magicjackforbusiness.com/saps/, incorporates by reference all policies and guidelines posted on the http://www.magicjackforbusiness.com/ website and as may be modified thereafter and constitutes the entire agreement between you and us regarding the subject matter hereof and supersedes any and all prior or contemporaneous representation, understanding, agreement, or communication between you and us, whether written or oral, regarding such subject matter. 22. Assignment. Subject to Section 17 of this Agreement, you agree that you may not assign this Agreement to any third party, but magicJack may assign this Agreement without your consent to any person including, without limitation, any person that controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with magicJack; or pursuant to a transfer of all or substantially all of magicJack’s business or assets, whether by merger, sale of assets, sale of stock, or otherwise. Any assignment in violation of this Section shall be void. 23. Amendment; Waiver and Severability of Terms. If magicJack materially amends the terms of this Agreement, you will be given an opportunity to accept or reject the amended terms. If You do not agree to such amendment, You may cease using the Services and uninstall the App. You agree that all notices provided to you will be in English. Any waiver of any provision of the Agreement will be effective only if in writing and signed by you and magicJack. magicJack’s failure to enforce its rights and remedies available to it with respect to your breach of this Agreement will not constitute a waiver of such breach or of any prior, concurrent or subsequent breach of the same or any other provision of the Agreement. If any provision of this Agreement is found by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the parties nevertheless agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the parties’ intentions as reflected in the provision, and the other provisions of this Agreement will remain in full force and effect. This Section is subject to the provisions of Section 17 of this Agreement. 24. Disputes. You and magicJack agree that any dispute that has arisen or may arise relating in any way to your use of or access to any App or Services, any breach, enforcement, or termination of this Agreement, or otherwise relating to magicJack in any way (collectively, “Covered Matters”) will be resolved in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Section. This Section shall survive termination of this Agreement and applies subject to the provisions of Section 17 of this Agreement. a. Informal Resolution. If you have any dispute with magicJack, you agree that before taking any formal action, you will contact magicJack at privacyrights@magicjack.com, provide a brief, written description of the dispute and your contact information (including your username, if your dispute relates to an account) and allow sixty (60) days to pass, during which magicJack will attempt to reach an amicable resolution with you. b. Applicable Law. United States federal law, and (to the extent not inconsistent with or pre-empted by federal law) the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict of laws principles, will govern all Covered Matters. c. Arbitration. This Agreement and each of its parts evidence a transaction involving interstate commerce, and the Federal Arbitration Act applies in all cases and governs the interpretation and enforcement of the arbitration rules and arbitration proceedings. Any Covered Matter must be asserted individually in binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) in accordance with its Commercial Arbitration Terms and the AAA Supplementary Procedures for Consumer-Related Disputes (including, without limitation, utilizing desk, phone or video conference proceedings where appropriate and permitted to mitigate costs of travel). The arbitrator shall not conduct any form of class or collective arbitration nor join or consolidate claims by or for individuals. The arbitrator, and not any federal, state, or local court or agency, shall have exclusive authority to resolve any dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability or formation of this Agreement, including, without limitation, any claim that all or any part of this Agreement is void or voidable or a particular claim is subject to arbitration. Judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. d. Award. For matters where the relief sought is over $5,000, the arbitrator’s decision will include the essential findings and conclusions upon which the arbitrator based the award. The arbitrator will decide the substance of all claims in accordance with applicable law, including recognized principles of equity, and will honor all claims of privilege recognized by law. The arbitrator’s award of damages must be consistent with the terms of the “Limitation of Liability” section herein (Section 16) as to the types and the amounts of damages for which a party may be held liable. The arbitrator shall not be bound by rulings in prior arbitrations involving different users, but is bound by rulings in prior arbitrations involving the same user to the extent required by applicable law. The arbitrator’s award shall be final and binding, and judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. THE ARBITRATOR MAY AWARD RELIEF (INCLUDING MONETARY, INJUNCTIVE, AND DECLARATORY RELIEF) ONLY IN FAVOR OF THE INDIVIDUAL PARTY SEEKING RELIEF AND ONLY TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO PROVIDE RELIEF NECESSITATED BY THAT PARTY’S INDIVIDUAL CLAIM(S). ANY RELIEF AWARDED CANNOT AFFECT OTHER USERS. e. Exceptions. There are only two exceptions to this agreement to arbitrate: i. First, if either party reasonably believes that the other party has in any manner violated or threatened to infringe the intellectual property rights of the other party, the party whose rights have been violated may seek injunctive or other appropriate interim relief in any court of competent jurisdiction. ii. Second, any claim of $500 or less may, at the option of the claiming party, be resolved in a small claims court in Palm Beach, Florida, if the claim and the parties are within the jurisdiction of the small claims court, and so long as the matter remains in such court and advances only on an individual (non-class, non-representative) basis. f. Costs of Arbitration. Payment of all filing, administration, and arbitrator fees will be governed by the AAA’s rules, unless otherwise stated in this agreement to arbitrate. If the value of the relief sought is $5,000 or less, at your request, magicJack will reimburse you for all filing, administration, and arbitrator fees associated with the arbitration following the earlier of the arbitrator’s decision or settlement. In the event the arbitrator determines the claim(s) you assert in the arbitration to be frivolous or without merit, magicJack is relieved of its obligation to reimburse you for any fees associated with the arbitration. g. Future Amendments to the Agreement to Arbitrate. Notwithstanding any provision in the Agreement to the contrary, you and magicJack agree that if magicJack makes any amendment to this agreement to arbitrate in the future, that amendment shall not apply to any claim that was filed in a legal proceeding against magicJack prior to the effective date of the amendment. The amendment shall apply to all other disputes or claims governed by the agreement to arbitrate that have arisen or may arise between you and magicJack. If you do not agree to these amended terms, you may close your account within thirty (30) days of the posting or notification and you will not be bound by the amended terms. h. Judicial Forum for Legal Disputes. Unless you and magicJack agree otherwise, in the event that the agreement to arbitrate above is found not to apply to you or to a particular claim or dispute, either as a result of your decision to opt out of the agreement to arbitrate, as a result of a decision by the arbitrator or a court order, or because you have chosen to file an eligible lawsuit in a small claims court, you agree that any claim or dispute that has arisen or may arise between you and magicJack must be resolved exclusively by a state, federal, or small claims court located in Palm Beach, Florida. You and magicJack agree to submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the courts located within Palm Beach, Florida for the purpose of litigating all such claims or disputes. i. Opt-Out. IF YOU ARE A NEW USER OF THE APP OR SERVICES, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO REJECT THE AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE PROVISION (“OPT-OUT”) BY EMAILING MAGICJACK AN OPT-OUT NOTICE PURSUANT TO SECTION 24(j) BELOW. THE OPT-OUT NOTICE MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE DATE YOU ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME. IF YOU ARE NOT A NEW USER, YOU HAVE UNTIL THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE POSTING OF THE NEW TERMS TO SUBMIT AN ARBITRATION OPT-OUT NOTICE. j. Procedure. In order to opt-out, you must email your name, address (including street address, city, state, and zip code), and email address(es) associated with your Account(s) to which the opt-out applies and an unaltered digital image of a valid driver’s license which matches the name on your account to: privacyrights@magicjack.com. You can also mail the information in the prior sentence via US Mail to: 560 Village Blvd., Suite 120 , West Palm Beach, FL 33409. This procedure is the only way you can opt out of the agreement to arbitrate. If you opt out of the agreement to arbitrate, all other parts of this Agreement and this Section (Disputes) will continue to apply to you. Opting out of this agreement to arbitrate has no effect on any previous, other, or future arbitration agreements that you may have with magicJack. k. WAIVER. BY AGREEING TO THIS AGREEMENT, YOU HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVE, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT YOU MAY HAVE TO A COURT TRIAL (OTHER THAN A SMALL CLAIMS COURT AS PROVIDED ABOVE) OR TO SERVE AS A REPRESENTATIVE, AS A PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR IN ANY OTHER REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY, OR TO PARTICIPATE AS A MEMBER OF A CLASS OF CLAIMANTS, IN ANY LAWSUIT, ARBITRATION OR OTHER PROCEEDING FILED AGAINST MAGICJACK AND/OR RELATED THIRD PARTIES. l. STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS. SUBJECT TO SECTION 17 OF THIS AGREEMENT, REGARDLESS OF ANY STATUTE OR LAW TO THE CONTRARY, ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR USE OF THE APP OR SERVICES MUST BE FILED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER SUCH CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISES OR IT WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. m. Survival. Sections 5, 8, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25, and any other provisions that are intended to survive, shall survive the termination of this Agreement. 25. iOS/App Specific Provisions. The following provisions apply to App Services downloaded from the iTunes App Store: a. You acknowledge that this Agreement is between you and the Companies and not with Apple, Inc. or any of its affiliates (collectively, “Apple”) and that the Companies, and not Apple. are solely responsible for the App and the Service. b. The license granted to you hereunder for use of the App and Service is limited to a personal, non-transferable, non-assignable, revocable and non-exclusive right to use the App and the Service on any compatible iPhone, iPod touch or iPad owned or controlled by you for the relevant subscription period and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. c. The Companies, and not Apple, are solely responsible for providing maintenance and support services with respect to the App and the Service. You acknowledge and agree that Apple has no obligation whatsoever to provide any such maintenance and/or support. d. The Companies, and not Apple, are solely responsible for the breach of any warranties specifically set forth in this Agreement. If the App or Service fails to conform with any such warranties, you may notify Apple of such non-conformity and Apple will refund the purchase price paid by you for the App or Service and, to the maximum extent permissible by law, Apple shall have no other liability to you arising from such non-conformity, and any other claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs or expenses attributable to any failure to conform to any such warranty will be your sole responsibility. e. You acknowledge that Apple is not responsible for any claims you may have relating to the App or Service, including without limitation, (i) product liability claims, (ii) any claim that the App or Service fails to conform to any applicable legal or regulatory requirement, or (iii) any claims arising under consumer protection or similar legislation. f. You acknowledge and agree that, in the event of any third party claim that the App or Service, or your use and possession of the same, infringes a third-party’s intellectual property rights, the Companies, and not Apple, will be solely responsible for the investigation, defense, settlement and discharge of any such claim. g. You acknowledge and agree that Apple is a third party beneficiary of this Agreement and, upon acceptance by you of this Agreement, Apple will have the right (and is deemed to have accepted such right) to enforce this Agreement against you as a third party beneficiary hereof." } , { } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Sitemap", "url" : "/sitemap/", "content" : "{{ content }} Pages Homepage {% for page in site.pages %} {% unless page.title == null or page.title == 404: Page not found or page.url == / or page.url == /sitemap/ or page.url == /thank-you/ or page.url == /thank-you-quote/ or page.url == /maintenance/ or page.url == /styles/ %} {{ page.title }} {% endunless %} {% endfor %} Blog Posts {% for post in site.posts %} {% unless post.draft %} {{ post.title }} {% endunless %} {% endfor %} Case Studies {% for study in site.case-studies %} {{ study.title }} {% endfor %} Product Features {% for feature in site.features %} {{ feature.title }} {% endfor %}" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Styles", "url" : "/styles/", "content" : "{{ page.title }} Colors The magicJack for BUSINESS brand uses three main colors: Blue, Purple, and Black. The website also uses green for accents and gray for most of the body text. Blue #00ADEF Purple #742F8A Black #000000 Accents #6DBE6E Text #69737B Blue Hover #0065A4 Purple Hover #522162 Typography Proxima Nova Hello. I'm an H1 Hello. I'm an H2 Hello. I'm an H3 Paragraphs SEO is a marketing tactic that costs five percent of overall budget but brings in more than 20 percent of revenue for many Fortune 500 companies, and yet very few of them prioritize it. Instead, while slowly changing, too many CMOS still favor paid search, which costs 20 percent and brings in… 20 percent. In search, businesses need to shift priorities. Now. Link volume is one of the most powerful signals search engines use to rank websites. There’s a way to use links to generate better search results, but too many marketers rely on traditional (or even black hat) tactics that just don’t work anymore. Buttons We typically use purple for our CTA buttons. We use a 6px border-radius and always use a 0.3s transition for the :hover state. Blue Button Purple Button" } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "How Can We Help", "url" : "/support/", "content" : "" } , { } , { "type" : "Page", "title" : "Terms of Service", "url" : "/terms/", "content" : "{% if page.supportspanish != true %} {% include legal/terms-english.html %}{% else %}{{ content }} English Español {% include legal/terms-english.html %} {% include legal/terms-spanish.html %} {% endif %}" } , { } , { } , { } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "$50 Rebate Promo: A Smart Way to Save on Your Next Phone Purchase", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/device-rebate-promo/", "date" : "2024-02-14 01:47:00 -0500", "content" : "In today’s competitive market, staying ahead means leveraging every opportunity to optimize your operations while keeping costs in check. That’s where magicJack for Business (mJB) steps in with an offer you simply can’t ignore. Our $50 Rebate Promo that runs from 02/14/2024 to 02/23/2024 is the perfect catalyst for businesses and families alike, aiming to upgrade their communication tools without breaking the bank. Let’s explore how this deal is not just a saving opportunity but a strategic move to boost your communication efficiency.How Does the $50 Rebate Promo Work? Choose Your Champion: The first step is selecting your new phone from mJB’s extensive collection. Designed to cater to a wide range of needs, our phones are the heroes behind the seamless communication your business deserves. Embrace Expansion: With every new phone, add a new line to your mJB account. This isn’t just about growth; it’s about enhancing your ability to connect, collaborate, and serve your customers better. Lay Back and Reap the Rewards: No need to fill out a rebate form or submit a request. The $50 rebate will be automatically credited to your account after 3 months of the purchase date. It’s that simple! Why This Promo is a Game-Changer for YouCost-Effective Upgrade: Whether you’re a small business owner or a regular customer, the $50 rebate makes upgrading your communication tools more affordable. It’s an investment in quality and reliability that pays itself back.Unlimited Potential: There’s no cap on how many times you can avail of this offer, as long as each phone purchase is accompanied by a new line. Whether you’re expanding your team or enhancing your home office, the savings stack up.Seamless Integration: Adding new lines and upgrading your devices with mJB is a breeze. Our solutions are designed for easy integration, ensuring you get up and running without skipping a beat.A Boost for Your Business: For businesses, this promo is not just about savings; it’s about taking a step towards more professional, efficient, and reliable communication solutions that can elevate your customer service and team collaboration.Making the Most of Your RebatePlan for the Future: Consider your long-term needs. Adding lines now, with the rebate, positions you well for future growth at a fraction of the cost.Spread the Word: If mJB has transformed your communication for the better, sharing this promo with peers can help them enjoy the same benefits while reinforcing your network. This $50 rebate promo also qualifies for our Referral Program from which you can earn and share additional savings with other businesses like yours.Why Wait? The Time to Upgrade Is Now!The mJB $50 Rebate Promo is more than just a deal; it’s an opportunity to redefine how you communicate, collaborate, and connect. Whether for personal use or your business, upgrading your communication tools is a step towards greater efficiency and professionalism. With mJB, you’re not just investing in a product; you’re investing in a solution that grows with you.Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Upgrade your communication game today and enjoy the benefits of advanced technology coupled with unbeatable savings. Visit our website or reach out to our team to learn more about how you can take advantage of the mJB $50 Rebate Promo. Your future self (and your wallet) will thank you!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Making the Switch: Transitioning to a VoIP Business Phone System with Ease", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/switch-to-voip-easily/", "date" : "2023-12-11 22:00:00 -0500", "content" : "The digital age has ushered in a plethora of innovations, and in the realm of business communication, VoIP stands out as a game-changer. While the benefits of VoIP are numerous, many businesses hesitate to make the switch, fearing a complex transition process. With magicJack for Business, those fears are unfounded.Why Switch to VoIP?Before delving into the how, let’s revisit the why: Cost-Efficiency: Say goodbye to exorbitant phone bills. VoIP offers high-quality calls at a fraction of the cost. Rich Features: From call forwarding to auto-attendant, VoIP systems come packed with features designed to boost business efficiency. Scalability: As your business grows, your VoIP system can easily grow with it, without the need for major overhauls. The magicJack for Business Advantage: Seamless TransitionmagicJack for Business understands the apprehensions businesses might have, and here’s how they make the transition smooth: Plug-and-Play Setup: No need for extensive wiring or technical expertise. The system is designed to be up and running in minutes. Dedicated Support: From the initial setup to any queries down the line, the magicJack team is always on hand to assist. Comprehensive Training: To ensure businesses get the most out of their new system, magicJack for Business offers training, ensuring every feature is utilized to its fullest. ConclusionChange, while inevitable, can be daunting. But with the right partner, it can also be an opportunity for growth and improvement. Switching to a VoIP system with magicJack for Business is not just about embracing newtechnology; it’s about propelling your business into a future of enhanced communication and collaboration." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "The Power of Mobility in Business: Staying Connected Anytime, Anywhere", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/stay-connected/", "date" : "2023-11-15 00:15:00 -0500", "content" : "In today’s dynamic business landscape, being tethered to a desk is no longer feasible. Modern entrepreneurs and professionals are always on the move, attending meetings, visiting clients, or working remotely. This mobility demands a communication solution that’s just as flexible. Enter magicJack for Business and its powerful mobile app.Why Mobile Communication is CrucialThe traditional 9-to-5 workday is evolving. With the rise of remote work, flexible hours, and global teams, businesses need tools that can keep up. Mobile communication offers: Flexibility: Work doesn’t have to stop because you’re away from your desk. Responsiveness: Quickly address client queries or team concerns, no matter where you are. Increased Productivity: With the right tools, you can turn any location into a productive workspace. magicJack for Business Mobile App: Your Office in Your PocketmagicJack for Business isn’t just a VoIP solution; it’s a comprehensive communication platform. The magicJack for Business mobile app is a testament to this commitment to mobility. Key features include: Seamless Integration: All the features you love on your desk phone, now on your mobile. From caller ID to voicemail, it’s all there. Professionalism on the Go: Even when using your mobile, the caller ID displays your business number, ensuring a professional image. Global Reach: With unlimited U.S. and Canada calling, you can connect with clients and teams across borders without worrying about hefty phone bills. ConclusionThe future of work is mobile. As businesses adapt to this new paradigm, having the right tools becomes essential. With the magicJack for Business mobile app, businesses can ensure that no matter where they are, top-notch communication is just a tap away." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Why Uptime Matters: Ensuring Consistent and Reliable Business Communication", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/why-uptime-matters/", "date" : "2023-10-10 06:57:00 -0400", "content" : "In the realm of business communication, every second counts. Whether it’s closing a deal, addressing a customer concern, or collaborating with a remote team, uninterrupted communication is paramount. This brings us to a term that’s often thrown around in tech circles but is crucial for businesses of all sizes: uptime. And when it comes to uptime, magicJack for Business stands tall with a 99.99% guarantee.Understanding UptimeIn simple terms, uptime is the amount of time a service is available and operational. It’s often expressed as a percentage, representing the reliability of a network, system, or service. For businesses, a higheruptime percentage means their communication tools are consistently available, ensuring smooth operations.The Real Impact of DowntimeImagine being in the middle of a crucial client call, and suddenly, the line goes dead. Or picture a scenario where a potential lead tries reaching out, but your lines are down. These aren’t just minor inconveniences; they can lead to:     Lost Revenue: Every missed call can be a missed business opportunity.     Damaged Reputation: Consistent downtime can make a business appear unreliable.     Operational Delays: Internal communication hiccups can delay projects and decision-making.magicJack for Business: A Commitment to ReliabilityWhile many providers promise high uptime, magicJack for Business delivers on this promise with a 99.99% uptime guarantee. Here’s what sets us apart: Advanced Infrastructure: Leveraging state-of-the-art technology ensures that the system remains operational even under heavy loads or potential threats. Proactive Monitoring: Round-the-clock monitoring helps in early detection of potential issues, ensuring they’re addressed before they impact businesses. Customer-Centric Approach: Understanding the unique needs of businesses, magicJack offers dedicated support to address concerns and ensure seamless communication. ConclusionIn today’s digital age, businesses cannot afford communication breakdowns. Ensuring high uptime isn’t just a technical requirement; it’s a business necessity. With magicJack for Business, companies can enjoy peace of mind, knowing their communication is in reliable hands." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "The Future of Small Business Communication: Embracing the VoIP Revolution", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/embracing-voip-revolution/", "date" : "2023-09-20 04:00:00 -0400", "content" : "In today’s fast-paced digital era, the way businesses communicate is undergoing a transformative shift. Traditional landlines, once the backbone of business communication, are making way for more advanced, versatile, and cost-effective solutions. Enter the world of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) – a technology that's not just a trend but a significant leap into the future of communication. And at the forefront of this revolution is magicJack for Business.Why VoIP is the FutureThe digital transformation wave has touched every facet of business operations, and communication is no exception. VoIP harnesses the power of the internet to make calls, offering unparalleled clarity, a plethora of features, and a cost structure that traditional phone systems can't match.     Flexibility & Scalability: Whether you're a startup with a team of five or a growing enterprise with hundreds of employees, VoIP systems like magicJack for Business can easily scale up or down based on your needs.     Rich Features at No Extra Cost: Features like conference bridge, mobile app, call queuing, and music on hold, which were once exclusive to large corporations with deep pockets, are now accessible to every business, big or small.     Global Reach, Local Feel: With unlimited U.S and Canada calling, businesses can expand their reach without the burden of exorbitant call charges.magicJack for Business: Leading the ChargeWhile the benefits of VoIP are evident, the choice of provider can make a world of difference. magicJack for Business isn't just another VoIP provider; it's a solution designed with the unique needs of small businesses in mind. Uncompromised Quality: With a 99.99% uptime guarantee, magicJack for Business ensures that you are always connected, minimizing disruptions, and maintaining a professional image. Affordability Meets Excellence: Quality communication doesn't have to break the bank. With plans starting as low as $15.99/mo./line, magicJack for Business offers big business benefits without the high costs. Easy Transition: The thought of transitioning to a new communication system can be daunting for many. But with magicJack for Business’ plug-and-play setup, you can seamlessly make the switch without any technical hiccups. ConclusionThe future of business communication is here, and it's digital, versatile, and incredibly efficient. As small businesses look to level the playing field and compete with larger counterparts, embracing solutions like magicJack for Business becomes not just an option but a necessity. It's time to look beyond traditional communication methods and step into the future with VoIP. With magicJack for Business leading the way, the future indeed looks promising." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "The Top Features of magicJack for Business You Might Be Overlooking", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/the-top-features-of-magicjackforbusiness/", "date" : "2023-08-09 09:40:00 -0400", "content" : "As more and more businesses shift to VoIP solutions like magicJack for BUSINESS for their communication needs, it's crucial to leverage the full range of features these systems offer. In this blog post, we'll explore the top features of magicJack for BUSINESS that can help your organization optimize its communication capabilities. To read about all the great features magicJack for BUSINESS has to offer, read here.Virtual FaxVirtual Fax allows you to send and receive signed documents or contracts through your email, without the costs of buying and maintaining a physical fax machine.With Virtual Fax, you no longer have to wait until you're back at the office to send and receive faxes. To learn more, click here.Custom Hold MusicKeeping your callers engaged and entertained while they're on hold is essential in providing an excellent customer experience. Music on Hold plays music when you place the person you were talking to on hold. This is a useful feature, as you don’t want your customers sitting in silence not knowing if you are still there.No setup is involved. Simply press the HOLD soft key on a Yealink phone during a call, and your Music on Hold will play.Call Reports and AnalyticsmagicJack for Business offers call reports and analytics, providing valuable insights into your company's call patterns and performance. By analyzing these metrics, you can make data-driven decisions to improve your communication processes, identify trends, and evaluate the effectiveness of your customer service strategies. Some of the key call report data points include call volume, call duration, missed calls, and call distribution by department or employee.Call Park and PickupThe call park and pickup feature is particularly helpful for businesses with multiple departments or team members working remotely. This function allows you to "park" an incoming call on a designated line, so another team member can easily "pick up" the call from their device. This streamlines the call transfer process and ensures a smooth customer experience when connecting with the right team member.Find Me/Follow MeThe Find Me/Follow Me feature in magicJack for Business enables you to stay connected no matter where you are. By setting up call forwarding rules, incoming calls can be routed to multiple devices or numbers, such as your office phone, mobile phone, or home phone. This ensures that you never miss an important call, even when you're away from your desk or out of the office.Mobile AppThe magicJack for Business mobile app allows you and your team to stay connected and make calls using your business phone number from your smartphone or tablet. This is especially beneficial for remote teams or employees who are constantly on the move, as it provides the flexibility to make and receive business calls without being tied to a desk or office. You can download the mobile app on the App Storeor Google Play.International Calling PlansIf your business regularly communicates with international clients, partners, or vendors, magicJack for Business offers affordable international calling plans. These plans provide a cost-effective way to stay connected with your global contacts without incurring exorbitant fees associated with traditional phone services.By leveraging these often-overlooked features of magicJack for Business, you can unlock the full potential of your VoIP service and optimize your company's communication capabilities. From virtual faxing and custom hold music to call analytics and mobile connectivity, magicJack for Business offers a comprehensive suite of tools designed to help your business stay connected, efficient, and competitive in today's digital landscape. Don't miss out on these valuable features – explore magicJack for Business's full range of offerings and elevate your organization's communication strategy today." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "5 Tips to Prepare Your Small Business for Summer", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/5-tips-to-prepare-your-small-business-for-summer/", "date" : "2023-07-03 11:25:00 -0400", "content" : "Summer is here which means sunshine, the smell of freshly mowed grass,and some much-needed downtime is right around the corner. But as abusiness owner, it's much more than that. For some, the approachingsummer translates to a slow and lean period. For others, business isbooming.Whichever category your business falls into, the summer months offersome unique opportunities, as well as challenges, that all businessesneed to prepare for ahead of time.Here are five tips to ensure that your business stays ahead of thecurve, no matter what the summer months throw at you...1. Get Vacation Requests In ASAPThis is the time of year that everyone is looking to take some time off.Some of your employees have already made (or are in the process ofmaking) vacation plans that include a week or more of Paid Time Off(PTO).Request your employees to submit their time-off forms now to help youplan ahead for when your staff members will be out of theoffice. Getting vacation requests ahead of time allows you to see themembers of your team that will be out and also when they will be takingthe time off. Since some vacation dates are sure to overlap, earlynotification will give you much-needed time to create a plan of actionand keep your business operating smoothly while your employees enjoytheir much-deserved time off.Advance notice also provides your payroll department with the time theyneed to accommodate the accounts to have money for paid-time-off. As youare well aware, these seemingly small disruptions to your workflow canhave an unwanted big impact on your Cash Flow.Having prior knowledge of your team’s availability allows you to shiftwork, move deadlines, communicate commitments to your clients as well asoversee processes to keep your business running as usual, even if youdon’t have a full staff.That being said, encourage your employees to take time off.2. Evaluate Your Staffing NeedsIn addition to asking for time-off requests, use this time to see if youneed to adjust your company’s staffing for the summer. Some businessesmay have to increase their staff for the summer to meet customer demand.These types of businesses may include: Home and Garden Stores Restaurants Lawn Care Services Air Conditioning Service Providers Pool Supply and Cleaning Services Whether you’re tied to the demands of the season, providing lawn careand A/C repair services, or if you’re tied to seasonal travel trends,such as hotels and restaurants, businesses that cater to summertime maywant to consider increasing seasonal staff now to accommodate theapproaching summer spike in business. Getting a head start on vacationscheduling and seasonal hiring plans now will help you keep cool andcalm in the summer.3. Review Your Cash Flow ForecastConquering your cash flow as a business owner can be a challenge-especially when you are a seasonal business. A Wells Fargo/Gallup surveyfound that nearly half of small business owners reported havingpredictable times of the year that are drastically busier or slower thanothers. More importantly- 41% noted that these seasonable swings make itmore challenging to stay on top of cash flow throughout the year. If the summer season affects your business's demand, having a cash flowforecast is vital to staying afloat. We recommend preparing a 13-weekforecast to stay on top of inflows and outflows of payments. Thisadditional analysis into your financial systems gives you the insightyou need to properly prepare for times of drought, and times of excess.4. Declutter Your WorkspaceNow would be a great time declutter your workspace, as well as yoursmall business processes. This is something all businesses shouldconsider, implement and follow through on a regular basis, especially inthe summer.  Here's a quick recap:1. Go Paperless: Automate, automate, and automate. Start withinvoices, collections, and billings. Some of the big benefits you’llnotice right away are reductions in expenses, improved efficiency, andadded security.2. Ensure Data Integrity: Have your Bookkeeper does a thoroughreview of your accounting and make sure they are backed up completelyand regularly. This will save you headaches in the long run. 3. Review Outstanding Invoices:  Now's a good time to do a “deepclean” of your accounts receivable. Have your bookkeeper or accountantuse your accounting system to run reports and pull every unpaid invoicefor the year-to-date.4. Review Service Agreements: If you do not stay informed on thefine print associated with these agreements you may encounter unpleasantsurprises down the road.5. Invest In Maintenance Now While You Can. Take inventory now tosee if anything is in need of a tune-up, an upgrade, or a replacement.If you schedule your maintenance or replacement now, you may even beable to set up a payment plan with the service company to spread yourcosts out over a few months.It’s always a good practice to tidy up all aspects of your business soyou can focus on the more important tasks like growthand profitability.5. Review Your Business Continuity PlansAlong with fun in the sun, summer also has a darker side with areputation for severe weather events.Hurricane season is already upon us, and companies along the AtlanticCoast and the Gulf of Mexico need to be prepared. Companies located inthe middle of the country are at higher risk for tornadoes.  And, aswe’ve seen more frequently in the past few years, even a badthunderstorm or flash flood can knock out power, sometimes for more thanjust a few hours.It’s important to have a contingency plan in place for when naturestrikes to keep your business running smoothly with as few disruptionsas possible. A handy checklist to ask yourself: Do you have a generator in place, in case the company loses power? Is your information securely backed up? If necessary, are your employees prepared to work remotely? Do you have a cloud-based financial system that can keep your business running if you don’t have power and/or access to your office? These are all important items to consider and plan for ahead of time.It's important your employees know your plan of action if somethingshould happen to your office, or should they have difficulty getting towork. Luckily, technological advances have made working remotely aseamless transition. If you have the ability to allow staff to workremotely, make sure you and your employees test it out so that if theyare not able to get to work – they can log on remotely.Peace Of Mind With An Expert, Remote TeamThese are just a few ideas for your business to ensure that the summerahead is more enjoyable instead of it taking up all of your time andresources. Plan ahead now, so you can spend some time enjoying the warmseason with some rest and relaxation." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "3 Expert Tips for Small Business Owners to Elevate Their Brand in 2023", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/3-expert-tips-for-small-business-owners-to-elevate-their-brand-in-2023/", "date" : "2023-06-13 03:26:00 -0400", "content" : "Embarking on a new business venture can be an exciting and rewarding experience, and with the right mindset and strategy, small business owners can thrive in today’s economy. Although there will be challenges along the way, the opportunity to build a successful business is within reach. According to new research from GoDaddy, the company that helps entrepreneurs thrive, 83% of microbusinesses (defined as those with 10 or fewer employees) started their business due to opportunity versus necessity. They were inspired by the potential of being their own boss while pursuing their passion to create something innovative or unique. Moreover, 73% of microbusinesses have confidence in their prospects for the next six months despite the economic outlook.Before diving in headfirst in their entrepreneur journey, prospective small business owners should consider these three key strategies: establishing a brand, choosing the right domain name and embracing digital marketing. These will greatly improve their odds of long-term success.1. Establishing a BrandIf you’re one of these hopeful small business entrepreneurs, you’ll need to first analyze where your business goals, vision, and target customers intersect. Think of this like a puzzle – you need all the pieces to fittogether to create the larger picture of what your company name and brand will become.It is important to identify the key elements that will make your business unique. Highlighting the authenticity and what it may evoke in your customers is key. Determine what sets you apart from competitors and what specific characteristics define it, such as location, product design or pricing. Understanding those components can help you establish a clear and distinct image that will resonate with your target customers.Branding is vital to the success and growth of a business. It serves as the first impression, sets you apart from others and establishes credibility. By taking the time to craft your brand identity, you create a solid foundation for your small business.2. Choosing the Right Domain NameHaving spent over a decade and a half in the domain name industry, advocating for entrepreneurs and small businesses every step of the way, I can confidently say that choosing the right domain name is critical for the success of a business. Your domain is not just a web address for your website, it’s the online persona of your brand, and it is where your customers will be able to find you. It plays a vital role in your overall business strategy.To create an effective domain name, it is crucial to prioritize brevity and recognizability. At first glance, a well-crafted domain not only adds credibility to your brand, but also authenticates and legitimizes your expertise in your industry. A domain that stands the test of time follows the 3 ‘S’ Rule: Short enough to be convenient to the customer Specific enough to intrigue your audience Special enough to be memorable To make sure your business meets this rule, review your brand analysis and conduct a competitor audit of the current market. Examine which of your brand’s qualities fit the rule, and compare how similar businesses are either excelling or failing at it. Ask yourself if people could easily find your business online just by hearing your business name on a radio show (e.g., pamsgreatcakes.com versus pams-gr8-cakes.com). If not, you might want to reconsider your domain strategy.It is crucial to choose a domain name that is memorable, easy to spell and relevant to your brand. Don’t rush the process, take the time to research and brainstorm ideas, and establish a few keywords that are simple and unique that will help your business stand out in the crowded online marketplace.A great place to start is plugging variations of these words into a domain generator to see the various options available. An alternative approach is to leverage generative AI, such as Open AI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Bard. Using a prompt such as, “As a small business owner who bakes cakes for dogs, what are three simple, memorable and relevant business names I could use?” may generate some clever options you may not have otherwise considered. GoDaddy recently launched a Small Business Generative AI Prompt Library, where small business owners can access over 100 ready-to-use prompts that help address common issues fellow entrepreneurs commonly encounter. Soon you’ll be closer to choosing the right domain name and launching your business.3. Embracing Digital MarketingDigital marketing can be a great vehicle to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, generate leads and boost sales. Creating a strong online presence is key. This involves designing a website that is user-friendly and provides valuable information to your customers.To maximize your digital marketing efforts and increase brand visibility, you should leverage search engine optimization(SEO) techniques to improve the positioning of your website. In addition, implementing and maintaining an active social media presence, as well as developing an email marketing strategy, allows you to engage and connect with customers directly.Investing and focusing on an effective omnichannel strategy, which provides customers a seamless and integrated experience across multiple channels, can also help your business thrive. A Harvard Business Review study showed that customers spent an average 9% more in a business if they had four or more channels, compared to those who used just a single channel.Embracing digital marketing tools enables you to remain competitive in the digital age, ultimately driving your business’ growth.Starting a new business requires effort and dedication to turn a vision into a reality. By incorporating these three key steps into your business strategy, you can position your brand as authentic, build a strong and sustainable foundation to achieve long-term success, generate revenue and elevate your business to new heights." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "4 Reasons Why Your Small Business Should Switch to MagicJack Business", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/4-reasons-why-small-business-switch-to-magicjack-business/", "date" : "2023-05-11 15:24:00 -0400", "content" : "IntroductionIn today's fast-paced business environment, staying connected withclients, vendors, and team members is more important than ever. Smallbusiness owners are constantly searching for communication solutionsthat offer reliability, affordability, and convenience. One suchsolution that's been making waves in the small business community is magicJack for BUSINESS. Here are the top four reasons why you should make the switch to magicJack for BUSINESS.Cost SavingsAs a small business owner, every penny counts. magicJack for BUSINESS offers a significant cost advantage over traditional landline phone services. With low monthly fees and no long-term contracts, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars annually on your phone bill. The service also includes local and long-distance calling within the United States and Canada, making it an attractive option for businesses with a large volume of domestic calls.Easy Installation and SetupmagicJack for BUSINESS is designed to be user-friendly and easy to set up. Our VoIP phone systems are ready to use straight out of the box. Simply plug in the phone and you’ll be up and running in minutes. The setup process typically takes only a few minutes, and there's no need for a professional technician or complicated wiring. This simplicity allows you to focus on running your business instead of dealing with the hassle of setting up a new phone system. Learn more here.Flexibility and ScalabilitymagicJack for BUSINESS offers a variety of plans tailored to the needs of small businesses, with options for single or multiple lines. As your business grows, you can easily add more lines and devices to accommodate your expanding team. This scalability means that you won't need to invest in an entirely new phone system as your business evolves, saving you both time and money.Cutting-Edge CapabilitiesmagicJack for BUSINESS boasts an array of sophisticated features, making it a perfect option for your business:Auto-attendant: A virtual receptionist that automatically answers incoming calls, providing callers with menu options and routing them to the appropriate department or extension.Voicemail-to-email: This feature converts voicemail messages into audio files and sends them directly to your email, allowing you to listen to your messages on the go.Call forwarding: You can easily forward incoming calls to another phone number or device, ensuring that you never miss an important call.Conference calling: Enables you to host conference calls with multiple participants, facilitating seamless collaboration among team members.Call blocking: Block unwanted or spam calls to maintain the efficiency of your business communications.Custom hold music: Upload your own music or promotional messages to keep callers engaged while they wait on hold.Call reports and analytics: Get valuable insights into your business's call patterns and performance, enabling you to make data-driven decisions for improvement.Find Me/Follow Me: This feature routes incoming calls to multiple devices or numbers according to your preference, ensuring you stay connected even when you're away from your desk.See a list of all available features here.ConclusionSwitching to magicJack for BUSINESS can provide your small business with cost savings, easy installation, scalability, advanced features, and improved call quality. By embracing this modern communication solution, you can ensure that your business stays connected and competitive in the digital age. If you're ready to make the switch, visit magicJack for BUSINESS to learn more about plans and pricing options tailored to your small business needs." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "7 Ways To Spring Clean Your Small Business", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/7-ways-to-spring-clean-your-small-business/", "date" : "2023-04-20 06:03:00 -0400", "content" : "Ah, springtime. The time of year when flowers are budding, birds are chirping, and warmer winds are blowing. It’s also a time when people purge their houses of dirt, dust, and debris … aka spring cleaning. But spring cleaning doesn’t just apply to houses anymore. Business owners can also take advantage of this wonderful time of year to get organized and make improvements by spring cleaning their business. So, what are you waiting for, business owners? If you want to get your business on track for success, get cleaning!Strategies To Spring Clean Your Small BusinessHere are seven ways you can freshen things up at your company.1. Tidy Up Your WebsiteIt’s no secret that your website can help your business grow and evolve. But if you let much-needed changes fall through the cracks, your website can easily collect dust and damage your brand. Chances are, your business has grown and changed during the last year. You might have revised your mission. Maybe you completely switched your business logo or color scheme. Either way, you should take time to scour your website for things that don’t line up with your business’s current brand.2. Deep Clean Your BooksWhile you’re scrubbing down the rest of your business in the springtime, don’t forget to deep clean your business’s books. Your business accounting books are the epicenter of your business’s transactions and financial records. They can help you forecast your financial future and make smart decisions about your finances.3. Dust Off Your Business PlanI know some of you are guilty of it. And, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. That’s right … some of you create your business plan and set it on a shelf to collect dust. If you’re guilty of this, now is the perfect time to dust off your business plan and revisit it.Businesses constantly develop and change. And because your company is ever-changing, your business plan should be, too.4. Freshen Up Your Marketing StrategiesThere is no better time than the spring to take a step back to examine and freshen up your marketing strategies. Like your business, marketing tactics are constantly developing. And each day, a new marketing trend pops up.5. Organize Your Inbox (And More)As a busy business owner, things like emails, paperwork, and other documents can quickly pile up. I’ve been there. Heck, we’ve probably all been there at some point or another. When you’re occupied by your business, it’s easy to become disorganized. Emails stack up and, as soon as you know it, your inbox is an absolute disaster.Use the springtime as an opportunity to purge your inbox.6. Declutter The OfficeNow for the “fun” part … actually cleaning your office and workspace. If you want to literally spring clean your business, give your office a deep cleaning.Spring cleaning your workspace can make you feel refreshed and organized. Not only will your workplace look better, but you might also feel better, too.7. Reevaluate ExpensesTake this opportunity to reevaluate your expenses. Look around for vendor options and renegotiate payment terms with loan lenders and insurance providers.Along with awakening your books, check that your pricing is still turning a profit. Find your profit margin and conduct a market analysis to help determine your prices.Now is a good time to look through your credit card statements to eliminate any recurring charges you no longer need.Keep your expenses low on your business phone system with magicJack for BUSINESS. Click here for a free quote!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "4 Ways Small Businesses Can Create A Great Digital Transformation Strategy", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/4-ways-small-businesses-can-create-a-great-digital-transformation-strategy/", "date" : "2023-02-14 20:46:00 -0500", "content" : "Businesses worldwide are undergoing digital transformation and dominating the market today. Small companies are also harnessing digital transformation’s power, modernizing business models, optimizing internal processes and building new value chains. According to Cisco, they are expected to increase GDP growth by about $2.3 trillion by speeding the digital transformation initiatives.Transitioning to digital initiatives comes with its fair share of challenges, but a well-planned implementation strategy could serve as a gold mine to help get the most out of your business. So, what efforts should small businesses make to guarantee they implement the best digital transformation strategies?1. Think big, start small.When developing your digital strategy, thinking big can help you embrace the possibilities and explore all potential solutions to discover more about what your business can gain from going digital. It will lay the groundwork for subsequent efforts and help gain support from teams and leaders.2. Prioritize strategy before technology.Technology introduction is a strategic step toward digital transformation for businesses. However, any attempt to bring forth new and unique concepts through technology would be met with a defense if it didn’t align with what people want and believe. That is because most businesses prioritize multiple technologies rather than integrating the change into the entire business plan.3. Manage the power dynamics with data.Instead of being data-informed, businesses frequently focus on becoming data-driven. In other words, data shouldn’t be used as a substitute for existing experience and knowledge. It would be best if you put your efforts into implementing technology that lets your team reach conclusions and value from varied datasets.4. Master the company culture.It takes something less tangible than software, artificial intelligence or other cutting-edge technology to effectively foster a culture of digital transformation. The right technology will spark organizational change, but only if it is backed by a team fully committed to accepting it.While the digital era has its share of snags, gradually adopting the aforementioned practices can improve your digital business transition strategy. As a small business owner, you must address these concerns to develop more durable partnerships and understand your clients’ demands.To learn more, click here." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Small-Business Trends: 6 Predictions for 2023", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/small-business-trends-6-predictions-for-2023/", "date" : "2023-01-17 06:31:00 -0500", "content" : "It’s difficult to predict what 2023 holds, but business owners can use innovative strategies to combat emerging challenges.Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, small-business owners have faced ever-changing regulations, cash flow shortages and general economic uncertainty. And 2022 brought its own challenges: inflation, rising interest rates and staffing shortages, among others.Entrepreneurs, however, remain resilient and optimistic about the year ahead. In fact, 66% of small-business owners expect their revenue to increase over the next 12 months and 52% plan to expand their operations, according to an annual report by Bank of America in late 2022.So, what will 2023 bring for business owners?Small-business writers offer their predictions and advice as we begin the new year:1. Banks go all-in on customer experienceConsider whether your bank can be doing more for your business. You might look for business bank accounts with lower fees or integrated tools (e.g., invoicing, accounting software). It might also be a good time to look for a high-yield checking or savings account to help your business earn interest on your existing funds. Don’t hesitate to explore new options and talk to providers about your needs.2. Inflation demands adaptabilityStay adaptable and think creatively about your company’s strategies and operations because it appears inflation will continue to affect businesses for the near future.3. Tailored benefits draw in new employeesExplore new and unique perks your business can offer — such as mentorship programs, growth opportunities and flexible schedules and time off to attract and retain talent — even on a limited budget.4. Borrowing costs remain highBorrowing costs will likely remain expensive for the time being. If you need access to capital but a traditional business loan is out of reach, consider alternative funding options, like business grants or credit cards with rewards that work for your business.5. Communication is key for customer relationshipsBe clear and proactive when communicating with your customers because this can help preserve your relationships, even in times of uncertainty. Determine the best avenues for communication — whether social media or other channels — and meet your customers where they are.6. Cost of doing business continues to riseThe start of a new year is a good time to evaluate your operating expenses. Identify areas where you might be able to save money and/or where an alternative product might be better for your needs such as your phone service. magicJack for Business offers small businesses big business features and benefits without the high costs. Read why so many companies choose magicJack." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Ways Your Business Can Reduce Costs During the Summer", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/ways-your-business-can-reduce-costs-during-the-summer/", "date" : "2021-06-18 08:03:00 -0400", "content" : "Finding ways your business can save money is a year-round effort. Withsummer upon us, there are additional strategies you can implement toreduce costs and increase savings.Here are some ideas on how to save when the weather starts to heat up.Maximize Energy EfficiencySummertime usually means higher electricity bills. The air conditioneris usually running around the clock, so this is a great place to start.Be sure to have regular maintenance performed on your AC units. Changingthe air filters and cleaning the vents on a regular basis can help yousave even more. According to EnergyStar,“small businesses that invest strategically can cut utility costs 10 to30 percent without sacrificing service, quality, style, or comfort, allwhile making significant contributions to a cleaner environment”.Other things you can do to reduce your energy consumption includeinvesting in a programmable thermostat, use fans, purchasing windowcoverings, look for air leaks, and turn off any unused lights andequipment.Work RemotelySpeaking of energy savings, see if it makes sense to switch to a virtualspace. Many companies have come to realize that working remote ispossible. Reduced energy costs won’t be your only savings. You couldsave on office supplies, security, building maintenance and much more.Not only does working remotely reduce costs, but it also gives employeesadditional flexibility.Negotiate Vendor BillsWhen was the last time you reviewed your bills, especially reoccurringones like subscriptions? This is a great time to assess your monthlyexpenses. It can as simple as calling a vendor and seeing if there’s away to get the current bill reduced. If that’s unsuccessful, shop aroundand make sure you’re getting the best value for your dollar.Offer an InternshipIf you’re in need of some extra hands on deck but don’t have theresources to hire additional full-time staff, consider offering a summerinternship program. Partner with your local universities to find youngadults who are eager to get some work experience. Be sure to check theFair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) guidelines to comply with the law.Inventory ManagementBusinesses go through different seasons, and if summer is a slower timefor your business take this time to go through your inventory. Creatingand having an inventory management process will help you have a solidfoundation for your business. This is especially important if you’re aretail business and sell physical goods. Organize your items with asmuch data and product information available. Inventory management willhelp prevent stock shortages while also preventing careless waste byover-purchasing.Mix Business and LeisureWith the world reopening, you may have some summer business tripsplanned. Combining business and leisure is a great way to save! Usebusiness trips as vacations by tacking on additional days either beforeor after your business trip. Make sure to keep business and leisureexpenses separate and set time boundaries for each.To save even more this summer, keep your business phone system expenseslow with magicJack for BUSINESS. Clickhere fora free quote!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Prepare for Taxes Year-Round", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/prepare-for-taxes-year-round/", "date" : "2021-04-23 05:54:00 -0400", "content" : "Tax season can be stressful and time-consuming. It can be filled with late nights digging through receipts, spreadsheets and looking for paperwork. It’s even more stressful knowing that if you’re out of compliance your business could face heavy penalties.But how do you go from scrambling to gather everything in one season, to keeping your taxes under control year-round? By being proactive, you’ll be more organized and have a stream-lined tax-filing method. Try these tips to help ease the process.Tax ProfessionalA tax professional is an expert in the tax preparation field. Known as Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), Enrolled Agents (EAs), or Tax Attorneys, they can help you as much or as little as needed. Working with a certified tax professional can ensure you’re staying up to date with the ever-changing tax laws and regulations. They can also help you take advantage of deductions, write-offs and create a plan.Track IncomeIncome is the cornerstone of your business and each month you’ll want to track how much income you are generating. In order to not fall behind on this, schedule a date on your calendar each month to track your income. This prevents it from piling up over time turning it into a big task.Keep ReceiptsTrying to remember all of the spending done throughout the year is nearly impossible. In addition to tracking your income monthly, it can be beneficial to track your expenses on a monthly basis (or even weekly). Save your receipts and keep them all filed together for easy access. It’s important to know where these are so you can deduct expenses from your income.Accounting SoftwareHow do you keep track of all of this? From simple to complex, there are many resources, software and apps built to help you keep you track everything related to your business depending on your needs. These tools can make accounting as simple as possible by balancing your books which in turn will get you ready for tax time.Keep Personal and Business SeparateTo avoid any confusion, make sure you’re keeping track of your personal and business items separately. The IRS wants you to keep your personal and business assets separate. Keeping them independent will also save you the headache of having to dig through personal records to find your business items.Set up a separate bank account for your business and only make business purchases using your business’ credit card. This also applies to the phone you use for your business.If you’re looking to save on your business phone system, click here to get a free quote with magicJack for BUSINESS." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Business", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/5-ways-to-spring-clean-your-business/", "date" : "2021-03-18 09:00:00 -0400", "content" : "Ah, Spring…the season for new beginnings. Snow is starting to melt, the sun is shining and flowers are beginning to bloom. It’s the perfect moment for a refresh and a great season for action.Now it’s time to revamp, clear the dust, and reorganize. When you think of spring cleaning you may immediately think of your home, but have you thought about spring cleaning your business? Here are a few tips to make spring cleaning your business a breeze.Awaken BooksProperly managing the company finances is the fuel of business today. It’s undoubtedly one of the most important aspects for a business. Take time this Spring to wake up your books. Organize your files, review accounts, go through receipts, and digitize as much as possible.If you’re not already, consider using an accounting software. It will alleviate a lot of the manual work and help you stay organized throughout the year. It can also help you steer clear of any accounting nightmares. This is also a good time to make sense of your numbers. Turn them into data you can use to make decisions.Organize SpaceWe all know the saying “Clean space, clear mind”. Clutter can start to affect the ability to do your best work. Not to mention this study found executives waste six weeks searching for lost information and items! A good cleaning can make all the difference.Make time today to declutter your immediate space, go through your piles of paperwork, and clear out your inbox. You might even consider giving your office a deep clean: sanitize your desk (especially important during these times), wipe down computer and phone, dust and vacuum. You’ll feel organized and more productive in no time.Refresh Business GoalsWhen was the last time you took a look at your business goals? Many business owners will write their goals and then set them off to the side to collect dust. Now is a great time to reassess and make any necessary adjustments to bring new energy to them.A few questions you can ask yourself: How are you pacing towards your existing goals? Are your current goals specific enough? What are you trying to achieve? Detailing your goals can help outline the path for success and help you stay on course.Clean WebsiteWith all of the benefits of having a website, it’d seem natural that they would be maintained and kept up to date. But the reality is, many businesses build their website and forget it. Your website is a way for you to reach your audience, build credibility and create opportunities for your business to grow.Take a look at your content. Chances are your business has changed in the past year. Outdated content can hurt your credibility and push you further down in search engine rankings. Rewrite any content that needs to be spruced up to align with your business today. If you switched colors or logos, comb through your website to look for anything that doesn’t line up with your current brand. Consider making time to update and maintain your website throughout the year.Reevaluate ExpensesTake this opportunity to reevaluate your expenses. Look around for vendor options and renegotiate payment terms with loan lenders and insurance providers.Along with awakening your books, check that your pricing is still turning a profit. Find your profit margin and conduct a market analysis to help determine your prices.Now is a good time to look through your credit card statements to eliminate any recurring charges you no longer need.Keep your expenses low on your business phone system with magicJack for BUSINESS. Click here for a free quote!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "How to Build a Business with Heart", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/how-to-build-a-business-with-heart/", "date" : "2021-02-22 11:19:00 -0500", "content" : "Customers are growing tired of businesses that don’t care about them. Running a business from the heart in now a necessity in today’s environment.Find the heart in your business and place it at the center of everything you do. If you are intentional with your efforts, you can create a heart that encapsulates your organization’s core ideals. Here are 4 tips to bring more heart into your business.Get ClearIt’s time to get clear about your mission, vision and purpose. Without this clarity your staff, vendors and customers will be lost. A good place to start is by writing a vision statement. This is not to be confused with a mission statement (which is also important). A vision statement is meant to inspire and is actionable. It serves as the guiding light for your company. While mission statements focus on the purpose of your brand and are created to convey why your business exists in the first place.Your StoryStories give people a way to connect and they make life a little more interesting. Your company story builds connection and trust with both existing customers and prospects. It’s not just a tagline, logo or colors. It’s the complete picture of what you are and what makes you unique. Ask yourself, ‘what is our story?’ ‘What problem do we help solve?’ ‘Is it meaningful and why should anyone care?’ A good story is then shared and re-told by others.Build CommunityCommunity building can be a cornerstone of your growth strategy. It’s a way to build your market without spending a fortune on advertising and marketing. After defining your mission, vision and purpose, find the right way to connect with your community and make it valuable. For example, choose the right platform for your audience (i.e. social media groups, website forums, etc).Customer RelationshipsStart having meaningful conversations and interactions with your customers. A few ways to do this include personalize each interaction, understand customer issues, find out which support channels your customers prefer to use and encourage feedback. Go above and beyond the products/services you offer. People are much more likely to buy from companies who have provided real value to them.If you’re looking to cultivate deeper customer relationships, see how magicJack for BUSINESS phone systems can help you improve interactions with your customers. Click here for a free quote." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Adapting Your Business for 2021 and Beyond", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/adapting-your-business-for-2021-and-beyond/", "date" : "2021-01-22 00:10:00 -0500", "content" : "The year 2020 was, ummm, let’s say memorable to put it politely. In the middle of a pandemic, small businesses needed to get creative, be resilient, learn to pivot and adapt their business to the continually changing challenges. And for 2021, it’s believed businesses will need to continue to evolve.Here we gathered a few small business trends that are likely to happen in 2021 along with some tips to help position your business for growth this year:Remote WorkEven before the pandemic, remote work had already been on the rise. During the pandemic, those numbers catapulted. According a 2020 report from Stanford University 42% of the U.S. workforce works from home full time.Companies have found ways to pivot and successfully run their businesses in this new environment. Looking into 2021 and beyond, it’s expected that work from home will continue. And though working remotely can come with some communication challenges, the upside is fewer overhead costs. This means more money you can use to reinvest in your business.E-commerceThe pandemic forced a quick shift from physical stores to online shopping in what seemed to be virtually overnight. According to a report from IBM, it has accelerated e-commerce by five years.Plus, e-commerce is expected to have increased by 20% in 2020. So, what can you do to ensure your business is ready for this shift in consumer spending?Now is the time to create and/or review a seamless e-commerce experience for your customers. Take a look at your website and ensure its easy-to-use, engaging and optimized for mobile.ProfitabilityIn 2020, many businesses saw a decrease in revenue and budget cuts. It’s forecasted that companies will be financially conservative in the coming year. This won’t be the year where you’ll see a lot of risk-taking. Instead focus will be on projects where immediate positive ROI can be had.Assess your internal operations and take note of any areas where processes can be optimized in order to save money. Look for ways to reduce costs. Some areas you can look at include: renegotiating contracts with external vendors, consolidating systems or looking for economies of scale, automating administrative tasks, paring down your offerings to only your most revenue-generating or profitable items, being selective about new products and launches, etc.CommunicatingNot being to see people in person can be a big hurdle for communication. Words and tone tend to get lost in translation. And after the pandemic, customers are looking for compassion and empathy.In order to build trust, you have to connect with your customers. And what better way to do this than with voice! Speaking over the phone with someone lets you address your customers’ fears and concerns right away. Plus, when you get them on the phone you can get immediate feedback so you can tailor your offerings, double check the policies you have in place, and hear directly from your consumer.If you’re looking to stay in touch with customers in 2021 and beyond, magicJack for BUSINESS has the tools to deepen that connection. Click here for a free quote!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Efficiently Handle More Calls with Call Queues", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/efficiently-handle-more-calls-with-call-queues/", "date" : "2020-10-24 00:33:00 -0400", "content" : "Call queues are a great way for businesses to improve their customer experience. With call queues, you won’t have to worry about customers getting a busy signal. Businesses with especially high call volume will benefit greatly from having a call queue feature. But you don’t have to be a big corporation; even traditionally smaller businesses can find value in this useful feature. Here, we explain what it is a Call Queue, how it works and if it’s right for you.What is a Call Queue?A call queue is a feature available on business phone systems that places incoming calls on-hold when all extensions are busy with other calls. Different call queue options can allow you to provide on-hold music, play a personalized greeting or offer different messages that the caller can listen to while they wait for their turn.How does a Call Queue work?A call queue acts like a virtual waiting line for inbound callers when they call a business, but an agent isn’t immediately available to answer their call. The phone system continually checks for an available line. Once an agent becomes available, the person in the call queue will get automatically routed to that available agent.Do I need a Call Queue?Having a call queue allows your business to handle a lot of incoming calls and route them to different agents automatically. This prevents any callers from getting a busy signal or being sent directly to voicemail. It’s a great way to route callers to the correct extension the first time around. It can also prevent agents from missing important calls. There are various call queue strategy techniques businesses can implement to increase efficiencies in their business operations.Call Queue is available on magicJack for BUSINESS phone systems. Increase your company’s call capacity today! Click to request an instant quote today or call 888-652-4976." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "What is VoIP and How It’s Better Than Traditional Phone Service", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/what-is-voip/", "date" : "2020-07-20 13:52:00 -0400", "content" : "VoIP is short for Voice over Internet Protocol. You may have heard it also called voice over IP, broadband calling and internet calls among other names. Don’t let the fancy technology sounding names confuse you. Simply put, VoIP is phone service over the internet.The end-user experience with VoIP works just like a traditional land line. You pick up the phone and dial the phone number of the person you’re trying to reach. Likewise, your phone will ring when someone calls your phone number. But that’s about the extent of similarities. Read on to learn the differences, ways VoIP can benefit your business and how easy it is to switch.How VoIP is DifferentWhile the end-user experience of using VoIP is the same, there are differences between VoIP and conventional landlines. The main difference you’ll notice is in the price. VoIP is a very cost-effective phone solution. Since it uses your internet connection there’s no maintenance required to the communication infrastructure making VoIP an affordable option.Another big difference is how you use your phone service. Traditional landlines have only one medium: the phone. With VoIP, your phone service can be used by different devices. Besides the obvious telephone, you can also use your desktop computer, laptop, and mobile device – all using the same phone number.Benefits of VoIP for BusinessVoIP can give your business an advantage over using traditional phone services. Since VoIP works over the internet, it provides access to advanced applications that can potentially help your staff be more productive.Having a VoIP phone service allows you to work on-the-go, which could enhance your team’s connectivity. You’ll be able to access your employees and customers without needing to be at your desk all the time.Aside from the portability, VoIP offers various useful business features such as conference bridges, virtual fax, auto attendant, and some even offer music on hold.How to Switch to VoIPSwitching to VoIP is easy. You will need a high-speed internet connection to get started.magicJack for BUSINESS VoIP phone systems are ready to use out of the box. No IT person required! You can be up and running in as little as 10 minutes. Click to request an instant quote today or call 888-652-4976." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "How to navigate the CARES Act for Small Business", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/cares-act-for-small-business/", "date" : "2020-04-22 21:31:00 -0400", "content" : "The Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to have an impact felt by all, from individuals and families, to companies and communities all over the world. We encourage you to keep doing your part in keeping yourself, employees, and customers healthy.The United States government recently passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which allocates $350 billion to help small businesses keep workers employed amid the pandemic and economic downturn. Since navigating this may be challenging, we’ve assembled some resources we believe may be helpful.Known as the “Paycheck Protection Program”, this initiative aims to provide loans to small businesses, which may be eligible for forgiveness. There are specific requirements that borrowers would need to meet in order to qualify, so we recommend you reach out to your business, financial, tax, accounting, or legal advisors for assistance prior to proceeding.Additional information is available here: Small Business Administration: www.sba.gov US Chamber of Commerce: www.uschamber.com/coronavirusHere are a few documents to help you navigate successfully: Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist prepared by the US Chamber of Commerce: describes eligibility qualifications and loan amount calculations. The Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act prepared by the US Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship: addresses FAQs regarding Paycheck Protection Program Loans and other assistance programs. Small Business Aid by State prepared by the US Chamber of Commerce: spells out the potential amount of aid by state.Though these past weeks have been among the most tumultuous and emotional that any of us have likely experienced, the response to this crisis has been extraordinary. It has allowed us to witness and remember our deep desire to be connected with one another and we value the role we play in helping you keep that engagement." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Improve Customer Experience with Music on Hold", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/improve-customer-experience-with-music-on-hold/", "date" : "2020-03-04 10:34:00 -0500", "content" : "With music on hold, you’ll be able to operate your business more efficiently while also improving your customer’s experience. Incorporating music on hold is an incredibly effective tool to inject a unique branding element and help distinguish your company. Read on to learn more about music on hold and how it can help you.What is Music on Hold?Music on hold is a way to fill the silence when a caller gets placed on hold. Music will play while your customer is waiting on the line. It’s a great way to keep your customers engaged, entertained and informed while they wait for the call to resume. Once the call resumes, the music will stop.More than just musicAside from music, you can play voice messages for those who are on hold! This can include information about your company such as the location, hours, promotions, answers to frequently asked questions or any special announcements you want your customers to know about.How Music on Hold can help youHere are some key benefits of having Music on Hold: Improve customer experience: your customer will be entertained while listening to music and/or be informed if you decide to include a voice message. Keep callers engaged: having your caller engaged while they’re on hold may help prevent call abandonments. Build brand awareness: your music and/or message selection can display your company vibe and reinforce how you want your company to be perceived. New Custom Music on HoldmagicJack for BUSINESS offers different options when it comes to music on hold. You determine what your customers will experience while on hold with these 3 options now available: Have no audio at all (silence) if that’s your preference Use our pre-recorded, generic on-hold message Upload a customized file (it can be music, a voice message or a combination) You can easily manage your account settings from the online customer portal. Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to set up and use Music on Hold for your magicJack for BUSINESS system.With music on hold you can improve the perception of your company, build brand awareness and, with the right messaging, possibly increase sales. It’s an included feature with magicJack for BUSINESS. Click to request an instant quote today or call 888-652-4976." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "How to Stop Robocalls and Spam Calls to Your Business", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/how-to-stop-robocalls-and-spam-calls-to-your-business/", "date" : "2019-11-10 14:02:00 -0500", "content" : "You can now protect your business against robocalls and spam calls! It’s a delicate balance for businesses to try to filter calls and decipher which ones are legit and which are spam. On one hand, your business needs to be publicly available. But on the other, you want the ability to block unwanted phone calls.New Call Blocking FeaturemagicJack for BUSINESS now has Call Blocking as a new feature! It allows you to create a list of phone numbers you want to block from making calls to one or more of your lines. This is a useful feature to help protect your business and your employees. As a magicJack for BUSINESS customer Call Blocking is available for free through the self-care portal. Click here for step-by-step instructions.How Call Blocking WorksWhen someone calls your business, our system will check it against your blocked list. If the number is on your blocked list, the call will not ring on any device associated with the extension. The call will be rejected, and the caller won’t be able to leave a voicemail message. When a call has been blocked, a call-log entry is created and all calls that were blocked will show the call DIRECTION as “Blocked”.You’ll be able to block various numbers including a USA number, a whole USA area code, and even international numbers. You can block a specific single number, or a range of numbers based on the pattern you provide. Our system looks for a full or a partial match from left to right. When you add a number to your blocked list, it will take effect immediately.Stop Unwanted CallsStop wasting your and your employees time filtering through unwanted calls. Check out magicJack for BUSINESS. Call Blocking is a great tool to help you fight back against robocalls, scammers and unwanted calls and is included for all magicJack for BUSINESS accounts." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Auto Attendant - What It Is and How It Can Help You", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/auto-attendant-what-it-is-and-how-it-can-help-you/", "date" : "2019-08-22 15:02:00 -0400", "content" : "A phone call can sometimes be the first touch point with your business. It’s important for any business to answer calls quickly to eliminate any potential for frustration. With high call volumes, it’s easy for a business to get overloaded with incoming calls. It can get to be a bit much for one person to manage not to mention all of the transferring happening between different employees/departments. Businesses can take advantage of a robust and affordable phone management system by using auto attendant!Auto attendant helps make a great first impression and saves you and your customer time. Get a professional look and the efficiency of a better calling experience without the high price of a receptionist.What is auto attendant?Auto attendant is a feature on phone systems that automatically routes your customer so they can reach different departments or employees at your company. It basically works like a virtual receptionist (without the high cost!).Auto attendant has features that guide callers so they can flow through faster and more efficient. It also provides a consistent experience for customers especially if the same person isn’t available to answer every call.What can you do with auto attendant?With auto attendant, you can: record a message to greet your callers give them the option to leave a message have them dial a specific extension route them to a specific employee/department (for example “for billing press 3”) provide them with a dial-by-name directory With various options available, callers won’t need to wait for you. By having auto attendant promptly answer and route customers, you’ll provide a better overall experience.How can auto attendant help me?Having auto attendant saves you time and money! Not to mention you’ll create the appearance of a large company with multiple departments even if you’re a small business.It alleviates any potential frustration from customers who are trying to get a hold of you or your employees. You’ll be able to professionally greet customers, route them to the right person and eliminate the cost of a full-time receptionist.And there’s no cold, robot-sounding machine here. You’ll have the ability to create your own custom greeting to ensure your company brand remains intact. Auto attendant will then handle all of the call management and routing.Having auto attendant today is a necessity for any business, especially for those who don’t have a live receptionist. It’s the most efficient way to have inbound callers routed to the information they need without your business skipping a beat.If you’re having a hard time keeping up with the phone calls to your business, magicJack for BUSINESS offers auto attendant as an option. Learn more here!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Flipping the switch to magicJack for BUSINESS: How It's Done", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/flipping-the-switch-to-magicjack-for-business-how-its-done/", "date" : "2019-04-11 06:56:00 -0400", "content" : "Making the move to magicJack for BUSINESS? We promise a smooth transition to our new customers, so focus can remain on business, not phone service. It takes just minutes to get set up on our business phone solution, from purchase to use! Tailored to meet the unique needs of small business owners, magicJack for BUSINESS delivers easy-to-use, feature-rich solutions.Easy purchase experienceCustomers can buy online when it’s right for them. If they prefer to talk to someone, the US-based magicJack customer care team is ready to chat.Immediately start callingThanks to the magicJack companion app, customers can start calling as soon as their purchase is complete.Bring your number with you FOR FREEPorting is quick, easy and free. With just a few documents from the customer, magicJack takes care of the rest.Customer portalWith an online portal and self-service options, customers can add users, change users and buy more products quickly and easily.Quick phone setup, no IT requiredPhones are provisioned by a US-based team of engineers with the customers’ phone numbers before shipment, so the phone is ready to go once plugged in.In short, you’re a few simple steps away from doing business with the number your customers already know and use, but with all of the advanced features available to you as a magicJack for BUSINESS user. Now is the time to flip the switch on the big guys and make the move to magicJack for BUSINESS." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "3 Reasons Why Home Phone Service Won't Cut It for Business", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/3-reasons-why-home-phone-service-wont-cut-it-for-business/", "date" : "2019-02-19 14:36:00 -0500", "content" : "Small businesses are an ever-growing percentage of new businesses and new jobs, but they’re still waiting for a phone system designed to meet their needs. The Small Business Administration reports that 99.9 percent of all businesses in the US are small businesses, and that firms with fewer than 20 employees produce the highest percentage of new jobs. That’s a lot of people waiting for the right service.Maybe you’re wondering why small businesses need a phone system of their own when they can get one from the utility that provides their home service? Here are three important reasons why a business-specific phone system can help your small businesses thrive.1. MobilityToday’s world is digital, mobile and always connected. Your team needs to be able to work from anywhere, any time or risk losing out on sales and customers. If you’re like most small businesses, you’re running a small team that doesn’t always spend time at desks. In fact, you’re taking calls in your car, conferences at coffee shops and meetings on the go.You need the advantages that come with a professional-quality business phone service. Unlike your home phone systems, a business-focused service offers an easy, convenient way to keep in touch with customers while promoting a professional image even when you’re away from the office.2. Customer ExperienceIt’s hard to provide a professional customer experience without a professional phone system. If someone calls and you’re already on the phone, your caller gets a busy signal or goes right to voicemail. Customers and prospects are forced to call separate numbers for each employee instead of routing everyone to one main number.Customer experience is one of the most important ways to differentiate your business from the competition. To provide a better user experience, here’s what should happen when someone calls your business: An auto-attendant provides callers with options to connect to the right person When there is no available line, the caller is placed on hold with professional music During off hours, callers are routed directly to voicemail with a relevant message 3. ExpenseA dedicated business phone line through your cable company will cost an average of $420 per year, depending on your provider. An old-fashioned landline may cost even more. That’s a lot of money for a phone system that doesn’t meet your requirements or provide the features your small business needs.That’s why magicJack for BUSINESS™ was created for small businesses like yours.The Best Small Business Phone SystemWith magicJack for BUSINESS, your small business will sound as good as – if not better than – your competition. Clear calls, complete mobility and the ability to create the right customer experience separate magicJack for BUSINESS from home phone systems. magicJack for BUSINESS is also considerably less expensive. Visit magicJack for BUSINESS to learn more about great features designed for your small business success." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Public Speaking Tips from Improv Experts", "categories" : "leadership", "tags" : "communication, attitude, employees", "url" : "/blog/public-speaking-tips-from-improv-experts/", "date" : "2017-03-24 16:46:00 -0400", "content" : "How Improv Can Help You Ditch Your Fear of Public SpeakingPublic speaking has always been a tough nut to crack. Sure, they say the more you do it, the easier it becomes. But what about when you only have to do it on rare occasions? It’s a scary proposition. In fact, it’s been found to be one of the top five fears among American people, according to a Chapman University study. Yep - it’s right up there with walking all by yourself at night. Eek!So, what’s a good way to overcome that crazy fear? Believe it or not, taking an improv class can help boost your public speaking skills tremendously. If you didn’t know, improv is a theatrical term that means that what is performed is created at the exact moment it’s performed. There’s no script. If you ever watched the show “Whose Line Is it Anyway,” you were watching improv in (hilarious) action.You may be wondering why improv helps so much with public speaking. Interestingly enough, it’s because of the useful business skills it requires. To effectively do improv, you must be able to quickly adapt to your situation, no matter how simple or sticky it may be. It also requires that you listen carefully, live in the moment and contribute to conversations with ease. An improv class is a fun way to help you cultivate and grow those skills.But if you are a business leader who doesn’t have the time to take an improv class, don’t despair. Here are some top tips from a few improv experts (like Greg Dean, owner of Greg Dean’s Stand-Up Comedy Workshops; and Miles Stroth, actor, comedian, and owner of the Miles Stroth Workshop) on how you can make your public speaking both impressive and engaging:Know your stuffConfidence is key when it comes to public speaking. If you are thoroughly educated on the subject you’re talking about, you’ll feel much more confident when standing up in front of a crowd. Practice, practice, practice–and soak up every ounce of knowledge that you can. That way you can speak comfortably, with authority, and conquer any questions that come your way.Watch your body languageAvoid staying frozen in one spot, hidden behind the security of the podium. Limit shuffling your feet and fidgeting too. Instead, stand up straight and make frequent eye contact with the crowd. Get your hands out of your pockets and use them to be more animated as you speak. Now and then, take a commanding walk around the stage. Smile as often as it is appropriate. Days before your speech takes place, practice in front of a mirror or video yourself. This way you can see yourself as an audience member and can practice your improvements in your body language before the big day.Ditch the scriptWatching someone read directly off of a paper is boring and mildly disrespectful to your audience. You can do better than that! Instead, use your cards to jot down a few major points and only use them as reminders if you get off track. As you speak, watch the crowd and notice how they react. Do they look like they are falling asleep? Spice up your language or be more energetic on stage. Remember to walk and use your hands more. Did someone’s cell phone ring loudly during your speech? Use it to your advantage - stop and say, “Hello?” and creatively incorporate it into your talk. Or ‘Lionel Richie’ the situation and sing, “Is it me you’re looking for?”Be a storytellerReciting a bunch of facts and figures by themselves can be pretty drab. Find the compelling stories in your subject matter and tell them with gusto. The more you humanize your subject, the better. People will more readily associate with what you’re discussing and be a lot more engaged as a result.Get the audience involvedAsk your audience questions and incorporate their answers into your discussion. Or bring people up on stage to help you make a point. Over half-way through your speech, do you see a bunch of yawners? Announce that you and everyone else needs to do a quick “7th-inning stretch” and literally get everyone up and stretch for a minute. Little things like this will make both you and your speech more memorable and interesting.Remember, in public speaking, improv is your friend, not your foe. Hope these quick tips help you to deliver your message without fear. Believe in yourself – you’ve got this!PS - And if you happen to be delivering your message via phone conference, we can help you out there too. magicJack for BUSINESS offers conference calling that is both highly reliable and cost-effective. Want to learn more? Give us a shout today!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Best Cities to Run a Small Business and Why", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "startup, taxes", "url" : "/blog/best-cities-to-run-a-small-business-and-why/", "date" : "2017-03-13 14:29:00 -0400", "content" : "Four of the Best Cities to Start a Small BusinessThere are a bunch of articles online that list the top cities for running your small business. And sure, there are some great cities on the list, but none of these sources seem to agree on a solid list of which cities really are the best.After doing a crosshatch directory of the results between four different articles (ones from CNBC, Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Kiplinger) we found that only four cities were included in each of their lists. So wonder no more as to where to cultivate your small business! Consider one of these four “best of the best” locations to launch your startup:Austin, TXMetro population: 2 million Number of small businesses per 10,000 people: 136 Cost of living for self-employed: 5% below US average Why it’s attractive: No state, individual, or corporate income taxes Highly educated workforce It ranks fifth in the nation for its ability to attract and retain tech talent It was named the #1 place in America to start a business by CNBC It was named the “top city for small business vitality” by American City Business JournalsDenver, COMetro population: 2.8 million Number of small businesses per 10,000 people: 172 Cost of living for self-employed: 6% above US average Why it’s attractive: The cost of doing business is 1.6% less than the national average The cost of doing business for software and video game developers is 4.3% below the national average The cost of doing business for biotech companies is 6.2% below the national average The average salary is above the national average The workforce is well-educated Denver’s Small Business Development Center is well-integrated with the business community, which is particularly useful to startupsDes Moines, IAMetro population: 611,549 Number of small businesses per 10,000 people: 133 Cost of living for self-employed: 9.9% below US average Why it’s attractive: The cost of doing business here is 17% less than the national average Home prices are below the national average The Greater Des Moines Partnership and Square One DSM are just two of the many helpful resources available to entrepreneurs and startups The city’s economic development office offers a host of excellent financing options for small businesses. (Speaking of financing, check out our tips to save on your business taxes.) Once considered one of the dullest cities in America, Des Moines is now one of the “coolest” according to Politico magazine.Salt Lake City, UTMetro population: 1.1 million Number of small businesses per 10,000 people: 146 Cost of living for self-employed: 5.1% below US average Why it’s attractive: Individual and corporate tax rates are only 5% The cost of doing business is 3.4% below the national average The workforce is young, with a median age of 30.9 years old (6.3 years younger than the national median), which is helping to boost tech businesses there Small businesses can utilize the city’s valuable resources including: Startup Connectory - lists all of Utah’s entrepreneur groups, associations, and networks Silicon Slopes - empowers Utah’s tech community to learn, connect and serve University of Utah Technology and Venture Commercialization - helps business owners access the best resources to build value and growthOnce you get your company established in one of these great cities, keep magicJack for BUSINESS in mind. No matter where you land, one of the first things you’ll need is a cost-effective yet reliable phone line for your small business – and we can make it happen. Give us a shout when you’re ready!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Inspirational Quotes from Bold Women Business Owners", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "women, leadership", "url" : "/blog/inspirational-quotes-from-bold-women-business-owners/", "date" : "2017-03-08 07:27:00 -0500", "content" : "Celebrated annually, International Women’s Day (IWD) is on March 8th this year. The campaign theme is #BeBoldForChange. In keeping with that theme, we wanted to help inspire and empower women to become trailblazing change agents themselves. Below are several inspiring quotes from super-successful women business owners who made bold strides in their careers. Ready to get fired up and #BeBoldForChange yourself? No matter your gender, these are sure to energize you into action. “Go for it! Take the risk!…at the end of the day, if it doesn’t work, we will pick ourselves up and go on to the next thing. And I know that it is not always easy and that it takes money and you are taking a chance. But if you really want to see something happen, just make it happen!” - Alli Webb, Founder of DrybarWhen Alli Webb started her business a decade ago, she was a hair stylist and a stay home mom. She was antsy sitting at home all the time. To do something to get out of the house, she launched a mobile blowout service. Soon after, she found that there was a tremendous amount of demand for blowouts. So, she took a chance and opened her first Drybar location in Brentwood, California in 2010. Today, Drybar is a $70 million business that now has 70 locations. Alli took a big risk, and it paid off. She knew it could fail, but she was at peace with that notion. No risk, no reward, right? So she went for it. So when you see a very compelling opportunity, get over your fear and go for it. Otherwise, you’ll never know what might have been. Don’t be left wondering! Winners don’t wonder “what if…” “Be tough…Don’t question your ideas about what you want to build just because of a few naysayers.” - Alexandra Friedman, Co-Founder of LOLAAll too often, girls are brought up to believe that they can’t become [a insert male-dominated dream job here]. “You want to be a truck driver? A welder? The President of the United States? Noooo, that’s ridiculous. You don’t want to do that.”Then, as those girls grow into women, many still (sadly) subscribe to that way of thinking. Alexandra Friedman, of LOLA tampons, says to ditch the naysayer speak! Forge on and bring your ideas into fruition and make your dreams happen. She made it happen and you can too. Read more about why Alex Friedman and her co-founder Jordana Kier founded LOLA, the tampon company that’s “simple, natural, and easy to feel good about.” “Always dress like you are going to see your worst enemy.” - Kimora Lee Simmons, previous CEO of Baby Phat and current CEO of KLSThis is all about having confidence. There’s something about being dressed in great clothes that fit well and are flattering yet classy. It makes you feel fantastic – like you can conquer the world. Use that confidence to kick butt when pitching to a potentially huge, new client, or any occasion when you need a boost in fearless fortitude. People will admire your self-assurance and panache. “All you need is one person to say yes to an idea.” - Joy Mangano, Miracle Mop Inventor The underlying message here is to have tenacity and strength to keep going, no matter what. Joy did that with her clever self-wringing mop idea. She got a lot of NOs before she finally got a YES. Keep at it, and eventually, all of your hard work will pay off, just like it did for her. “Discipline is not a dirty word. There is far more freedom and opportunity for creativity and success in enjoying discipline. Years ago someone I very much respect told me the reason they were successful is that they embraced doing what other people resent or are reluctant to do.” - Janice Bryant Howroyd, CEO and Founder of ACT-1In 1978 Bryant Howroyd founded her employment staffing firm, ACT-1. She did so with a meager $1,500, a small office, and a telephone. Today, ACT-1 is the largest American company of its kind owned by a woman of color, with over 75 branches nationwide. In fact, it was the first African-American-owned billion dollar company in the US! Impressive, to say the least. How did she do it? Just like her quote says, it took tons of hard work and discipline. Hers was not an overnight success. She showed up every single day, put in her all, and embraced the tough challenges throughout. There is value in that constant, disciplined effort. It may take a while, but eventually, the ROI of those undertakings will reveal itself…and grow.Do you have any favorite quotes from women who have started their own business (including yourself)? If so, post them on our Facebook or Twitter pages with the hashtag #BeBoldForChange. We look forward to reading and sharing them, especially on International Women’s Day." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "7 Tools To Make Your Small Business Look Big", "categories" : "small business tools", "tags" : "social media, email marketing", "url" : "/blog/7-tools-to-make-your-small-business-look-big/", "date" : "2017-02-27 11:55:00 -0500", "content" : "Having a small business has its benefits. You have more agility and autonomy than your bigger competitors. You can switch gears quickly, and because there’s not as much red tape, you have the ability to get signs-offs even faster. But sometimes you may want to give the perception that your company is a bit bigger than it really is. Why? Because it can give your company name, reputation, and credibility a boost in the industry. There are (frugal) tools available that can help you do it, too. Even better, these tools grow with you as your business grows. So, if you’re ready to make a BIG impression, here’s a list of some of the best:Squarespace for a professional websiteThis one is really a no-brainer. If you don’t have a website for your business, you’re not going to be able to compete with the big boys. Without an online presence, people are going to wonder if you are legit. It’s often the first place people go to when researching your business - and a first look at whether they want to consider working with you. Your website is the equivalent to your storefront as it creates that first impression, so you better make sure it’s appealing and easy for people to find what they’re looking for. You don’t need to break the budget to have a website, Squarespace makes it stupid-easy to build a clean, professional site. And it can be done for as little as $12 a month, with domain included!Bottom line: Even though you might be a “one-man-band” a highly professional website will give you the validity you need to compete in your space.Google My Business for increasing your online presenceSo long Yellow Pages, hello, Google My Business. This is a free listing offered by Google that boosts your online clout and helps clients find you. Enter your company name, website, phone number, business hours, location, and more. Once set up, your company profile will come up on Google search results. People can then use Google Maps to get directions to your business and write reviews, which you can (and should) respond to. The cost for this gem? Free!Bottom line: Coming up in Google search results is a big deal for big businesses. This tool helps you do the same for free so get your website out there!magicJack for BUSINESS for telephone serviceA VoIP phone system like magicJack offers a reliable, feature-packed phone system. And that includes unlimited long distance in the US and Canada! What will really **impress your clients **are things like dial by extension, pleasant hold music, and the ability to hold conference calls, among others.Just like your website, a quality phone service is vital for your business. Your website is online, and guess what? You can save tons of money by having your phone service online too.Bottom line: Create an awesome impression when clients call into your highly professional business phone system, and get back to making your personal cell phone, well, personal.MailChimp for email marketingWhenever you want to send out a mass email to your clients, you certainly don’t want to do it from your personal account. That looks cheap and downright cheesy. A pro would do it the right way – with an email service like MailChimp. Despite the funny name, MailChimp is a popular and well-respected email marketing software with over 15 million customers. They make it very easy to build fantastic looking emails to send at times you specify. You also get reporting to see things like your open rates, click rates, and how both compare to the averages in your industry. Starting at only $10.00 a month, you can send unlimited emails to up to 500 recipients.(Plus, MailChimp was founded in our hometown of Atlanta in 2001. The small startup grew to be the world’s leading email marketing platform. They focus on supporting small businesses.)Bottom line: Ditch the BCC nightmare (and wrath from your email provider) from sending mass emails through your personal email account. Do it like the big guys do with good branding, beautiful layouts, and proper opt-ins and opt-outs. The way you communicate to your audience says a lot about your company.Buffer for social media postingHaving an active social media presence can make it look like you have your own social media team, but you can do it all very easily on your own with Buffer. Buffer is an online tool designed to manage posting to your social media accounts. You can schedule posts for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+. Buffer even includes a tool called Pablo that allows you to create very professional-looking images with text, captions, and your company logo on them. Buffer takes the guesswork out of when to post your updates too by identifying the best times to post your social updates. This allows you to get maximum reach and exposure for your audience. Believe it or not, the pricing for Buffer starts at $0! With that, one user can schedule 10 posts per social media platform.Bottom line: Big companies have entire social media departments that constantly create and post compelling content on social media. You can create the same impression by doing it easily, for free.Freshbooks for accountingYou don’t have to be a mathematician to keep your accounting on track. Freshbooks is an easy-to-use online software that makes accounting a breeze. Create customized, professional-looking invoices, handle credit card payments, time tracking, expense tracking, and send late payment reminders. These are all impressive features that a larger company would typically utilize. And it’s certainly much better than an amateur-looking invoice built in Word. Starting at only $15 a month, you can bill up to five clients – a bargain considering all of the included features.Bottom line: Creating invoices in Word and doing your accounting in Excel is a hassle and it gives the impression that your company is tiny. A timely, professional invoice that offers the ability to pay with a credit card not only looks great, it will help you get paid faster too.Dropbox for file storage and sharingBig companies often have to share big files. And whether your business is big or small, trying to send them through your regular email can be tricky. Why bog down your email account, or worse yet, your client’s? Dropbox can help. Whether you need to store data-heavy files or share certain ones with clients safely, Dropbox can handle these tasks with ease. What’s even better is that if your computer blows a sprocket, your files stay accessible, safe and sound in the cloud. Telling a client that you can’t send a file because your personal laptop broke is not a good sign. Over 500 million people around the world depend on Dropbox, and you can start using it too, for free. Their free option provides 2GB of space and includes the apps to access your account from your computer or smartphone.Bottom line: If you can’t get your email attachment to go through, you don’t have to resort to archaic “snail mail” or faxing instead. Today, speed is of the essence. With Dropbox, your files get delivered ahead of the pack, maybe even some of the big guys.Ready to acquire your first frugal tool? Give us a shout here at magicJack, and we’ll have your awe-inspiring business phone system up and running in no time. With a $0, 30-day free trial, it’s worth giving it a try today!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Small Business Tax Deductions You Don’t Want to Miss", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/small-business-tax-deductions-you-dont-want-to-miss/", "date" : "2017-02-17 12:01:00 -0500", "content" : "A-to-Z Guide to Small Business Tax DeductionsYes, it’s that time of year again. It’s tax time. You’re living in the world of 1099s and scrambling to find receipts for this and that. And if you’re a new business owner, your mind is probably swimming with uncertainty as to what tax deductions you can and can’t take for your small business.Well, new business or not, you work hard for your money and you don’t want to leave any of it on the table. To make sure you’re capturing all those write-offs, we’ve created an A-to-Z guide – with some tax deductions you already know about, and some that might surprise you. (As always, we recommend that you consult with your accountant or tax preparer to ensure that you can take advantage of these deductions.)A - Auto expensesIf you use your personal vehicle for business purposes, you can usually deduct your business expenses for that vehicle. You have two avenues of deduction to choose from: either claim the standard mileage rate or report the actual expenses incurred while carrying out business-related activities. More info.B - Bad debtsIf a client never paid you for products you sold them, all is not lost. You may be able to deduct the bad debt if it meets the following criteria: It was a bona fide debt The debt was worthless (meaning there is very little chance of partially or fully collecting on the debt.) There was a reasonable effort made to collect on the debt Your business suffered an economic loss due to the bad debtLearn more about writing off bad debts here.C - Convenience fees on credit card paymentsThese are the pesky fees that you are charged for the “convenience” of paying bills with a credit card (as opposed to non-fee methods of payment, like checks.) Depending on the size of the bill and the number of bills you pay with a credit card, these fees can add up fairly quickly. Be sure to keep track of every single one to get the maximum deduction. More info.D - DuesYou can deduct association dues for professional, civic, and business organizations, as long as the organization’s primary purpose is not providing entertainment facilities (like a country club.) Avoid calling it “dues” on your tax return. Instead, refer to it as a “trade association membership fee.” [More info] (https://www.irs.gov/publications/p535/ch11.html#en_US_2010_publink1000209177).E - EducationTuition for education counts as a deduction if it meets two criteria: 1) it is necessary for you to remain employed and 2) it improves or maintains your employment trade or business skills. More info.F - FreelancersIf you hire freelancers (independent contractors) to perform services for your company, you can deduct the amounts you pay them as a business operating expense. Payments to those eligible to receive a 1099 are claimed on line 11 of the Schedule C. You can also claim the payments made to those contractors you paid less than the $600 required for a 1099. For more information, refer to Line 11 on page C-6 of the IRS instructions for Schedule C.G - GiftsYou are allowed to deduct up to $25 per person, per year. To obtain any deduction for a business gift, you must retain documentation supporting the following: (1) the gift’s cost and a description of it, (2) the date it was acquired, (3) the business purpose of the gift, and (4) the business relationship to the taxpayer of the person receiving the gift. More info.(Note that there may be some exceptions to the $25 limit. For example, gifts given to a company for use in the business (not a person) aren’t subject to that rule. Check with your tax accountant for other exceptions.)H - Health insurance premiumsThe big, bad world of health insurance has gotten more challenging than ever. One good thing is that you can write off your health insurance premiums. More info.I - InterestWhether you pay the interest on a bank loan, personal loan, credit card, line of credit, car loan, or real estate mortgage – if it is for business, then it is usually a deductible business expense. What’s nice is that it doesn’t matter whether the collateral you used to get the loan was business or personal property. If you use the loan money for business reasons, the interest you pay to get that money is a legitimate deductible business expense. More info.J - JanitorialRegardless of the type of business you operate, if you rent office space, a factory, a warehouse, or a storefront, cleaning is a necessary expense. Whenever you incur cleaning costs in a business context, it is entirely deductible. So stop cleaning the bathroom yourself!K - KidsHire them! If you hire your children as employees to do legitimate work in your business, you may deduct their salaries from your business income as a business expense. Note that your child will have to pay tax on the salary only to the extent it exceeds the standard deduction amount for the year. Even better, if your child is under 18, you won’t have to withhold or pay any FICA (Social Security or Medicare) tax on the salary (although there are some exceptions, so check with your tax accountant to be sure.) More info.L - LodgingWhen traveling out of town for business, you might as well stay in a nice hotel because the entire cost is tax deductible. More info.M - Meals - As opposed to lodging mentioned above, you can only deduct only 50% of your meals while traveling, and that is if the meals are not “lavish or extravagant.” (Our advice? Stay at a lovely hotel but eat on the cheap.) More info.N - NewspapersAs long as they are for business use, subscriptions to magazines, newspapers, journals, newsletters, and other similar publications can be a deductible expense. This includes internet-based subscriptions for websites or even the subscriptions you have for your entrance or foyer. More info.O - Office suppliesIt’s so easy to forget these things, but the expenses for office supplies can add up fast. Items that can be written-off are the traditional, tangible office items like pens, paper, staplers, sticky notes, paper clips, USB thumb drives, and the like. More info.P - PostageSnail mail isn’t so bad after all! As long as what you’re mailing or shipping is business-related, you can deduct the entire cost of postage, envelopes, P.O. Box rental fees and delivery services like FedEx and UPS. Also, if your business sells physical goods and you pay the cost of shipping, those fees are tax deductible. This is an excellent way to entice new business (by using free shipping as a way to get more sales) without incurring additional costs.Q - QuickbooksAnd not just Quickbooks, but any off the shelf software or software subscription that you use for your business qualifies as a write-off. It has to be software that is available to the general public and is not a unique, custom-coded program for your business. See this information on Section 179 deductions to learn more about the qualifications.R - Retirement plansContributions to a tax-qualified retirement account can be written off as deductions. Note that Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s don’t count, but other retirement vehicles, such as SEP-IRAs or SIMPLE IRAs, do. More info.S - Startup costsAlso known as capital costs, these are the costs related to things done before you opened your business. For example, these could be the expenses you incurred to explore business opportunities or the costs to create ads for a grand opening event. In your first year of business, you can deduct up to $5000 in startup costs. For more information, see the U.S. Small Business Administration’s article on Startup Cost Tax Deductions.T - TelephoneYour business phone is such a vital tool for handling every aspect of your business. It also offers an excellent tax deduction. There are percentages that you can deduct depending on the use. For instance, if you work from home and use the same line that you use for personal calls, you would not be able to deduct anything but the actual calls made. However, if you have a second phone line that you use solely for the business, you can deduct the entire bill.U - UtilitiesAll those bills for your utilities, including electricity, water, and gas, can be written off. In fact, if you have a legitimate home office, you can write off a portion of your utilities as well. Don’t forget about your telephone, Internet and trash bills too. More info.V - VehicleA big vehicle can mean a big write-off! If you’re in the market for a brand new, heavy SUV or pickup for business use, you may be able to write off the entire expense. MarketWatch provides a detailed article (with examples) on the rules and regulations around this practice so that you can take advantage of it too.W - Workers’ compensation insuranceSmall businesses that are sole proprietorships, partnerships, or limited liability corporations, are allowed to deduct costs for workers’ compensation insurance from their federal and state taxes. Note that workers’ compensation premiums are only deductible when state government requires that insurance for your business. Rules vary widely from state to state, so check with your tax preparer to be sure. More info.X - Xerox machinesYou’ve got to have certain equipment to operate your business, so copiers, computers, servers, printers, cash registers, and phone systems all qualify for deductions. Depending on the business, you may also need specialized equipment such as tools, manufacturing equipment, or heavy machinery. You can deduct all of this equipment used in the operation of a business by writing off the entire expense up front or by depreciating it over time. More info.Y - Yealink phonesFor those small businesses that are investing in a new phone system, we have to mention our excellent VoIP phones (available through magicJack for BUSINESS.) Both the phones and the phone service are fully tax deductible for your business.Z - ZonesIf your business is located in particular deduction zones, you may qualify for additional tax deductions. These include the New York Liberty Zone, Enterprise Zone, Renewal Community Zone, and the Gulf Opportunity Zone. More info.These are just a few of the tax deductions that you can use to reduce the gross income for your business, and therefore, your tax burden. You can find more detailed information on the IRS website on deducting business expenses.And if you are ready to add a professional phone system to your list of deductible business expenses this year, give magicJack a try. We offer a zero dollar, 30-day free trial, so what have you got to lose? Contact us today!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "How to Fall Back In Love With Your Small Business", "categories" : "productivity", "tags" : "attitude, customers, networking", "url" : "/blog/how-to-fall-back-in-love-with-your-small-business/", "date" : "2017-02-14 11:02:00 -0500", "content" : "6 Ways to Fall Back in Love With Your Small BusinessAs you know, a new relationship between two people usually has that special “honeymoon phase” where everything is wonderful, exciting and new. But over time, that fire begins to flicker. The newness of it wears off. It becomes normal and routine. And even a little mundane at times, if we’re being honest. The same phenomenon happens to entrepreneurs and small business owners.Do you remember the joy, fulfillment and thrill you got from following your passion? How awesome it felt to have autonomy, and the drive to make your business an epic success? It’s all so exciting and new in the beginning. But then, after the exhilaration of starting a new business begins to wears off, it can be challenging to rekindle that same spark. Challenging, yes. Impossible, no. To re-ignite that passion for your small business, start by making a few small changes in the way you think – and work.1. Get out of the rutIf you feel like routine business tasks have got you in a rut, it’s time to change things up. Ditch the same-ole-same-ole routine and handle your tasks in a different order, or in a more creative way. Utilize new tools that can enhance your business, like a new project management tool or even a new business phone. These small enhancements can have a significant, positive impact on both you and your business. The bonus? You may find better workflows in the process.2. Concentrate on the positivesRemind yourself of all the great things that motivated you to start your business. Think about the goals you’ve achieved and the awesome experiences you’ve had along the way. Think about how you felt when you landed your first client, the glory of your autonomy, and all the good people you work with. When you remind yourself of the positivity of your small business, it puts you in a better frame of mind to work each day. It also helps you better cope with challenges as they present themselves along the way.3. Practice gratitudeKeep a simple notebook on your nightstand. Before you go to sleep, write down two things that you are grateful for, one that centers around your personal life and the other your business life. When you take a few minutes to be focus on the things you’re grateful for, you’ll go to sleep feeling satisfied and wake up with a better attitude about conquering work.4. Delegate tasksDo you find yourself on auto-pilot when working on certain daily tasks? Don’t get mired down in the mundane! Get back to doing the work that energizes your spirit, gets you stoked and fired up. Make a list of your tedious tasks and then hand them off by delegating to others on your team. That way you can focus on the work that truly inspires and excites you.5. Boost your networkAttend an industry-related event, like a trade show or conference. Or join an interesting networking group that has knowledgeable, enthusiastic members. The energy at these gatherings can be contagious, helping you to reignite the passion for your small business. These events can also spark interesting new ideas, partnerships, and goals to strive for, all of which can make your work exciting again.6. Keep the lines of communication openYour business is an entity, and as odd as it sounds, it requires that you communicate with it. Just as in a personal relationship, communication is a major factor in making it work. Communicating with your business means talking to customers, partners, and your team to ensure that all is well. It means reviewing bank statements, bills, and your budget. It’s a way of taking a pulse on the health of the business. It shows that you care and invested in the relationship. When you stay on top of these things, it makes you feel good about your business as a whole.With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, what other suggestions would you add to this list? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "6 Things Small Business Owners Can Learn from Super Bowl 51", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "sports, employees", "url" : "/blog/6-things-small-business-owners-can-learn-from-super-bowl-51/", "date" : "2017-02-10 17:19:00 -0500", "content" : "6 Lessons Your Small Business Can Learn from Super Bowl 51If you didn’t know already, magicJack for BUSINESS headquarters is located in Atlanta, Georgia, so you can understand why Super Bowl 51 was of particular interest to us this year. We were (and still are) proud to have had our beloved Atlanta Falcons in the spotlight (finally!). And with so much talk and excitement around the game, we began to discover several insightful correlations between football and the small businesses that our phone systems serve. It’s not as silly as it sounds once you start talking about these analogies.If you’re an entrepreneur or a small business owner, consider these concepts:Reward your teamTalk about rewards – Arthur Blank, the owner of our Atlanta Falcons, took every employee to Houston to watch the Super Bowl. We’re talking seat ticket, flight, accommodations, and more. With more than 150 employees, he likely spent over a million dollars so that each one could experience the epic event. Now, you may not have Arthur Blank money, but the concept is the same. Rewarding your team makes them feel appreciated for their hard work–no matter what role they play]. When people are recognized for their efforts, it creates enthusiasm and motivation in the workplace–ideal conditions to help your small business grow. Rewards don’t have to be expensive either. A handwritten thank you note, a coffee, a birthday cake, or even letting people go home early on a Friday can go a long way toward moving your business forward.Keep your eye on the ballThis is the same as keeping your eye on the prize. Every progressive step gets you that much closer to your goal of success. Just like with the Falcons, every win this season got them closer to the NFC championship, and ultimately, the Super Bowl. Stay focused on the process and appreciate the journey. Sure, there may be missteps along the way, but if you take them in stride and keep pushing forward, you and your team will achieve amazing things.Never give upHaving your own business can be super challenging at times. And just like the Falcons, you’ll need to “rise up” to those challenges. The Falcons have been around for 51 years, and this was only the second time they made it to the Super Bowl. Obviously, significant accomplishments take a lot of time and effort. Condition yourself to keep going, no matter what. Why? Because giving up is way too easy! Instead, work hard and keep at it. Soon you’ll find that each small win you get will turn into bigger, more meaningful wins. Keep the faith. Whenever you feel like throwing in the towel, get back in the game by looking back and seeing how far you’ve come. And remember the wise words of Vince Lombardi, “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”Winning requires teamworkFootball teams consist of a bunch of different players. There is are coaches, offensive players, defensive players, quarterbacks, and kickers—among others. Just like with the various players on your team, the combined efforts of every one of them is what brings success to the organization. Be smart and delegate tasks to the experts. Ensure that each one has a “team player” attitude. It’s critical that each sets their personal goals aside and trusts that everyone will do their jobs to the best of their abilities. Matt Ryan doesn’t have time to second-guess whether Julio Jones will catch that ball he fires across the field. It’s Julio’s job - and Matty Ice trusts he’ll do his job.If you haven’t followed any of the Atlanta Falcon’s #InBrotherhood messages pre-Superbowl, you’ll likely find some inspiration in the message that coming together and bonding is key to success. It’s in that brotherhood that you rise. The strength of your organization is in the unity of your team, and the team is the ultimate champion, not any one individual. You can’t win 100% of the timeThe Falcons have had their share of losses, including the recent one at the Super Bowl (sigh), but they have a history of learning from each one, embracing lessons learned so they can be better. Failures offer insightful opportunities to improve your game. As tough as it may be, learn to accept failure as part of the journey. Try to think of them as excellent learning experiences that will help your business move forward, not backward.Stay positiveAfter the Falcons had lost to the Patriots, they maintained a positive and professional attitude—sharing encouraging words on Twitter and Instagram to their fans.Matt Ryan Falcons Instagram post Super Bowl.PNGIt’s so important to be respectful after a significant loss. Whether you are a football player or a business player, people (fans and clients especially) are going to watch how you react to things. You’ll be admired if you keep a polite and classy demeanor.Even though they lost, we’re still proud of our Atlanta Falcons. They put up a good fight! So good, in fact, that the game went into overtime – a first in Super Bowl history. With their drive and perseverance, we’ll likely see them playing in a future Super Bowl very soon… maybe even at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "7 Email Etiquette Tips for Small Business Success", "categories" : "small business marketing", "tags" : "email, communication", "url" : "/blog/7-email-etiquette-tips-for-small-business-success/", "date" : "2017-02-09 13:52:00 -0500", "content" : "7 Email Etiquette Tips for Small Business SuccessHave you noticed that as time goes on, professional communication is becoming more and more laid back? This is probably due to our increased use of social media, chat, and other contemporary ways we communicate with each other. As our online banter increased, so did spelling errors, emoji use, and vastly misinterpreted meanings–among other blunders. Consequently, email etiquette has suffered too.Just like when you meet someone face-to-face, your email is a perception of both you and your business. Those few words you tap into an email message can add or detract from your reputation. If your email is unprofessional, it gives the impression that you are unprofessional …which can be harmful to the success of your business.Before you hit send, check out these seven simple email etiquette tips we’ve pulled together:1. Is it time sensitive?Sometimes you may not need to send an email. For example, if you need information ASAP, or have to cancel your next meeting, it’s better to pick up the phone and make a quick call rather than send an email. It’s faster, and it will ensure that the message was received before it was too late.2. Think before you send…After you write your email, read through it and check for syntax, spelling, and grammar. Also note the tone, emotion, and the language you used. Is it professional? If you added something (you thought) was funny, can it be misconstrued? In written form, humor doesn’t always have the same effect. Lastly, ask yourself if you would be OK with any part of your email being published on the front page of a major newspaper. If in doubt, leave it out.3. Right recipient?Here’s a huge tip: To avoid sending your email prematurely, delete the recipient until you’ve completed and proofread your email. Also, double check that you are sending your email to the correct person after you’ve typed in their email address. Sometimes the auto-populate feature is not your friend.4. High priority, for real this time…Sending too many emails marked “high-priority” equates to your “crying wolf” if you’re tagging them as urgent too many times. It won’t take long for your recipients to regard your email with low priority as a result. So use high-priority sparingly and only at times when it’s mission critical.5. Be smart about your subject lineTo stop your email from going into the recipient’s spam folder, avoid typing it entirely in capital or lowercase letters. Also delete exclamation points, emojis, and URLs. Keep your subject line very short and clear. Also, ensure that the subject line clearly defines the message. No one likes to be baited and switched.6. Have a better bodyTo increase the chances of your email getting read, keep the body short and on point. Strive for no more than five sentences. Make it easy to read by using a classic font like Arial or Calibri in 10- or 12- point type. Also, stick to the same font, type size, and color (ideally black) throughout your email. Avoid using a lot of exclamation points, as it can come across as being immature or overly emotional. Before concluding, clearly state actions or next steps required.7. Make your signature sincereA professional email must have a signature at the end. Include your full name, title, your company name, and your contact information (especially your business phone number). This information allows your recipient to quickly learn more about you and other ways to get in touch with you. Keep it simple and avoid adding quotes, sayings, artwork, awkward fonts and colors to your signature.Follow these tips, and you’ll quickly show your email recipients that you are respectful of them and their time." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Quality Over Quantity - Best Tips for Networking Events", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "networking", "url" : "/blog/how-to-make-the-most-of-networking-events-for-small-business/", "date" : "2017-02-06 19:23:00 -0500", "content" : "How to Be a Networking StarWhen we exhibited at the 2016 Atlanta Small Business Expo, we had asked attendees, “If you could send a voicemail to your former self, what would you say?” We heard a lot of interesting answers. People gave themselves “voicemails” full of good advice and strong direction to help them get through those challenging early stages of their careers. They also included tips that would help their small businesses flourish. Hear the inspiring “voicemails” in this short video.Since the Small Business Expo is deemed “Atlanta’s biggest business networking event of the year,” we wanted to do a deeper dive into the subject of networking. We all know that it is a critical part of growing a small business. In fact, our video shows one small business owner who gave his former self the following words of wisdom: “Network a heck of a lot. Network like crazy.”That’s excellent advice! But to “network like crazy” you’ll want to make the most out of networking events, and focus on quality. Here are some tips and tricks to make it happen:Choose events strategicallyAvoid networking for networking’s sake. Going to tons of networking events can be overwhelming and stressful. Think about your business goals and carefully choose the events that have the best potential to support your end-game. Think creatively, as there may be some conferences outside the norm that can expand your network in a new way. How to decide? Look at the attendees and exhibitors to see if some individuals or businesses are beneficial to you or your company’s mission. Also, go to events that have designated times for networking. Even if you consider yourself introverted, events that include networking in the agenda helps all attendees feel more empowered and inspired to connect.Ditch intimidationWe all want to avoid awkward interactions. Looking at your smartphone and hanging out only with those you already know will not help you get “out there.” Sure, leaving your comfort zone can be a little scary, but the risk is worth the reward. Try these tips to make the process of networking less intimidating: Do your homework - Before you arrive, read up on current news and events to find interesting things to help break the ice. This helps you have topics to start conversations, as well as give you fodder for contributing to conversations. Grab food or a drink - Striking up a conversation in the food or drink lines is often more natural and comfortable. Scout out a table where someone is sitting alone, and ask if you can join them. They’ll be thankful for the company. Read body language - Look around the room to read the crowd. If a group is talking in a closed circle, leave them be. If you see two people standing side-by-side and facing outward, approach them. They’ll be more open to having a conversation. Know you’re not the only one - Keep in mind that almost everyone in the room is as uncomfortable as you are. Use your anxiety as fuel to go about helping others feel less uneasy. You’ll make yourself feel better in the process. Smile - A genuine smile can instantly put you and others at ease. A cheerful “hello!” accompanied with a bright smile creates a new level of comfort between strangers, and a great way to start a conversation. “Wow, I don’t know a soul here!” - This is a good conversation starter too, especially with someone who’s by themselves. More often than not, their response will be “Me either!” It’s a nice segway to an introduction. Know when to go - There comes a natural point in a conversation for it to end. Rather than stick around too long (due to comfort), recognize that point, thank the person for the chat, exchange cards and move on. (Get tips for having the a memorable business card here.) What’s the worst that can happen? - Remind yourself that you’re all adults. Mature adults will not ridicule you. The worst that can happen is that you don’t make a connection, which is no big deal.Remember: It’s not about what you wantNetworking is not a game to see how many business cards you can collect or give out. It’s not about how many sales leads you get or products you sell. Networking gives you an an opportunity to meet new people, and build authentic, mutually beneficial relationships. The key phrase here is “mutually beneficial.”Focus on quality, not quantity. Chat with one or two people at a time for a deeper, more engaged conversation. To make your interactions seem less forced or weird, always be thinking about how you can help people, even it if is simply introducing yourself to someone who is by themselves. Be the hero.ListenPeople love to talk about themselves, so let them speak–while you listen. Make a conscious effort to stay completely engaged in the conversation. Maintain eye contact and avoid looking over a person’s shoulder for someone “more important” to talk to!Even if what a person is saying resonates with you so deeply, let them speak. Don’t jump in and talk over someone, finish their sentences, or cut them off. Bite your tongue, let them share, and listen for opportunities or ways that you can provide value in a way that compliments the conversation, not hijacks it.Follow up fast, then again and againBe timely in your follow-ups. Gain trust and respect from your new connections by keeping your word. If you said that you plan to phone them next week, do so. If you said you were going to send them a great book, make it a priority. Personalize all of your follow-up correspondence with references to things you discussed. And don’t let it end there. Continue following up with things your new connections would genuinely like, such as an interesting article or new information that would be intriguing to them. You’ll soon find that nurturing your new connections in this way will result in a fantastic return on your investment in time and effort.One last point of note – the more networking you do, the less intimidating it becomes. If you’re ready to test out your new skills, make plans to come visit us at the Atlanta Small Business Expo in November 2017. Better yet, let’s get a headstart with a conversation on Facebook or Twitter. See you in November!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "10 Tips for the Perfect Business Voicemail Greeting", "categories" : "small business marketing", "tags" : "voicemail, features, customers", "url" : "/blog/10-tips-for-the-perfect-business-voicemail-greeting/", "date" : "2017-02-06 19:03:00 -0500", "content" : "The Perfect Voicemail Greeting: 10 TipsA voicemail greeting can easily be a person’s first impression of your business. You want it to count–not to mention, match your company’s good image–so putting little extra thought and effort into it is a worthwhile endeavor. Need some guidance? Here are 10 quick tips to make your small business voicemail greeting memorable:1. Be differentYou’ve heard the typical voicemail message, right? It goes something like this: “You’ve reached XYZ Corporation. Please leave a message.” How boring! Make your voicemail a little more interesting by adding in things like your company’s mission statement, a random fact about the business, or perhaps a special sales promotion available that week. As long as it isn’t too lengthy, adding in these bits of information can create a bigger impact and therefore, be more memorable to your callers. It shows callers that you pay attention to the details and that you care, which are qualities that encourage people to do business with you.2. Announce yourselfMake sure to identify yourself and your business on your voicemail greeting. It confirms that your caller reached the right party. It will also reduce the number of wasted calls, hang-ups, and trivial messages that your small business receives.3. Set the right expectationLet your callers know when they can expect a call back from you. Will it be two hours? Within 24 hours? Or do you return all calls between three and four pm? Whatever the case, say so on your voicemail and then follow through with your call-backs at the expected time. This process ensures your callers aren’t wasting their time leaving a message. It also makes them more likely to leave you a voicemail for you in the future since you’ve proven to them that you’ll actually call them back.4. Smile while speakingSound upbeat and happy while recording your phone greeting. As odd as it may feel, make an effort to smile while you speak. When you genuinely smile, listeners can hear the cheerfulness in your voice. Try it, you’ll see what I mean.5. Say “no” to monotoneAvoid sounding like a monotone robot. Even Siri uses some inflection in her voice. Rather than drone on, try modulating both your speech and the pitch of your voice when recording your greeting.6. Speak slowlyDon’t rush it. As you record your greeting, speak a little more slowly and clearly than usual, so your callers can easily understand what you’re saying. Avoid speaking too slowly, though. Those that are short on time may simply hang up rather than wait to leave a message.7. Keep it succinctWhile providing a lot of information on your voicemail greeting can be helpful to some, an overly lengthy voicemail greeting can do more harm than good. This is particularly true if the same people call back and have to listen to the long message over again. Try keeping your greeting to 20-25 seconds, at the most.8. Nix the noiseAs you prepare to record your message, pay attention to your surroundings and listen carefully for background noises that your voicemail can pick up. If it’s not quiet enough, record your voicemail greeting in another place where the background noises are inaudible.9. Script itWith the above-mentioned tips in mind, write down your voicemail greeting and edit it until you have a script you find appealing. Rehearse it out loud a few times so you can hear how it sounds. Continue to edit it until you have a script that comes across as solid and professional. Do a trial run on your voicemail and listen to it to be certain it sounds great.10. Update it oftenUpdating your greeting frequently will result in more people listening to your message in its entirety. Anytime you are going on vacation, a conference, or a trade show, have your voicemail greeting reflect the time you’ll be out. If you’re at an industry-related event, some callers may leave a message in hopes of connecting with you there. With magicJack, your voicemails are emailed to you immediately so that you can quickly call back and make arrangements. And, when you return from your trip, don’t forget to update your greeting. A dated voicemail greeting with irrelevant information can be frustrating to your callers.What about you? What other tips that you would add to this list? Share them with us on Facebook or Twitter." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "5 Reasons Your Small Business Needs VoIP", "categories" : "small business tools", "tags" : "VoIP", "url" : "/blog/5-reasons-your-small-business-needs-voip/", "date" : "2017-02-03 12:59:00 -0500", "content" : "5 Reasons Your Small Business Needs VoIP, YesterdayAre you considering switching your small business phone to VoIP solution? If so, that’s good thinking on your part. You’d be following in the footsteps of a lot of small business owners. In fact, more than one-third of businesses have already invested in a VoIP phone system. What’s even more compelling is that over 68% of them are small businesses, each with less than 50 employees.There are many reasons why so many companies have chosen to rely on VoIP to handle their phone system needs. Here’s why they switched, and why it would be a smart move for your business to do the same: Huge cost savingsOne of the main reasons small businesses are ditching their landlines is due to high costs. Traditional copper telephone lines and networks are costly for the phone company to maintain, and much of that expense is passed on to their customers (that means you). However, with an affordable VoIP phone service like magicJack, your savings can add up very quickly. Because magicJack pioneered VoIP, it costs 63% less than average VoIP providers. What’s even better? There is no annual contract required to use magicJack, and you can easily add or remove lines as employees come and go - always with flat rate pricing. Enterprise phone features at small business price pointSay “so long” to sticker shock. magicJack VoIP phone systems offer an incredible feature set at a very small price point. Tools like auto attendant, conference calling, hold music, call forwarding, and custom voicemail are among the many features included. The benefits? They make your small businesses look and sound polished and professional, not to mention more productive. Heavily discounted long distance and international callsIncluded in magicJack’s phone service are unlimited local and long-distance calls across the US (including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands) and Canada. International VoIP call prices are also surprisingly affordable. For example, calls to Mexico start at 3.8 cents per minute and calls to the UK start at 1.2 cents per minute. We’ve published the costs to call each country, so there are never any surprise charges or fees. **No more busy signals or missed calls**Your phone will always be a critical communication tool for incoming and outgoing calls. Unlike a traditional single-line phone, a VoIP phone system can simultaneously handle multiple incoming and outgoing calls with ease. Add magicJack’s ability to perform enhanced call forwarding and your customers will never hear an annoying busy signal again. Even a power outage is no big deal, as you can simply forward your calls to your cell phone. Setup is a cinchGone are the days when you have to wait for the phone company to come out to install a new, expensive phone line. You can easily set up your magicJack for BUSINESS yourself. In fact, most customers are up and running in less than 15 minutes. magicJack is very user-friendly, but if you need any help at all, we’ve got you covered there too. Simply call or email our friendly US-based support team. They are there for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week to lend you a hand. So what do you have to lose? Now is the time to follow in the intelligent footsteps of so many other small business owners. magicJack for BUSINESS offers a zero-dollar, 30-day free trial. Give it a try today!" } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Secret to Successful Team Meetings for Your Small Business", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/secret-to-successful-team-meetings-for-your-small-business/", "date" : "2017-02-02 15:24:00 -0500", "content" : "We’ve all suffered through some terrible business meetings. The most frustrating ones make you wonder what the point was to begin with. When you walk away feeling like nothing was achieved… well, it just feels like a colossal waste of time. In fact, a recent Forbes article reported that “Each month, people spend about 31 hours in unproductive meetings, and the U.S. spends a whopping $37 billion on salaries for hours spent in unnecessary meetings.” Stop the madness!We can all agree that some meetings are a must, so let’s make the most of them. If you’re ready to be admired for the way you handle business meetings, give this process a try:Ask this first: Is this meeting needed?First, ask yourself if the meeting is necessary. Sometimes issues can be resolved with a simple email or a quick phone call. If not, schedule your meeting and invite only those whose input is imperative to the mission at hand.Have an agendaAvoid facilitating a meeting without a game plan in place. Plan it out in advance, and have a well-thought-out objective and supporting agenda. Email the agenda to each person invited in advance. A day or so before the meeting, check in with those who are required to provide input or speak at the meeting to make sure they are prepared.Start on timeWhen you delay your meeting to accommodate those who are late, it says ‘it’s ok’ to be tardy to your meetings. Avoid setting that precedent. Everyone’s time is valuable – both you, the lead and the other participants. Instead, start on time, every time – even with conference calls. No exceptions.Start time tip: start meetings on the quarter hour instead of the hour or half hour. Most meetings start and end on the hour or half hour. Plus, an hour is more daunting than 45 minutes. And isn’t about 15 minutes of every meeting fluff, waiting for late arrivals, or unfocused chatter? Squeeze the time, make it more productive. Why start your meeting at 1:15 instead of 1, or 1:45 instead of 1:30: “Quarter after the hour works quite nicely. People have the time they need to take a little break between meetings. Not only are they more likely to be on time, they will be less stressed and hopefully more focused.” -Tom LaForce, The Meeting Will Start at 1:15Remove distractionsAt the beginning of your meeting, ask everyone to put their phones on Do Not Disturb, or suggest that they have important calls forwarded to another member of the team. The fewer distractions you have, the more efficient your meeting time will be.Stay on topicWhile it’s important to keep the meeting on track, remember that no one ever wants to be talked at. Good meetings are conversations where everyone is encouraged to provide input. If, however, the meeting begins to veer off track, reel it back in, without shutting down the input. Good points or ideas that are brought up that stray from the topic should be noted as “Parking lot” items to discuss at another time.Lighten up a littleWhile some meeting topics aren’t always exciting, it’s up to you to keep attendees engaged. Use your creativity to come up with ways to make your meetings more fun. Take all the chairs out of the room and have a standup meeting. Start a sentence and then go around the room, asking each person to complete the sentence. Something like “What I love most about this project is…” Have ideas on a whiteboard and provide “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” stickers to the team so they can vote on the ideas in a more interactive way. There are a ton of ways to create a meeting that is more interactive and lively. Engagement is the driver of successful meetings.Finish on timeIf you’ve scheduled a meeting for 30 minutes, make sure that meeting ends in 30 minutes. If you have a clear agenda, and keep the chatter to a minimum, setting people free on time should be a breeze. If you have to, set a timer, and when the buzzer sounds… time’s up!Think about it: why do we have “hard stops”? Is a “stop” not enough? Adding the hardness probably came about as a result of meetings running over. Respect the standard stop :)Keep a recordTake notes during the meeting and make them available in a central location that is accessible to the team. At the end of every meeting, do a quick recap to note action items and due dates. At the next meeting, do a quick check-back to get the status of each item that was assigned. A project manager is a good person to own this. If you wear that hat yourself, even jotting down the minutes will help.Business meetings don’t have to be boring – and they don’t have to be long. You’ve probably been to hour-long meetings that you know could have been whittled down to 15 minutes! Keep your agenda tight – and keep the meeting interesting – and you may even have people looking forward to the next one.What are your best tips for hosting a productive meeting? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "How to Write a Killer Business Plan", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "marketing, planning, competitors", "url" : "/blog/how-to-write-a-killer-business-plan/", "date" : "2017-02-01 11:32:00 -0500", "content" : "Ready to get your small business business up and running? Before you jump in, take the time to create a top-notch business plan. This is an important first step because a business plan for your small business will increase your chances for lasting success. A great business plan is essentially both a strategic roadmap and handy reference that ensures that you are on track to hit your business goals and aspirations (namely your SMART goals). It’s also a valuable tool for obtaining external funding for startups.Writing an effective business plan is not that tricky, especially if you set aside time do it right. All it takes is answering a few questions, along with a bit of hunting and gathering of important information. Broken up into sections, research and document the following for your business plan:Executive summaryWhile this part is the first section of your business plan, it will be easier if you hold off writing it until the end. Why? It is an overall synopsis of your plan. It educates and informs readers about your business and highlights the strengths from each of the sections mentioned below. This part of your plan should be kept relatively short, yet impactful, as it is the first section people read when deciding on funding for your business.Company descriptionThis is where you clearly define your business as well as its products or services. Include what makes it unique, as well as what specifically makes it qualified to succeed. This is also a good place to include the business mission statement. It’s a good idea to add any fundamental needs required to get the company up and running. For example, do you plan on purchasing an existing business or just adding an extra phone line to the desk in your home office? Will you need to create a prototype? A product design? Think about the steps it will take to get the company off the ground and highlight your plans for each.Customer analysisThis section describes your target audience, and the particular need your product or service satisfies. Include your customer demographics, location, and market size as well as your predictions for growth. If applicable, add in customers’ seasonal or cyclical buying trends.Industry analysisThis is an overview of your company’s industry. Include your industry’s historical background, size, trends, geographic area, and growth rate. Add in any factors that may impact or influence the industry in the future.Competitive analysisThis is where you identify and list all of your competitors. Document specific details about each, including their market share, product offerings, pricing, sales volume, and marketing strategies. Determine the strengths and weaknesses of each. Where possible, describe how your business can capitalize on competitor’s shortcomings and include your strategies for gaining market share now and in the future.Marketing and sales planOutline the ways you plan to reach your target audience. Your market penetration methods may include your promotional plans, marketing channels, and pricing strategies. Show your sales projections as well as how you plan to drive those sales and maintain customer loyalty to support your predictions.Financial projectionsDefine your projected profits and revenues for the next one to five years. Use the data you gathered from your industry and competitor analyses as a starting point. Keep future market trends in mind and how they can affect your financial picture. Include graphs so investors can quickly see and understand your predictions for growth.Remember that your business plan is a living document to be referenced and updated often. Keep it handy and review it regularly to ensure that your business is on the fast track to success.Cheers to you and the start of your new small business! We wish you well and would love to hear of your progress on Facebook or Twitter." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Getting Started with a VoIP Small Business Phone", "categories" : "VoIP", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/getting-started-with-a-voip-small-business-phone/", "date" : "2017-01-30 11:22:00 -0500", "content" : "Can you imagine not having a phone? It’s a scary thought. And it’s why investing in a quality small business phone system is such an important decision. Your business phone is the primary communication tool for your company. Without reliable phone service, your business is at a huge disadvantage. But with so many confusing phone plans available today, how do you know which is the best for you? With today’s technology, a VoIP phone system is the wisest choice.VoIP business phoneA VoIP small business phone system is very budget-friendly but does not compromise quality or reliability. If you haven’t heard of VoIP before, it stands for “Voice over Internet Protocol.” It’s a high-tech way of describing phone service via the internet rather than traditional phone lines.How does VoIP work?VoIP is a different, clearer way of transmitting the sound of your voice for a phone call. It works by sending your voice data over the internet. More specifically, it converts sound into digital communication which is then sent in “packets” using Internet Protocol (IP). This differs from traditional phone transmissions, which are handled on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). The PSTN is also known as POTS, which stands for “plain old telephone service.” It is the antiquated landline telephone system that utilizes copper wires to carry analog voice data.What are the advantages of a VoIP phone system for businesses?There are many benefits to using a VoIP small business phone system. It is less expensive than a traditional phone system. This is because traditional phone companies have higher costs in overhead, industry regulations and maintenance on expensive infrastructure, much of which are passed on to the customer to pay. There are significant reductions in the cost of long distance and international calls since calls are transmitted via the internet. Increased portability, in that you can log into your phone system from anywhere in the world that has an internet connection. You can also get any area code you wish since you aren’t confined to the geographic area where your office is located. We can give you a number that makes it look like you’re in any U.S. city, or port (transfer) your existing business number. Works with conventional phone numbers. Easy to install. It’s “plug and play.” There is no extra cabling required (as opposed to traditional phone systems.) Watch how simple VoIP setup is. For any additions or changes to your team, you simply move their phone to a different broadband network jack and plug it in. You can receive voicemails and faxes in your email inbox. If the power goes out, no worries: you can easily forward your calls to your cell phone. What are the advantages of magicJack for BUSINESS?magicJack for BUSINESS is a proven, established leader in the VoIP phone industry. Our parent company, magicJack Vocaltec, pioneered VoIP.Here are seven more advantages: magicJack for BUSINESS offers a comprehensive set of sophisticated features at very affordable rates. We staff our own 100% U.S.-based 24/7 customer care centers.With magicJack for BUSINESS, you get one low, flat rate per line, with unlimited long-distance calls to the US and Canada included. There are no additional or surprise charges. We have no dependence on third-party products or service licensing.magicJack patents include the most important intellectual property assets in the VoIP and Telecom industries. We are constantly innovating to offer the most reliable connection and clearest sound quality to our customers. We maintain a 99.999% network uptime, making us one of the most reliable in the industry.These are just a few reasons why over a quarter million businesses rely on magicJack every day. Will you be next? With a $0, 30-day free trial, you have nothing to lose." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "10 Best Communication Tools for Your Small Business", "categories" : "small business tools", "tags" : "coworking", "url" : "/blog/10-best-communication-tools-for-your-small-business/", "date" : "2017-01-27 09:11:00 -0500", "content" : "Opening up a small business is no small feat. There are lots of factors to think about, including the most professional ways to communicate with your clients, not to mention your team. Have you determined the best ways to go about it? If not, don’t worry. We know communication is essential for growing your small business, so we’ve put together a handy checklist of ten important tools to consider.1. Small business phone systemWhen you are just starting out, don’t be tempted to use your personal cell phone as your business phone. Just like your personal and professional life, it’s best to keep them separate. Having a different phone for work also makes it easier to claim it as a business expense write-off at tax time. What’s more, when you invest in a reliable, affordable small business phone system, both you and your business will come across as polished and professional. magicJack for BUSINESS, for example, is a low-cost, feature-filled small business phone system that includes features like auto attendant, the ability to put a caller on hold, pleasant hold music, conference calling, extension dialing, and more. A point of note with phones: it may not make sense to get an 800 number for your business. With the increased use of cell phones, VoIP phones, and the like, long-distance rates are becoming much more affordable.2. Small business virtual faxWhile online communication, like email, has replaced much of what a fax machine can do, there will be some instances when you’ll need to send and receive faxes. Some government agencies, small businesses, attorneys, and even doctors and pharmacies may require a faxed document. With so many other ways to communicate today, the ability to fax could be considered redundant, however, a fax can be a useful extra line of communication. Some clients simply require it. With virtual fax, it’s incredibly easy in that all you have to do is click and send. It’s also reliable and fast. In some cases, fax may be a better solution than snail mail, which we all know has some latency and vulnerability issues. The trick, though, is to have the capabilities of a fax machine without having to buy the machine itself. For your small business, a virtual fax service is the best solution. You don’t have to buy paper and ink cartridges, or spend valuable time maintaining it. Get virtual fax included free with Premium VoIP.3. PO BoxIf you don’t have a separate office space for your business, your home address will work initially. However, investing in a PO Box is a much better option. A PO box allows you to keep your home address unpublished and private, while conducting business in a professional manner. What’s more, a PO Box is more secure than a mailbox. It will continue to safely receive and securely store your mail, even if you’re away on business or vacation. Lastly, if you anticipate that you or your growing business will be moving multiple times in the future, your PO Box will remain the same. No need to fill out change-of-address forms or risk losing mail in the moving process.4. Coworking spaceYou may be one of the lucky few who has a separate room in your house set up as a home office. If you can easily meet and talk with your team and clients in that space, consider yourself very fortunate. For those small business owners who don’t have their own office space, the library and coffee shops can only go so far. Paying to work in a coworking space gives you the ability to meet and communicate with your team, as well as current and potential clients, in a professional manner.Almost all coworking spaces have a formal lobby with a receptionist, well-appointed conference and meeting rooms, fast internet connections, and even mail and package services. Also, by working in a coworking space, you automatically put yourself in a great networking position. In fact, a Harvard Business Review article titled Workspaces That Move People stated the following interesting statistics: Out of a survey of 1500 coworking space users, 80% reported an increase in the size of their business network. Out of the same group, 92% reported an increase in the size of their social circle.Working in a coworking space opens up opportunities for chance encounters with diverse people you may not have met otherwise. It’s a great communication tool from multiple perspectives. (And speaking of coworking spaces, check out our compelling case study with Strongbox West, the most popular and successful coworking space in the Southeast.) In fact, Uber launched Atlanta out of a small office at the original Strongbox. Lean operations encourage growth. Just like saving on phone service, keeping your rent down (or non-existent) is a smart move. Coworking spaces like Strongbox West and our customers at Canopy City in Boston give businesses ultimate flexibility (no leases), savings and fun perks, and opportunities to connect with other entrepreneurs.Related post: 5 Easy Ways to Connect with Remote Teams5. Social media business pagesSocial media provide an excellent way to gather and communicate with your audience. It can also help enrich relationships with people you haven’t even met yet. The social sites you use for your small business marketing and communication depend on your industry, the products and services you’re providing, and the audiences to which you cater. Marketing Land offers an excellent checklist for determining which social sites to use and how to correctly set up each of them up for your new business. Don’t go overboard and create a profile on every social platform. Consider just one or two, such as LinkedIn and Facebook, to get started.6. Website/contact us pageIf you haven’t already set up a professional website, add this to your small business to-do list for 2017. It doesn’t have to be big and fancy. In fact, the more simple and clear **it is, the better. One of the most important pages on your website is your **Contact Us page. It’s the entryway for relationships with potential clients, so roll out the virtual welcome mat here. Make your web copy interesting, and don’t make your visitor work too hard to get in touch with you. Be careful with publishing your email address, as you’ll open yourself up to spammers. A simple contact form with space to enter a name, email address, and a message will do fine. Also, point out that you do not sell or share email addresses so that people feel more comfortable inputting their own. Consider adding links to your social media pages on your Contact Us page too. This will help search engines begin to connect your website with your social profiles for improved SEO. You can create a website easily without spending much money using a CMS (content management system) like Squarespace, Wix, and Wordpress.7. Business emailIf you’re not able to invest time or resources in a website just yet, you should at least acquire a branded business email address. This is really important in appearing professional. G Suite by Google Cloud gives you the ability to create a custom business email address using @yourcompany.com. So if your name is Wendy and your company name is Foxhale Design, your business email address would be wendy@foxhaledesign.com. The setup is easy; the service is ad-free, and it comes with plenty of storage.8. Mobile hotspotThis one is especially important if you travel a lot for business, or if you work at many tradeshows. A mobile hotspot gives you the ability to bring your own WiFi with you. No longer will you have to rely on public hotspots or tethering (and draining the battery) on your cell phone. No matter where you are, with a mobile hotspot, you’ll be able to get online via your laptop or tablet. Then you can quickly and efficiently respond to emails, online inquiries, social media comments, and more.9. Business cardsInvest in a nice set of business cards. Just like a fax, this is an “old school” way of communicating that simply works. While you can always exchange numbers via a call or text upon meeting, a business card still has a place in networking. Especially as a small business owner, a professional card can help to legitimize you and clarify your company name when meeting a new person, especially a skeptic. You never know who you’ll serendipitously run into during your day. A nice business card with your name and contact details makes it easy for your next client to remember meeting you and reach out. It also allows you to put the ball in their court if the person has any reservations about exchanging contact info digitally.Bonus: Want to really make an impression? Check out these creative and memorable business cards. You can create a great DIY business card on Canva, too.We love this Custom Inspector Stamp from Salem, Ohio letterpress company Cranky Pressman.10. Team collaboration toolsJust as important as external communication, open lines of internal communication are crucial if you work with remote teams. Keeping in touch is an easy task with online tools like Slack and Trello. Both are excellent for team collaboration and project management. We’ve highlighted each and some other ways to stay in touch in 5 Easy Ways to Connect with Remote Teams. One other option that many small businesses are starting to embrace is the use of Facebook Groups for internal communications. It makes sense because most people are already on Facebook and understand how to use it. But don’t forget about privacy concerns; your data could be shared or used to target ads. You also might want to keep personal and work completely separate, so consider more private collaboration options.What other vital communication tools would you add to this list? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Five Pearls of Chinese Wisdom for Small Business Owners", "categories" : "", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/five-pearls-of-chinese-wisdom-for-small-business-owners/", "date" : "2017-01-23 12:10:00 -0500", "content" : "Chinese New Year is a monumental event that’s celebrated not only in China but throughout the world. If you didn’t already know, 2017 is the year of the Fire Rooster, referred to as the epitome of responsibility, punctuality, and trustworthiness. The rooster has been nature’s perfect alarm clock for ages. It’s not surprising that its primary skill is communication. With that in mind, you’ll want to put particular emphasis on your company’s marketing, advertising, and sales this year. Why? The Fire Rooster highly favors those types of communication endeavors, so investing in them will bring you unprecedented opportunities and success.This year, Chinese New Year officially starts on January 28, but festivities will begin on the 27th and carry on all the way through February 2. In the spirit of the holiday, we’ve gathered several enlightening Chinese proverbs that every small business owner and entrepreneur should contemplate. Read on, wise one… “Cheap things are not good; good things are not cheap.”We find it ironic that this is a Chinese proverb, but nonetheless, it is a good one to keep in mind. It reminds us that cheaper isn’t always better. Look at the value of something rather than its price tag. Whether it’s a product or a service, think long term as to what you’ll get out of it. A more expensive investment may have a much better ROI in the long run. “A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study.”Reading books is great, and you can glean much from them. However, networking with those who are experts and influencers in your field is beyond valuable. Befriend them, offer them something of value in return, and you’ll have the chance to learn from their real-world experiences, not to mention the inside scoop on what’s really going on in your industry. “Defeat isn’t bitter if you don’t swallow it.”Failing at something doesn’t mean that your journey is over. Many entrepreneurs state that you should “fail fast.” You may experience a few failures before you discover a winner, and that’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up. Adopt the mindset that failing is an important lesson. Learn to grow from it and move on. “The emperor is rich, but he cannot buy one extra year.”No matter your wealth, the one thing that you cannot buy is time. Without a doubt, time is your most valuable asset. So keep in mind that money isn’t everything. Use your time wisely. Be sure to set aside quality time to spend with family and friends. Venture out and gain meaningful life experiences. Say no to coffees and lunches that do nothing for you. On your deathbed, you won’t be wishing that you worked more during the most active, healthy years of your life. “Words are just words, and without heart, they have no meaning.”Our virtual forms of communication can often send mixed messages. Curt emails and chat sessions are not always the best method to talk. When you have an important message to convey to someone, take the time to call them. Over the phone, your recipient will hear the heartfelt enthusiasm and passion in your voice. It makes your phone a crucial business tool that other forms of communication simply can’t replicate.Do you have any insightful Chinese proverbs to share? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "5 Easy Ways to Connect with Remote Teams", "categories" : "small business tools", "tags" : "employees, productivity, apps", "url" : "/blog/creative-ways-small-businesses-can-connect-with-remote-teams/", "date" : "2017-01-23 09:26:00 -0500", "content" : "5 Great Tools to Keep Remote Teams ConnectedIf you don’t already work with a remote team, the statistics show that you will be soon. According to the TINYpulse survey, “What Leaders Need to Know About Remote Workers”, only nine percent of employees telecommuted in 1995. By 2015 that number jumped to 37%, and it continues to climb.While the survey found that the majority of remote workers feel happier, more valued and productive, it also highlighted the fact that communication is a critical factor in that equation. It’s very easy for remote workers to feel isolated and “out of the loop” from the rest of the team. So, what are some effective ways to stay in touch? Consider the following ideas and tools for enhancing communication with your remote team:1. Slack for chat (replace email)Slack is a team collaboration tool that primarily uses organized chats to communicate with team members. Chatting is an excellent way of communicating with a remote team. It allows your team to talk to one another without interrupting them, just like texting. Slack lets you tag and assign team members to projects and updates can be posted as progress is made. Everyone can easily see the status of projects as well as reference all communication for projects. This has the benefit of reducing unnecessary emails too, which is a huge plus for everyone. Slack claims to be the “fastest growing business application in history.” Walt Mossberg writes: “It’s sort of like a combination of Facebook, Twitter, iMessage, and Dropbox, but just for you and your co-workers.” Slack isn’t perfect, but many prefer it to email.2. Project update callsWhen one or two remote people are working on an important project, stay on track by conducting weekly update calls. A simple three-way call is an easy and fast way to get status updates and stay on top of project details. These conversations can help leaders identify potential pitfalls as well as acknowledge wins along the way.3. Join.me for screen sharingSometimes it’s difficult to see or understand what someone is talking about until they physically point it out on their computer screen. This can be an even bigger challenge for those who work remotely. Screen sharing is the solution and Join.me makes it a breeze. Simply generate a link through the application and send it to your teammate(s) and you’ll see exactly what they are talking about in no time.4. Trello for managing projects and tasksTrello is a cloud-based collaboration tool that organizes projects into boards and cards. Very quickly, you and your team can see what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and what the status is of every project. It can handle comments, upload file attachments, create checklists and more.5. Team meeting callsSchedule team meetings once a week. Conference calls with your entire team keep everyone informed, not to mention accountable. Ensure that each person comes prepared to give a status update, leadership team included. While there may be challenges to address, point out the successes too and acknowledge and thank each person for their contributions.Do you have other interesting tips for communicating with remote teams? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Social Media Trends for Small Businesses in 2017", "categories" : "small business marketing", "tags" : "social media", "url" : "/blog/social-media-trends-for-small-businesses-in-2017/", "date" : "2017-01-19 20:30:00 -0500", "content" : "As social media continues to grow, so do the compelling trends that make it so successful. Young and old, more people are gravitating to social media sites. Hopping on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the like has become a routine, daily habit for most users. Why? It’s not just about staying in touch with family and friends anymore. Social media has become a form of entertainment, a vital communication tool, a shopping mecca, a way to get the latest news and so much more. Considering all that “noise,” what do small business owners need to pay close attention to this year? Here are the trends to be aware of:VideoWhat’s in: Whether it be live, recorded or 360-degree, video will be a key way to communicate on social media this year.Why it works: Video on social media has become a new form of TV. It’s hard to look away, especially when it’s live. Live video also brings a level of authenticity that audiences crave.What’s out: Social media posts that don’t include some form of media… Views and engagement (likes, comments, shares, etc.) will be less on posts that are text-only.What to do: attach a video or an eye-catching image.EmojisWhat’s in: Utilizing emojis to communicate and enhance conversations on social media.Why it works: With social media sites becoming increasing visual, emojis are the perfect form of visual communication. Take a close look at a few big brands’ social media feeds, and you’ll see that they’ve fully embraced the use of emoji in their commentary. It’s a unique and fast way to communicate online.What’s out: Overly formal, lengthy or wordy posts that have no visual appeal.What to do: Learn the meanings of emoji and begin using them in your social media comments, even if it is a simple smiley face or thumbs-up.Team involvementWhat’s in: Companies encouraging their employees to like, share and converse on company social media posts.Why it works: The people on your team are your brand ambassadors. Every person that engages with company content will help to broaden your social reach and therefore, expand your audience.What’s out: One-sided conversations, or worse yet, no responses to comments on social sites.What to do: Make your content interesting so that your team wants to like and share, rather than feeling forced to do so. And good or bad, ensure you always respond to valid, appropriate comments on your posts.Find your tribeWhat’s in: Concentrating your social media efforts on only those sites where your target audience is hanging out.Why it works: A post on Snapchat will not have the same effect when posted on Facebook. In fact, it could work against you. Instead, think about the platforms that have had the most engagement success for your business and work solely with those.What’s out: “Spray and pray” rifle approaches where businesses post the same messages on as many social sites as they can.What to do: Narrow your focus to the platforms where your audience is listening – and engaging. Create authentic, shareable content that is an ideal fit for that platform.Turn comments into conversationWhat’s in: Turning off the native comment feature on business blog articles and taking the conversation to social instead (or enabling Facebook comments on your blog).Why it works: Comments on blog posts have increasingly become troublesome. People often comment to pitch their own products and services (or worse). Steering genuine comments to social can start interesting, highly interactive conversations as well as bring in more followers.What’s out: Having no blog at all (this one isn’t new).What to do: Blogging is a tool that drives traffic to your site. Be sure to have one and update it often. Own your own content, but engage about it in public forums.Following our own advice, we’ve turned off comments on this blog article, but we’d love to hear from you! Let us know what you’re planning for social to grow your business on Facebook or Twitter." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "4 Ways to Stay Connected with Customers, Even as Your Business Grows", "categories" : "customers", "tags" : "social media, survey", "url" : "/blog/4-ways-to-stay-connected-with-customers-even-as-your-business-grows/", "date" : "2017-01-18 16:46:00 -0500", "content" : "Being a small business has its advantages. You’re agile, you don’t have to go to committee to make things happen, and you’re extremely in tune with your customers. Keeping close contact and forging relationships with them come naturally. But as your business grows, maintaining those good customer relationships can become a little more challenging.Read more…This post was originally published on Small Biz Daily." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "It’s Not Too Late: How to Create SMART Business Goals", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "planning", "url" : "/blog/the-most-successful-smart-business-goals/", "date" : "2017-01-16 10:26:00 -0500", "content" : "How to Create and Conquer SMART Business GoalsMore often than not, a new year means new goals. You’ve probably thought of a few, like “Grow my business” or “Get more sales,” but have you worked out a strategic plan to ensure you achieve those objectives? If not, you’ve come to the right place. This article will outline some simple, yet highly effective ways of accomplishing your goals this year.Get into the right frame of mindAt this early point in 2017, are you still reflecting on how you did with last year’s goals? Maybe you were able to hit some, but if you are like most small business owners, your resolutions didn’t go as planned. In fact, only 9.2% of Americans reported being successful in achieving their new year’s resolutions. Changing the course of your business or a particular behavior is an incredibly challenging task. You need a lot of energy and a strong focus on what needs to be done, not just in the beginning, but throughout the year. Maintaining that energy level and laser focus is tough. In fact, six months into the new year, at least 55% of people have given up hitting their goals. And, what’s worse, once you’ve given up, it’s easy to fall into the trap of self-pity. So, instead of beating yourself up on those things that you didn’t quite master, try focusing on where you did succeed and be mindful of the hard work it took to get you there.And here’s the good news: you’ve got a clean slate going into this new year.Ditch “False Hope Syndrome”“False Hope Syndrome” is the act of setting the bar too high. Psychology professor Peter Herman and his colleagues came up with the terminology, stating that “…people fail because the resolutions that they make are unrealistic. They’re overly ambitious in that they try to accomplish more than they realistically can. They also try to accomplish more things more quickly than is realistically possible and they underestimate the difficulty of the task.” While there’s nothing wrong with setting lofty goals, you have to be realistic. Set yourself up for success with goals that are challenging, yet achievable.KISSRemember to KISS complexity goodbye when coming up with your goals. In this case, KISS is a principle that stands for “Keep it simple and straightforward” (or you may affectionately know it as “Keep it simple, stupid,” but the aforementioned popular variation works better in this case.) Keeping your goals uncomplicated automatically makes them easier to achieve. Why? Simplicity brings clarity, and clear goals are easier to understand and attain.Now that you are in a positive frame of mind, have gotten rid of false hopes and are focused on simplicity, it’s time to start creating your goals. The most ideal process for this is (cleverly) called S.M.A.R.T. goal setting.The start of SMART A goal without a plan is just a wish. -Antoine de Saint-ExupéryAs popular as SMART goal setting has been, it has not been around for very long. It originates from a paper published in 1981 by George T. Doran, titled “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives.” In the paper he states “‘…when it comes to writing effective objectives, corporate officers, managers, and supervisors just have to think of the acronym SMART. Ideally speaking, each corporate, department and section objective should be: (SMART).” The SMART methodology he referred to is one that created an entirely new way of writing, organizing and applying energy towards successfully achieving goals. The business world has wholeheartedly embraced it.What does SMART stand for?SMART is an ingenious acronym because it is very easy to remember. It stands for the following:S - Specific M - Measurable A - Achievable R - Relevant T - Time-boundFor every goal you want to achieve, document it using the SMART methodology. Doing so will make you more motivated and more apt to succeed. Let’s break down each part, with examples, so they make sense.S - SpecificWhen writing your goal, target a specific area for improvement. This involves clearly defining the mission you want to accomplish. To write a specific goal, ask yourself a few questions about it. Try starting with the five Ws: Who, What, When, Where and Why. Think about who has to be involved, what specifically you’re trying to achieve, when you want to accomplish it (more on this later), and where it must happen (this may not apply, but keep it in mind.)Using an example, let’s say your goal for this year is to “Get more sales,” but when you analyze it further, you find it is entirely too general. It’s best to include specifics so that you know when you’ve conquered the task. Changing it to a more specific goal, such as “Increase 2016 widget sales revenue by 20% by December 31, 2017,” makes more sense. The details form a goal that is much easier to grasp, understand and accomplish.M - MeasurableQuantifying your goals provides a simple and clear way of measuring progress and achievement. When your goals include numbers, the quantitative results of your efforts provide undeniable evidence of success (or failure). Using a new example, let’s say that your goal is to “Write a book.” Can you see how that goal is too general? It’s not specific, nor is it measurable. To fix it, the goal should be rewritten to say, “Write two pages a week to create a 100-page book on my top tax tips by December 31, 2017.” The numbers and timeframes provide precise measurements for seeing where you stand in the year-long project. This example also shows that breaking your goal down into measurable chunks (i.e., two pages a week) makes it easier to digest, and therefore conquer.A - AchievableAt the beginning of a new year, you may be feeling enthusiastic and eager, like you can conquer anything and everything. But remember that you want to be realistic and avoid the “False Hope Syndrome” that we touched on earlier. Think about each nuance of your goal and what it will take to achieve it. For example, a goal of “I’m going to build my business website” may not be achievable unless you have some understanding of HTML or coding. A better goal would be “I will take online coding classes starting in February 2017 and become proficient enough to build websites by September 2017.”R - RelevantYour goals should always align with your business mission. If you come up with a goal that isn’t relevant to what you want to accomplish, consider putting it on the backburner for awhile. So, for example, if you do tax preparation for a living, a goal of “I want to sell Mary Kay Cosmetics out of my office” would not be relevant to your mission. A better goal would be, “I will start offering payroll services to my tax clients by July 2017.”T - Time-boundYou may have noticed that each one of the re-vamped examples above has had timeframes assigned to them. Each of your goals should have a target date for completion. Including dates creates a sense of urgency to hit your goal. Without a deadline, it’s much too easy to put it off. For example, a goal of “Get a business phone” can be delayed with ease. However, “Invest in a professional business phone system by April 2017” will be less likely to be delayed.Don’t forget! Write them downTo increase your chances of achieving your SMART goals, write them down. An Elite article on the subject of writing down goals substantiates this. The article cites a report about a group of Harvard MBAs who were asked, “Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?” The group’s responses showed that: 84% had no specific goals. 13% had goals but never wrote them down. Only three percent had written down clear goals with plans to accomplish them.Ten years later, interviewers questioned the same group of MBAs and found rather surprising results: The 13% who had goals but didn’t write them down were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84% who had no specific goals. The three percent who had written down their goals were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97% put together!So write down your goals. It will certainly be worth the effort.Refer backIn addition to writing down goals, referring to them often is essential for success. Keep your goal sheet handy, not hidden away. Read through your goals at least once a month. Form a habit of reviewing them in a way that makes it enjoyable. Schedule the time in your calendar so that you can read through your goals and reflect on your progress with each. Track milestones and reward yourself as you cross them. Having at least twelve reminders throughout the year will help to keep you on track.BelieveIf you write thoughtful, SMART goals, you’re more likely to truly believe that each one can be fulfilled. And believing is half the battle! Cultivate optimism around each goal, and focus on the positive results each will bring–not only to your business, but to your life. Believing and envisioning those incredible outcomes offers a constant source of fuel for you and your team to keep working at them.Celebrate your successMost importantly, think about how you’ll reward yourself or your team once each goal is accomplished. Make it compelling so that it provides motivation and determination for you or your team to fulfill each one. And don’t forget to acknowledge and thank all of those who helped to make it happen.From our magicJack family to yours, we wish you all the best in reaching your goals, both this year and beyond." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "8 Ways to Disconnect - And Get Stuff Done", "categories" : "productivity", "tags" : "email, apps, office", "url" : "/blog/8-ways-to-disconnect-and-get-stuff-done/", "date" : "2017-01-13 11:09:00 -0500", "content" : "Did you hear the news? France recently passed a law that gives employees “the right to disconnect.” All companies in France with more than 50 employees must set up hours, usually evenings and weekends, when the employees are not to check in electronically. No more work-related texts, messages or emails on nights or weekends. Do you think a law like that would pass in the U.S.? While it should, it’s highly unlikely. Sure, all that extra work might be great for the health of the business, but France realized it was doing nothing for the health of its employees by expecting them to stay connected all the time. Stress levels increased, making them frazzled, fragile and more susceptible to illness.Bonjour and félicitations, if you’re reading this from France, but our guess is that you’re reading this from somewhere in the United States. Nonetheless, it’s a good idea to follow in the footsteps of the French when it comes to disconnecting. As busy as you are, how much work are you actually getting done? According to a 2008 study done at Ghent University, every time you stop what you’re doing to switch tasks, you are reducing something called your “working memory.” This makes you less efficient at accomplishing tasks you were supposed to be doing to begin with. What’s more, a study from the University of California Irvine found that it takes a whopping 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back on task after being distracted. That can really add up during your work day. Of course, you can try to work faster, but doing so increases your chances of making mistakes.The French are smart because disconnecting not only allows its employees to take healthy breaks, it also provides the ability to do more productive and focused work. Just think of how much work you can get done if you have no distractions throughout your day.Here are some tips on how to disconnect and get more work done: Schedule time during the day to dedicate solely to the work you want to finish and be diligent about sticking to that time frame. Maximize your screen for the work you want to get done and minimize, or better yet, close windows for everything else. Block the internet, apps, and websites with the popular Freedom app. Close your email application and turn off its notifications to avoid checking it each time a new message arrives (schedule email checking time). Put your business phone on “Do not disturb.” This is nice because voicemails can be checked and calls returned in order of importance after your critical tasks are complete. Silence your cell phone, or even put it on airplane mode for thirty or sixty minutes, when you focus solely on your task. It’s okay to be unavailable! Kindly make others aware that you do not want to be interrupted or distracted. Wear headphones. Doing so sends a message that you are busy. Hang a “Do not disturb” sign on your door. Search for cute but effective $5 door signs on Etsy.Don’t beat yourself up if you continue struggling to avoid distractions. Keep practicing and over time you’ll learn to better self-manage and increasingly improve your willpower. Or better yet, you could always move to France…Do you have tips for avoiding distractions at work? If so, let us know on Facebook or Twitter." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "How to Start Delegating", "categories" : "management", "tags" : "employees, productivity", "url" : "/blog/how-to-start-delegating/", "date" : "2017-01-12 09:09:00 -0500", "content" : "Step by Step Guide to DelegatingAre you someone who loves perfection? Most small business leaders do. They work very hard in an attempt to achieve perfect outcomes – controlling every little detail and decision, while making never-ending tweaks along the way. Getting caught up in the details can be a huge time suck, which is especially dangerous for those who should be concentrating on more important tasks (ahem, you). But, guess what? There’s a much better and faster way to achieve great results.You have to delegate.For your business to succeed, you have to let go of the day-to-day tasks. And yes, when you let go, the results are not always going to be perfect. But even the great Sheryl Sandberg (COO of Facebook) famously states, “Done is better than perfect.”So, if you’re ready to become a better leader and get more stuff done, here’s how to start delegating ASAP:Accept itTo maintain the quality (and quantity) of your work, you have to accept the fact that you need some help. Admitting that you need to give up control and delegate work is a huge step. Letting go shows that you are committed to the betterment of the business, your team, and yourself. What’s more, it shows your clients that you care, too. When you get help, you’ll get more work completed, which makes for happier customers.“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” - George Bernard ShawDetermine needsTake a look at your typical work day and draft a list of tasks that your team members have the ability to take on. Keep in mind the knowledge, credentials, authority, and time required for each. Big or small, list everything you do that can be handed off to someone else either internally or via outsourcing. Don’t just think about project work, think about the little things too, like answering the phone. A virtual receptionist (or auto attendant) can handle this simple, yet time-consuming task for you.“You can do anything, but not everything.” - David AllenDiscuss the opportunityKeep in mind that there are people who stand to benefit from taking on some of your work. Sit down with your candidates to discuss the opportunity to handle the work, and avoid posing it as a burden. Taking on new, important tasks can build paramount skills, experience, and knowledge.“Leaders don’t create followers; they create more leaders.” - Tom PetersDevote timeInvest the time required to teach your delegate what needs to be done, step by step. Do all that you can to set them up for success. Outline expectations and offer to coach along the way. Do this right from the start, despite how long it takes or how challenging it seems. In the long run, you’ll be glad you did.“The key to a successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” - Ken BlanchardShow trustAs you monitor progress, there will be times when you will feel like it will be easier and faster if you simply went ahead and handled the work yourself. This is not “letting go.” It shows that you don’t trust your delegate to be up to the task. In turn, members of your team will feel micro-managed and insecure as a result. That doesn’t make for a happy, productive team. “Great leaders build trust and collaboration while focusing on developing people’s capacities rather than focusing on their limitations.” - Leithwood Et Al., 2014Check inDon’t check out once you’ve handed over the reins. Provide space and autonomy to your team to get the work done, but check in with them from time to time to evaluate progress and provide feedback. Also be sure to ask for ideas. Your delegates may have new, interesting and creative angles that you may not have thought about. Another benefit of delegating!“The role of a creative leader is not to have all the ideas; it’s to create a culture where everyone can have ideas and feel that they’re valued.” - Ken RobinsonSo if you’re ready to be more like Richard Branson or simply more productive, give delegation a try and let us know how it goes on Facebook or Twitter." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "A Voicemail to My Former Self", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "voicemail, Atlanta, video", "url" : "/blog/a-voicemail-to-my-former-self/", "date" : "2017-01-09 11:16:00 -0500", "content" : "If you could send a voicemail to your former self, what would you say? Small business owners told us.Advice from entrepreneurs who’ve started their own businesses: Become an entrepreneur Get self-employed sooner Don’t be afraid Don’t give up Have faith and work hard Just keep swimming (Dory said it best) :) Keep going Network like crazy Keep reaching for the topPow!We can’t go back in time, but we can help you connect to your future.Get the best business VoIP phone service for less.We loved the energy of the entrepreneurs we met, and we’re happy that so many signed up on the spot for better VoIP with magicJack. Saving thousands on phone service is a smart way to keep costs down and grow your business." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Want to Know What Your Customers are Thinking?", "categories" : "customers", "tags" : "survey, social media", "url" : "/blog/want-to-know-what-your-customers-are-thinking/", "date" : "2017-01-05 09:38:00 -0500", "content" : "Want to know what your customers are thinking? Just ask them!In any relationship, communication is the key to success. That’s why it is so important to give your customers a chance to communicate with you. Even if you don’t have a lot of face-to-face interaction, there are several ways you can solicit feedback and gain valuable insights into how to increase customer satisfaction and improve your business. The right tools and technology can help you communicate with customers even as your business grows.And the survey says…Online surveys are a relatively easy and affordable way to collect information. To get the most out of a survey, make sure to set a specific goal, such as a focus on overall customer satisfaction, satisfaction with specific product or service, or testing ideas for new products and services. Online surveys are ideal if you want to repeat the same questions regularly to spot significant changes in the answers or trends in the market.To achieve high response rates, experts advise that you limit the survey to fewer than 10 questions. Wherever possible, you want to make life easy for respondents by giving them simple pre-selected answers to choose from. Minimize the number of questions that require free-form text answers. Also, make sure every question serves a purpose and is aligned with the survey goal.Some online survey tools are available from providers, such as Client Heartbeat, SurveyGizmo, and SurveyMonkey. Here are some factors to include in your evaluation checklist: Pricing Support availability—by phone, chat and email Ease of use Branding control: the ability to match the survey’s look and feel with your website Database integration features Sample questions, question templates, and industry-specific questions Ability to capture testimonials Benchmarking with customer feedback from similar companiesListen in to customer conversationsWith so much of the customer conversation taking place in social media, it can be disconcerting not knowing what people are saying about you “behind your back.” Here are a few tools that can help make social listening and brand monitoring easier:Complaint Search is a free tool that lets you see what people say about you on sites like the Better Business BureauGoogle Alerts sends you an email when Google finds a mention of your company (or any keywords you want to monitor, such as a product name). You can set it up to look for your company everywhere or in specific places such as news results, blog results, video, books, etc.Hootsuite lets you monitor Twitter mentions and Facebook posts and tracks searches on Twitter, Google+ and Facebook. It is free for a limited number of social media profiles. Other tools that provide a similar service include Cyfe, Rankur, Mention and Trackur. Each one offers specific features, benefits and pricing plans, so check them out to see which one best fits your business.Help customers speak their minds88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, according to BrightLocal. You know how influential online reviews can be, because you’ve used them yourself to make a purchasing decision. That’s why it is important to help customers share their experiences with your business – even if it turns out to be negative.You can set up profiles on review sites that are relevant to your business: Yelp, Angie’s List, Google Local, Yahoo Local, LinkedIn, TripAdvisor or City Search. Even if you don’t think your type of business is typically “reviewed” like restaurants and hotels, you can still set up a profile on a general review site like TrustLink or Trustpilot. Once you have these profiles set up, make it easy for customers to review by putting direct links to the site on your website, in your emails, and on social media.The key to reviews is monitoring them and tracking what people are saying about your business, both good and bad. You can do it manually, or you can implement an automated tool such as Reputology, ReviewPush, and ReviewTrackers. Some of these integrate with social media monitoring tools for a complete view of your online reputation.Regardless of what the reviewer says, be sure to thank them for taking the time to review your business. If there is a problem/issue, ask if you can contact them directly to work it out.If this is your busy season, it is more important than ever to understand what customers are saying about your business, so you can address issues quickly without them affecting year-end results. If the end of the year is slower for you, take advantage of the down time to implement some of the tools that will make it easier for you to know what customers are thinking. And don’t forget, there’s always a good old fashioned phone call (we recommend affordable business VoIP)." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Do These 3 Things Before You Start Your Small Business", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "llc, planning", "url" : "/blog/do-these-3-things-before-you-start-your-small-business/", "date" : "2017-01-03 10:47:00 -0500", "content" : "Is 2017 the year you bite the bullet and start your own business?Here are three things you should consider before you start your small business.1. Write down your business planIt all starts with a plan.This is especially true for a small business startup. Your passion and enthusiasm are great, but you need to channel that idea into a solid, written plan. And when you do, keep it simple. This includes your costs and time. No matter how amazing your idea, your small business won’t be a success unless you have a plan for how to start and run it.To begin, a popular strategy is to limit yourself to a one-page small business plan that covers what you offer, who you’re targeting, how much you’ll charge and what you’ll do to make it happen. Your plan will change as you launch your business, so it’s best to keep things minimal to start.Diving right into the full plan is a common pitfall of new small business owners, but starting small allows you to focus on the backbone of your small business. You’ll want to flesh your one-pager out until a full plan later on, but that may take weeks to throw together.From Entrepreneur, here are five things to include in your one-page business plan to give a high-level overview of the small business you’re about to start: Define your vision. What will be the end result of your business? Define your mission. Different to a vision, your mission should explain the reason your company exists. Define your objectives. What are you going to do – what are your goals – that will lead to the accomplishment of your mission and your vision? Outline your basic strategies. How are you going to achieve the objectives you just bulleted? Write a simple action plan. Bullet out the smaller task-oriented actions required to achieve the stated objectives.This is a great outline to follow to start, rather than going for a full plan right away.Eventually, however, you will want to flesh out your one-pager into a full-blown business plan, especially if you want to attract investors. A full small business plan will be a crucial part of your pitch. This plan will include your mission statement, a company summary, an executive summary, service or product offerings, a description of your target market, financial projections and the cost of the operation. You’ll also want to include more detailed information, such as a break-even analysis, a profit-loss forecast and a cash-flow analysis.Visit SBA.gov for help on how to write your business plan.2. Determine what type of business you wantHave you considered whether you want your business to be an LLC, S corporation, C corporation, sole proprietorship, etc? You need to settle on which form of ownership is best for you.It’s important to know where to start here, as you may want to change things later on, and some types are more flexible than others. For instance, an S corporation can be easily converted later into a C corporation. LLCs are probably the most popular type of small business, but they can be overly complicated.Although it may have been part of your motivation for starting your own business, it’s often recommended to avoid partnerships and sole proprietorships because of the potential personal liability to the owners of the business. Starting as a sole proprietor means less paperwork and up-front expenses which can save you a lot of cash while you determine the viability of your business. But it does also leave you at risk.Make sure you weigh the potential benefits vs. risks of having sole proprietorship and then speak with a local attorney or tax professional to decide which is smarter for your short-term and long-term goals.Keep in mind, you can also wait to file for a business entity until after you’ve tested the waters. If you have faith that you have a sustainable business after three to six months of running it, then you can decide which type to file for.You’ll also need to consider in which state to register your business. Filing paperwork to start a business can cost a lot of money, depending on your state. This will include city or municipality licensing, state incorporation or business entity fees and more. You’ll need to do your homework and search ahead of time to determine what the filing fees are for your city, county and state before starting your small business. You can incorporate in any state but there are pros and cons to understand. You can choose to be a domestic LLC in your home state or a foreign LLC in another state. For businesses with storefronts or ones that transact mostly in their home state, the former usually makes the most sense. If your business has no physical facility or storefront—a consulting business, for example—or if you plan on conducting the majority of your business out of state, you should consider starting an LLC in a state other than your home state. Read why Delaware, Nevada, and Wyoming are popular foreign LLC filing states.If you are starting your business in January, it makes sense to file your paperwork in December with a January 1 start date. This will ease the process of filing taxes next year.Confused? Don’t worry, there are plenty of resources online to help you, and you can even consult an attorney. For starters, Legalzoom has a simple breakdown of an LLC vs. corporation.3. Select your business name, register it, and launch your websiteThis is the fun part: What are you going to call your small business? Pick a name that’s meaningful to you and that will resonate with your customers. Your company name should give priority to real words or combinations of words over made-up, meaningless words. Avoid numbers or initials, as they lack meaning to customers. You can invent a word known as a coined name, which is not a defined word in a dictionary, but sounds familiar enough to evoke a feeling or idea. For example, the coined name Acura has no definition but suggests precision engineering with the root “acu”.It also may be tempting to include your city or region in your name, but this could be **limiting **if you want to expand geographically. The same goes for mentioning a specific product or service, as you may want to diversify later. Lastly, don’t use “Inc.” after your name unless your company is actually incorporated.Feeling stuck? Here’s a handy business name generator that lets you check domain availability instantly.Once you’ve settled on a name, do a trademark search. You may want to consult a trademark attorney or search firm to make sure you don’t infringe on another business’s trademark. Check to see if the domain name is available online, as well as if it’s free to use in your county, state and in the country. If your desired .com is taken, it’s also acceptable to go with a .net or .co or even a .ly depending on your type of business.If it’s available, register your business name with your county clerk, then get it trademarked at the state and federal levels. Then, secure a domain name (URL) for your business.Regardless of what your small business does, you’ll need an online presence. There are several cheap options to purchase a domain name. And if you plan to do sales online, you can also tie it to an online shopping cart and storefront for a low monthly fee.Bonus: Get HelpThis should go without saying, but you don’t have to know everything. Since you’re not an attorney as well as a business owner, it’s much easier to ask for help than try to learn everything yourself. An attorney in your area can help you get acquainted with the laws that impact your small business and will make sure yours is up to snuff. The SBA also offers training for new small business owners.Remember, you don’t have to do this alone!And make sure to keep checking back to our small business blog for more tips on launching and running your business.When you’re ready to start taking calls from customers, get the best small business phone service at the lowest rate." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Make Better Marketing Materials (Without Spending a Ton)", "categories" : "small business advertising", "tags" : "marketing, entrepreneur, customers, planning, social media, radio, email", "url" : "/blog/make-better-marketing-materials-without-spending-a-ton/", "date" : "2016-12-27 13:44:00 -0500", "content" : "As a small business owner, an effective marketing strategy can make your business flush with profit, while ineffective marketing can dry up the well.It’s important to figure out what works for your business and what doesn’t without breaking the bank to do it. But as you look to reduce costs in 2017, don’t make the mistake of cutting marketing from your budget. Your business needs it. You just need to practice smart marketing.Here are nine cheap small business marketing strategies you can use to engage your customers and keep the cash rolling in.Get involved in your local communityKeep abreast to what’s going on in your local community and see if there’s any opportunity for your business to get involved. Local events always need sponsors, and they can be a great way to increase visibility for your business, often without a large investment from you. Think about what kind of events you’d like to be involved with and that make sense for your business and do your homework to see what the cost is versus your potential return.Form mutually beneficial partnershipsPutting together a team is a great way to cut down costs on marketing. How? Because they bring you referrals, one of the most valuable things any business can have.You have to be strategic about potential partnerships, so consider what your business does and what you can offer each other. A good example here is if you’re a wedding photographer, team up with a local event planner, and give each other recommendations. There’s plenty of opportunity for mutually beneficial partnerships out there if you can invest the time to build the relationships.Give stuff away for freeThis might seem conflicting, but offering things for free is a great way to bring new customers to your business. Allowing a potential customer to sample your product is a great way to get them to purchase more, especially if you believe in what it is your business has to offer. People these days are more comfortable buying if they’ve had the opportunity to try something out first. Think of ways your business can offer free trials.Another thing you can do to attract new customers is offer coupons. People will often go out of their way to use a coupon, which can also generate return visits if they have a good experience. And if you’re clever and give your customers coupons for future visits, odds are good they’ll come back!Produce great contentYour messaging is everything to your brand. It sells who you are and what you do. If your content sucks, no one will want to bother with you and will go with one of the big guys. You have the stronger emotional pull as a small business, so use it!It’s great if you are capable of producing engaging content yourself, but if not, swallow your pride and hire someone to write it for you. You can usually find a good freelance writer nearby for well within your budget. Whether it’s blogs, infographics, top 10 lists, press releases, content for your website–everything! Use a professional writer where you can to make your content shine. You can find a good freelancer by asking friends for referrals or using a site like Contently or Upwork. Here are a few more sites to find a freelance writer.If you have messaging you love, but just feel like you need a refresh, don’t throw it out and start from scratch! Updating effective content into something new is a great way to keep things from getting old. You could turn an old collection of blogs into an ebook or make a webinar a video tutorial. Or earn yourself some nostalgia cred by showing your customers how far you’ve come.Remember, many of your customers will be seeing you for the first time, so even though some of this content might be old to you, it will still be brand new to them.Send a weekly e-newsletterAs for your returning and current customers, make sure you stay in touch with a weekly e-newsletter. It’s another easy and inexpensive piece of marketing that keeps you engaged with your customers, and another one that brings great bang for your buck. Studies show that email marketing brings an average return of $38 for every dollar spent. It doesn’t have to be long, in fact it probably shouldn’t.This goes along with producing great content, because you want to make sure your customers look forward to getting your newsletter in their inbox every week. Here are some effective newsletter tips from Vertical Response to make sure customers don’t dump you into their spam folder.Use direct mailersYou might think of direct mail (or snail mail) as old school but it can still be an effective marketing tool, especially for some businesses. Sending postcards is a good way to introduce yourself to the neighborhood, so to speak, but you’ll want to target your direct mailers to your prospective customers to ensure it’s an effective marketing initiative. You can promote exclusive introductory offers and sales to your target audience or send out coupons and bring foot traffic into your store or direct that traffic to your website. A hard copy, personalized mailer can be a special touch in the digital age.Put your “leave-behinds” in the right spotsWe mentioned the value in direct mailers, but “leave-behind” marketing materials can also be effective, if placed in the right locations. “Leave-behinds” are literally materials you leave behind for potential customers to pick up. Like a stack of brochures in your local coffee shop, fliers pasted around town, or a bunch of your branded pens at a coworking space (stickers, coozies, and keychains also go fast at Atlanta’s Strongbox West).Sure, it’s a bit of guerrilla marketing, but it can still work for you! But choose placement thoughtfully. For instance, if you have a bakery, you might not want to drop your brochures in your local gym. (Or maybe you do? It’s a little evil, but your call!)The point is, be clever about it! Get to know your target customers and think about where they spend their time. What are the other places in your community that your customers frequent? Where can you place items that will gain high visibility?Consider media buyingWhen your budget is tight, you might not even be thinking about media buying, but you should. Targeted media buying can bring you great bang for your buck, which is music to the ears of any business with limited marketing funds available.Here, in order to get the best return you need to buy advertising that is highly selective. When you spend wisely, you’ll generate a better response for every dollar you invest.For instance, for radio placement, you could consider buying specific time slots and customizing your ads to fit the channels rather than buying large blocks of radio time across many stations. Buy local ad space in periodicals that reach your target audience. And get a local ad on TV if the audience makes sense for your business.Want to stick to digital? It is easier to measure. Pay per click advertising is a great way to drive website traffic. And here are some solid tips to use social media advertising to grow your business.Start a podcastThis won’t be for everyone, but if it makes sense for your business, you should consider starting a podcast. It gives you an opportunity to tell your story directly and make an intimate connection to your audience. Even though this type of content marketing can be really helpful for small businesses, few of them do it, so you could stand out from the crowd. You could even bring in your partners to have conversations on your podcast, another opportunity for cross-promotion.It won’t cost much (just your time and some basic equipment like a microphone and audio recording software). It’s free to launch a podcast on iTunes, and if you have valuable industry knowledge to share, you could post the audio or video podcast to YouTube and send out the link in your e-newsletter as a helpful resource for your customers.This article from Entrepreneur is a good resource to see if you might want to start your own.These marketing strategies will help you build your brand awareness and stay in touch with your customer base. Remember, it’s not about what you spend, rather the time and effort you put into it that makes an effective marketing piece to your customers.If you’d like to pad your marketing budget a bit, consider switching your small business phone plan to magicJack for BUSINESS. Our plans could end up saving you thousands per year.For more, ideas check out our previous post on Small Business Advertising Tips." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "4 Resolutions for Your Small Business in 2017", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "customers, social media, finance, planning", "url" : "/blog/4-resolutions-for-your-small-business-in-2017/", "date" : "2016-12-22 13:08:00 -0500", "content" : "The New Year brings with it the desire (and pressure) to make resolutions you can’t keep.Many will resolve to reach a fitness goal, and gyms are scrambling to gear up for the chaos, only to see the crowds dissipate within a month or two. Others will vow to quit smoking and drink less (or both) only to be found outside their favorite bar ripping a heater weeks later. And every business out there is resolving to make more money.But there is hope for your small business to reach that revenue goal. Keeping in mind that most resolutions don’t make it far into the year, here are a few small business resolutions you can apply to your company with strategies to make them last through the whole year.1. Resolve to come up with a plan, and stick to itThis might seem obvious, but it all starts with a plan. Do you have a business plan for 2017?If you want to survive, let alone grow, coming up with a solid plan is the first thing you need to do. And we don’t mean that dream you have for your business, but a formal, written plan, that you and your employees can follow throughout the year.Generating a sound plan for your business involves evaluating what’s going on with your finances (more on that later), your competition, your operations, and more. This will help you prioritize how to spend your time and money, as well as set measurable goals. Having a plan will also help you be able to better identify current or future obstacles to reach those goals. This will help you avoid and even anticipate potential risks.Even if you already have a plan for your small business, take another look through it to make sure it reflects your business’s goals. Once your plan is in good shape:2. Resolve to manage your money betterHaving a successful business is far more complicated than just bringing in more revenue. There are several other considerations to make that can bring in more cash to your business. (This is a blanket resolution with several little parts, so pick and choose where to start based on your needs and weaknesses.)A good place to start is to evaluate your payment options. This is both for the convenience of your customers and also for the safety of your business. For instance, are you able to accept chip cards yet? (Because legally, you have to be.) Accepting credit and debit cards embedded with chips (EMV cards) helps reduce your risk of fraud and helps strengthen credit security.Depending on your business, you may also want to be able to accept mobile payments, and not put yourself in a situation where you cost yourself customers because you aren’t able to accept a certain payment option.You can also resolve to invest in your business in 2017. This is a two-fold resolution, because it involves understanding your day-to-day finances, so if you don’t, you will have to learn that too. But it is a great resolution for any business owner whose cash flow varies throughout the year.It will even help you to generate a rolling 12-month cash flow projection for the year. Since sales ebb and flow throughout a year, you want to know where you stand on a month-to-month basis so you can know what to expect. Once you notice patterns, you can ask yourself a couple questions: Should you switch suppliers or vendors? Should you boost your prices? Then you can consider ways to reduce expenses and increase your revenues.Analyzing your business expenses is a great way to see where you can cut costs and save money. Try to negotiate a lower monthly rate with your internet service provider. You could even ditch your phone company and that overpriced landline, and opt for an affordable small business phone system.Another thing you’ll want to do is to learn the difference between cash flow and profits. All money isn’t created equal. CliffsNotes version: cash flow keeps your doors open short-term, profits provide long-term security. Make sure you understand what parts of your business bring in your profits.And lastly, if you’ve let any customers slack on making their payments, it’s time to get after it and collect the money you’re owed. You might be shy and uncomfortable asking for money or have a poor collections process (all things you can work on too, by the way), but you need to get the cash you’re owed. This is a great exercise to implement early in the year.3. Resolve to manage your time better, tooObviously, this goes with the strategy above. Time is… after all, right?That being said, make sure you charge what you’re worth. A common pitfall for small business owners is making your prices too low in order to match the bigger competition. But you shouldn’t undervalue yourself! Revamp your strategy and market to the right audience so you can raise your rates. Sell the value you offer that the competition can’t match. If you do this right, the price will be worth it for your customers.Another more literal time management strategy is to turn off your social media. Not completely, of course, as it’s a vital component to your small business, but don’t let it become the major time suck that it has the tendency to be. Social media is a major distraction and if you let it, it can take up way more of your time than is necessary, even if you’re using it for your business. Read more tips on using social media to grow your business.Avoid distraction by setting limits. Set aside a specific amount of time per day to dedicate to your social media, and then ignore it outside that window. Use a scheduling tool like Hootsuite to map out your posts: set it and forget it. This will help your focus more on your business. Don’t let Facebook take over and leave you wondering what happened to your day.4. Resolve to try new marketing strategiesMarketing a small business takes an investment of time and money, but when done effectively, can help your business truly thrive. There might be a period of trial and error to learn what works and what doesn’t. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to test out new marketing strategies.For instance, the goal of any business is to bring in new revenue, but don’t forget to show your current customers some love too. It’s easy to focus on bringing in new business, but most business sales will actually come from your existing customer base. You know the 80/20 rule. Retention can often be just as challenging as bringing in new customers, so make sure you take the time to engage with your current customers and don’t let anyone slip through the cracks.Come up with clever ways to follow up with your buyers and stay in touch to let them know you value their business. When they are satisfied and feel appreciated, they will often turn into great advocates for your business, and may even purchase more products. If most of your customers are one-time buyers, resolve to find out what you can do to keep them coming back for more.A possible tactic here is to launch a customer reactivation campaign targeted at those who haven’t purchased your product or service in more than a year. You can incentivize the campaign with a deal or gift.You should also get involved in your local community or with a charitable organization. Regardless of what your business sells, research has shown that consumers would pay more for products and services from companies that are socially and environmentally responsible. Consider teaming up with a charity to donate a portion of your sales or sponsor an event; your customers will take note!There are other mini-resolutions you could implement here as well. Improve your digital presence via targeted newsletters and social media campaigns. Update your website if it has gotten stale, and make sure it’s mobile friendly. Start a blog for your business. Host your own educational or promotional events.Many of these strategies will cost you nothing beyond an investment of your time. To help boost your business profile and bring in more revenue, they could be well worth it in the long run.That should be a good baseline for your business to follow in 2017. Obviously, don’t implement all of these strategies at once, but you can safely resolve to implement a few into your business in 2017. Keep checking back to our blog for more small business strategies and tips throughout the year." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "New Year Strategies to Grow Your Small Business", "categories" : "small business", "tags" : "startup", "url" : "/blog/new-year-strategies-to-grow-your-small-business/", "date" : "2016-12-20 16:03:00 -0500", "content" : "You started a business and you’ve had a fantastic year adding customers, growing revenues and hopefully becoming profitable. You’ve been working hard for this success, but now is not the time to stop, because you need to get ready for the next phase of growth.As you transition from startup to a more established business, your mindset and focus need to shift to strategies that align with the progression of your company and move you forward. This can be challenging, as you may find yourself in roles that are unfamiliar or uncomfortable.Here are some areas where a new approach will help you meet the challenges head on.Pick a tried and true way to growIn the early stages of a startup, you’re laser-focused on MVP and product development, managing money (cash flow can be a big issue) and getting enough customers to become a viable business. With these parts of the business under control, now you can start to spend more time on areas that will help you grow revenue and customers, rather than just maintain the status quo. Use the big picture thinking that inspired you to start your business in the first place to choose one of these tried and true methods for small business growth suggested by Women on Business:1) Enhance Your ProductYou can grow your small business by improving your product(s) or service(s) to offer something new or different. Ask yourself how you can enhance your current product to make it better. What features can you add? Are there marketing techniques you can use to gain attention?2) Broaden Your AudienceMcDonald’s expanded the audience for its milkshakes by implementing a campaign targeting commuters. Nothing is better than a yummy shake to make the ride home go faster! Who else might be interested in your product or service, or how can you position it differently to expand your market?3) Expand Your GeographyThe internet makes it easy to be a national or international business. Setting up an ecommerce website is one way to expand. This is easy with platforms like Shopify and Wordpress. Or, you may be able to set up a virtual office in another location using freelance or contract workers. Cloud services, such as VoIP phone systems, make working remotely more convenient and affordable for your business. You can easily connect remote employees with affordable internet phone plans with a free conference bridge and extension dialing.4) Introduce New ProductsNew products can help you increase single customer purchases and generate purchases from customers who have never bought from your small business before. Be sure to test for market acceptance before making a big investment in something new. If you want to crowdfund, sites like Kickstarter, GoFundMe, and Indiegogo are easy to use. But keep in mind with Kickstarter, the household name in crowdfunding, that you’ll pay a 5% fee essentially for use of their CMS (content management system). Mainly for this reason, ergonomic product startup Ergodriven avoided Kickstarter and bootstrapped their product launch. This is always an option. And we’re all about keeping your operating costs down. Also, remember that you may need additional staff or resources to accommodate the introduction of a new product or service.Upgrade communications to the cloudStill using spreadsheets to manage your accounting and inventory? Do you and your employees rely on personal cell phones for business calls? Does everyone store their own files on their own laptops? If you answered yes to these questions, it’s time to make some changes.When you improve your systems and processes, other part of your business will improve, too. For example, with a centralized phone number and an auto attendant, you won’t miss calls from potential new customers and your existing customers will have an easier time getting in touch with you. Giving everyone access to important files and information will also enhance your customer service. Free services like Dropbox and Google Drive are great cloud storage solutions. Just about everything you need is available in the cloud at an affordable price including accounting software, VoIP phone systems, and file sharing/storage.Make the transition from founder to leaderEventually, successful entrepreneurs reach the crossroads where they need to make the transition from founder to leader. Executive coach Paul Bernard says that learning to delegate is one of the key shifts that must take place for an entrepreneur to assume the role of leading a business to its next stage. This can be tough, because many have a “do it myself” mentality. To make the change, you need to surround yourself with people who have expertise you may lack, and then pay attention to what they have to say and act on their recommendations. In addition, reaching out to skilled team members makes them feel valued and enthusiastic about the business.Wherever you are now and wherever you want to take your business, these strategies can help you navigate the next stage of your growth. The simplest and best advice, however, is to remember that costs are the No. 1 enemy of a business." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Small Business Advertising Tips", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "advertising, marketing, customers", "url" : "/blog/small-business-advertising-tips/", "date" : "2016-12-15 13:41:00 -0500", "content" : " When it comes to advertising and marketing your small business, you already know that you need to get the word out. You may have exploited every free social media trick you’ve read about online, but you still feel like there’s a portion of your market that just hasn’t been exposed to your offer or value proposition. You’ve considered advertising, but isn’t small business advertising expensive, and kind of waste of time these days?In a word, no. Marketing ideas for small business shouldn’t be limited to social media and the sign you hang on your storefront (if your business even has one). And while local radio, TV, and billboard advertising may be beyond your budget, there are many other effective ways to use local and internet small business advertising to drive engagement with your brand and ultimately, to increase sales and revenue.Traditional Media AdvertisingSmall business advertising, like most marketing and advertising, used to be solely concerned with impressions. Businesses would establish a media budget and work with an agency to create advertising messaging and to purchase spots on local media to broadcast that messaging (think TV commercials or terrestrial radio).Depending on some murky math regarding ratings and the amount of people who may have seen the message, small business owners would pay to give consumers an impression of their business, product, service, or value proposition. And many still do, with some success. However, traditional media advertising is more difficult to measure than digital, and is usually more expensive. You’re concerned with saving your business money.Pay-Per-ClickThankfully, now business owners have the capacity to approach advertising on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis. Social media networks, search engine companies, and other online media outlets have advertising programs set up that only charge advertisers when consumers actually click on a link to visit the advertiser’s site. Google AdWords is the behemoth when it comes to paid search, and they have tutorials and an onboarding process that makes it easy for non-experts to set up campaigns to drive clicks.A PPC strategy is often much more cost effective for small business owners, as it guarantees impressions. Additionally, these outlets also offer businesses the ability to target specific market niches, and the capacity to cap their spending during a specific period – turning their ad(s) off when their budget is met.Targeted Social Media AdsFacebook Ads (where Instagram Ads are also controlled) is more user-friendly than ever. With a bit of creative messaging, you can get your business in front of a very targeted audience. You could show an ad about an upcoming sale to a certain age range in a set of ZIP codes. Or, for example, you could advertise your real estate agency to recently married people in the city you serve. Geographic and demographic or interest-based targeting are powerful and easy with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn Ads.Need advice on getting set up on the right social networks? Here are some tips for an organic (non-paid) social media strategy for your business, from your username to hashtags to retweets to influencers.DIY Digital AdvertisingThere are also many other advertising techniques and marketing ideas for small business that are low-cost or free, and offer some benefit to your audience.For example, you can send your customers email newsletters through a free or low-cost email service provider like Benchmark, GetResponse, or Mailchimp to announce events such as in-store promotions, special offers or sales, or product updates, depending on your industry. Here are some effective small business newsletter examples like Moo.com. You can collect customer email addresses on a physical list in your store or with a form on your website: “Sign up to hear about exclusive sales”. You can create and leverage instructional videos using social media channels and your newsletter, positioning yourself as an authority in your field.PR and AwardsHave you taken the time to apply for small business awards? This can be a great way to not only land an infusion of capital in the form of award money, but also to get word about your business out to the public. If your business is part of a community or neighborhood, then you can sponsor a local organization or charity event, aligning your brand with a worthy cause. Last, you can also create an online **contest **or **giveaway **campaign that spreads the word about your product or services, share it to social and promote it in-store, e.g., “Follow us on Facebook to enter our iPad giveaway!” You may land new customers in the process.As you can see from this basic list, the possibilities are only limited by your budget and your imagination." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "5 Things Successful Entrepreneurs Do Every Day", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "entrepreneur, productivity", "url" : "/blog/5-things-successful-entrepreneurs-do-every-day/", "date" : "2016-12-12 12:14:00 -0500", "content" : "Like you, most savvy entrepreneurs are constantly on the lookout for ways to improve their effectiveness and boost their productivity. But with so much to do, and so little time to fit it all in, it’s way too easy to get off track.So what are the some of the most successful entrepreneurs doing to improve their daily habits and get stuff done?From Arianna to Zuckerberg, we’ve gathered some unique things that they do every day – simple habits you can easily adopt to be just as productive as they are.Try some of these ideas on for size:Minimize decision fatigueBoth Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are famous for their casual wardrobe choices. What’s most interesting about them is that they created their own uniform to wear each day. What this ritual did was reduce the need for decision making.With so many other important decisions to make, these successful entrepreneurs didn’t want to waste an ounce of brainpower on choosing what to wear every morning. Obama is known to do the same time saving thing with his suits. It’s brilliant, really. Think about it: what other ways can you limit your options? You don’t have to go to the extreme of creating a uniform, but you could simply lay out your clothes, set up your coffeemaker, make your breakfast and pack your lunch the night before. That way you don’t have to take time to decide any of these in the AM. You’ll gain both time and clarity at the start of your day – both of which will help tremendously in conquering your more important tasks.Ditch DIY and delegate insteadRichard Branson is arguably one of the most successful entrepreneurs on the planet, but he didn’t get there by doing everything himself. Branson lauds delegation as one of the main factors of his business success. Accounting, for example, was not one of his strengths at Virgin, so as his company grew, he hired an accountant to manage the finances. This allowed him to concentrate on what he was passionate about (and good at) in his business. Think about the tasks you can take off your plate in your small business. Forwarding your phone calls to a virtual assistant / auto attendant, receptionist or another member of your team, even for a few hours, is a good way to start delegating. As hard as it is to give up control, to grow your business, you need help.Mind your meditationThink you don’t have time to meditate? Make time. Marc Benioff, founder and CEO of Salesforce, swears by it. In fact, he installed meditation rooms on every floor of the new Salesforce building in San Francisco. Meditation has many benefits, including reduced stress and better cognition – as well as improved self-confidence, creativity and happiness.Meditate in as little as five minutes a day to gain some of those benefits. Frequency is more important than duration: just start small. Not sure where to begin? Here are some tips to help you get started.Become a “walkie talkie”Squeezing in a workout during the course of your busy day can seem impossible. Get in some good cardio by having walking meetings. If you can walk outside, all the better.Twitter co-founder, Jack Dorsey, is well-known for conducting meetings while walking. Even having a phone conference while walking not only gets your blood pumping, it can also help you come up with new ideas and creative solutions.Walking meetings are becoming so popular that CEO, business strategist, and author Nilofer Merchant gave great a TED talk devoted to the idea. It’s an excellent way to multi-task – and we all know how much entrepreneurs love to do that.Don’t skimp on sleepEntrepreneurs are notorious (and sadly, sometimes admired) for replacing sleep with work. Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post, was one of them. That is, until she collapsed from exhaustion back in 2007. Talk about a wake-up call. Since then she has become a huge advocate for getting 8 hours of restorative sleep.Getting enough rest will help you focus better on work, reduce stress levels and improve your overall health.Go to bed at the same time every night, and before you hit the sack, avoid anything with a bright screen (TV, laptop, tablet, etc.) And put both your home and business phones on do not disturb.Do you have any unique daily routines that have helped in your professional success? If so, let us know on Facebook or Twitter.See how magicJack for BUSINESS helped scrappy entrepreneurs at the southeast’s largest coworking space increase productivity by 35%." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Social Media Tips for Small Business", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "social media", "url" : "/blog/social-media-tips-for-small-business/", "date" : "2016-12-09 10:19:00 -0500", "content" : "Having a presence on various social media channels is presented to business owners as a must. While this can be true for many consumer-facing businesses, it may not be true for yours. The first thing you’ll need to do is decide if social media is even right for your business. Are your current and desired customers using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google Plus, or Pinterest? What do they use social for – to research products, post reviews, recommend local restaurants?The next thing you’ll want to decide is which social networks make the most sense for you. Then you’ll want to create a social marketing strategy that attracts and uses influencers to help you build an audience. After all, it is this dedicated audience of followers to whom you can serve original and found content, so that you can offer value and engage your consumers where they’re already spending time.Finding the Right Platform for Your BusinessKnowing where to launch your social marketing strategy can be a little challenging. But it’s absolutely essential if you want to attract and convert influencers, to build community around your brand, and to attract new business. Remember: not all social media channels are right for every business.Understanding where to concentrate your time comes down to finding the platform with the people who make up your target market. For instance, if you operate a camera store or specialize in wedding photography, then image-based Pinterest or Instagram may be more productive places for you compared to Twitter or Facebook. If you’re selling B2B as a freelance consultant, LinkedIn would be a good place to find potential clients and begin to establish yourself as a subject matter expert by writing articles on Pulse.Overall, remember to share others’ work much more than you share your own content. Social is where the reciprocity norm thrives: no one wants to follow someone who continually self-promotes.Read more about tips for social media advertising (e.g., Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, and promoted tweets).Your Business ProfileBefore you claim any profile names: set up all your profiles with one handle or username which ideally matches your website domain. This makes it easy for customers to find you. It will confuse people if your Twitter handle doesn’t match your Instagram handle which is different from your Facebook vanity URL. For example, we’re @magicJackBiz on every social network. This allows you to easily say “Follow @[yourbrand]” and capture all networks with one line on your marketing materials.Content Marketing and Social MediaOnce you’ve zeroed in on the social platform(s) where you’ll focus efforts, you’ll want to begin creating original content and curating existing content (repurposed from the web and elsewhere) that speaks to the concerns and interests of your target customers.A good social presence has content that excites influencers and gets them to share your posts or content with their networks because they’ll find it helpful or relevant. A channel like Twitter can be used to grow your brand’s audience by following influencers in your industry and engaging with them. Instead of just retweeting their tweets, add a comment or original insight to demonstrate your genuine interest. They’ll be more likely to follow and share what you post.Twitter hashtags are simply words or phrases preceded by the pound sign (#), which people insert into tweets to make them more easily searchable. They were somewhat niche in the early days of Twitter but caught on and have become overused and abused. Hashtags even made their way onto Facebook. The simple rule: take it easy on the hashtags. Hashtag stuffing is a thing of the past (adding three or more to a single tweet). Twitter’s search function is strong enough that a hashtag isn’t really necessary anymore. Four certainly aren’t. If you want to use one, pick the most popular or relevant. For example, I don’t need to add #smallbiz #smallbusiness #business to a tweet sharing this blog post. #smallbiz will do.If you own a flower shop, adding #flowers to the end of every tweet won’t help. Engaging with users who care about flowers will. You can use a tool like Klout.com to find influencers on any subject. Note: official hashtags are still useful when they’re related to a specific event or conversation happening in real time, such as an industry conference, sporting event, or live broadcast.Social Proof and SuccessHaving influencers talk about your brand or even simply follow you aligns your brand with the reputation of that person. This offers social proof, defined as “a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others in an attempt to reflect the correct behavior for a given situation.” I.e., if a trusted friend follows a brand or buys a certain product, you’ll be more likely to do the same. Your social proof will slowly build over time if you genuinely participate and help the community by sharing great content and promoting others. Don’t expect success over night.It pays to study the competition, and larger businesses within your industry; there is so much that you can learn from established brands that already have a well-developed social presence. For example, what is the timing, format, and length of their social media updates? How do they optimize their original and curated content with visuals and links? There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Over time you’ll notice what resonates with your audience.Communicate with your customers via phone with the best small business phone service from the pioneer of VoIP. Learn more here." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "Business Lessons from the North Pole", "categories" : "small business tips", "tags" : "Christmas", "url" : "/blog/business-lessons-from-the-north-pole/", "date" : "2016-12-05 12:55:00 -0500", "content" : "Ho, ho, ho! Don’t you wish that you could be as optimistic about your business as Santa Claus? When you stop to think about it though, Santa’s business model is risky. After all, his customer base isn’t even old enough to have a credit card; he works year-round but is open for business just one day; and he doesn’t have a verifiable succession plan.He must be doing something right, though, because he is one of the most recognized brands in the world and he has been in business for longer than anyone can remember. Turns out, Santa is a smart business man, and he knows what’s most important in running a small business.Choose the right elf (or animal) for the job.It takes a certain kind of magic ;) to make toys for every girl and boy, and the elves in Santa’s workshop are critical to his success. And we all know that not just any old reindeer will do – they need to be able to fly! Without his teams of elves and reindeer, Santa would never be able to make his annual journey. When choosing your employees, think about the “magical” qualities they need to have to help your business succeed, and then hire accordingly. Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit and Dozuki, won’t hire people who use poor grammar – for any position. What are your deal breakers?Keep up with the demands of your customersSanta built his reputation on dolls and wagons, but today, he is probably more likely to deliver a gaming system or a hover board. Yet despite the enormous shift in his customers’ preferences, Santa and his elves have managed to keep up production levels and meet expectations. How does he do it? He asks his customers what they want!Children from all over the world send their specific requests to Santa, so he can plan inventory and delivery accurately. When is the last time you asked your customers what they wanted? Use survey tools (such as Survey Monkey or Typeform), social media, and even a suggestion box to garner feedback from your customers on what they want from your business.Be true to your brandYou don’t see Santa trying to deliver toys on July 4th or change the color of his suit to yellow. He decided a long time ago that he delivered only one day a year and that he would wear a red suit. Now, his customers know exactly when to expect him and recognize him wherever he goes. This doesn’t mean his business is stale, as he changes it up with new products almost every year. But he is true to his original mission and goal, which is to delight children around the world on Christmas Day.Make sure you know what your brand stands for and make it the constant focus of your business. Think beyond your logo or the sign on your door and articulate to employees and customers what your business is about. Think North Star.Love your business (for more than the money)As far as anyone can tell, Santa does not get paid for his work. Sure, he does get free cookies and milk, but it’s clear he is passionate about his job and thrives on bringing joy to children around the world. Santa’s enthusiasm and positive energy spreads to his customers, which is why they almost burst with anticipation and excitement for his once-a-year appearance. Every day, even on bad days, find something to remind yourself why you started your business in the first place (and be thankful). Share the reasons you started your business with employees and customers and let your passion and enthusiasm shine through!Delight your customers and employees just like Santa with unbeatable small business phone service. Sign up for a free 30-day trial: no risk, no hassle." } , { "type" : "Blog Post", "title" : "7 Reasons to be Thankful Your Business is Small", "categories" : "small business", "tags" : "", "url" : "/blog/7-reasons-to-be-thankful-your-business-is-small/", "date" : "2016-12-02 07:42:00 -0500", "content" : "The big guys have Black Friday, but for small businesses, Small Business Saturday often marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season. This year (2016), the big day fell on November 26 and hit some new records, reports the National Federation of Independent Business and American Express. Early results show that an estimated 112 million consumers reported shopping at small businesses on Small Business Saturday, a 13% increase from 2015. In addition, a whopping 72% of U.S. consumers were aware of the day.The growth of awareness and participation in Small Business Saturday is certainly something to be thankful for. Here are seven more reasons to be thankful your business is small. You can be nimble, creative and proactive. When it comes to competing with the big boys, you might not have the budget, but you have the ability and flexibility to make changes on the fly. You can easily adapt to trends in the market without going through “corporate” to make the change. And, when you have an idea, you can run with it, allowing you to be at the forefront of new products, techniques or promotional strategies. There are fewer regulations and less red tape. Sure, every business deals with regulations and licenses, but you probably don’t have the hefty burdens big corporations face with shareholder reporting, for example. You also probably don’t have a big HR and legal department, right? When you’re ready to hire someone, you do it. Think of all the other decisions you make on a daily basis that don’t need your boss’s boss to approve, and be thankful for that. You know your employees (and they know you). Small businesses typically have fewer than 50 employees, creating work environments that are intimate and family-like. In fact, many small businesses are comprised of family members, close friends, and former work associates. And it must work, because employees at small, locally owned businesses have the highest level of commitment to their employers, according to a Baylor University study. 4) You know your customers (and they know you). The iconic song says it all – people want to go where everybody knows their name. Customers, clients and patrons appreciate the personal touch they get with small businesses. As the owner, you can deal directly with your clients and provide high levels of customer service, whether it is personally answering the phone (even if you aren’t in the office) to providing flexible payment terms, to bringing a product sample to their office. If a problem does arise, because you have a relationship, your clients will be more likely to work with you to solve the issue than to take their business elsewhere. Work/life balance is easier. While studies show that small business owners work longer hours than the typical 40-hour work week (averaging 50-60 hours per week), they have more flexibility as to when and where they work. Be honest, you’ve worked in your pajamas plenty of times. Owners also have the benefit of being able to leave in the middle of the day for a child’s school performance or bring a pet to work or close early on Fridays during the summer. Taking risks can reap rewards. There is no question that owning a business is risky. Yet one of the most appealing things to entrepreneurs and small business owners is the potential for success, and yes, financial reward. When you are the owner, you know that your hard work will benefit you and your family directly, rather than go unrecognized or worse, get credited to someone else in the organization. And, if you are someone who likes to take control and make decisions, you can take that leap of faith into the future whenever you are ready rather than wait for layers of approval. You can get your technology in the cloud. Competing against big businesses on the technology front used to be the bane of small businesses because systems and software were expensive to buy and maintain. Today, everything you need is in the cloud, and most prices are tiered and reasonable, from your website CMS (content management systems) to accounting software to VoIP phones. With SaaS (software as a service) you can get just about any business function done with a simple subscription. And, if you decide you need something new, such as marketing automation or CRM software, there are many affordable options specifically designed for small businesses that you can implement quickly. You can get a VoIP phone system for less per day than coffee. You can send invoices with a few clicks. Information is at your fingertips and learning is easier than ever. YouTube and Google are your friends. Give thanks and go forth! " } ]