Welcome and Thanks for Visiting. If you have not already clicked “Like” on my Facebook Page, please do so.

About Doug,

Doug Masi has an extensive background in real estate development and sales. Starting in 1984 with condo pre-construction sales to single family / duplex construction from 1997-2005. Masi holds an active New Jersey associate sales license and an active Arizona Real Estate Broker.

NEW JERSEY: Keller Williams Atlantic Shore http://bit.ly/8ZvuVb

ARIZONA: West USA Realty – Estrella http://az-homefinders.com

Enjoys the collaboration with Realtors around the country.

Doug has enjoyed working along with celebrities like Bret Michaels, Tracii Guns (co-founder of Guns-N-Roses). Video marketing and assistance for sports personal like Mike Alstott (Retired Pro-Football Player with Tampa Bay) and Kurt Warner (Retired Pro-Football Player with Arizona Cardinals. (First Things First Foundation)

Doug also is in partnership with Matthew Caraway to personally assist business owners setup their own custom marketing software. This will allow businesses to really harness the power of online marketing, better known as Automatic Follow up Marketing (AFM). Masi states “We have seen an overall strong demand for complete enterprise systems”, therefore enabling implementation of robust Platform as a Service (PaaS) models, allowing us to build custom applications for business functions covering Customer Relations Management (CRM), Business Process Modeling (BPM), and much more. Through our Tradespace Management™ architecture we combine the benefits of Software as a Service (SaaS), BPM Software, and Portal technology allowing our clients to securely extend SaaS across corporate boundaries. We can also allow customers, vendors, or subsidiary companies to participate directly in their defined business processes to create greater efficiencies and oversight, improving the development cycle timelines which increase profits minimizing IT development overhead. These technologies provide the ability to develop new innovative methods for all levels of business collaboration. View a sample video anytime just click here!

Personal Message – “Over the years I have been asked to assist business owners, sales personal and professionals with marketing solutions from targeted video email, to today’s Social Marketing buzz.  I welcome the opportunity to assist you with your business marketing strategies.   By visiting my Facebook fan page, you can “LIKE” my page, and be able to request a free 15 minute overview, from the website inward.  Companies today should be utilizing all the components the internet has to offer for reaching your  new prospects”.

Do you find yourself being pulled in several different directions, like a rope stretched to its limits in a game tug-of-war? You’re not alone.  According to the small business administration, over 70% of small businesses suffer from this energy tapping, daily business activity draining nightmare. Many small businesses have less than five employees.  Many are based in the home, with only one or two people working on all aspects of the business.   Running a  successful business is in of itself is more than a full-time commitment:

• Lead generation, pre-qualifying, information gathering, follow up, and finally closing the sale, are tasks from which that many entrepreneurs get side tracked. The most important task of growing any business are so-called “Rain making activities.”
• Follow-up mailings,  invoicing,  record keeping,  document filing,  service calls, questions, phone conversations, notes, progress tracking and much more.

Big businesses incorporate centralized systems with whole teams to focus on activities which generate new business.  It should also be noted that big business is constantly faced with the challenge of changing or upgrading their current systems.  The cost of technology for big business is staggering.  In many cases, millions of dollars have been spent on set-up of these systems.  Then, at some point, the business needs to keep pace and do more costly upgrading, which can require more dollars.   The good news is this article will address a solution for both big and small business enterprise, alike.

If a small business owner wishes to remain competitive, these daily tasks require either more workers (who need to be trained), or business systems that can off load those activities that eat up precious hours each day.

You might wonder, “How can I hire more workers  if I am barely able to keep up with costs of running the business?”  That is a question we get all the time.   You are your own boss.   It is the greatest feeling when things are humming along, but without the proper planning and a centralized solution to manage chaos, things can quickly get out of hand.  Do you find yourself tapped out, and not able to take on  higher dollar activities?  Why spend your time doing $7 or $8 an hour work, when you can get a system that can do the work of ten people! Eventually, hiring staff is important, but first, you must get your system in place and running.  Then, focus on freeing up the time and money to train someone to maintain it, while you do what you do best.  As you may know workers leave, they get sick, or they copy your business and become an competitor, only to leave you retraining and starting over again.

MORE TIME

I started out my business in the early 80′s as a real estate agent.  My parent company give me support in the beginning, but ultimately it was up to me to venture beyond the standard process and build more business through a specific plan of action.   Not by hiring  more assistants or workers, but through smart management handled by a powerful centralized database system.  Follow-up mailings, calls, tracking notes, reminders, and every other piece of pertinent information was at my finger tips.

(IT) SOLUTIONS TIPS

The most important thing to have is a database which can be accessed anywhere in the world.  Even if your computer is damaged or stolen, you can still carry on with no interruptions.  By having a centralized system which is accessed via the internet (known as the Cloud) your records are backed up, and all upgrades happen automatically.  Cost is substantially less, and the computing power is extremely efficient. A question that might come to mind is:   “What does this centralized system handle and how can several tasks be automated?”  That is the true test.  A good centralized system for example should be able to handle all documents and notes relating to each client.

• One File Box: Contains all the client information along with relevant documents for that client.  The addition of notes and tasks to be created will allow for one place for all staff to see what collaboration has occurred with that client.
• Work Force Communication: Enables communicate via email from the centralized system as a standard.  Make sure that feature is included.  If not, before you know it you will find that you are having to get several different services for each solution needed: an email sender, document management, a CRM database, a project tracking program, a word processor, and the list goes on.

The reason we’re so critical of the numerous small business solutions is because they are “point” solutions.  They were created to fill one, sometimes two or three, challenges small business owners face.  Each one sprang up independently to meet a need or fill a niche, and they service their purpose. Fifteen years ago, when many of these tools were invented, no one needed an email marketing system or e-commerce management tool.  Big business had those centralized solutions that cost a fortune. Even medium-sized companies had solutions; but entrepreneurs were left out of the loop.

Our mission here at VICO Systems is to show owners of businesses of all sizes how to access their centralized systems needs on one platform.  We have a version for small to mid sized businesses, as well as a platform for larger businesses that require more tasks, such as human resource management, project management, time tracking, inventory management, shopping cart, extra-net access for customers and workers and several automated processes. Once you are able to centralize your data, running on the treadmill of day to day activities will seem almost effortless, and you will be tapping into several levels of freedom.

Our Challenge: When we come across a business owner experiencing pain and chaos, it is very sad to see them slowly sinking in their own boat.   The owner is so busy bailing out the water, (or handling the daily fires at work) that he or she doesn’t have time to find the leak, let alone look up to see us reaching out to him/her, with an automatic bilge pump (centralized system).  By simply installing the bilge pump, we can start freeing up his/her time to repair the leak,  and get him/her focused on paddling the boat to the desired destination (more time doing the work that make money).  At that point, we may now work on improving the boat; making it  quicker, more efficient, thus allowing the captain time to enjoy the scenery.

Let us show you how quickly and simply we can setup a process to spawn a document, all filled out and ready to be sent to the customer.   How about tracking each worker and how efficient he or she is doing their daily work duties?  Automatic request for actions, triggered by a new customer signing up on a webform from your website or blog, similar to ours.

Let us show you how we can manage your workload, and grow your business by increasing sales and reducing expenses.  Before you hire that next marketing person at $30,000 to $50,000 a year.  Let us show you how you will be able to get ten times the work done without spending the cost of one new hire.  We can facilitate your company to be on track to manage twice, 3x or 4x the amount to work. Let’s get your boat running a few new races so you can finish at the top of its class!

Feel free to view our newsletter. Don’t hesitate to email us or better yet, simply fill out our webform and experience the system of automation.

by Doug Masi VICO Systems LLC www.VicoSystems.net

We thank you for allowing us to service your real estate needs.  If  it requires selling a property or purchasing your dream home in a special resort area,  I can assure you that my personal team will be there each step of the way.  From the beautiful coast of Ocean City, NJ, to the Valley of the Sun in Phoenix, AZ,  we can do it.

Please take a moment to fill in some of the below information. This will help us get a better understanding of your needs. WE WELCOME AGENT REFERRALS.

Whenever considering an IT solution, it is good to start with some real facts and customer feedback.  The below article is a great source  of the benefits regarding “Full Enterprise Cloud Computing Solutions”. Article from eNewsChannels.

DALLAS, Texas — QBOS, Inc a leading developer and provider of innovative web based management solutions serving large and small businesses,  announced that Cbeyond Inc. has successfully launched its TradeSpace Management System to their nationwide Field Service Partner network. The QBOS TradeSpace Management System will extend process automation, document management, workforce management and collaboration capabilities beyond corporate boundaries to Cbeyond’s field service partners who provide VoIP equipment, installation, and other communications services to Cbeyond’s 35,000+ small business customers.

“We are extremely satisfied with our return on investment in the Tradespace Management System from QBOS,” said Richard Batelaan, chief operating officer of Cbeyond.

“QBOS implemented a customized solution within 60 days, including a workflow system that encompasses 180 of our national service partners. As soon as the system went live, we were able to drastically reduce our paper usage and save time. Their deep understanding of our business and commitment to high-quality customer service has made them a trusted partner.”

QBOS customized the feature rich TradeSpace Management(TM) system, an innovative combination of Business Process Modeling Software, Portal technology and a unique instance based contextual routing engine, to give Cbeyond a real-time view into the service installation job stream as work progresses in the field. The TradeSpace Management System monitors all work flows, isolates remote process breakdowns, and initiates corrective actions enabling central operations to respond more quickly to the needs of remote personnel in the field.

“It’s a smart product for smart companies,” says Bob Henderson, Chief Executive Officer of QBOS. “We knew going into a well managed public company, like Cbeyond, would mean competing against the software industry’s best available solutions. Not only did we have to show something better, we had to show something new – and we did just that.”

Maintaining a competitive advantage with efficient operations requires providing secure, reliable and accurate information exchange between companies and their human resources. The TradeSpace Management System automatically manages the information and workflow exchange rules in accordance with a company’s policy requirements while providing the flexibility necessary to optimize or change relationships and workflows in real-time, without invasive or complex programming. With access to real time information provided by the Tradespace Management System’s dashboard reporting, clients can respond quickly and accurately to changing conditions, mitigating risk to the business. The TradeSpace Management system also stores Disaster Recovery and other contingency response processes for immediate activation.

“We know that every company is unique and believe that web based software has to be something more than just a template service. Our solutions are non-disruptive to current operations, do not create a burden for IT, and solves real problems enabling change without the considerable expense and overhead typically found with competitive solutions. QBOS is Cbeyond’s trusted partner because of our extensive knowledge and experience in the service provider segment and our solution’s ability to be rapidly deployed with quantifiable results,” said Henderson.

For more information on QBOS and Tradespace Management System(TM), along with a sample video overview of URAD,

About QBOS, Inc.
QBOS, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative SaaS and web enabled software management solutions serving large and small businesses. The QBOS Inc., TradeSpace Management System(TM) securely extends workflow and information exchange across corporate boundaries within a variety of market segments and industries. QBOS, Inc. also offers a wide range of modular office automation applications that include CRM, SFA, BPMS, Inventory Mgt, SCM and much more allowing service providers to enter the SaaS market with co-branded or private label applications for resell. Visit here for more information.

Over the least several years, I have followed how hot online marketing has become.  I am sure you have read how old school print ad company revenues are dropping.   As more money moves to the online marketing world.

We have seen a big jump to Pay Per Click (PPC), Google Adwords, and Email Opt-ed marketing.  41.6% of retailers spend less than 1% of their total annual marketing budget on e-mail, –WebSurveyor Corp, October 2006. so where is their ad dollars going?   Maybe more to online commercials or video?

By 2010, online video ad spending is expected to garner 8% of the $29.4 billion spent on online advertising. By 2010, online video ad spending is expected to garner 8% of the $29.4 billion spent on online advertising. eMarketer, September 2006

We know that Google generates most of it revenue from Adwords.  Only 46% of small businesses use Google AdWords, versus 66% of large companies.

Search engine marketing spending is projected to reach $11 billion in 2010. –Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, January 2006

Just based on the above stats, we can see ad funds are funneling more and more online.  Now with the wave of the new mobile phones, having internet access, and video viewing capability, it would only seem obvious that’s where the next growth jump in ad $$ will be.  Mobile Marketing, has already started!

There is even a best practice policy for marketing to mobile phones.  Similar to op-tin email.  http://mmaglobal.com/codeofconduct.pdf

Considering a move to mobile marketing?  Companies like AdMob and Mojiva are ready to meet that need.

Mojiva is a young and dynamic startup company with a mission to help monetize all mobile content across the globe. All of Mojiva’s products and solutions are built with simplicity in mind. We believe that the less time you spend managing, the more time you can spend selling. Mojiva is simple. Mobile. Advertising.

Who is doing it you might ask?

Yamaha launched a promotional SMS sweepstakes to supplement their overall mobile campaign. Yamaha’s mobile campaign is a combination of SMS and WAP to engage its target market with relevant messaging, plus interactivity through WAP. The SMS based sweepstakes was a tactical method to increase awareness, generate excitement for Yamaha’s mobile services and increase opt-ins. Participants entered into the sweepstakes and opted into the campaign by either texting “WAVE” to a short code or entering their mobile number into a seamless ‘web to mobile’ widget displayed on the Yamaha WaterCraft website.

Apple’s big move

With the big acquisition of Quattro by Apple this week, all eyes are on the mobile industry once again. Here’s my take.

Apple placing such a bet on the mobile ad network space is a clear indicator that the table is set for broad scale ad-supported mobile web and apps.

There is no question, the big players are moving in this direction.  You don’t have to be a big company to advertise on mobile devices. As a home based online marketing affiliate or small business owner, this could be a super opportunity to grow your business. You can even take an online course to assist you in becoming very effective at online mobile marketing.

What ever areas you choose to put your marketing dollars, just be sure to have a good follow up system.  Learn more about online mobile marketing