It began April 17th, 2012 – Greenpeace ran it’s story about How Clean is your Cloud taking to task some of the industry giants such as Microsoft, Apple, Google and Dell – for not being as forthcoming about their energy consumption and lack of green technologies being utilized to their potential. This story set off a chain reaction of events from Apple, and even GreenPeace activists bringing awareness across the globe about Datacenters and energy utilization. It is currently leading to public protests in front of Amazon and Microsoft’s headquarters to bring awareness on the subject.

Just 18 hours later, after GreenPeace ran it’s report, TurnKey Internet unveiled it’s new Green Datacenter in New York’s Tech Valley Region showing off the latest in both Renewable Energy (both Solar, and HydroElectric) as well as massive investments in new state of the art technology that reduces energy consumption by up to 33% versus other datacenters across the globe. TurnKey Internet had already been working on this new Green Datacenter for over 12 months to release it, but the timing couldn’t be better to help everyone understand the importance of utilizing Green based technology for your “Cloud” and Datacenter.

Datacenters use massive quantities of energy, by 2020 the datacenter and Cloud Services industry will be as big of a polluter as the airline industry. Datacenters centralize power consumption, and help businesses greatly reduce their energy consumption through virtualization and shared/scaling of their Cloud resources- but as you place 100,000’s of businesses into a datacenter that makes that datacenter now consume the power of a small city or town all in one small location. True, that datacenter will still net huge savings on power consumption versus those same 100,000’s of businesses running their own office services or power consumption desktop pc’s all the time – but that doesn’t mean the Datacenter its self is exempt from being both efficient and leveraging every possible modern green technology and renewable energy resource available.

So how does this impact you directly? Well GreenPeace has fired the first bullet quite frankly, publicly shedding light on this subject to help promote awareness for Earth Day 2012. GreenPeace has now gone as far as to bring public demonstrations to protest the lack of green efficient technologies and lack of utilization of renewable energies for some of the biggest datacenter players world wide. GreenPeace’s message is simple:

■ Be more transparent about their energy usage and carbon footprint, and to share innovative solutions so that the rest of the sector can improve;

■ Develop a siting policy that demonstrates a preference to build data centers in areas where clean energy can power the facility;

■ Invest in or directly purchase renewable energy;

■ Demand that governments and electric utilities increase the amount of renewable electricity available on the grid.

We, at TurnKey also share this same vision. Knowing full well that our business model for providing Cloud Services is all about helping businesses to leverage lower cost, higher performing resources in The Cloud to replace their expensive, power-hungry in-office IT solutions of today is only 1 part of the equation. It’s vital every Cloud Service provider be leveraging advanced Green Technologies, and renewable energy or they will be part of the problem (and by 2020, among the worst polluters on the planet!).

So if your business is hosting with one of the ‘dirty’ Clouds as Greenpeace terms it – you better talk to your Cloud provider and tell them what you want, or find a Cloud provider that has made investments in the future, to responsibly provide for your IT needs now, and by 2020!

Everyone is on facebook and twitter, does my business really need a web site? Isn’t facebook really my web site these days?

These questions are common for businesses that have been starting up the last couple of years – especially businesses that focus on a non-online basis (say a local retail store). Facebook and other social mediums like LinkedIn, MySpace, and Twitter – all give you a little space to publish your message. Think of it as a small bill board that you get for free with facebook and other social media sites. But if you want to provide a branded and interactive experience that drives business to you – then having your owb web site is crucial.

Think you don’t need a web site – because you just have local clients who come to your shop? You can get more local clients aware of your buisness by having a web site, combined with using the social media tools. But having your own web site lets you setup email news letters (so you can re-announce to your current clients to come back in during promotional periods), as well as sell direct to people outside your region. Any business can use more business – opening your self up to the world for client with a strong web site can only help (it never hurts!). Even if you are a local retailer, focused on walk in sales only – a web site won’t hurt you, it will only help promote more people to come in and check you out!

First, we need to define what is web hosting.

A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that
allows individuals or organizations to make their website visible on
the Internet. This can very greatly from a simple Static web page to
a trully interactive video rich experience that drives sales through an online e-commerce shopping cart. Web hosting companies provide
space on a server owned or leased for use by clients that typically
includes internet connectivity housed in a datacenter. Web hosts can
also provide data center space and connectivity for other advanced needs beyond just web site hosting, such as an office’s central file server, mail server, or even virtual desk tops. Web Hosting is the most common and basic form of what commonly today is refered to as “Cloud Hosting”, or “The Cloud” since your web site resides out on the internet, allowing anyone to access the information you want publicized.

How do you get your own web site and start web hosting?

You would contact a hosting provider such as Turnkey Internet. You
would then decide on whether you’re looking for a quick and easy web site to build, or perhaps something more involved that might include your own shopping cart to sell products online, an email newsletter to promote recurring businesses, and even your own blog to publish content to attract new visitors.

If you’re looking to start up your own hosting company, reseller hosting is the way to go. However, if you’re like most people, you’re attempting to host your website so that you can
bring traffic to your business. You could accomplish your goals by
purchasing a cPanel web hosting account. A cPanel account allows you to have a
location where you store your files, setup email along with a myriad
of tools.

Next time we will go deeper into this mysterious world of reseller
hosting vs cpanel web site hosting- as well as some great tips on how to make your web site stand out!

One of the most common questions we get from new business owners is whether it is best to host their blog on their own site or on a blog hosting site like WordPress. We typically recommend that business owners host their own blogs, since the cost is low and control is entirely in the hands of the author. However, there are some instances when hosting on a free blogging site makes sense.

When Free is Right

If your budget is tight and you are worried about the learning curve, utilizing a free blogging service may be the right choice for you. WordPress and Blogger are two free hosting services you may consider. Of course, the downside of free hosting is the lack of control. Not only are you stuck with the non-customizable URL, you don’t have complete control of your own content. For a business, having control and security are essential. More on this below.

What’s the Deal with WordPress

As a platform, wordpress has many advantages. It’s customizable, easy to navigate, and has a large community of people sharing tips, troubleshooting tricks and free templates. The problem with hosting a WordPress site on their free service is that they can enforce their “non-commercial-use” policy at a moment’s notice. This means if you use your blog to advertise your own products or include affiliate links, you run the risk of losing your content. The good news is that WordPress is available for free to host on your own site. This means you can take advantage of all the perks of a WordPress site without worrying about the WordPress police. You’ll need your own hosting account for this, but you can often include a WordPress blog on your existing hosting plan. We offer this here at TurnKey.

What is Your Existing Web Presence?

Do you already have a business website? Do you have a presence on the social networks? If your business is already somewhat established online, it’s probably best to host your blog on your own website. The main reason for this is your URL. When you host on your own site, your blog shares the same URL as the rest of your website. This is good for branding and it keeps customers from getting confused. It also means that your blog’s content will help your entire site’s SEO profile. The search engines will index your blog posts as new content, and this will make your site pop up higher in search results.

Do You Already Have Hosting?

If you already have hosting for your website, chances are good you’ll be able to add a blogging platform at no extra charge. If you have a bare-bones hosting plan, you may need to upgrade, but the cost will only increase by a few dollars a month.

Worried About the Learning Curve?

Don’t be. Not only are these platforms designed to be user-friendly, many hosts offer one-click installation. This means you don’t have to know anything at all about how the technology works to start using it.

Learn More

We offer hosting plans specifically tailored to the blogger. If you’re feeling nervous about setting up your first blog, this is a great place to start.
http://www.turnkeyinternet.net/blog-hosting/

Anyone who spends time online will eventually come in contact with malware. The purpose of malware is to access personal computers in order to procure sensitive information or to cause damage. Many infected files are designed specifically to avoid detection by traditional antivirus software, and may sneak through entirely under the radar. Often the goal of malware is to record a user’s surfing habits for the purposes of targeted advertising. This information is incredibly valuable to marketing agencies, though it is, of course, illegal and a major breach of your personal privacy and security. Even worse, however, is the malware that records sensitive information like credit card numbers and social security numbers.

While consumers are the ultimate victims, it’s the websites they visit that serve as the vectors for distribution. Malware can’t find the consumer without the help of the popular website. If you are the owner and operator of a website (and who isn’t these days?) you may be inadvertently infecting your visitor’s computers with malicious malware! Talk about undermining trust!

If you are a business owner and the malware is secretly being distributed through your business website, you are running the risk every day of exploiting the very people you have worked so hard to attract to your business. If they find out where that malware came from (that malware that led to identity theft, robbery or worse) you better believe they will tell everyone they know never to visit your website!

Worse still, Google is excellent at rapidly flagging websites with malicious content. If this happens you won’t have to wait for a victimized client to complain, your traffic will plummet overnight. Potential clients won’t even see your website in search results and your business will suffer.

Protecting yourself from malware means protecting your clients. If your clients know they can trust your website security, they know they can trust your business. If you are looking for an easy, affordable solution, we offer TurnKeySSL, a security solution that includes HackAlert, an early warning system against zero-day attacks. This system passively monitors your website and identifies breaches right away so you can take evasive action and avoid any potentially disastrous consequences. Keep your customers safe! They’ll thank you for it.

Learn more:
http://turnkeyssl.com

Charisma is a characteristic that people assume is in-born. In other words, it’s the kind of thing you either have or you don’t. That couldn’t be further from the truth, especially in the business world. In business, expectations are firmly established. People expect you to introduce yourself a certain way. They expect you to define yourself by your job, or the products you are offering. Subverting that expectation with a memorable introduction piques curiosity. It makes you stand out from the crowd. It opens the door for sales.

Beyond the Suit and Tie

While many business professionals will tell you appearances are everything, the impression you make goes way beyond your suit and tie. Imagine you are at a convention in a room full of people. Everyone there is dressed up for the occasion. They’ve all got sleek hair, sterling silver business card cozies and shiny shoes. They all look very appropriately businessy. Now imagine walking out of that room and trying to remember a single person, a single face in the crowd. So often I find myself struggling to remember the names of the people I just met, and that’s on a normal day! In a convention center, the challenge is 100-fold. One simple way to stand out is to shake up everyone’s expectations. Wear a velvet leisure suit. Wear a giant sombrero. If you’re really feeling daring, dress up in an 18^th century powdered wig like the businessmen of old. In short, wear something that makes you the center of attention. In a convention environment, you won’t lose any points for being outrageous. You’ll gain admiration while being the most memorable person in the room. You better believe everyone will leave that building thinking about the original, zany crusader who stole the show. When you follow up on those leads you collected, people will make time to talk to you.

The Activities Make the Man

While costumed stunts work fabulously well at a convention or conference, they’re not practical for day-to-day meetings with potential clients. If you want to make yourself more charismatic and interesting on a normal day at the office, you’ll need some stories with a real “wow” factor. This might mean taking a trip to an exotic country in search of buried treasure or hiking the Oregon Trail with only a backpack and a lute.  While you might not feel like you have the time for a character-building vacation, you’d be well advised to make that time. If you have a compelling, strange story, you become a memorable person. It’s a simple fact. Think about what truly interests you and get creative about how to explore that interest more fully. If you’ve always wanted to scuba dive, take a class in scuba and go on a trip. Print out your underwater photographs for your office wall and learn about the species you photographed. The more interesting your life activities, the more charismatic you become. If you actually become more interesting to yourself in the process, all the better.

The Opt-In Moment

If you start out every meeting with an unexpected and interesting anecdote, you start out every meeting with curiosity and interest. Interest is the key to the “opt-in,” the moment when the person you’re talking to asks YOU a question. In sales, getting a lead interested in you personally is the golden goal. Once a lead asks you a question, you have your foot in the door. So much of business is building relationships. That is the same today as it has always been. Despite the virtual world we all live in, we are still people sitting behind the screens. Appeal to the curiosity of your audience and you appeal to the person, not just the consumer. Not only is this good for business, it makes life more fun and it makes your potential clients feel like people instead of numbers. That’s good for everyone.

It’s no secret that creativity is a valuable asset. This country was built on the creativity and innovation of countless artists, politicians, scientists and entrepreneurs. Yet, still, many business people are unwilling to invest in the creative professionals that could bring their business to center-stage. Why is this? Well, the short answer is, it’s complicated.

Creatives Can Be Difficult

Creative people often get a bad rep, and this isn’t always unfair. Many creative people are inherently less stable or reliable than their non-creative counterparts. Often they are perpetually unsatisfied and while this quality makes them perpetually innovative and fuels their creativity, it can also make them difficult employees. That lightning-in-a-bottle sometimes gets out of the bottle. Then you’ve got lightning in the office and you have to wear rubber shoes. The thing is, you can’t put a dollar value on creativity. It’s this magical combination of knowledge and novelty that makes businesses stand out.

Foster a Conducive Environment

There are many ways to handle creative employees that will make them feel comfortable, productive and respected and that won’t make a dent in your profits. You’ll need to get to know your employees before you can meet their creative needs. Some creative types need to listen to music while they work while others need complete silence. Try to accommodate the needs of your creatives as best you can without infringing on the needs of everyone else. Showing your employees that you genuinely care about their job satisfaction will foster an attitude of mutual appreciation and trust, vital for any successful employer/employee relationship.

Go Over the Rules

When you’re interviewing potential creatives, be clear about what you expect of them. In many cases, creative people are excellent workers who respect the business environment and who will do their best to be model employees. If the individual is not one of these exemplary creatives, being clear and straightforward about your expectations will let him know you’re not going to put up with errant behavior. Make a clear policy regarding days off and productivity and put it in writing. That way, if it doesn’t work out, you’ll be protected.

Be Flexible

For some creative people, the traditional 9-5 work day is not the best arrangement. Maybe they do their best work at night, or simply can’t think straight at 2 PM. Whatever the reason, if you trust the person to get work done (or base your evaluations on results) you can afford to be flexible about hours. If you have an office that’s open at non-traditional hours, offer the employee the freedom to choose when she works. If not, consider allowing her to work from home some of the time. In the end, the most important thing is that you get the creative output you pay for.

Focus on Results

In the end, the more creative a business is, the more people will take notice. Consider hiring creatives in several different capacities—from graphic design to marketing. Thinking outside the box means you get to do things first. You set the bar for your competition and you get ahead, every time. The more creativity you have on your team, the faster you will be able to adapt to new marketplace variables and the better equipped you will be to ride the wave of public opinion.