From: Microsoft [0_53297_24C635EC-7C5C-844E-8A60-382406CACFC5_AU@Newsletters.Microsoft.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 8 October 2003 12:38
To: The_Temporary_Alternative@tpg.com.au
Subject: Small Business Solutions E-Newsletter

Spring-clean your business!

Discover how to get yourself a new Acer PC, at no extra cost*, just by purchasing the latest software; visit a small-business seminar in your state; learn how to create slick proposals; and protect your PCs in 3 easy steps!

Here's to a successful business month,

Athena Thompson,
bCentral Manager.

In This Issue

	Your problems solved: Amazing PC deal; latest small business tools revealed; get a bonus software upgrade; boost your newsletter subscriptions
	News & views: Small business seminars now on; see the new Microsoft Office 2003 in action; $9,000 Office Blitz winners coming soon; new licensing instalment plan launched
	Business shortcuts: Track projects; create slick proposals
	Small business survivor story: Melbourne business averts payday pandemonium!
	Top tip of the month: Manage your daily reminder list
	Tech talk: Protect your PCs in 3 easy steps!

Your problems solved
	Amazing offer: Sick of working with slow PCs? *Purchase Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003 and QuickBooks Pro 2003 for only $1,999 and Acer will give you a new PC, complete with a 17-inch monitor and 12-month warranty - for no extra cost! Use it to replace your old model, or set up an employee to be super-productive. Terms and conditions apply. Click here for more.
	NEW customer management and communication tools! There's great news for small businesses with the upcoming launch of Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003! This latest version of Office features valuable tools to help you create your own professional marketing materials - at a fraction of the cost of using a designer. Plus a new customer management tool lets you stay on top of opportunities by linking sales contacts with related e-mails, messages, telephone numbers and important information. Once you get to know it you won't know how you survived without it! Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003 will be launched on October 22, 2003. Click here for more.
	Upgrade from Microsoft Office XP to the new Microsoft Office 2003 for free! Buy Microsoft Office XP before November 30 and you'll receive a bonus upgrade to Microsoft Office 2003 once it's released! Check out which Microsoft products are eligible. Terms and conditions apply. Click here for more.
	The rules of attraction Tougher e-mail filters and overloaded audiences mean subscriber-burnout is a growing issue. Read our e-mail marketing guru's hints for attracting subscribers and reigniting that "sign me up" fire. Click here for more.
	Back to top

News & views - the latest bulletins and information
	Small business seminars - on now! Want to get the inside word on QuickBooks 2003, and the soon-to-be-released Microsoft Office 2003? Quicken's popular seminars are currently touring Australia... If you're in Sydney or Melbourne it's not too late to register and get the chance to share in over $100,000 worth of prizes. Click here for more.
	Microsoft Office System launch events: register today See first hand what's different about the new Microsoft Office System, including the revamped Small Business Edition, at this exciting launch event! From a suite of familiar desktop applications, the new Office has evolved into a fully integrated system of programs, servers and services. Presentations and showcase demos will show you how to collaborate in teams across workspaces, gather and analyse data across applications and communicate more effectively with colleagues, customers and partners. Launch events run across Australia in late October and throughout November. Book your place today!
	$9,000 Office Blitz winners Thanks to everyone who recently entered our exciting $9,000 Office Makeover competition (and a big welcome to our new subscribers). Make sure you read our November newsletter when we'll be announcing the three lucky winners who are guaranteed to be the envy of their small business friends. Stay tuned.
	New licensing instalment plan launched Keep your cash-flow flowing, and enjoy the latest software on your business PCs with Microsoft's just-launched licensing solution: Microsoft Open License Value. Suitable for businesses running five PCs and over, it offers you access to the latest innovations in Microsoft software products; the chance to make savings by spreading your payments over the year; and an effective way to consolidate software acquisition under a single agreement. Click here for more. Back to top

Business shortcuts - templates to use daily
	Track projects: Ensure you're sticking to your project's budget with this handy spreadsheet. Click here for more.
	Create a slick proposal: Follow our instructions for making your first impression the right one. Click here for more. Back to top

Small business survivor story

Melbourne business averts payday pandemonium!

To celebrate small businesses across Australia, we're profiling local success stories. Read how Cathy Fanning's flexible approach helped a client get their wages out on time...

Name of business: The Temporary Alternative

Type of business: Provides IT solutions to small to medium-sized businesses.

Number of employees: 3

The problem: A customer was enrolled in a new payroll software training course but it was suddenly cancelled. Understandably, the customer went into panic mode as they were due to have a major upgrade of their payroll system the next week. Without the course they had little understanding of the new package and the changes.

The solution: The Temporary Alternative offered to buy and install the software and train the customer in their own premises. When it came to recreating and transferring all the data from the old payroll system to the new system, The Temporary Alternative was on-hand to combat any hiccups. When payroll day came around, the customer was ready to process the payroll on the new system and everyone got paid on time. Happy days.

Want to be profiled on bCentral?

Send us a short e-mail about your business. If you match our profile we'll do a quick interview over the phone at a time that suits you! Your business will be promoted in this newsletter and you'll also receive a FREE copy of Publisher 2002 and a brand-new Wireless Optical Mouse - worth over $350! Click here to email us.

Terms and Conditions

Top tip of the month

Manage your daily reminder list using Outlook 2002

Did you know that you can act on more than one reminder at a time in Outlook 2002? Your reminders are listed in the Reminders window, which is accessible from the View menu. From View simply open, dismiss, or snooze multiple reminders with a single click.

To work with multiple reminders:

Select the first reminder.
Hold down CTRL.
Select any additional reminders.
Click Open Item, Dismiss, or Snooze.

Tech talk - how-to's from the experts

Protect and secure your PCs in 3 easy steps!

Q. I've heard about the recent security scares. How can I protect my business computers from worm attack? I use Windows XP.

A. Microsoft has set up a special Security and Privacy Web page with important protection instructions for all Windows platforms: from Windows XP to Windows 95. Follow the steps to activate your firewall and get relevant computer updates.

Not subscribed?

Want to receive great tips and advice every month? Join other Australian small businesses by signing up for Microsoft bCentral's FREE newsletter.

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Small Business Survivor Terms and Conditions

Information on how to enter and prizes form part of these terms and conditions. By entering this competition, each entrant agrees to be bound by these terms and conditions.
Entry is open to residents of Australia, aged 18 years and over. Employees and their immediate families of the Promoter and agencies associated with this competition are ineligible.
To enter participants must e-mail Microsoft bCentral Australia using the site's feedback form briefly telling Microsoft about their business and including a business phone number.
Promotion commences on October 8, 2003, and closes at midnight EST October 24, 2003. Only one entry per person permitted.
The winner will be advised via e-mail or contacted by phone, and the winning entry will be published in the Microsoft bCentral Australia Small Business newsletter and, at the discretion of the promoter, on the bCentral.com.au Web site.
This is a game of skill and chance plays no part in determining the winner. All entries will be judged by a panel of judges. Each entry will be individually judged based on literary and creative merit. Judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The best entry, as determined by the judges, will receive the following prize:
The winner will receive one copy of Microsoft Publisher 2002 (RRP: $266) and one Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse (RRP: $89.95). The prizes are not transferable or exchangeable and cannot be taken as cash. No responsibility is accepted for any variation in the value of the prize.
The Promoter is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer on-line systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participants or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation in or down-loading any materials in this competition.
If for any reason this competition is not capable of running as planned including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorised intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of the Promoter which corrupt or affect the administration security, fairness integrity or proper conduct of this competition, the Promoter reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, & to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the competition.
By entering the promotion, unless otherwise advised by the entrant, each entrant consents to the information they submit with their entry being entered into a database and the Promoter may use this information in any media for future promotional, marketing and publicity purposes without any further reference or payment or other compensation to the entrant. All personal details of the entrants will be stored at the office of the Promoter. A request to access, update or correct any information should be directed to that office. For further privacy information please read the privacy statement located at: http://www.microsoft.com/privacystatement.htm
No responsibility accepted for late, lost or misdirected entries.
Any costs associated with accessing the Web site are the responsibility of the entrant and are dependent on the Internet service provider used.
The Promoter is Microsoft Pty. Limited, A.B.N. 290 025 894 60, 1 Epping Road, North Ryde, NSW 2113.