Update Your Blog on the Go

In her latest post "7 Ways to Get More From Social Media in 2010", blogger Lisa Barone states that you must make time for social media and plan for it in order for it to be effective. However, many SMB owners and managers are too busy running with the day-to-day activities of their business to find the time to update their blog.

Let us lend you a hand. Use our IdeaScribe service to update your blog on the go. By simply dialing in and recording your thoughts, ideas, rants or praises onto our dictation servers, we can supply you with a written transcript in MS Word .doc format sent back to your email when you need it most. IdeaScribe is ideal for the busy businessperson on the go; whether sitting in traffic, traveling to a convention, or multitasking, you can now use our technology to keep your social media projects up-to-date. Try IdeaScribe and let us know what you think.

No Hidden Surprises with our Transcription Service

Recently, one of my computers was infected with a virus. What was most surprising, even shocking, was that this computer had an up-to-date anti-virus program by one of the larger manufacturers. However, this program did absolutely nothing to stop the advance of the well-known "Anti-Virus System Pro Software" virus, which has been floating around for many months and produces scads of pop-ups with various distasteful windows and prompts one to buy their software. Not only did this anti-virus software from this company (Company 1) not have a recovery CD available to try and thwart the virus, but their customer support line urged that you purchase additional services to the tune of $79.95 to have their technicians actively cleanse your computer and rid it of the virus.

Enter another large manufacturer of anti-virus software, Company 2. For a little more than one-half the charge of Company 1's technical services, you could buy a 3-PC subscription CD at your local Sam's Club. After a very brief internet search on the virus and the download of a tool that kept the virus at bay, Company 2's software loaded up quickly, renewed its anti-virus definitions, and tackled the virus quickly and decisively. All for the price of the original software purchased. Company 2's software performed as promised, at the price promised, with no hidden charges.

We at TTE offer you the same peace of mind as that of the second software mentioned above. You will always know what you are being charged for your transcription in advance and we do our very utmost to deliver the finished product to your Inbox within the turnaround time we promised. Just like Company 2, our company is built on consistency, quality and dependability at a price that is competitive, all with no hidden surprises.

Parents: Kids and the Swine Flu, Your Job Need Not Suffer Too

According to a recent AP article on swine flu school closings, more than 187 school dismissals have been related to the H1N1 swine flu, affecting almost 80,000 students. 80,000 students staying home means many parents having to stay at home from work. Staying home from work might mean missing that critical meeting or sales call.

Alas, all is not lost: with a plethora of technologies like web meetings and phone conferencing available to you, now you can keep those meetings on your schedule and stay on top of your job. And to make things even easier for you, do not worry about taking notes during your meeting. Just send the recorded audio to TTE and we will have a professional, publication-ready transcript in MS Word format sent directly to your in-box. You can then cut and paste the information to your heart's desire and put it in a report that will keep your boss happy, while retaining the original transcript in your records.

So, relax and stay home with your kids and don't let the swine flu get the best of you, or your job. Use technology to your benefit by conferencing in your meeting participants and having the audio transcribed by TTE.

(image credit: www.cdc.gov)

TTE Transcription and Wendy's Double Stack: Great Values

You may be thinking to yourself right now, "Self, what does this burger have to do with transcription and translation?"
The answer is: directly, nothing.

However, this burger, which happens to be a Wendy's (r) Double Stack, is a great value. You can buy this burger as shown for 99 cents in most markets. But the REAL value is in knowing that you can also add mayo, lettuce and tomato for free. So, for just under a dollar, you get a lot of burger. Now that is a great value.

We at TTE Transcripts are all about value, too. We love giving our customers many ways that they can save money while still getting the most service for their buck.

Did you know that we can save you an average of 40 percent off the cost of transcription offered by conferencing companies? By making us one of your attendees at your next conference, we can record the entire audio directly onto our dictation servers and provide you with an expertly transcribed and highly accurate written record of what was said at your meeting. This works even for web meetings powered by WebEx and GoToMeeting.

"But why buy a transcript at all?" you might ask. Well, here is where the real value comes in. By having a highly accurate written record of your meeting, seminar, interview or deposition, you will always have the information at hand to ensure that there are no costly misunderstandings that might trouble you down the road. (By the way, did I mention that our accuracy rate is 99.5%, the best in the industry?)

So, the next time you are looking for real value, get your hamburgers from Wendy's (r) and get your transcription from us here at TTE Transcripts. Both will leave you feeling satisfied that you got the most bang for your buck.


(Wendy's is a registered trademark Oldemark LLC.)

Transcription: Making Neat Piles of Snow

Tom Freese, the best-selling author of "Secrets of Question Based Selling", makes a profound statement in his latest book, "Selling Yourself in Today's Competitive Marketplace":

We have essentially been ‘snow-globed.’ We’ve been turned upside down and shaken to the point where the tranquil scenes of our daily existence have been shrouded by a flurry of uncertainty that has suddenly clouded our view, and little pieces of reality now seem to be raining down in all directions.

What Tom is referring to is the state of our economy, which has put the business world in a tailspin and is affecting each and every one of us daily. It is driving each one of us to look at our jobs in a new light, putting our creative energy to use and taking the initiative to innovate in our respective fields and to streamline operations.

One of the ways many companies are choosing to streamline these days is to cut back on corporate travel and to hold meetings via conference calls and collaboration calls either over the telephone or on the web. While this presents a great cost savings over travel, it can inundate us with more information, creating even more flurries of snow flakes to cloud our view.

Keep the snow flakes in neat piles by transcribing your online events and conference calls. Just be sure to record your call and then send us the audio file. Or, make us one of the attendees and you can record the call directly to our servers. We will return a neatly typed transcript to your in-box so that you can track all of the details of what was said and keep the piles of your business neatly organized.

Dictate Life-Changing Moments

Last weekend, I was over at my friend's house to celebrate her son's second birthday. Besides the little boy, she also has two girls, one being a one-month old newborn. I sat there watching the children running around and playing and the newborn sleeping in someone's arms. I am expecting my first child this winter. I got to thinking about the baby books that we have the best intention of keeping to record those precious moments. With all the chaos going on around me, I would be shocked if my friend told me she was able to record all those moments into baby books, especially having to record two books at the same time.

As new parents, we always have the best intentions to record those important life-changing moments. However, being able to sit down and remember to write down these moments is not always the easiest thing to do, especially with a newborn baby in tow. Instead of attempting to write these moments down, call TTE's system and dictate these moments. You'll be able to keep your hands clear to take care of your baby, but not have to worry about forgetting these incredible moments. You'll then be able to wait for TTE to transcribe these moments and you'll receive a book-quality transcript back which you can place in your baby book, knowing that no part of these moments are forgotten.

Have You Written Your Letters of Love?

I love when my family gathers for Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays or just weekend get-togethers. Besides doing a lot of eating, my parents always talk about the "days of old" when they were kids, what they did for fun, what jobs they had growing up, what my grandparents were like when they were my age, and so on. All my grandparents passed before I was 20 years old, and we lived in a different state from them, so I cherish any stories that my parents can relay regarding my family history. Now that my mom is turning 79 this year, and my dad just turned 81, I worry about keeping those stories for my children.

About three months ago, my mom decided she was going to start writing down her thoughts, her memories of her childhood, what life was like living during WWII, the Cold War, what they were doing when JFK was assassinated, home-delivered dairy products and being the last family on the block to get a TV (black and white, mind you). She started writing this down on a notepad, but told me that many times she would remember a story while at the grocery store, or in line at a bank, or while driving in her car, and by the time she got back home, usually forgot what she had wanted to write down.

I suggested that she nix the pen and notepad and instead dial into TTE's dictation system. Now, when she has a thought or a memory that she wants to capture for her family's Legacy Journal, she picks up her cell phone and can immediately dictate her thoughts. TTE will keep the audio, compile all her recordings onto one CD or transcribe her thoughts from the audio recordings into a final legacy journal. What a wonderful way to share grandma's thoughts with my children and grandchildren - a CD with grandma's voice sharing her adventures, my history.

If you or your folks are getting on in years and you would like to preserve your most treasured memories, with your own voice, give TTE a call and we will get you started creating your Journals of Love.