All-in-one-service for business?

Banned 11 years ago

Originally Posted by jfgrissom

I would like to control my blog, mailing list, sales pages, shopping carts, surveys, video, audio, statistics, referrer traffic, split-testing, distribution to social media, back-link management, and anything else from one central point of command.

Otherwise known as "How to put every possible egg you've ever heard of into one basket"?

Thanks
2 replies

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John Durham

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Alexa Smith

Otherwise known as "How to put every possible egg you've ever heard of into one basket"?

Hey, a guys gotta dream, right?

Ps. Yeah I'd like a copy if it worked. it really sucks having to go back and forth to 20 different accounts and sign in and sign out to manage everything.

I cant imagine how you would create something like that though.

Thanks
2 replies

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jfgrissom

11 years ago

Originally Posted by John Durham

Hey, a guys gotta dream, right?

Ps. Yeah I'd like a copy if it worked. it really sucks having to go back and forth to 20 different accounts and sign in and sign out to manage everything.

I cant imagine how you would create something like that though.

I can feel the love from here...

Thanks for the encouragement. (You are first on the list for use of it. And when it's complete you'll get free service, and a copy of the software - should you choose to host it yourself... It's so easy to be generous when nothing is made yet... LOL.

If there is sincere interest in it though, I'll definitely show some love to those who supported the idea.)

I'll start with lead capture (customizable), blog (wordpress style), sales pages (something customizable), and email sequence (like aweber or mailchimp)?

Would you be interested in beta testing it? (Of course you would get access to use it for free.)

As for how it gets created... we just do it like I've done all my projects for different companies... break it up into pieces and start working on them one at a time. I'll keep you posted on the status... I'll also try to keep this thread running to see if others are interested.

I'll make it for myself... but it would be better if others find it useful too...

Thanks

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Dennis Gaskill

11 years ago

Originally Posted by John Durham

Hey, a guys gotta dream, right?

Ps. Yeah I'd like a copy if it worked. it really sucks having to go back and forth to 20 different accounts and sign in and sign out to manage everything.

I cant imagine how you would create something like that though.

You might want to check out this service: eBusiness Automation Center » Pricing

There's more, but this gives you the good stuff at a glance. Click the Features link to see what all they offer.

I haven't used them yet, but will be giving them a try. I know someone who uses their mailing list service only, and says it's as good as any.

Thanks
1 reply

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jfgrissom

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

You might want to check out this service: eBusiness Automation Center » Pricing

There's more, but this gives you the good stuff at a glance. Click the Features link to see what all they offer.

I haven't used them yet, but will be giving them a try. I know someone who uses their mailing list service only, and says it's as good as any.

Hi Dennis,

I'll take a look at it too... Hate their name and url though... but those are trivial if they are good.

Thanks for passing this on.

Thanks

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jfgrissom 11 years ago

Originally Posted by Alexa Smith

Otherwise known as "How to put every possible egg you've ever heard of into one basket"?

I've got a big/highly redundant/fault tolerant/affordable basket... LOL...
:p

Seriously though:
Thanks for your honest feedback!

I'm thinking more about building the components up one at a time, but integrating them all into one place that YOU would control (when it's all done it would be like a one man enterprise console).

Then providing them as a package to someone who wants to host it all themselves, and providing a service for those who don't like the messiness of the technical stuff.

I do this kind of stuff for companies all the time, and I see the same problems in every company.

Your feedback is appreciated.
- Thanks
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MikeTucker 11 years ago

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- jfgrissom 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by MikeTucker
  
  I normally buy them in cartons of two-and-a-half dozen, anyway.
  
  LOL... classic... haha.
  
  We must buy eggs and baskets from the same vendors...
  
  [ 1 ] Thanks
  
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seasoned

11 years ago

Originally Posted by jfgrissom

Hi,

Is there an all-in-one service for business hosting anywhere?

I would like to control my blog, mailing list, sales pages, shopping carts, surveys, video, audio, statistics, referrer traffic, split-testing, distribution to social media, back-link management, and anything else from one central point of command.

Is there anything like this anywhere?

Thanks,
Jay

PS: If there isn't, is there any interest if I were willing to having it built?

OK, let's see!

blog- yep
mailing list- yep
sales pages - yep(IF DEDICATED, but generally YOU will want to do this!)
shopping carts - yep
surveys - yep
video - yep(IF DEDICATED, but generally YOU will want to do this!)
audio - yep(IF DEDICATED, but generally YOU will want to do this!)
statistics - yep
referrer traffic- yep(IF DEDICATED, but generally YOU will want to do this!)
split testing - I don't believe so (But generally YOU will want to do this!)
distribution to social media - NOPE! That is SPAMMING!
back link management - to a degree
anything else? - sometimes

So YEP! To a degree many ARE all in one. You USUALLY have to put everything together. SOME have setups so you can help THEM sell. But SERIOUSLY! Do you think they will have a sales page that will be effective for a product YOU want to provide? DREAM ON! audio/video? NOPE! Referrer traffic?

BTW you may ask yourself why you haven't noticed this. In MOST cases, it is disparate systems, kind of mix and match. That might SEEM like a bad idea, but it is usually pieces that are fairly standard. In the other cases, it either runs on anothers system locked down, or is proprietary and locked away. Like alexa implied, you are locked into THEIR system.

I THOUGHT about writing a similar thing several times. The last version was based on a product that I, ironically, got HERE. Here is where IT stands:

blog- yep
mailing list- yep
sales pages - yep
shopping carts - yep
surveys - yep
video - Can be attached, but not a goal
audio - Can be attached, but not a goal
statistics - yep
referrer traffic- yep*
split testing -Not a current goal
distribution to social media - Not a current goal
back link management - Not yet
anything else? - SEVERAL THINGS

Of course, IT is just a program. Referrer traffic, for example would be through tracked and rewarded affiliates. Sales pages can be generated, kind of like on Amazon.

As for video, there is all kind of video, like camtasia, normal life video, text/audio video(MORONIC, and I HATE it, but many are doing it), Generated video(like from games/apps), so you really can't have an all in one product. Attaching is EASIER since it supports all of the above, and anything else. Audio is similar. Attaching is EASIER since it supports all of the above, and anything else. Distribution to social media is ALSO complicated a bit.

But right now I have too many priorities. To tell you the truth, I have a book I have written for way too long(of course every few years I have some more content.

), and I plan to work on that, get the package I just described working well, and have it sell my book. My book is only 25 pages right now

It IS dense, and it IS valuable, but I was hoping for maybe 250 pages, so I plan to write a few other books on the periphery and maybe offer it as a set, add some graphics, etc....

Steve

Thanks
1 reply

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jfgrissom

11 years ago

I see what your'e saying.

I wasn't thinking about creation of video and audio... just the syndication of them...

Good feedback...

Are you currently coding this stuff in a framework?

Thanks
1 reply

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seasoned

11 years ago

Originally Posted by jfgrissom

I see what your'e saying.

I wasn't thinking about creation of video and audio... just the syndication of them...

Good feedback...

Are you currently coding this stuff in a framework?

It WAS, and remains, in a kind of custom framework, almost like "smarty"(it is PHP), why do you ask?

Steve

Thanks
1 reply

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jfgrissom

11 years ago

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seasoned

11 years ago

I am still trying to figure what the best PHP framework to specialize in may be. For JAVA, I have decided on a spring/wicket hybrid.

What frameworks did you look at to determine it should be symfony? Do you like it? Does it handle SQL databases and browsser control, including ajax, well?

Steve

Thanks
1 reply

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jfgrissom

11 years ago

Originally Posted by seasoned

I am still trying to figure what the best PHP framework to specialize in may be. For JAVA, I have decided on a spring/wicket hybrid.

What frameworks did you look at to determine it should be symfony? Do you like it? Does it handle SQL databases and browsser control, including ajax, well?

Steve

I've worked on toooooo many java projects (not developing) as a lead and I just don't like it... over engineered... companies I've done work with always seem to end up with slow, bloated products in the end... I've never seen a REALLY FAST - attractive Java app so I'm not really leaning toward it...

Symfony is a nice simple fast framework. After developing with it, I can't see myself enjoying anything else... I looked at other PHP frameworks... but none of them hooked me the way Symfony did.

There is a DBAL for all your database needs with clean a decoupled object model. Browser controls and ajax I prefer to leave to client side tools like jquery. Symfony has a pretty sexy way of handling this... Twig is the templating system for rendering views.

I've looked at other stuff... and I prefer PHP because it was designed around http (something I already understand well).

Thanks
1 reply

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seasoned

11 years ago

Originally Posted by jfgrissom

I've worked on toooooo many java projects (not developing) as a lead and I just don't like it... over engineered... companies I've done work with always seem to end up with slow, bloated products in the end... I've never seen a REALLY FAST - attractive Java app so I'm not really leaning toward it...

YEAH, one reason why I started with java so late. And the idea of planned surprise obsolescence, YIKES! One thing I liked about C was you could learn it, standardize on libraries and RUN with it.

Symfony is a nice simple fast framework. After developing with it, I can't see myself enjoying anything else... I looked at other PHP frameworks... but none of them hooked me the way Symfony did.

Have you looked at YII? Just curious.

There is a DBAL for all your database needs with clean a decoupled object model. Browser controls and ajax I prefer to leave to client side tools like jquery. Symfony has a pretty sexy way of handling this... Twig is the templating system for rendering views.

One thing I like about Wicket, for java, is it automates Jquery integration. Really, any good frontend should. jquery is well respected and often used, so it is a good piece for that.

I've looked at other stuff... and I prefer PHP because it was designed around http (something I already understand well).

Actually, they kind of tied it into the http server, and uses a standard that even tomcat uses for JSP(java). There is good and bad about that. PERL started with, and still is, done with the old full CGI/script methodology.

Please realize I am just trying to get your opinions, NOT trying to change any. It has been a while since I looked at PHP frameworks, and I want to at least start wit only ONE. Of course, I DO remember that aymfony was popular when I last looked, and is now. That ALONE is a mark in its favor. MAN do I have a lot of goals right now.

Steve

Thanks
1 reply

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jfgrissom

11 years ago

Originally Posted by seasoned

Have you looked at YII? Just curious.

Steve

I've not used it but the marketing looks pretty sexy... has the same features that Symfony2 has (CRUD, Model, and Controller generators) but I think symfony has a lot going for it. Here are the features it has (of course it's extensible too... but these are what is available in an older version I've been developing in - this may or may not make sense... LOL

):

Code:

Symfony version 2.0.15 - app/dev/debug

Usage:
  [options] command [arguments]

Options:
  --help           -h Display this help message.
  --quiet          -q Do not output any message.
  --verbose        -v Increase verbosity of messages.
  --version        -V Display this application version.
  --ansi              Force ANSI output.
  --no-ansi           Disable ANSI output.
  --no-interaction -n Do not ask any interactive question.
  --shell          -s Launch the shell.
  --env            -e The Environment name.
  --no-debug          Switches off debug mode.

Available commands:
  help                                  Displays help for a command
  list                                  Lists commands
assetic
  assetic:dump                          Dumps all assets to the filesystem
assets
  assets:install                        Installs bundles web assets under a public web directory
cache
  cache:clear                           Clears the cache
  cache:warmup                          Warms up an empty cache
container
  container:debug                       Displays current services for an application
doctrine
  doctrine:cache:clear-metadata         Clears all metadata cache for a entity manager
  doctrine:cache:clear-query            Clears all query cache for a entity manager
  doctrine:cache:clear-result           Clears result cache for a entity manager
  doctrine:database:create              Creates the configured databases
  doctrine:database:drop                Drops the configured databases
  doctrine:ensure-production-settings   Verify that Doctrine is properly configured for a production environment.
  doctrine:generate:crud                Generates a CRUD based on a Doctrine entity
  doctrine:generate:entities            Generates entity classes and method stubs from your mapping information
  doctrine:generate:entity              Generates a new Doctrine entity inside a bundle
  doctrine:generate:form                Generates a form type class based on a Doctrine entity
  doctrine:mapping:convert              Convert mapping information between supported formats.
  doctrine:mapping:import               Imports mapping information from an existing database
  doctrine:mapping:info                 Shows basic information about all mapped entities
  doctrine:query:dql                    Executes arbitrary DQL directly from the command line.
  doctrine:query:sql                    Executes arbitrary SQL directly from the command line.
  doctrine:schema:create                Executes (or dumps) the SQL needed to generate the database schema
  doctrine:schema:drop                  Executes (or dumps) the SQL needed to drop the current database schema
  doctrine:schema:update                Executes (or dumps) the SQL needed to update the database schema to match the current mapping metadata
generate
  generate:bundle                       Generates a bundle
  generate:doctrine:crud                Generates a CRUD based on a Doctrine entity
  generate:doctrine:entities            Generates entity classes and method stubs from your mapping information
  generate:doctrine:entity              Generates a new Doctrine entity inside a bundle
  generate:doctrine:form                Generates a form type class based on a Doctrine entity
init
  init:acl                              Mounts ACL tables in the database
router
  router:debug                          Displays current routes for an application
  router:dump-apache                    Dumps all routes as Apache rewrite rules
swiftmailer
  swiftmailer:spool:send                Sends emails from the spool

Thanks

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jfgrissom 11 years ago

Originally Posted by seasoned

It WAS, and remains, in a kind of custom framework, almost like "smarty"(it is PHP), why do you ask?

Steve

I am looking to do this stuff in PHP using symfony2 (amongst other tech if needed... but I'm trying to stick to everything in one framework/language) - I've been doing stuff in their forums for a while. So I've been wanting to start laying some stuff out using their framework.

I'm looking for developers to help... so I was just thinking out loud. (Assuming there is some market interest - It would be great to work with a developer that actually has some IM experience too... always better to work with people who understand the targets you're trying to hit.)

I figure if it's a good product, it could be released to the symfony community. And it could be monetized through support or a service.
- Thanks
- 1 reply
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- seasoned 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by jfgrissom
  
  I figure if it's a good product, it could be released to the symfony community. And it could be monetized through support or a service.
  
  YEAH, I offered to provide my services to the group for FREE if they kept to the original deal. A few people wanted to act like big shots and broke the licensing agreements, so I figured FORGET IT. It slowly died. I thought it was a nice start and what I had surpassed almost every non proprietary system then available, so every now and then I look at it again. So I am gun shy with full opensource.
  
  As for kingfishes claim about license fees? License fees for something like this can range from 0 to well into the millions of dollars. Frankly though, many of the more expensive ones are JUNK and some of the free stuff is good. And you can't simply license products for each function. They ideally should be the same language, and framework if applicable, look alike, tie together seamlessly, and have the same authentication and configuration system. That almost always means CHANGES!
  
  Steve
  
  Thanks
  
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Kingfish85

11 years ago

We looked at doing this - the problem is with licensing. For the amount it would cost the company in licensing applications it's hard in order to offer a competitive price & have a profit as well that people will pay.

Thanks
1 reply

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jfgrissom

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Kingfish85

We looked at doing this - the problem is with licensing. For the amount it would cost the company in licensing applications it's hard in order to offer a competitive price & have a profit as well that people will pay.

Interesting take on this... initially I'll be building out the minimum viable components, to get the core functionality down.

I'm not a fan of integrating off the shelf products (if I can avoid it). In the cases where opensource projects make sense to integrate I'd do that... but as for buying software an just glueing them all together :rolleyes: - I agree with you ... no a great idea.

Thanks for sharing your take on this!

What kind of features were you looking for that made the licensing so steep?

Thanks

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jfgrissom

11 years ago

Originally Posted by soothsayerpg

No, i think there is not. But there are always alternative = Hire a VA!

I see... thanks - This is what I was kind of expecting...

Your point with a VA is pretty valid... I had one working to help me promote a project before, but it's messy - or I don't have the right skills to get good work out of a VA yet...:confused: (Still worth considering again, if there is actually no market for an all-in-one-service.)

Thanks

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bizgrower

11 years ago

Maybe this for ideas anyway:
Adobe Business Catalyst - Features

Thanks
2 replies

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seasoned 11 years ago

Originally Posted by bizgrower

Maybe this for ideas anyway:
Adobe Business Catalyst - Features

Adobe never made an inexpensive product. It isn't entirely true. It certainly doesn't fit the bill. Talk about puting all your eggs in one basket!

Steve
- Thanks
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jfgrissom 11 years ago

Originally Posted by bizgrower

Maybe this for ideas anyway:
Adobe Business Catalyst - Features

Hey... at a glance, this is a pretty solid recommendation.

I'm going to look more closely at it to see what can be done with it... no need to reinvent the wheel if there is an ideal one out there...

Thanks for recommending this! I'll take a close look at it.
- [ 1 ] Thanks
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jfgrissom

11 years ago

I also found this...

All-in-one online business solution - Swizzle (looks promising) $12 to $79 per month.

Looks very stylish... but is lacking social media tools (at a glance)...

Thanks

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williambrown

11 years ago

I don't think there's something like that as of the moment maybe they could offer one or two of the things you listed but not all of it though.

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jfgrissom 11 years ago

Originally Posted by williambrown

I don't think there's something like that as of the moment maybe they could offer one or two of the things you listed but not all of it though.

Cool thanks for sharing your thoughts...

What if all of this were in one place that was well designed and easy to use...

1) What if a service could be a guide to conducting market research.
2) Then guide you to the next phase of finding an audience.
3) And, provide you with the tools you need to take the next steps of building credibility with that audience and engaging them.
4) Selling to them.
5) Finally supporting them after the sale.

Do you think this kind of service would help you reach your goals?

I've started coding this for myself, for my own use... but I'm just curious if anyone else thinks is meaningful.
- Thanks
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jfgrissom

11 years ago

Hi,

Just checking in to see if anyone else is interested in using the site I'm building.

Send me a private message if you want to be added to the beta and get free use of the service.

Thanks!

Thanks

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Anoosh Kashefi

11 years ago

Not sure if EVERYTHING you listed is covered, but I know GVO offers a ton of those things in their hosting. I always wanted to get involved with GVO but never have.

I think they offer something special, and if you get a chance you may want to check it out.

Thanks
1 reply

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jfgrissom 11 years ago

Originally Posted by Anoosh Kashefi

I know GVO offers a ton of those things in their hosting.

Thanks for sharing this! I appreciate your feedback...

I took a look at GVO just a few minutes ago.

Looks like a good company, but not what I'm thinking of. They seem like a hosting company similar to racspace or other similar offerings. I'm wanting INTEGRATED services that someone can simply login into a control panel and click a check box to enable...

They provide hosting from a "technical services" perspective. I've worked with a lot of small business owners that get weighed down with all the noise of "email hosting", "web hosting", "Database services", and a million other technical items that can slow down a "would be successful" business person. I want to remove the techie stuff, and lean more toward business work-flows that lead to specific results.

For example:
Say you have a product to sell. What do you need in place to sell it?
You login to your enterprise manager (which is the site I'm building.)
1) You will need to know what keywords have the best likelihood of selling the product.
2) You click on the keyword research section.
3) You type in a keyword related to your product.
4) You get the keywords back from google that people are paying the highest dollars for.(Logically these are the keywords that pay, because people can afford to pay for them. This is just one example of how to research. Another might be by low competition.)
5) You select one of the keywords and click "build a sales page from this keyword" (Other options might be build a blog post, or syndication article from this keyword - it all depends on how closely the word relates the product being sold...).
6) You select a page theme (which would be a sub-theme of an over-all site "domain theme")
7) You fill in a headline
8) You fill in a sub-headline
9) You Write ad-copy (top benefits, testimonials, etc...etc...)
10) To complete the page you create a "reusable" (something they can use on other pages) call to action, then add the call to action to the page.
11) At this point you feel good about the page. But, before you can drive traffic to the page you need to be sure it's search engine friendly.
12) So you click on "Optimize for Search".
13) The search optimizer returns page level recommendations, and you edit accordingly (this could involve using a keyword less or more, etc...).
14) It also returns site level optimization recommendations, and you edit accordingly (this could involve creating blog content that points to this page to make the site more relevant, etc...).
15) It also returns "off site" optimization, and you do these tasks. (this could include getting links from reputable blogs, forums, or other sites related to this keyword.)

* At this point you might want to build a mailing list around this subject. Again from the enterprise manager, from the keyword section you would just select "Build a mailing list around this keyword" and follow a set of steps similar to building a page around the keyword.
* And you might want to create a forum around the idea... (again just click and follow the workflow)
* And you might want to create an article that your site can syndicate for you (news release type thing...also just click and follow the workflow.)
* And you might want to post to your syndication blogs like wordpress, blogger, facebook-page, and blog.com. (again follow the workflow to post to all of them together, then socialize with others on those sites with related interests.)
* And you might want to post a headline pointing to the page on your micro-blogs like twitter, facebook-status, friendfeed, posterous, and tumblr. (follow the workflow & socialize.)

Of course you'd have a workflow for PPC too...
Of course you'd have a split testing feature too...

You likely get the picture... Everything stems from a researched starting point (a keyword/phrase) then makes its way, into a sales page, which require blogs, mailing lists, and other content that point to the sales page.
- Thanks
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