Guided Message

How Luminessee’s IT Support Helped Keep Guided Message’s Computers, Website, Email Service and Phones Running Strong

After more than 30 years of guiding public relations (PR) programs at companies ranging from start-ups to Pacific Bell and Intel, Guided Message Founder Scott Smith, has the capabilities to help organizations transform their messages into mindshare. He has built successful PR programs from the ground up; launched high-profile (and not so high-profile) products to fantastic coverage; penned articles, blogs, scripts, and speeches; and conducted what he says may have been the first completely virtual major product roll-out.

Luminessee helps entrepreneurs and business owners build reputations and revenue with digital media. To accomplish this, Luminessee crafts and implements online marketing strategic plans; designs and builds engaging websites; produces and manages email and social media campaigns; optimizes search engines to prequalify and convert target audiences— and provides IT services to keep business computer, network, phone and website systems running strong.

After Scott located and vetted Luminessee online, he requested help addressing an urgent and incapacitating email delivery and receipt issue. Although most of the time his business operations flowed smoothly and without a hitch, he occasionally had an issue with a third-party service such as Microsoft Office, an ISP, his DNS, or SSL.

CHALLENGES

Guided Message, like any business worth its salt, prides itself on quick turnarounds, open channels of communication, and timely deliveries to clients. That’s why anything as small as an unexpected warning message—or as devastating as a sudden malware attack, domain name blocklisting, hacked website, or broken email service—would be entirely intolerable. So, when Scott approached Luminessee about how to keep all things computer and internet running smoothly for his business, there was no time to waste. After quickly resolving the immediate email issue at hand, a thorough information technology (IT) assessment identified areas of risk that Scott (and so many businesses) face:

RISK OF WEBSITE HACKING

With increasing concerns for website security, software platforms (such as the one Scott used, WordPress, but also Magento, BigCommerce, and others) try to stay one step ahead of hackers and malware by issuing security updates and enhancements or new functionality. For security and business decisions made by the software manufacturers, occasionally, these upgrades are forced via automation rather than optional. This presents a double challenge: if a company chooses not to upgrade, then its website may be hacked more easily. If the software automatically updates and the business is unprepared, the website may break down.

RISK OF HARDWARE BREAKDOWNS & SOFTWARE MALFUNCTION

Neglecting regulated upkeep of domain names, email services, and other business IT functionality can lead to unexpected breakdowns. Just as a car requires oil changes, sufficient tire tread, and tune-ups, so do all a business’ information technology components.

RISK OF SITE OUTAGE AFTER SOFTWARE UPDATES

A website can go down after an automated software update and changes with the platform (in Guided Message’s case, WordPress, but just as easily Joomla, Drupal, Shopify, etc.) Unfortunately, these occurrences are not rare in the World Wide Web.

SOLUTION: Comprehensive IT Protection Plan

Considering the challenges just outlined that Sphaera faced and the business’ desire to keep costs down, Luminessee devised a Lead Generation and Branding Strategy for the IT company that included:

Luminessee answered Guided Message’s simple question–IS THERE A WAY TO AVOID AN INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE IN THE FUTURE?—by explaining that interruptions in service can be minimized through the website and IT equipment maintenance, keeping not only web platforms (such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce and others) up to date but also maintaining current all of the software and plugins the website/s employ/s.

Luminessee put together a website maintenance package to ensure Guided Message’s website software would be updated regularly while conserving its custom code. Luminessee also put a malware scanning solution in place that would immediately alert the technical team if the site was at risk so that the malicious software could be identified, quarantined, and eliminated.

CONCLUSION

Luminessee’s IT Support Services helped Guided Message to protect its information technology infrastructure and keep things running smoothly.

In particular, Luminessee’s solution including these critical components to keep Guided Message as safe as possible in today’s high-risk online world:

 CMS PLATFORM, WEB SOFTWARE & PLUGIN UPDATES AND FIXES optimize page loading times, add third party software enhancements and security patches monthly, to ensure site is operating correctly and to keep security patches current

  THEME UPDATES as available, to keep CMS-based website functioning optimally and to streamline website administration

 BACKUP WEBSITE quarterly, and provide to client to keep in a secure exterior location for extra safekeeping

  FIREWALL REVIEW to ensure all is operating properly

  HOSTING REVIEW via server-console bi-monthly

  CLEAR WEBSITE CACHE as needed

  REVIEW ERROR LOGS bi-monthly and analyze for issues

Ready for success for your company, too?
Contact us now.

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online solutions to achieve your goals.

(615) 852-8848
info@luminessee.com

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN: Is your business information technology (IT) secure and well-maintained?

Have you wondered if there are other IT tools you should be employing?

Then you’ve come to the right place at the right time.

We are ready to address your concerns by having one of our brilliant IT strategists talk with you about your business IT operations. Our goal will be to help you identify any low-hanging fruit-type opportunities to protect and maintain your business IT infrastructure. Our guidance on this is complimentary.

Let’s be clear: this is not a thinly veiled sales pitch. This is an opportunity to discuss how to best capitalize on your business IT with a seasoned IT strategist who has put together, maintained, and protected many businesses’ most valued computer and internet infrastructures.. In this complimentary session, you will have a sounding board for your ideas and concerns regarding keeping your business IT safe and well-maintained.

Ready to make it happen? Speak with a REAL HUMAN right now to schedule your strategic planning session immediately.

SOME OF THE TOOLS WE USE

  • Content Marketing (BuzzSumo, Keyword Planner)
  • SEO (SEMrush, Moz, Ahrefs, SpyFu, iSpionage, Search Console)
  • Social Media Marketing (Sharp Spring, Hootsuite, HubSpot)
  • Email Drip Marketing (MailChimp, Constant Contact, Sharp Spring, HubSpot)
  • Marketing Automation (HubSpot, Sharp Spring, Marketo)
  • Analytics (Google Analytics, GA 360, HubSpot Marketing Hub, Marketo Engage, Pardot)

We know how important it is to keep a business website maintained with the latest software updates, as well as any edits or enhancements desired, we offer website maintenance packages. The smallest includes bi-annual website backups, quarterly software updates, and up to 10 hours/year of edits and website enhancements upon request. Packages also include daily uptime and malware scanning and up to 10 additional hours per year of malware cleanup, if ever needed.

If you have a site that you highly depend on daily, we strongly suggest doing these things at a minimum to keep it running smoothly. If you’re inspired to do all these things alone, we applaud you. After all, you wouldn’t drive your car every day without ever giving it a tune-up, would you? Many of these services and products require technical setup and upkeep, though, which we can help you with upon request. On the other hand, if you find yourself, like most of our clients, in the business of focusing on running your own business, then you may sleep more soundly knowing that we’re handling these things on your behalf. As always, the choice is yours!

We are happy to provide additional website development and support services as you desire. We provide maintenance hours in 5, 10, and 25-hour retainers, which are purchased in advance and replenished when low. 25-hour retainers are sold at dramatically reduced rates upon request.