Palo Alto Software News Room

The fastest, easiest way to create a marketing plan – is new for 2008 enriched by Duct Tape Marketing.

Create a great action plan that you will be proud to share with your colleagues and that will grow your business.

Eugene, OR (August 22 , 2008) – Palo Alto Software (www.paloalto.com) in partnership with John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing (www.ducttapemarketing.com) today announced the release of its newest version of Marketing Plan Pro Software powered by Duct Tape Marketing. In this latest release of Marketing Plan Pro, Palo Alto Software has taken the award-winning Duct Tape Marketing methodology and embedded it into Marketing Plan Pro–creating a product that will guide users through the process of creating a powerful marketing action plan that will help them understand how marketing and advertising can help successfully grow their businesses.

Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing – the best way to write a successful marketing plan- is all-new for 2008. Small businesses often struggle with marketing strategies, and how to put an action plan in place that will actually grow their sales numbers. Marketing Plan Pro will give any business a clear plan to start working from and get them started on creating a winning marketing strategy in just 30 minutes. This new version of Marketing Plan Pro will help you:
• Build your marketing vision to identify your business goals and measure your progress.
• Identify your remarkable difference and help figure out how you stack up against your competition.
• Find your customers
• Forecast sales and budget expenses

“It’s been exciting watching my Duct Tape Marketing system go from blog to book to software. Merging my system with Palo Alto Software’s Marketing Plan Pro software will make this methodology available to anyone wanting to see their business succeed,” says John Jantsch, creator of Duct Tape Marketing. “The 30-minute plan will allow anyone to get from plan to action immediately.”

Marketing is a system, not an event, and Duct Tape Marketing is a systematic approach to marketing that is as elegantly simple as that sticky and trustworthy roll of duct tape. The Duct Tape Marketing system, developed by renowned small-business marketing guru John Jantsch, shows customers how to develop and execute marketing plans that will give businesses life and longevity. Audio introductions narrated by Jantsch are also included for major topics.

“Working with John Jantsch to bring Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing to market has been a great experience for Palo Alto Software,” said Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software. “Our Marketing Plan Pro software still employs the core elements that have always made it a great value—including the step-by-step approach that guides users seamlessly through the process of creating a marketing plan that will be immediately available for use and get results. Palo Alto Software’s collaboration with John Jantsch and the Duct Tape Marketing system will be nothing short of remarkable for new and repeat customers, and we are very proud to bring this version to market.”

Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing is available via http://www.paloalto.com

*For credentialed press inquires: Evaluation copies of the software are available for review, please email mediarelations@paloalto.com for a serial number and link to download. Physical software available upon request.

Posted on August 22nd, 2008 | No Comments »

August 13, 2008 — From September 24-27, Concierge and errand business owners from around the world will be converging in Tampa to attend the 7rth Annual conference of the International Concierge and Errand Association (ICEA). ICEA is an International Association that supports over 650 concierge businesses from 21 countries around the world. The conference is open to all members, non-members, suppliers and those considering starting a concierge business.

“We’ve seen a 110% increase in membership over the last year and a half,” says ICEA Chairman of the Board, Katharine Giovanni. “This is a great chance for everyone to meet face to face and delve a bit deeper into the issues unique to our industry,” she adds. This year’s program features speakers who are nationally known business consultants and successful business architects speaking on topics of business successes, leadership, strategic planning, technology and human resources.

Speakers include Patti Holmes of Holmes Training and Development, Gayle Watson of Performance Solutions, Inc., Lesley Boucher and Renee Lewis of the Pensare Group, Amy Zydel, an expert at marketing and networking for small businesses on a tight budget, Brian J. Norman, of Norman-Spencer Agency, Inc., and International Concierge Training Expert Katharine Giovanni of Triangle Concierge, who is ICEA’s Chairman of the board to name a few.

ICEA is also proud to have AIG Travel Guard as the sponsor for the welcome event as well as Palo Alto Software who will be showcasing their new product Email Center Pro.

ICEA is the leading global community for concierge and errand business professionals, serving as the primary resource and active advocate for members by providing essential resources, continuing education, networking opportunities, and other professional endeavors.

Contact:
Carla Mandell, 2008 Conference Co-Chair
International Concierge and Errand Association - www.iceaweb.org

Posted on August 14th, 2008 | No Comments »

August 12, 2008 - Review of Business Plan Pro UK in PC Advisor

by Rosemary Haworth

It might be coincidental, but no sooner has the new series of entrepreneur-baiting show Dragons Den started than comes word of a new business planning program designed to help budding businesses get off the ground.

Palo Alto is a British company that’s been going for 14 years. With this latest version of its Business Plan Pro 11 software, the company aims to make it quicker and easier for would-be business managers to create accurate plans and financial projections. To this end, the £79 Palo AltoBusiness Plan Pro 11 has a more colourful and streamlined user interface with customisable colour charts.

It is certified for use with Windows Vista and it will enable startups to “create a business plan that is complete and financially accurate”.

As well as being able to make use of the desktop-bound planning software, users can access a dedicated website, SecurePlan.com, where they can share business planning data.

A £129.99 Premier version of Palo Alto Business Plan Pro 11 extends the software’s capabilities with a management tool. This includes month-to-month and year-to-year financial planning and analysis.

Entrepreneurs can also impress would-be financial backers in German, French, Italian and Spanish with the addition of bolt-on language packs.

For more details of the software, which will be sold via the Amazon website and Borders bookshop, see www.paloalto.co.uk.

Posted on August 14th, 2008 | No Comments »

Eugene, OR - August 12, 2008

Tim Berry, Palo Alto Software founder and president and Academy of Management member, is speaking at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, taking place in Anaheim, CA, August 8-13. At his program session, number 1330, Tim will present the concepts of his new book, The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan. 

“Plan-as-you-go business planning is a change of focus to emphasize planning, an active process that leads to management, rather than the more traditional document oriented business plan.”

The session takes place at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 12th, in room 303D in the Anaheim Convention Center. View this link for more information: http://program.aomonline.org/2008/submission.asp?mode=showsession&SessionID=927

Posted on August 12th, 2008 | No Comments »

July 16, 2008 - Eugene, OR

Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software, will be speaking at BlogHer ‘08 down in San Francisco, Ca this weekend. She will be speaking with Kelly Phillips Erb and Linsey Krolik on various issues of how to get down to the business of blogging.

For those already going, you can attend the talk on Friday, July 18, 2008 from 10:30am - 11:45am in the California West room of the St. Francis Westin.

The BlogHer event is sold out, but you can still register to attend BlogHer in SecondLife.

Posted on July 16th, 2008 | No Comments »

To: Palo Alto Software
From: Tim Shea
Date: July 15, 2008
Re: Appreciation

Thank you Palo Alto Software for all the un-wavering and generous support you have given the Clackamas College Small Business Development Center, and to the Oregon SBDC Network in general.

Over the past 10 years I have been able to use Business Plan Pro to effectively train both new and seasoned business owners in developing plans for a variety of uses including financing proposals, marketing plans, strategic planning and even making the decision to not go into business.

As a presenter and exhibitor Palo Alto has been a great resource for the annual Portland Small Business Fair which is now in its 15th year. Further, I am always impressed with the forward thinking the company, and Tim Berry, do around the concept of business planning…the new “plan as you go” strategy is brilliant!

I should also add that when clients come in with plans created with Business Plan Pro these plans are always ahead of the pack in quality, thoughtfulness and thoroughness….it makes it much easier to help them implement and achieve their goals.

—Tim Shea, Clackamas College Small Business Development Center

Posted on July 15th, 2008 | No Comments »

Best-selling business-planning product Business Plan Pro receives HIGHLY RECOMMENDED accreditation from Company Partners.
London, U.K. (July 8th, 2008) – Palo Alto Software Ltd today announced that its flagship product Business Plan Pro® 11.0. has received a ‘highly recommended’ rating from Wokingham-based Company Partners.

Company Partners provides an online service to put people who are looking for business partners in touch with each other, serving both those starting a business, and those growing an existing business. They also enable business angels and those looking for business investment to contact each other directly.

Company Partners also undertakes an annual review of the best business plan applications available and reports on their findings through their Company Partners website. This is the first time that anyone has achieved a highly-recommended rating.

Describing Business Plan Pro, Lawrence Gilbert, Director of Company Partners states Business Plan Pro was “a joy to use, with its easy-to-follow guidance and clear descriptions at each step.” He went on to say it produced, “a polished and professional looking result [and is] highly recommended for any business.”

The review goes on to praise the “easy” setup and installation, and describes the financial section as being based on UK requirements which included “excellent guidance”.

“We are delighted we have received such a ringing endorsement for our latest version from Company Partners,” says Alan Gleeson, Managing Director of Palo Alto Software Ltd. “It is especially pleasing when the independent review covers many of our competitors in the U.K., and we are delighted to be the only business-planning application to receive a ‘highly recommended’ status by Company Partners.” Gleeson goes on to say that “this latest version got a complete overhaul, and is now faster and easier to use than ever before. We are naturally thrilled with this endorsement which justifies our efforts in making Business Plan Pro the fastest and easiest way to write a business plan.”

Visit the Company Partners website for the full review.

Business Plan Pro 11.0 is available immediately at www.paloalto.co.uk, from Amazon.co.uk and also from Borders, Oxford Street, London.

About Palo Alto Software Ltd
Palo Alto Software Limited is a privately held company with offices in London, England. Palo Alto Software Limited sells, markets, and distributes international versions of the award-winning software developed by Palo Alto Software, Inc.

Palo Alto Software’s products include Business Plan Pro®, Marketing Plan Pro®, and Email Center Pro®. The company website, www.paloalto.co.uk, provides product information, product support, and online registration and updates. Additional information on business planning can be found at bplans.co.uk and businessplanuk.co.uk
Access high-resolution images of Business Plan Pro®

For Immediate Release
Contact:     Alan Gleeson
Phone:     0845 351 9924
Email:     alan.gleeson@paloalto.co.uk

Posted on July 8th, 2008 | No Comments »

Trump University is a Growing Business supported by the larger Trump Organization. We’re training 100’s of students on becoming better Entrepreneurs. Palo Alto software is used to support the efforts of our Entrepreneurship Mastery Program, an 8 week intensive program designed to assist students in formalizing their business or business idea.

What pain points within your company/division were you looking to elevate by using Business Plan Pro?
We wanted a flexible and comprehensive software package to assist our students who might be at a very early stage in their business concept or years into their ongoing business. Business Plan Pro gave us that flexibility.

What had you done in the past to help solve this problem?
This was the only solution that we implemented when putting our program together.

How did you hear about Business Plan Pro?
We conducted a web search initially to narrow down our options.

Why were you interested in using business planning software?
Flexibility

Who had a hand in choosing the software for your program?
Our executive team

How did you use the software for your program?
It’s used by our students to submit their homework. We have 7 assignments, each focused on a different section of the plan.

What was the outcome of using the software?
It’s allowed us to successfully deliver our program with maximum value.

What would you do differently regarding your program?
The initial setup is still a bit complicated. Also I’m a fan of a comprehensive Executive Summary that incorporates some elements of the entire plan as opposed to just the objectives, key actions etc.

Did the cost of the software justify the results?
ABSOLUTELY!!!

Outside of software, what other tools made your program more effective/successful, or would have made it made it more successful?
We use two books that focus on several key elements of starting a business that supports our lectures, elevator pitch session, private consultative sessions and discussion boards that makeup our Entrepreneurship Mastery Program.

What feedback on Business Plan Pro have you received from your end-users?
We’ve had overwhelmingly positive reaction to the software. It allows our students to structure a terrific plan for their business regardless of what they are doing.

Additional Comments

We have been extraordinarily happy with the Business Plan Pro software and more importantly with Palo Alto relationship. In fact we think of it as a partnership in many ways and not simply as a vendor client arrangement. Palo Alto has gone out of their way not to just support THEIR software but rather to support OUR program and the use of their software within it. They are a creative, competent and customer oriented organization that anyone looking for entrepreneurship based solutions should consult. Thanks guys!!!

Larry Morris
Trump University
New York, NY 10005
http://www.TrumpUniversity.com

Posted on June 12th, 2008 | No Comments »

“Marketing Plan Pro is absolutely the best software for creating an effective marketing plan.”

— Laura Ries

Posted on June 5th, 2008 | No Comments »

Business Plan Pro was picked in the June 2008 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the top resources that can take your company to the next level of growth and profitability:

BUSINESS PLAN PRO from Palo Alto Software is the leader in business planning software for startups and small businesses. The company offers a wealth of business planning advice plus 60 free sample business plans for companies ranging from auto repair shops to sports bars. You can download Business Plan Pro with 500 plus sample plans for only $99.95 (bplans.com/sp/businessplans.cfm)

Posted on June 3rd, 2008 | No Comments »