Now, more than ever, organizations are engaging larger audiences using live streaming technologies. Not only can you reach more people with your messages, but all activity is tracked with real-time measurements. Live streaming also gives the ability for remote attendees to be included.

Most people can capture a video on a mobile device, but the audio/visual quality may suffer. Live streaming requires detailed planning, production, and technological know-how to ensure your event goes off seamlessly.

Intrada Technologies has years of experience planning and successfully achieving our clients’ audio/visual, event management, and web streaming goals. From small to large events, we have anticipated needs and proactively supported clients locally and nationally.

Intrada’s Approach to Live Event Streaming

Level 1
Our team visits your site and live streams your event. We test lighting and sound and use technical know-how to live stream on the platform (Facebook/YouTube) of your choice.

Level 2
Intrada takes on a greater role and works with your team to plan out your event. We hold pre-event calls as well as take on the role of directing, producing, and managing your virtual event.

Why consider live streaming (or live event streaming)?

Live streaming an event has many benefits, including a greater reach, engagement, future audience views, and can grow your website traffic. While offering more visibility, it also gives your event a longer shelf life.

Online video consumption is one of the most popular internet activities worldwide. With 93.7% of businesses using Facebook and over 2 billion users accessing YouTube’s website monthly, live streaming makes sense.

Intrada’s Live Streaming

Ribbon-Cuttings
Live streaming a ribbon-cutting allows additional customers to join the celebration. Intrada Technologies has successfully live streamed several regional ribbon cuttings over the past few years.

The footage that is streamed tells a story of growth, stability, and introduction to a prospective client and, over time, will provide a historical value on a platform available to everyone. The video can be viewed again, not just a memory framed in an office lobby.

Conferences
Rotary International District 7360, covering parts of Pennsylvania and Maryland, hosts a youth exchange conference each year. Intrada has been charged with live streaming the event on Facebook since 2018.

At the conference, foreign exchange students supported by the schools in the district, present a program for attending Rotarians. Each student is involved in singing, dancing, performing, or speaking.   Livestreaming the event allowed 2,000 views in over 30 countries, in addition to the 400 people attending.   Family members were able to see loved ones and send messages via Facebook Live. Over the next several weeks, views and shares exceeded 10,000 expanding the program's reach 25 times. Rotarians were able to share this event with others interested in Rotary's exchange program.  

Educational Seminars
For attendees unable to attend educational seminars, Intrada has partnered with organizations to stream short synopses of content. We refer viewers to sections of the client’s website for more information. These videos can be archived and viewed at a later date.

Start Streaming with Intrada

With two decades of experience creating and delivering key messaging, Intrada Technologies manages the creative process for our clients and provides the technical production of live event streams. The live streaming process begins with speaking with Intrada’s seasoned and knowledgeable team.

After defining the target audience and event scope, our team builds the entire production configuration, including onsite audio and video needs.

Live streaming is one of the most powerful and cost-effective delivery platforms your organization can have in its digital media toolbox. Give Intrada a call to obtain a free estimate and discuss our live event streaming process.

While all of the effects of COVID-19 have yet to be seen, the challenges for both large and small businesses are significant. Staying abreast of the constant changes and the impacts to your industry while keeping your business afloat can be all-encompassing.

As a small business, Intrada Technologies understands. We can help.

Intrada Technologies takes our partnership with clients seriously. Intrada Technologies was founded to build ongoing, trusted, collaborative relationships with clients through our full-service web development and network management services. We will be there when you need us.

Our commitment to our clients and to exceeding their expectations led us to develop a vital resource – the Situation Response Process.

When situations arise, it can be difficult to ascertain the best steps to take. The natural inclination is to take a step back. Intrada’s Situation Response Process encourages our staff to lean in with assistance and forward-thinking recommendations when clients are in distress.

The Situation Response Process helps Intrada and our clients best move through all phases of a situation and is incorporated into every one of our agreements. Intrada Technologies works hard to ensure our clients have what they need to run with maximum efficiency and reliability. Our goal is to help your business succeed.

This overview will provide insight into how Intrada Technologies’ Situation Response Process actively supports our clients, enabling them to respond quickly and proactively when an issue arises.

The Phases

The Situation Response Process flows between five phases: Initial, Maintenance, Transition, Resolution, and Evaluation. Every response differs because each client and circumstance have their nuances, but the process is a reliable framework for Intrada and our clients’ staff to build upon.

If your organization has a situation arise, Intrada Technologies will walk with you through each phase. The Service Response Process will allow you to respond quickly and consistently across all Intrada-serviced platforms for the best potential outcome.

Initial Phase

Unexpected events, crises, and emergencies spark confusion and present the challenges of incomplete or scattered facts, high-strung emotions, and possible media interest. Acknowledging the event and wisely sharing appropriate, factual information quickly through various channels builds trust in your organization’s credibility.

“There is no second chance to get it right in the initial phase of a crisis.” Barbara Reynolds, CDC

Intrada Technologies’ Situation Response Process activates when our staff becomes aware of your business’ issue – whether pre-crisis or at impact. Our owners are notified quickly and assign staff to help. We immediately reach out to collaborate with you and your staff to understand the situation, anticipate your needs, and provide support.

Intrada offers assistance with message development and enables you to distribute your message rapidly through the Internet, network, and social channels. Auditing existing communications, digital platforms, and marketing campaigns for revisions is promptly recommended and handled. Technology assets and configurations are reviewed to ensure prevent or minimize any service interruptions. Our Help Desk team is alerted and stands ready to aid your staff and launch a Disaster Recovery Policy check, if necessary. With your team’s input, our staff develops a Maintenance Response Plan to guide the next phase of the Situation Response Process.

Maintenance

During the Maintenance Phase, organizations seek to contain the situation, gain their public’s understanding, listen to get feedback, and respond with correct information or recommendations.

In implementing the Response Plan, Intrada’s staff strategically focuses on your web, IT and network challenges, empowering your business to both share and gather information. Verifying that all your digital and communication channels are updated, our team ensures you obtain the data you need and your customers receive your messages. Marketing and communication needs continue to be monitored and revised as needed.

While your organization is continuing to assess and address the event, our team’s diverse, technical know-how is at work utilizing the cutting-edge technology resources to create effective solutions and prepare for the next phase.

Transition

As the situation winds down, your business must transition from maintaining to thriving. Transitioning must be handled with care to prevent missteps. Using clear messaging through all your communication channels, set your audience’s expectations about the organization’s next steps and what to expect during the transition.

In the Transition Phase, Intrada Technologies helps our clients connect with customers to build excitement and generate momentum through updated communications, positive messaging, fresh images and content. Technology assets and configurations are reviewed again to minimize or prevent any service interruption. Help Desk team members identify the best process to transition your staff and communicate needful information to complete the phase. Targeted ad campaigns are scheduled to grow visibility and business interest.

Resolution

As operations return to a new normal in the Resolution Phase, Intrada will continue to support your organization’s web development, network management and technology needs. All systems’ functionality will be confirmed, messaging honed, platforms primed and digital marketing scheduled to invigorate your new focus.

Evaluation

Following the implementation of the Situation Response Process, your staff and Intrada will debrief with an honest evaluation of what worked, lessons learned, and ways to improve the process. Insights will be documented and filed for future reference.

"When a crisis hits, a positive outcome often depends on how well you have prepared and with whom you have partnered."

Conclusion

Intrada Technologies’ goal remains the same with the development of the Situation Response Process - to exceed our clients’ expectations. Through ongoing, trusted partnerships, we are prepared to create cutting-edge technology service solutions and deliver outstanding customer experiences to support you in any phase of your business’ life.

Is your Information Technology or Development partner reaching out to you with these proactive solutions during a crisis? Contact us today to learn more about a collaborative relationship with Intrada Technologies for your web development, IT, and network management needs.

While the new normal for many of us consists of working remotely, homeschooling our children, and only leaving our homes for essential items, taking a moment to relax is necessary for our mental health. Here at Intrada we thought, why not send out a puzzle? Who doesn't like puzzles?

Take a break, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and try to successfully finish our puzzle. You may notice some familiar faces. Click here to begin assembling.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Together, we will get through this.
-The Team at Intrada Technologies

Since the middle of March, many of us have been working remotely due to COVID-19. Whether located in the corner of your family room, a closet, or on your kitchen island, our new commute times are now seconds and the new business attire is quite comfortable. However, our new workstations may not be as quiet as they were before and interruptions are inevitable.

While we are adapting as best as we can, adjusting to a new virtual office does come with challenges. Intrada Technologies suggests approaching our new normal by assessing these challenges proactively, rather than reactively.

Virtual Office Adjustment Tips

1. Your new office normal should begin with a discussion with family members about work privacy.
   This discussion should prevent unauthorized access to screens, ensure the confidentiality of work-related phone calls, and lessen the likelihood of confidential files and documents being read. Think carefully about where you set up your workspace so you can be productive and efficient, while also following your company's policies. When you close up shop for the day, be intentional about closing windows on your screen and gathering documents into a folder where others will not accidentally see something they should not.
2. Just because you are home does not mean you are available at any request.
   Be realistic as you discuss your availability with both family members and your employer. Be honest with family about your work requirements and what you need from them. Then, listen to their needs. If children are involved and your partner/spouse also has a job, make compromises to best meet everyone’s needs and respect responsibilities. Following your family chat, discuss your new goals and preferred schedule management with your employer. This will help diffuse resentment and appropriately set expectations on both sides. Not being on-call with family members should be included in the preceding work privacy discussion. Set expectations and follow them.
3. An office should be an area where you can easily focus.
   If you do not have children, the kitchen island may work for your situation. If you do have children, being in the middle of the room with the most traffic may not be ideal unless your super power is ignoring things. Remember the old real estate adage about the best place to buy – location, location, location. Choose wisely. Then, set up the workspace that works for you.
4. Document Sharing Recommendations
   Intrada Technologies encourages those working remotely to use a business account/configuration for sharing documents, not personal accounts. Some options include Google Drive – Business, Microsoft Office 365 with SharePoint and Dropbox Business.
5. Video and Audio-Conferencing Software Options
   Intrada has used GoTo Meeting for several years with much success and we recommend it. Zoom is another option, but this new conference calling platform has been in the news a lot with how they are handling security. Overall, Zoom is fine to use and a great tool, but remember, as with any platform, you must protect meeting access to prevent the hijacking of meetings.
6. Follow a schedule
   Most experts recommend following a schedule like you typically would if your commute was not ten feet. Structure and productivity go hand-in-hand. Make your bed. Shower. Get dressed. Eat breakfast. Try to make the new routine to work as normal as it was before the change of scenery.

How can Intrada Help?

Intrada Technologies is a full-service web development and network management company with a focus on creating ongoing, trusted partnerships with each of our clients. We make sure our clients have what they require to run their businesses with maximum efficiency and reliability, as many of their needs are mission-critical.

Our unique, collaborative partnerships allow us to provide our clients with the assurance that we will be there when they need us. From API development with websites to Voice Over IP (VoIP) for remote or softphone solutions to security and compliancy management to cloud hosting to equipment and software sales, we are here to help. Give us a call. Intrada Technologies – Exceeding Expectations.

Hackers want your mobile phone number. This scam is new and quite simple. Hackers find out your mobile phone number and as much information as possible.

Once hackers steal your number, they contact your mobile phone company and make service changes. This gives them access to your calls, texts, and more. Scary! Depending on your configuration, they would be able to access your cloud drives, dual authentication codes, email, and reset passwords.

What can you do to protect yourself? Intrada Technologies recommends the following:

1. Do not share your mobile number on public, social media sites, or unknown websites.
2. Use strong passwords. Intrada recommends coming up with a “code” on how you create your passwords. This code provides a process of how you use different passwords for different sites but following a “code” so you can remember the password. For example- maybe all your online utility sites will start with an animal name, utility, address, and unique character. If that is the case, your electricity password might be FishblubPPL220*.
3. Contact your cell phone company to require confirmation for SIM swamp, number porting, or password reset.
4. Do not keep password files on your mobile device.

If you see your phone unexpectedly has changes to “Emergency Calls Only” status, contact your mobile phone company immediately. This is what happens when your number has been transferred to a different device.

If you have fallen victim to this type of scam, you need to alert your financial institutions and take standard steps to combat identity theft.

For more information, please contact the Help Desk at Intrada Technologies. We are here to help.

With the increase of employees working remotely, email scammers are getting creative. If you receive any emails in question, please contact the Intrada Help Desk before clicking on links or providing personal information.

This is an email received by Intrada from “Intrada” but not sent from Intrada. This is called spoofing. The email looks like it is from Intrada, but the actual sending server is in New York City - more specifically, 101 Avenue of the Americas – 10th Floor.

What is Spoofing?

Spoofing is when a spammer uses information like a shared email address (sales@company.com) or a contact usually found on a company website or online. Spammers will “spoof” that information and send to other email addresses also found on a company website to trick users into providing information, mobile phone numbers, account information, or additional private information.

Intrada uses the latest firewalls to help prevent these scams from ever hitting your inbox. On average, 56% of all email received by Intrada is spam, blocked by our firewalls; only 21% of incoming email is delivered. Other email is tagged for review or quarantined for user review. What spam firewalls cannot prevent is a user clicking on a link and providing personal information on an external website.

Intrada will not email you asking you to fill out personal information on a website form. Links that are sent to you asking for personal information is a red flag and should be checked by our Help Desk.

Please contact us if you think you have been spoofed by a scammer. We are here to help.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way we live and the way we work. Unless your organization has been deemed essential, you and your colleagues are likely working remotely. That means more audio and video conference calls, emails, and designating a specific place in your home as your new office.

Remember, just because you are working from a remote location does not mean you left the responsibility for following all the company network and privacy policies at the office. Every employee should ensure all company and customer information is kept confidential and secured per company policy and procedures. It does not matter if you’re sitting at a desk in your family room or at your kitchen island.

Your new office normal might require a discussion with family members about work privacy. This discussion should prevent unauthorized access to screens, ensure the confidentiality of work-related phone calls, and lessen the likelihood of confidential files and documents being read. Think carefully about where you set up your workspace so you can be productive and efficient, while also following your company's policies. When you close up shop for the day, be intentional about closing windows on your screen and gathering documents into a folder where others will not accidentally see something they should not.

If you have questions or concerns related to remote work, contact the Intrada Help Desk for more information by calling 800-858-5745.

MailChimp is a popular web software used for sending email blasts. Included in this post are details about each tab of MailChimp and how to use them to send effective emails to your clients.

LinkedIn is more popular than ever. Proper use of this social media can expand your professional network as well as promote your business. This article has the details as to why you should have a LinkedIn for yourself and your business, as well as tips to optimize your profile for maximum impact.