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Is Your Business Staying up with the Times?

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Man Hand writing Resource with black marker on visual screen.How do you set your business apart from those you are competing with?

One of the ways to do this is making sure your brand is current with the times. This means a number of things, most importantly of which is technology. If you’re lagging when it comes to the tech world, you could very well be watching business and money pass you by.

So, how do you make sure your brand is current when it comes to staying up with the times?

Review and React

Start by doing a review of all your business activities, checking each and every pertinent one.

How much emphasis does your company place on technology?

As the tech world continues to change and grow on seemingly a monthly basis, it is crucial that your brand is along for the ride.

One such area is the uptick in mobile sales in recent years, something your business can be capitalizing on with sound marketing initiatives.

As more and more customers continue trending towards browsing and buying goods/services on mobile devices, your brand must be along for the ride. This includes when it comes to customers and their payment processing options.

Is your company doing all it can to make sure customers have a smooth checkout when completing a sale with you?

Secondly, look at how your employees treat not only the customers that do business with you, but also their co-workers.

Running a successful business in 2016 and beyond means having a workplace where things run like a fine-tuned automobile. That means doing whatever is deemed necessary to make the business tick.

Sure, some co-workers will not get along entirely well with other ones, but always emphasize that it is the company which today, tomorrow, and the next day that ultimately comes first.

Don’t Forget the Social Experience

Also review how relevant your brand is on social media.

Face it; not being active in the social networking world in 2016 is akin to not having an ATM card or still using dial-up to get on the Internet.

Businesses with that social media presence stand a leg-up on their competitors for several reasons.

They include:

  • If a customer isn’t happy with the service he or she received from a business, they’re more apt to tell the world about it on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or any number of other social vehicles. The last thing you want as a business owner is having your brand talked about in a negative manner. This is one of the reasons having a voice on social media is important for your brand;
  • You should also use social media as a tool for your promotional efforts. Your products and/or services essentially receive free advertising when mentioned on social networking sites, so why wouldn’t you turn to these? While you want to go easy on the sales pitches on social sites, you should use social networking to tout why your brand stands apart from others. If you are running special deals for current and/or potential customers, use social sites to broadcast such news. You can even include coupons and other rewards on these pages that consumers can then download for savings;
  • You’d probably be lying if you said you never truly cared what the competition is up to. With that in mind, social media is a great means whereby you can learn about your competition. See how they use social media to promote their brands. Do they run contests on their Facebook pages? Do they use their Twitter page to retweet a number of interesting blog posts either from their site or industry-specific to them? Do they have a regular presence on Instagram, allowing them to post images of their products or services? These should all be areas of interest to you as you look to improve upon your own brand.

As you can see, there are many things for you to do in staying up with the times.

When you do just that, it is your business which stands to benefit the most.

Not only are you up to speed on technology, customer intuitions and what the competition is doing, but you show your brand to be relevant in 2016 and hopefully beyond.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and marketing topics on the web.

Take Your Web Browsing to New and Safe Heights

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Safety Vs Risk Choice ConceptWith all the concerns in recent years over website security, you would think more businesses would make it their number one focus.

Sadly, however, there are still too many companies who fail to put the right time and effort into thwarting hackers at the front door of their computer systems.

As a result, these businesses leave themselves open to an attack, an attack which oftentimes has devastating public relations and financial repercussions.

As 2016 enters its second month, is this the year that you and your brand take a stand against hackers? If so, what are some means by which to do just that?

Have a Plan and Execute It

In order for your business to improve its odds of keeping hackers away from your brand, you must have a plan and execute it.

Part of the plan is regularly checking to see where your business might be most vulnerable (your website, in-house computers, social media etc.) and knowing how to limit the odds of being hit.

To start with, having total freedom in web browsing does come with a price, a price that you must be willing to pay.

Look at the size of your company and exactly how many employees (you might be the only member) are actively engaged online on a daily basis. With that, see where the cracks and holes may be, problems that could lead you to being the most vulnerable to hackers.

Among the potential problem areas to explore:

  • Working with a web hosting company who does not put an emphasis on security;
  • Allowing employees too much freedom on social media;
  • Falling victim to scams that compromise your computer network’s integrity.

In looking at just these three potential problems, first know who you are working with.

If your web hosting company is lackadaisical when it comes to protecting your website, it is time to find a new provider.

Ask them if they regularly do security checks to see what the latest tactics hackers are trying to implement. Does the provider also monitor your website on a regular basis, looking for anything out of the ordinary? Finally, what protocols do they have in place in the event your website is hacked? A provider that acts right away instead of when they get around to it is the one you want to opt for.

Next, how much freedom do your workers have when it comes to surfing the web during the business day?

Should Your Business Be More Social?

Some companies allow for a reasonable amount of time on social media and other approved sites, while other businesses all but forbid it.

You have to decide early on if your employees will be allowed certain Internet freedoms in the office or if they will be asked to focus squarely on their jobs. Keep in mind that social media usage by your workers can actually help promote your brand, so don’t be too fast to discount how it can help you.

On the flip side, social media can pose a danger to you and your business when used improperly.

For example, if one or more of your employees are using social media to discuss company operations, client data etc., a hacker can easily manipulate the conversation and gain access to your computer system.

The same holds true if someone with ill intent sends you a job application/resume. They could post a fake social media link on their resume, hoping you or someone in your office will download it. Once that happens, malware could be installed in your system, allowing hackers to gain access to company and/or client data that should never go public.

One final area to look at is the sites you and/or your employees browse.

Some sites may look innocent, but they in fact can be downright dangerous for your computer/s.

If you are the least bit suspicious about a site you or an employee comes across or someone proposing you download an attachment that just doesn’t feel right, plot the safer course and just avoid it.

Building and refining your brand takes time and effort.

Staying one step ahead of hackers should never be something you take lightly, especially in a day and age where the web is full of people with misguided intentions.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and technology topics on the web.

Keep Internet Thieves at Bay

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Online Security Protection Internet Safety Learning Education CoIf you run a business and think that you’re not a target, think again.

Whether your company is small, midsize or large, you have a target on your back simply by the fact that you are an entrepreneur. If thieves can get their hands on your products, services, and especially information that will lead to a financial windfall for them, you can be singled out at any moment.

With that in mind, it behooves business owners to make sure they have their backs and the backs of their customers covered at all times. Remember, it just takes one slip-up for a hacker to make your life and your financial life miserable.

Be Pro-Active and Not Reactive

In order to make sure your Internet security is protected as much as possible from hackers (namely identity theft thieves), keep these tidbits in mind:

  • Be Pro-active – The last thing you want to do as a business owner is always be reacting to things, notably hackers. It is no secret that hacking is a profession for countless men and women, many of whom don’t care if you play by the rules or not. In order to decrease the chances of being financially hit, make sure you update your Internet protection software regularly. Look for cracks and kinks in its armor, thereby hopefully seeing them before thieves do. Just as you would use the appropriate computer software to limit your kids’ access to reaching inappropriate websites on your home computer, the same care and concern must be done for your business site. The goal here is to make sure no one is getting through to your company website without your approval;
  • Watch for employee red flags – While it would be comforting to think that all of your employees can always be trusted with sensitive company and customer data, it has proven time and time again that that is not the case. Even though you might think that the attack or attacks will come from the outside, many businesses have unfortunately discovered otherwise. Lessen the chances your business will become a victim by making sure you hire the best and brightest employees. If during the interview process you catch any red flags (past firings from jobs for disciplinary reasons such as stealing from employers and/or hacking websites, run-ins with the law etc.), think twice about bringing on that applicant as an employee. Also be sure to alert all employees once they are under your employ that in no shape or form will you tolerate illegal activities, notably as they relate to misusing company or customer data. If someone is caught doing just that, let it be known they could lose their job and potentially face criminal charges;
  • Be careful with outsourcing – While outsourcing business tasks is something many businesses do on a regular basis, this is another area where one must proceed with caution. Let’s say you outsource some or all of your accounting or client marketing needs to save on some of the workload for your in-house staff. In doing so, you provide the individual or individuals who will be working on accounting and client marketing sensitive data etc. It could be weeks or even months before you discover someone is then using that data for illegal purposes. Along with the financial hit to you and some of your customers, the public relations mess now on your hands is just as bad. Make sure you thoroughly research who you might outsource work to in order to lessen the odds they will be a problem for you and your clients down the road.

Running a business these days of course carries risks, risks that you sometimes have little control over.

When it comes to protecting your business website (both from outside and inside threats), you do have more control than you might think.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Dave Thomas covers business and technology issues on the web.

 

Take Your Company’s Data Integration to New Levels

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Businessman using his tablet computerNow that you’ve got your company off and running and your business intelligence all locked up with data integration, it’s time to take it to new levels.

Data integration is the latest way for businesses in all industries to meet the constantly evolving demands of their clients and customers.

It’s also a proven way for businesses to streamline all their department efforts, including HR, marketing and sales.

Take Human Resources to the Next Level

Human resources professionals are always looking for new and better ways to attain and retain quality employees. The task hasn’t always been easy.

In the past, HR professionals had to perform their personnel hunt on the sly, plucking top employees from their current jobs, wooing them over secret lunches and convincing them to jump ship. The entire affair was cumbersome and fraught with frustration and disappointment.

Half the time, after that entire struggle, the caught employee turned out to be not as expected, and ended up jumping ship – again.

With data integration, HR professionals can cease opportunities to finely tune their search for high potential job candidates, to a point where they are nearly certain they are chasing the right rabbit.

Once on board, data integration systems give HR professionals a bird’s eye view of employee’s performance and where there is room for improvement.

Take Marketing to the Next Level

As the following article looks at, your marketing department may be the area where you will see the most benefit from unlocking knowledge and enhancing collaboration with data integration.

With the correct data integration system in place, your marketing team can project trends, target leads and customize marketing strategies in record time.

Using data integration systems, marketing managers can swiftly react to changing patterns and interests in your target demographics.

It’s like being able to read a customer’s mind, and then changing what you say seconds before you say it.

Take Sales to the Next Level

With a data integration system at your sales team’s disposal, they will be able to act on information that is input into the system.

They will be able to collaborate with other team members, whether they are across the room or around the globe.

Sales efforts no longer have to be put on hold because one or more members of your sales team are out of pocket. Shared data is data that can be acted on instantly.

Those who are able to utilize the data and move ahead with projects will be able to update the project status, sign their digital name to the work, and move on to next steps.

The lead, or target customer, will then move automatically and organically to the next stage in the buying decision, ready for the next sales member to take the lead.

Streamlining your business with data integration is the next big thing that technology has brought to the hands of business owners.

Take advantage of this latest wave and find out how data integration can change the way you do business.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Kate Supino writes about business and marketing practices.

Is Your Company’s Network Management Sound?

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Young Business Executive Using LaptopTechnology is changing rapidly.

Is your business’s network management staying on pace with those changes or falling behind?

The antiquated main IT focus on hardware setup and troubleshooting has morphed to include tasks related to cloud services and more.

Since sound network management is directly linked to effective internal communications and business success, here’s how to ensure yours is staged for success now and in the future:

Consider Information Security

Your top concern regarding the rapidly changing technological landscape must be the security of your company’s information.

Hackers are a dime-a-dozen and information can be compromised on many fronts.

Work with your network management team to pinpoint holes in information security and take rapid action on any concerns that are voiced by the team.

Assess Company Technology Policies

Whether on a work computer, a personal smartphone or another device, employees can now access thousands of apps and software programs with ease.

This shift in available technology has softened the edges of once-strict company technology policies.

Workers who once feared the wrath of their IT department after downloading software without permission now don’t see the problem of installing an app for the transfer of company photography or of using an online spreadsheet program for the input of company data.

Before the use of such software at your company gets out of hand and possibly compromises the business’s security, take a hard look at your technology policy.

Assess whether the policy addresses the latest evolution in smartphone apps and other technologies and work with your network management team to revise the policy as needed.

Look to the Future Workspace

Employees who sit at desks in the office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day are quickly becoming the exception rather than the norm.

Flex and telecommuting policies are changing the way people work.

This workspace revolution is also changing the standards tasks that are associated with network management.

Just a few of the issues to consider regarding your company’s future workspace include how to deal with employees working from their private computers, how cloud services will change the way you do business and more.

Rather than ignoring these impending changes, face them head on to keep your network management one step ahead of the game.

Hire Innovators

If you are asking the question as the article, “Are you ready for the next generation of network management?” looks at, take an overview of your current workforce and consider the answer to that question.

If your company has an in-house IT department, consider the best professionals to hire into the department who can help lead your network into the next generation.

If your network management is outsourced, take a close look at how it’s being managed and if changes are needed.

By placing your network management into the hands of innovators, you can rest easier knowing it will stay in step with the future of business technologies.

Is your business ready for the next generation of network management?

Answer that question with confidence by considering the security of your company’s sensitive information, by assessing the business’s technology policies and more.

By taking action on the network’s weak spots now, you can keep pace with future changes in the technological landscape.

Photo credit: BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author: Shayla Ebsen is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional writing experience both in the corporate and freelance settings.

Are You in the Business of Apps?

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apps-kids-blocks-shows-application-software-and-computing-100303643In today’s business world, it is all but a necessity to be up to speed on the latest technology.

For many small business owners, the lack of time and effort when it comes to technology can ultimately lead to missed business and lost revenue.

So, which areas of technology should you be focused on moving forward in order to build your company?

Consumers Love Apps

Living in a fast-paced world means many consumers want their products and services yesterday and not today. In order to meet such demands, business owners must utilize the best technology available, allowing them to stay a step ahead of the competition.

Among the technological devices that should be standard in today’s business world are apps.

For starters, much of that necessary technology must come from within, meaning your office and your employees need access to it in order to best serve customers.

One of the top apps that should be in your arsenal is a mobile app.

With millions of consumers sporting mobile devices, your mobile app can be a treasure trove of new and existing business.

Face it; you should be catering to a large swath of the population who can and should be using your products and/or services.

You can provide customers with a wide-range of specials (mobile coupons, deals etc.) that will likely keep them coming back to you for years. The mobile app also allows you to do business instantaneously, lessening the chances customers will go elsewhere.

Make the Workplace More Productive

Apps are also beneficial to business owners when it comes to handling a host of workplace needs from organizing data to scheduling meets.

If you are looking at companies who are tasked with developing android apps and other such tech devices, look for a provider who can offer you some of these needs:

  • File storage – Filing of company and computer data is one of the biggest tasks facing any small business. Use the right app to view and manage your PDF, Excel, Word and other such files. This will also allow you to share sizable documents in one link inside the creation of an email, thereby allowing you to skip attachments;
  • Customer invoices – Staying on top of your customers’ invoices is critical in order to keep your finances healthy. The right app allows you to neatly manage the invoices, including the all-important bills. One of the biggest challenges any business (but especially small businesses) faces is collecting payments from those individuals/companies who can be lax at following through after being billed. Delinquent accounts can end up costing the business owner time and money, both of which he or she may be short on. Make sure your app has all the numbers up to date so you can easily see which client or clients are falling behind on their financial commitment to you;
  • On-the-go – Many small business owners and/or their employees end up having to be out of the office at any given time of the day. Whether it is to make deliveries, meet with clients or attend networking events, they want to stay in touch with the workplace. This can be done via an app which will permit you to team up with your PC. You can then review any files you may need, especially if they are relevant to meeting with clients;
  • Reaching out – It is not uncommon for small business owners to need to reach out to current and potential customers with pitches, special offers and more. The right app helps you by storing details in a business letter, something you can then send off to clients. You can save a particular template and design so you do not have to repeat the process over and over again.

As you can see, apps have a wide-range of helpful options for the man or woman running a small business.

If you have not used much in the way of technology before, see what apps can do for you moving forward.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About the Author: Dave Thomas writes for a variety of websites on topics such as marketing and technology.