Cybersecurity is a major concern for small businesses, especially as hackers’ techniques have become more sophisticated. Cyberattacks are evolving at a faster rate than companies can keep up with, and because of resource constraints, IT infrastructure is not always built to adjust to new threats.
We know cyberattacks happen when businesses don’t take the precautions to protect their data, and too many small businesses are still not taking the precautions to protect themselves.
Many times, small business people have difficulty articulating their concerns beyond “being hacked”. In the end, it comes down to “inadequate security measures” is the number one concern for small business.
All that to say…
The top 5 cybersecurity concerns for small business are:
Protecting employee and customer data
Hacking and malware attacks
Data breaches
Incorrectly configuring devices
Lack of awareness
Ok, that’s interesting, so what? What can small businesses do to protect themselves?
Let’s look at what issues need addressing.
Weak passwords: It is important for small businesses to use strong, unique passwords for all accounts and regularly update them. Using the same password for multiple accounts or using weak passwords makes it easier for hackers to gain access to sensitive information.
Lack of security protocols: Small businesses should have a clear set of security protocols in place to protect against cyber threats. This includes things like installing firewall and antivirus software, regularly updating software and applications, and educating employees on how to identify and prevent cyber attacks.
Lack of backup and recovery plans: Small businesses should have a plan in place to backup and recover data in the event of a cyber attack or other disaster. This can include regularly backing up data to an offsite location and having a recovery plan in place to get the business back up and running as quickly as possible.
Inadequate training for employees: Employees are often the first line of defense against cyber attacks. It is important for small businesses to provide regular training to employees on how to identify and prevent cyber threats, such as phishing attacks and malware.
Lack of security for remote workers: With more and more businesses transitioning to remote work, it is important for small businesses to have secure protocols in place to protect remote workers. This includes providing secure access to company networks and data, as well as training employees on how securely accessing and share sensitive information when working remotely.
By now we all have a basic understanding of what SEO (search engine optimization) is all about; if you don’t, let’s just say that it is the internet version of a library system that enables your customers to find you online, it is the method of improving your website’s ranking (position) in Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other search engines.
But why is local SEO so important?
Well, in terms of your business, chances are you’re serving a specific market of customers around where your business operates. That means if you’re a local photographer, plumber, or shop keeper, you’re probably less concerned about getting and keeping customers in the next state as you are the next zip code. A well planned and well-implemented SEO campaign will help bring more relevant traffic to your website, increase exposure, reduce bounce rate, and increase sales.
That’s where SEO optimized for local search comes in. The research shows that as of 2019, 89% of all research for consumer products or services begin online (of you think about yourself in terms of a consumer, you can understand why this is true). Add to that that only 3% of consumers are ready to purchase without doing research online first.
If you consider other types of marketing, a good SEO campaign costs 61% less than outbound marketing (mailers and so forth) and will drive 8 times the conversions of your product.
Now before you say to me that “I don’t need any of this, I get all of my business from referrals and I have all the customers I need.” Really? Well, if you have all the customers you need, and have no interest in growing or scaling your business, then, by all means, stop right here. That said, the internet is here to stay, so you may as well embrace it, and reap the rewards that it offers.
The reality is that Local SEO optimized for your business will unquestionably:
Will drive more exposure and most importantly, enhance search visibility.
Build trust with your search results
Increase traffic in a cost-effective way
Attract more customers to generate measurableresults
Do you feel it; the tug on you right now even while you’re reading or listening to this? You need to get back to your “Real Work.” You’re busy.
You have lists to keep your priorities straight, maybe lists within lists.
THE CHALLENGE is your competing priorities, between what needs to get done to keep the doors open AND what YOU KNOW needs to happen to move you forward. As these priorities all get jumbled together, it is impossible to know where you stand.
Your response to all of this? Hustle harder; work harder, put in another hour.
“92% of all people who set goals never reach them.” – American Psychological Association
THIS JUMBLE is what we’ll call the whirlwind. And unknowingly you are trying to get things done without knowing the rules of the game.
IF you’re willing, together, we will learn to reach your goals AND deal with the whirlwind.
The 1 thing you MUST DO or you WILL FAIL?
Get clear about your destination. What does your GOAL ‘look’ like? Where do YOU want to be… at the end of the year, end of the month, end of your career, end of TODAY?
ACTIONABLE ITEM: Pick a timeframe (use tomorrow); and in a SHORT clear concise statement; write down on a sticky note what YOU want the end of that timeframe to be/look like, what is the ONE THING you want to do/reach/complete by the end of that timeframe.
Example (real world, this is my ONE goal for today): (by the end of the day today) complete and publish blog post AND short-form video on the whirlwind.
When you want to give up, it is imperative that you continue. There’s a fine line between success and failure, and that fine line is perseverance… never, never, never give up.
I want to talk to you tonight about 3 things that are preventing you from reaching your business goals.
Over the next several days we’ll talk about what to do about them, but for right now it’s important that you are at least aware of them so we can unpack them as we move along.
The Whirlwind – The thousand and one things that feel like it’s death by a thousand paper cuts. The tremendous amount of energy required to run the business and keep the lights on and the doors open.
Competing Priorities – How many plates do you have spinning. at one time? How many balls do you have in the air. As the saying goes when everything is important, nothing is important. and it distracts your team from focusing on the goals for the business.
Lagging not Leading Measures – The monthly financials, P&L, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flow, all VERY important to the business, but all live in the past; by the time you get the information, there is not one thing you can do about it. So you wind up praying each month that things will turn out right. It’s like driving a car while looking through the rear view mirror.
The GOOD news is that it can be fixed, and there is a way forward and laws that can help to focus on the right things.
