The rise of the internet and its advance into various fields of life has been a very positive factor for the most part. We now have access to more information than ever before, to the point where we’re starting to place less emphasis on a person’s ability to retain knowledge, and more on their ability to find the information that’s relevant to each problem.

But it’s also brought about some problematic developments. It’s easier than ever to break into a company and extract useful information from it, and a skilled industrial spy doesn’t even have to physically interact with the organization in any way these days. Protecting yourself against this is a critical component of running an organization of any scale.

You’re Not an Exception

The biggest mistake you could make is to think that you’re safe just because you’re a small fish. And it makes no sense. Does the small corner mom-and-pop store leave its doors unlocked just because there’s a huge supermarket next door? Quite on the contrary, smaller companies are just as attractive to data thieves, because they can usually expect to deal with weaker security… and in most cases, they are right.

Constant Training is a Must

You have to train your employees on identifying common attacks like phishing, general forms of social engineering, malware, and so on. Instill proper security practices, like forcing a strong password and other similar factors. Penalize those who deviate from the norm and reward those who demonstrate a strong security culture. Remember the old saying – a chain is as strong as its weakest link. If a single employee in your organization is behind everyone else in their security knowledge and practices, then your entire company is at risk. And it only has to happen once.

Investigating Suspicious Cases

From time to time, you’ll discover something unusual in the activity of your employees. It’s not a good idea to play detective and attempt to figure out what’s going on by yourself in these cases though. It takes a lot of expertise to do it properly, and more importantly, without alerting the potential spy that you’re on to them. Contact a company like Secure Forensics that provide computer forensics in Los Angeles and across the US and let them deal with the situation. That way, you’ll be sure that you’re not missing any important details that can potentially change the whole context of the situation. And that’s quite common in cases like these.

Never underestimate the potential of maintaining a strong security culture in your organization, no matter its scale. Even if it’s just you and your buddy from college, everything we said above still applies. And the larger your company grows, the more of a concern this is going to become. Not just because you’ll be a more attractive target with your growing assets, but because you’ll have a constantly growing number of employees to oversee, and each of them will be a potential security weakness. Prepare yourself for this in advance, because there’s no way to avoid it.

Whether you’ve had experience of running a company before, or you’re new to the business world, staying up to date with the latest developments in your field is important. The CBD industry is becoming increasingly popular. With many users of CBD claiming a wide range of health benefits, it’s inevitable that many entrepreneurs are seeing the benefits and deciding to set up business. If you’re thinking of starting a CBD business, here is what you need to know.

Understanding CBD

Whether you’ve tried CBD oil before, or you have little to no knowledge in the field, getting to grips with the potential health benefits can help when it comes to engaging with customers. Many people use CBD oil to help treat a range of ailments, such as pain and inflammation, anxiety and depression, insomnia, and MS symptoms such as muscle spasms. While CBD oil is legal to use in every state, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) are yet to approve CBD oil as a medicine, therefore, it’s crucial that you don’t label your CBD oil products as medicinal drugs.

Have a Business Plan

To increase the chances of your CBD business being a success, you need to have a thorough business plan laid out. Outlining your objectives and goals, sales forecast, the types of consumers you plan to sell to, as well as what products and services you will deliver can help you stay on track and organized. If you aren’t prepared before launching your CBD business, it’s likely that you will fall at the first hurdle. With so many established CBD businesses already in operation, doing all that you can to stand out is important.

Know the Law

Before starting a CBD business, you need to know that selling CBD products is regarded as a risky business, especially when you take into account the federal government’s stance on cannabis. Many activists and organizations are trying their best to reform marijuana laws which adds some risks when it comes to launching a CBD business. Staying in the know and adhering to the laws and regulations will help ensure you’re operating your company legally and above board.

Finding a Supplier

Customers need to trust and believe in your CBD business. If you don’t have much knowledge in this field, it’s important that you do as much research as possible into the various suppliers who could benefit your company. Any CBD products that you sell should have a certificate of analysis which will provide reassurance to your consumers. You may be interested in using Cope CBD who sell a variety of private label CBD products.

Marketing Your Brand

If you’re not tech savvy, you will either need to brush up on your knowledge or employ a marketing team to help build awareness of your business. Whether it’s being active on social media platforms like Facebook, or creating a blog for customers, how you market your brand is important. On your business website, you may want to include a live chat function which will enable you to directly communicate with your customers, helping to assist with answering any queries that they may have.

Having extensive knowledge of CBD is important. For customers to trust your brand, you need to know what you’re talking about. Also, creating a detailed business plan, staying up to date with laws and regulations, as well as finding the best supplier for your products can help increase the chances of your CBD business becoming a success.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

How to set up your own website or blog:

We are passed the half-way point of the year, summer is wrapping up and fall weather will be moving in soon. Life will become busier once again as the kids start school, and summer friday’s are no longer. With your schedule shifting back into high gear, the fall is a great time to re-evaluate your financial strategy and solidify your plan for the rest of the year.

Plan For the Future by Acting Now

Securing your financial future can be overwhelming to say the least. But now is a good time to go over your financial past with a fine-toothed comb. Did you have a plan for the summer? Did you stick to it? How well did those changes work for you and your family? What kind of adjustments do you need to make to stay on track and save what you need to be saving? Speak with your fiduciary advisor in Orlando to make a plan or change your existing strategy to better suit your life for the next half a year.

Prepare For Changes

As summer ends, it’s a smart time to evaluate your policies. Whether those are for health care and medical benefits, your mortgage or the insurance policies you currently use. Do you need to increase or decrease coverage? Could a bundle help you save that extra money you need to get to the new year? Look over all of your plans, from interest rates, to cable bills, to your auto insurance, because you may be able to save some money by changing some of those policies.

Begin Holiday Planning

It might seem far off at the moment, but the rest of this year will fly by and we will be at holiday time before you know it. Expenses should not creep up on you though, so build a holiday budget and start saving a little extra for that now. Making small changes a few months out will garner a big return once the festivities are here. And without a big financial burden, the holiday time spent with family and friends will be joyous and wonderful, instead of stressful and worrisome because of strained finances.

Make Travel Arrangements

If your son or daughter is going to have a fall parents weekend, book the hotel for it now. Do they need to come home for Thanksgiving? Will you be flying to see your in-laws in October? What about the winter holidays and New Years? If you’re able to plan for these events now– buying your flights, booking hotels, securing rental cars–you will save you money and anxiety. You may not have plans ironed out, but look over the schedules, and book any definite travel plans. If you’re nervous, purchase trip insurance, because it’s a minimal cost that will give you peace of mind for the future so if holiday plans change, you’re covered.

The year is moving quickly, but there’s still a lot of time to be financially smart. Need guidance or advice? Speak with your financial advisor now, and get set up for success for the remainder of the year.

Having a professional image in business can mean the difference between landing those tough sales and scaring off potential customers. Your professional reputation has a major effect on how people view your business and whether or not they choose your brand over the competition. Luckily, increasing the professionalism of your business is as easy as following these five tips. Keep reading to learn about five investments that will help make your company more professional.

1. Hire a Web Designer

If you used a website builder like Wix or Weebly for your company’s site, it probably looks good…but hiring a web designer can help your site look great. An amazing, responsive website is what truly separates professional and unprofessional businesses, allowing your customers to experience your brand online in a memorable and convenient way.

A web designer will have something that website builders simply don’t; the ability to fully customize your site. Sure, you can customize blocks, colors, fonts, and more within a site builder, but to truly customize the site and give it that nice professional look, you need a web designer.

The biggest hurdle for most businesses when designing a website is price. Web design can be expensive depending on the size and needs of your site, and whether or not you’re including e-commerce in your website. However, this investment can help boost the professionalism of your business and help you stand apart from your competition with a great website.

2. Conference Calling Services

If you’re racking up expensive phone bills or dropping calls while talking to clients or merchants, it’s time to upgrade your phone calls by utilizing a web-based conference calling service. You’ll want to get a number through a conference call service so you can pay one fixed rate for long-distance or conference calls, and you’ll be less likely to drop important phone calls with your clients.

Having a dedicated conference number helps your business stand out by providing a secure and stable platform that your clients can use to discuss important matters with you. You’ll also have access to some extra features such as video calling, for when you need a face-to-face meeting with someone halfway across the country.

Conference calling services are web-based, so there are no long-distance or multiple-caller charges. You’ll pay a fixed monthly or yearly rate for your services, so you’ll always be connected and never have to worry about an expensive phone bill again.

3. P.O. Boxes

A P.O. box is a simple investment, yet companies with P.O. boxes tend to feel more legitimate and professional than those without one. A P.O. box is a cost-effective way to give your business a boost in professionalism while providing a secure location to receive your mail.

This eliminates the need to give your home or business address to customers and suppliers, which can not only be risky but can also sound a bit strange (especially if you’re using your personal address). A P.O. box will help separate the business from the personal, and boost your professionalism quickly.

The best part about a P.O. box is the pricing is usually quite reasonable. The US Postal Service allows for P.O. box management directly from their website, so you can rent, renew, and manage your service from home.

4. Business Cards

Have you ever been explaining your business to a friend or someone you just met but didn’t have a business card with your contact information to give them? This can not only be frustrating but can potentially cost you a sale or new connection. A crisp, clean business card says “I’m serious about what I do”, and lets people know that you’re serious about having them follow up with your business.

A business card will usually contain the company logo and slogan, your name, and an email, phone, and physical (or P.O. BOX) address on it. You can design your own business cards at sites like VistaPrint, or you can hire someone on Fiverr to design one for you.

You don’t want your business card to be too flashy or filled with graphics and fancy fonts, however. These can quickly become distracting from the true purpose of the card; to provide a simple way for potential clients or partners to reach you.

5. Logos

Let’s be honest, you can tell when a logo was designed and created by an amateur graphic artist. The blurry lines, unprofessional look, and distracting color scheme can only serve to give your business an amateur look and even scare away potential clients.

A professional logo will have crisp, clean lines, matching colors, and a font style that matches the graphic. If your logo looks amateur, customers will think you don’t take your business seriously; and if you don’t take it seriously, why should they by doing business with you?

You have to remember that image is everything in business. With the right professional image, you’ll soon become an eye-catching brand in the industry, driving customers to your business and setting yourself well apart from your competitors.

Conclusion

Always remember that a professional-looking business will have a much easier time attracting clients than less than a professional one. Customers expect professionalism in all aspects of your business, from your phone lines to your website to your logo. Make an investment in a professional image and you’ll find customers are much more responsive to your brand than before.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

A blog can be extremely useful. You might want to start a blog for your business, using it to position yourself as an expert in your field or to engage more with your customers. You might want to start a personal blog to talk about something important to you, or even to monetize it so that you can have a good passive income. Whatever your reason, if you want to start a blog, you’ll need to know how to do it – here is a guide to get started.

Pick A Name

Your blog is going to need a good name in order to be remembered by those whom you want to read it. It should also be a name that describes what the blog is about to help people know whether or not it’s for them.

If you have a business website you can skip this step – the blog, assuming you use the same website to host it on, will simply come under the original name of the website, whatever that might be.

Register the Blog

Once you have determined the name of the blog, you need to register the name and host it. You can do this in a number of ways, such as using a specific blogging service such as WordPress or Blogger and following their ‘wizard’ to help you fit all the pieces together. Alternatively, you can buy your URL from one of the many online companies selling them, and get your hosting elsewhere.

Your choice will depend mainly on what else you want to do with the site. Blogging platforms can be somewhat limited, although WordPress has changed a lot over the years and even an entire e-commerce website can be run through this platform.

Customize The Blog

Once you have decided on the hosting package you want and purchased or signed up for everything you need to, you’ll need to customize the blog to make it yours. The easiest way to do this is to pick one of the many free templates available online. You might be lucky enough to find one that exactly matches your niche and what you want the blog to look like. Otherwise, you will need to tweak the template until it fits your vision.

If there are no templates that you like the look of, hire a web designer to make one for you. The advantage of this is that it will be totally unique and exactly what you want.

Add Protection

After all the hard work of creating your blog, the last thing you want is for a cyber criminal to hack into it and ruin all your hard work. This is why having protection such as firewall hardware from checkpointdirect.co.uk is so important.

When you have these barriers in place, it will be much harder for cyber criminals to badly affect your business. Your readers will also be able to read your blog in peace, knowing you have made it safe for them.

Write the Blog

The next step must be to write your first blog. You will need to write regularly in order for your blog to be noticed, and this can be time-consuming, especially if you already have a full-time job. Therefore, when you do have time to write, write more than one blog post. That way, you’ll always have at least one to post even if you don’t have enough time to write.

To read more on topics like this, check out the business category.

These days, it seems as if a company’s future can be determined solely by its online presence. If a brand has a negative online image, the likelihood of success is slim to none. The same goes for a company that has no online reputation whatsoever.

Any business owners out there hoping to make the most of their online presence can do so with one simple task: start researching digital PR firms and choose the one that suits your needs and aligns with your goals. Before you can even begin to think about choosing the right one, though, you need to do your research on digital PR and how it can help your business thrive and prosper. Start right here with these 4 FAQs on digital public relations.

Question #1: What is digital PR and how is it different from traditional PR?

MediaVisionInteractive says that “Digital PR is a tactic used by brands to increase their online presence through building relationships with key content writers and online journalists to gain ‘press hits’, or citations, and high quality backlinks….”

“…Digital PR, when done properly, increases a brand’s reach and visibility and in turn has a positive effect on search engine visibility through effective onsite SEO, driving increased referral traffic…”

There are quite a few differences between digital PR and more traditional forms of PR. Traditional PR focuses on media outlets that were more common in the past – like newspapers, radio, billboards, etc. Digital PR, on the other hand, focuses more on the media outlets that are relevant today, like social media platforms, blogs, and official online journals.

Question #2: How does digital PR fit into a company’s marketing strategy?

All of your digital marketing efforts should be interlinked with each other. Your social media marketing needs to work alongside your SEO strategy, and digital PR should fit into the mix as well. For example, when digital PR is paired with search engine optimization, you can fully take advantage of keyword optimization. Digital PR pros know about the key search terms that are currently trending around the world, which will help to optimize your site to its fullest potential.

Question #3: What is a “good” PR hit vs a “bad” one?

Public relations professionals often talk about a brand’s “hits”. A hit basically just means that the brand is trending within one source or another. A good hit would be when the brand is trending on a high-traffic site, also referred to as a site with high authority. The higher the traffic, the more people the hit will reach. A good hit also refers to positive publicity rather than something negative.

Question #4: How is digital PR success measured?

Knowing whether a digital PR firm has been successful in its job is fairly easy. You can measure a PR hit through Google Analytics to see how much traffic the hit is receiving. Generally speaking though, a digital PR firm has been successful if your company name is being talked about more than before you invested in the firm’s services.

Even though a tarnished reputation isn’t necessarily for a business isn’t necessarily at the fault of the company, it could put a serious dent in sales volume and profits. Something as tiny as a social media post that you found hilarious could start a string of angry comments from followers who found the post offensive in some way or another.

It is never a bad idea to start thinking about online reputation repair, even if there is absolutely nothing wrong with the current state of your brand’s reputation. Trust us when we say that repairing a rep is much more difficult than maintaining one, so start taking the proper measures to keep yours golden.

Whether your main focus is one reputation maintenance or you have some serious fixing to do, you can follow this step-by-step guide for performing DIY online reputation management and repair.

Step 1: Identify the Cause of the Reputation Tarnishing

If you are in the position for some repairing, the first step is to identify the root of the problem. Why are you developing a bad rep in the first place. Sometimes the answer is extremely clear, and in other instances it is not at all. Do some digging to figure out what your customers are saying about you. This will better equip you for developing a strategic plan.

For those business owners that aren’t experiencing any bad reputation publicity, you should still be doing some research. But instead of figuring out what’s not working, you’ll need to determine what is working.

Step 2: Start at the Source

If you do come across any negative content regarding your brand, try to repair it at the source first. ReputationManagement.com says that “articles are often syndicated, so you’ll need to find and correct the issue on the original content….if you successfully correct the issue or remove the content, then you can submit a content removal request to Google.”

Step 3: Replace the Negativity with Positivity

It doesn’t matter how successful you are at removing the negativity, none of it matters if there is nothing positive being said about you. This is something that you shouldn’t rely on your customers to do – although they will leave positive comments if you do your job properly. You need to take matters into your own hands by creating your own original positive content.

The more positive content about your business that’s on the internet, the better you’ll be seen. Not just by your target audience, but by Google as well. Google uses algorithms to determine which sites should be ranked first and which ones should be lower on the results. These algorithms look for many things, including frequency of your name on the internet.

The more content surrounding your brand, the higher you’ll rank. The higher you rank, the more positive attention you’ll receive from potential customers. When creating your content, always make sure that it adds some value to the reader. This is another factor that Google uses to determine your ranking.

Whether you’re writing an entry, professional, or executive level resume, the pros of hiring a resume writing service greatly outweigh the cons. There’s nothing quite like having an expert help you develop a resume that pretty much guarantees any job you apply for.

This is even more true when you find a resume writing agency that offers additional services, like interview coaching and online profile optimization. Unfortunately, not all agencies and professionals offer services like these, and some are much better at writing a solid resume than others.

It’s important to do your research, and you can start by reading into professional and executive resume writing service reviews. During this research period, look for these 4 things before hiring a pro to help with resume writing and career coaching.

10+ Years in the Industry

Don’t trust a resume writing company that has just entered the industry. Try to find one that has at least a few years of experience, ideally 10 or more years. A company that just opened is not as likely to employ high-quality writers, but instead they’ll have resume writers that are outsourced from overseas.

Chances are these people won’t have college degrees (and they might not even have the proper certifications for resume writing). A company that has the experience has the right funding and resources to employ top-notch resume writers with bachelor degrees or higher.

Evaluate the Company Website (and Make Sure They Have One)

You need to think of your resume as a marketing tool, and the product that is being marketed is you. That basically means that a resume writing service is a marketing service. The best way to check out their marketing skills is to visit their website and see how it looks. If you are impressed with the way they market themselves through their site, you’ll probably be impressed with the way they market you to potential employers.

Check Into Certifications

Before you hire an agency to help brush up or completely redevelop your resume, you need to make sure that their writers are certified in resume writing. There are specific certifications that go along with this, including ones from the National Resume Writers’ Association, the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches, the Resume Writing Academy, and Career Thought Leaders.

Consider the Cost

Resume writing services vary dramatically in price from one professional agency to another. The cost of the service depends on a few things, like the type of resume you need (entry, professional, or executive), the quality of the writers, and whether or not any additional services are included.

Most companies provide different levels or packages depending on your needs. If you simply need an entry-level resume to get an entry-level job, this will be the cheapest option. However, if you’re looking for something more in-depth and intensive – like an executive resume – this might break the bank a bit. The more costly packages often include other services, like interview coaching, career counseling, and the guarantee of landing an interview.

Starting a business out of your van is a great way to make some money on the side. Plus, you get to be your own boss. There are several benefits to starting a business. But there are several things you need to know before starting your business.

#1: Consider the Legalities

The first thing you need to know before starting a business from your vehicle is the legal decisions you’re expected to make. When you’re starting your business, you’ll have to undergo some legalities. First, what kind of business are you setting up? Are you setting up a limited liability company (LLC), partnership, or sole proprietorship?

You’ll also need to acquire a license to operate your business within your state. You’ll also need a federal tax identification number (FIN) as well as an employer identification number (EIN). It sounds like a lot of paperwork, but it’s not that bad. Don’t let the legalities dissuade you from starting a business. Just take care of these matters as soon as possible, so you can focus on providing exceptional customer service.

#2: Get Insured

You also need insurance to protect your business. If you’re using your van for business, then you’ll need some sort of auto insurance. You should also invest in business liability insurance, which protects your business from lawsuits or third-party claims. You shouldn’t let any of these legal issues prevent you from starting a business. These are normal things you need to address early on in your business.

#3: Make Sure You Have Reliable Transportation

You should ensure that your van is operable and ready to conduct business. If you don’t own a commercial vehicle, then what type interests you? Keep in mind that space will be limited if you’re transporting freight into a van. Freight like auto parts, equipment, medical supplies, and overnight supplies will require shorter trips.

The van that you purchase should be reliable, or it’s going to slow down your business. You don’t want to get stuck on the side road when you have packages that need to be delivered. While you don’t need a big van to be successful, you do need some sort of transportation, and a pickup truck, semi-truck, or van can get you anywhere you need with few problems.

#4: Don’t Be Afraid of Constructive Criticism

You don’t want your commercial business to fail or to have complaints, but it’s a common part of handling business. Use this constructive criticism as an opportunity to improve your business. Maybe you should work on your customer service skills. Or, maybe you need to expand on your product line. Don’t forget to check in with your clients to see if they’re having success with your business.

If you’re open and honest with your clients, then they’ll do the same. You don’t want to get into a fight if one of them complains about your business. Instead, apologize and find a way to correct the problem. If you resolve the matter in a timely fashion, then the client is more likely to return your company.

#5: Prepare to Work Long Hours

Starting your business may sound exciting, but there’s a lot of work involved – especially when you’re doing it by yourself. Since you’re in charge, you’ll have to work longer hours than you’re used to. This could take some time away from your friends and family at the start. You may have to work early mornings, overnights, and weekends to become successful.

Do you enjoy making business decisions on your own? Or, would you rather have a meeting of the minds? If you’d rather share decision-making and other responsibilities, then you may need a partner or a team of people to help you out. One advantage of operating solo is that you get to sleep in your own commercial vehicle.

But keep in mind that it can be tight quarters if you’re working with others for several days or weeks at a time. If you want to work as a team, then you need to find people who are a good fit. As you can see, running a business isn’t easy. But if you put time and dedication into it, then your business will be successful before you know it.

These are the five things you need to keep in mind when starting a business from your van. Don’t let them discourage you. They should motivate you to get started. If you work hard enough, then your commercial business will quickly become a success.