Anyone in business today realizes both the natural dependency on computers in the workplace, and also the potential dangers associated with storing important data on them. Today's business owners are constantly being reminded that their company's data is at risk by the daily reports on various news stations, or even their favorite business-related website.
But what can a typical small business owner do to protect their network from these threats that are broadcasted in so many ways? Dangers lurk at every turn on the Internet. There are thousands of attacks or areas of security that could be discussed, but I am going to try and focus on three general nuisances associated with today's computers: viruses, spy-ware, and traditional "hackers" that will intentionally try to exploit your computer systems for various reasons. All of these attacks, although different, serve a specific purpose for the attacker, yet basically translate into three things for a business: lost productivity, lost data, and the end result? lost money.
Here is brief descriptions of what the aforementioned attacks are, consist of, and what a typical small business can do to protect their technology investments.
Virus: A computer virus shares some traits with an actual virus that gets people sick. A computer virus must piggyback on top of some other program or document in order to get executed. Once it is running, it is then able to infect other programs or documents. Obviously, the analogy between computer and biological viruses stretches things a bit, but there are enough similarities that the name sticks. A computer virus can have many intentions. One common goal is the virus's desire to infect as many machines as possible. Some are harmless and are no more then an attempt for a hacker to spread their name and get recognition amongst their peers. However, this can still lead to slow computer performance or programs acting up. On the other side of the coin, viruses can be extremely harmful and delete data, cause complete computer interruption, give someone unauthorized access to your company data, or even be used in conjunction with thousands of other infected computers to launch grand-scale attacks. Viruses are still mostly transferred via email; however newer attacks will entice you via an email to a malicious website that will exploit a flaw in your computer to install the virus.
Protection from Viruses: If you are reading this article, and you still do not have current (this is very important) anti-virus software running on EVERY single computer you own, then shame on you. With all of the marketing commotion that surrounds viruses, you should already have antivirus software on all of your computers. If you don't, then hurry to the store and purchase it. Popular software in the antivirus market is made by Symantec (www.symantec.com) and McAfee (www.mcafee.com). Larger companies may look into a system that will scan emails prior to the email getting to a user's inbox for viruses. Also, be wary of what you open in your email. Do not open emails from people you do not know, and even if you do know the sender, take extra caution, as most viruses today will trick you into believing that the virus is sent from someone that you know.
Spyware: You may know spyware by one of its many names, adware, malware, trackware, scumware, thiefware, snoopware, and sneakware. Because of its stealthy nature, most Internet users are more familiar with the symptoms of spyware infection: sluggish PC performance, increased pop-up ads, unexplained homepage change, and mysterious search results. For virtually everyone surfing the Internet, malware and adware are a nuisance, but if you do not detect spyware on your PC, it can lead to much more serious consequences such as identity theft. Many people wonder how they get spyware installed onto their computer in the first place. Typically, spyware is installed onto your PC without your knowledge because the programs are usually hidden within other software. For example, when you are browsing a website, and a pop-up appears to install the latest online Casino game, it probably will give you that game, but you've also just installed spyware along with that. Another avenue for Spyware to infect your machine is through popular Peer-to-Peer File Sharing software such as Kazaa. The financial impact on a business that is plagued by spyware can toll very high. Costs paid to computer consultants to remove spyware, and a user's overall lost of productivity from a slow-performing computer can add up very quickly.
Protection from Spyware: Spyware is a huge problem in today's computing environment. Fighting Spyware starts with smarter use of your computer. The best defense against spyware and other unwanted software is not to download it in the first place. Here are a few helpful tips that can protect you from downloading software you don't want. Only download programs from web sites you trust, read all security warnings, license agreements, and privacy statements associated with any software you download, and never click "agree" or "OK" to close a window. Instead, click the red "x" in the corner of the window or press the Alt + F4 buttons on your keyboard to close a window, and be wary of popular "free" music and movie file-sharing programs, and be sure you clearly understand all of the software packaged with those programs. If you do happen to install Spyware on your computer, there are some tools available to assist in the removal of spyware. Be careful however when downloading these "free" spyware removal softwares, as even some of the removal tools incorporate spyware into their software. A popular product that does a good job of removing spyware is Lavasoft's Adaware (www.lavasoft.com). Larger organizations can look to companies such as Computer Associates (www.ca.com) for enterprise protection. There are instances when there is simply just too much spyware installed on a machine where these tools cannot help, and you'll be forced to format your hard drive and reinstall your operating system.
Hackers: The term hacker has many different meanings to many different people. A dictionary might define the word hacker as follows, "A person who breaks into, or attempts to break into, or use, a computer network or system without authorization, often at random, for personal amusement or gratification, and not necessarily with malicious intent. 2. [An] unauthorized user who attempts to or gains access to an information system 3. A technically sophisticated computer expert who intentionally gains unauthorized access to targeted protected resources, loosely, a computer enthusiast. 4. A person who uses a computer resource in a manner for which it is not intended or which is in conflict with the terms of an acceptable-use policy, but is not necessarily malicious in intent." As you can see, a hacker is someone with a very high aptitude in computing. By studying the inherent design of computer systems, a hacker will then attempt to compromise those systems for a purpose. Typically, they use a collection of tools easily downloadable on the Internet to exploit a flaw in a program or hardware system. Hackers do what they do for various reasons. Some do it for simple prestige amongst their peers, others for financial gain, and others do it to make a political statement. The impact of your network's security being breached can lead to very serious financial losses. Imagine your customer database being sold to a competitor or even what public response would be if you had to tell your customers that their personal information was stolen?
Protection from Hackers: I was once told, that no matter how good a safe you buy, there will still always be a locksmith that can un-lock it. The same goes for protection against hackers. However the amount of people with the expertise to bypass most security defenses, available to companies, are few and far in between. To keep your network safe, the following three items are an absolute must. A quality firewall at your network's perimeter to filter what goes in and out of your internet connection, desktop level firewalls to keep internal company computers safe, and the importance of performing updates to your computer's operating system and applications. Firewalls simply stated, filter data passing through them. They are in essence, inspectors that allow and deny data to be passed through them based on certain rules. Most quality firewalls will protect your network by letting the good data through and keeping the bad out. Recommended firewalls for small businesses can be purchased from companies such as Cisco (www.cisco.com), Watchguard (www.watchguard.com) or Sonic Wall (www.sonicwall.com). Firewall vendors typically have many different models available, so consult with your network security professional on what to buy. The important thing is that you have one in place. Desktop level firewalls provide a true multi-layered approach to security. This added level of protection strengthens your computer systems defense, and is especially helpful to companies that have remote workers. Most companies today do have firewalls on their corporate network; however no one ever thinks about the company president's laptop that gets brought home everyday. The president brings his laptop home and sets up his trusty remote connection back into his office over his broadband home Internet connection. The once protected laptop is now completely unprotected and connected directly to the corporate office, which gives a direct avenue for virus and hackers onto your corporate network. The great thing about desktop firewalls is that you can get some great ones for free! If you use the Microsoft Windows XP operating system, simply upgrade to service pack 2 and it includes a free and easy to use desktop level firewall. If you do not have Windows XP or just do not want to use their firewall, Zone Alarm (www.zonealarm.com) offers a great desktop level firewall. The last level of defense is to keep your networked systems up to date with the latest patches and fixes from their respective manufacturers. I will assume that most companies use Microsoft Windows products for most of their computing needs, so to keep your system updated simply go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. You should check for updates twice a month.
Even though this article simply brushes the surface of network security, I hope it gives you insight as to some potential dangers out there and real incentive to implement better security for your company. Just as you have an alarm system at your office, please take the necessary steps to protect your company's computer network and data. If not, the costs of recovery I guarantee you will far exceed the costs to implement a secure network.
Jarrett M. Pavao studied at the University of Miami, is a Microsoft Certified System Engineer, and Citrix Certified Administrator. Jarrett is the Director of Business Technologies for Docutek, a systems integrator in Boca Raton, FL. Jarrett can be contacted at jpavao@docuteksolutions.com with any network security related questions or concerns.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Small Business Marketing - Clarify Success
When you hear the word "success" does it bring on visions of fame and fortune for your business? Have you clarified and articulated what that success will look like for your business and how you'll know when you've achieved it?
What's the definition of success for your business? Most small businesses are selling their time and expertise to deliver a service to their clients. So the question I want you to reflect upon is this? "What does success look like?"
Now before you start answering with responses like, "I'll do $X Million in sales this year." - STOP! That's not what I meant. The question is? "What does success look like for your client(s)?" Remember, your clients? Isn't it generally fair to say you're in business to provide a service to your clients? When you do it right, what does it actually look like for the client?
Don't get me wrong. I understand that we're in business to make money - to make a living for ourselves. But that's rarely enough in life. Most of the service providers I know love working with and servicing their clients. If you focus on taking care of that, the rest will almost certainly take care of itself. So what does success look like for the client when you do it right?
Spend some time and clarify success for your service business. What are you passionate about? What is it that you're trying to do for your clients? What difference do you want to make? What do you "love" doing for them? What is it that they will have or be able to do because they bought your service from you?
This definition covers a broad range of issues for you and your business. All aspects of your business must be working well together to achieve this success. Be as specific as you can.
Now, if you really want to make this a valuable exercise for your business, then I challenge you to take the results of your own brainstorming and sit down with a few of your best client(s) to see what they think and get their input.
I think you can see that this type of reflection goes beyond listing your services or the results of your services. This is not, "I'm providing marketing and business growth services to help my clients' realize greater return on their marketing investments." Instead, let's get down to, "Clients won't have to struggle with their marketing efforts, wondering how they're going to get more clients. They will be able to easily generate a consistent supply of high-quality leads and convert them into more business so they can focus on what they love doing - servicing their clients." See the difference?
For most small business owners I've known and worked with, owning their own business is a "dream." Unfortunately, if they're constantly stressed about how and where to find more business, then their "dream" may become their "worst nightmare."
Success then for my clients means helping them put a more systematic approach in place to ensure they're constantly generating leads and converting them into more business so they can realize their "dream."
When you clarify success in this way, you'll be able to devote your attention to continuously improve what you do and how you deliver your services to your clients. You'll be motivated to ensure you're delivering that value to your clients and not just doing what you always do so the clients will pay their bills. With success clarified, you'll be able to ask yourself, "How is what I'm doing today contributing to delivering success for my client?" And here's the real kicker - because of your focus on your clients' success, expect to see more success for your own business!
What's the definition of success for your business? Most small businesses are selling their time and expertise to deliver a service to their clients. So the question I want you to reflect upon is this? "What does success look like?"
Now before you start answering with responses like, "I'll do $X Million in sales this year." - STOP! That's not what I meant. The question is? "What does success look like for your client(s)?" Remember, your clients? Isn't it generally fair to say you're in business to provide a service to your clients? When you do it right, what does it actually look like for the client?
Don't get me wrong. I understand that we're in business to make money - to make a living for ourselves. But that's rarely enough in life. Most of the service providers I know love working with and servicing their clients. If you focus on taking care of that, the rest will almost certainly take care of itself. So what does success look like for the client when you do it right?
Spend some time and clarify success for your service business. What are you passionate about? What is it that you're trying to do for your clients? What difference do you want to make? What do you "love" doing for them? What is it that they will have or be able to do because they bought your service from you?
This definition covers a broad range of issues for you and your business. All aspects of your business must be working well together to achieve this success. Be as specific as you can.
Now, if you really want to make this a valuable exercise for your business, then I challenge you to take the results of your own brainstorming and sit down with a few of your best client(s) to see what they think and get their input.
I think you can see that this type of reflection goes beyond listing your services or the results of your services. This is not, "I'm providing marketing and business growth services to help my clients' realize greater return on their marketing investments." Instead, let's get down to, "Clients won't have to struggle with their marketing efforts, wondering how they're going to get more clients. They will be able to easily generate a consistent supply of high-quality leads and convert them into more business so they can focus on what they love doing - servicing their clients." See the difference?
For most small business owners I've known and worked with, owning their own business is a "dream." Unfortunately, if they're constantly stressed about how and where to find more business, then their "dream" may become their "worst nightmare."
Success then for my clients means helping them put a more systematic approach in place to ensure they're constantly generating leads and converting them into more business so they can realize their "dream."
When you clarify success in this way, you'll be able to devote your attention to continuously improve what you do and how you deliver your services to your clients. You'll be motivated to ensure you're delivering that value to your clients and not just doing what you always do so the clients will pay their bills. With success clarified, you'll be able to ask yourself, "How is what I'm doing today contributing to delivering success for my client?" And here's the real kicker - because of your focus on your clients' success, expect to see more success for your own business!
Cash Flow: Why Chaos Equals Poor Cash Flow
Recently one of my customers told me the chaos swirling through his company was the result of poor cash flow. If only he had more money, his company would run better.
I must respectfully disagree.
Poor business processes produce chaos. Chaos leads to poor cash flow. Fix the poor business processes and the cash flow problems disappear.
What business processes am I talking about?
1. Having a clear picture of who your customer is.
Here's what my customer looks like: My customer is a small business owner looking for ways to make his or her business run better. He or she is often overwhelmed by all the tasks that must be completed and often does not have time for the really important business functions of strategic planning and forecasting and may not have a great deal of experience in those areas.
What does your customer look like? What challenges are they facing? What do they struggle with everyday?
2. Using that picture to develop services and products that provide value to your customer.
Based on my picture of my customer I can provide my customer with time saving services and products that teach them skills or provide knowledge they can use to solve the challenges they face everyday.
How can you help your customer? What products or services can you offer that will save them money or time? What problems can you help them solve?
3. Developing a plan of delivery.
What works best for your customer and how can you deliver that in a way that makes you money? My customers need both general knowledge for running a business and specific knowledge for running their particular business. And they're short on time. Therefore, I can combine a product like a manual of general information with one-on-one consulting services for their specific situation. If I deliver it over the phone or the internet, they can access my knowledge at a time that is convenient for them.
What ways can you think of to make your delivery more valuable and useful to your customers. The easier it is, the more your customers will love it.
4. Ensuring that you will be able to collect what is owed to you by establishing good credit policies.
Do you need to extend credit? Can you get paid at the time of delivery?
Can you get your customers to pay you by credit card? Can you ask for a deposit up front? Who will you extend credit to--what criteria will you use? I am happy to say that in all my time in business, I have had only one customer who did not pay me and I learned very valuable lessons from that experience. It caused me to change my process and I haven't had any problems since then.
Think through your business processes to see where the holes are. Booting the chaos out of your business by developing good business processes is the best way in the world to improve cash flow.
I must respectfully disagree.
Poor business processes produce chaos. Chaos leads to poor cash flow. Fix the poor business processes and the cash flow problems disappear.
What business processes am I talking about?
1. Having a clear picture of who your customer is.
Here's what my customer looks like: My customer is a small business owner looking for ways to make his or her business run better. He or she is often overwhelmed by all the tasks that must be completed and often does not have time for the really important business functions of strategic planning and forecasting and may not have a great deal of experience in those areas.
What does your customer look like? What challenges are they facing? What do they struggle with everyday?
2. Using that picture to develop services and products that provide value to your customer.
Based on my picture of my customer I can provide my customer with time saving services and products that teach them skills or provide knowledge they can use to solve the challenges they face everyday.
How can you help your customer? What products or services can you offer that will save them money or time? What problems can you help them solve?
3. Developing a plan of delivery.
What works best for your customer and how can you deliver that in a way that makes you money? My customers need both general knowledge for running a business and specific knowledge for running their particular business. And they're short on time. Therefore, I can combine a product like a manual of general information with one-on-one consulting services for their specific situation. If I deliver it over the phone or the internet, they can access my knowledge at a time that is convenient for them.
What ways can you think of to make your delivery more valuable and useful to your customers. The easier it is, the more your customers will love it.
4. Ensuring that you will be able to collect what is owed to you by establishing good credit policies.
Do you need to extend credit? Can you get paid at the time of delivery?
Can you get your customers to pay you by credit card? Can you ask for a deposit up front? Who will you extend credit to--what criteria will you use? I am happy to say that in all my time in business, I have had only one customer who did not pay me and I learned very valuable lessons from that experience. It caused me to change my process and I haven't had any problems since then.
Think through your business processes to see where the holes are. Booting the chaos out of your business by developing good business processes is the best way in the world to improve cash flow.
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