Icetruck.tv News Blog

Improving

Technology

7 Tips on Improving Cybersecurity for Small Businesses

7 Tips on Improving Cybersecurity for Small Businesses


7 Tips on Improving Cybersecurity for Small Businesses

Did you know that 43 percent of all cybersecurity attacks target small businesses?

This is a staggering percentage, and to think your business could be targeted should be worrying. It could be anything from web-based attacks, phishing or malicious botnets and codes and improving cybersecurity should be a priority.

What’s more surprising is that over 70% of organizations don’t have cybersecurity response plans in place, making them vulnerable to more attacks. If there’s one thing you should know, cybercrime is one of the biggest threats your business could be facing, and you need to be prepared.

Better yet, why not protect yourself?

Why Would a Small Business Need Cyber Security?

Some small business owners feel that since they’re running a small business, hackers and cybercriminals will have no business targeting them. There’s not much to steal, right? There are plenty of large businesses out there worth spending their time on, right?

Well, the thing is, small businesses are attacked more often than large ones, and criminals obtain personal information for identity theft. The reason why criminals target small businesses is that most of them are vulnerable, making the work easier for them.

They could hack multiple small businesses and steal more files instead of targeting a secure large business. Let’s take a look at some of the strategies you can use to avoid being a victim.

You can easily do this by improving cybersecurity in your small business and safeguarding yourself. So how do you do this? 

1. Implement a Robust Firewall

The first line of defense you need for cyber-attack is a firewall. A firewall is the one thing standing between your sensitive data and information and cybercriminals, and the outside world. Unauthorized individuals will have no access to your network.

A standard external firewall is recommended, but you can go the extra mile and install an internal firewall as well just to be safe. It’s imperative for your employees working from home to use the firewall as well.

2. Create and Enforce Password Practices

Who likes changing passwords? No one. However, you can’t underestimate how important strong passwords are. Strong and unique passwords should be used for all your systems.

Implement stringent password policies for all your employees and teach them how to create strong passwords. Consider using a password manager and ensure all passwords are changed after a maximum of 90 days. Explain why your policies are vitally important and enforce the policies through the right group policy settings.

3. Improve Security With Two-Factor Authentication

Technology is advancing so fast, and cybercriminals are getting clever by the day, so sometimes, passwords are just not enough. Once you input your username and passwords, you have an extra step to verify yourself. This is a piece of information that only you would know, such as a one-time code sent to you via text on the phone number attached to your account.

There is no way a hacker would get such a message, and it would be harder for them to bypass. This is one of the best ways of improving cybersecurity for your small business. Ensure that it covers all devices that login to your office, from smartphones to tablets and laptops, ensuring they are secure in case they’re stolen.

4. Train Employees on Data Breach Prevention

Most security breaches are attributed to human error, not the IT department. One of the easiest ways for cybercriminals to infiltrate a network is by preying on employees that don’t recognize or understand the risks involved. Whether they go through email attachments, malware, or document downloads, an easy phishing attempt could lead to your downfall.

To prevent this from happening, teaching your employees how to avoid these mistakes is vital. There needs to be a tech protocol in the employee handbook covering all the steps involved in protecting your data and, ultimately, your business.

5. Store Customer Data in an Encrypted Database

Improving cybersecurity involves storing customer data in an encrypted database, and for very good reasons. All information containing customer information or trade secrets should be encrypted. Encryption converts information into code, preventing unauthorized access.

6. Perform Regular Vulnerability Checks

Regular vulnerability checks are essential because you’ll minimize risks and prevent breaches. You’ll also know if there has been a breach without your notice. A study found that, on average, it takes over 200 days for a company to detect a data breach, a time in which they lose thousands, if not millions of dollars, and sensitive information.

Conduct regular firewall configurations for penetration testing, software updates, and employee training to ensure they stay vigilant at all times.

You can hire an IT company to conduct these checks. What’s more, such a company will offer other technology services that suit your business. You can visit drivingoe.com to learn more. 

Beyond that, you should complete data backups on hard drives or the cloud on a regular basis.

7. Have a Cyber Security Disaster Plan Ready

If there’s one thing you need to understand about improving cybersecurity, is that it’s an ongoing process. In the event of a data breach, you should have a disaster plan ready. If the breach could result in identity theft or cause harm, you should inform all your vendors and customers affected.

Bonus Point: Implement Web and Spam Filters

Phishing is the most common small business cybersecurity threats, and implementing web and spam filters is a great way to prevent it. Web filters prevent employees from visiting phishing websites or websites that may contain malware, preventing or minimizing the chances of a web-based attack.

Emails are also an easy gateway for cybercriminals. Having a spam filter will block malicious spam emails, which will prevent any phishing emails from reaching any inbox.

Improving Cybersecurity for Your Small Business

These tips will help in improving cybersecurity for your small business. Even though there’s still a chance of a breach, protection is always better. Having a plan will also go a long way in containing the situation.

Kindly check out our other insightful posts!

Technology

Web Presence: Elementary Strategy to Follow for Improving It & Find New Customer

Web Presence: Elementary Strategy to Follow for Improving It &


It really doesn’t matter which type of business you have what matters the most is which strategy you follow to improve your web presence. Web presence plays a crucial role when it comes to enhancing the customer base and earning more ROI in less time. During the past days, businesses used to follow two important methods for improving their customer base that is: 

1. Direct advertising. 

2. Word of mouth

However, in today’s digital era a wide range of options are available for businesses due to access to the internet, it has opened up new ways for businesses that aim to improve their business’s presence on the web and grab the attention of a large audience base that also in a very short span.  

Know what is the Exact Meaning of Improving Web Presence for Your Business

Web presence simple means summing up identities that businesses have created and interaction which have been established online using this identity. These identities can include your business website, pages, social media account, and much more which pop up in the search engine list whenever any of the customers search for your business. 

Web presence is an effective digital salesforce and when businesses try to optimize their web presence they can easily create brand awareness. This digital interaction can help to turn your web visitors into your ideal clients. Once you develop a strong web presence for your business, you will definitely have a huge potential which helps you to retain and attract one through various channels available online. 

Different Way to Consider for Enhancing Web Presence for Your Business 

All types of businesses these days are using various marketing strategies but unable to get the desired and steady stream of customers for their business. No matter whether you have established business or have just started your business what matters for attracting more customers and gaining huge referrals is optimizing your web presence. 

By optimizing the web presence of your business you can easily reach thousands of customers all over the world. As a business entrepreneur if you want to expand your business outside the boundary of your local area then you have to pay attention to improving your web presence. You can develop an effective marketing strategy and can use various proven ways to enhance your web presence in lesser time. 

Optimizing the web presence of your business doesn’t happen overnight, but having a strong web presence is very essential for businesses as it helps them to achieve long term goals. It allows the customer to find your business, communicate with you, trust your brand, and much more. Having a strong web presence can sound quite challenging but if you want to achieve it then you have to plan and implement the right strategy which provides the proven results for your business. There are proven ways which you can adopt to increase conversion rates, customer engagement, traffic, and much more for your business. 

Develop a Website for Your Business

Only 51% of businesses have their business website while almost 97% of consumers are searching online for preaching products or services from the brands. Businesses who have yet now owned their business website are losing end number of opportunities what is waiting with open arms on their way. 

And for enhancing your web presence developing the website and an app for your business can prove to be the first and essential activity. With the help of the expert or mobile app development company, you can portrait an excellent piece that loads quickly on the user’s devices and provide them with updated information about your business product or service which you sell. The website or app crafted by them will be mobile-friendly, eye-catchy and will optimize your business URLs.

Sponsored Advertising

Businesses should leverage other sources to improve their web presence, they can use other sites which allow them to advertise their business online using sponsored advertising. Making advertisement using other websites ensure you to reach more customers from the desired targeted market, websites which allow sponsored advertising can be proven beneficial for your business product or service. Each click on your advertisement can bring more customers and traffic to your business website. And each view done by the customers can ensure customers have exposed your business. 

Stay Active on Social Media Platforms 

Staying active on social media platforms can help businesses to grab the attention of millions of users because the majority of customers might have their account on one or other social media platform. One of the most popular activities on the internet is Social media usage. 

As per the report, around 2.65 billion users use social media platforms worldwide, this number is estimated to jump and reach 3.1 billion by 2021. Hence businesses who want to improve their presence online must utilize the power of social media and must create their business page or account on famous sites like Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and many more. 

Facebook has around 2.45 billion active monthly users, hence it will provide you the best way to communicate with your target audience. The use of social media can also help you to get more word of mouth from the customers. You can share posts on Facebook and tweet on twitter to attract your targeted audience and make them know more about your brand. You must include all the information about your business on social sites and also pay equal attention to regular updates about your newly launched product, offers, discounts, and much more. 

Multiple Forms of Content to Attract the Audience

There is no doubt that blogging is one of the effective ways to enhance your web presence online. But you can also use multiple forms of content for attracting your customers, this useful content can help you to define your brand’s voice and also build trust among the customers. Businesses should focus on developing multiple forms of content to provide customers with informative and entertaining on like: 

  • Vimeo or Youtube video that represents your brand. 
  • Developing infographics. 
  • Podcast hosting.
  • Creating a case study.
  • White paper and ebook publishing. 

When you provide qualitative and unique content to your audience it will surely create a positive image in your customer’s mind and will force them to trust you. You can also convey them to make a purchase by delivering good content which will ultimately increase your business sales. 

Find the Best Match for Your Business!

All online activities togetherly are responsible for creating your brand’s images in your customer’s mind. Hence businesses who want to develop a positive image in their targeted audience’s mind must take extra care while performing various online activities. 

Put your customer’s need on top is the success mantra for all the businesses who want to enjoy a huge audience base and high profit for their business. But businesses who are lacking to have a strong business presence will not receive the desired outcome for their business in this digital world. They can use helpful tips to enhance their web presence and can reach the targeted objectives in lesser time

Business

I Love My Job! 5 Fun Methods for Improving Employee Performance

I Love My Job! 5 Fun Methods for Improving Employee


I Love My Job! 5 Fun Methods for Improving Employee Performance

Have your employees started to lag behind on productivity? If they’re not feeling excited to come to work—or just drained—you could end up losing time and money.

According to this research, 61% of people feel burned out on the job. 

So how do you keep morale up and your team working hard (instead of hardly working)?

Here are five tips for improving employee performance. With these tips, you can strengthen your team so everyone is working happily and productively.

Read on to learn how to improve your employee’s performance. 

1. Match Tasks With Skillsets

Your employees are individuals with their own likes, dislikes, and skills. Get to know them on a personal level. Understanding your employees will make it easier to match each person to a task based on their skillset.

No one’s perfect at everything. Instead of spreading your employees too thin, ask yourself: is this the best person for the task?

Don’t throw your employees into the deep end and expect them to swim. Instead, train your employees. This won’t only improve employee performance, but increase efficiency and reduce errors, too. 

Once your employees are trained, offer them chances at continued development. 

Giving them the opportunity to expand their skills through coaching, workshops, seminars, and courses will benefit the employee and the company.

2. Communicate

Your employees won’t know what they’re doing wrong—or just as importantly, right—if you don’t communicate.

Take the time to talk to your employees. Your feedback is valuable in improving employee performance. This will also help your employees feel recognized for their hard work.

Are your employees feeling engaged? According to research, highly engaged businesses experience a 41% reduction in absenteeism and a 17% increase in productivity. 

Communicating with your employees will give you the chance to make sure they feel engaged in their work, too. 

3. Get SMART

Your employees won’t know what they’re working for without obvious goals.

Instead of assigning busywork, help your employees set SMART goals. These goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. SMART goals show employees how their work benefits the entire business.  

You can also focus on their OKR, or Objectives and Key Results, to aspire and inspire your team. Using OKRs drives growth by encouraging your team to work on measurable outcomes. 

With SMART goals and OKRs, you can keep your team focused and working efficiently. 

4. Use Incentives

Show your employees how much you appreciate their hard work with incentives. These can include:

  • Going out for a meal
  • Paid time off 
  • A wellness program
  • Handwritten notes

Incentives can motivate your team and improve employee performance.

5. Consider Telecommuting

Allowing employees to work from home can improve efficiency and morale.

Show employees, you care about their work/life balance. Give them the chance to go to a doctor’s appointment or get their AC fixed while they work from home. That way, you’re maximizing time while keeping employees happy. 

Happy Hard Workers: 5 Methods for Improving Employee Performance

You’re only as strong as your team! With these five methods for improving employee performance, you can increase productivity and unite your team.

Check the Work Life section for more informative tips and tricks!