Josh

In a world with heavy competition, cyber threats, and lawsuits, keeping your business safe isn’t optional. You need to develop specific layers of defense to insulate your company from the dangers of the outside world. Do you have a plan?

5 Ways to Protect Your Business

It’s rarely helpful or constructive for a business owner to walk around on eggshells, but there’s something to be said for being realistic and recognizing the threats that exist in and around your business. In doing so, you can protect your business and spend more energy focusing on the tasks and challenges that matter. In particular, you should focus on the following:

 

• Establish the Right Legal Structure

 

When starting a business, you need to consider what sort of legal structure or entity you want to use. This will determine how you’re taxed and what sort of protection you have (as the business owner). The most common forms of legal structures for small businesses are sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, S corporations, and limited liability companies (LLCs). In many cases, the latter are preferred.

“LLCs are designed to be simple and inexpensive to setup, and are easy to run,” Incfile explains. “They have many of the advantages of larger businesses and corporations without all of the rules, regulations and legal compliance commonly found with other business entities. LLCs are registered with the government in your state.”

Spend some time researching the different options you have. While an LLC is often the best choice, you may also find a partnership useful if there are more than one founder. The more you educate yourself on the ins and outs, the more satisfied you’ll ultimately be.

 

• Hire an Attorney

 

“Business owners should interview attorneys when they first start up, in order to have a standby legal contact,” entrepreneur Brian Beers writes. “You may need this person to advise you before you act or on how to react when you’ve been sued.”

The key word here is “standby.” Unless you anticipate some major legal battles in the immediate future, you don’t need to hire an attorney full-time (or even put one on retainer). You just need to know that you have someone on speed dial.

 

• Trademark Unique Assets

 

When you’re small, you don’t have to worry about competitors. But as you grow, you’ll find that other businesses and entrepreneurs put you in their crosshairs. In order to defend what you’ve created, you must develop a plan for protecting your intellectual property (IP).

From logos and business names to proprietary products and processes, you need to think about everything. Look into copyrights, trademarks, and patents. You should also be sure to develop robust and comprehensive contracts any time you work with contractors, partners, or businesses.

 

• Be Specific With Branding

 

Branding is important on many levels. Not only does it help you carve out a niche and connect with customers, but it can also protect you on a legal front. By being more specific with logos, slogans, designs, packaging, etc., you can set a strong legal precedent for your business. This makes it harder for a competitor to come in and steal an idea without legal recourse.

 

• Establish Good Data Security Policies

 

You might assume that most cyber attacks are targeted at large corporations, but the data says otherwise. More than half of all attacks are on companies with less than 250 employees. And the costs of these attacks are enough to put most small companies out of business.

In order to protect your business in a hostile cyber environment, develop comprehensive data security policies and ensure everyone – including employees – abide by the rules.

Take a Proactive Approach

When it comes to protecting your business, a reactive strategy will get you in trouble. The more proactive you can be, the stronger and safer your business will be in the present and future.

This article provides you with some of the general steps you should be taking towards safeguarding your company, but every business is unique. Make sure you account for any issues or details that are specific to your industry and/or situation. By tailoring your approach towards your individual needs, you can ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

 

There is absolutely no doubt that, in today’s day and age, e-commerce has taken the world by storm. Not just that, but it’s only going to get bigger.

Today, every online store has the potential to make their mark in the ecommerce world. But, at the same time, it’s also become increasingly difficult to compete with businesses locally, as well as internationally.

For an ecommerce business, there is a multitude of opportunities available for you to gain more organic traffic, creating connections, and boosting conversions.

So, without further ado, here are six ways you can make your ecommerce business wildly successful:

MAKE SHOPPING EASY

Ecommerce is a huge gamble for customers, since you can’t touch, see, or experience a product like you would be able to at a brick-or-mortar store. And in the case you’re selling a service, the customer can’t interact with you in person and ask relevant questions.

Hence, it’s incredibly vital for you to make the process as seamless as possible for potential customers. Here are a few things you can keep in mind:

• Offer free shipping on products or services above a specific value
• Make the shopping cart organized and straightforward
• Offer a hassle-free return policy
• Showcase yourself and the team through video biographies

Many ecommerce businesses make the fatal mistake of not letting customers return something they don’t like. When you sell online, it’s crucial for you to establish trust and a huge factor that comes into play is creating transparency. Apart from that, high shipping fees and tedious checkout procedures also increase abandonment rates.

STAY ON TOP OF SEO

As the ecommerce industry expands, your competitors are only going to increase. Hence, it’s as essential as ever for you to bring your A game to the table and a huge part of that involves SEO.

Many factors come into play where your SEO ranking is concerned, so it’s important to follow guidelines and use the best keywords for your niche to ensure you’re showing up on top in search engines.

BE ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media isn’t just something that complements your website. It plays a huge role in creating your brand identity and establishing a presence online.

Not all platforms have the same kind of audience. You’ll need to figure which platform is used most by your potential target market. You need to spend some time researching your audience’s interests and demographics to determine what they’ll be most responsive to.

Your social media profiles aren’t created to drive sales; they’re there so you can connect with your audience and establish trust.

Social media is also a great platform to target people who are most likely to make purchases and learn what makes them tick. You can find out what problems they’re facing and offer a solution. Through different content, such as pictures, blogs, and videos you can encourage interaction on your site and prompt your audience to share your content, thus expanding your reach.

DON’T RUSH INTO ANYTHING

Perhaps the biggest mistake ecommerce businesses usually make is jump into something they’re not ready for. What do I mean by that? Well, don’t launch a website if it’s not there yet.

You only get one chance at your first launch, and this first launch could make or break your first impression. Although it’s okay to set up a “Coming Soon” page, you should have everything else in order, such as SEO, social media, content marketing, etc., before drawing the curtain.

EMPHASIZE MOBILE

In the era we live in, where smartphones are more popular than any other kind of devices, it’s imperative for your website to have a mobile-friendly version. People use their phones to Google practically everything and look up all sorts of information before buying a product or service.

Your mobile site must be fast and easy to navigate. Your information, including your phone number, address, and, of course, your brand name, needs to be highlighted to avoid any confusion. Search engines use this information to verify your site and direct potential customers to it.

CREATE CONTENT

Your site isn’t a one-time investment; it’s an investment that requires constant update. You should add fresh content on a regular basis to ensure your customers have a reason to come back to. Ecommerce businesses can do this by adding new collections and, even, starting a blog showcasing a different aspect of your business.

Your content shouldn’t just be about sales; it should offer a holistic view of your products and services and the industry you operate in.

Au Fit Fine Linens, for instance, has a blog which complements its ecommerce site and adds another aspect to the brand.

Perhaps the most important tip is never to stop. At the rate technology is evolving and changing things, the landscape is only going to get bigger. To ensure your survival, it’s important to keep track of industry trends, technological trends, and, most important of all, your potential customer’s tastes and interests. By consistently bringing your best to the table, you can easily establish yourself as the industry leader customers rush to.

Have you tried any of these tips? Or do you have suggestions of your own? Let us know in the comments below!

As a digital marketing consultant, Arshad Madhani has more than ten years of experience within the industry. He attended Texas A&M International University and received his MBA. Currently, Arshad lives in Atlanta, Georgia and when he is not working, he spends his time listening to a podcast, reading, or relishing an afternoon run.

With 2019 just around the corner, it’s time to start setting new goals. Arshad recently sat down with us and chatted more about how he sets goals and his goals for 2019.

First Things First, Tell Us a Little More about Your Marketing Background

As a kid, I realized that everything in the world basically revolved around some type of marketing and that inspired me to get into marketing. Whether it was reading a magazine and seeing ads for new gadgets or watching television commercials for a toy, I recognized this was something I wanted to be a part of. I knew marketing was my calling when I started creating things and successfully persuading family members and friends to buy or invest in my projects.

What is Your Process for Setting Goals?

I ensure that I am SMART when setting my goals. This means my goals are always Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-based. Even after setting my goal, I make sure that I remain open to any new opportunity and insight that becomes apparent as I work through my plans.

What Are Some of Your Goals Both Personally and Professionally for 2019?

There is still so much that I have yet to accomplish in my life. Therefore, in 2019, I definitely want to continue growing my business and setting myself up among the most distinguished digital marketing consultants across the world. I would also enjoy continuing to work in my field far into the future. I do not expect the digital marketing industry to scale back anytime soon; as such I am optimistic that plenty of opportunities will be there for me to keep growing in the digital marketing space both personally and professionally.

I do have specific goals that I have set, but I’m not yet to the point where I want to share them openly. I feel that by openly sharing them it could potentially create a mindset where people will bet on your failure.

What are Some Tips You Would Give Other Entrepreneurs on Setting Goals?

Goals provide focus and direction and help us to remain motivated for the long haul. As such, when setting goals, it is important to set achievable ones. Additionally, it is important to be specific about your goals and find realistic ways to achieve them as quickly as possible. You should also do weekly check ins to determine the progress that has been made. It is important to wake up early and get after your goals. It should come as no surprise that most accomplished business people are early risers.

How Do You Go About Achieving Your Goals?

One of the simple yet important things I do to make sure that I achieve my goals is write them down in a personal journal. This allows me to see a clear picture of what I want to accomplish. I also spend a lot of time strategizing about what I need to do achieve my goals.

How Can Readers Stay in Touch with You?

To stay in touch, readers can read my blog at http://arshadmadhani.com/. They can also follow me on my social media platforms to get tips and tricks on marketing and entrepreneurship:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arshadmadhani/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArshadMadhani
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arshad-madhani-71a2904/

A website for your business is one of the most powerful tools you have at your fingertips. Creating a user-friendly website that draws in existing and potential customers allows the business to grow, build a loyal following, increase brand recognition, and really be competitive in today’s marketplace. The problem is that simply building a basic website and then expecting it to be “good enough” just won’t cut it. There is a big difference between a website and a website that is effective and engaging for visitors.

If you’re suffering from low traffic on your website, there is a good chance you are missing out on a number of opportunities. The following tips are designed to help you increase the number of visitors coming to your site, create a stronger brand image, a more loyal following, an increase in sales, and the chance to become more competitive.

Make Use of SEM Practices

Most businesses have heard of the SEO tools – or search engine optimization tools – meant to help your company rank higher on the Google search page. The higher your ranking, the more likely you are to get visitors to your page. While SEO tools are certainly important and shouldn’t be tossed to the side, SEM practices – or search engine marketing tools – should also be employed.

Search engine marketing is meant to help increase the amount of traffic your website is getting from the actual search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. In order to use SEM, you will need to pay a price as it uses paid placements such as paid inclusion, cost-per-click, and pay-per-click. You can always contact the professionals, such as those you’d find at Snap SEM Services and figure out what makes the most sense for your specific needs.

Make Use of Social Networks

Rather than just creating a website and hoping that it will catch on and be a hit with visitors, you can help to drive traffic to the site by making use of your social media channels. Businesses tend to have things such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even Pinterest pages which provides you with a great opportunity to link to your website.

Provide Content People Want

One of the biggest driving factors behind website traffic is the actual content. Not only does the content have to be high-quality, but it needs to be interesting and intriguing to your target audience. You need to give them an actual reason to want to visit your site on a regular basis. Some businesses uses tools like blogging, guest posts, podcasts, promotions and deals, news, and event listings as a way to entice people to visit regularly.

Create an Email Marketing Campaign

Email marketing can also help to drive traffic to your site, but of course it needs to be done properly. You don’t want to be spamming people, rather you want to provide them with content they want.

Ensure the Website is Bug-Free

Finally, you want to be sure that your website is always working well, which means the content loads quickly and smoothly without any issues. Visitors need to have a positive experience from the moment they land on your site.

Using each of these tips will start to provide results in terms of your website traffic.

Small businesses have to adopt different marketing and advertising tactics than their nationally active competitors, since they don’t have as much immediate brand recognition, nor do they have as many resources. Instead, they can tap into the power of locally-specific marketing—the art of improving their brand awareness and reputation within a specific city or area.

This is often more effective than other marketing tactics because it allows for a much smaller budget, caters to residents’ preferences for local businesses, and in many cases, is easier to execute. But if you’re new to the world of local marketing, you might be confused on how to start.

Easy Ways to Locally Market Your Business

Try these strategies to improve your business’s visibility and image in your local environment:

1. Get involved in local events and festivals. First, consider taking part in local tradeshows, events, and festivals—especially if your business can be appreciated by the general public. You can usually sign up to be a vendor at these events inexpensively, and the cost of a portable garage or shelter (along with some other marketing materials) is negligible compared to the exposure you’ll get. People will associate you with the local event, and will be interested in engaging with you, whether it’s learning more about your organization or just having a conversation with you and the people who work for you.
2. Sponsor a local sports team or rec organization. You can also get more visibility by sponsoring a local sports team, hobby group, or other recreational organization. The common target here is school-based groups, but you can also expand your horizons by sponsoring other interest groups—especially if they’re related to your business in some way. For example, if you own a shoe store, it makes sense that you might sponsor or support the local cross country team.
3. Make friends with local journalists. Reach out to some local journalists and become acquainted with them. Let them know about your business, including any major events or changes you’re planning in the future, and make it clear that you’re available for interviews in the future. You never know when they might ask you for a contribution to a new piece, or give you exposure out of appreciation for your help. If you want to try this on a larger scale, you could also use HARO (Help a Reporter Out).
4. Become a guest speaker. There’s no faster way to build both visibility and credibility for your personal brand than by becoming a guest speaker at local events. Most local organizations that try to host entrepreneurial or motivational events end up with a dearth of speakers, and would be happy to give you a platform, provided you have something worth talking about. If you perform well, you can work your way to bigger and higher-profile events, eventually headlining and gaining much more visibility for your business.
5. Host your own events. Of course, you don’t have to rely on the events of others. You can also host your own events, especially if you already have the space for it. Consider putting together your own speaking event, with entrepreneurs you’ve met in the past, or host a coffee-based networking event to encourage more people to come out. It’s a chance to make new connections, and an excuse to show off your space at the same time.
6. Network with other entrepreneurs. Speaking of making new connections, try to reach out to other local entrepreneurs as often as possible, at networking events and in their own businesses. Talk to them about owning a business in the area, and get on good terms with them. They may be able to help you find new opportunities to market your business, or they may be willing to exchange services in a kind of barter or trade. They may even want to pass new leads your way—assuming they aren’t direct competitors.
7. Volunteer. Finally, volunteer for local causes whenever you have the extra time. It’s a good way to give back to the community and you’ll build good press for your business. Plus, it’s a perfect way to meet other like-minded people in your community.

The Personality Factor

In a local business, the entrepreneur and main staff are just as important, if not more so, than the core brand. It’s much easier for people to remember a face than it is for them to remember a logo, and they’ll be more willing to buy from someone they trust than some random corporate brand they’ve seen advertised a million times. Make sure you’re using your personal brands to build relationships with local residents, and show off the true character of your business in all these strategies.