Category: SME

 
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Your profits will increase through these techniques by adsenselover

Increase your profits with adsense money making techniques overnight, Google Adsense program is a fastest way to make money on internet at home. This is the only source for money making at home business by work at home. But some people make only few dollars in a month and other earn thousands on internet with this program through these techniques.

How do you maximize your site?

By earning some few dollars per click from displaying Adsense ads on it. Many are now realizing that good money is made from this source of revenue. Try the simple mathematical computation of multiplying those clicks for every page on your website and you get a summation of earnings equivalent to a monthly residual income with that little effort you have made.

Google Adsense is a fast and easy way for website publishers of all sizes to display relevant and text-based Google ads on their websiteís content pages and earn money in the process. The ads displayed are related to what your users are looking for on your site. This is the main reason why you both can monetize and enhance your content pages using Adsense.

How much you will be earning will depend on how much the advertisers are willing to pay. It will depend also on the keywords required. If the keywords the advertiser have chosen are in high demand, you could receive more dollars per click. On the other hand, low demand keywords will earn you just a few cents per click.

How can you start making profits out of your website using Adsense?

1. Sign up for an Adsense account. It will only take a few minutes of your time.

2. When the site is accepted, you will be receiving a clip code to include in your web pages. You can insert this code on as many pages or web sites that you want. The AdWords will start appearing immediately after.

3. You will be earning a few cents or some dollars per click when someone starts clicking on the AdWords displayed on any of your web pages. Trying to earn false revenues by repetitively clicking on your own ads is a no-no. This will result in a penalty or the possibility of your site being eliminated. The money you have already earned may be lost because of this.

4. View your statistics. Adsense earnings can be checked anytime by logging into your web site account.

Once you got your account working, you may still want to pattern them to the many sites that are earning more money than you are. It is important to note that there are factors affecting how your website will perform and the amount of money it will give you.

It is a common practice that when a site earning money, the tendency is for the owner to want to make more out of what they are getting already. It usually takes some time combined with trial and error to attain what you want for your Adsense contents.

Time and some important factors that you can practice and use.

How do you increase your Adsense earnings?

1. Choose one topic per page. It is best to write a content for your page with just a few targeted phrases. The search engine will then serve ads that are more relevant which will then result in higher clickthoughs.

2. Using white space around your ad. This can make your ad stand out from the rest of your page so visitors can spot them easily. There are also other choices of colors you can use, provided by search engines, which can harmonize the color of your ad with the web page color.

3. Test your ad placement. It is recommended to use the vertical format that runs down the side of the web page to get more positive results. You can also try both horizontal and vertical formats for a certain period of time to see which one will give you better results.
4. More content-based pages. Widen the theme of your website by creating pages that focus more on your keyword phrases. This will optimize the pages for the search engines. It can not only attract traffic but also make them more relevant for the AdWords to be displayed.
5. Site Build It. This is the perfect tool to be used for creating lots of Adsense revenues. Site Build It has all the tools necessary to quickly achieve a keyword-rich site that can rank high in the search engines. This will also produce a flow of traffic to your site of highly targeted visitors.

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Location Location Location

This article conveys how important choosing a location for your mobile food vending business is. Location is one of the biggest and possibly most difficult choices made when starting this type of business.

Location is one of the biggest keys to running a successful food concession business. Although one of the most overused clichÈs out there is location location location when regarding real estate, it couldnít be more appropriate for mobile food vending as well. While product, customer service, and advertising are all important parts of running this business, location is a key that if you do not get it right, your business will not only fail, but will fail miserably. Without the proper location, customers will not be able to or want to stop at your business. Location is also important because it has everything to do with your product and who will buy your product. Finally permanent location is important because it determines the familiarity and frequency with which your customers stop by.

First and foremost, if you donít have the proper type of location, you are not going to be able to attract customers. For example, the corner of a highway where your potential clients are going 75 mph and not even noticing you is not a great way to bring in customers. You are looking for a place that people are stopped or slowed significantly. This can include places like stop lights as well as speed zones where drivers slow down. Also, if customers feel unsafe or do not like the appearance of your location, you wonít have much luck in selling your product either.

Location is also important because it has everything to do with what type of product you will sell. Burgers go over much better at a fair or on the side of the road in a small town than sushi would. Studying your demographic through your location is a great way to judge what types of food a certain area might like well enough to come back to. In this way, you can choose a type of food that isnít already in the area. If there are a dozen burger joints, unless you have a phenomenal burger, maybe you want to do bbq. Also, ask people in the area what they might like to see come to the community. Taking the advice of your potential customers is a great idea to develop an early rapport and to get a feel for what is needed in the neighborhood.

Permanent location is also a way to help ensure repeat customers. Repeat customers are a large part of your customer base. If you are constantly in a new location, or you donít show up on time, this could be the death of your loyal customersí business. Making sure you are reliable is one of the best ways to get the lunch crowd in. If they know that at regular hours on regular days they can count on you to be there, they may choose to eat at your establishment rather than patronize the local chain.

The bottom line is, good location is imperative in order to make sure you have customers that are comfortable stopping; it helps you decide what type of food you will serve, and repeat customers will be able to rely on your consistency.

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Business Financing Guide (Simple)

This business financing guide shows the items that you will need to prepare if you are planning to get loan from financial institution when you buy business for sale. Getting financing can be easier with knowledge about the financing and with complete preparation of documents and statements in process of buying business for sale.

Step 1. Find a Business for sale at BusiMarket.com site for businesses for sale and commercial property for sale on the market. As soon as a property is found, make any necessary contacts to sellers.

Step 2. Get Purchase and Sale AgreementGet the sale agreement from Brokers, attorneys, or Escrow companies.

Step 3. Find a LenderFind a Loan Officer that will take care of your financing needs.

Step 4. Prepare Required Documents – Purchase and Sale Agreement for the Business or Commercial Property,
– Personal Financial Statement provided by the lender,
– Income tax returns from both buyer and seller from the last three years
– an up-to-date income statement,
– Resume from the buyer,
– Lease Agreement(if applies),
– Assignment for Lease (if applies),

Step 5. Finally, wait for the loan approval (usually takes 2-4 weeks)

Since the financing process can be different on type of business, location, and buyer’s situation. The information above is for information only and BusiMarket.com does not guarantee accuracy of information.

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Locating More Virtual Work

Tips on how to find work from home jobs and opportunities that will actually pay you and pay consistently.

If you’re going to go fishing, you have to know where to fish, right? There are several types of job posting sites of which you need to be aware. Each type has its pros and cons. Below; I will show you the different kinds of sites available to freelancers and then discuss the good points and bad points of each.
Paid sites on which clients post their own jobs:
Don’t automatically discount an online job service just because they charge for the service or because you have to “bid” on jobs. I had to learn that the hard way. When Jim and I started seeking more freelance work, I wouldn’t touch those paid sites with a ten-foot keyboard. I figured they must be a scam. Jim says, “Hey, why didn’t you go to this one?” I said,
“I’m not going to pay for job postings! And I’m certainly NOT going to bid against other freelancers to get work!”

After more encouragement, on Jim’s part, I finally checked it out, coughed up the $125 for three months of service, built my profile, and started bidding. Hey, this is business, not a hobby.

In business, there’s competition and you need to be ready for it and deal with it. Now, I’m not saying you should go out and sign up for every paid service that exists – that doesn’t work either. What you should do, though, is pick one or two paid bidding sites. My favorite is eLance.com. They’re expensive and I don’t like using the site for long-term clients. However, it’s a good place to find clients. What you do with them after you’ve earned their business, is, uh, well, none of my business ;-).

Paid sites where the site pulls postings from other sites (uses non-original postings*):
For the freelancer, these sites are not very useful for finding work. If the posting isn’t original, meaning that the client didn’t post the job or the opportunity, you can bet that client is getting so many responses that they’re ignoring the majority of them. This type of site doesn’t do much for you in the way of job postings. They may offer some other good information, but the job postings are likely sub-standard.

Free sites where clients post their jobs
These sites share the same pluses as paid sites with client job listings. Most of the same things apply, except they’re free! One drawback for clients, however, may be the perceived value of the site and their service. Many people feel that if you don’t have to pay for it, it must not be very good. So, it’s possible that you won’t find as many good clients and/or job listings on this type of site. However, if the postings are original and credible, it’s worth a shot.

Free sites where the site pulls postings from other sites (uses non-original postings*):
This type of site gets a double-whammy for uselessness — Unless of course, they can offer you some other kind of information to help you in your job. But, again, if they’re not using original job postings, and are pulling from other sites, their jobs and clients are likely so saturated with responses rendering them useless in finding work.

Staffing agency sites:
Sites like these can be good ones to pursue. Usually, what this type of site or company does is locate its own clients and work and “share” the work with their freelance pool. In fact, this is exactly what Team Double-ClickSM does. The problem, however, is that if they’re good (they pay in a timely manner, work with good clients, and otherwise treat their freelancers well), they fill up quickly and either refuse additional freelancers or have a long waiting list. Persistence is the key here. If you can get in touch with a real human being (not their computer), sometimes it helps to send follow up notes to see if they have changed their acceptance policy.

Sites using non-original postings:
Unfortunately, the fact that a site doesn’t post original job listings isn’t something they advertise. This makes it much more difficult for us, as freelancers, to know whether they’re for real. Most clients don’t post their job openings on multiple sites – they will choose one or two and stick with them. The best way to ferret out the sites who are using others’ postings is a rather time consuming one. You have to surf. Make a mental note (or written if need be) of the sites you visit and the postings you see on them. Then you have to refer back, either by memory or to a log that you create, and watch for patterns. If you run across a posting and remember seeing that same posting elsewhere, it’s a good bet that the site is “borrowing” postings to beef up their site.
The other thing you can do is to send the companies an email before you pay for their service. Interview them, so-to-speak.

Ask the following questions:

Do you borrow job postings from other sites?
If so, how many of your job postings are original? Ask for a percentage.
What does my $29.95 get me – exactly?
How many new postings do you receive per day?
What areas do you post jobs in, ex: IT, Administrative?
Should one of your clients not pay me for the work I do, what is your support policy?
When does my membership expire?

These things will help, but again, there’s no guarantee. You’re a freelancer, which means you’re in business for yourself and there are always risks when you’re in business.

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Top 5 Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs a Custom Website

Today, in North America, almost 70% of households have access to the Internet. It has evolved to the point where the Internet has become an integral element in the way business is conducted, and is shaping the way business will be conducted in the future. Most consumers these days research a product or service on the Internet before making their purchase. So, in this day and age, it could cost you not to have a website. Listed below are 5 reasons why you should employ an experienced web designer to construct a custom website for your small business.

Credibility & Identity Building
Like it or not, your potential customers are going to judge the quality of your products and/or services based on presentation and image. Therefore, an aesthetically pleasing web site will give you and your company more credibility in the eyes of you customers or clients.

Lower Your Expenses
Why spend thousands of dollars on static traditional media such as brochures? If there was ever a change in your business, such as an expansion or additional products/services, it would require printing all new corporate brochures. A web site is dynamic and can be changed or updated in a very cost effective manner. Best of all, your clients can access this information from anywhere in the world, without the delay of snail-mail. A properly constructed web site can also reduce the time that you and your employees spend answering redundant customer questions.

Complement Your Existing Marketing Efforts
Most people think of a web site as advertising. Unfortunately, they would be wrong – A web site is a medium which complements and enhances your existing marketing efforts. Your potential customers or clients can easily gain access to information that isn’t suitable to include in other traditional advertising mediums. In less than a decade, a web site will be just as common as having a listing in the Yellow Pages. What would your potential customers or clients think of your business if you didn’t have a web site?

Customer Service
A web site allows potential customers or clients to get to know more about your company, increasing the personal side of doing business. Your business will be open 24hrs per day, 365 days per year, and if someone has a question concerning your product or service, an answer is only an e-mail away. Some people may feel uncomfortable on the phone or in your office / store, and, to these people, e-mail is their preferred method of communication.

Get a Jump on the Competition
A professionally designed web site will make your business appear larger than it actually is, and therefore challenge larger competitors. When it comes to getting listed in the search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.), the longer your web site has been active, the higher ranking you will receive, and therefore more traffic will be directed to your web site. It is for this reason that you can’t afford delay this important decision any longer.

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Business Buying Guide – Detail

Business buying process can be easy with following step by step business buying guide. It is always good to check little things as much as possible when you buy business for sale since business buying process takes a lot of details.

Business Buying Process

First, You have to determining your investment. Usually minimum down payment made by the buyer is 30% of the purchase price. For example, if the business purchase price is $100,000 and loan amount is $70,000 (70%), then the buyer’s down payment needs to be $30,000 (30%). Other possible expenses are inventories, supplies, escrow fee, license and permit fees, franchise transfer fee (if applies), etc.

And then you have to set criteria of desired business. Which includes location of business, type of business, price range of business, desired income of business.

After you decide your investment amount and criteria of business, you will need to find a right business that fit your needs. You can search business through online business listing service site Business For Sale, local newspapers, or through local business brokers or real estate agents.

If you find a business that you want to purchase, you will need to evaluate the business through current owner’s income information and your projected income for short term and long term.
And then you need to make decision to purchase business or not. If the business is right for you, you need to write a very descriptive and detailed contract (Purchase and Sale Agreement).

When you are writing an offer, you have to make sure the contract includes the followings: Your offering price, Initial deposit amount, financing terms, closing date. Other terms and conditions that can be added to the contract is buyer’s loan approval, lease and lease approval from landlord, buyer to obtain all necessary licenses and permits, franchisor’s approval of ownership transfer, the buyer’s Satisfaction of books and records, closing cost allocation, buyer training session, business equipment and fixtures in good working condition, inventories and supplies amount, seller’s agreement not to compete, etc.

After you finish writing an offer, you need to present your offer to seller. Negotiate the price, terms, and conditions and settle with final price and terms and condition.

Now you will need to allocate the purchase price of business that you are buying. After you done purchase price allocation, you will need to apply for loan, license and permits.

and then you will need to obtain a lease or sublease. You will need to make sure you obtain the lease or get an approval of lease assignment before close of escrow no matter what happened.

And then on or the day before the closing date, you will need to review the equipment list that is provided at the time of the acceptance of the Purchase and Sale agreement and buy inventories and supplies. And then you can do the closing on the closing date.

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Guerilla Versus Gorilla – Small Companies Can Win

We make our living as guerillas not the bad kind, but more of a freedom fighter. By using the term ‘guerilla’ I mean EMJ (now a division of SYNNEX) fights for business against big gorillas (other distributors) in the field. Our competitors are almost 100 times our size; EMJ is a Canadian-based, $165 million per year distributor. We have made an operating profit for the past 80 consecutive quarters. So even though we are up against the big gorillas as a distributor, we must be doing something right.

If you are in a business where some of the competitors are much larger, you may be able to benefit from using guerilla tactics. The principles of running a guerrilla organization differ from running a gorilla organization. As a guerrilla, we hide from our competitor; we do not try to crush them. I even go so far as to examine what they do well and let them do it. At the same time, I look for under-serviced markets and get to these markets fast.

A gorilla takes all competitors head on, trying to crush the competition. Sometimes this takes the form of a price war. Sometimes it takes major prolonged, drawn-out investment. This works as long as you are the same size, or larger than the competition. Even then, such a long battle can sap power and ultimately profits.

Companies that die often believe they were gorillas. It is certain death for a business to fight gorillas unless they can withstand the siege. Any time we hire someone with a gorilla-company background, we watch and coach that person to make sure they are indoctrinated with the appropriate tactics. We have to make sure they understand out business model.

My 8 favourite guerilla tactics are:

1 Act fast. I use my company’s size for my advantage. I can act lightning fast. In the computer business, this is a huge asset. Things change so rapidly that moving fast and being first to market is a huge advantage. Larger companies do not react quickly. Develop a reputation for being first it gets the attention of customers.

2 Welcome smaller opportunities. Gorillas tend to say ‘no’ to manufacturers who don’t think they can do significant volume with. But a small opportunity rejected by a gorilla can be a very profitable opportunity for a guerilla. For EMJ, a million dollar per product line is an opportunity big enough to get the attention of my first string. In your business, look for the right-sized opportunity for you. Frequently, it is the smaller opportunity that has the best promise. The gorillas will leave you alone. There is always a right-sized opportunity for a company of any size. Knowing your rightful place in the market can help you to thrive.

3 Get focussed. Higher focus means we know more, stock more, and sell more product of fewer manufacturers. The smaller our product listing, the more powerful we become. We know a lot about a little. That means we know the products we sell better than a gorilla, and we become a sales tool for the reseller, not just an order-taker. Could you become more focused and specialized in a business area by giving up on a part of your business?

4 Be more flexible. We can adapt more easily to our customers and suppliers. We try not to be ruled by policy. The bigger a company gets, the more likely they are to have policy and some of it is required. As a small distributor, we can be more flexible. Are there areas that your competition is ignoring that by being more entrepreneurial, you can capitalize on?

5 Be smarter. This sounds too simple, almost embarrassing to write. Since we are smaller, we can look at the business we do more carefully and make sure it makes good business sense. We don’t pick up another manufacturer just to increase the size of our line card. That’s just not good business sense for us. That’s the way we have to think and so should you.

6 Lower your overhead. For some reason, most companies seem to choose more expensive offices and furnishings as they grow. This expectation tends to increase costs in all areas of the company that distribution, at current margin levels, can ill afford. At EMJ, we buy quality used furniture. We are on the outskirts of Guelph where the cost of land and taxes is less. Our capital base is even high enough that our cost of capital is less than some of the gorillas. Are there areas that you can be lower overhead than the gorillas in your field? Costs always add up on the bottom line.

7 Foster staff loyalty one major advantage guerillas have over gorillas is the ability to attract, motivate, and keep good people. Primarily this is because guerillas can be more flexible, easier to work for and give people more of a sense of accomplishment because what they do contributes more directly the company’s bottom line. I have always found there to be great power by being smaller and treating my people with respect and not just as numbers. Gorillas can try to do this but it is tough for them to copy you.

8 Just BE a gorilla. We like to enter market areas that we can dominate and specialize in. We may not be the biggest but in certain specific niches, we dominate. As long as we are the biggest in an area, we can act the part. We can under-price and over-service the competition forever. Anyone who enters our markets learns that it is expensive and often impossible to unseat us.

9 Be personal. One thing a smaller organization can do is to be more personal. People buy from people. You can foster relationships that will help you sell. Part of the way we are personal is by showing our customers what markets and products ARE profitable. There is nothing that cements a customer relationship better than making them money, because you’ll be making money for them AND for you!

10 Be opportunistic to sum up guerilla strategy is simply to be opportunistic. Take advantage of opportunities that the gorillas cannot do. There are many companies that remain profitable by being opportunistic.

In summary, unless you are huge think guerilla. Appropriate guerilla tactics for your size will win any battle.

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Legal Issues at Start-Up

Legal issues at start-up are often confusing. Mary times this will be your first foray into the business world. There are two main places where legal issues should be explored with an attorney.

Legal Issues With Business Type

Before starting you business it is wise to discuss all of the legal issues surrounding the type of business you decide to open. Sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations all have different legals issues that will have a bearing on your final decision. Talking to a lawyer about your options is time and money well spent.

Legal Issues With Agreements and Contracts

The second area where legal advice is recommended is with putting together your contracts and agreements. You should have your attorney review these documents, ensure they are binding, and discuss any legal issues that might arise from them.

You want these agreements to be enforceable and you want to avoid costly legal issues down the road. Have your attorney help you with legal issues regarding disclaimers, data loss and liability.

The Bottom Line on Legal Issues

Legal issues require a proactive approach. Business start-up is the time to explore your legal options and work out the potential legal issues that you might face. Decide what type of business you want to operate and then draw-up solid agreements and contracts. The time you spend early on will help you avoid costly legal issues down the road.

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Grant Money For Small Business

If you’re frustrated by the conflicting and inaccurate information you’ve found regarding grant money for a small business, then don’t worry. This article is your best source for the most accurate and up to date data. Read on and find out why!

Many people today searching for small business grant money to start their own for profit business assume that grants are nothing more than ìfree money.î Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but small business grant money is hardly ìfree moneyî at all. In fact, these grants are more like contracts with their own set of obligations and restrictions that you must comply with or risk suffering sanctions imposed by your funding resource.

In the case of government grants, the rules are even stricter. One of the first places that people often turn to is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, which is where all listings of government grants approved by Congress are announced. The problem with this resource is that there are very few programs available for small businesses.

These grants are usually awarded to deserving individuals or nonprofit organizations having some community-based project in mind. Rarely will you find a government grant awarded to help set up a for profit business. That is why when searching for a small business grant you should not turn only to the government for funding resources.

A good source of grant money is the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). The AFP is considered the chief professional association for fundraisers. The association was formerly known as the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE). Their website at AFPnet.org offers sections on ethics, public policy, publications (including AFP’s online bookstore), professional advancement, local chapters, jobs, and youth in philanthropy (along with a member gateway/dashboard).

Besides that, the AFP also provides a list of organizations (including their websites) that are among the top basic resources of grant money. Foremost on their list is the Foundation Center at FDNCenter.org, which publishes the revered Foundation Directory.

Consider contracts. Government money can sometimes come in the form of contracts. ìIf you can demonstrate that your company can execute a budget line item, if you can shape part of your idea to what the government wants done for a particular project ñ say something educational or construction-oriented ñ if you can fill a need, you can compete,î says Francie Ward, CEO of the Business Owner’s Idea CafÈ at BusinessOwnersIdeaCafe.com.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope that it has helped you and that you were able to find, through our research, the answers you were seeking.

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Your Small Business May Be At Risk Unless You Have A Security and Recovery Plan

Taking the time now to at least put together an informal security and business recovery plan will go a long way in the event of a real disaster or other loss. Learn what your small business should think about before the unexpected happens.

Donít think your small business is at risk? Think again. Whether you realize it or not, your business has valuable information and assets that probably are not protected right now. Your business likely has confidential client information, proprietary business knowledge or just internal knowledge that you wouldnít want to be exposed to criminals or competitors. The loss of this information could have a devastating impact to your business. While business insurance is an important part of your protection, it cannot protect clients from identity theft or your business from unscrupulous employees or competitors.

No matter how big or small, your business needs to have a security and recovery plan in place that determines what risks you have, helps protect against those risks and sets plans in place to handle the most likely types of losses you may experience. Your plan should also look at the both the ëphysicalí and the ëvirtualí aspects of your business.

Start by considering the types of risks to which your business may be vulnerable. What if your business information was lost or stolen? Do you have customer files or records, tax receipts, bank statements, business plans, customer work products?

Next, consider the physical aspects of your business that may be vulnerable. Do you have unique office equipment, inventory, computers or trade specific tools?

Finally, look at how you do business. Do you rely on technology, the internet or employees with unique skills? Does your business model depend on repeatable processes that are unique to your business?

Now, consider what would happen to your business if these parts of your business were lost, destroyed or stolen. Could you continue operating if you lost your client files? Could you be sued by customers if their personal information was exposed? Could you be the target of negative publicity? Could your competitors benefit if they gained access to the information? What if you lost email access for a day? What if that key employee suddenly left for another job? What if your office space caught fire or was flooded?

Your security and recovery plan should put in place the safeguards and policies and procedures to prevent some of these risks and the potential to negatively impact your business. Physical access to buildings is relatively easy to control although most small business have little more than a lock on the front door. Should you consider locking file drawers? Is inventory controlled? Does every employee have access, even to things that are not part of his or her job? Could a disgruntled or fired employee return to the workspace after hours with an extra key copy?

Your plan should consider how to protect the ëvirtualí parts of your business also. Do you have backups of any important files? Do you have passwords, account numbers and other ëkeysí securely guarded? Do your computers have virus and firewall protection and is it up-to-date? Do you have internet and email usage policies in place to protect your employees form harassment charges?

What about remote employees or workers who ëtake work home?í In todayís highly mobile environment vital business information can now be easily accessed outside of your physical controls? Do your employees know how to safeguard laptops, cell phones, flash drives or even print outs of business information once they leave your workspace? What if a laptop is stolen from a workerís car or home or hotel room? Do you have a backup of the data that was on the laptop? What if your employees are accessing your information from a coffee shop Wi-Fi? How do you know if your clients and business are protected?

Lastly, your security and recovery plan should consider how you would handle the most likely losses. For instance, if the computer that holds all your sales information crashes, you should probably have a plan to immediately restore that information from a backup. Where is the backup tape or disk kept? Who has access to it and most importantly, who knows how to restore a backup? If you office is flooded, how quickly can you relocate? Can some employees work from home or other remote locations temporarily? If client information is stolen, do you have a way to contact them?

Most small business owners likely have taken first steps like purchasing insurance and putting locks on the front door. Unfortunately, few have taken the time to really understand the potential risks to their business.

Taking the time now to at least put together an informal plan will go a long way in the event of a real disaster or other loss. Even the best planning obviously wonít protect against all disasters but it can certainly lessen the impact to your business once one occurs.

Aubrey Jones is President and founder of Riverbank Consulting, Inc. Since 1996 he has worked to protect internet banking clients for one of the top US financial institutions including serving as a Risk Manager.

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