Internet Safety: How You Can Protect Your Small Business From Internet Crimes

Small businesses are becoming more frequently targeted in Internet based crimes by hackers who are increasingly sophisticated and threats that are more widespread. It’s easy for criminals to hack a small business's computer system, if it has a weak defense. Putting an Internet security plan in place will help lessen your risk and prevent criminals from accessing sensitive information like banking numbers, email accounts, customer information, financial records, etc.   

We’ve compiled a few tips and resources to help you establish cybersecurity precautions for your small business.

• Train your employees.
• Set clear expectations and rules regarding what can and cannot be installed or downloaded on work computers.
• Make sure employees are backing up their work regularly.
• Facilitate password changes on a regular basis and make sure employees know what constitutes a secure password.
• Employees should be able to recognize suspicious links and emails and know not to open them.

• Assess your computer network and formulate a cybersecurity plan. The FCC offers a Small Biz Cyber Planner that helps businesses discover and protect themselves from “growing cyber threats.”
• Encrypt any confidential information.
• Update your security software regularly. Bugs, viruses and malware are ever evolving. In order for your computer to remain secure, you need to stay up to date with security software.

• Protect your customers by having and following a privacy policy. If you use the Internet to communicate with customers and collect their information, you could be putting them at risk. The FCC offers some best practices which can help your small business safeguard clients from online risks.
• Keep any data retention to a minimum. Unless you need the information to deliver the product, don’t ask for it. The less sensitive information you have, the less risk to your business and to customers.
• Talk to your customers and make sure they understand what information you need and why. If you keep track of purchase history to help make product recommendations, explain this. Additionally, try to make policies as simple and clear as possible. Oftentimes consumers skim through the fine print. Break it down into pieces of information that will be easily digested.

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How To Write A Professional Email

Email can be an effective tool in business. It allows for efficient communication with customers, co-workers and colleagues in your industry as it does not require both the sender and receiver to be available simultaneously. However, email is often considered informal which can present some difficulty when trying to compose a professional message.

Before drafting an email it's important to consider the following:

• Do you know the recipient? If you do, are you asking for a favor? Or an introduction?  
• If it’s a new professional acquaintance, reference where you met and/or a mutual connection to establish rapport. If it’s an intro you seek, include a snapshot of your company and your responsibilities or communicate via a social site with an internal email [InMail] program like LinkedIn to streamline the pursuit.
• Making a pitch? If yes, get to know your audience. Being familiar with more than just the recipient’s job title is essential for a well-crafted email pitch. Just ask HubSpot.

Often, things like tone can get lost in translation in an email. Approaching your message with the following tips in mind can help avoid miscommunication:

1. Create an eye-catching subject line. It should be succinct and to the point.
2. Time is money. Be brief! You don't want to lose the recipient the moment they open your message. Assume your recipient has a high volume of emails. In the interest of time, they may skim your message, resulting in missed details.
3. Address the person directly and be personable. For example: "Hi Jenn, I hope all is well!" or "Good morning, Jenn!" both address the recipient and exude a tone that will be well received.
4. Speaking of tone. Be sensitive. Are you offering criticism or feedback? Perhaps it would be best addressed in person. Are you worried your email is so concise that it's reading as rude? Close your email with a positive comment or sincere compliment to offset any misconstrued sharpness.
5. Don't include anything you wouldn't want to see as a headline. In today's world, anything you write is just one click away from the wrong hands. Keep this in mind before hitting "send."
6. Watch out for grammar and spelling mistakes. Using shorthand in an email is one thing, but making a grammatical or spelling error can hurt the recipient's interpretation of the message and perception of you as a professional. Proofread your message and then proofread it, again.
7. Be wary of elaborate signatures. When signing off in an email keep things simple. Relying on a corporate logo can be dangerous as they do not always load correctly. Test your signature before you send your message or stick to the basics: your name, title, business and phone number.

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For more information you can trust, visit us at bbb.org/boston, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

What Motivates Consumers To Make A Purchase?

It's safe to say most business owner's objective is to make a sale, but to make that sale it can be helpful to understand what motivates a customer to make their purchase. Your Better Business Bureau recommends considering the following four points to improve your business and sales strategy. 

1. How convenient is this experience for the customer? This can mean a number of different things, from parking convenience and storefront location, to website intuitiveness and delivery methods. 
2. The customer wants the best value. Many consumers looking to make a purchase will research a product before purchasing. Their interpretation of value can be determined by price comparisons and even online reviews. Is your business's online presence scarce? Consider registering your business with an online directory, like BBB for example. 
3. Do you give your customers individualized attention? Try to gently identify what it is your customer is looking for. Are they dissatisfied with a similar product from a competitor? Set your business apart by being attentive and helpful. 
4. A consumer wants it to be easy. If your online ordering process is too complicated you will find that many potential customers are abandoning their cart. If a product is out of stock do you go ahead and order the product for them? Or do you encourage them to use your website or seek out another store? 

Ultimately a customer is going to make a decision based on experience. Are you creating a positive customer experience or is it forgettable? 

For more information you can trust, visit us at bbb.org/boston, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Linkedin. 

Spring Cleaning For Your Small Business

With winter safely behind us (knock on wood) many Americans are participating in Spring Cleaning. Though typically thought of as something reserved for the home, it's a great philosophy to apply to your small business as well. 

So what areas of your business should you consider when starting fresh this spring? 

Your Finances. For many businesses summer tends to be slow so you may be reserving bigger purchases until the fall. Despite slow business and postponing major spending, bills still have to be paid. Review your cash balances now to determine how you will be covering your expenses during this period. Additionally review any auto renewal payments. You may find you're paying for something you only needed temporarily or something you no longer use. 

Filing and Documents. How do you keep track of important paperwork, files, and documents? Are you still storing these things in an old school filing cabinet? Consider going digital. By utilizing a CRM service not only are you diminishing the physical clutter around your office, but you are also increasing productivity by having this information at the ready in a digital dashboard. You will be able to find specific files in a matter of minutes just by typing in a simple search, and you can access this information anywhere at anytime. 

Staff Responsibilities. Take inventory of your staff and their responsibilities. We're not recommending you fire anyone (unless of course you have an employee who simply does not do their job) but take time to consider who your staff is and what they do. Has an employee outgrown their position? Is there more you could be delegating to them? Have certain positions become irrelevant? Could you redistribute the employee filling this position to another area of your business? Consider the ways in which your staff can be the most productive and successful. 

Business Plan. Review your business plan. What do you hope to achieve over the next 6 months? Year? Five years? Think about this in terms of your expectations for your own professional growth as well as your business's growth because as a business owner, these two things overlap. Have your expectations and goals shifted? If they have (which is not a bad thing) then how can you adjust your business plan to reflect these changes? What should you be doing differently in order to achieve success?

Be sure you are checking in weekly for more tips and tricks to benefit your small business! 

Providing Excellent Customer Service

With an increasing number of large, national chain stores popping up everywhere, small businesses sometimes find it difficult to compete. Mastering the fine art of providing excellent customer service is the best way to attract customers to your business and your products.

Oftentimes, customers are willing to pay a little more if they are getting that little something extra along with the product or service they are purchasing. There are two basic rules to follow: 

1. Treat your customers as you would want to be treated.
2. Treat every customer who walks through the door as an individual. 

Also stress the importance of simple tasks like being courteous, greeting customers with a smile, and respecting a customer's decision. Develop training programs that will make your employees knowledgeable on all aspects of your services and products. Nothing impresses customers more than realizing a store's employees are knowledgeable their product or service.

Some customers want to have a "relationship" with a salesperson, or just want to know where a product is located. Others want a little courtesy and even a little pampering. Teach your employees how to read a customer's needs, and treat him or her accordingly.

When dissatisfied customers present problems, make certain you know how to handle the issue. Acknowledge your customer's complaint, apologize and respond quickly. Don't forget that if you resolve the problem reasonably and fairly, the customer is likely to tell others about the wonderful customer service at your company.

Keeping Business Travel Costs Down

With increasing fuel prices, it's inevitable that there will be a rise in the cost of travel. This means that cost of doing business for many companies will continue to put a serious squeeze on profits.  BBB is offering advice for small business owners on how to reduce travel expenses and preserve the bottom line.


Move meetings online.
While nothing can replace the work that is achieved with a face-to-face meeting, many businesses are reducing travel costs by conducting meetings and training through video conferencing.

Establish Reduced Rate Agreements.
Many major hotel and rental car companies will offer reduced rate deals for businesses through a contractual agreement. In exchange for the lower costs, the business establishes the company as a preferred vendor. Before entering into an agreement with a specific company, the business owner should make sure that the hotel or rental car company offers the most convenient services and locations for the travel needs of the business.

Dedicate a staff member to tracking down deals.
With countless Web sites offering discounted travel, finding deals can become a full time job. While dedicating a staff member to the sole task of booking travel seems like a counter-intuitive way to save money, some companies that are spending significant amounts on travel have found that the added salary expense is indeed less than the savings. It also allows the staff to spend more time doing their own job – such as tracking down sales leads – rather than tracking down travel deals.

Eliminate the perks.
Tough times call for tough measures and while a small business owner might not make any fans by limiting travel perks, it’s often necessary. Business owners should consider establishing travel policies for employees that include guidelines on booking flights, using preferred vendors and adhering to spending limits for entertainment and meals. 

For more advice you can trust on small business management, visit BBB online at bbb.org.

Is Pinterest Right for Your Business?

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have dominated the world of social media, but it’s time to make way for a new tool for small businesses, called Pinterest.


Pinterest is an online bulletin board that allows users to pin and organize images into specific categories of interest.  When using it for business purposes, businesses can pin images of their business logos, coupons, discounts and other consumer friendly images. Followers of that business can like, comment or repin the image onto their own board. The images will link back to the businesses website. 

Pinterest is an excellent tool because, it’s a great way to spread the news and drive sales. It is also perfect for those who like to share. Pinterest is a good opportunity to share pins from other businesses and consumers.

Check out BBB’s Pinterest page, http://pinterest.com/bbbconnection.

BBB recommends trying new social media outlets to enhance your brand visibility.  For more business news you can trust visit bbb.org.