Fair Measures Corporation: A case study in online

Fair Measures Corporation: A case study in online ขthinking outside the boxข

by: Philippa Gamse

Fair Measures Corporation is a nationally recognized management training company made up of attorneys and professional speakers. They consult with companies such as Oracle, Sun and Cisco around preventing employee lawsuits by treating employees with respect.

Their Web site, at http://www.FairMeasures.com/ contains over 500 pages of free indepth legal information and analysis, provided for both employers and employees. It includes a monthly enewsletter, and an ขAsk the Lawyersข page where visitors can post additional questions. The site attracts frequent media attention, and has been featured in ขHR Magazineข.

Last year (2000), we completely restructured the site to add content for the many employees who come there looking for information. Previously, we’d been concentrating on the traditional markets for Fair Measures – human resource professionals and managers who hire them for workplace training programs. But we realized that in doing so, we were missing out on a very different audience for their expertise – and one that really only exists in the online context.

How did we know this? In two main ways:

1. by looking in our traffic analysis at the key search phrases that brought visitors to the site; and

2. from the content of questions submitted to ขAsk the Lawyersข.

We could see that many visitors were looking for information around sexual harassment, overtime exemptions, Internet email monitoring and privacy issues, and wrongful termination. Employers wanted to know how to create policies and practices that would protect them against costly lawsuits, and employees wanted to enforce their rights.

So, we created a whole series of new products instantly downloadable online guides and sample policies around these topics. They are available in Word, pdf, and html formats – at the buyer’s choice, and come with a full money back guarantee. The price point – currently $10 for the guides, is intended to encourage impulse purchases.

The latest of these products – a ขWrongful Termination Guideข was added in April, and is now achieving a nearly 5% conversion rate in sales. This is far higher than the average 12% that is typical of most ecommerce sites (and perhaps indicative of the current economic climate!) And, with realtime traffic analysis from Hitbox, we are tweaking the language and length of our selling pages to see what’s most effective with each audience.

Our downloadable products are now generating a steady additional revenue stream, from a source that is very different from the traditional markets for this company.

So, lessons learned (and still being learned) from this exercise:

1. Be open to new and different potential audiences for your online business;

2. Study your traffic analysis – there are many valuable clues as to visitor needs that can be translated into new products and services; and

3. Keep monitoring your visitor response and try new spins on your content.

About The Author

Philippa Gamse, CyberSpeaker, is an internationally recognized ebusiness strategist. Check out her free tipsheet กBeyond the Search Enginesก for 17 ideas to promote your Website: http://www.CyberSpeaker.com/tipsheet.html Philippa can be reached at (831) 4650317 or mailto:[email protected].

This article was posted on November 14, 2002

by Philippa Gamse

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Select

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Selecting A Business Continuity Strategy

by: Robert Mahood

The risk analysis and business impact analysis have identified risks to key business functions. Also, the potential impacts and probabilities of these risks as well as the costs to prevent or mitigate damages and the time to recover will have been established. Evaluating and selecting strategies is based on using this knowledge. Strategy selection involves focusing on key risk areas and selecting a strategy for each one. The primary goals are to maintain business continuity in the face of a disruption or disaster, to recover key business functions quickly and to mitigate damages.

Many companies associate disaster recovery and business continuity only with IT and communications functions and miss other critical areas that can seriously impact their business. Other common areas for strategy development and selection are employees, facilities, power, customer service, billing, and customer and public relations. All areas require a clear well thought out strategy based on recovery time objectives, cost and profitability impact.

Recovery related to employees is the most overlooked part of strategy selection. Simple steps like the ability to contact employees at home or on their personal cell phone and to ensure all are accounted for at each facility are often overlooked. Communications is critical to keep employees informed and engaged. The most powerful tools for continuity and recovery are the knowledge, capabilities and motivation of employees.

Developing strategies with implementation steps means no time is wasted in a recovery scenario. The focus is to implement the plan quickly and successfully. The right strategies implemented effectively minimize the disruption and mitigate damages.

In some cases, a strategy decision may be no strategy at all. In this scenario and others where there is significant risk to the financial viability of the organization, business interruption or business income insurance may be a viable strategy. Generally, this provides the company with the income it is losing due to damage to its property. It therefore increases the companyกs chances of survival and the ability to keep its customers and recover.

Bob Mahood

Midwest Data Recovery Inc.

www.midwestdatarecovery.com

866 786 2595

312 907 2100

About The Author

Robert Mahood has significant technology and management experience in data communications, internet, storage, disaster recovery and data recovery. He is currently the president of Midwest Data Recovery. www.midwestdatarecovery.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on September 29, 2004

by Robert Mahood

Looking For A Job In The Internet

Looking For A Job In The Internet

by: Abalh Noamudo

Depending on your specific line of work, looking jobs on the Internet could be a great way to find new and interesting opportunities. Whether you are looking for an academic or a technology job, a secretarial or a research position, there are many online resources that can help you find the job you need and the salary you desire. There are a wide variety of Internet job search sites that can steer you in the right direction at little or no cost to the applicant.

If you are looking for a job where you currently live, your local newspaper most likely lists its classified ads online. Because some papers make their Internet classifieds free, the online want ads might even include jobs that are not featured in the print versions. Rather than thumbing though the actual print paper, you can conduct specialized searches for the exact type of work you are looking for, saving you valuable time in your job quest. Gone are the days of highlighters and inky fingers. Now, you can find job opportunities with the click of a mouse.

Some job search websites have exclusively one purpose: linking employers with potential employees. There are some sites like Monster.com, which let job searchers post their resumes and their qualifications online free of charge. Who can view these resumes? Anyone or just certain prospective employers, that is up to you. Both possible employees and possible employers can search through the Internet. Potential employees can search through thousands of job opportunities online, cataloging them by kind of job, place or pay rate. On the other hand, employers will hunt through posted resumes to find matches for their job openings.

Many corporations also have online job sites, especially if they have multiple locations across the country. Computer companies like Apple, IBM and Dell all have job opportunities listed on their websites. Many of these companies pay for relocation, so if you are planning to move from your current location, you should search for a job first. That way, you might be able to get your moving expenses funded by your new employer.

If you prefer working for yourself rather than for a company, the Internet has made the world of freelancing much more feasible for the average worker. If you are a writer, software or website designer, graphic artist or consultant, many companies will hire you to do the modern equivalent of piecework. Rather than paying for a fulltime employee, companies will contract individuals to complete projects, typically from home. This offers a lot of flexibility for both the company and the freelancer. If you prefer a flexible schedule and have the need or desire to work from your home or from a coffeehouse or library, freelancing may be the perfect job opportunity for you. Jobs that can be completed and turned in via email are the best types for freelancers, as they can be completed anywhere even if you are on the road moving from place to place.

The Internet has singlehandedly revolutionized the workplace. Not only has it made finding jobs easier, but it has also contributed to the general mobility of the workforce. Rather than searching multiple newspapers for jobs in different cities, once can now access job databases all over the world from the comfort of your home. Finding opportunities requires less time and sometimes less networking than ever before. With quick transfer of information via email, employers can save time and money, and they have more flexibility in choosing their employees. These days, someone can live on the east coast and work exclusively for a west coast company. Through the Internet, work relationships are now built between people who have never even met.

About The Author

Abalh Noamudo is the proprietor of Jobs For You that is an expert resource for information about jobs. For more information, go to: http://www.ftsejobs.com.

This article was posted on August 24

by Abalh Noamudo

Overcoming Barriers to Sales

Overcoming Barriers to Sales

by: Richard Gorham

Ever thought to yourself, กIf only my team members would complete the tasks that we mutually agreed to in our action plan.ก

Most managers have felt this way about certain employees at some point in time.

Letกs face it, some employees have a very hard time consistently executing tasks that กshouldก be relatively simple to complete.

So what are the barriers getting in the way of their success?

Actually, there are several types of barriers but perhaps not the typical sort of barriers that you may be thinking.

Barriers can be classified in three major categories. Each category identifies strong barriers that, if not quickly identified and corrected by the team leader, can negatively impact the progress of your team.

The Three Major Types of Barriers are: (Hint: Remember A, B, C)

Attitude Barriers

Behavioral Barriers

Conceptual Barriers

Attitude Barriers

Every employee must take ownership of his or her own attitude.

A manager is NOT in charge of anyoneกs attitude except her own. If an employee has a poor and nonproductive attitude and is not willing to correct it, that is a personal choice and that person needs to be held accountable for that decision.

Quite simply, there are too many quality people who are willing to learn and add value to an organization, for a leader to invest time and money on anyone who makes the conscious กchoiceก to portray a poor attitude.

Keep in mind, if a leader does NOT hold team members accountable for nonproductive attitudes, then he/she has in essence told the team กitกs okก.

Employees’ displaying poor attitudes is NOT ok. A leader should never allow herself to be seen as กsanctioningก this kind of behavior.

Here is a great way to communicate expectations about กowning your attitudeก to your team.

Go to any hardware store and buy the largest coat hook that you can find. ‘the Hookก will be a visual reminder to your team members that you expect them to leave any personal issues or poor attitudes on this hook prior to beginning their day.

(Suggestion: You might want to paint The Hook a bright silver or gold color, and perhaps even mount The Hook on a nice piece of stained wood. Hang The Hook in a common area, away from customer view, where employees will see it often and be reminded throughout the day about your expectations of leaving poor attitudes on The Hook as they do not belong anywhere in the workplace.)

When you introduce ‘the Hookก, and your expectations relating to attitude, you might say something like:

‘rest assured, if you each will make sure to leave all your personal issues on the hook each morning when you arrive, I will take personal responsibility for guarding it on your behalf. I will watch over it for you throughout the day, and I promise that every night when you are ready to return home, it will still be there just waiting for you to take it back home with you. That is my solemn promise to each of you.ก 

Behavioral Barriers

Behavioral barriers equal actions not taken or completed, which hinder the achievement of maximum results.

Behavioral barriers refer to an employee not completing critical sales management tasks as expected despite having mutually agreed to do so.

Managers spend most of their time coaching to behaviors working to increase results of the midlevel and lowlevel producers.

Examples of behavioral barriers include techniques, strategies and skills such as:

Prospecting

Profiling

Telemarketing/scripting

Overcoming objections

Asking for the business

Closing the sale

Following up and managing the relationship

Leaders who are very successful in overcoming behavioral barriers follow this threestep approach in this sequential order:

Managers must TEACH employees what behaviors (actions) are expected

Managers must COACH employees to build their confidence to master sales management behaviors

Managers must EXPECT and hold employees accountable for completing the desired behaviors on a consistent basis

Conceptual Barriers

Conceptual barriers are the absolute most difficult barriers to overcome.

Conceptual barriers are the barriers that are right behind the eyes, DEEP within the brain. กBeliefsก which were planted at a very young age and reenforced over a long period of time which is why they are so hard to กdislodgeก.

Here are a few quick examples of conceptual barriers:

(Think back to your own childhood. Were you ever taught any of the following rules?)

Don’t talk to strangers

It is impolite to talk about money

Never interrupt important people

Wait to be asked

Now think about what you are asking your sales people to do.

Telemarket (cold call)

Profile/Prequalify based on ability to buy

Create new relationships

Do you see how many of the things we were taught as children fly directly in the face of today’s daily sales management expectations?

It is no wonder why some folks have such a difficult time adopting certain routine sales management practices. They are quite literally กhandicappedก by a belief system that limits their potential for success.

As a leader it’s your responsibility to approach performance issues with a clear understanding of these predetermined belief systems. Armed with this knowledge you can more quickly address issues in a way that can help both the sales rep and your entire organization.

About The Author

Richard Gorham is the founder and President of LeadershipTools, Inc. His web site, http://www.leadershiptools.com is dedicated to providing free tools and resources for todayกs aspiring leaders. Offering highquality tools in the areas of Business Planning, Leadership Development, Customer Service, Sales Management and Team Building.

This article was posted on January 01

by Richard Gorham

10 Ways Focus Groups Can Propel Your Profits

10 Ways Focus Groups Can Propel Your Profits

by: Larry Dotson

A focus group is a group of employees or current customers that discuss and brainstorm new ways to improve different parts of your business.
1. They can give you new ideas on how to advertise and market your product or service to your targeted audience.
2. They can give you ideas that could help improve your current product or service. For example, you could make it smaller, faster, heavier, etc.
3. They can give you ideas for new products or services to develop and sell. For example, a new gift wrapping service for your products.
4. They can help you solve lingering problems with your business. For example, you could give your employees incentives to solve slow production.
5. They can give you new ideas on how to cut costs and save money. For example, you could recycle damaged or old products instead of trashing them.
6. They can find new ways to improve your current customer service policy. For example, hire extra operators so you don’t have to put anyone on hold.
7. They can give you new ideas on how to get the most and best out of your employees in the less amount of time.
8. They can give you news ideas for upsell, back end and addon products to sell. For example, you could upsell a video when selling your books.
9. They can help you find new ways to stay ahead of your competition. For example, you could give your customers free shipping.
10. They can give ideas for raising your employees morale. For example, you could hold a party, give them a holiday bonus, give them a free day, etc.

About The Author

Over 40,000 Free eBooks & Web Books when you visit: http://www.ldpublishing.com As a bonus, Bob Osgoodby publishes the free weekly "Your Business" Newsletter visit his web site to subscribe and place a FREE Ad! http://advmarketing.com/business

This article was posted on January 16, 2002

by Larry Dotson

Cutting Down Your Trade Show Budget

Cutting Down Your Trade Show Budget

by: Susan Friedmann

Whenever a recession or volatility threatens the economy, companies immediately look at where they can cut budgets. Without much forethought, the first to hit the block is inevitably training, followed closely behind by marketing. Why? Both are viewed on the balance sheet as expenditures rather than income generators, so obviously they’re hot contenders for elimination.

This is a very myopic way of thinking, especially for companies who want to remain globally competitive. Instead, at times like these when resources are under severe scrutiny, look at this as a golden opportunity to analyze your strategies. Put your activities under a microscope and closely examine what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. Often during times of plenty, the finance reins loosen up and some highly creative juggling takes place when budgets exceed their estimations. Obviously, we enjoy the abundant mentality and wish that it could last forever. But just as with all things in the universe there has to be a balance, and shortages add stability to plenty. Whenever highs exist, lows are inevitable.

So, instead of reacting to the highs and lows of the marketplace, what can you do to maintain a steady balance? Marketing and training are definitely keys to your success, so let’s examine five benefits and how they relate to your tradeshow participation.

1. Analyze your weakest links

When you take time to look examine your operation in more detail, you often discover that many of your actions are done out of habit rather than being productive and profitable. Think about some of the shows that you attend. How do they really fit into your marketing strategy? Are you attending them just because you’ve always done so, or because your competition is there? These are often your weak links, the shows that utilize unnecessary time and energy. Think about doing away with the ขnice to be at showsข and rather opt at putting all your energy into the more profitable events that attract larger quantities of your target market.

Another weak budgetary link is associated with excessive employee spending at shows, such as dining at the finest restaurants and ordering the highest priced items just because the boss is paying. Consider setting up a per diem allowance and make employees accountable for expenses. You might even reward them with the difference if they under spend their stipend.

2. Exhibit a global competitiveness mindset

To be a contender in the global marketplace and establish a vanguard positioning, you have to be out there come rain or shine. And, tradeshows signify an essential marketing strategy when it comes to visibility. Exhibiting demonstrates that you’re a serious player in the industry. However tough, it’s important to keep tradeshows as one of your major promotional strategies. Rather consider reducing space than totally pulling out a show, provided of course, that it’s the right show for you. Unfortunately, if you stop exhibiting completely, the ขbuzzข on the show floor says publicly that you must be in financial trouble. This may be completely false, but it’s people’s perceptions that count. They’re the reality they believe. As the old adage states, ขout of sight, out of mind.ข And, since memorability is a key factor associated with exhibiting, if you’re not seen, how can you possibly be remembered!

3. Focus on longterm results

Investing in both marketing and training means that you’re interested and willing to focus on longterm results. Neither is designed to give a ขquick fix,ข rather using them continuously in an organized and planned manner, will produce results. They’re like a dripping faucet, so long as the drops constantly fall into the tub, it will fill up. However, if you maintain a ขturn on, turn offข approach, that is train and market in times of plenty and discontinue when there’s a shortage, then your results are likely to mirror your actions. Look at how you can keep an operational equilibrium to avoid the highs and the lows. Develop a consistent marketing and training strategy.

4. Inspire loyal workers

Often companies are reluctant to invest too much in training staff for fear that once trained, they’ll leave for ขgreener pastures.ข Since there are no guarantees in life, that’s always going to be a risk, but does that mean you shouldn’t develop your people to be the best they can be? Absolutely not! The reasons employees leave may be many. Employees may leave because of frustration or stress. They might feel unappreciated or undervalued. It could be that they believe your company is heading for an iceberg and want to กjump shipก before it sinks. Maybe they feel that their salaries are not in line with the jobs they are performing. Or they could feel that they don’t have enough authority, growth opportunities, or direction in their careers. Training is often the key to help inspire loyalty.

5. Improve performance

Employees are the backbone of your company. Without them, your company cannot stay afloat. The relationship between employees and employers has to be a partnership; if they feel their needs are being ignored, they will leave you. But when both sides work on the same wavelength, share the same goals and ideas, the company will be on the right track for success. What better place than the tradeshow floor to exhibit this mentality. Your exhibit staff represents your internal customerservice team and your company ambassadors. They stand for your entire organization. These people have the awesome responsibility of making or breaking future relationships with attendees, prospects and customers. Their attitude, body language, appearance, and knowledge help to create positive or negative perceptions in the minds of visitors. Make sure that they’re well trained and can do what you expect of them. Training shows that you recognize your team’s importance in the company and look to develop their skills to improve performance.

Exhibiting is a powerful extension of your company’s marketing strategy and your people are the backbone of your company. Eliminating your marketing and training budgets during times of recession is tantamount to profitability suicide. So consider looking at other places to make those cuts!

About The Author

Written by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: ขMeeting & Event Planning for Dummies,ข working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Go to http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.

This article was posted on May 07, 2004

by Susan Friedmann

Brand Love (pt. 2)

Brand Love (pt. 2)

by: John Jordan

Last issue, I talked about increasing your Brand Love meaning to increase the affection that prospects and customers feel toward your business.

Why?

Because increasing กaffectionก will build relationships. Those relationships, if made strong enough by increased Brand Love, build a bridge for prospects to become customers. To some, that bridge might be made of rope, swaying in the breeze, complete with wooden planks. To others, it will be a mighty stone structure. It all depends on how well you connect with each prospect.

It also means putting more cement on the bond with the customers you already have. Locking customers in, tighter and tighter with every brand experience is a critical aspect to profitability and growth. The reason here is twofold: It costs less to maintain current customers than to gain new ones, and the best advertising is word of mouth. Sounds like a cliché (กcause they are), but… itกs true, folks.

So, the big question is: How to do it and do it better than your competition.

Previously, I mentioned getting honest and forthright feedback from customers. Having oneonone conversations can help. You will also get valued honesty from questionnaire cards that have a few quick answers AND some space to write in other thoughts. Actually, that could be the most important aspect of the card. Getting this kind of feedback can provide huge rewards.

First, this type of ขsilentข feedback lets the writer give a more honest opinion, rather than talking facetoface. They don’t have to sign their name. Also, the feedback given can open up trains of thought that may not have occurred to you before. You may get insight into improving your core business. The insight may turn into a realization that leads to big discovery, such as a different product, service, or an entire market.

Another way to increase Brand Love is the proper training of your employees. Nothing is more of downer (except perhaps bad merchandise) to a customer than an incompetent employee. Service should be a big part of your marketing plan, and that means involving time and expense to train your employees properly. Weกve all heard our economy is becoming more servicebased, but weกve all suffered from bad service more often than not. Being on hold five minutes or more. Being ignored when you walk in the door. Given incorrect information, being overcharged, or having something delivered late. All bad news for customers.

I once called a local outlet of a national home center chain, and I was on hold for 30 minutes! I stayed on as long as I could, just to see actually how many minutes it took for someone to answer. It was so long, I could hum their jingle in my sleep! And they never answered. Now, I go strictly to their competition. Alarmingly, itกs to the point where mediocre service is so noticeably different, it gets applauded. Keeping your employees trained and caring starts at the top. So if this hasn’t been a priority for you, make it one, and youกll see your referrals go up.

This leads into my next point becoming the Preferred Employer. In the marketing triangle, there are three elements: Business, Customers, and Employees. With the Business at the apex of the triangle, it cannot exist without the other two. You’re not just marketing to customers. You are marketing to your employees too, because they are investing their time to work for you.

When you create an excellent work atmosphere and employees find working for you rewarding, you get great performance from them AND you attract top talent. Those are two things that are priceless and almost insure success. Conversely, when you don’t care about your employees, their training, or make work an unpleasant experience, count on poor to mediocre help without much care or effort. I cannot think of a faster way to drive good help and customers away.

Being the Preferred Employer doesn’t mean doesn’t mean there are no rules in place or you pay obscenely high wages for comparable work. It simply means your employees are respected, taught to do their job well, given proper feedback when needed, and are made to feel valued.

Take a good objective look around your business. Get honest feedback from your customers AND your employees. Great businesses become that way because they are constantly searching for ways to become better. Those two groups should be your most important and most dependedon allies in that never ending search. ~

Republishing article, in part or in full, in all forms, is welcomed, as long as author bio info is printed and proper authorship credit is given. As a courtesy, please send author a complimentary copy.

About The Author

John Jordan is a freelance commercial writer based in Omaha, Nebraska. He publishes a free monthly ezine focusing on branding, advertising, and marketing from his web site http://www.brandedbetter.com. Speaking with both agency and in house experience, he knows the most valuable asset of a business is its brand.

This article was posted on January 12

by John Jordan

Corporate Email Policies Lower Unnecessary Legal a

Corporate Email Policies Lower Unnecessary Legal and Security Risks

by: Anti Spam League

What comes to your mind when you think about your email? Email makes possible almost instant communication with your coworkers without leaving your desk, a quick note to a family member who lives far away, but also has a very annoying downside such as junk mail. Since the introduction of the Internet, email has been one of its primary uses. The fact that it is a fast, cheap and easy means of communication, makes email a great business tool. But there are also a series of threats for employers associated with email usage. Email threats such as confidentiality breaches, legal liability, lost productivity and damage to reputation cost organizations millions of dollars each year.

In the majority of cases, companies are held responsible for all the information transmitted on or from their systems. As a result, inappropriate emails can result in multimillion dollar penalties in addition to other costs. For example, a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) employee unintentionally sent a dirty joke entitled ‘Nuns in Heaven’ to 6,000 journalists and government officials on the agencyกs group email list. This employeeกs lapse in judgment and electronic mistake resulted in negative publicity and national embarrassment for the FCC. In the US, Chevron settled a case filed by four female employees for $2.2 million. The employees alleged that sexually harassing emails sent through the company’s email system caused a threatening work environment. One of the sexually offensive messages was a joke sheet titled ’25 reasons why beer is better than women’. A company can also be liable if one of its employees sends an email containing a virus.

Confidentiality breaches can be accidental, for instance when an employee selects a wrong contact name in the ‘To:’ field, or intentional, such as the case where an employee uses his corporate email account to send confidential information to one of the company’s competitors. In the latter case, both the employee and the recipient could be charged with trade secret theft. Nonetheless, whether it is by mistake or on purpose, the result of the loss of confidential data is the same.

Lost productivity due to inappropriate use of a firm’s email system is becoming a growing area of concern. A recent survey revealed that 86 per cent of workers used their company email to send and receive personal emails. Given that it has become very hard in our modern world to segregate peopleกs personal lives outside of the workday, companies struggle to find effective ways of balancing employee freedoms and corporate protection. In addition to personal emails, unwanted spam messages are a significant time waster. Spam and personal abuse of email can also cause a corporation’s email system to waste valuable bandwidth resources. A Gartner Group study held under 13,000 email users found that 90 percent receive spam at least once a week, and almost 50 percent get spammed more than 6 times a week. Personal emails cause network congestion since they are not only unnecessary, but tend to be mailed to a large list of recipients and often include large attachments such as mp3, executable or video files that users do not zip. Adopting an antispam system alone has not proven effective to stop spam. The combination of spam blockers with other methods of spam control technologies such as SIDF, SPF, Bayesian Filters, Blacklists, Whitelists, Anomaly Detection, and Spam Signatures has proven to be much more effective. There are also special organizations such as the AntiSPAMLeague.org that give Internet users the chance to report those individuals and companies that are responsible of spamming. You can become a member for free and learn how to control the spam problem by visiting their website at www.antispamleague.org. For more details on how to deal with spam, read the article ‘How Can I Stop It? The Challenging Task of Controlling Spam’.

How can a company protect itself from these threats? The first step in securing your organization is to create an email usage policy. Every company needs to establish a policy regarding use of and access to company email systems, and then tell all employees what its policy is. After you have created your email policy you must make sure it is actually implemented. This can be done by providing regular trainings and by monitoring employees’ email using some type of email security software. The email policy should be made available and easily accessible to all employees and should be included in employee handbooks and company intranets. It is best to include the email policy, or a short statement regarding the policy, in employment contracts. In this way the employee must acknowledge in writing that he/she is aware of the email policy and of the obligation to adhere to it.

What are some of the benefits of having a clear and effective email policy? First, it helps prevent email threats, since it makes your staff aware of the corporate rules and guidelines. Second, it can help stop any misconduct at an early stage by asking employees to come forward as soon as they receive an offensive email. Keeping the incidents to a minimum can help avoid legal liability. For example, in the case of Morgan Stanley, a US investment bank that faced an employee court case, the court ruled that a single email communication a racist joke, in this case cannot create a hostile work environment and dismissed the case against them. Third, if an incident does occur, an email policy can minimize the corporation’s liability for the employee’s actions. Previous cases have proven that the existence of an email policy can prove that the company has taken steps to prevent inappropriate use of the email system and therefore can be freed of liability. Fourth, if you are going to use email filtering software to check the contents of your employee’s emails, you must have an email policy that states this clearly. Some employees may argue that by monitoring their emails, companies are violating their privacy rights. However, court cases have shown that if the employer has warned the employee beforehand that their email might be monitored, the employer has a right to do so. People usually respond better when they know where they stand and what is expected of them.

The recent spike in the volume of spam traveling across the Internet, combined with the dangers of phishing and virus attacks that frequently accompany these messages, has forced corporations to reconsider how they determine which messages will be allowed into their network. For years, companies have addressed their email security needs through a mixture of third party software solutions designed to address specific areas of vulnerability. Today, however, this approach appears to be ineffective. New threats adapt to even the latest security technology, helping hackers and spammers stay a step ahead of most standalone protective measures. System administrators remain in a reactionary mode, waiting for the next attack and hoping their mixed bag of security software is up to the test.

The role of email in SarbanesOxley compliance cannot be overstated. The SarbanesOxley Act of 2002 and associated rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) require certain businesses to report on the effectiveness of their internal controls over financial reporting. Effective internal controls ensure information integrity by mandating the confidentiality, privacy, availability, controlled access, monitoring and reporting of corporate or customer financial information. Companies that must comply with SarbanesOxley include U.S. public companies, foreign filers in U.S. markets and privately held companies with public debt. U.S. companies with market cap greater than $75M and on an accelerated (2004) filing deadline are required to comply for fiscal years ending on or after Nov. 15, 2004. All others are required to comply for fiscal years ending on or after April 15.

Because the bulk of information in most corporations is created, stored, transmitted and maintained electronically, IT departments are responsible for ensuring that sound practices, including corporate wide information security policies and enforced implementation of those policies, are in place for employees at all levels. Information security policies should govern the following items:

Network security

Access controls

Authentication

Encryption

Logging

Monitoring and alerting

Preplanning coordinated incident response

Forensics

Most of us would agree that today email is the primary internal and external communication tool for corporations. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most exposed areas of a technology infrastructure. Email systems are critical to ensuring effective internal control over financial reporting, encryption of external messages and active policy enforcement, all essential elements of compliance. Companies must install a solution that actively enforces policy, stops offending mail both inbound and outbound and halts threats before internal controls are compromised, as opposed to passively noting violations as they occur. An effective email security solution must address all aspects of controlling access to electronically stored company financial information. Given the wide functionality of email, ensuring appropriate information access control for all of these points requires:

A capable policy enforcement mechanism to set rules in accordance with each company’s systems of internal controls;

Encryption capabilities to ensure privacy and confidentiality through secure and authenticated transport and delivery of email messages;

Secure remote access to enable remote access for authorized users while preventing access from unauthorized users;

Antispam and antiphishing technology to prevent malicious code from entering a machine and to prevent private information from being provided to unauthorized parties.

On a final note, some clear guidelines for a good and effective email policy include the following points: a) Emails should comply with the proper RFC protocols for email, 2) Employees should not attempt to obscure content or messages in emails, 3) Companies should post privacy policies where they can be read and understood, prior to submission of a request, 4) Employees should not send email to unverified or nonexistent email addresses, 5) Companies should offer users opportunities to optout of programs.

Given that developments in email and the Internet are changing so rapidly, it is essential to review the email policy at least once every quarter. Keep an eye on new developments in email and Internet law so that you are aware of any new regulations and opportunities. When you release new updates, it is preferable to have each user sign as acknowledgment of their receipt of the policy.

With all of this said, if you want to reduce electronic risks in the workplace you must take the initiative. Electronic disasters can ruin businesses, sink careers, send stock prices plummeting, and generate public relations nightmares. Do not wait for a disaster to strike; prevention is always your best defense. Visit www.AntiSpamLeague.org and they will help you develop and implement written email usage and privacy policies that clearly reflect your organizationกs expected standards of electronic behavior, along with privacy and monitoring policies.

About The Author

The purpose of the Anti SPAM League is to help consumers and business owners reduce the amount of SPAM they receive. In addition, our Anti SPAM organization believes that educating site owners in the area of SPAM prevention and ways to successfully and responsibly market their sites, is key in making a difference.

[email protected]

This article was posted on November 23, 2004

by Anti Spam League

Satisfied Employees, A Powerful Marketing Strategy

Satisfied Employees, A Powerful Marketing Strategy

by: Kathleen Gage

Even in today’s still uncertain economic times, there are companies who are doing extraordinarily well. Why is it that some companies are thriving while others are barely making it? You can always blame the economy, but is that the only reason? The answer could be as simple as how respected and appreciated your staff feels.
Recently I visited a store to buy pet supplies. I was given a pleasant greeting, assisted with my purchase and made to feel like a valued customer. It was a good experience until I paid for my purchase. The clerk began badmouthing the fact that her boss, the owner, took the afternoon off. The clerk seemed to feel obligated to tell me how much better she could run the business if she had the authority. I simply smiled, secretly wishing for the experience to be over as quickly as possible.
I considered this to be an isolated case and dismissed it. The clerk was just having a bad day. I went in on another occasion and had a similar experience with another clerk. However, this time the other clerk didn’t seem to care if I bought anything or not. All she wanted to do was put down the owner.
I haven’t been back since the second experience, nor do I feel comfortable referring anyone to the store. Based on my experiences, I have to assume that these employees do not feel valued by their boss. If they did, I hardly think they would talk so poorly behind the owner’s back. I assume these employees work just enough to justify their paycheck. I can also assume they won’t do anything to generate new business. What a pity. And what a missed opportunity for everyone.
In today’s competitive business environment, companies can foolishly waste phenomenal amounts of money on what they assume are effective marketing strategies in order to gain more customers. Yet if their marketing strategy does not include employee satisfaction, these new customers may have a less than pleasant experience and will be less likely to return.
How many companies spend a fortune on marketing in order to gain a larger customer base yet miss the key ingredient to the foundation of their success? A successful foundation lies within their employees. Do they enjoy working for the organization? How good do they feel about their role within the company? What do they say and do on the job (both during and after business hours)? Most importantly, do they feel respected and appreciated?
A committed staff can literally turn a floundering company around. At a minimum they can help to keep it afloat. When people feel appreciated, they are more likely to be loyal, creative, and trustworthy. They are willing do what it takes to keep customers happy. They are less likely to undermine the success of the organization or merely be in a state of complacency while at work. Satisfied and loyal employees make excellent public relations representatives who truly have the desire to make your customers happy.
There are many owners and managers who still maintain the outdated belief that an employee should just be happy to have a job. They seem to think any investment in their people is a waste of time and money. Have they ever thought that this could be the reason for such low productivity and morale and poor customer service?
Smart managers and owners are taking a much more progressive and holistic approach to how they run their businesses. One such approach is setting up programs to express appreciation and respect for their staff. A good incentive program for your employees not only makes excellent business sense, it is also a very powerful marketing strategy.
Key to the success of any incentive program is sincerity. If you implement a program only to see how much you can get out of people, chances of failure are high. Additionally, the actions of the management team have to match the philosophy of the program you implement in order to succeed.
The greatest key to success with an incentive program is to commit to a high level of respect for your team. Remember always that without your staff you not likely to succeed.

About The Author

Kathleen Gage is a business advisor, keynote speaker and trainer who helps others gain marketing dominance and visibility within their market. She is the recipient of the 2004 Giant Step Award for Business of the Year in the State of Utah. Call 801.619.1514 or email [email protected]. Get Gage’s online newsletter called Street Smarts Marketing and Promotions by visiting www.kathleengage.com

This article was posted on July 25, 2004

by Kathleen Gage

A Simple Strategy to Increase Profits

A Simple Strategy to Increase Profits

by: Kathleen Gage

In today’s competitive business environment it is essential to find ways to reduce costs and increase revenues while keeping productivity and quality high. One of the best ways to achieve this is through hiring and retention of outstanding employees.

Far too often hiring managers rush through the hiring process due to being reactive rather than proactive when filling positions. With some preplanning in the hiring process and implementation of sound strategies once people join your organization, you will lower the cost of doing business by considerable amounts.

As you prepare to hire consider the following:

What type of person are you looking for?

What are the values that drive your company?

How difficult is the job you are filling?

Do you have anyone internally who can do the job?

How long will it take to find the right person for the position?

What are you willing to negotiate with the potential candidate?

In looking for potential candidates you may want to try more than the traditional employee search. Tap into your network of professional connections. Some of your best candidates may be working for your competitors. Be careful about hiring someone just because they are a friend or family member. Not that friends and family members don’t make good employees often they can be fantastic. And yet, if you are hiring them only because they are a friend or family member, you are setting yourself up for some big problems. With the wrong choice morale with other employees can go down. With the right choice it is just as likely to go up.

Think through the compensation package. Are the wages fair for the job, industry and market? Make sure your benefit package is competitive for your industry. Find out what other companies are offering as far as compensation and consider matching or beating their offerings.

There are occasions when someone may take a position without thinking through income, benefits or fit. Once they have gotten settled in and are feeling comfortable with the position and the company, they may realize the compensation and the job is not all it could be. That can cause some discontent on their part. To avoid this, do your homework.

Another key to keeping good employees is to make sure they are treated with respect, dignity and appreciation. This may seem like common sense and yet, it often doesn’t happen. I consult with various types of organizations employee retention and how to gain more commitment from the staff. I often will meet individually, in private, with a cross section of the staff. I spend at least an hour with each employee in a confidential meeting to find out their view of the company. Inevitably, the areas that are most lacking for the employee to be fully satisfied are communication and appreciation.

Once the area of discontent has been identified I design programs for the company in which to address the problems. What is amazing is the problem is often on the way to being solved by virtue of the fact the organization has brought me in. A common comment is, ขFinally, someone is listening to me.ข

Often, a company’s problems can be lessened with some good coaching and training of management. It is amazing how many managers and supervisors were put into their position without any training in interpersonal skills, management and supervisory skills, and how to communicate effectively. Nine times out of ten the people who need the most training are the ones who think they need it the least. And, they are often the biggest obstacle to the success of a company.

In order to stay competitive on all fronts you must keep your entire team on the leading edge. By doing so you will be in business for years to come with a happy, dedicated and productive team. And that will equal profits.

Copyright: © 2005 by Kathleen Gage

www.kathleengage.com

Publishing Guidelines: You may publish my article in your newsletter, on your web site, or in your print publication provided you include the resource box at the end. Notification would be appreciated but is not required.

About The Author

Do you want to gain massive visibility within your market? Kathleen Gage can help you do just that. As a published author, keynote speaker and top rated business advisor, Kathleen Gage teaches strategies that give high impact and high return. Sign up for Gage’s FR*EE Report ขLearn How a Salt Lake City base consultant made over $100,000 from one ideaข at www.kathleengage.com

[email protected]

This article was posted on January 27

by Kathleen Gage

The Affiliate Interview Do you have what it take

The Affiliate Interview Do you have what it takes?

by: Marc Howlett

So you have decided to start up your own home business and after hours of searching you have decided on the program you are going to join.

Now stop and take check before you rush in.

Yes there are thousands of people running their own home business and yes they are making money from them.

What you need to stop and consider is that you will be running you own business and what does any business need to make money? You may come up with several answers but let me tell you from experience the key resource to any successful business is its employees.

You can have the best product or service in the world but if your employees are not up to scratch then you will not have a successful business.

Now a quick search of the net will bring up thousands of affiliate opportunities and companies willing to offer you the job of promoting their service or product and they require little more than you email and user name to get started. They do not really have a lot to loose by employing you to advertise their service as they only pay you for result so no sign ups then no payments, the only real sack able offence in their eyes is spamming

However you do have plenty to loose so consider yourself to be your first employee of your business.

What I am asking is would you employ you?

Do you have what it takes as an employee to make your business successful?

Now would be a good time to sit down and think of the questions that you would ask an interviewee before you were to offer them a job.

Here are 5 simple questions I asked myself before I committed to starting my own online business.

What makes you want to start your own business?

How many hours a week can you offer the business and do you have a quiet place to run your business from?

What specific skill can you bring to this business?

Where do you see yourself in 12 months time and what are your goals?

How much do you want to earn a month?

As I said these are the simple questions I asked myself, most of us have had a job interview or two so you can think about the questions you were asked and how they may relate to running your own business online.

You can also take this process one step further because as you start to succeed with your online business you will start to build your own down line. You need to look on these people as your employees and consider do they have what it takes to help you grow a winning company.

A great way to use this is when you send out your welcome email include a few simple interview questions. This will help you in 2 ways –

Firstly: You will learn more about you sign up and what their intentions are, this will help make any follow up more personal.

Secondly: Will they make a good employee? If so then spend some time on them and with your help they will grow their business which will in turn grow yours.

So would you employ yourself?

If you have decided the answer is yes then its time to start your business and start taking on your first employees.

Just one last thought for you:

ขBy working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day.ข Robert Frost

Copyright 2004 Marc Howlett

About The Author

Marc Howlett is a sales professional with several years experience. Currently working full time as a sales director for a large import wholesale company. I am also making a full time living working part time online. For help and advice check out my website: http://www.cashattack.com

For personal advice contact me by email: [email protected]

This article was posted on October 29, 2004

by Marc Howlett