Archive for February, 2010

3 Common Sense Tips to Choosing an SEO Expert

Friday, February 26th, 2010

More and more people are hanging out their shingles as SEO (search engine optimization), SEM (search engine marketing) and PA (persuasive architecture) experts. Some people pick up a book at their favorite store, read it and declare themselves experts.

They all sound great. Many firms promise a high placement in the search engine results for your site. You’re not interested in the intricacies of how they achieve the result. You want the result! However, you need to separate the hype from reality before you part with your money.

Before signing that contract, remember:

First, no one can guarantee your site’s placement in the search results. If they do, run!

Second, ask these questions of the firms you are considering:

  • May I have three references for your work? The proof is in the pudding.
  • By how much does your clients’ placement in the search results improve?
  • By how much does your clients’ sales conversion rate improve?
  • Most importantly, what was their return on investment (ROI)? Without getting into the complexities of ROI, very simply, how much did revenues increase and expenses to create the sale decrease as a result of the strategy you implemented?

If they can’t answer these three questions – RUN!

Third, interview their references.  Get their perspective on the success of the vendor’s efforts.

  • Did they get more visits to their site or higher quality visitors? You want more people who are part of your target market visiting your site, not just a high number of visits.
  • Did their sales conversion rate improve? Were more visitors making a purchase?
  • What was their ROI?
  • How long did it take before they noticed results? The strategies are usually not overnight success stories. They take time, monitoring and adjustment to ultimately be successful.
  • How did they feel about working with the vendor? Was it a pleasant experience? Did they meet deadlines? Would you recommend them to someone? Why or Why not?

You can probably come up with more questions you would like to ask, but these should get to the heart of the matter: Is this person really an expert? Or did they read a book and open their business? Doing your homework may take time, but it will also save you money.

Wishing you safe passage through the I.T. Minefield!

___________________________________________

Leslie Knight is a small business advisor with over 20 years of experience in Information Technology management in Fortune 500 companies.  She applies her experience in Corporate America saving them millions to smaller entrepreneurial enterprises. She is also the author of Navigating the I.T. Minefield.

For more information on Picking an SEO Provider, purchase your copy of Navigating the I.T. Minefield @ http://bit.ly/SNL4W.

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Business, Information Technology, Internet Technology, Website Development, small business | No Comments »

Fakeware – Be Aware!

Friday, February 19th, 2010

Fakeware (fake security software) is a popular security attack. The virus, trojan or spyware masquerades as software that is useful, trying to help you protect your computer. Its headline looks official. You will see a pop-up saying something like this: “Your computer is infected. Would you like to remove these infections?” It might even show a list of infected files to get your attention.

Of course! You click YES. The next thing you know, windows are popping up all over the place saying your computer is infected. When you try to launch your browser it takes you to a malware site seeking to extract a payment. At that point you really are infected.

The version my clients have seen uses the title XP Antispyware 2010 (last year it was 2009). Titles can change. The first question you should ask is “Did this message come from my security software?” If you are running AVG, Norton, McAfee or whatever, the pop up message should have their banner. If the answer is NO, try to close the popup window. Call your support professional.

How did this virus sneak past security? It didn’t. It happens when you visit a website that is infected or has a malicious intent. The fakeware launches through a pop-up window that suggests you need to take action now.

What can you do to prevent this problem?

  • Block popups in your browser.
  • Be wary of websites you visit. If a deal that attracted you is too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Don’t click on links from people you don’t know.
  • If your business can afford it, invest in hardware and software that will limit the websites you and your employees can visit. I know that sounds harsh, but many of the infestations come in because people are just surfing the web.

What if you become infected? In this case, we downloaded free software from Malwarebytes which cleared the infection. Understand, that once your browser is compromised, you won’t be able to download a solution. Just turn off the computer and call for help.

The lesson: Be wary of the websites you visit. Not all of them are as friendly or as innocent as they seem.

Wishing you safe passage through the I.T. Minefield!

___________________________________________

Small business security is discussed in greater detail in Navigating the I.T. Minefield – Straight Talk for the Small Enterprise.

Leslie Knight is a small business consultant with over 20 years of experience in Information Technology management in Fortune 500 companies.  She applies her experience in Corporate America saving them millions to smaller entrepreneurial enterprises. She is also the author of Navigating the I.T. Minefield.  If you’d like to purchase a copy, please visit http://bit.ly/SNL4W.

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Business, Information Technology, Security, computers, small business | 5 Comments »

Who Do I Recommend for Data Backup?

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

Good question. The honest answer is that I don’t recommend any particular vendor. I’m not an affiliate for any service provider. I do this in order to maintain my objectivity…to do what is best for the client, not my wallet.

The solution that is appropriate for a solopreneur might not be appropriate for a law office. What is appropriate for a law office might not be the best choice for a small manufacturing concern. Even among industries, solutions will likely differ.

In 5 Essential Practices of the Best Data Backup Services I described what you should look for in a service provider.   Before you start looking for service providers you need to take a look at your data.  Here are 4 things I consider before looking at a particular service:

  1. Where is the data stored? Are the files stored on a central server or are they dispersed at various computers?
  2. How is the data used? What percentage of the files are mission critical (business can’t run without them) versus those that are kept for archive purposes?
  3. Does your industry have any special security or backup/restoration requirements (e.g. the ability to recover a single email)?
  4. How long can you be without the data before your business begins to suffer?

Other considerations will arise as you or your service provider examine your data, but these are a good place to start. All of them will impact the cost for data backup. Choose the solution that will best support your business.

Wishing you a safe passage through the I.T. Minefield!

________________________________________________________

Leslie Knight is a small business consultant with over 20 years of experience in Information Technology management in Fortune 500 companies.  She applies her experience in Corporate America saving them millions to smaller entrepreneurial enterprises. She is also the author of Navigating the I.T. Minefield.

To download the sample chapter “When Disaster Strikes” from Navigating the I.T. Minefield: Straight Talk for the Small Enterprise, go to http://bit.ly/zAcdl .  To purchase your copy, please visit http://bit.ly/SNL4W.

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , ,
Posted in Business, Information Technology, computers, disaster recovery, small business | No Comments »

Church – What Happens When Your Volunteer Computer Support Leaves?

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Hmmm. Interesting question. We don’t expect loyal supporters to leave.  If you are a member of a “mega-church” (several thousand members), chances are the computers are supported by someone full-time. If you church is smaller, support is probably provided by one of the members as a way to give back.

The upside: it doesn’t cost much, if anything. The downside: when the member is unable to continue (job relocation, elderly parents, becomes disenchanted or disabled or dies) often all of the knowledge about the environment (computer setup, passwords, etc.) leaves with them. The end result could be an expensive repair bill or many hours working on what could have been a simple task.

When that volunteer leaves, could another member pick up support easily? Do you have all of the information written down that is probably in his or her head? We don’t think about the church needing the same types of structures and process that a small business needs. But it does.

If your church has not done so, it needs to create a tech support manual. It doesn’t take much time and it will make it easier for the next person who supports the church’s computers. The church’s tech support manual should contain:

  • A list of all computers (serial number, RAM size, hard drive size, administrator password, etc.)
  • A list of all software installed on all of the computers (including software license keys and passwords)
  • A list of all related devices (printers, firewall, modems, routers etc.)
  • A network map (shows the relationship between all of the devices on the network)
  • Work processes (how to add a new email, post a sermon to the website, add a new member, backup data, etc.)
  • Vendor contact information (name, phone, account number, password if needed)
  • Problem log (description of the problem, cause, resolution and date so you’ll know how to fix it if it happens again)

These are the basics of an I.T. or tech support manual. You may add other sections based on your needs.

Remember, don’t just create it once. Keep it up to date. An outdated manual won’t help your support people and may result in a costly repair visit by outside computer support people.

Wishing you safe passage through the IT Minefield!

___________________________________

If you would like to purchase a template for a tech support manual rather than starting from scratch, you can purchase the Support CD for Navigating the I.T. Minefield at http://bit.ly/SNL4W.

This topic is discussed in greater detail in Navigating the I.T. Minefield: Straight Talk for the Small Enterprise. To purchase your copy, please visit http://bit.ly/SNL4W.

Leslie Knight is a small business consultant with over 20 years of experience in Information Technology management in Fortune 500 companies.  She applies her experience in Corporate America (saving them millions) to smaller entrepreneurial enterprises. She is also the author of Navigating the I.T. Minefield- Straight Talk for the Small Enterprise.

  • Share/Save/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Church, Information Technology, Non-profit, computers | 3 Comments »