How to Protect Yourself From Spam

E-mail has become an integral part of our lives, however, the flipside of it is that it can become annoying.

Especially when it comes in the form of spam.   

The definition of spam is that it is any “…unsolicited message or posting, regardless of its content, that is sent to multiple recipients…”  Not only does it clog up your inbox, it can also be dangerous. Spam can contain viruses or phishing emails that try to steal your online identity and credit cards.

It is reported that as much as 94 percent of all emails you receive is considered spam that is not only slowing down servers, affecting the performance of PCs and other computer hardware, but also your work performance too.

There are many tactics that spammers use to gather email addresses. Some set up fake websites to get you to sign up for something in order to capture email addresses while others use advertising malware to send spam. They can also build their email lists by using scripts to compile email addresses from bulletin boards, websites, newsgroups and forums.  Some unethical webmasters will even sell email addresses to spammers.

Just like sending junk mail to your mailbox, spammers send unsolicited email hoping that you’ll buy their products or services. With the cost of emails running in the pennies, spammers can afford to send out millions of emails. They only need a few responses in order to make a profit from their campaigns.

To reduce the amount of spam that comes to your email account, here are a few tips:

1.       Never click on anything in an unfamiliar email.    If you don't know the sender - don't open it! Any response made on an unfamiliar email lets the spammer know that your email address is active and will leave the opportunity for them to send more spam.  Be wary of emails from senders that you don’t recognize that hold attachments. They may certainly have viruses.

2.       Never send personal information through email. Watch out for emails that request any personal information from you. Be careful of any email messages that ask you to send credit card numbers, passwords or any personal information through email. Spammers will create fake e-mails that look like they are from PayPal, Facebook, or other popular sites. In many cases, clicking on these emails will lead you to a third-party site that will try to trick you in providing personal information.  And under any circumstances, do not email anyone your social security number.

3.       Don’t open an unfamiliar email until you have blocked HTML images.  By blocking graphics and HTML images in your emails, it prevents spammers from being alerted when you open the message. Tracking software embedded in the HMTL can identify when an email has been opened by the image that has been uploaded on your browser or email provider.

4.       Watch out for red-flag terms. Beware of phrases, such as "You have won!" , “How to collect your prize!” or "Verify your account." These are ways for spammers to try to get you to click on the email and see if it’s an active email address.

Each of the suggestions above in isolation doesn’t provide you with the best protection. When you combine all of them together, along with using proper anti-spam software, and being wary of divulging personal information online will make for an effective protection against unwanted email.   

Working with CAN-SPAM and the Canadian Privacy Act

The CAN-SPAM Act in the US was created over eight years ago in response to the increasing amount of email spam that people were receiving in their inboxes. However, in spite of the efforts of the government and lawmakers to make it easily understood for everyone, there still is confusion over what exactly does the CAN-SPAM Act does or doesn’t do. 

The US CAN-SPAM Act was created to stem the flow of unsolicited bulk email or spam as a form of commercial advertising, thereby trying to prevent the abuse of email addresses by shady online marketers.  Congress passed the law in 2003 after much debate, becoming effective on January 1, 2004.

In creating the law, Congress has set out basic guidelines for email marketers to follow:

1.       Email marketers should not mislead recipients as to the source or content an email

2.       People should be allowed to decline or unsubscribe from any email message from any source.

However, the CAN-SPAM Act does not restrict any business from sending an unsolicited email to another company for business purposes. However, it does mention that if a person wants to opt-out of receiving emails from a particular company, the business must comply.  Other guidelines are:

·         Any unsolicited messages must not have misleading subject headings.

·         All emails must have an unsubscribe or opt-out link that is valid for 30 days after the email is sent. If the receiver wants to opt-out, you have 10 days to comply with that demand.

·         All ads must be identified as commercial advertisements in the email.

·         Every advertising email that you send out, must have a physical mailing address clearly marked in the email.

·         You cannot sell or share email addresses of people who have unsubscribed from your list.

In Canada, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) governs email marketing practices in the country.  Enacted in 2004, the PIPEDA is different from the CAN-SPAM act in that it governs how personal information is distributed and managed online.  In brief, it states that:

·         Emails marketers must obtain permission from the recipient when collecting their personal information and must be kept secure once collected. 

·         Any data collected cannot be shared or sold to another party without express permission of the recipient.

·         A double-opt in signup method is required for Canadian residents. 

·         You are liable for any data collected and stored. If there is a data breach, you will be at risk for any damages occurred. 

·         Like the CAN-SPAM act, you must have an unsubscribe link in your email clearly indicated. 

For the typical B2B marketer, these regulations were not meant to be present a challenge. The purpose of both the CAN-SPAM and PIPEDA was to protect the consumer from any scams or phishing attacks that are commonly found in B2C campaigns.  As long as marketers observe the regulations set out by both countries, there should be no problem in sending out emails.

Protecting Your Original Content Online

It’s inevitable that as a publisher of original content, someone will steal it.  What’s important is how you deal with it. With the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), there are ways you can protect your content from people who steal from your site. And you don’t need to be a lawyer to understand how it works. 

There are six ways that you can protect your content online.  By taking these actions, you reduce the chances for your online content to be stolen.  

·         Learn the basics of copyright law. According to the DMCA, your post is protected as soon as you publish it. As a creator – the content becomes your intellectual property and no one can reproduce it without your permission. 

·         Post a copyright notice on your website.  Although having a copyright notice on the bottom of your website does not protect you, it does tell everyone that the content is your intellectual property.  It is used as a warning for others that copying your content is not legal.   

·         Post a permissions policy. Create a permissions policy page which clarifies what people can do with your content.  It allows other webmasters a guide to follow on what they can or cannot do with your content. 

·         Request that they remove your post. Ask the offender to remove your post by email or in the comments – politely.  In many cases, people may not know that they have done an offence and just need to be educated. Most likely they will comply once you’ve notified them.

·         Notify the ISP (Internet Service Provider).  The DMCA allows copyright owners to have ISPs comply with “take down” requests. In this case, ISPs can be any website that hosts the offending website or content. You may have to do a bit of research in order to find the right hosting service or even contact name. However, once you’ve sent them an email, the ISPs will do their research into your request.  If the ISP finds that there is a copyright infringement, they will make their own request to the website owner or take down the site.   

·         Hire a copyright lawyer. If nothing else works, you may have to resort to hiring a lawyer who can go after the offender.  Keep in mind that lawyers can be expensive and there can be no guarantee that you will be successful.  

If you use a Wordpress blog, download and install one of their plugins – the WP Copyprotect. This locks your content so that no one can highlight and copy your content. However, for the real pirates, this won’t deter them as they can merely shut down their website and appear elsewhere with another site.

The best strategy is to create great original content that your readers will love and share. This not only helps build credibility but also brand loyalty that keeps your readers coming back.

Advantages of Co-working Space for Startups

Where should you develop your startup company? Should it be in a traditional office? In a loft or garage? Or at home? The choices are numerous.

We all require the social interactions and energy that an office can bring us, however many start-ups simply don't have the budget to rent out office space. But there is another option.

With an eye on their wallets, many startups are turning to co-working spaces to develop their companies.  These offices allow freelance contractors, micro-businesses and startups to share an office, with fully functioning conference rooms, photocopiers, and most importantly access to other entrepreneurs and peers.

For contractors and startups, co-working can provide a great opportunity to work with peers, develop a support network, have office space to show off during sales meetings, and all without the cost of a more expensive lease.

Here are some advantages to a co-working space for your startup:

1. Saving your money.

It can be costly to rent an office for a new startup – especially if you’re bootstrapping. You not only have to account for the rent but all the utilities and extras that you will need as well.  This can take a large bite out of your company’s budget. 

 Co-working office spaces reduce your need to sign an expensive lease or buy office equipment, such as photocopiers and fax machines, as they are shared at a fraction of the price.  Rent is cheaper too, as you will be sharing the cost between all of your co-workers.

 2. Networking, collaborating, and making friends.

The most praised benefit of a co-working space is the ability to network and build strong relationships with the people you work alongside. You will learn about your co-workers’ background and skills, sharing business experiences and even new ideas. 

Working with other entrepreneurs and freelancers will put you in proximity with individuals who could help your business. You could meet new clients, prospective investors, or you could even meet your next partner.  

3. Creative collaboration and problem solving.

You will be working side-by-side with a broad group of entrepreneurs in the office. If you ever have a challenging problem that you can’t solve, you can easily have a conversation with someone who may have faced the same issue.

You can discuss your ideas with others who have different skillsets and possibly can provide you with an alternative view. The combination of different experiences, approaches and personalities often provide new ideas and solutions that you simply couldn't have come up with on your own.   

Starting a Business on the Side

You’ve had the entrepreneur itch for a long time but haven't acted on it yet. Starting a business is never easy... especially when you’re a full-time employee, have bills to pay and a family to feed. With that pressure, it’s no surprise that many people don’t want to lose their safety net instead of being a business owner. Other than saving a small part of your paycheck every week until you have enough money saved to quit your job, the other option would be to become a part-time entrepreneur.

Trying to balance a career while running a business is a challenge. Here are some ways to make it a success:

 Ask for help.  Recruit family members into your business.  Ask for help in answering the phone, shipping orders, or even managing your company social media accounts. Having your family members involved makes your bond stronger. However, there’s a caveat – be very wary of hiring your friends as it could have a negative affect on your relationship.

Get ready to sacrifice some “me” time.  Once you make your decision to start a part-time business, your time is limited. You won’t be have time to relax and have any downtime to pursue your hobbies… but remember, the sacrifice is only temporary until your business gets  on its feet. 

Focus on one thing at a time.  Schedule your time for your business in the evening and weekends. So, when you're at your full-time job, focus on your work.  Focus on your business on your personal time only so you don't jeopardize your current employment.

Make every minute count. Your time is precious. Prioritize your time for important activities – use your lunch hour for touching base with clients. Get up early or burn the midnight oil to deal with paperwork.  Use your time wisely without affecting your full-time career. 

Be global.  With today’s technologies such as cloud services and outsourcing, you can run literally run your business with just your smartphone. Use technologies that you’re your life efficient and automate repetitive tasks. Take advantage of different time zones and outsource various activities at the fraction of the cost than that of an employee locally. 

Be patient.  Running a business while juggling a full time career requires you to take your time with your financial goals. You don’t want to run before you walk, otherwise you’ll be overwhelmed with work and your performance will suffer.  Find the right pace for you so you can see progress without completely wearing yourself out. As long as you keep moving forward each day, don’t worry too much on how fast you’re moving towards your goals.

What Are The Top 3 Metrics To Look At In Measuring Social Media Campaign Success?

Determining the success of a social media campaign comes down to an issue of metrics. The following are the top three metrics you should be looking at when gauging the success of your social media strategy.

The “Like” numbers or active participation: A quick snapshot of any social media campaign is to look at the number of users who are accessing your social media profiles. With Facebook, it would be the number of likes or comments. With Twitter, it would be the number of followers or retweets. Each of those numbers will tell you who has taken the time to join your social media campaign and are participating actively.

However, these numbers aren’t the only ones you should be studying. Go deeper. For instance, Facebook provides its page administrators with a detailed analysis of not only how many new likes occurred but also the percentage of comments generated and views. The other networks have metrics such as page views and mentions that can also indicate the kind of volume your company is attracting.  

Your bounce rate. Are your visitors arriving at your site from your social media profiles but leaving immediately? Take a look at the time spent on your website from your different traffic sources. If you find that visitors are spending less than a minute on your website, then maybe your landing page needs better copy. Or maybe you’re attracting the wrong audience.

Conversions: You want social media campaigns to convert, either into subscriptions, sales or any other items that you’re offering as part of your sales funnel.  If your sales increase after launching a successful social media campaign, then it worked. However, those numbers can also be used to determine the return on investment when it comes to expanding your reach. For instance, if you have a 5% increase in sales with a 10% increase in site traffic then it follows the more traffic, the more sales.

Not all of the metrics are simple to track and may require some advanced tools. It’s very important to take the time to have the right measurement and analytical tools in place before you start a social media campaign. Without the right tools, you won’t be able to determine if your campaigns were successful or an abysmal failure.

How a Shareholders' Agreement Can Protect You and Your Business

Corporate law doesn’t offer a solution for every potential conflict that can occur between partners or shareholders during the course of running your business. Which is why creating a shareholders’ agreement can be a very smart thing to do to protect yourself.  There are many situations in which a shareholders’ agreement can get you of trouble. Here are a few examples:

·         An unfortunate event that occurs such as a conflict with one of the shareholders, an accident, bankruptcy or even death of a shareholder

·         When the shareholders want to maintain equal equity within themselves

·         When shareholders want to participate in company decision-making, such as the introduction of new partners in the company

·         Or changing the shareholder voting rights

Even if you have less than three shareholders, you should write and sign a shareholders agreement. The departure of a partner or even a disagreement between shareholders can often lead to bad blood within your company.  And in situations like these, you want to make sure you’re protected.

If you want to have the best shareholders’ agreement that meets your needs, it is advisable to consult a lawyer. He will determine what clauses should be included in the agreement and suggest solutions tailored to your situation and that of the shareholders. Expect to pay a few hundred dollars for a lawyers’ service.

If there is a dispute or uncertainty on how to proceed in a particular situation, you can refer to the shareholders' agreement for guidance. In the event that the agreement does not cover a particular circumstance or the situation cannot be resolved by the shareholders, an arbitration clause can be inserted in the agreement that requires the dispute to be referred to an independent third party.

Here are some of the clauses that you should be aware of and may wish to put in your agreement:

1.       First refusal: This allows shareholders to have a say over the sale of their shares to someone else who is not a part of the company.

2.       Mandatory offer due to death: Provide what will happen upon the death of a shareholder

3.       Mandatory offer due to withdrawal from business: Provide for situation which could lead to the withdrawal of a shareholder from the company for various reasons

4.       Pre-emptive right: Protects the rights of the shareholders against issuing new shares by the Board of Directors

5.       Shotgun clause: Protection from any disagreements between shareholders

6.       Working conditions: This outlines the working conditions governing the shareholders who work for the company

7.       Voting: Allows shareholders to be elected as board of directors

In starting your business, you should hope for the best, but plan for the worst to occur. By using a shareholders' agreement, you save money, time and frustration in the long run. What you get is greater trust and peace of mind between you and your partners which is fundamental to every successful small business.

How To Find Your Next Great Business Idea

One of the biggest struggles that potential entrepreneurs face is trying to understand what kind of business that they should start. For many, the process in finding an idea can be long and challenging, even harder than writing a business plan! Deciding on what opportunity to pursue is dependent on variables such as:

·     If there is a “pain” that you can solve and if people are willing to pay for the solution;

·         How much money you have;

·         Whether you want to sell products or be a service-oriented business;

·         Whether you want to build a lifestyle small business or a million-dollar conglomerate.

 Here are some tips for a fast and successful search in identifying different business opportunities.

Find a solution

By keeping your eyes (and ears!) open, you will stumble upon opportunities to solve problems that may lead you to the perfect idea. Ask yourself - what pains or frustrations do people experience in their daily lives? Are there any challenges that people are complaining about? If there are, work on finding the solution as every problem is an opportunity for you to solve.

Carry a small notebook with you and note down anything you hear or see in regards to people’s frustrations. When you have filled out a page or two, try to find a solution to them. Are there companies that are solving those needs well? If not, how can you do it? What would be the ideal situation in solving that problem? And finally, can it be profitable?

Remember, if the “pain” is perceived as big and causes a lot of time and money to be wasted, people are willing to pay more to get it solved quickly.

Use your passion and knowledge

Another area you can draw ideas from is within yourself. What are your strengths, skills, knowledge and experience that you have which can be of benefit to others? What are the things that you naturally share with your friends that they turn to you for? Is there a challenge that you’ve successfully overcome?

Take for example, if you’ve successfully lost weight using natural methods after trying different kinds of therapies and diets, do you think millions of people would benefit from your experience? Of course! We often take what we know for granted and don’t realize how valuable our knowledge can be if shared with others. Don’t forget there are so many people you can help with your knowledge.

Set yourself apart! How can you do things differently?

There has always been a misconception that to be an entrepreneur, you must start a business that is very innovative and not found elsewhere. Business ideas need not to be very different or entirely unique to be successful. Innovation in a new business can be creating a new technique, process or even a brand.  You can target a new market or try a new marketing channel that may give you an edge over your competitors.

Analyze various companies that are in your chosen industry. Do their brands look and feel the same? Take a look at how good they are at delivering value to their customers and see if you can provide it more efficiently or better. 

Take advantage of changing trends

Pay attention to any changes that you notice in your industry or target markets and try to spot trends you can turn into new businesses. The first companies to identify an emerging trend and execute quickly often become the market leader in their industry.    

A great example is Facebook. Although they weren’t the first on the market, they were innovative and took advantage of trends to make it easy for people to communicate with each other. Facebook grew from a small site in Harvard to being the most visited website after Google. Because of Facebook, social media has become a game changer for a lot of companies and startups have sprouted that specifically target the new industry. By keeping your finger on the pulse of your target market, you will be able to foresee trends and take advantage of them long before they appear.

Regardless of what your goals are for your business, keep in mind that even if you have a million-dollar idea, it means nothing without proper execution. Create a business plan and test your idea to see how it stands in the market.  So, go discover lucrative business idea and start working on it – it’s a package and shouldn’t be sold separately.

Drive Traffic To Your Site with Give Aways

Let’s face it; we all love to get free stuff. Whether it’s a T-shirt, a delicious dessert or advice - as long as it’s free, we’re going to be smiling. Now flip that around to the business who is handing out that free stuff and think about what they are getting in return. They are generating a lot of “smiles.” That’s a proactive stance towards building a more robust business and branding. Keep in mind that adopting this approach doesn’t mean you have to give away the store. Instead, you’re looking for ways to drive traffic to your site through enticements which can ultimately lead to other business.

By providing your customer with free advice, product or service, you’re ultimately building customer loyalty. You can create a blog which provides great advice on solving your customers’ pains. This makes you a resource, giving your prospects plenty of reasons to return to your site. This in turn could make them more inclined to follow your advertisers to their websites or purchase what you’re selling. Think of the “freebie” as the bait to hook a new customer.

Here are some more reasons why providing free stuff helps your business:

1)      Providing free stuff is good PR: News travels fast. By offering free stuff, your prospects will start talking about it amongst their friends and colleagues, helping you spread the message organically. People love to receive free stuff, and they’re more willing to take action if their friend recommends it to them.   

2)      You minimize risk for your prospects: When you offer a free trial period, a free e-book filled with great information, or even a free item, you are reducing the perceived risk in purchasing your product or service. By taking away the risk, you are providing your prospects with the opportunity to have a positive experience with your brand and make it easier to purchase later. 

3)      Build customer loyalty: Everyone loves to get something for free, especially when there are no strings attached.  Customers remember how they got something special and will associate it with your brand. This builds loyalty and positions your brand as someone that is always looking out for the customer. 

Free stuff doesn’t just have to be products or services. There are examples of donations, contests, free food and even a dream job!  Giving away free items or trial offers is a win-win strategy for both you and your customers. If done right, offering a free incentive will pay your company back in spades.

Can LinkedIn Really Help You Get More Business?

If you’re in sales, one of the major challenges that you’ll come across on a regular basis is finding qualified leads. You can buy as many lists as you can from lead brokers, or create time-consuming marketing campaigns, but nothing can beat the effectiveness of LinkedIn’s platform for finding a captive business audience in one spot. Other than being able to use LinkedIn as a tool to find targeted prospects, you can also use it to keep track of your competitors. By creating a profile for both yourself and your company, you can also take advantage of the network to connect with your target audience and drive traffic back to your website.

Making LinkedIn Work For Your Company

As with other type of social media marketing strategies, using LinkedIn to promote your business means you have to keep your profile current and active. Don’t just think that because you set up a LinkedIn profile that your work is done. It would be like going to a business expo and standing in a corner hoping people will come to you. How would they even know you’re in attendance? You’ve got to be proactive by directly reaching out to other businesses and professionals and give them an opportunity to experience what your company has to offer.

Here are some techniques that can help:

1)      Join LinkedIn Groups: A great way to build relationships with your prospects is to join in on the various discussions going on at LinkedIn groups. For instance, if you are involved in import/export, then you can certainly find a group of professionals who are discussing matters that would pertain to your industry. Join groups and get into the game.

2)      Be a subject matter expert: Get involved in LinkedIn Answer forums, especially those related to your industry and your prospects. The LinkedIn Answers forum allows all members to post questions on any business challenges that they are facing. This allows them to take advantage of the platform’s peer-to-peer network, having any member to answer and to respond to questions posted by any other LinkedIn member. There are several advantages to this feature:

i)        It is an excellent way to gather information and to be on the cutting edge of a particular industry or niche.

ii)      It is also a great way to communicate with prospects and potential partners in a particular niche. If you answer questions, you are positioning yourself as a subject matter expert in your industry and people will turn to you for answers.

3)      Connecting your network with each other: Build your social influence by connecting your contacts or members with each other. Working to connect your network with other members on LinkedIn not only helps you become known as an influencer, there also is an ancillary benefit – your network will reciprocate the favour. 

Although LinkedIn isn't the largest social network, it is one that has the most business-oriented membership.  You not only have all your prospects at one spot, but can tap into a peer-to-peer resource that can help you build your business. However, just like offline networking, you have to work at building relationships with your network using the right techniques.