Category: Insights

Accounting & Legal! The Two Significant Business Pillars!

Miley on August 7, 2019

Legal and accounting are the only professions that complement each other in every business industry. However, from years, these professions have always been in the controversy across the business world in order to establish which is more important. These two professions differ in their unique challenges, specific degrees which are licensed from the state government, and services offered by them.

Many entrepreneurs don’t know how to use these professionals at every stage, and without thinking for a second, they take the risk, which ultimately leads to the insolvency of businesses. First, understand the importance of these professions and then make a better decision.

So, Let’s Start with the Legal Profession!

Whenever entrepreneurs ground up for their businesses, they have to meet the legal team to stay compliant in the business environment. Keeping the business secure from every legal obligation can enable you to run your business for a long-term.

Top 4 Legal Challenges faced by a Business

1. Successfully Registering the Business

For successfully registering the business, one has to go through a lot of paperwork and legal formalities which are discussed as under:

Getting a license for your business: A business license and special permit (for some) is required before you can execute the business operations.

Registering your business: DBA or “doing business as” name is required to register your business.

Choosing the legal structure: This structure is all about the tax filing procedure and the role of different team members in it with the following business structures to choose from:

Sole Proprietorship
Partnership
Corporation
S-Corporation
Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Getting a Tax Identification Number: Tax or employer identification number (EIN) enables IRS to track your business taxes and is extremely vital for a business.

Registering for State and Local Taxes: Based upon your state and local tax rule, you would be required to register for various fiscal needs.

Patent and Trademark Application: Applying for a patent and trademark is essential if your business model constitutes a new invention or is highly brand specific.

2. Ensuring Seamless Contract Management

Make every team member to sign a contract with the definite inclusion of the following:

Job title
Job responsibilities
Personal information
Name of the company
The direct report personal
The payment schedule
Pay rate
Non-disclosure clause
Hiree’s tax obligations (if applicable)
Company benefits

When it comes to signing a contract you have to be cautious to avoid future disputes, therefore, refering to your contract management resources and seeking lawyers help will an ideal way here to get rid of these contracts as they will guide you at every facet so that you make a beneficial deal.

3. Protecting your Assets

If you have an intellectual property for which you would like to file a patent, legal professionals can help you at every footstep. Securing intellectual property is crucial so that no one can steal your unique business concept, copyrights, trademark, geographical location, etc., at any cost. Including the following sections in the agreement will definitely help you in the same:

Method & schedule of payments
Names of the involved parties
Offered services
The price
Refund policy
Confidentiality clause
Contract termination points
Venue for dispute settlement
Disclaimers

4. Avoidance & Settlement of Disputes

Every business has to go through some sort of dispute during their lifecycle. It is important to get prepared for the same mentally as well as legally in order to avoid the disputes in the first place and if required, take appropriate steps to settle it.

So, if you have to face any business dispute in the future against contract breach from your partner or if any of your employees files a lawsuit against your business, opting for legal support services is the apt choice. Hiring a lawyer at the initial phase will help you to avoid such disputes in the future.

Now, Let’s Talk about Accounting

Accounting is the core of every business as, without an adequate amount of money, a company is unable to function properly. Being an entrepreneur, you don’t want to lose out to your competitors due to poor accounting which is considered as the biggest element for business failure. According to researchers, 93% of small businesses fail in their initial years because they neglect their accounting.

The following 4 points explain as to why having an accountant is essential in the first place:

1. Accurate Accounting Records

Manage & Grow a Business: When records get managed properly by an accountant, you can easily focus on your core business activities
The Organized Structure: When records are organized well, dealing with suppliers and customers along with producing quotations, invoices, and estimates are easy.
Preparation of Management Accounts: You can easily get to know if you are making profits or facing losses by comparing one period to the other.
Advance Tax Payments Planning: It is always sensible to plan the taxes in advance and this is only possible when the records are maintained regularly by an accountant.
Easy Tax Filing: If regular record keeping can help you plan the taxes in advance, it will definitely make the tax filing an easy process.
Avoiding the Penalties: Interests and penalties can be avoided for sure when you have a professional accountant working for you.

2. Gather Appropriate Market Funding

Initially, entrepreneurs have to gather funds and taking a loan from the bank is the only thing that comes to their mind. Taking a loan from the bank is a good option for sure but with the help of one of the following funding options, you can meet the funding requirements of your business as stated by your accountant.

Term loans
SBA loans
Equipment financing
Invoice financing
Short-term loans
Business lines of credit
Angel investors
Venture capital firms
Crowdfunding
Friends & family

3. Cash Flow Management

The cash flow in every business should be well-maintained to secure the business against any cash crunch. Entrepreneurs have to maintain bookkeeping functions that include accounts payable, receivable, bank reconciliation and keep a record of every transaction daily. More so, prepare financial reports to analyze the financial position of the company and to plan the budget.

All this consumes time and demand expertise, therefore, seeking the help of an accountant can help you attain everything in one go. They can also help you with saving and budgeting strategies so that you can strictly adhere to that.

4. Timely Tax Paying

Tax preparation creates havoc in every business and making mistakes is very common. However, mistakes in filing the taxes can lead you to heavy losses because errors usually alert IRS and they may knock your door for a tax audit.

Thus, opting for accounting services is an ideal way to streamline your tax preparation tasks and further you can ask the CPA to file your tax. CPAs went through difficult training and exam in order to get a license, so be sure, they are super professional and knowledgeable in these things.

Bottom line

If works of both the professions are in tandem, that means your business and you are on the right track. This is a common sign of success as these professionals are available to serve you at every footstep, allowing you to build a strong business foundation.

You don’t have to worry about the changing legal obligations or IRS rules on taxes because lawyers and accountants always keep themselves updated with the changes in the country’s regulation and technology ruling the market. So stay focused, work hard, and explore your dreams!

Author Bio

Eliana Manon is a legal writer and marketer for Legal Support World, a California based LPO, since 2008. Providing legal back-office solutions to law firms and legal professionals nationwide, she is a certified attorney committed to providing information that lawyers need to make successful relationships with their clients.

Insights Martech SEO

Importance of Big Data Analytics For All Companies

Miley on August 7, 2019

Staying on the cutting edge of technology is a must for any business trying to stay competitive. In a recent study, nearly 80 percent of the executives polled proclaimed that businesses without a big data strategy will be unable to compete in today’s marketplace. Instead of letting the power of data analytics pass your company by, now is the time to embrace this technology.

Some business owners hear the term “big data analytics” and immediately get intimidated. Instead of shying away from this technology, you need to find an IT professional to help you embrace it.

Source: Pexels

Here are some of the reasons why big data analytics are so important in the world of business.

A Great Way to Improve Efficiency

If you are like most business owners, the main goal you have is improving productivity and efficiency levels. There is a misconception that big data is only collected to analyze consumer behaviors and purchasing patterns. In reality, data is routinely collected internally and analyzed to see where improvements can be made.

Not only does this help your employees, but it can also improve the other pieces of technology you have in place. For instance, if you have created apps for your team to use, you want to make sure they are working correctly. The best way to do this is by collecting data with tools like Loggly. Collecting and organizing the error logs from these problems can help you figure out where problems exist and how to properly address them.

Understanding Your Market

The main ingredient of a successful marketing campaign is an in-depth understanding of your audience. Without this information, you will struggle to customize campaigns that appeal to modern consumers. The best way to figure out what your audience needs and wants is by using the power of big data.

By looking at data regarding marketing methods your audience is responding to and their buying habits, you can achieve the success you are after. Trying to develop a marketing campaign without this information will be nearly impossible. While using big data will be challenging at first, over time you and your team will start to become familiar with this methodology.

Source: Pexels

Make Important Decisions With Ease

One of your main jobs as a business owner is to make decisions regarding the path your company will take. As your business starts to grow, you will have to make important decisions in order to avoid slowing down this growth. Instead of using things like your “gut feeling”, you should use data.

Before you make a decision regarding expanding into a new market, looking at data from this market is a good idea. By using cold hard facts, you can avoid leading your company astray. The ability to make sound decisions in a timely manner is essential when trying to make your company a huge success.

Working With the Right IT Professionals is Vital

Getting the right tools in place to collect and analyze data is no easy task. This is why you need to work with experienced IT professionals. With their help, developing a big data strategy will be much easier.

Development Insights Startups

5 Business Essentials to Open a New Business

Miley on August 5, 2019

Nowadays, a lot of people are inclining towards starting their own business in order to get rid of the dull and tiring job. Now, people want to enjoy while working and that’s why they want to open their own business which can give them the flexibility of doing work anytime and from anywhere. Having a personal business allows the person to enjoy full benefits of it and also a person can follow his own path of dream and can fulfill his individual targets easily without and intervention. Starting your own business also provides the opportunity to do work while having fun. There are various courses available online which can guide the person with various skills and knowledge of how to start a new business. So if you want to start a new business and wants help in this regard then you can click here and join Coursera free courses.

It’s true that having own business is like an icing on the cake but there are also various difficulties which the business owner have to face. Starting a personal business demands high courage, determination, and high-level competitive skills and also the businessman must also look forward to various activities on regular intervals in order to fully run the business smoothly. Having a personal business is like an adventure which will endure both good and bad times, but the businessman has to stay strong in both the times so as to stay longer and stronger in the market.

There are various tips or an essential which needs to be taken into consideration while starting a personal business. Below is the list of various essentials:

Commitment to one Idea

Entrepreneurs who become successful follow the path of doing one thing at a time. A person must not try to achieve multiple targets or run multiple businesses at the same time rather he must look forward to achieving only one target or dream and should focus on enhancing the level of that business through various ideas. Focusing on one thing at a time enables the person to save more time and money.

Gaining knowledge of the Industry

A person must gain full knowledge of the industry in which he wants to start his own business. In order to gain knowledge, a person must work in that industry for quite some time and also try to go deep in the field so as to know the pros and cons of that field. Also, a person must look forward to the strategies and plans of the competitors and should prepare the strategies better than the competitor’s only then he will succeed in maximizing the growth of his business.

Build a professional team

No businessman can run the business alone, he must take the help of someone in order to carry out the activities smoothly. Also, taking the help and suggestions of other persons allows the businessman to make better decisions which help the businessman to manage the activities of the business smoothly. A businessman put together at least three teams (advisers, board of directors, and own staff) so as to achieve the desired goals. Also, there may be things that you simply don’t have the facilities for, or the skillset within your company to be able to execute. For example, you may be looking to make supplements/vitamins and find that you need to outsource your blister packaging to a company like SS Nutra in order to create a high-quality final product that you will be happy to send out to customers.

Utilize new tools & technology

A businessman must look forward to finding new ways of doing things so as to achieve the goals of the company. Also, a person must utilize new tools and advanced technology and also follow a multi-dimensional approach to growing bigger and faster. A business must use various social media platforms in order to grow the business on an e-commerce platform and also to enhance the number of customers along with the brand name and goodwill. Another important point is to be able to keep all documentation in order. It’s difficult to automate everything at once, but consider using different online tools and forms for various types of business processes (e.g. when working with freelance consultants, you can use online consulting agreement to prevent all ambiguities or use online invoicing tool to make payments easy, or online magazines that can help you to achieve new heights of success).

Avoid short term earnings

A businessman should always focus on achieving the long term goals and earnings because short term earnings help the business owner to earn only money but the long term earnings help the company to grow bigger. Long term earnings ensure that business is doing great in the competitive market and is able to generate its loyalty in the eyes of customers.

So, above all are the basic essentials of starting a new or personal business. So a businessman must take all these tips into consideration in order to avoid the chances of failing. Coursera free courses are the best option available to the person who wants to start a new business and wants to attain deep and high-level knowledge of any field.

Development Insights Products

7 Ways Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Will Revolutionise Banking in 2019

Miley on August 1, 2019

The Deloitte Global RPA Survey 2018 provides a clear indication regarding the significance of RPA benefits: payback was reported at less than 12 months, with an average 20% of full-time equivalent (FTE) capacity provided by software robots.

Adopters’ expectations have been exceeded concerning improving compliance (92%), quality and accuracy (90%), or productivity (86%), to mention a few, view product website. This is the case cross-industry, but we should not forget that banks are pioneers of digital transformation simply because automation technology serves them so well.

A simple reason for this is that robotic process automation (RPA) can assist in dealing with some of the main current challenges in banking, i.e. the need to improve customer service to live up to the standards of a growing number of tech-savvy clients, who expect very precise and rapid processes.

Some of the effects of delegating the responsibility for mundane processes to bots are faster outcomes, not marred by errors, or optimized advisory services.

Robotic process automation can streamline banking operations, making them more efficient and simultaneously lowering costs. According to UiPath, by automating the trade settlement in a global investment bank, the average handling time (AHT) to process trades was reduced from 40 minutes to 3 minutes, with an expected effort benefit of 444 hours per year.

Robotic process automation (RPA) in banking in 2019

Saying that RPA will revolutionize banking in 2019 is a strong statement indeed. What can we expect to happen automation-wise during 2019 in the banking sector?

Orchestrated use of other tools and technologies (e.g. the cloud), more premises for higher-value jobs, improved employee and customer satisfaction, enhanced human-robot collaboration, to name but a few.

We believe the most important development is that robotic process automation adoption is set to become mainstream. This should be easier to understand if you consider that some leading RPA service providers will begin to broaden their reach to small and medium-sized businesses too.

What are the benefits of RPA in banking, the gains that you can reasonably expect to enjoy throughout the current year? In the first place, automation doesn’t require a significant change in your IT department because the implementation is just like adding another low-cost layer to the banking applications already in use.

The launch can be quick since software robots can be tested in short cycle iterations. Then, employees can be trained to handle the bots themselves, without having to wait for help from the IT team. The significant reduction in AHT cited above is easy to understand if you consider software robots’ scalability potential and their capacity to work around the clock, 365 days/year. Moreover, bots remove the burden of menial tasks from employees’ workload, thereby increasing the likelihood that they are satisfied with their jobs.

Let’s now see more concretely how robotic process automation is likely to address some challenges the banking industry may face in 2019. Before diving into specific processes, let’s take a look at the general guidelines for selecting high impact application areas.

You should look for repetitive, mature and stable, rule-based, high-frequency processes, with a low rate of variable outcomes and with readable inputs. We also recommend starting automating activities with measurable savings, to grant objective outcome evaluation and goal achievement. Here are 7 such examples.

1. Credit underwriting

This complex process can be broken down into retail credit assessment, and retail fraud prevention. The problem is that insufficient resources, particularly workforce resources, can weigh heavily on the staff when they have to carry out these tasks.

You’ll better grasp the size of this challenge if you consider the requirement to access multiple internal and external applications to bring to completion the two subprocesses of credit underwriting. But software robots’ integrative capacity allows them to access and process data fast and accurately. They can easily check relevant information, including scanning for a suspicious activity about the credit applicant across different databases.

Bots can accurately predict the customer risk of fraudulent activity based on analyzing these data patterns. They can then gather all the information needed for credit assessment and fraud prevention in a single report to be presented to the human credit analyst. The analyst is thus freed from the painstaking task of carefully tracking bank account and credit card activity and can make a good decision based on the bot’s assessment.

A case study from UiPath illustrates this scenario, where bots performed these activities in 5 minutes with exceptional accuracy (as opposed to one hour for manual processing).

2. Trade financing

This process calls for a collection of documents in various formats, such as purchase orders, bills, or invoices. Software robots can easily parse through this variety of documents to capture, classify, and extract the relevant information.

Furthermore, they can also handle matching and validation tasks. The outcome can then be delivered to the document management systems as a simple Excel spreadsheet.

3. Corporate loan processing

This activity requires, in the first place, collecting application forms and supporting documents from multiple sources, such as fax machines, printers, or email folders. Bots are not at all bothered by the need to check multiple sources. They scan the documents, categorize and extract the needed data, and export it to an Excel spreadsheet, which is part of the document repository.

4. Account opening

A whitepaper from Tata Consultancy Services named “Why Banks Must Bank on RPA” gives the example of a global bank using software robots to pick out information from input forms and deliver it to various host applications.

By so doing, the bank was able to avoid the daunts of manual processing, such as high rates of error and increased processing time. The outcome was indeed satisfactory: almost a third of processing time, zero error, and cost reduction of $50.000/year.

5. Customer service

RPA can easily handle customers’ low priority queries on its own while allowing the human minds to concentrate on the high priority ones, which require more complex and intense processing (and offer correspondingly higher job satisfaction).

Software bots can verify faster and more accurate customer details from different sources, and consequently onboard them promptly. The resulting capacity to reduce waiting times contributes significantly to the bank’s improved relations with customers and consequently, to their higher satisfaction with the bank.

6. Know Your Customer (KYC) processes

KYC is an essential compliance process for all banks. It is underpinned by activities such as customer data collection, screening, and validation. Given the software robots’ ability for fast and accurate data processing, they are prime candidates to take over these repetitive tasks.

7. Processing credit card applications

RPA software streamlines document gathering, making credit and background checks, and finally, deciding customer eligibility for a credit card based on clearly set parameters. This results in a substantial reduction of waiting times for credit card applications, thereby addressing an important challenge in banking.

Conclusion

Competition in the banking sector is fierce. Banks must use all resources to meet customer expectations, optimize costs, and react appropriately to FinTech players’ counter competition. They must do so in conditions of rising workforce costs and scarcity of skilled resources.

Simultaneously, the competitive atmosphere demands increased productivity. As you may notice, there are a lot of imperatives involved. They all call for leveraging robotic process automation in banking to successfully attain business targets such as cost-effectively transforming the backend, decreased processing times, increased accuracy, overall efficiency, and quicker time-to-market.

It comes as no surprise then that RPA in the banking sector provides a good example of why automation is a noteworthy competitive advantage.

About the author

Daniel Pullen is General Manager at CiGen, one of the first dedicated Robotic Process Automation companies based in Australia. He is passionate about intelligent automation, robotics automation consulting and bringing the benefits of digital robotics into the workplace.

Insights Martech SaaS

How to Create an Amazing Impact by Integrating Instagram & Web Design

Miley on August 1, 2019

Businesses have been relying a great deal on the power and versatility of social media platforms to engage the right audience. Among so many popular options available to marketers, Instagram is regarded as the way to go in 2019 since it has witnessed the best ever conversion ratio. As such, every web design business or freelance web designer is seriously thinking in terms of creating synergy between Instagram and website design to enjoy the fruits of both the worlds.

Instagram has a phenomenal outreach and as a result, it is the destination to go-to for all aspiring web designers and marketers. The platform has an astonishing user base of over 1 billion active users and with some of the follower services available, it is not difficult reaching lots of them. However, you do need to careful with the companies offering such services; The Small Business Blog suggests Buzzoid is a dirty scam, for instance. The users are actively interacting on the platform as they end up uploading 40,000 pictures every day and they end up posting 1,000 comments every second. The activity level on this versatile and vibrant social media platform makes it more enticing for the web design fraternity to leverage the platform to their maximum advantage. Let us explore ways to achieve an effective design synergy between Instagram and your official website.

Strive for an Interactive Web Design

The most amazing characteristic of Instagram is its inherent quality of interacting with users naturally besides, generating engaging content. This interactive characteristic of Instagram would be taken to the next level by utilizing effective tools such as Gramista that is used as a substitution for the Instagram users when they are absent from the platform. This helps in keeping the regular activities going on as usual.

Web visitors, who are coming from Instagram, are having certain expectations from your website too. They could be expecting similar browsing comfort and intuitive web design. Web designs must be made more interactive in order to deliver the same degree of comfort as on Instagram. Moreover, an interactive website could assure a better UX or user experience to the traffic that is redirected from Instagram. Better User Experience automatically implies better brand appeal. The interactive element and amazing user experience on Instagram help you to obtain massive followers for Instagram.

Logos: Keep up with the Trend

It is mandatory to stay abreast with the latest developments and trends in the field of web designing and social media in order to win a competitive edge. As such, a design makeover is a must. An overall website overhaul becomes all the more necessary when we focus on creating a website with elements of interactivity so that it could be on par with Instagram.

As per https://buffer.com, it is quite challenging to stay abreast with the latest social media logos. Moreover, even when you are able to identify the logos, it could take a reasonable amount of time to understand fully the brand guidelines. We know that Instagram has a sole focus on captivating and truly fascinating imagery and nothing really symbolizes this better than its logo. While creating content for your website, it could be really helpful to consider having a transparent logo of Instagram for using it in your designs.

Moreover, the design of the brand logo must be created with a lot of care as it would become the face of your company. Brand logos must be adjusted and refined for resonating with the brand aesthetics.

Minimalism Is the Key to Success

Optimal use of all the design elements seems to be the cornerstone of minimalism. Website designs must have adequate free space. Avoid clutter and overcrowding with undesirable pictures and content. Websites with the clutter-free design would motivate visitors to spend quality time on your website without any unnecessary distractions. Websites with excessive design elements just for demonstrating the web designer’s proficiency could prove to be a flop idea as users would be irritated or frustrated with such distracting design elements.

Conclusion

Instagram has actually redefined web design. If you want your website to stay attractive to the visitors and potential customers, you must necessarily stay abreast with the latest social media particularly, Instagram trends and hire a web designer or business to help you with it.

About the author

Pete Campbell is a social media manager and has immense knowledge about email marketing and Instagram promotion. He delights his clients by helping them buy real Instagram likes. He loves to travel, write and play baseball.

Insights

How to Hire the Right Town Planner for Your Need?

Miley on July 31, 2019

Town planning and development application companies advise the real estate developers in matters of property designs and development ideas as per the rules and regulations of the local councils and state. They prepare strategies and analysis reports to get approval from the bureaucrats for your property. From a simple house extension work involving duplex to elaborate projects, including large boarding houses, they can come in handy in various scenarios. You don’t have to worry about whether your design is facing a compliance issue or how you can develop your property the best way for more returns. These professionals are there to solve your every concern related to planning and development. However, for that, you need to be accurate with your hiring decision.

In New South Wales, there is no shortage of these types of consulting companies. To understand which can be in your best interest, you can follow the tips recommended below.

Experience and expertise

Before you loop in any company, go through at least 4 to 5 such service providers in your area. Look for their services. How long they have been working in this field and what types of spaces they handled in this journey can help you identify the right one for you. You can shortlist the town planners by exploring the best construction projects in your city and the people behind them. As an alternative, you can also search online for companies specializing in this field. From websites, you can get a fair amount of information about them.

Design feedback and suggestions

Once you feel that a particular company can handle your project, you can invite the contractor to your construction place. Ask him what he thinks about the design and what improvements can be there. You can also seek answers for a couple of questions like these:

Do you believe there is a need for a pre-application meeting with the council? (Look for reasons in either situation)
Do you think the board will approve this development project?
Can there be any challenge from our neighbors?
How much time may a formal application process take?

You can try this with at least three to four companies. The more views, the better! It will help you decide who can be perfect for the job as you can compare their suggestions before finalizing their services.

Service charges

Different companies can have their pricing quotes. The fees may vary depending on the nature of the project. However, you need to have a precise estimate of how much their services can cost you. It will help you stick to your construction budget and find someone more suitable for your needs.

Reference

You can go to a well-known real estate development company in your circle to find out about the town planners they have hired. You can ask for recommendations from them so that you can rest assured that the consulting company is trustworthy. Bringing someone who has prior experience of serving local government can be advantageous. So, keep this factor in mind.

Finding an experienced urban planner may look challenging initially. But with patience and careful approach, you can discover the most suitable service provider quickly. In case you have any urgency in this area, you can consider visiting Outlook Planning website once.

Development Insights Martech

Top Five Reasons to Verify Your Email List

Miley on July 30, 2019

Email marketing continues to be one of the most effective strategies to garner leads and sales. However, for a successful email marketing campaign, there’s more you need to do. From good design down to interesting content, everything should be almost perfect and catered to your subscribers.

And of course, you also need to make sure that the people you send emails to are the right ones. This means you’ll need to verify your email lists regularly, which some people may not actually like doing. While it’s admittedly a tedious task, it’s very beneficial and can help with your overall email marketing strategies.

But why exactly should you invest your time in your verifying email lists? Read on as I show you the top five reasons to verify your email list now!

Top Five Reasons to Verify Your Email List

What happens when you don’t verify your email list regularly? Think of it as leaving your doors open in bad neighborhoods, meaning you only get low-quality traffic. With that said, these are the five specific reasons why you need to run through your existing email lists regularly:

1. Improves Your Inbox Deliverability and Engagement Rates

Your email marketing campaign means nothing if it doesn’t reach inboxes, which is referred to as inbox deliverability. This is correlated to a Sender Score, which is a system that identifies you as either a spammer or trusted sender.

With better quality data from verified email lists, it equates to better performance, listing you as a trusted sender. This lessens the chances of your emails reaching spam folder.

Besides this, verifying email data can help you eliminate emails that don’t matter to your campaign. While it means your list size is smaller, it also means better and more quality engagement. It increases the chance of improving your open and click-through rate.

2. Reduces Hard Bounces and Spam Complaints

If you don’t already know yet, hard bounces are such nightmares in email marketing. It lowers your Sender Score, also leading to your meal becoming blacklisted. That’s why it’s important to verify your email, which checks accounts to make sure you only send it to real users.

You don’t only look up the email database, but you also need to check that usernames are registered and have active mailboxes. It gives you assurance your email lists are engaging, lessening any chances of an increased hard bounce rate.

Also, with verified email addresses that actively subscribed to your emails, this lessens the number of spam complaints. This is an advanced email validation tool, costing a bit more but worth it!

3. Avoid Sending to High-Risk and Temporary Emails

What are risky email accounts? These involve sending emails to well-known litigators in the world of email marketing. Or, it can involve email accounts that are linked to chargeback or fraud!

If you send emails to such email addresses, it can be troublesome, leading to you in the blacklist. With proper email validation, it prevents you from emailing high-risk accounts and the dreaded blacklist!

Besides this, many fraudsters also use temporary email accounts. These are emails that are randomly generated and last for only less than two days. Since they do look real on the day of collecting such emails, it sneaks into your opt-in process.

By using an email validation service, they identify any temporary email account and eliminate it immediately. This saves you from looking like spam.

4. Identify Catch-All Email Accounts

For those in the B2B industry, you’re probably already familiar with the catch-all mail servers. These are server configurations which accept emails sent to whatever username, even if mailboxes aren’t created yet! So the email looks real but that result in a kickback.

With the right email validation process, you’re familiar with what mail servers are configured in that way. This has you make the right decisions with your marketing campaign.

5. No More Spambot and Alert Typos

Spambot would flood contact forms with fake data for various reasons. While some companies use CAPTCHA codes to reduce the bots, doing so frustrates subscribers, discouraging them from trying. Once you’re familiar with differences between fake and real accounts, you beat the bots and make the subscription process easier for real users.

Also, email verification prompts if users make a mistake. It lessens human error as they type down their email, with services detecting which is real and what isn’t. Both you and the subscriber will be alerted with an error message if given the wrong data, which has you convert such data to quality email contacts.

How to Verify Your Email Lists

Now that you know all about why it’s important to verify your email lists, how can you do so?

Fortunately, there are many different email verification services you can find online! You can either hire companies to do the job for you or look for services online to do the job for you.

Just make sure that you check the service’s reputation and performance, basing it on overall customer reviews. It’s also important to select the right email verification service that’s reasonably priced. After all, quality services don’t come free!

This allows you to filter out all spammy and useless email accounts quickly. You won’t have to hassle yourself to do it and can focus more on your actual marketing campaign for better results.

Wrapping It Up

Email verification is crucial to campaign the email deliverability and its overall performance. If not, then expect some complaints and hard bounces, which would definitely be a nightmare for many marketers. You’ll be surprised that it isn’t as difficult to do as well, as some options of email verification services do the job for you!

Hopefully, this article on the top five reasons to verify your email list gave you an idea of what to do! So don’t wait any longer and start taking the right steps into verifying your email lists now.

If you have any questions or want to share your own experiences with verifying email lists, then comment below. Your thoughts are much appreciated!

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Smart Ways to Optimise the Security of Your SMB

Miley on July 26, 2019

The job of an SME building manager is both challenging and rewarding. The working hours are long, risks high, and responsibilities often relegated to a small workforce. One can argue that concerns about the security of equipment, building, and employees are not unlike concerns about the safety of a home and its residents. Here’s a list of ways SMB owners and managers can increase safety for their property and business 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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Analyse business risks and company culture

The way you approach the building security and safety sends a message to both your employees and clients about what kind of company you want to become. Overhanging security cameras, remotely-activated doors, and mandatory ID cards might make your business look like a top-secret government installation. On the other hand, the total absence of any visible security measures might speak of a laid back approach to securing the company assets and workforce.

Appraise potential loss

Determining the level of physical and digital security that your company needs becomes easier if you apply a universal risk analysis formula R=PxC, where R stands for Risk, P for probability, and C for consequences. Take a look at all the security incidents your business has had in the past two years and estimate the potential loss or non-financial consequences associated with each threat. When the estimate is done, look for solutions that will eliminate or minimize the chances of each incident repeating. The measures should also reduce the impact and magnitude of the incident, as well as enhance the recovery measures.

Ensure absolute access control

Business owners and managers are constantly in motion, whether within the company limits or in the field. The latest technological achievements in access control systems allow them to control access remotely, using mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Still when the high tech fails, and one gets locked out, they still need an emergency response locksmith service to solve the problem. For example, if a scheduled delivery needs to be made via the main gate, using a remote technology a shift manager can grant temporary access to the premises and revoke it as soon as the goods are unloaded.

Focus on digital security

The increasing incidence of data breaches has raised digital security measures to a high priority level for every SME. One way of gaining customers’ trust is keeping their personal data, like name, address, and financial details safe from cyber-attack. For example, a gym that is open 24 hours a day can have automated security solutions that grant members with key cards access, while keeping unauthorised persons out. Even with no overnight staff, paying members who like to take advantage of extended working hours can exercise without worrying about their safety, while the owners know that their assets and patrons are protected even with no staff around.

Eliminate risks from inside

The security solutions you’re looking to implement shouldn’t be measured simply by their efficiency and cost, but also by their impact on your business culture. For example, if the assessment has identified employee theft as one of the highest risks, video surveillance coupled with 24/7 access control eliminates the need of additionally security valuable assets, which also saves time employees would waste signing them out from a specialised storage. By letting non-invasive technology do the ‘policing’, you’re keeping the atmosphere in the company relaxed and enabling yourself to keep any security breach a strictly technical issue.

While challenges that will test the security measures in your SMB can never be completely eliminated, any security measure you implement becomes much more effective if you assess internal and external risks and evaluate potential consequences beforehand.

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13 Best Features of Mac OS Mojave

Miley on July 23, 2019

The macOS Mojave happens to be the 15th prime release of the desktop operating system by Apple.

Hence, it is packed with a range of new functionalities, features, and new capabilities to look at. In this article, we aim to introduce the top 13 best features of the macOS Mojave.

Mojave 10.14 is compatible with Mac system from mid-2012 or later, just as 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro models that incorporate the prescribed Metal-skilled illustrations cards. On the off chance that you’re shaking one of those systems, then finding what’s going on in Mojave would be of incredible help.

Dark Mode

The Dark Mode is one of the most loved aspects of Mojave. In this mode, all of the native applications such as Xcode, Photos, Calendar, Safari, and more feature darker themes and colors. These colors happen to be very easy on the eyes, which is especially handy for those who spend a significant amount of time working on the mac.

Dynamic Desktop

Have you always dreamt of having a desktop experience which changes as the day progresses? Well, the dynamic desktop of Mojave allows you to experience a desktop that shifts along with the position of the sun based on your location. Essentially, it changes the wallpaper dynamically from the light sky to blue, followed by darker blue as the night approaches.

Desktop Stacks

Do you struggle with a messy background that is full of icons? Well, the Desktop Stacks in Mojave can help you in bringing everything into order. In order to use Stacks, simply right-click on an empty space and choose ‘Use Stacks’.

Screenshot Markups

The Screenshot Markup feature has been on the IOS for some time. Previously, there was a need for a separate app to annotate the screenshots. However, Mojave brings options to quickly make edits after you have taken the screenshots.

Screenshot Utility

There is a new shortcut added to the macOS screenshot arsenal. The Screenshot Utility bar can be brought up by pressing Cmd + Shift + 5. Using this bar, you can screenshot a specific window or the entire screen. On top of that, you can also record the entire screen or a specific area of the screen.

Continuity Camera

The document scanners are dying out as the world moves to the digital side. The continuity Camera on the Mojave makes it easier for you to scan your documents. Essentially, it detects the document in the frame and cuts everything else out while fixing any minor issues.

IOS Apps on Mac

After you update Apple Mac to Mojave, you may notice a number of familiar icons in the app launcher. Soon, Apple will introduce a translation layer which will make it possible for you to run the IOS apps on the mac. As of yet, only four supported apps from IOS can be run on the app including Voice Memos, News, Stocks, and Home. Also, it is always good to know about CleanMyMacX Review.

The App Store

The new relationship between the macOS and IOS grows even further due to the App Store. Currently, we can see hints of the mobile counterpart in the desktop app store. The new app store is expected to e much more powerful and easier to move around.

Finder

The Finder has not been ignored in the entire Mojave treatment. Previously, the pictures used to look a little awkward with the Quick Look or Cover Flow in the Finder. The new Gallery View in the Finder has changed this completely.

Other enhancements in Mojave

Mojave carries a range of security improvements, along with improvements in Safari revolving around autofill, creating, and storing passwords.

Use APFS to help Fusion Drive

Mojave currently cares more for your files. As guaranteed, Apple made APFS work with Fusion Drive in macOS 10.14 – the unity which empowers you to make, resize and store various volumes of data all the more proficiently on your Mac.

Ask Siri more

The old great Siri gets smarter in macOS Mojave. Not exclusively is Apple’s voice aide lined up with Home Kit, it can likewise enable you to discover saved passwords.

Follow trending topics on Apple News

With Mojave, Apple adds macOS-improved Apple News to the Mac. If you already an active user, you’ll be glad to know that the News application is synced with the iOS version, so you can get speedy access to your preferred sources on Mac directly. Right now, the application is accessible only in a few selected nations like US, UK, and Australia. If you can’t get your hands on Apple News because of geographic restrictions, News Explorer is a good alternative. This convenient newsreader Mac utility is a great device for reading, marking, and sharing content online.

While this is Apple’s greatest and best MAC OS update yet, there are bunches of significant improvements, as well as hidden features in Mojave, which make the upgrade worth it, despite all the trouble. Combine all these tips with the tried-and-trusted applications and you’ll be one happy Mac user.

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How To Protect Your Office Network From Data Theft

Miley on July 23, 2019

Many businesses, especially SMEs, are unaware that they are at risk of data theft until it actually happens to them. This finding was supported by data from the UK’s Cyber Streetwise Campaign indicating that two-thirds of small businesses in the United Kingdom do not think that they are vulnerable to cybercrime. Because of this, it should not come as a surprise then that according to a 2018 Verizon Report, 58% of malware victims are also small businesses.

While there is no 100% guarantee that any method is foolproof, applying these recommended security measures will give you that extra peace of mind that you deserve.

Install anti-malware programs

One of the most common ways cybercriminals steal data is through malware. Malware is short for malicious software, which are usually harmful computer network programs like viruses, worms, adware, spyware, and Trojan horses used to access various devices stealthily. Nowadays, infecting a device with malware does not only happen by plugging external devices like USB sticks and hard drives. You can also get malware on your system electronically when you click a malicious email, download files, and visit unreliable websites. In fact, according to a 2018 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, around 92.4% of malware sneak into a device through email.

You can prevent malware from infecting your office network and risking data theft by installing anti-malware applications on all devices. The more advanced programs can detect even the most sophisticated malware. However, if installing an expensive anti-malware program is out of your budget, you will be surprised to know that even the most basic antivirus apps are still better than leaving your system vulnerable with no protection at all.

Enforce access control policies

With most companies digitizing their data and using Cloud technology, it has become much easier for employees to access and use the information on demand. But with this convenience, there is also the added risk of confidential data being vulnerable to data theft. Business owners often fail to realize that there is a need to enforce data restrictions so that unauthorized users will not be able to access sensitive business information.

This does not only apply to external users but to the internal employees as well. Depending on their job roles, employees should only be granted access to information related to their tasks. For example, entry-level employees, interns, and temporary staff should not be given access to the company’s financial information, legal contracts, and other confidential data assets.

Only use trusted third-party service suppliers

It is common for businesses to use third-party service providers to run business operations. In many instances, these service providers gain access to the company’s data so it is critical to choose with whom you work with very carefully. When selecting a supplier to work with, make sure to research about the company, its track record, and client testimonials.

Examples of third-party suppliers that usually gain access to your data are web hosting and email providers, cloud computing companies, and companies offering remote services. For example, having remote printer diagnostics connecting to an external company means that people outside of your business have access not only to your printers but also to your office network. When granting remote access, make sure to limit the duration of access and the specific part of the network the third-party supplier is allowed to access.

Aside from screening companies that have electronic access to your data, it is also important to scrutinize third-party service providers that gain access to your physical workplace. Building maintenance, facilities management, security, and catering are examples of such services that are often outsourced to third parties, especially by larger companies. Make sure that the suppliers are reputable companies and are not fly-by-night entities.

Use data encryption

You can add another layer of protection to your data by encrypting them. In case anti-malware programs and access control measures fail, having encrypted data will make it harder for data thieves to open and use the stolen information. When you encrypt your data, an encryption key will be required in order for it to be accessed.

Data encryption is also important because it ensures that your data is protected at all times, whether it is just stored when it is in transport. There are also data encryption programs that can protect your data across different devices. This means that even if you lose a device with access to that shared data, it will be more difficult to access because it is encrypted.

Update your software and apps regularly

How many times have you clicked the “dismiss” button when prompted that you need to update some of your device software and applications? A lot of people ignore these important updates and many are even guilty of skipping the automatic updates set-up by their IT guys. You may not be aware that these updates are actually essential to protect your system from a data breach.

Most programs often need to be updated to fix issues including security vulnerabilities discovered by developers. If your system is filled with outdated programs and apps, you are exposing yourself to potential risks so make sure that you’re always running the latest version.

However, it is also recommended to wait at least a week before installing the latest update instead of installing it on Day 1. The reason for this is because there have been instances wherein newly released software updates contained security flaws that were not discovered until users started experiencing them first-hand.

Block instant downloads and access to unreliable websites

During off-peak hours, many employees admit to browsing the internet to pass the time. While it may be harmless for your staff to read the latest news or watch a YouTube video, some of your employees may not realize that the funny gif image that they’re downloading to share with other colleagues is infected with malware. Another common scenario is when users try to download songs or videos from piracy websites, unknowingly downloading spyware in the process.

To prevent this, you can use web filtering software that can automatically block access to websites depending on the categories you choose, the nature of the websites, or the reputation of the websites.

Protecting your data is a worthy investment

The increasing number of businesses being dependent on technology also means that more companies are becoming vulnerable to different types of cybercrime, including data theft. Whether your business is a small start-up or a huge corporation, implementing security measures is definitely worth your time and your money.