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When devising the best backup strategy for your business there are several key things you should consider-

• What data is critical to your business?
• What do you need to protect that data against?
• How long can your business stand to be without that data?

In answering these questions, you can start to form a decent picture of what your backup strategy needs to be, including how often you need to take your backups, when you should take your backups, and where best to keep them.

Generally speaking, though, there are some ‘golden rules’ of backup that you should always look to work to when protecting your business data:

The 3-2-1 Rule

The 3-2-1 rule is a general guide to protecting your data against the most common scenarios, from accidental deletion of a file to full-on Disaster Recovery.  According to the 3-2-1 rule, as a minimum you should have three copies of your data, on two different media with one off-site for Disaster Recovery.

The rationale behind this is that in keeping local copies on separate devices, you are protected if either of those devices fails or one copy of the data is deleted or corrupted and the data can be quickly recovered. 

Keeping a copy off-site will also make sure your data is protected against any incidents that affects an entire location.

Offline or ‘Cold’ Backups

Whether your backups are local or off-site you should seek to ensure that at least one of these copies is offline or ‘cold’, meaning that it is not actively connected or accessible to your live environment.  Doing this will make sure that you have copies of your data that will not be affected by anything that compromises or damages the data in your online systems.  This is key when protecting against Ransomware for example, where it’s often the case that backups can also be affected  (and in some cases, actively targeted) by an attack. 

This is a critical consideration if you’re using online or ‘Cloud’ storage as a backup location- make sure these are only connected and accessed as required to limit the exposure.

Timely and Regular Backups

When you take your data backups and how often you take them is key to being able to minimize the risk and business impact of having to perform any sort of recovery.  You need to consider your Recovery Point Objective (RPO) which is basically how much data can you stand to lose, and your Recovery Time Objective (RTO) which is how quickly you need to recover your data.  For example, if you decide you can only stand to lose an hour’s worth of sales data (an RPO of 1 hour) then taking a single backup each night isn’t going to be good enough.  Similarly, if you need to be able to recover your data within 2 hours (so your RTO is 2 hours) then keeping your backups in a secure location 3 hours’ drive away isn’t going to cut it either.

There is a balance to be struck here though, as typically the lower your RPO and RTO the more expensive it will be to ensure that you can meet them.

Recovery Testing

Probably most importantly of all, you need to regularly test restoring data from your backups to make sure that it works as expected.  There’s nothing worse when facing a disaster recovery scenario than finding out that your backups are no good or the recovery process just doesn’t work.  Test and test again until backup and recovery are routine.

While these general points should hold you in reasonable stead, there is plenty more you need to consider when defining the backup and recovery strategy that is right for your business.  For further guidance seek help from free online sources such as the NCSC, or from a Cybersecurity partner who can help you understand your risks and how best to protect against them.

Cyber Security is not an IT problem, It’s a Business problem – and if you’re a business owner or part of the leadership team that means it’s your problem.

Strategy for Business growth, mitigating risks and staying ahead of the competition are all familiar topics for discussion in board rooms across all organisations large or small, but Cyber Security strategy?  Not so much.  According to a recent survey only around half of UK Businesses update Senior Management on Cyber Security matters on even a Quarterly basis- and 17% state their Business’ leadership is never brought up to speed.  That’s a lot of Leaders who believe Cyber Security is not their problem.

In fact, what these worrying statistics actually represent is not just a swerve of responsibility, but a fundamental lack of understanding of just how important Cyber Security is to Businesses today.  Being unaware of the risks faced day-in, day-out by an organisation is surely worrying enough- but being unaware of how Cyber Security can benefit a business and give it a competitive edge?  In 2020 I’m afraid that’s just naive.

What many businesses are still failing to realise (and what businesses that do realise are busy embracing and capitalizing on) is that Cyber Security feeds in directly to those board room staples of growth, risk management and market competition. For Owners and leaders, understanding Cyber Security from a business perspective is about understanding the threats faced by their specific organisation- and we’re not just talking targeted or random attacks by a Cyber Criminal here.  What about the threat of a supplier or customer being breached, compromising your business’ data and systems as a result?  Or how about the threat of losing contracts or opportunities to a competitor, because a potential or existing client demands compliance to a Security framework that senior management have never heard of?

Cyber Security is not an IT problem that technology alone can fix.  Yes, your IT or Security team (or designated IT Security role, or outsourced IT Security partner) can implement and manage solutions to help protect the business, but without strategy and guidance from the leadership team how do they know what to protect?  Time and money are precious, and certainly not infinite-  without strategy and guidance who decides where the focus and budget is and how do they determine what to focus on?  Furthermore, how can the business truly determine what the budget should be in the first place? That is only half the battle however- mandating and implementing policies and procedures to secure the business processes is arguably an even more important weapon in the fight against Cyber Threats than technical ones.  Senior Management and Business owners don’t just need to ‘buy-in’ to this, they need to be ‘all-in’- Projects to implement controlled policies and procedures have to come from the top or they will go nowhere.  On the face of it this may seem counter-intuitive- surely resources are best used to implement the latest and greatest multi-factor security tokens and next-generation firewalls to stop attackers gaining access to your business’ (and your clients) financial data?  That’s great- until you realise that your finance administrator has been copying critical budgetary spreadsheets onto a USB stick every night to work on at night on their home computer, or your marketing manager uploads your client database weekly via a free, publicly-accessible file-sharing tool to work on over the weekend.  Both perfectly innocent and well-meaning acts no matter how fraught with risk and in breach of any number of regulations- unless the Leadership dictates that no, that’s not how we do business and accordingly, IT have been instructed to prevent it.

The Cyber Security strategy and practices that a business adopts must be informed by everything that organization does-from its business operations and strategies to its assets and IP.  Naturally owners, senior management and boards are in the best possible position to have this holistic view and direct the Cyber Security strategy accordingly to protect what matters most. As a Business owner or Leader you may not fully understand or appreciate the threats your business faces but that’s okay, there are resources and partners that can help you do that.  But you do understand your business, and taking responsibility for Cyber Security shows you also understand how to set your business apart from the competition and set it up to succeed.

There is no single answer to the question of how best to secure your business – no firewall or security software can claim to nullify all threats or mitigate all risks.

Important as it is, Technology is just a single weapon in your business security arsenal, you need controls, processes and policies to fill the gaps that Technology can’t fill.  Most of all though, you need the business itself.  Effective security doesn’t just need to involve the business, rather the business has to drive the security- from the Leadership team at the top through all levels of staff, setting a secure mindset is absolutely key to protecting the business.

In fostering a culture of security, the business is recognising that security isn’t just the responsibility of a firewall, or IT, or even a dedicated security team- it’s everyone’s responsibility.  Every member of staff can be a security camera, an access control system, an intrusion prevention system and a firewall- if the business recognises it, and empowers them to do so.

Leaders need to lead

A healthy security culture has to come from the top.  Leaders need to shout the message loud and clear, leading by example with no ‘special treatment’ or exceptions from the rule.

The leadership team need to make sure that the entire business is aware of what is expected of them from a security standpoint, making clear what is acceptable practice and what isn’t, and making available whatever resources, tools or training is needed to enable the expected practices to be followed.

Security also needs to feature more in the board room.  Boards and Senior Management need to realise that the responsibility for security lies not with a department or role within the business, but with themselves as leaders of that business.

How can Management teams expect a good security culture to flourish, if they don’t see the value of being a part of it?

Everyone has a role to play

One of the messages that needs to come from the top is that everyone has their role to play in keeping the business secure.  Whether working on a reception, on a shop floor, in a factory, a warehouse, an office, or working remotely (especially working remotely) then security is a part of your job. 

It starts with awareness- everyone should be aware of what’s expected of them, and what’s expected of their colleagues and management.  If everyone is aware of and follows the business security policies then it’s much easier to spot something out of the ordinary which could potentially lead to, or limit the impact of a breach or other such security incident.

Does that person have an ID badge?  Is that visitor roaming un-escorted because they are lost or is something more malicious afoot?  Is this email asking me to make an urgent payment to a bank account really from the CFO, or am I being phished?? 

Turning weakness into strength

While it may be true that staff are often the weak link in the business security chain, imagine how effective a defence your workforce could be when immersed in a culture of good security practice?

It’s no coincidence that typically more than 9 out of 10 security breaches start with an email- it’s because humans are vulnerable, and cyber criminals know it.  Unlike firewalls, humans tend to have compassion, a desire to help and to please, and can be rushed into making poor decisions- all of which are major security flaws, from a risk perspective.

However, if the humans who make up your staff are educated, and aware, and empowered then there’s no reason why they can’t become ‘human firewalls’- scanning emails for suspicious requests from suspect sources, reporting bad practice and rejecting anything that isn’t compliant with how their business works.  Suddenly every single member of staff is fighting the good fight and your security ‘weak link’ is now your strongest security asset.

Knowledge is power

In order to make human firewalls out of your staff however, the first step is educating them. 

Security training will tell them what the policies are and sets out how the business will operate, and do business securely.  It’s important to realise though that this isn’t a one-off, ‘fire and forget’ hour-long slideshow, but an ongoing investment of time, and effort, that needs to be refreshed and tested often to make sure that it really is part of the day-to-day, and everyone is up-to-date with latest policies.

More importantly still, threats and attacks are constantly evolving so you’ll need to train your staff frequently to counter, and prepare for anything that they may not have seen before.

Training sessions should also be relevant, engaging and wherever possible, practical with examples and interaction where possible.  Slides alone rarely inspire anyone to take notice let alone action, and you’ll want to know that what you’re talking about is sinking in.

Make it personal

Good security practice is good security practice, whether at work or at home.  As a business you shouldn’t underestimate the benefits that instilling solid security foundations into an employee could bring to that employee long after they’ve clocked-off, or even left your employment entirely.

Something our team of trainers here at CyberScale always ensure they get across is how being secure in your work can also help you be secure outside of the workplace.  Though the assets they will be protecting may be different, the key defences are largely the same whether at home or at work. 

Letting people know how the practices and knowledge they pick up during training at work can help them personally works wonders for increasing ‘buy-in’ and helps keep interest up. 

Of course now with many employees working remotely or at home, it’s in each business’ interests directly to help staff secure their own environments and adopt good practice, but getting that mutuality of benefit across could help good security practices permeate through the culture in your business.

Where there’s no blame….

When we talk about a good security culture, it’s important to note that it’s not just policies and documents that make it.  It’s also about creating a level of trust and confidence within the business.  Employees at every level need to feel comfortable and empowered to speak up if they see something suspicious, or to own up if they themselves have breached policy whether inadvertently or not, or just to ask questions or make suggestions.

Fostering a ‘no blame’ stance from the business can encourage staff to come forward, where they may otherwise choose to stay silent or turn a blind eye if they feel they may be blamed or made a scapegoat in case of a breach or incident.  It comes back to the edict that security is everyone’s responsibility, and in sharing that responsibility then the burden of responsibility or ‘blame’ is not felt by any one member of staff.

Of course, in order to help create a healthy security culture it’s important to have the expertise to define the policies and practices, and create a security strategy that includes a security-literate workforce.  If such expertise doesn’t exist in-house, then engaging a security partner to define scope and put together an action plan to set you on your way could be a quick and cost-effective way to not only kick-start your security culture, but help maintain and nurture it as your business grows.

Whether your security function is in-house or external, often the business itself and the attitude to security within it are the most effective weapons in the fight against cyber crime. 

The fact is that every organisation already has a security culture even if they don’t realise it, but whether that culture is good or bad is another question entirely.  A bad culture can make your business more vulnerable and more at-risk, a good culture will give you every chance to prevent breaches and reduce risk.  How’s the culture in your business?

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered almost every institution known to man and education is no exception. Whereas schools once thrived as activity centers for students and faculty members, colleges and universities have been forcibly shut down. Across the globe, large-scale universities and local community colleges alike drastically put an end to all campus activities. The widespread transmission brought the academic schoolyear to an abrupt end.  

As government restriction relaxed, schools were able to re-open with strict adherence to health safety measures to prevent the spread of the virus. However, many campuses that opted to open are once again forced to shut down due to localized outbreaks. All of this has resulted in a widespread migration from traditional classroom instruction to online platforms.  

While the current pandemic is far from over, situations around the world are gradually improving. Work and other activities are now permitted, and schools are slowly reopening for students to continue their studies. As the virus continues to threaten countries around the world, schools must continue to formulate strategies to cope with the impact of COVID-19 on the institution, its students, faculty, and its community as a whole. 

Dwindling admissions, tuition refunds, technological capacity, and student engagement challenge colleges and universities that serve as areas of focus for higher education institutions as they prepare and plan for contingencies to ensure the future of education.

Immediate Impact and Response

Schools were among the first institutions to be closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Colleges in the United States began closing its doors by the third week of March. Students from China, Italy, and South Korea were advised to go home and complete their studies online. Across the globe, colleges and universities followed suit, suspending in-campus classes indefinitely and turning to Zoom meetings and conferences in an attempt to finish the semester despite the raging pandemic.

As countries and communities closed their borders to prevent further transmission, international and domestic students alike were stranded-some were even left homeless as campus housing closed down as well. Colleges and universities had to find safe accommodations for students or extend help in some other way. A number of colleges offered to shuttle students to their hometowns and some announced tuition fee refunds. 

As the months went on, online classes became the predominant set up for continued learning. Unfortunately, the sudden transition caused ‘a great divide’ between students who could afford internet connection and online learning equipment and those who struggle to obtain needed resources. In an August briefing, the United Nations estimated that nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries were affected by school shut downs and have affected 94% of students in high-income countries. The number is even higher in low- to middle-income countries as almost all learners were affected by the closures. 

Widespread disruption is considered an immediate impact of COVID-19, and it has challenged the capacity of institutions to deliver a quality education using non-traditional methods. 

Virtual Learning 

While large universities and colleges already had online learning capabilities in place prior to the pandemic, smaller higher ed institutions needed to create material for their online classes from scratch and had to grab whatever technology was available to reach students. Virtual classes became the norm and students participated via smartphone or laptop for real-time meetings while others result to asynchronous modes of learning. 

Attitudes regarding virtual learning also shifted from being skeptical at the beginning of the pandemic to positive responses towards the latter end of the year. It appears that students now appreciate e-learning as a medium of instruction for colleges and universities. Though it is an entirely different environment from the ones they were previously exposed to, virtual learning has allowed students to participate in their classes at their convenience.

Higher education institutions also bank on this technology for continued delivery of course offerings and curricula. Colleges and universities are keenly aware of the weaknesses of these platforms, so they continue to innovate ways to ensure that students do more than just attend online classes and actually engage in collaboration with fellow students and educators. They now realize that students need to achieve optimal learning experience through the innovative use of technology.

Student Engagement 

Colleges and universities acknowledge that technology is an indispensable tool in delivering quality education amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in developing additional mechanisms to ensure that learning outcomes are achieved in a virtual environment. Apart from online classroom set-ups, colleges and universities now use social media and various chat group applications to connect with students, giving them real-time updates regarding their classes and courses. Schools also use social media to establish a sense of community with their students, providing appropriate means to assist students achieve a state of well-being amidst pressures and uncertainties brought about by the pandemic. 

Impact on Admission 

Online learning enabled the spring semester of 2020 to end well, but admissions seemed at risk given the restrictions governments imposed on in-campus enrollment and a continuing travel ban barring international students and any other international travelers. As expected, college admissions will dropped, but it didn’t hinder the continued existence of academic institutions. Colleges and universities announced deadline extensions for admission, which provided students ample time to prepare for a very different college experience and also to recover from any displacement brought about the pandemic.

In truth, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed colleges and universities across the world to change their policies to become more accommodating and inclusive. Students who previously could not enter a university due to financial constraints, geographical constraints, or disability could now access their preferred university with ease. And while international student enrollment may not be possible in an in-campus setting, virtual admissions can even pave the way for extending education across boundaries towards diverse populations. 

Immediate impacts of the pandemic on students appeared negative in the beginning and it has surely exposed the weakness of colleges and universities in terms of IT infrastructure, but it can also be seen as the avenue to initiate changes in college and universities for good. 

Impact on Faculty and Training 

Students are not the only ones affected by the pandemic. Educators also face challenges brought about by new modes of learning. Just like students, faculty members also experience disparities in technology and skills related to virtual education environments. Not all teachers have access to resources for online learning as some may only have access when on the school premises.

Apart from connectivity, instructors now have to become tech-savvy, almost in an instant, to navigate virtual classrooms and online submission of course requirements. Professors also need to become a little more creative to develop engaging class content to maximize learning and ensure classes are more than just Zoom.

Colleges and universities strive to address these issues by providing continuous training to their faculty regarding the use of technology and re-imaging content to become more engaging. While traditional lectures suffice in on-campus settings, educators can explore and incorporate interactive tools and even enhance lessons with videos or graphics to capture and retain student’s attention during a virtual learning experience. Educators can also do well to utilize technology to advance their research and administrative skills.

In addition to the technical aspect of online learning, faculty will also need to be trained to accommodate students from diverse backgrounds. Teachers must also be able to convey both professionalism and empathy when dealing with students from underrepresented populations. Emphasis is placed on a student-centered approach. They may also need to exercise their patience and enforce flexible due dates for course requirements.  

Impact on Institution

The COVID-19 pandemic not only impacts students and their professors-it also affects higher ed institutions as a whole. The pandemic has substantially altered the way education is delivered and it has compelled colleges and universities to change for the better. The impacts of COVID-19 on higher ed institutions can be seen as avenues for improvement. Some examples include: 

Strengthening technological and IT capabilities. This serves as a paramount agenda for higher education. Schools need to bolster the accessibility of digital formats and platforms to enable learning opportunities to a diverse student audience.

Ensure data privacy and security. Technology not only plays an essential role in delivering education, but it also requires developing safety measures to ensure that data collected and distributed are secure. Student information must remain confidential and mechanisms must be in place to ensure data is not compromised due to the use of learning technology.

Refocusing research and development studies to assist in the worldwide understanding of COVID-19. This leads to networking opportunities between educational institutions, government agencies, and affected communities to inform about the virus and develop remedies to stem the pandemic.

Rediscover the inherent value of their teaching staff. Educators are the frontliners of the college education system and their adaptive techniques in ensuring education remains to be rewarded. Apart from enhancing their digital skills, universities must also extend support to their academic staff in assessing their needs and provide adequate resources to help them fulfill their assignments. 

Post-Pandemic Adaptations 

The impact of the pandemic on educational institutions will be far-reaching. Colleges and universities need to plan for contingencies in case countries allow schools to reopen for admission and in-campus education. 

In this, health protocols must be put in place to ensure that students and academic staff are protected from the virus. Simple basics such as hand washing and social distancing are to be strictly enforced. Self-quarantine must also be encouraged in case students develop flu-like symptoms. while travel monitoring can help universities with contact tracing procedures should infections arise.

Universities and colleges may also look into the possibility of developing hybrid learning models where a combination of online and in-campus settings result into holistic methods of delivering quality education.

Conclusion 

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted colleges and universities on an individual and institutional level that necessitates change and innovation of existing policies and procedures as to how education is delivered. 

On an individual level, it has caused the disruption of classes and activities as students are compelled to leave campuses and result to online learning. It has also resulted in the displacement of students who may have become stranded or homeless as a result of campus lockdowns. The pandemic also shifted perception regarding virtual classes with more and more students preferring online classes to ensure their safety. 

At an institutional level, the pandemic has challenged traditional models of teaching and administration. Classroom lectures are no longer the norm as educators now incorporate videos, graphics, and other supplemental materials to improve student engagement. Data privacy is now imperative, and enhancements to IT capabilities are now the main priorities. 

The pandemic has also led to college and university management looking for innovative ways to build community with students and faculty despite social distancing requirements and travel ban restrictions. In a way, the pandemic has made colleges and universities more humane and caring as they go out of their way to lend distressed students a hand. Colleges and universities now use technology not just for course updates but to more effectively to reach to their students and address their needs.

While the future remains uncertain regarding when schools will be allowed to fully reopen and classes will eventually resume, the pandemic has highlighted the remarkable resilience of higher educational institutions. Their ingenuity has allowed students to continue to receive their education despite their physical displacement. The instant adoption of new technologies, although by no means perfect, serve as effective mechanism in this crucial time. It has also led to renewed interest in research and development to further studies regarding the COVID-19 virus and how to combat the disease. 

In essence, the impact of COVID-19 to higher education institutions is the exposure the vulnerabilities of the education system. The discovery of these flaws now paves the way to eliminate out-of-date traditional structures to make way for innovative methods to deliver quality education across continents, beyond borders, and into needy communities.   

The Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) team at Tudor Lodge Consultants is proud to announce that we are now working with Aaron Jonah Accessories (https://www.aaronjonah.co.uk). Aaron Jonah Accessories provides men and women accessories, including designer cufflinks and jewellery gifts. 

Our SEO Aproach

Aaron Jonah Accessories approached us to help launch their new website – and ensure that it starts to rank on Google for their brand name and products.

We began by carrying out a full technical SEO fix-ups – going through every product page and optimising the images, product names, meta-titles, headings and descriptions.This ensures that Google and other search engines can read [crawl] the website and rank it as high as possible.

To build up the domain authority, we have been acquiring some clean links on some shopping, fashion and style websites and magazines – not only providing links by good PR for Aaron Jonah in the process.

We have been carrying out extensive keyword research and competitor analysis to find keywords of focus that best represent the offerings and products of the Aaron Jonah Accessories brand. 

Finally, will be working with the content team at Aaron Jonah Accessories to produce original and SEO-friendly content for the website throughout all pages including the homepage, information pages and new pages that will be built and populated. All of these pages will make use of SEO-best practices.

We are excited to be working with Aaron Jonah and expect to see some very positive results in the next 3 to 6 months.

Tudor Lodge Consultants is pleased to announce that we are working with Lending Expert (https://www.lendingexpert.co.uk/) The company helps find your eligibility for the cheapest loans, mortgages, credit cards and a whole range of credit products online. Lending Expert is looking to boost its website ranking on search engines and improve its overall existing SEO strategy, through the expertise of our white hat SEO specialists, maximising user experience and rankings on Google. 

What Work We Have Done

Working closely with a team of experienced developers, we updated their site to have SEO (search engine optimisation) at its core. By ensuring that all content throughout the site is new as well as being up-to-date for SEO and best online practices, we are helping Lending Expert slowly to achieve their goals.

The first port of call was to confirm the right keywords for Lending Experts and we concluded that long-tail keywords were the best option, given the huge competition from the likes of GoCompare, MoneySupermarket and Compare The Market.

Hence, finding keywords that are long-tail in nature and very specific, such as keywords that also include phrases such as London, bad credit, a specific loan amount, secured or unsecured. We believe that together we have a better chance of ranking top for these and they should also convert better.

Our next steps is to integrate these keywords into the landing pages, creating new landing pages in some cases or re-writing existing ones and including these keywords in the meta-titles, headings and content where possible.

A full technical fix-up of the site is key, looking at over 3,000 pages and guides and making sure everything is fixed head-to-toe including meta-titles, descriptions, headings, image alt-text, sitemaps, internal linking and more.

Plus, we continue to tidy up the link building profile by manually removing poor quality links from the Lending Expert site and replacing them with clean ones from news and financial authority websites.

We are currently in month one of the campaign and implementing a full fix-up of the website and we expect the rankings to slowly take shape, with a good algorithm update in the next 6 months to give the site and important boost.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to so many changes in all of our lives across almost everything we do every single day. One of the most noticeable things that has changed as the global Covid-19 pandemic progresses and rolls on is the move of more businesses and brands than ever to the online space. Although many businesses had already been making their moves to the online business world, the pandemic has accelerated this move many-fold.

Interestingly, this has meant that businesses that would otherwise not necessarily be considered ‘online businesses’ have also had to join the other, potentially more adaptable businesses. In practice, businesses from commodities recruiters to cleaning businesses have had to adapt to this ever-increasing online transition and move like they could never have expected.

Part of what all businesses moving online have found is that not only have they needed to speed up all they are doing to get online on the first place (for those that previously were not or who barely were) but that competition is stiffer and more difficult than ever.

With more businesses competing online and fighting for customers, sales, transactions, engagement and business, online marketing in the UK and globally has exploded in popularity.

The primary methods of online marketing being used by both businesses like those that were traditionally offline like letting agents as well as the likes of already online businesses are:

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) – The gold standard of online marketing, but also the method which takes the longest to show tangible results, SEO is the method which unlocks the true potential of search engines like Google, Bing and others. Getting higher up on search engines is what SEO does and with higher positions under a business’ belt, the conversions and sales stream in
2. Paid Marketing – This includes the likes of Googles pay-per-click where businesses bid for selected keywords and phrases, paying for each time a user clicks on their ad. Although potentially fast and effective, this can be very costly, with some keywords costing more than £150 per click in very competitive industries. Paid marketing also includes paid for social media ads which can be run for fairly low cost, targeting specific niches of people and potential customers across the globe
3. Influencer Marketing – This method of marketing is more suitable for products and ‘physical’ items and services. Thus, it is not suitable for some businesses like publishers and accountants. However, with the right influencer, with the right audience and demographic and with the right campaign, influencer marketing can instantly get you in front of potentially millions of people

There is no ‘best’ method of online marketing. Some businesses will take one of the above methods whereas others will take all and will invest considerable sums of money into very sizable campaigns. What is most important is to think about the goals and ambitions of the business in question. It is also key to be aware of any budgetary constraints and to be realistic.

If you can only spend a few hundred pounds per month, in an industry where others are spending many thousands or even tens of thousands, you can still succeed, but it will likely take longer and will require a laser like focus on the key goals and aims you are seeking to achieve.

It is also crucial that businesses are aware that what works for one business may not necessarily work well for another and with that in mind, take the time required to consider, think about and assess and potential paid or earned online media campaign for any business.

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Photo credit: Archant 

The now not-so-novel Coronavirus. We’d all hoped it would be over by Christmas – but it seems that’s not to be. By any standards, 2020 has been and continues to be, one hell of a year, both for individuals and organisations.

But comparisons with previous cataclysmic events are a misleading distraction. We are where we are, and this, for the foreseeable, is the new reality. If we are, to borrow a phrase, “all in this together”, then we need to help and support each other; and, collectively, roll our sleeves up and get on with it.

Changing with the times

If you feel you’re still floundering, bewildered by developments you can’t control and what those events might mean for your business, take heart: so are many of your competitors! But there is a window of opportunity here – and it won’t stay open for long. You may need to change how you operate; possibly, even, what you do, what your business is; and certainly, your marketing strategy.

Companies that survive and thrive in these trying times will be those that have been fastest on their feet: quickest to adapt to the new paradigm. These companies will have reviewed their products, systems and processes and may have applied a start/stop/continue “slide-rule” to their activities: what do they want to start doing; what do they need to stop; and what do they continue with?

Three little words…

Three words that I’m hearing time and again at the moment are “purpose”, “pivoting” and “empathy”.

The first is sort-of self-explanatory – but a little elucidation never goes amiss, so to get existential: purpose is about as fundamental as it gets. Why does such-and-such a business exist? What problems, or pain points, is it here to address for its customers? Businesses that know their purpose really “get it”; and use that knowledge, that self-awareness, to create deeper connections with their clients. According to a recent report from Deloitte, purpose-driven companies enjoy higher market-share gains and grow on average three times faster than their competitors.

The second I understand to mean changing the nature of what you offer (in some cases, radically) to fit the current climate. Thus, to use an obvious example, high-end restaurants becoming takeaways – food provision might be a common denominator, but the two industries are historically very different!

However, the third is integral to successfully market your business – whatever it is or is becoming.

It’s the thought that counts

What is certain in these challenging times is that the days of marketing-as-blunt-instrument are gone. If that marketing style was already in its death throes pre-Coronavirus, then Covid has killed it stone dead; and no-one laments its passing.

What’s replaced it is a need to be much more precise. Much more targeted. Much more, in a word, thoughtful. Don’t cut your marketing spend – but consider where and how you’re spending it to get the biggest bang for your marketing buck. And it’s not just about making your money go further: make time – invest time if you prefer – to look into new channels to promote your business. Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram et al., plus other as-yet-undreamt-of social media, are free or low-cost and are there to be used. Think about how you can best make them work for your business – not just in the here-and-now, but in the long term.

And empathy is critical. The ability to make the human connection with your clients and prospects, understand where they are now, and where they want to be post-pandemic, is vital to your success in marketing to them. And that means thinking – hard – and asking questions.

Talking – and listening

In the case of existing customers, you might enjoy a business relationship going back years. Maybe you socialise together. But how well do you really know them? How has this seismic shake-up affected them – personally, as well as professionally? Where have they moved – or are they moving – from and to, business-wise? What are their hopes and dreams for the future – and their fears?

And the same goes for prospective customers. Arguably this is a little trickier – though one of the (few) positives from the pandemic is a new openness, a willingness to reach out: to talk subjectively about Covid and its effects. To compare notes – or, as one of my associates puts it, to “swap war stories”.

But the key thing is to keep asking, keep having the conversations, and dial-up the dialogue; only then will you be able to mould your marketing plans to fit your clients’ new shape. Which will shift – or mutate, just as the virus does. Ask your customers and prospects: what are they getting stuck with? Do you have a solution that can help them? If these conversations result in new target markets for you, then that can only be a good thing!

Finding a new way forward

No-one has all the answers – not when the questions keep changing. But we all need to be kinder to one another, personally and professionally. To acknowledge that these are challenging times and that we’re coping with some elements while struggling with others.

Life at the moment is riddled with uncertainty. But what is an absolute no-brainer is that “selling-to” is dead in the water. “Working-with” is where the future lies.

Ten points to pandemic marketing

1. Know what business you are in. Not what you were doing pre-Covid – but NOW
2. Understand the implications of any changes you’re making – operational or fundamental
3. Don’t cut your marketing spend!
4. Think about other ways to spread your message
5. Talk – and keep talking – to your clients. And LISTEN
6. Be flexible – adapt as trading conditions change
7. Get to know where your customers are – and where they want to be
8. Be open: your clients will be too
9. Don’t assume you have all the answers. Be prepared to learn
10. Be kind!

We are nearing the end of what has assuredly been a tumultuous year. Businesses have had to adapt to a new socio-economic paradigm. In numerous cases, they have had to pivot (perhaps not the full 180 degrees), but in many cases not far short – to survive.

As we look ahead to 2021, what lessons can we take from the year just gone? And what does it mean in terms of changes to marketing strategies?

Seismic shifts in behaviour

Two big shifts that we’ve noticed this year are:

• A sea-change in buyer behaviour. This is most manifest in the retail sector, where customers, either through fear or because of the new rules, have been staying away in droves, preferring to shop online. The results are there for all to see – residential areas chock-a-block with delivery vans, and high street retailers struggling. Buyers of any product or any service are making purchasing decisions according to different criteria than was the case 10 months ago.  
• And as a result of this, a second, fundamental change: to get ahead on what those new criteria are, businesses have started talking – really talking – to their customers. Rather than developing a product or service, and then foisting it on an unsuspecting public, companies have been forced to work with their clients. To ask: “Is this what you want?” To ask: “How can we improve what we’re offering? What do you need? What do you want us to do for you?”

This has profound implications for marketing and marketing strategies. No longer is it the case that developers develop, makers make and marketers market: the whole shooting match has become much more collaborative. Intra-company communication has taken centre-stage; and market intelligence, always important, is now absolutely vital.

Embracing change

Next year will hopefully see the pandemic consigned to history. But our lives are unlikely to resume the same shape as they were before Covid-19.

For example, the way we talk to each other in a professional context has changed. Once we’re all vaccinated and restrictions are lifted, there will be a welcome return to getting together face-to-face. Still, we’re likely to carry on Zooming (other platforms are available!) due to it being quicker, cheaper, more time-efficient, and environmentally friendlier. This has massive implications for train operators, fuel companies, motor manufacturers and others. They will have to change what they offer, as their customers’ requirements change.

And this is just a “for instance”. There are myriad others – and the only way for companies to keep abreast (or preferably ahead) of those changes is to talk, and keep talking, to their customers. To reach out, grab the market’s wrist, and take its pulse. Regularly, and frequently.

But, just to prove there’s nothing new under the sun: some (smart) companies have been doing it for years…

The lego challenge

Since its foundation in 1949, Lego has been hugely successful worldwide. But as the years wore on, the Danish plastic toy brick manufacturer faced a growing problem. Environmental concerns aside, Lego is a highly durable product (which indeed has been one of its selling points) and, as is the nature of toys, often gets passed on from child to child. How, then, to stimulate new sales?

Lego adopted a multi-stranded approach: opening Legoland theme parks around the world increased brand awareness; partnerships with movie studios behind the likes of Star Wars, Harry Potter and Ghostbusters have proved very popular; and the company’s “own” films have done good business (deservedly so: The Lego Movie is hilarious.) But Lego did one thing that we can all emulate, albeit on a smaller scale: it reached out to its customers.

In 2008 the company launched Lego Ideas, an online forum where users, the children, could talk to each other, share ideas and submit their own designs for future products. The company judges the ideas that receive the most votes (10,000 is the bare minimum needed to qualify), and the winning designs go into production for a market which is, by then, pretty much nailed on.

Appropriately enough in such turbulent times, the Lego story is an example of disruptive marketing: some characteristics of which may prove relevant to your business, in the future. There’s an excellent article on that subject on the US Marketing Schools website.

Talk, listen and learn

Lego invited its customers on a journey: making them feel they have a part to play in the Lego story. And you can do the same.

Think first about your brand. Is it largely the same as it’s always been, doing largely the same as it’s always done – or has 2020 seen it evolve into something else? How do your customers feel about that? Do they like the “new you”? Your recent sales figures should prove a yardstick, but you could always ask!

Then think about your product. What are its core strengths, historically? Are they still relevant? What pain points does it address? Have your clients’ pain points changed? What changes might you need to make to your product to keep it on-point? Do you need to change how you deliver the product? Again: ask questions.

Adapt to survive (and thrive!)

2021 should be a better year for all of us, but it is unlikely to be a year of consolidation. The companies that succeed will be those that build trust: that collaborate with their clients, that adapt. That old mantra ‘sell on value, not on price’, has never been more apposite.

10 tips to adapting your marketing for 2021

• Take a fitness test. How healthy is your company and your industry? How can you get fitter?
• Look at, and learn from, your competitors. What can you emulate, and what should you avoid?
• Be alert to new markets as you alter what you offer
• Reach out. Use new media and new channels to reach new (and existing) markets
• Wherever possible: add value
• Engage with your customers. Talk, keep talking…and listen
• Be relentlessly relevant. Morph your strategy to maintain relevance as your clients’ needs change
• Change your message as need be, but always be clear
• Give your customers an easy “route to purchase”
• If it’s working – stick with it!

Stock Reduction Case Study

Reducing stock frees up cash which could be better spent elsewhere. Rather than give a list of tips of how to improve, this article demonstrates a real-life example of how stock was significantly reduced. 

It focuses on mechanical seals, an engineering component which (in my layman terms) stops things from leaking. 

The Application

A chemical manufacturer with multiple process plant where the mechanical seals supplied largely from one supplier. There was a long-term relationship with the supplier, and no intention of switching away from them for many reasons.

The Problem

• Stock levels reached £160,000
• Large diversity of seals purchased and stocked
• Use of (expensive) exotic materials

Mechanical seals are indirect goods which don’t directly add value to customers. Having such a high value of capital tied up in the stock was an inefficient use of the company’s resources.

Similarly, there was a disconnect between the seals used across the plant and what was kept in stock, meaning some applications were left without access to critical parts but others had a surplus of availability.

Additionally, the supplier had little knowledge of what we kept in stock and why, meaning we were underutilising their ability to support us.

The Solution

I formed a cross-functional team including a Reliability Engineer and the Stores Manager and two Sales Engineers from the supplier. Together, we listed all the applications on site and the specification of their seals.

We listed all the different types of seals and looked to see if any could be consolidated. From that, we compared the stocked items to the quantity of seals installed on site.

We also compared it to the items that the supplier regularly stocked at their premises. From this, we were able to build a list of what was readily available from them and how many we needed to keep in stock to cover the quantity of installed units on plant.

For seals with exotic elements we reviewed the options for stocking only the rare parts. In future, we would ship these parts to the supplier for them to make a complete unit using the additional, common parts. This would then be urgently shipped back to site for installation.

The Outcome

We had a list of all mechanical seal applications on site and an accurate Bill of Materials for spare parts.

We were also utilising the supplier much more effectively, with access to their extensive stock of parts.

The major outcome was we reduced the stockholding by £43,555 or 28%.

Hopefully, this has given insight into practical ways to reduce inventory in challenging areas. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call on 07588 071975

The Team

St James CE Infant School is a small primary school located in Whitehaven, Cumbria. Safeguarding of both the children and staff is of the utmost importance in every aspect of their school life.

The Challenge

Michael Craig, Headteacher, needed to implement a simple and effective safety solution for St James. He’d previously used Little Green Button in another school – for added security when behavioural problems arose – and was keen to use it again having seen how effective it was.

The school needed a way to get alerts out to other staff members, without leaving the children unsupervised. This could be for any number of things – they could be sending a request out for an ice pack, or it could be for part of their lockdown procedure. Little Green Button gave them the flexibilty to continue with the day to day running of the school

The Success

Little Green Button has been successfully installed and embedded at the school. The Teachers are able to communicate effectively with each other, and the children are never left unattended.Using our simple how-to guides, they’ve implemented a process for testing their little green buttons alongside their regular fire alarm drills. Staff are happy and secure in the knowledge that their workplace is safer thanks to LGB.