2020 has been the year of online working. The COVID-19 pandemic sent office workers home, school children out of the classroom and shut down courtrooms, construction sites and more. Other than service workers and doctors, online was most people’s only option to keep their business running smoothly during the pandemic. Meetings via video chat, Joe Wicks workouts in the morning and a general sense of slow-down was the norm.
You might have already been ahead of the curve with your online business. Many businesses operated primarily online, even before they were forced to. Online business definitely has big advantages. Running your business online saves money on office space; it allows people to work from anywhere in the world; it saves commuting time and costs too. But how can online businesses go wrong, and what are the solutions?
Your Business Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity has never been more important than right now. Every day, it is estimated that around 6.85 million accounts are hacked per day around the world. Your online business needs to be safe from this kind of infiltration. If your customers are buying directly from you, their personal banking details will not be safe without proper cybersecurity. It is therefore your responsibility as a business owner to provide as airtight an operation as possible.
What’s the solution to business cybersecurity? Depending on the nature of your business, i.e what you are selling, there are multiple avenues you can go down when it comes to protecting your business from hackers. The number one thing you will immediately need is a top of the range antivirus protection program downloaded. These will routinely scan your computer for any bugs or causes for concern on your browser.
Getting The Support You Need
Unless you are an IT technician yourself, the chances are you will need other hands on deck for your online business to run smoothly. Many people such as sole traders run their business totally on their own – and this is very admirable! However, if you lack expertise in IT operations, it is best to invest in managed IT services such as those provided by charlesit.com. Managed IT services are a way for you, the business owner, to access top of the range support at any time of day or night. This means if your site suddenly goes down or customers cannot process their payments due to an error on the system, it will be sorted in no time by your provider’s support team.
You may also need support in other areas of your business and there are so many resources and tools online that you can use. Some of them are even free. If you have a business where you sell products on sites such as amazon you can look at the best amazon product research tools to help you
Your Online Presence
Your brand is vital to achieving success – a good product is simply not enough. One of the difficulties of running an online business is bringing across your personality through a screen. Your vision, goals and what makes you unique are all crucial for expanding your business and creating the future you want.
So how can you show your personality online? One simple way is to use social media for business purposes. Following in the footsteps of brands like Deliciously Ella, your online business’ social media accounts should mix the personal and professional. This means getting across your personality, style and outlook on life, while focusing on the amazing products and services you provide. Everybody wants unique small businesses they can support; this means your presence must be loud, carefully orchestrated and fine tuned for your customer base.
A Personal Touch
Using social media for your business isn’t just about posting eye catching pictures and being present online. It is equally about connecting. Social media is just as it describes itself to be: social. Your business’ social pages should be a gateway for you to connect directly with your customer base. Encouraging your customers, or those about to become customers, to message and comment on your products and giveaways gives you a chance to connect back with them. Answer questions; thank people for their positive feedback. If any negative feedback arises, display your concern and competence with calmness and concern.
[Conclusion]
Safety and smooth running, combined with a carefully curated personal touch to your online business, will allow people to see your business not as a faceless corporate enterprise, but as a human operation with good intention behind it. This will help you pave the way for new expansion and a larger customer base, allowing you to have the success you deserve.
