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Here’s How to Get Free SharePoint Hosting

Small business owners – if you are new to SharePoint and want to test its various features and functionalities first, the best way is get a free SharePoint site. Just make sure that the free version is fully functional, like the one at https://www.cloudappsportal.com.

Easy SharePoint site setup

Once you get your SharePoint site up and running, the initial step to take would be the inclusion of a project description that tells the visitors about the purpose of your site. SharePoint sites come with wiki editing and the editing operations are displayed in a ribbon, just the way you see them on the Microsoft Office 2007.

After you have the project description put up, add a link on the home page to your project workbook as the next standard step. Using this link, any of your user/team mate can easily navigate to the workbook and get additional details about the project.

Image storage and management

Uploading, storing and managing of images in SharePoint is quite easy. In fact, you will just need to spend a couple of minutes for adding a logo to your site, which will get positioned above the project description. There are actually six ways to add images to a SharePoint page – here’s the how-to.

You can also choose to replace the standard template image with a more interesting one that is better suited to your site; this is strongly recommended for branding purposes.

Videos

When you feel that a video must go up to add impact, it would be a good idea to create a totally new page for it, and the web part need to show the video – things that you can easily do it using SharePoint.

Adding a video is as easy as 1-2-3. What you need to do is to open Asset Picker and browse for your videos. Choose the one that you want and click ‘Insert’. That would be all.

Document groups

Likewise, you can use SharePoint Document Set feature to manage large collections/groups of documents as an aggregated entity, or quite simply, a single document set. When a document set is checked out, all of the documents within the set also get checked out and can be managed conveniently as a single item.

Learn more…

As you can see, there are plenty of possibilities when you set up a SharePoint site from SharePoint Hosting. It’s certainly not bad for free – plus there are the loads of support articles and guides that should help you and your business further with the out-of-the-box platform.

Take Control of Your Business Communications

Communications is a vital part of every business, and also one of the most difficult to get right. Things have really changed recently in the way people conduct business and of course also in the expectations of customers. Even suppliers now sometimes have different expectations.

For one thing, it is vital these days for businesses to have a website and email address available for contact. Social media is also good to have, but it’s actually not as essential as email and a good website. For some people, especially those on a low budget, social media is best avoided. When handled incorrectly, it can prove to be very costly.

The reason for this is that some customers prefer to have all communications in written form. You really do need to ensure that you can accommodate their preferences or they will take their business elsewhere.

Equally important, of course, are voice communications. Many customers prefer to be able to interact with a live person and get quick responses to their concerns. The problem is that, except for a few really small businesses that cater only to the local area, in the modern world there is a global marketplace and it never closes. There is no opening hours on the Internet. Customers expect you to be available 24/7 and when you are not, they take their business elsewhere.

According to Reuben Singh, CEO of alldayPA, you can’t rely on voice mail to cover you. In fact, he says: “Research shows that 70% of callers will not leave a message if they are directed to voice mail. Most will only try once, and then go elsewhere, never to return.”

If the shocking fact that you could be losing 7 out of 10 potential customers isn’t scary enough, then consider that it is estimated that the average cost of losing a customer in this way is £1200. Over the course of a lifetime, this could potentially add up to millions!

The smart way to handle the situation is to outsource your communications, which will ensure a consistent customer service experience all day, every day. There are many obvious advantages to doing so, but the two most important ones are:

Your customers never feel they are unimportant or disrespected. They can always speak with a real live person who represents your business and will handle their call in a professional manner.
You get your time back. Instead of wasting time on non-productive activities, you can dedicate yourself fully to activities that earn revenue directly. You also can have more of your own time… no more missing your child’s birthday party or having to say no to social invitations.

As a professional entrepreneur, you simply must realise that customer service is the real foundation of everything you do, and unless you get it right, your competitors can easily gain an advantage over you.

Good service helps build loyalty and besides that, it’s something you can be proud of. When a business sincerely strives to deliver great value and service, it becomes an elite and noble venture that people will respect. The contrast between this and a business that only cares about taking money from customers is so dramatic that it really does usually mean the difference between success and failure.

Are You Really Safe?

Over the past several years, the internet and online marketing have become an increasingly critical part of the survival of not only individuals, but businesses as well. Technology has made it easier for them to connect with their customers, making their relationships more intimate and allowing for a buildup of trust and loyalty. However, there are countless risks associated with the internet and “smarter” technology.

The finer tech brings us a world of good, but it can also be used for evil. We’ve all heard of cases where things go horribly awry – computer viruses make their rounds through whole communities, someone’s credit is ruined by identity theft, etc. These threats are just as serious for businesses as they are for civilians. So, how do you know if you’re really safe?

In truth, security is an arms race; as new technology surfaces, so do ways of manipulating it. You are never truly safe, but neither are the people trying to harm you.

Luckily, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself from the clutches of would-be hackers.

Computer Security

The first is computer security. Workplace PCs are not immune to viruses or malware simply because they are corporate hardware. Just like any home console, a workplace computer needs to have a multifaceted protection system, including firewalls, antivirus, and network intrusion detection. In fact, the person using the workplace PC should be even more vigilant about unsafe internet practices because the equipment is company-owned.

Workers should not open suspicious links in their personal or work emails or download games or pornography onto public devices. These are prime sources of mal and spyware.

Employees should keep their personal and company information away from internet strangers in order to prevent breaches of trust or potentially dangerous activity. Many stalkers operate over the internet, and a large percentage of violent crime, such as rape and murder, involve the web.

If your business has a website with old or insecure code, it is an easy target for hackers. Once inside, they can easily access personal and confidential information and use it to their advantage. It is helpful to limit and monitor access to the network, including flash drives, CDs, and other components of data storage, as these can be used to steal information.

A solid security policy should also make things easier. In addition to avoiding strange links, spam, and downloads, passwords should be kept confidential and should be changed often.

Antivirus

In terms of security equipment, antivirus, antiphishing and antispam software are critical. There are a multitude of these available either for purchase or download (though caution is necessary if you are taking the ‘free download’ option). Several companies offer packages for internet security, including Sophos, Norton, Trend Micro, and others. Some of these even monitor the safety of the sites that appear in your search browser before you even click on them.

Encryption

Extra steps to take include full disk data encryption, which will secure any information on a computer’s hard drive, and biometric fingerprint recognition, which keeps a log of different users’ fingerprints. Similar to a Kronos machine, which allows users to punch in and out of the work place by reading their fingerprints, biometric recognition software on a computer allows access to certain individuals alone, and locks out all others, often erasing all sensitive data when a thief tries to sign in. This technology is now available on certain laptops.

Up to Date

The third and final step to take is to keep your operating systems up to date. Oftentimes, systems like Windows will become aware of security issues within their frameworks and provide their customers with updates to better protect them. If an operating system becomes outdated or is no longer supported by the more cutting-edge security software, it is recommended you upgrade to a better system.

With your business you need to make sure that you stay on top of the latest technology to keep you and your business safe. Digital security, unlike physical security, is something that you need to constantly be working on and keep on top of. With physical security all you need is one company like Pro-Vigil in order to keep on top of things, whereas with digital security you need to be constantly questioning what the best new services are.

Ultimately, it comes down to prudence and a little luck.

Happy surfing!

References:

http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Computer-security-for-small-businesses-Essential-Guide

http://guides.wsj.com/small-business/technology/how-to-keep-your-business-information-secure/

About the Author:

Lee Ying has over 10 years experience in the tech and security industry. He currently writes for various websites, if you would like to contact him you can find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/lee-ying/9a/18b/238. Follow me on Twitter @LeeYing101

Finding Suitable Office Space: The 5 Most Helpful Tips

If you run a small to medium sized business and need to move to bigger premises because you have outgrown your current office space, there are a few things to consider in making the move a successful one. A good place to start is to make a list of what you love about your current office set up, you can then complete this list by noting everything your staff have always requested or needed. This will be a great starting place to getting an idea of some of the features that your new office space must have. In addition to following this practice, the tips below will help you find that perfect new setting for your business.

1. Think about Convenience

This applies to your staff as well as your customers or clients. Does your new office space need to be in the same area as your existing one or can you provide your services from elsewhere? Your new location will need to answer these questions by accommodating your worker’s commute as well as the people that rely on your services. If your business is location specific and you need to stay in the same area, then finding a bigger space may be easy although being able to look in different areas has the advantage of providing more variety.

2. Building Security and Access

If you are staying local you will already have a good idea of the best places to locate your new offices, but this may be more difficult to ascertain in a new town or city however. The security of your new office building hinges on a number of factors such as location, or whether there are security solutions in place. No one likes to work in an insecure environment so some research on your new location as well as a consideration of your organisation’s level of risk will help in your decision-making.

Your staff requirements will also need to be considered in terms of access to the building. For instance, will you be able to get into the building late at night if your worker’s need 24 hr. access? If you are looking at the options of Office space Belgravia has to offer for example, canvassing similar local business as well as realty experts in that area will provide a wealth of information with which you can use to make an informed decision.

3. Energy Efficiency and Costs

We all need to do our bit to save the environment and most companies now place great emphasis on green initiatives. With buildings and vehicles being the main focus of carbon footprint reduction, a good idea is to choose energy efficient buildings because not only are they better for the environment, they also lower your energy costs!

4. Plan for the Future

You are probably looking for new office space because your business or organisation has outgrown its current location. Therefore, when you choose your new office space, it has to accommodate your business as it stands currently as well as any short term forecasted growth. This approach will save costs and disruptions to your business in the long run as it eliminates the constant need to move.

5. Check the Terms of the Lease Agreement

Finally, when you find a property you are interested in, you will need to understand the specific details of the proposed rental or lease agreement. Check and confirm the length of the lease, compliance with local building and council regulations, as well as the agreed rental amount. Other things to look out for include building maintenance responsibilities, parking space allocation, and all the charges you will be expected to cover. Once you are satisfied, all that will be left to do is to sign the document and get started on your company’s new beginning!

3 Creative Ways to Use QR Codes in Your Marketing

All businesses must use a diverse mix of marketing strategies to attract new customers and increase sales. A business doesn’t need to be a big corporate entity though to utilize some of the best cutting edge strategies available with recent technological advancements. Quick response codes are one of those technologies you can take advantage of today!

A QR code is a special barcode that people with smartphones can scan using an app. They are an engagement tool that allows you to attract the public to your business and products/services by sharing in a “scavenger-hunt” fashion facts about your company or industry, such as new product/service or job offerings, latest industry news or upcoming events.

The Look of QR Codes

Gone are the days when a QR code had to be a solid color on a white background. A QR code today can also double as a visually stimulating printed advertisement. Instead of two contrasting colors, your QR codes can be many different colors. Additionally, you can customize a QR code by inserting your logo into the center of it or by designing it to look like your logo. You can also use individual images as tiny blocks that make up the barcode. For example, you might use product images and link to your e-store, or employee pics and link to a video about them.

The Other Paper Options

It goes without saying that you should have QR codes printed on advertisements and product packaging. You might not have thought though to print QR codes on the back of business cards, receipts, sales slicks and correspondence letters or envelopes. These codes might link to a special message from you thanking customers, discount or details about a future event. If you sell or give away gift tags and wrapping paper, you might print Quick Response codes on them that link to an app that permits the buyer to create a personal message for the gift recipient.

The QR Code Arts

A QR code on its own already looks like artwork, but you can actually attract more people by creatively presenting codes as artwork. For example, if you sell food products, you might offer new food items shaped like Quick Response codes or print codes on different foodstuffs with edible ink. If your a fashion designer, you might create code-inspired designs on clothes. If you have a brick-and-mortar store, you might hang QR codes in frames on the walls or code-shaped objects from the ceilings; or display an entire wall of Quick Response codes. Outside your shop, you might use chalk or painted QR code designs on your building, sidewalk or parking lot, or create QR-code-shaped sculptures. You might even invest in a sculpture that doesn’t look a Quick Response code, but that creates a scannable shadow at a certain time on a sunny day.

Your opportunities to creatively use QR codes are only limited by your imagination, presentation space and budget. Even if you have limited funds, there are numerous low-cost, creative ways to engage the public with QR codes!

About the Author: Amanda Sozak is a car nut who loves to travel and talk about small business. She’s also a regular contributor at www.rittersprinting.com, and loves spending time in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale area.