Peter Martini shares Yokubaitis’ concerns. “If accessing data remotely, businesses should ensure that employees are doing so through an encrypted VPN or through a company portal that is secured through SSL requiring a login where employees can access files,” he says. “Another alternative is utilizing SaaS services where companies can upload documents. This approach requires almost no investment into the business nfrastructure.”
4. Data Management
According to a recent survey by security technology solutions provider Lookout, 90 percent of businesses allow employees to bring their own devices to work (BYOD), “yet only half of these companies require employees to enroll in a security program as a prerequisite for BYOD use,” reveals consumer safety advocate Jenny Roy.
Unless employees rigorously ensure that personal and businesses devices are kept separate, personal and business information will eventually blend. Doug Herman points out that on mobile devices, managing data works differently than on computers. “The functionality doesn’t exist to segment information as easily,” he says. “Take text messaging as an example – the mobile device likely only has one application that allows for the send/receipt of texts. If you’re texting both friends/family as well as coworkers, those messages will be commingled together.”
For Peter Martini, the most effective way to separate company from personal data is to use a Mobile Device Management (MDM) or Mobile Application Management solution. “These technologies allow businesses to create a ‘lock box’ app where employees can access business documents on a device. Essentially, it presents itself as an APP on the device and, when accessed, company documents are available. The same features are available for company email. The data is actually stored in the cloud and not on the device,” he explains.
Sunday Yokubaitis suggests, “Use different applications for work and personal stuff. For example, Dropbox might be just fine for storing personal photos, but you might want to choose a completely different and more secure service for storing work-related files.”
All facts considered, industry experts advise businesses to extend security measures beyond their own database and in-house network and consider the hazards posed by mobile devices. It is also important that businesses invest in training staff. A small investment in time and resources will help safeguard against potential data leaks and crises. Safe browsing and data handling is a skill that can be learned, and it will become increasingly vital that your employees have a hold on these skills.
About the Author
Philip Whitchelo is vice president of strategy at Intralinks, dealing in areas such as product development and business planning across Europe, the Middle East, and Pacific Asia. Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Building a Startup Empire
By Kriti Vichare
"Rome wasn't built in a day either..."
I first saw this unapologetic declaration on a billboard sign on a highway that is perennially under construction. And it always reminds me that startups have to be treated the same way.
Entrepreneurs and wantrepreneurs approach creating a startup empire differently. Firstly, what's a wantrepreneur? They are the eager beavers who may look, act, and seem like entrepreneurs - but all without owning an actual business!
Let's examine the wantrepreneur scenario when building a startup empire:
1. This is the one…the idea of the century!" Wantrepreneurs rarely focus on the problem to solve.
2. "Oooooh features! I love features!" Wantrepreneurs don't create a foundation and work incrementally, but instead fast forward and jump in the deep end before learning to swim.
3. "I'll just whip together the business in no time!" Wantrepreneurs always underestimate the time it takes to grow a business.
4. "If you build it they will come." Wantrepreneurs believe the only thing stopping them from customers, is the lack of product.
5. "Money… I'll figure it out later." Wantrepreneurs severely minimize the needed funding for their projects.
To build an empire you need a foundation, vision, support, and patience. Serial entrepreneurs know this; it is second nature to them. As they move with tremendous speed, they know they have to learn to walk before they run. A scalable, repeatable business model is necessary before expanding too big or out of reach.
About the Creator
This comic was created by Kriti Vichareand Shivraj Vichare. It was inspired by the ironies they have seen and have experienced in their small business ventures. You can find their comics on www.entrepreneurfail.com.
The Secret to Winning the Content Creation War
Written by Jeff Bullas
We are in a content creation arms race.
Brands have realised that creating content is now your best weapon of choice to rank high in Google, engage with your customers and be a thought leader in your industry. So writers are the new digital age hired guns and given instructions to crank it out. Blog posts are published, ebooks are written and whitepapers are whipped together.
The problem is that we end up with written drivel that is so bland that I want to to throw up! It has no character, is written for key search engine phrases that dominate the headline and the text. We see posts with no personality or humanity.
Just algorithmic awfulness.
Has Google created a monster?
This content creation strategy threatens to turn our minds to mush, our thoughts to self harm and make us fall asleep at the screen. Part of the reason this is happening is that Google has rolled out changes to its algorithm. It is rewarding unique content above keyword stuffed SEO laden text articles on corporate websites and blogs.
This is driving corporate marketing tactics that are about SEO and not about contagious writing. SEO should be in the mix but it should not dominate.
Will we end up with articles written by robots?
Is this the future?
In a recent article on Wired they reported a news story written by “Narrative Science”. This isn’t a person but a computer that writes news stories. Here is the piece.
“Friona fell 10-8 to Boys Ranch in five innings on Monday at Friona despite racking up seven hits and eight runs. Friona was led by a flawless day at the dish by Hunter Sundre, who went 2-2 against Boys Ranch pitching. Sundre singled in the third inning and tripled in the fourth inning … Friona piled up the steals, swiping eight bags in all … ”
It doesn’t read like a computer wrote it. Kristian Hammond the co-founder of Narrative science is predicting that within 15 years that more than 90% of news could be written by a robot!
Now the technology behind narrative is cool but it isn’t the future for bloggers and content marketers. The future is the art of creating content that is memorable, creative and contagious…Oh yes, begs to be shared!
How do you do that?
Tips for winning at content creation
Despite that glimpse into what is happening now and what could happen in 15 years, here are some tips to make your articles zing and zang.
#1. Create an opening line that pops
This is easy to say but sometimes hard to do. But have a go. You are not going to do this every time but think hard about that opening line.
#2. Use facts that surprise
I remember stumbling upon the fact that Snapchat was offered $3 billion in cash by Facebook. Then and there I decided it had to be woven into a blog post.
Sometimes they even get corralled out of the post and tweeted!!
#3. Insert insights that are not obvious
Have you ever read an article and everything seem regurgitated. You thought “nothing new here“..moving on. Insights within and industry or niche come from persistent reading and the blood sweat and tears of creation and expression.
One that dawned upon my consciousness, was that your owned online properties should be treated as assets. Just like a car or a bricks and mortar building.
Here is another one.
#4. Make
up a creative subtitle
We often play safe so that often means boring. Make your sub-titles interesting. Put on your inspiration pants.
If it gets tweeted you know you might be on to something!
#5. Use rhythm in your writing
Write long sentences and short. Writing has rhythm and it adds to the interest. Sentences can be two words.
Try it.
#6. Break the rules
Your writing teacher may have told you to get to the point. One of my favourite magazine writers is Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson. He breaks this rule in almost every article. I counted the words in his intro before he got to the point. 1,000 words….but it works.
They also may have told you other rules that are often constraining. Formal and proper is what the English teacher taught you. Now people expect a more casual style of writing.
Writing how you speak or “conversational writing” is needed on a social web.
#7. An opening paragraph that mentions a pain point
If you can capture the essence of a pain point in your opening paragraph then you have a great chance of making your reader stay on the page.
#8. Develop a voice that is original
Finding your writing voice is a journey. At first you will copy, then curate and finally you will create and weave your own unique voice. Push your boundaries.
#9. Include visuals in your articles
The age of text, text and more text is over. We live on a visual web that demands multi-media and images.
#10. Use statistics that are mind blowing
Whenever you come across some statistics that grab your attention, think how you could use that in blog posts or articles. If it grabs your attention then it will most likely have a similar impact on your readers.
Put it in the opening paragraph.
#11. Write a title that is not ordinary
I remember driving along one day and had an inane idea about a blog post topic. It was “10 Reasons Why Ducks Just Don’t Get Social Media”. I stopped the car and wrote it down with a few relevant points. It took me a few weeks to be brave enough to publish.
Guess what? It worked.
Don’t be afraid to push your comfort zone.
#12. Ask an unlikely question
Pose a question that is unexpected. Here is one that resonated for me ”Are brands out publishing traditional media companies?”
If the title gets repurposed you know you hit a home run.
#13. Use stories
Don’t forget to include stories. That is what makes us human. Robot writers struggle with that.
#14. Practice, practice, practice
Creating memorable, insightful and contagious content comes from the mundane. The art and graft of just sitting down to do the work. So practice and practice some more.
The inspiration will show up!
So what is the secret?
Be human. We are innately creative. Humanity mixed with technology equals magic!
What other tips can you add to winning in the content creation arms race? Look forward to your insights and stories in the comments below.
Listen to this post as a Podcast
Want to learn how to make your blog and content a success with social media marketing?
My book – “Blogging the Smart Way – How to Create and Market a Killer Blog with Social Media” – will show you how.
It is now available to download. I show you how to create and build a blog that rocks and grow tribes, fans and followers on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. It also includes dozens of tips to create contagious content that begs to be shared and tempts people to link to your website and blog.
I also reveal the tactics I used to grow my Twitter followers to over 185,000.
Download and read it now.
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An FBI Agent Reveals 5 Steps To Gaining Anyone's Trust
By Shane Parrish
I had an opportunity to ask Robin Dreeke a few questions. Robin is in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s elite Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program and the author of It’s Not All About Me.
Robin combines science and years of work in the field to offer practical tips to build rapport and establish trust. In this brief interview he discusses building relationships, how to approach someone you don’t know and ask for a favor, and the keys to establishing trust.
A lot of people are interested in strengthening and furthering relationships. How can people do this?
This is the most important aspect of everything we do in life. I’m going to give some light science behind each of my answers but to me it just explains the subjective simple explanations behind naturally great trusting relationships.
Both anecdotal (evidence) as well as science supports the fact that the greatest happiness is found in positive social interactions and relationships. The simplest answer to this is to “make it all about them.” Our brain rewards us chemically when we are able to talk and share our own views, priorities, and goals with others… long term, short term, etc. Our brain also rewards us when we are unconditionally accepted for who we are as a human being without judgement.
Both of these concepts are genetically coded in each of us (to varying degrees) because of our ancient survival instincts (ego-centrism) as well as our need to belong to groups or a tribe (tribal mentality for survival and resources). When you put these simple concepts together the answer is simple to understand, but oftentimes difficult to execute…. Speak in terms of the other person’s interests and priorities and then validate them, their choices, and who they are non-judgmentally. Some people do this naturally, for the rest of us you can build this skill and it eventually becomes second nature.
Trust is a foundation to most situations in life. How can we develop trust? What are the keys?
I can only answer from my own background and experience because trust is a very difficult thing to measure and define and each individual’s definition can vary and our brain takes in much more than verbal information when determining trust. For me and what I teach I start with what I said in question one. Trust first starts with a relationship where the other person’s brain is rewarding them for the engagement with you by doing what I outlined above.
Part two of my trust process is to understand the other person’s goals and keeping their goals and priorities on the top of my list of goals and priorities. By making the other person’s goals and priorities yours, trust will develop. Over time (some people faster than others) a need to reciprocate the kindness and relationship will build. In other words, trust is built faster and stronger when there is no personal agenda.
What’s the best way to approach someone you don’t know and ask them for a favor?
Using sympathy and seeking help is always the best. If you can wrap the help / favor you are looking for around a priority and interest of the individual you are engaging, the odds of success increase. Add social proof (i.e., others around you helping already or signed a petition etc.) and you increase it even more. Again, focus on how you can ask a favor while getting their brain to reward them for doing so.
What are some strategies to build rapport while giving a talk, presentation, or interview?
Ego Suspension / self-deprecating humor… Make it all about them! How is the information you are chatting about going to benefit them? Talk about the great strengths and skills they each have already and that all you hope to do is to have them understand their strengths even better and be able to pass them on to others more effectively if they want to. Validate every questi
on and opinion non-judgmentally. If you don’t happen to agree, simply ask “that’s a fascinating / insightful/ thoughtful opinion… would you mind helping me understand how you came up with it?” Again, their brain will reward them on multiple levels for this.
I suspect you spend a lot of time trying to figure out if people are manipulating you or the situation? Can you talk about this? How can you tell when people are attempting to manipulate you?
I’ll start by saying I don’t like the word manipulate. The word tends to objectify people and removes the human being from the equation. When people feel they are objects, trust will not be built. I tend to not think of anyone trying to manipulate me but at times a very self-serving agenda becomes evident. This is what manipulation generally is…. a self-serving agenda where the other person feels used with no reciprocity. When I notice that there may be an overabundance of a self-serving agenda (manipulation) I don’t judge the person negatively. I try to explore two areas in order to understand them better. (go back to my first answers here… this process begins to build a relationship and trust :)) I try to understand what their objective is and why that is their objective. What are they trying to achieve, etc. I will also attempt to understand why they felt a certain way of communicating with me would be effective for them in the situation. I tend to ask questions to help them think about how they might be more successful in their objectives using other methods… such as I outlined above. In other words, help them achieve whatever objective with me they had…. because wasn’t that their goal after all? :) See… keep it always coming back to them.