Running a small or medium-sized business today comes with unprecedented potential. Technological advances allow for limitless possibilities, and the benefits of innovation are passed onto you in ways that previous generations could only dream of. However, this by no means allows you to slack off and assume everything will come easily.

Succeeding in business will always require being smart about the way you conduct yourself, as well as knowing what to do in the event of an emergency. For example, data breaches are more common than ever and can shape up to be incredibly expensive dilemmas. Below, we will explore ways to make your business an iron-clad enterprise that can remain dynamic in today’s competitive business environment.

Backup Software

Having a multifaceted backup software in place can make the difference between a business teetering on the brink of existence and one that is able to thrive in the event of disaster. Threats like Ransomware grow in sophistication by the day, so having software that keeps your enterprise from being hindered unnecessarily is indispensable.

Build A Strong Foundation

Your customers and thus market share are the lifeblood of your company. Social media marketing has emerged as a powerful way for businesses to cultivate their brand and build their customer base to sizes that were previously unfathomable. The amount of social media users is estimated to reach 3 billion by the year 2021. These outlets provide novel avenues for interaction, critique, and cross-pollination with other partner companies.

One way in which social media can extend your reach is through use of analytics. This allows you to tailor your approach to fit exactly what people are looking for. It also helps to connect you with people whose interests align with what you have to offer.

Studies indicate that the best use of social media as a marketing tool occurs when it is implemented as part of a broader overarching marketing strategy. In other words, have as many platforms as you can feasibly handle, and have all of your respective online presences link to each other.

Look For Criticism

Pride is regarded as one of the seven deadly sins, and its status as such applies just as well in the realm of business. It can be misleading upon meeting a bit of success that you now have everything “figured out”, but you should always retain the vigilance that tells you where improvements can be made. Engage your customers in a way that allows for critique. This can be done on a platform like Twitter or Facebook, but can also form an effective tier of email marketing.

Failing to acknowledge and understand problem areas in your company can be the loose thread that unravels the entire sweater if left untreated. Alternatively, it grants your competition an area in which they can best you, potentially pilfering you out of existence.

Know Your Data Inside and Out

You must be able to discern which business data is sensitive and which is not. Next, you need to figure out where this sensitive data is to be stored. Imagine a scenario in which your data was breached, and consider whether you are devoting enough resources to ensure its security.

Update Passwords Periodically

Making sure that your passwords are secured and ever-changing lowers chances of malevolent entities obtaining them. Being lazy and keeping the same password for everything can become an irresistible invitation to cybercriminals.

Encryption

The term “encryption” is often esoteric enough to scare all but the most tech-savvy among us out of reading any further. However, encryption technologies are becoming increasingly easy to employ, thus the prerequisite of tech-expertise becomes less necessary.

At the end of the day, encrypted data is more secure than unencrypted data, so it is up to you to decide whether the cost-benefit ratio fits into your business plan and budget.

Don’t Fall Behind on Updates

It can be annoying to constantly get notifications on devices prompting for action in regard to an update. However, these updates and patches ensure that your operating system is defended against the latest threats. Thus, it is to your benefit to stay on top of these updates as though they mean something, because they do.

Apple often receives criticism for dishing out updates that seem to render older devices slow and obsolete over time, but this is less likely a conspiracy and more likely the unfortunate result of updating operating systems to the standards necessary and outgrowing the confines of the hardware simultaneously.

Use Business Devices

Having employees use their own devices can seem like a cost-savings strategy that is too good to pass up, but in reality, this poses an exponentially higher risk to the security of the business. Whenever possible, have all work be done on company-owned equipment that has been properly calibrated and protected.