It's easy to imagine that staying informed in your industry was a fairly simple matter a hundred years ago: you read the newspaper and talked to colleagues, networking around and passing on local information. Changes generally were less rapidly implemented and information was far from instantaneous. Most of your concern would have rested with local information and events, because chances are, your business wasn't global--and if so, if wasn't constantly accessible worldwide. Such is not the case anymore. The vast majority of businesses in Canada, including SMBs, have websites--and if a business does not, it is a safe bet that customers will still try searching for it on the web before consulting a phone book. The fact is that business and the internet are closely intertwined now. While this has many repercussions and effects on the business world today, of course, an oft overlooked result is that these businesses are shouting their messages into the increasingly populated cyberspace, allowing industry changes to occur quicker than ever.
How do you decipher what's being said to the point of gathering quality and useful information from your industry as a whole? Moreover, how can you manage so many voices? Here are several easy ways to stay informed in your industry without information overload.
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When considering redesigning your company website, one of the best things you can do to prepare is to research what you want. Perhaps you know what it should convey, how it should feel, and you already have a corporate style guide, but you need to see how other companies have executed their website goals. Or perhaps you just need something to get your brain juices flowing. We've searched far and wide to find the best examples of corporate websites that were well designed--especially for non-design focused companies. These are excellent examples to show that good design can be implemented with any type of business.
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Websites are excellent means to communication with the public, but the bad thing about website is just that: they're public. Anyone on the web can access DNS information from sites like InterNIC, which can be used not only to identify you, but identify your host. There's no surefire way to prevent hacking or Internet fraud (unless, frankly, you quit using the internet altogether, but we realize this would be a near-cataclysmic event). But you can arm yourself with the latest knowledge and combat Internet fraud with these security best practices. Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive list of suggestions. However, it will provide an excellent starting place to increase your online security.
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Rebranding is a major process for any business to undergo, but it can play a critical role in the well-being of a company, especially if the need is present and the business is well-prepared.
Unfortunately, there are many common misconceptions about the rebranding process or why, in fact, a business would choose to rebrand. If you're considering rebranding, this is a quick run down on what you need to know before you rebrand to help save you time, money and effort--and make the most of your rebranding.
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