It’s an unfortunate fact of life that if you do any part of your business on the internet (even if it’s just a simple website or blog), then you’re at risk of an attack from hackers. While we tend to read about the large corporate hacking targets most often in the news and think of hacking only in terms of big companies, in truth every business with an online component is a target.

Even if your website doesn’t collect any personal information from your customers, or have any financial assets that could be stolen, it might still have value to hackers. For example, a hacker that compromises your website could gain access to your web server and use that server to send spam, store illegal files or engage in other illicit online activities.

Stay Current on Security Updates

Hopefully you’re already in the habit of staying current on all the security updates for whatever web platform your website is based upon. For example, WordPress users who stay up to date on all of the underlying security updates are generally quite safe.

But the current trend in web business and web commerce (a trend that is continuing to accelerate) is using custom functionalities and custom applications along with the standard web platform. For WordPress users, one common type of custom web application is a “plug-in” that’s used to provide a new function on the website. These plug-ins can take many different forms, and are currently being used by many websites.

WordPress Plug-In Safety

Many WordPress websites use plug-ins that are available either on WordPress’ own plug-in directory, or through the plug-in author’s own website. One advantage of sticking with plug-ins that are available through the WordPress plug-in directory is that you’ll be able to read feedback from other users who have already tried the plug-in.

For this reason, you might want to avoid using any new plug-ins until there is enough feedback for you to feel comfortable that any security risks are minimal. Positive feedback is certainly no guarantee of a secure plug-in, but that feedback should be helpful to your decision-making process.

If your custom application is truly custom (in the sense that you retain a programmer to build the application to your specifications), then the best way to protect your business is to be confident that the programmer or company that’s making the application for you is highly qualified and has created other secure applications in the past.

Test and Verify

In addition, if your business is large then you may have the budget available to hire a computer security consulting firm to review and verify the security of the code that makes up your custom applications. If you’re unable to hire a security firm to test the security of your custom applications, then you can gain some level of comfort by using the various open source tools that are available, including those at w3af.sourceforge.net and www.websecurify.com.

Because your web presence is so valuable, it’s ultimately up to you to be confident that whatever custom applications you include on your website don’t compromise your overall site security.

An increasing number of people are hiring life and solopreneur business coaches. Coaches help you set goals and achieve them. Like a sports coach, life and business coaches help you develop your strengths and work around your weaknesses.

Many types of people can benefit from a coach, but people that work from home can may reap more benefits than someone in a corporate atmosphere. This is due to the fact that people that work from home are generally isolated. If you miss having someone to bounce ideas off and have someone to brainstorm with, a coach may be for you.

Coaches will hold you accountable for your actions. For instance, if you are in direct sales and your goal is to sell $400 worth of product each week, your coach will help you set mini goals to accomplish that. When you meet with your coach and they ask you what you have done, you need to be honest.

Coaches can also help you with time management, leadership, and customer service skills. If you tend to procrastinate or have a fear of success or failure, a coach can help you work through it. Some other issues that a coach can help you with include: creating a balance between work and family, creating an organizational system, and improving your communication skills.

Good coaches will also give you honest feedback. They will let you know if you are lacking in certain areas and give you tips on how to improve. It can be hard to hear criticism, but if it makes you a better business person in the long run, it is worth it.

Many coaches will offer a complimentary session; this will help you determine if your personalities match. Different coaches have different styles, so you may want to talk to a few coaches to determine which one you feel most comfortable with. You may also want to ask them about their accreditation. If you are having specific issues with your business, ask if they have experience in those areas.

A coach may choose to work with their clients via email, through one-on-one telephone calls or group calls. If you feel intimidated to speak up in a group session, let your coach know. However, you may enjoy group sessions as you will get to see that other people are going through the same type of problems. The rates a coach may charge can vary quite a bit so it’s quite difficult to give an exact price per session or month.

It is important to remember that a coach is not a therapist. A coach cannot fix your problems They can guide you along the way to success, but you will need to do the actual work.

When you become a solopreneur there are a million things that you are responsible for. If you can, outsource your needs to those who are better qualified to handle it for you. One of those individuals could be an accountant.

As a solopreneur you may not need an accountant starting out. With the advent of bookkeeping software like QuickBooks, you can enter your financial information. There are instructions to help you keep everything organized.

As your business grows you may hire others to work for you – full time, part time or on a contract basis. There are additional tax concerns as well as financial obligations. If you don’t have time to deal with it, then it may be time to work with someone else.

Hiring an Accountant

You have options for accounting services: hire an accountant firm or hire an individual accountant on a consulting basis. Depending on the scope of your need, you may want to start out with the latter. As the company grows bigger, you can then consider bigger issues like investing company funds, retirement accounts and such.

To find the right person for you at this time, here are some tips.

Know what you need – Accounting firms can handle such responsibilities as tax return preparation, analyzing your books and preparing fiscal statements. A part-time accountant can deal with the more day-to-day activities like balancing the books, taking care of payroll and bill payment.

Check their credentials – You want a person who is qualified for the job to handle your financial needs. Whether using a firm or contracting an accountant, know how they have been trained. Interview them. Ask for certification verification, work history and recommendations. Also ask about their specialty in accounting if they have one.

Check their work history – What type of accounts have they handled? Were they large or small?

Time commitment – Even if they are working on a consulting basis, does the accountant have time to handle your work? You will need some face-to-face time with them. If that can’t be managed when you need help, then maybe you will want to find someone else.

Ask for referrals – Do you know other small business owners? Who do they use for their accounting needs? Use this as a starting point.

Check references – Ask questions about your potential accountant. Be diligent in your pursuit. You want to find the right person who will handle your job with as much attention as any of their larger accounts.

At some point, your business may need the services of an accountant. Choosing the right one to handle your financial affairs is necessary to keep you in the black. Use the above tips to make the best choice possible.

Website traffic is always a priority for online solopreneurs – without some type of web traffic people won’t know your business exists. So just what is the right formula for more website traffic?

Here are our top tips:

1. Write and distribute articles. This may seem like a simple strategy on the surface but it can be very powerful. Just writing one or two articles a week will quickly add to a lot of incoming one-way links (the type of links the search engines love most) for your business.

Once you write the articles distribute them to a few top ranking directories, but don’t stop there. Think about distributing a few articles to large online traffic websites directly. Give them exclusive use of the article in exchange for the incoming link. This is a great strategy you can easily apply.

2. Make your pages search engine and reader friendly. Striking the balance between writing for your human visitors as well as the search engines is simple if you stick to this rule – write for the reader first and then naturally insert your keyword phrases into your copy.

It’s also a good idea to include all the appropriate SEO tags on all your pages. These tags help the search engines find you.

3. Set up a search-engine friendly navigation structure. For the search engines (and your human visitors) to find the content on your website, you need a clear navigation structure. This structure should consist of your top topics which are also your keywords and then for each of those main pages you’ll have sub pages including extensions of that main keyword.

By having the main keywords as your top topics on your navigation structure, your readers and the search engines will easily find your deeper pages of content. It’s also a good idea to include a back link to your home page on each page of your website. A clear and well-defined site map is a great addition as well.

These three key steps are the starting point to your traffic success. Apply them regularly and ensure that your content is fresh and up-to-date and you can’t help but to win over both the search engines and your human visitors too.

It’s time for the January Easy Biz Teleseminar call for coaches and we’ve convinced Kim Clausen to join us once again – this time to share behind the scenes ideas that lead to success.  It’s the time of year to make plans about how your coaching business will grow in 2012 and highly successful coaches know that having a solid plan is absolutely required to reach your dreams.

Here’s what Kim says:

“ Too many business owners
haphazardly invest their time, energy
and money without planning and forethought
and often end up feeling frustrated because
they see only marginal success for their efforts.
Then they get frustrated, overwhelmed
and start to think that maybe they don’t have
what it takes to be a successful business owner.

But it’s not your fault.  All you really need is a plan.”

Join global marketing expert Kim Clausen for this free call.  Kim will show you how to create a powerful plan for your coaching business, and make it so simple that you’ll have a new level of confidence, energy and excitement moving forward into 2012.

Here are the details:

Date:      January 12, 2011

Time:    1-2 pm ET (10am pacific, 11 mountain, 12 central)

Registration:  http://easybiztelesummit.com

The Easy Biz Teleseminar is a monthly series that I host in order to help coaches succeed.  My expereince is that planning is one of the keys that can turn a business from survival to flourishing.  If you’re not planning for the future and your business growth – it probably won’t happen.  As I tell my clients, enthusiasm and hope are not business strategies.

Join Kiim and I for this powerful call.  We will make time for questions and answers at the end of the call so try to be there in person if you can.  Of course the call will be recorded and will be available at no charge for one week only.   Be sure to register at http://easybiztelesummit.com in order to get access to the recording.

Hope to see you on the call!

Today everyone is saying, “Take me to the cloud.” But what does that mean? And, is it a good thing for your business to get involved in?

What and Where Is the Cloud?

We are talking about cyberspace. You know it exists and you can see the results of it, but touching it is as elusive as putting your hands on a real cloud. Nevertheless, it is a revolutionary idea in network sharing and storage.

So, what is the cloud exactly? Well, if you are using the internet right now to read this article, you are a part of the cloud network. Companies used to set up IT networks on their own, installing, running and testing software applications. Whenever there was a problem, everyone turned to the IT expert to fix it. This took money and time which could cost the business money in man hours and lost productivity.

Cloud computing offers a break to companies both large and small with an easier way to store information. Instead of each company managing their own applications, third-party vendors offer access to a virtual network that they manage. Each company only pays for the amount of usage that they need.

This one area houses hundreds of apps that each company can customize for its own uses. It’s like having one central location for housing all business but with the ability to function according to the specific needs of each.

How Can Your Business Benefit?

Because the cloud is in cyberspace, you are not limited to one area when using it. In fact, the cloud was made for mobility. No matter where you or any of your associates are, you can upload information to the cloud that can then be viewed by others who also have access to the network. They can make changes to the document and then send it back to you in a flash.

Want to hold a meeting? You can do that too. Sharing ideas across the miles but within the same company has never been more accessible. What may have taken precious time through emails, faxes or phone calls can now be handled all at once via cloud computing.

And, your business can lower the cost of overheads by utilizing the cloud. With a third-party vendor managing the operation, they handle upgrades to software, technical questions and support for you. If there are problems, you will be up and running again as quickly as they can help. That also means that anyone accessing your applications is also back on the grid.

But, do your homework first. Make sure that the cloud is what your business needs and that it can meet your specific criteria for security and ease of operation. You decide if the cloud can move you forward.

You probably already know that there are different steps involved in writing and creating a good business plan. A proper business plan is a valuable tool for your business or company and can help lead you on a path to great success. The more you know about the different components that go into creating one, the better your business plan will be.

One important part of the business plan is your Statement of Purpose. The statement of purpose shows you know what you want and you are willing to do what it takes to get it. These are qualities that are important to a successful business and it shows you are serious about your company and its success.

What is the statement of purpose?

Your statement of purpose is how you communicate with potential lenders or investors, business partners or even future employees. This is an important part of the business plan and should be taken seriously. You need to be direct, concise and to the point. Don’t waste words or will it up with “fluff” here.

The statement of purpose should include exactly what you want without “beating around the bush” or taking a long time to get there. You should be able to get your complete statement of purpose into about a page of your business plan. If your original is longer, keep revising and cutting until you can get it down to about one full page that describes what you want.

What should be included in the statement of purpose?

So what exactly do you say in your statement of purpose? Your statement of purpose should include a brief description of your company or business, your objectives, your company mission and your keys to success. You should describe the primary service or goods provided and your plan to provide those to the consumer as well as the rate at which you will provide it.

You should then include the current local market for your goods or services and where you predict the majority of your profit to come from. You will also include major achievements of the company or details that show why your business has the ability to thrive in the market and be successful.

Do you want to spruce up your business plan or create a simple, easy to use plan for your business in 2012? Join me for the Business Planning Work Day on Monday, January 2nd. Find out more information by going to:

www.solopreneur.biz/planning/

Do you have a new business? Are you revamping your existing business? Whether your business is old or new, you can greatly benefit from a proper business plan. Many people think that a business plan is only beneficial if you are trying to raise money for your company and while this is one reason to write a business plan, it is certainly not the only one.

Creating and writing a business plan for your company is a great idea to ensure the success of your business. Your business plan will greatly increase your chances of being organized and successful with your business. When you have a plan with set goals, it is easier to achieve those goals. This is a much better business practice than leaving things to chance or being so unorganized that you can not track your progress.

What is included in a business plan?

So what does your business plan need to include in order for it to be sure it is successful and complete? You will need to have a description of your business, details of what it is and how it will operate, some information regarding ownership, a start up summary as well as market research and target market information.

You want to walk through the business and the function of your business from the beginning all the way through. What is the purpose of your company? Do you sell a product? Do you provide a service? What are you offering to customers? How much experience do you have and how are you qualified to perform the job duties? Ask the same questions of your employees or business partners.

Why Create your Business Plan?

So why is it worth your time to write and create a great business plan? There are different reasons, as we mentioned before. One popular reason why people choose to create a business plan is to try to convince potential investors and lenders to fund money to your business.

Most of all a good business plan will help you determine whether or not your business has a good chance of producing profit. If results show that you will not make a good profit, you might need to adjust your business plans and goals somewhat. It can also serve as a great way to estimate your start up costs and needed investments to start or continue the business.

Do you want to spruce up your business plan or create a simple, easy to use plan for your business in 2012? Join me for the Business Planning Work Day on Monday, January 2nd. Find out more information by going to:

www.solopreneur.biz/planning/

Every business owner would like to find a way to save time and increase productivity. Unfortunately, working from home often means that productivity can take a back seat to the million other things competing for our attention.

These three tips will help you work smarter, save time and increase productivity.

1. Set a schedule and stick to it.

It’s tempting to stray from a set schedule when you work from home. After all, working from home means we have the freedom to set our own hours. Unfortunately, however, this can lead to reduced productivity.

One of the best ways to increase your productivity is to set a firm schedule for work hours and stick to it. This means that work time is work time. If you were at the office, friends wouldn’t pop over for coffee and your neighbor wouldn’t call you for a chat. By setting a strict work schedule, not only will you get more done, but people will learn to respect that working from home really does mean you’re working.

2. Work in short bursts.

Research has proven that after a set time of concentrating on a task at hand, we start to lag. Our concentration lessens and we actually get less done. When you work from home, it’s easy to avoid this. Simply set your work schedule to include short bursts of time assigned to each specific project.

The time you allow for each project will depend on you personally, but you can experiment until you find what works best for you. A good rule of thumb is 45 minutes for any intensive task that requires concentration.

For example, if you have work to edit, spend 45 minutes doing that, then move on to answering your emails for another set amount of time. After that you can either go back to editing to tackle another task.

The key is to break your time up into chunks that you dedicate specifically to each individual task. Then you move on to the next task for a specific set amount of time. And don’t forget to take a short 5 or 10 minute break every few hours or so. This will help you clear your mind as well as avoid your body getting stiff from sitting for extended periods of time.

3. Get organized.

There’s a great saying: “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Being organized is an important part of being productive. By taking a little time to plan your day or the week ahead means you can dive straight into work without wondering what you’re meant to be doing.

It also helps to keep all your important papers, folders and documents easily labelled and accessible so that you don’t waste time looking for things. While planning ahead does take a little time, it will save you more time in the long run.

These three tips will help you become and remain more productive during your work day. By thinking ahead and planning your day, working in short but concentrated bursts and sticking to a strict work schedule you will get more done in less time.

Teleseminars are a great way to build trust with an audience, make sales on the spot and facilitate a two-way communication. Teleseminars can involve live video of you, on-screen demonstrations as well as presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint.

Before hopping on a teleseminar, you need to make sure you’re prepared from both a presentation perspective and a technical perspective. Here’s a checklist to help you do that.

Make Sure Your Line Can Handle the Volume

If you have over 100 guests, make sure you talk to your teleseminar provider to see if your line can handle the volume.

The kinds of providers you need for a teleseminar with 100 people, 1,000 people and 10,000 people are very different services with different technical requirements.

Prepare the First 60 Seconds

The first 60 seconds of the teleseminar are the most important parts. This is when people will decide either to leave the teleseminar or to stay on.

In the first 60 seconds, clearly spell out what’s going to be covered and what they’ll get by listening to the call.

Practice your first 60 seconds several times before the call.

Invitation & Follow-Up Schedule

At a bare minimum, every teleseminar should have one invitation and one follow-up email before the actual call.

For more important teleseminars, you may want to create a sales process around the call where you use several emails to “sell” them on coming onto the teleseminar.

Make sure to plan out the whole process before you start promoting the teleseminar.

Get Familiar with the Software

If you haven’t used the software for the teleseminar before, get familiar with it before the call. Try running a test seminar with just yourself and a test computer beforehand.

Learn how to switch between screencasts and presentation tools as well as how to turn your webcam on and off. Learn how to mute and unmute visitors and how to take questions.

You don’t want to be trying to figure these things out while on a live call.

Test Your Recording Devices

If you want your call recorded, make sure you test that as well.

Most teleseminar services will offer some kind of recording package you can purchase. However, you’ll often want to also have your own recording going for back-up.

Prep for Most Common Questions

Before the teleseminar begins, try to predict what kind of questions people will ask you. You can do this by going through past emails your customers have sent you or by browsing related forums on the internet.

By having an idea of what to expect before going into the seminar, you’ll be able to answer questions in a more informative, authoritative way. You’ll also be able to research any questions that you might have trouble with.

These are some of the most important things to cover before you launch a teleseminar. Make sure your line can handle the volume, check your recording equipment, test the software, prepare your first 60 seconds, have a solid invitation and follow-up system and prep your Q&A beforehand.