We all know the power of the internet. If you are starting a new business, the internet can be your best friend. It can also be your worse enemy. There are two quotes about the internet that you should keep in mind. The first is "You can't take something off the Internet—it's like taking pee out of a pool" (Author Unknown).
Copyright (c) 2009 Soaring Eagle Companies LLC
We all know the power of the internet. If you are starting a new business, the internet can be your best friend. It can also be your worst enemy. There are two quotes about the internet that you should keep in mind. The first is "You can't take something off the Internet—it's like taking pee out of a pool" (Author Unknown). The second is "Information on the Internet is subject to the same rules and regulations as conversation at a bar" (George Lundberg).
It has been discussed in other articles, it is very important to have consistent communication with the people that are involved in your business (employees, investors, etc.). It is just as important, however, to pay attention to what EVERYONE is saying about your business. This includes customers, vendors, and anyone that comes into contact with you business. If someone has a grudge against you or your business, the internet is one avenue they can use to create some big time trouble or make you the greatest thing since sliced bread. The key is to pay attention to what is going on out there on the World Wide Web.
If someone does decide to go after you or your business on the internet, you may have a serious problem. After all, how do you get "pee out of a pool?" Well, you can't get rid of it totally, but you certainly can dilute it. Writing articles and using key word strategies with positive information about you and your business can help to make sure the negative information is buried as deep as possible is one solution (and possibly the only solution). There are people who are experts in this kind of clean-up and depending on the severity of the problem; you might consider using their services.
Also remember that anything discussed on the internet can be read by anyone—friend or foe. Make sure you have policies in place about what can be discussed on the internet and who is authorized to post "official" business information. Make sure anything that is posted is carefully proofread since one carefully placed typo or less than carefully worded phrase can cause big problems. (Consider a remolded bathroom versus a remodeled bathroom or, from a church bulletin, "Our Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 8th and 9th"—Yikes!). Don't depend on spell checker and remember that it is very difficult to proofread your own writing. Whenever possible, have someone else read anything that is going to be published in any format.
Pay attention and be ready in case your friendly internet suddenly turns against you.
Recipe for Trouble:Documentation (or Lack Thereof)
We all like to trust people and we would like really be much better of if people always did what they said they would do. But we all know that this is not always the case. If you are a business owner, you can find yourself in deep trouble if you do not document.
Recipe for Trouble: IT
Depending on how dependent your company is on computers, IT (or information technology) can be your biggest ally or the biggest thorn in your side. While people tend to refer to IT for anything that involves computers, information technology can encompass a very large variety of business needs from servers to websites. There is no one-size-fits-all IT professional any more than there is a one size fits all employee of any type.
Water is Water Right? Wrong!
We all know that we should probably be drinking more water. We have all heard the health benefits staying hydrated. But we get busy and we forget to drink. So we stop by the drinking fountain and take a quick sip or hit the office water cooler and we think we are getting the hydration we need. But hydration is not even enough. We also need the proper trace minerals.
