Worcester Business Journal

18 Worcester Business Journal | June 25, 2018 | wbjournal.com 10 T H I NG S I know about . . . … GDPR compliance By Michelle Drolet Michelle Drolet is CEO of Towerwall, a data security services provider in Framingham. You may reach her at michelled@ towerwall.com. 10) Why you should adhere to General Data Protection Regulation. GDPR only applies to protecting personal data of European Union citizens wherever they reside, but putting teeth in policies to help avoid identity theft benefits everyone. 9) Policy updates. The sudden surge of data protection policy updates arriving in your inbox is GDPR in action. A U.S. version of GDPR is forthcoming. Operationalize GDPR, don't shelve it. 8) Policy readiness. Companies must inform users they have their data, they have given them the right to use it and the right to have it deleted. 7) Protection. GDPR says individuals own their data and the company holding it must protect it. Encryption and tokenization are acceptable methods of protection. 6) Reporting. Companies holding customer data have 72 hours to report any data breach unless data was encrypted, tokenized or obfuscated. 5) Penalties. Non-compliance with GDPR can result in a $25-million fine or up to 4 percent of a company's annual revenues. 4) Learning data. Collecting data without regard for its strategic value is less the trend now with GDPR. Knowing where your data resides and how to extract value makes it more prescriptive. 3) Hiring talent. For large companies, GDPR compliance requires hiring a dedicated data protection officer. With IT skills in short supply, consider hiring a part-time virtual DPO. 2) Customer benefits. Customers get peace of mind knowing their data is managed responsibly and securely. 1) Company benefits. Companies benefit by being perceived as responsible caretakers and providing a roadmap of legitimate security best practices. K N O W H O W Extra! Extra! Gain customers through article headlines 10 1: M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T S T here's a lot of talk about article content these days. What's the right length? How frequently should we post? How do we share it? What kind of image should we use? But let's not fool ourselves. e single most important initial factor de- termining whether your article is read or ignored is your headline. Without a strong headline, the average web surfer will never become an active reader. Just take, for example, this stunning statistic offered up by the folks at Copyblogger: 8 out of 10 peo- ple will read your headline, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. Write headlines first is goes against so many conven- tional schools of thought, but we don't budge on it. Your headline is your promise to your readers: "is is what you're going to learn or walk away with by the time you're done reading." When you write your headline first, you force yourself to stick to your claim. Every line you write from here on out better support that headline claim. Otherwise, cut it. Keywords matter, but not why you think Keywords are used to rank content on search engines, but these days, it's no longer about specific words. It's about long-tail phrases and intent. It's about speaking the language of your audience. When craing your headline, don't approach it like, "What does Google want?" Ask, "What do my readers want?" Use the how-to approach How-to headlines are extremely pop- ular. ey clearly define what a reader will get from reading your content. Start with "How To." en include the key action. Last, give it a punch with something unique, intriguing or even fun: "How to sell your house without liing a finger." Use the list-approach List articles like, "10 Ways to Lose Fat" are incredibly effective because your headline is making a very specific promise to the reader. Plus, your audi- ence likes quantifiable data. We know we're getting 10 ways to lose fat. Here are a few unique ways to use this list approach for your headlines: • 7 dinner recipes for busy parents • Have you tried these 7 recipes perfect for busy parents? • 7 recipes for busy parents – which ones are your favorite? Below are a few other types of headlines you can use with your articles. I recommend mixing your usage of each so that your audience remains interested. • What everybody ought to know about (blank) – "What everybody ought to know about hiring an HVAC contractor" • (Do something) like (world-class example) – "Master Facebook advertis- ing like you're Mark Zuckerberg" • Get rid of (problem) once and for all – "Get rid of squirrels in your garden once and for all" In our own studies, straight-to-the- point headlines are most effective. Cute, abstract styles don't work. Read- ers want to know what they're about to click on. So, no matter what style you choose, remember to be clear, be con- cise, and above all else, be honest. BY KHAM INTHIRATH Special to the Worcester Business Journal BY SUSAN SHALHOUB Special to the Worcester Business Journal C ompany mission statements define a company's objectives and its approach in the markets it serves, providing a focus for operations. (Mission statements are different than vision statements, which lay out where the company looks to be in the future.) Here are a few tips on creating a business mission statement for your company. Get help, but don't re-invent the wheel. Write down the purpose of your company. en have two or three of your colleagues do the same. Together, review the sentences, collaborate and create one you all can agree on. "Your mission statement doesn't have to be clever or catchy – just accurate," says Entrepreneur.com. Focus on the Big 4. Patrick Hull of Forbes says that including these four questions in your mission statement considerations will ensure it is com- plete: What do we do? How do we do it? Whom do we do it for? What value are we bringing? He gives Advance Auto Parts' mission statement as a good mission statement example: "To provide personal vehicle owners and enthusiasts with the vehicle-related products and knowledge that fulfill their wants and needs at the right price. Our friendly, knowledgeable and professional staff will help inspire, educate and problem-solve for our customers." "e company has clearly laid out the answers to those essential questions," says Hull. Mission statement established? Spread the word. e mission statement is ultimately a framework of your busi- ness planning. It should be on your com- pany website and can be a cornerstone for marketing. It should be communi- cated to customers, as well, writes Susan Ward at eBalanceSMB.com. "It's also the statement that explains to them why they would want to do business with you," she writes. "You'll want to put it to work right away." W Kham Inthirath is the founder and president of Worcester marketing firm InThink Agency, focused on helping local businesses find and connect with their target audiences. W

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