business focus of the month of the month
Cyber crime and SMEs – Is your business at risk? writes Barry Potter, partner, Haines Watts
A cyber-attack on a small to medium- sized enterprise is unlikely to receive anywhere near the level of publicity as a cyber-attack on a large household name like the Ransomware attack on the NHS or the cyber breach suffered by British Airways through SQL injection to its website, but this doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, it does daily.
SME’s contribute £1.6 trillion to the UK economy each year, which makes up 99.3% of the UK’s private sector business. With weaker security controls than the large corporates, SME’s are an easy touch for cyber criminals and are actively being targeted.
The amount of cyber-attacks being carried out against SMEs is stunning; in 2017 alone, 92% of attacks targeted SMEs. Even more shocking, few of these companies are taking the risk of cyber-attacks seriously, with 82% believing they are too small to be targeted. The individual costs of these attacks are growing as well. A recent survey found that a single attack could cost a company as much £310,800.
In recent years, the average SME has gone from using predominately simple stand-alone IT systems to embracing more interconnected systems. From bring your own device (BYOD), off-site working to the cloud, small businesses have never been more connected to their clients and therefore more open to threats. While these technologies provide huge business benefits, their procurement and use need to be carefully managed.
At Haines Watts we spend time reviewing the internal controls of our clients’ accounting systems, as well as advising on IT security and protection against cyber crime.
hwca.com of the month
An essential business of the month
communication tool Cerub PR is an award-winning PR agency delivering influential, results-orientated PR and communications campaigns specialising in B2B, life sciences, healthcare and thought leadership
Ceri-Jane Hackling, managing director
Why public relations is an essential communication tool for you and your business
PR is a largely misunderstood medium with its reputation for either being an emergency measure for when a company is in the middle of a crisis or alternatively, awash with celebrity stunts and glamourous parties.
In reality, PR is an organic way to raise awareness of your brand, help you become more influential and position yourself as a leader in your industry and doesn’t always require celebrities or stunts to attract attention. What you need is an opinion, a story and knowledge of your subject in order to craft your key messages and communicate them to the right people.
If you don’t have an effective public relations strategy in place you’re neglecting an essential component of the marketing mix. PR should be an integral part of your marketing strategy as it can support your business goals by putting your company and your services or products in front of the right people at the right time in the right place and can help you establish and maintain good relationships with your key stakeholders.
Customers, suppliers, employees, investors and regulators can have a powerful impact on your business and they all have an opinion about the organisations they come into contact with – whether good or bad, right or wrong. These perceptions will drive their decisions about whether they want to work with, shop with and support these organisations. In today’s competitive market, every organisation, no matter how large or small, ultimately depends on its reputation for survival and success and this is where PR comes in. Using a multi-channel approach ranging from media relations and social media campaigns to public affairs strategies, PR can enable you to influence opinions and decision makers.
Generating awareness and engaging with your key audiences through the right channels in a meaningful way will help you stay ahead of your competitors, drive sales and become a leader in your field.
cerubpr.co.uk 01494 463922
44
businessmag.co.uk
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018
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