Maintaining security on the Internet is no easy task in the face of malware, software vulnerabilities, breach of service and data leakage, fake content, disinformation campaigns, as well as all kinds of attacks with Ransomware and Phishing as its best known examples. There has been an exponential growth of devices connected to the global network, from mobility to home automation, smart cars and even IoT devices. We must also consider the pandemic and the migration of millions of people from professional to home networks.
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Security for the Internet must be improved
All of the above requires a proactive behavior and a lot of common sense from the user , understanding that virtual life must be protected today just as much as physical life and that domestic tasks have been dangerously mixed with professional ones. Although it is impossible to guarantee 100% security and privacy on a global network, we can try to do so by taking the measures we are going to mention which include strengthening online accounts, applications, equipment used to run them, and taking the proper precautions when using the Internet and its services.
1.Install the latest version of your operating system and applications
Updates for the Windows operating system are provided via Windows Update, along with security patches for known threats. Automatic updates mean you don’t have to check online for updates, and you won’t have to worry about Windows critical fixes or device drivers missing.
Updates to installed applications, which usually contain security patches, are as important, if not more so, than the above. The risk of cyberattacks is greater when the versions are older and vulnerable in the program, with special emphasis on some widely used programs such as Java, Adobe Flash or Reader.
2. Make sure you use antivirus security solutions
Windows Defender is a native security solution from Microsoft, and its use is mandatory as the basic security solution for Windows users, although various specialized providers offer a variety of security solutions, many of them free, that we can make use of. Users with advanced or professional skills are recommended to use a comprehensive software security suite, which includes a firewall and specialized tools against ransomware, phishing attacks, spyware and adware.
3. Ensure browser security
Because they are the applications we use to access the Internet and its services, web browsers come with advanced security features that must be examined and configured. We should pay attention to warnings about insecure sites in addition to securing end-to-end encryption during synchronization and sandboxing .
Extensions should also be reviewed since they can introduce malware. An interesting possibility is to use a guest session in which everything, including a user’s settings or history, is completely separated from their original profile. Last but not least, explain how using incognito mode increases privacy by preventing tracking through cookies, open user sessions, and other means.
4. Make sure you manage passwords properly
Other Internet security golden rules are to use a strong and unique password for each website. There is no doubt that passwords are a less than pealing method for users, but they are the standard authentication method for accessing Internet services, applications, games, and all kind of machines.
When a data breach occurs, using different passwords for various accounts prevents having them all compromised at once. Strong passwords prevent brute force attacks. It is important to follow a set of rules when creating passwords and value using password managers, which take care of the work for us, reduce the chances of human error and automate the creation and management of passwords.
5. Examine how encryption is used
In addition to the standard editions of Windows 10 and 11, BitLocker Drive Encryption is also available in the Professional and Enterprise editions. BitLocker allows you to encrypt or scramble the data on your computer to keep it safe from theft or unintentional exposure when your equipment is lost, stolen, or inappropriately removed, thereby improving online security. In addition to operating system drives, permanent data drives, and removable data drives can be enabled with BitLocker. We should evaluate the use of third-party solutions that are as good or better.
6. Important accounts should be protected with a hardware security key
It pays to use a hardware security mechanism for vital accounts, especially in business and professional settings. A pen drive is generally a removable storage device with a highly secure encryption engine that connects to a USB port. In contrast with software solutions, the entire process is carried out within the hardware, greatly increasing overall security.
Sales and marketing people usually talk about the sales funnel converting prospects into clients. The sales funnel is developing in tandem with the advent of the Internet. Most buyers nowadays, particularly business-to-business purchasers, conduct much of their research online, familiarizing themselves with a product or service and making early selections before contacting the seller. Sales teams have lost early access to prospects as most of the sales funnel has gone online. So they have diverted their focus to the inbound sales funnel. It demonstrates to us our marketing message and when we should convey this. Inbound sales funnel critical for your business’s success.
So let us analyze the inbound sales marketing deeply and know what it can do for us, its benefits, drawbacks, and more:
Traditional Inbound Sales Funnel
Before we get into how the sales funnel is changing, let’s look at how the traditional sales funnel works. Because the modern sales funnel also carries some of the traditional instruments for moving prospects except a few funnel elements that become more digital. The overall strategy stays the same.
Consumers were made aware of a product via advertising or public relations outreach in the traditional sales technique. These campaigns disseminate information to a passive audience who may or not be interested in what’s being offered through broad media. The vendor had complete control over the message and distribution channels from beginning to end. Then consumers review the products based on the information provided to them via the company and sales team. After evaluating the information, interested prospects would be qualified.
As the only point of contact for a prospect is the salesperson. The salesperson could more easily control the interaction because few contact alternatives were available. Even the prospects can contact them in case any additional information about the company or its products is required.
New Inbound Sales Funnel
Do you know the “They Ask You Answer” method of inbound marketing? It is the best way to align content with your audience’s interests and pain spots. You may organically drive inbound visitors to your website by addressing all of your prospects’ inquiries simply and honestly, improving the quality of your leads, and increasing sales. The inbound marketing funnel can assist you through the four steps of the inbound marketing methodology: attract, convert, close, and delight, whether you are looking for general inbound marketing advice or piecing together your strategy.
Different Stages of Modern Inbound Sales Funnel
The new sales funnel mainly has three stages as follows:
Creating Content and Getting Your Website Noticed
This phase belongs to the learners. It refers to the visitors that come to your website only to know about your products and services and may not want to buy anything. These visitors do not possess much importance; you can take them into profitable clients through the inbound sales funnel. You will need to make your website as noticeable as possible to do this. In this way, you will cater to the top of the funnel.
To improve your rating on the popular search engines, you must implement SEO Perth tactics. Your firm will appear more credible and receive more attention if you appear near the top of these pages. Creating blog content also improves the visibility of your website in search results. The blog postings link your sites to various keywords, increasing the likelihood that your firm will appear when people search for difficulties in your field. You can also build a social media following to introduce your brand to new audiences and share your content. These techniques will provide readers with the information they need to progress down the funnel, and they will be more likely to remember you as a result.
Using Landing Pages and Calls to Action to Attract More Leads
The distinction between a visitor and a lead is similar to a person passed by your store and a customer visiting the store. You haven’t persuaded them to buy yet, but they are curious about what you have to offer. It simply means you are working in the middle of the funnel.
Landing pages are sections of your site where people complete a conversion form to obtain access to special content, which can help you cater to this interest. When visitors provide basic information like name, email address, etc., they become leads. You may now reach out to them with ad campaigns to see if they’re interested in purchasing from you. If they are, you may invest the necessary resources to learn more about them and the things they might desire. This will speed up the process of moving prospects through the funnel.
Arrange meetings and provide further information to make conversions
This stage belongs to working at the bottom of the funnel. You can make efforts to convert the lead after you know that it is in the market to purchase. Your marketing campaigns have led them to this point, but you need to persuade them to meet with a salesperson if you want to move forward. More information relevant to their interests and requests for a consultation should be included in your messages. Your lead will ask for a meeting if everything is done correctly, your salesmen will convert.
Using An Inbound Marketing Sales Funnel To Boost Sales
For the buying and selling cycles, the rules have fundamentally changed. Buyers now have complete power, frequently bypassing traditional advertising channels in favor of actively seeking product or service information online to make an informed purchasing decision with little or no interaction from the seller.
Inbound marketing offers a new way to reach out to today’s buyers on their terms – by offering useful and objective information that can lead the buyer into a relationship with the seller without advertising. Potential leads are generated because they recognize the value in what you offer and want to engage with you.
However, inbound marketing is only half of the struggle. The prospects must be converted into customers, which necessitates using the new sales process known as inbound sales. This is where automation comes into play. To automate a seamless contact/conversion, you need two types of software: marketing automation to attract leads and customer relationship management (CRM) to construct and nurture relationships after the transaction is completed. The integration of these software helps to cover the difference between marketing and sales, resulting in a more efficient and effective hand-off.
Let us check out the more advantages of inbound sales funnel:
Adds value to the world and addresses issues
Traditional marketing relies on traditional channels, promoting only major products and services. At the same time, inbound marketing promotes engaging, valuable, and exclusive content. This helps the brands to make more connections and build more confidence in your ability to meet consumer needs.
Develops a useful database of prospects
An inbound marketing strategy focuses on relevant information, and progressively it builds a useful database for clients. This improves the likelihood of future business cooperation and leaves the impression that they refer only to you if customers need information.
Delivers the right message at the right moment
When the potential customers are segmented, targetted, and monitored well, it describes
how well the message is conveyed, and communication is received. Enhancing campaign efficiency boosts ROI, and getting solutions at the right moment increases the likelihood of doing business with you.
Generate content assets
Creating solid, high-quality content is an ongoing investment in your company, and the relevant insights help you establish a global presence and generate more leads. Organically, better, new, and relevant material propels your business website upward in the rankings.
Consistent growth
It has been observed that engagement with numerous campaigns and a customized experience generates important leads and growth when the impact of campaigns is measured by marketers using segmentation.
Overall Benefit and Drawback of Inbound Marketing
Marketing methods, in general, have both advantages and disadvantages. Knowing how to adapt to varied approaches, work your way through them.
Benefits
The biggest benefit of inbound marketing for startups and small businesses is that it helps them compete against larger businesses with a positive reputation in the community. It is less expensive and more cost-effective than outbound marketing. Because various tools can swiftly examine website data, it provides a faster Return on Investment and easy to track the development because it takes place largely online.
Drawbacks
While Inbound Marketing is cost-effective, it does not guarantee staying within the company’s budget. Designing good inbound marketing requires a lot of time, effort, and a huge staff. If you can find an all-in-one platform, you can reduce the drawbacks of executing a robust inbound sales funnel.
Bottom Line
There is a lot of information available on the internet about each product interacting with brands.
As a result, inbound sales strategies should be adopted by all brands. Inbound sales have the major benefit of allowing customers to find you rather than you having to go out and find them. You should work on all the different stages of the inbound sales funnel to get outstanding results!
Hope you like reading this post!
Author Bio:
Ravi is CEO & Founder of Webomaze Pty Ltd. He believes in serving the industry with some unique solutions with a huge variety of services including web design & web development, SEO Services, eCommerce development, and so on..
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a step-change in the simplification of process and manual tasks, accomplished by using software robots to execute repeated, high volume tasks. RPA typically takes place without any human involvement. It reduces costs and can enable organizations to become agile, more competitive and meet customer needs better.
In this article we will look at Intelligent Automation technologies. Companies have been exploring how these technologies can complement RPA strategies and help them overcome some of the challenges associated with their use. There are a number of proven use cases for which AI is a viable solution including Finance Services, Healthcare Services, Manufacturing Services and Compliance Tasks.
In the coming year 2022, RPA will be remembered not so much for its innovations, but for the development and maturation of already existing trends. RPA should be a welcome addition to multi-vector automation strategies for IT and business leaders.
The RPA technology enables various intersections with these IT pillars in a results-driven way. It’s been a hot topic and is now entering a phase where IT leaders and their teams are reevaluating which of the use cases actually deliver results.
Automation can be incremental, which is one of its great advantages. The system administrator and sometimes even the reliability engineer may be looking at this from the perspective of automation. Whenever possible, automate tasks you do manually often. This way, you’ll never have to repeat them.
Bash and other tools, RPA tools, and other technologies that enable automation are a great way to accomplish this incremental approach. Nonetheless, automation is not a plan in and of itself. It is the CIO’s responsibility to build an organization’s strategy to enable and encourage incremental automation, and to ensure that team members spend their time and resources on initiatives that contribute to the organization’s broader objectives.
Below are four trends that will influence and intersect RPA strategy in 2022.
We are going to move from People Process Tools to RPA
RPA and other forms of automation should learn the first page of the DevOps textbook: it’s about people, processes, and technology. Too many automation initiatives focus only on technology, and when they consider people, they often give only limited attention to them in terms of negative impact on jobs.
Knisley stresses the importance of this moment in the context of complex change: organizations are investing billions in intensive digital transformation initiatives , but often get mixed results at best.Most of the time, this is caused by a lack of transparency and Companies automate and transform processes without knowing what they are doing.
Intelligent Automation is Collaborative, Not Competitive
AI/ML are among the technologies commonly referred to as “Robotic Process Automation”.This implies that RPA isn’t really “smart” – a bot can’t learn to stay updated or adapt automatically to changes in the interface. Automating with intelligence involves combining simpler forms of process automation with more advanced cognitive technology and vice versa.
At the moment, its potential is ahead of reality. The RPA market is more competitive than community driven, as is the wider automation and AI industry. Fortress IQ’s principal consultant for process improvements and automation, John Knisley, says that true intelligent automation, by definition, requires collaboration.According to him, in 2022, more attention will be given to the need to create a collaborative intellectual ecosystem.
A complete end-to-end intelligent automation strategy requires a variety of technologies, including process and activity tracking, business intelligence, low-code platforms, and other services. In order to realize many of the promises of automation, a comprehensive set of tools is needed. As the market demands it, this ecosystem will grow.
The robots will take away your job narrative is no longer relevant
If your organization is in the middle of significant automation, leaders shouldn’t ignore or dismiss this fear. In fact, silence from management could be detrimental to job security.
With automation, labor costs will decrease and production will rise, but “rise of the machines” also implies a decline in human employment.Especially in corporate workplaces and other workplaces where critical thinking is fundamental.
We recommend latching on to more advanced forms of artificial intelligence that aren’t widely utilized today if you’re worried about robots taking over. It is unlikely that RPA can replace an individual’s entire job responsibilities. Since bots are rule-based, they are suitable for repetitive tasks like data processing. However, they are incapable of making quick decisions on the fly or taking into account changes in circumstances.
RPA strategies are complemented by AI-proven use cases
AI/ML used in enterprise settings today typically falls into one of two categories: optimizing enterprise-wide data-driven decisions, like pricing or product recommendations. Helping management develop a plan to reduce carbon emissions by exploring options and/or making decisions on a complex initiative.
Bulk data processing can be automated by building optimization algorithms into it. Customer service is another example of automation being used to work with people. AI can present the representative with a number of possible solutions, and then carry out the solution chosen by the representative.As with AI itself, RPAs using AI will have bugs. In addition to RPA performing smoothly and solving increasingly complex tasks, artificial intelligence can lead to disastrous results.
Looking for software design companies can be an easy task if you know what to look for. However, many make this simple task difficult by not knowing how to recognize the good ones from the bad ones.
The internet has made it even more convenient for business owners and entrepreneurs alike to find software design companies with relative ease. Unfortunately, it has also opened floodgates for scammers and other dishonest software developers.
This, of course, is causing more harm than good as most business owners are still unaware of how to identify quality software design companies. Software design agencies serving the software development needs of small and mid-sized businesses is no easy task. It requires a lot of patience, attention to detail, and due diligence on the part of business owners themselves so as not to be duped.
For those who are new to this whole ordeal, these three signs should help you recognize if a software development company is worth hiring.
1. Google Reviews
One of the surest ways to know if a software design company is worthy of your time and money is by checking out their online presence, particularly on Google and Facebook. If they have good ratings and positive feedback from customers, then it’s safe to say that those software designagencies are reliable enough for you to trust them as your software development partner.
2.List of Past Clients
Another way to know if a software design company is good enough for your needs is by looking at their list of references and former clients. If you need help finding these, the web has already made this process as simple as it can be with one click on Google or Yahoo.
3.Ask for Their Portfolio
It’s also important to ask if they can show you a list of completed software projects. If you don’t like what you see, it might be time to look elsewhere, as most software development companies usually pride themselves on their portfolio of completed projects.
These are just some of the common signs that good software designcompanies often use to determine if their software designagency is indeed the right partner for your business.
Some other factors to consider may be:
Check for Certifications.
A software designagency may not need to be certified. Still, it’s always good to know if they are members of industry organizations that make them more accountable for their business.
Is the software development company ready to answer all your questions? This is particularly important, especially if you’re new to this whole game. They must not only be knowledgeable about what they do but must be able to answer questions about their software development process in a way that is easy for you to understand.
A software designcompany can’t give you any concrete answers if they don’t have the experience and expertise in the industry.
Ask About the Company’s Work Culture.
You may not need to work with a software designcompany for all your future projects, but you can still ask about their work culture as this will give you a glimpse of how they spend their time and who their clients are. If the software designagency team is always busy working, that’s a good sign that they’re worth hiring.
Find Out How Much Experience They Have with Other Companies in Your Industry.
Although software designcompanies have their own set of rules that make them unique from each other, you should look for one that has handled the software development needs of businesses similar to yours. This ensures a better chance of success as they will relate to your situation and help you avoid mistakes in the future.
It’s also important to check if they have completed projects for other companies in your industry so you can see if there’s any overlap between your business and the software designagency. If not, then this is a good sign that they may offer unbiased advice when it comes to addressing your needs.
Finding reliable software designcompanies is no easy feat.
Even if you’ve already checked out their reviews and references, the only way to know for sure is by getting first-hand experience with them. So don’t waste any time and engage a software designagency as soon as possible to avail of their expertise.
If you follow this guide on finding reliable software designcompanies, it will be no problem for you to find the right software development company.
The recent integration of AR and VR have innovated shopping. Customers are able to experience a personalised shopping journey that is unique to them and encourages engagement with the fashion brand. This is the first big step into enabling the future of retail to become more immersive.
Explaining AR and VR
Digital experiences have made it easier for brands to engage with their audiences. One billion people worldwide are using AR across all industries, and 32% of consumers are using it while shopping. VR is becoming more popular every day and is becoming one of the most effective ways for brands to debut and present their products to a wider customer base.
Defining Augmented Reality
AR is essentially a mixture of the physical and virtual worlds. It provides digital enhancements to complement a real world experience and make it that much richer and deeper.
Scanning QR codes is the easiest gateway into unlocking the digital world. From here, customers can view any number of things from informative pop-ups about the products you scanned to digital boutiques where you can try clothes on virtually. It adds a new layer of fun and interaction to the shopping experience, giving customers a new way to explore the clothes they love to wear.
AR emphasizes fun and imagination. Shopping has become a routine, maybe even mundane, part of people’s day to day lives. Digital enhancements can bring the activity back to life and renew people’s enjoyment of shopping. It’s so much more than wandering around a store or clicking a button on a website.
AR Try-On is the most popular form of AR in the fashion world, even used on social media like Snapchat. It allows customers to try out products before purchase without going through the usual hassle of a physical changing room. It also allows users to share their looks on social media, getting brands and products more awareness and increasing popularity and user engagement.
Defining Virtual Reality
VR primarily involves the creation of a completely digital space parallel to the real world.
It is becoming a popular choice for fashion shows like the 2020 Balenciaga show, allowing big fashion names to experiment with the virtual world. Brands can get more creative than ever in designing settings and can help audiences to engage more intimately, bringing the thrill of the catwalk into their homes.
In the future, VR could even become a unique staple of the regular shopping experience. Imagine shopping in a whole new world adjacent to the physical world we live in. The possibilities could take a customer anywhere from a Victorian-themed collection to a cosmic outer space collection. The creative potential is endless.
It proves that there is so much more that VR can still do for the fashion industry as it becomes more mainstream and readily available to the general public.
Fashion Brands That Have Gone Digital
AR and VR are the biggest trends in fashion at the moment and every brand wants to prove that they are the one to beat which only serves to give customers greater and more immersive shopping experiences.
Dior
Dior has partnered up with Instagram to give social media users a chance to sample make-up and accessories to make the Instagram experience fresh and engaging while also increasing enjoyment for the Dior brand, allowing users to share their looks to increase awareness of products.
Dior have also made strides in gaining a foothold in the VR world. Dior Eyes provides a special backstage look at how models get ready for a fashion show, revealing a part of the fashion world not often seen by the public, increasing exclusivity and making the brand more engaging.
Chanel
Chanel has worked with FarFetch to create dressing rooms where customers can select items before travelling to a boutique and letting the smart mirror showcase their choices and let them see what they’d look like. This modernises the buyer’s journey, linking the real and digital worlds for a full and rewarding experience.
Chanel also debuted their Lipscanner in 2021. Scan any image, find a match or similar colour within their hundreds of products and then experience that colour on yourself. Digitally trying on lipstick allows for maximum creativity, allowing customers to explore all their options and take as long as they want to find the colour that’s right for them. The Lipscanner compiles data on skin tone, age and lip shape.
Burberry
In February 2020, Burberry and Google teamed up to unite Google Search with AR to give US and UK customers a new and engaging way to learn about Burberry products. They also created an AR experience for their audience to make 3D Pocket Bag sculptures as a way for them to engage with the SS21 campaign, increasing immersion and creativity.
ASOS
ASOS launched a Virtual Catwalk on their app in June 2019 which enabled users to see models exhibit clothes right before their eyes. They also launched See My Fit which showcases what different clothes look like on different body types. This helps users to determine how clothes might look on them before buying them, making the buying process easier and more informative.
Benefits of AR and VR Shopping
Fashion retail has become a lot more engaging and interactive since the introduction of AR and VR into the industry, improving how clothes are sold and making the journey much more intimate for customers.
Enhancing Awareness of Fashion Brands
Social media is the biggest frontrunner in increasing awareness of clothing brands as users share their experiences and promote fashion products to their platform. This has the potential to inspire their followers to become customers themselves, increasing the success of the brand.
Increasing Retail Interactivity
VR and AR shopping puts the customer right in the middle of the shopping process so that everything revolves around them and what they want to get out of their journey. This new level of intimacy makes the shopping experience more interactive, increasing customer satisfaction and encouraging them to return to a brand and make future purchases.
Layout of Clothes
The large size of a physical shop can sometimes make it difficult to find what you’re looking for. VR shopping can make the layout simpler so it is easier to find items, making the whole experience smoother and encouraging more sales.
AR Changing Rooms
Ever been stuck in a long queue for the changing room? AR eliminates the need to queue by putting everything on your phone. Instantly trying on clothes makes the shopping experience more positive and efficient as well as a lot more engaging, reinvigorating the trying-on stage of the shopping journey.
Future Trends in Virtual Fashion Retail
AR and VR will only continue to make huge improvements and advancements to the fashion industry.
AR in retail is set to be worth 12 billion dollars by 2025, with one in three of Gen Z shoppers projected to be shopping with AR by 2025. 44% of Snapchat users have said they would prefer to use AR to shop for clothes and accessories.
Shopping has become more inspiring than ever before, bringing the magic of a physical shop into people’s homes and giving them power over their shopping experience.
Brands continue to utilise the revolutionary technology, blending it with products ad customers to create a seamless and flawless experience designed for maximum satisfaction. The digital age is ruling the world right now and with the support of social media, the VR and AR influence on shopping will continue to get more and more impactful.
