Experian

Data breaches are a threat for a business of any size, but according to the National Small Business Association, a single cyber attack costs a small business an average of $8,669.48, not accounting for the ripple effects of decreased sales and reduced trust and tainted reputation after a breach occurs. Proactive security measures for monitoring and managing data can save time and money for small businesses across a range of industries. Here are a few simple steps any small business owner can take to help protect against data breaches:

Whether you're in the beginnings of starting up your business or the heady days of growing it, one often neglected part is the operational headaches and risks you face as you scale. In particular, if your online business serves many customers and accepts payments on that platform (e.g., Uber, Kickstarter, Constant Contact), you should be thinking about fraud risk and how exposed your platform might be to this risk. Here are five tips to ensure you're not surprised by fraud losses: 

Holiday decorations have already been on display at retail stores for weeks, spreading the holiday cheer over longer than just November and December. Accounting for approximately 20 percent to 40 percent of retailers’ annual sales, it's no wonder they're making an effort to extend the holiday revenue spirit. In the run-up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, retailers have few options to increase sales volume and revenue without conducting a major overhaul of their digital marketing strategy. They must think strategically about leveraging assets they already have, as well as after the festivities are over.

Most people like Thanksgiving to have passed before setting up Christmas decorations and jumping into winter holiday mode. For marketers, however, it's now become standard to embrace the winter holiday mentality long before Thanksgiving — in fact, before Halloween even. According to a new survey from Experian Marketing Services, 49 percent of marketers said they will launch holiday campaigns before Oct. 31. 

Most marketers develop an editorial and promotional master calendar to help organize their upcoming email schedule. You want to have a cadence to your emails and provide recipients with varied products, services and offers. It's a good idea to plan out future communications for a three-month time span. This isn't as daunting as it may sound.

Experian Marketing Services, a global provider of integrated consumer insights and targeting, data quality and cross-channel marketing, today announced the release of its global holiday email study. The study includes an examination of more than 100,000 email campaigns sent by more than 1,000 brands across 10 markets, including Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, between October 2012 and the end of December 2012. For many retailers, the holiday season generates the highest amount of revenue.

Our wallets are approaching super-size like proportions. The average American cardholder has approximately four credit or debit cards, and the average household participates in more than 18 consumer rewards programs. In response, there's been a flurry of digital innovations aimed at lightening your load. NFC was touted as the saving grace, but with a high cost of entry and a questionable convenience and value proposition factor, the technology needs a lot of work (and time) before it reaches mass adoption. The latest contender is Apple, who threw its hat into the ring with Passbook.

The home stretch for the holidays is nearing as second wind for retailers is just starting as Experian Marketing Services analyzes the post-Christmas retail trend. Christmas Day 2012 saw a 27% increase in online traffic to the top 500 retail sites compared to 2011. The top retail sites received more than 115.5 million total U.S. visits. To date the holiday online traffic for the past 7 weeks to retail sites are up 10% for 2012 vs. 2011. Each retail holiday milestone day saw online traffic increases so far this season.

Holiday success is all about excelling at the basics. This includes optimizing functionality and speed while not changing style. Learn four strategies that retailers can implement quickly for short-term gains and long-term growth. Within each strategy, retailers will learn best practices, customer success stories and more.

Many retailers struggle to obtain accurate customer information, whether through in store, over the phone, or online data capture methods. Learn how organizations may overcome the dirty data problem through improved data quality strategies. Readers will learn...why contact data is important...how to identify and prevent common errors...best practices for ensuring data quality and more!