NYC Events: Upcoming NYC Business and Technology Events (5/24 - 5/30)

Here is a listing of NYC Business and Technology Events for the upcoming week (5/24 - 5/30) that we thought would be beneficial to our small business community in the Greater NYC area.

Have a business and/or technology event coming up in the New York City area that you’d like us to add to our weekly post? If so, email us at eve...@smallbiztechnology.com.

How To Build A Million Dollar Site With Chris Broadway

May 24, 2013, - 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM, WeWork Labs, 175 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014

Our May Meetup will consist of a 40 minute talk followed by a 20 minute Q&A with Chris “Broadway” Romero, who was previously the Co-Founder of Thisis50.com. We are always picking Broadway’s brain about making moves in the Hip Hop world. After creating Thisis50.com, Broadway has been able to work with some of Hip Hop’s biggest names in different capacities, but makes his mark on the creative and visual side of things. That video you like, chances are Broadway had something to do with it.

Besides being your favorite rapper’s go to technology guy, Broadway is a serial entrepreneur. He has served as an adviser to many startups in the Music Technology world and is always looking for a way to add value and put a dent in our world. When not working on BWAY Creative or taking on clients, Broadway is busy working as a VP at 212 Decibels as he builds out the future of Music Discovery.

 

Marketing, Trademarking, and Strategic Planning - The Next Steps for Your Business

May 29, 2013, - 6:15 PM to 8:00 PM, 33 Nassau Ave, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY

Have you started a business? Great! What’s next?
Come learn from a panel of experienced professionals how to grow your business and what the next steps are towards meeting your goals. This cohort will discuss marketing, branding, trademarking, and strategic planning. In addition, we’ll have a open Q&A session at the end of the seminar, where you can ask questions about your specific business. Free business advice? Yes, indeed.

 

How To Get Prospective Customers To Say ‘WOW’ and Close MORE Sales!

May 30, 2013, - 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, Regus Office Suites, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10106

What you offer is amazing, but too often prospective customers just don’t“get it”! They don’t buy or they aren’t willing to pay what you know your product or service is worth. In this seminar, we’ll show you how to overcome that so you can close more sales!

Using marketing techniques taught at Harvard Business School, Evan will show you how to dramatically increase the number of people who buy. He’ll show you a way to talk about your product or service that makes prospective customers say “WOW!”
Ramon will show you how to use the 7 steps of Lifecycle Marketing to capture leads, nurture prospects and turn customers into loyal, lifelong customers.

 

dd:IMPACT Conference Groundswell: The Next Wave of Content (presented by Digital DUMBO)

May 30, 01:00 PM to 8:30 PM, Galapagos Art Space, 16 Main St, Brooklyn 11201

At the first dd:IMPACT of 2013, “Groundswell: The Next Wave of Content,” we’ll explore how the most successful companies and brands in the world are using content and platforms to spark movements and increase their bottom lines.

We’ll examine how content allows creatives to work more closely with digital teams to create new products, partnerships, and businesses through the next wave of campaigns, experiential activations, curators, storytelling, media formats, platforms, and more.

The panel discussions will feature industry leaders from brands like The New York Times, VICE/Virtue, The Onion, MINI USA, Pulse, Digg, R/GA, Artsy, Cowbird, Narratively, Fohr Card, and more!

Finally: A Simple Solution for Preventing Fraud

In today’s economically challenged environment, businesses are getting more and more creative in what they offer in the way of discounts to targeted groups such as the military or college students.  Unfortunately, these types of special offerings open the doors for some people fraudulently claiming to be a member of the discounted group.   Thankfully for small businesses there is SheerID, an Oregon-based verification software technology company that offers small businesses the ability to instantly verify consumer credentials at the point of sale.  This system allows small business owners to continue to build their customer base without the risk of losing money to fraudulent claims.

“Using SheerID, retailers can aggressively target groups like students, teachers, military families and small businesses without worrying about discount fraud or margin erosion,” says Jake Weatherly, CEO.  “The more targeted and compelling your campaign is, the more strategic and efficient your messaging and reach are, and the higher your ROI.  The big picture is that businesses that support the student community, recognize teachers, and honor military service establish remarkable brand equity through goodwill, and these brands are heavily evangelized by word of mouth and in social media.”

By accessing exclusive government databases, SheerID provides real-time information that allows small business owners the opportunity to offer discounts and retain certain customers without having to deal with fraudulent claims and thereby losing profits.  SheerID acts a bridge between secure databases allowing commercial enterprises to accurately and instantly verify whether or not their customer qualifies for a special discount like student, active duty military, veteran, or teacher discounts.  SheerID can be used for free and comes with a verification plug-in that can be configured for any e-commerce website, internal customer sales system, mobile application, or POS.

SheerID helps to take away to burden of verifying the target groups of a business so that business owners can focus on providing great customer service without worrying about getting ripped off.  As Weatherly puts it, “By using SheerID to instantly verify eligibility for exclusive offers, e-commerce stores and businesses can be confident that only customers in their target market can redeem their exclusive discounts and special offers.”

Tech Thursday (5/23): News From Kaufmann, LegalZoom, Zoho, Palo Alto, and HP

It’s Tech Thursday from Smallbiztechnology.com. Each week we take a quick look at business and technology news and updates for the small business community and share them with you in a quick and simple round-up.

Startup Business Owners Optimistic About Growth in 2013, Kauffman/LegalZoom Index Shows

Entrepreneurs’ confidence reaches the highest level since the quarterly survey was initiated

Early-stage business owners’ confidence is climbing, according to the first-quarter 2013 Kauffman/LegalZoom Startup Confidence Index, released April 30th, by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and LegalZoom. Eighty-four percent of entrepreneurs said they are confident or very confident in their companies’ prospects for profitability in the next 12 months, which is the highest confidence level since the survey launched early last year and reflects a 1 percent increase over the fourth-quarter 2012 survey. Furthermore, confidence levels of the youngest entrepreneurs - those 18 to 30 years old - started to rebound, as 96 percent reported they were confident or very confident that their businesses’ profitability will increase in the year ahead, a 3 percent jump over fourth quarter 2012. Confidence levels among other age groups fell as the entrepreneurs’ ages increased. Nevertheless, even entrepreneurs aged 61 and older - the oldest category - expressed 73 percent confidence in 2013 profitabilty.

For all the statistics, click here. 

 

Zoho Launches Card Scanner App for iPhone

Zoho launches of Card Scanner, an online business card scanning application for Zoho CRM. 

Zoho announced the launch of Card Scanner, an online business card scanning application for Zoho CRM. Now, users can take a photo of a business card and Card Scanner intelligently converts the image to text that is automatically saved either as a new contact or lead in Zoho CRM or as a new contact in Card Scanner. Card Scanner currently supports the iPhone and will support iPad and Android devices going forward. With the launch of Card Scanner app, Zoho users can now eliminate the process of manually entering data into their CRM module. The Card Scanner extracts names, company information, phone numbers, email addresses, Twitter handles and other card information â€" regardless of business card size, font and format. Users who don’t use Zoho CRM can store card information in the Card Scanner’s native contact manager.

For all the card scanner functions, click here. 

 

Palo Alto Software Collaborates with MasterCard

Providing Innovative Lean Planning and Management Software Solutions to Small Businesses. New relationship aims to better serve the small business market.

Palo Alto Software announced at the Finovate conference in San Francisco a new relationship with MasterCard that will help drive small business success.
LivePlan, a business management tool from Palo Alto Software, will be available at an automatic discount to enrolled members of the MasterCard Easy Savings® Program. In addition, LivePlan will be integrated into the MasterCard Business Network, an online resource designed to streamline business operations and enhance productivity for small and mid-sized businesses.

LivePlan includes a pitch builder tool that helps business owners create a visual summary of their business model and market opportunity, a template for developing a lender-ready business plan, and a Scoreboard feature that allows a business owner to track their actual financial performance against their plan. If a company uses QuickBooks for Windows they can also connect their QuickBooks data to their LivePlan Scoreboard and see how their business is doing with a single click.

For all the details on LivePlan, click here.

 

HP Expands x2 Detachable PC Portfolio to Enable Ultimate Flexibility

New two-in-one detachable PCs with Android or Windows 8 offer mobility and productivity.

HP announced the HP SlateBook x2 and the HP Split x2, two detachable PCs that offer the full functionality of a notebook with a removable screen that also is a sleek tablet.
Powered by the Android and Microsoft® Windows® 8 operating systems (OS), respectively, these versatile two-in-one devices combine power and portability, giving customers the flexibility to create, consume and share content in more places.
HP’s unmatched portfolio of next-generation PCs is designed to enable users to connect with their information on devices that easily adapt to their needs. By releasing the magnetic hinge, users can move elegantly between the two form factorsâ€"tablet and notebook PCâ€"all in one device.
The HP SlateBook x2 and Split x2 join the award-winning HP ENVY x2 as part of HP’s detachable PC portfolio. The HP SlateBook x2 also joins the HP Slate7 as part of HP’s push to offer access to the Google experience, and to provide access through multile operating systems. 

For all the information, click here.

Working After Retirement: Should Grandpa Buy A Franchise?

It’s a fair question.  It’s one that he’s asking himself. So let’s find out why.

It’s a Different World

Grandpa (and/or grandma) may not be having the retirement experience that they thought they’d be having, especially if grandpa was the victim of a corporate downsizing a couple of years before he was supposed to retire.

When grandpa started working, corporate ladder-climbing was the norm. He was led to believe that if he worked hard and made all the right moves, he’ be able to work his way up the ladder. In a perfect world, Grandpa would end up in a much better (and higher) position at the company where he was employed by the time it came time to retire.

And, not only did gramps expect to be making a salary that was in line with his experience and longevity at the company come retirement age, he was also counting on having a nice, fat, company pension to live on. You know what happened to pension plans, right?

Another thing that’s different is job longevity; it doesn’t seem to be as important as it used to be. Today’s HR departments almost expect to see short-term job histories among applicants. What used to be perceived as job-hopping is now looked upon as fast-tracking if done right. And, since grandpa wasn’t a job-hopper, (he was a loyal employee with longevity) his resume is looked at in a not-too-positive light.

Then there’s his age. How many employers are enthusiastically hiring 60+ year-old men? (I know; it’s illegal to turn away job applicants because of their age.)

Working After Retirement: Retirement Reality

In 2005, CEO and Founder of Small Business Trends, Anita Campbell, wrote about the changing face of retirement:

“In the U.S., it used to be that someone reached the magic retirement age of 65 and stopped working. Period. Now many more people ‘retire’ earlier, but their retirements are not traditional in the sense of not working. Retirees take jobs from time to time, and they even start and continue their own businesses during their ‘retirements.’ Their state of employment is based not on some grand career plan set in motion 30 years earlier, but rather on their needs and desires this year or this month. If they need the money or if they simply want more challenge and social interaction, they may take a job or start a business. “

In 2013, I’m pretty confident that a lot of the non-traditional retirements we’re seeing have less to do with a want and more to do with a need. In other words, these people need to make money - even though they don’t necessarily want to continue working.

They’re Starting Businesses

The Kauffman Foundation, in its 2009 report titled, The Coming Entrepreneurship Boom, stated that the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity belonged to the 55-64 age group. The report goes on to state that the average age of technology company founders in the United States is a surprisingly high 39 with twice as many over age 50 as under age 25.

But, they’re not all starting technology companies. Some of them are buying franchises.

The Franchise Way

Buying into a proven business concept (which is what franchising offers) could be the way to go for those that have found themselves out of a job and close to retirement age.  And, while franchise ownership has its risks, it has numerous advantages, too:

1. Proven concept
2. Proprietary business systems
3. Extensive training
4. Grand opening assistance
5. Powerful technology
6. Buying power
7. Branding

And, let’s not forget speed. People that are nearing retirement age (who want to go into business for themselves) need to be able to open up their new businesses quickly. In most cases, new franchise owners can be up and running quickly.

The ROI (Return on Investment) Time Frame

I regularly provide personal guidance to prospective franchise owners who are 55+. While I’m quick to point out some of the advantages of franchising, I’m also very comfortable providing information on the possible downsides of franchise ownership - especially for those that need to get some income going fairly quickly.

I’ve been saying for years that “franchise ownership isn’t for everybody.” One of the reasons that becoming the owner of a franchise business isn’t always the right thing for people has to do with the money.  In this case, I’m not referring to the up-front investment. Instead, I’m referring to the return on investment (ROI).

If grandpa invests in a start-up franchise, one that will be a brand-new location for the franchisor, it’s going to take a while to get to break-even. Probably a year. Maybe even more depending on the type of franchise it is. If grandpa needs to collect a decent paycheck early on, he’s going to rapidly become frustrated if he chooses to buy a franchise - it’s probably not going to happen.

It’s not that franchising is bad and that it “takes too long to make money.” It’s just math. All startups (franchise or non-franchise) need to have revenue. At first, that revenue needs to pay for things like marketing, inventory, payroll, etc. Eventually, there will be enough revenue coming in to pay for business expenses. That’s when a little bit of profit starts to creep in. It just takes a while.

For people who aren’t quite ready or that can’t realistically retire when they planned to, buying a franchise is one option that may warrant their investigation as long as they’re realistic when it comes to earning a paycheck from their new business right out of the gate.

Did you buy a franchise at a late-age? Are you thinking of doing so?

What do you think - should grandpa buy a franchise?

Senior Citizen Photo via Shutterstock

Working After Retirement: Should Grandpa Buy A Franchise?

It’s a fair question.  It’s one that he’s asking himself. So let’s find out why.

It’s a Different World

Grandpa (and/or grandma) may not be having the retirement experience that they thought they’d be having, especially if grandpa was the victim of a corporate downsizing a couple of years before he was supposed to retire.

When grandpa started working, corporate ladder-climbing was the norm. He was led to believe that if he worked hard and made all the right moves, he’ be able to work his way up the ladder. In a perfect world, Grandpa would end up in a much better (and higher) position at the company where he was employed by the time it came time to retire.

And, not only did gramps expect to be making a salary that was in line with his experience and longevity at the company come retirement age, he was also counting on having a nice, fat, company pension to live on. You know what happened to pension plans, right?

Another thing that’s different is job longevity; it doesn’t seem to be as important as it used to be. Today’s HR departments almost expect to see short-term job histories among applicants. What used to be perceived as job-hopping is now looked upon as fast-tracking if done right. And, since grandpa wasn’t a job-hopper, (he was a loyal employee with longevity) his resume is looked at in a not-too-positive light.

Then there’s his age. How many employers are enthusiastically hiring 60+ year-old men? (I know; it’s illegal to turn away job applicants because of their age.)

Working After Retirement: Retirement Reality

In 2005, CEO and Founder of Small Business Trends, Anita Campbell, wrote about the changing face of retirement:

“In the U.S., it used to be that someone reached the magic retirement age of 65 and stopped working. Period. Now many more people ‘retire’ earlier, but their retirements are not traditional in the sense of not working. Retirees take jobs from time to time, and they even start and continue their own businesses during their ‘retirements.’ Their state of employment is based not on some grand career plan set in motion 30 years earlier, but rather on their needs and desires this year or this month. If they need the money or if they simply want more challenge and social interaction, they may take a job or start a business. “

In 2013, I’m pretty confident that a lot of the non-traditional retirements we’re seeing have less to do with a want and more to do with a need. In other words, these people need to make money - even though they don’t necessarily want to continue working.

They’re Starting Businesses

The Kauffman Foundation, in its 2009 report titled, The Coming Entrepreneurship Boom, stated that the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity belonged to the 55-64 age group. The report goes on to state that the average age of technology company founders in the United States is a surprisingly high 39 with twice as many over age 50 as under age 25.

But, they’re not all starting technology companies. Some of them are buying franchises.

The Franchise Way

Buying into a proven business concept (which is what franchising offers) could be the way to go for those that have found themselves out of a job and close to retirement age.  And, while franchise ownership has its risks, it has numerous advantages, too:

1. Proven concept
2. Proprietary business systems
3. Extensive training
4. Grand opening assistance
5. Powerful technology
6. Buying power
7. Branding

And, let’s not forget speed. People that are nearing retirement age (who want to go into business for themselves) need to be able to open up their new businesses quickly. In most cases, new franchise owners can be up and running quickly.

The ROI (Return on Investment) Time Frame

I regularly provide personal guidance to prospective franchise owners who are 55+. While I’m quick to point out some of the advantages of franchising, I’m also very comfortable providing information on the possible downsides of franchise ownership - especially for those that need to get some income going fairly quickly.

I’ve been saying for years that “franchise ownership isn’t for everybody.” One of the reasons that becoming the owner of a franchise business isn’t always the right thing for people has to do with the money.  In this case, I’m not referring to the up-front investment. Instead, I’m referring to the return on investment (ROI).

If grandpa invests in a start-up franchise, one that will be a brand-new location for the franchisor, it’s going to take a while to get to break-even. Probably a year. Maybe even more depending on the type of franchise it is. If grandpa needs to collect a decent paycheck early on, he’s going to rapidly become frustrated if he chooses to buy a franchise - it’s probably not going to happen.

It’s not that franchising is bad and that it “takes too long to make money.” It’s just math. All startups (franchise or non-franchise) need to have revenue. At first, that revenue needs to pay for things like marketing, inventory, payroll, etc. Eventually, there will be enough revenue coming in to pay for business expenses. That’s when a little bit of profit starts to creep in. It just takes a while.

For people who aren’t quite ready or that can’t realistically retire when they planned to, buying a franchise is one option that may warrant their investigation as long as they’re realistic when it comes to earning a paycheck from their new business right out of the gate.

Did you buy a franchise at a late-age? Are you thinking of doing so?

What do you think - should grandpa buy a franchise?

Senior Citizen Photo via Shutterstock

5 Technological Breakthoughs Your Website Redesign Must Have

Advancement in design and programming technology makes for a perfect storm: Now is the best time to redo your website.

Technology breakthroughs are constant, but design breakthroughs - what’s that all about? Comedian Louis CK does a bit about how your stomach takes 20 minutes to tell your head that it’s full. He says you can stub your toe and your head knows right away how much it hurts, but why does it take 20 minutes for your stomach to communicate?

Well, embracing and using new technology to its fullest is a bit like communicating with your stomach: It takes time.

It’s been 23 years since Tim Berners-Lee launched the first website and we finally have the tools for designing a website that really focuses on the user. Yet it’s not only about the user, it’s also about the owner of the website and what the owner has to offer the user. It’s about a relationship between user and content holder.

And like any relationship, it’s hard work.

Connect Your Content to Your Audience

Make your content relevant to your target audience. The whole world may be able to get to your website, but the whole world is not your audience.

Identify who your key audience is and provide content that best serves your audience while addressing the issues, offers and themes that you want to express. Most users come to your website for three primary reasons:

• Research
• Evaluation
• Purchasing

Does your content and website design address the three main reasons people visit websites?

You Are Here

When you stand in front of a map and read, “You Are Here,” have you ever wondered, as Steve Martin once asked, “How did it know I’d be here?”

When performing a website redesign, you need to know where the users are and you have to make it easy for them to get anywhere fast. Before you select the images and determine what design looks better, you need to analyze these 3 areas of your website:

• The content flow
• The organization
• The navigation

Here’s where design and tech meet in a perfect storm. Never before has it been easier to learn how users use your website, and to have the ability to design a website that meets your target audience.

1. Analytics

Who is visiting your website? How long do they stay? And once they arrive, where do they go?

The amount of information available through free services like Google Analytics is astounding. Web developer and online marketing expert, Kurt Edelbrock, says Google Analytics will help you, “understand your audience and your website in ways that your competitors on the Web often won’t.”

You can now track users, see what pages are popular and use this information to guide your website redesign.

2. Responsive Design

Responsive web design offers you the best quality browsing experience with easy reading and navigation minimizing the need for resizing, panning and scrolling. A website design with responsive architecture displays itself effectively on desktop browsers, tablets and mobile devices.

“Given the rapid adoption of tablets and smartphones â€" and the fact that users currently seem to prefer reading their news on the mobile Web rather than in apps â€" I think it’s inevitable that 2013 will be the year that responsive design takes off,” says Peter Cashmore, CEO of Mashable.

3. Content Management Systems (CMS)

CMS offers you a way to organize your content and post new and updated content. With WordPress and other open source CMS platforms, you can have sophisticated tools at your fingertips that are essential and affordable.

When you manage your content better, you can repurpose it on multiple platforms.

4. Mobile

Did you know that 85% of mobile users expect the mobile version of your website to be as good or better than the desktop view? “A mobile device is the Internet for many people,” says Susannah Fox from the Pew Research Center.

You can’t ignore the fastest growing audience online. Karen McGrane makes a great argument in Content Strategy for Mobile, “mobile can be a catalyst to make your entire publishing process more efficient and more effective.” We should use mobile as the filter for rethinking all of our content. Mobile websites must be simpler, easier to click, better written and designed to work for the person on-the-go in a much smaller space.

How about applying that to your desktop design as well?

5. Social Media

People have a better understanding about what works on blogs, Facebook and Twitter. It’s not just about posting and reposting, but using content that effectively promotes your company, products or services. You can combine your business Facebook page with plugins that share content or simply add quick links and “Like” buttons to attract audiences back and forth between your website and your Facebook page.

For your audience to think of you as professional, your communication strategy must embrace multiple platforms and display messaging and visual marketing in a consistent manner. Today is a great time to rethink and repurpose your website so that it is on target with your business goals, meets your audience needs and utilizes the best that technology has to offer.

Breakthrough Photo via Shutterstock

5 Technological Breakthoughs Your Website Redesign Must Have

Advancement in design and programming technology makes for a perfect storm: Now is the best time to redo your website.

Technology breakthroughs are constant, but design breakthroughs - what’s that all about? Comedian Louis CK does a bit about how your stomach takes 20 minutes to tell your head that it’s full. He says you can stub your toe and your head knows right away how much it hurts, but why does it take 20 minutes for your stomach to communicate?

Well, embracing and using new technology to its fullest is a bit like communicating with your stomach: It takes time.

It’s been 23 years since Tim Berners-Lee launched the first website and we finally have the tools for designing a website that really focuses on the user. Yet it’s not only about the user, it’s also about the owner of the website and what the owner has to offer the user. It’s about a relationship between user and content holder.

And like any relationship, it’s hard work.

Connect Your Content to Your Audience

Make your content relevant to your target audience. The whole world may be able to get to your website, but the whole world is not your audience.

Identify who your key audience is and provide content that best serves your audience while addressing the issues, offers and themes that you want to express. Most users come to your website for three primary reasons:

• Research
• Evaluation
• Purchasing

Does your content and website design address the three main reasons people visit websites?

You Are Here

When you stand in front of a map and read, “You Are Here,” have you ever wondered, as Steve Martin once asked, “How did it know I’d be here?”

When performing a website redesign, you need to know where the users are and you have to make it easy for them to get anywhere fast. Before you select the images and determine what design looks better, you need to analyze these 3 areas of your website:

• The content flow
• The organization
• The navigation

Here’s where design and tech meet in a perfect storm. Never before has it been easier to learn how users use your website, and to have the ability to design a website that meets your target audience.

1. Analytics

Who is visiting your website? How long do they stay? And once they arrive, where do they go?

The amount of information available through free services like Google Analytics is astounding. Web developer and online marketing expert, Kurt Edelbrock, says Google Analytics will help you, “understand your audience and your website in ways that your competitors on the Web often won’t.”

You can now track users, see what pages are popular and use this information to guide your website redesign.

2. Responsive Design

Responsive web design offers you the best quality browsing experience with easy reading and navigation minimizing the need for resizing, panning and scrolling. A website design with responsive architecture displays itself effectively on desktop browsers, tablets and mobile devices.

“Given the rapid adoption of tablets and smartphones â€" and the fact that users currently seem to prefer reading their news on the mobile Web rather than in apps â€" I think it’s inevitable that 2013 will be the year that responsive design takes off,” says Peter Cashmore, CEO of Mashable.

3. Content Management Systems (CMS)

CMS offers you a way to organize your content and post new and updated content. With WordPress and other open source CMS platforms, you can have sophisticated tools at your fingertips that are essential and affordable.

When you manage your content better, you can repurpose it on multiple platforms.

4. Mobile

Did you know that 85% of mobile users expect the mobile version of your website to be as good or better than the desktop view? “A mobile device is the Internet for many people,” says Susannah Fox from the Pew Research Center.

You can’t ignore the fastest growing audience online. Karen McGrane makes a great argument in Content Strategy for Mobile, “mobile can be a catalyst to make your entire publishing process more efficient and more effective.” We should use mobile as the filter for rethinking all of our content. Mobile websites must be simpler, easier to click, better written and designed to work for the person on-the-go in a much smaller space.

How about applying that to your desktop design as well?

5. Social Media

People have a better understanding about what works on blogs, Facebook and Twitter. It’s not just about posting and reposting, but using content that effectively promotes your company, products or services. You can combine your business Facebook page with plugins that share content or simply add quick links and “Like” buttons to attract audiences back and forth between your website and your Facebook page.

For your audience to think of you as professional, your communication strategy must embrace multiple platforms and display messaging and visual marketing in a consistent manner. Today is a great time to rethink and repurpose your website so that it is on target with your business goals, meets your audience needs and utilizes the best that technology has to offer.

Breakthrough Photo via Shutterstock

HP Tablet Costs Less Than iPad And Includes A Keyboard

[Slatebook X2]

Hewlett-Packard is introducing a new HP Android tablet hybrid, the SlateBook x2, that’s aiming to rival the popular iPad2.

HP is pricing its entry into the hybrid tablet market at $20 less than the cost of iPad2. But the SlateBook x2 also comes standard with a keyboard. The HP Android tablet features a 10.2-inch screen. There is one USB port, an HDMI port, and an SD card slot, according to an early review from LaptopMag.com.

Striking While the Iron is Hot?

The introduction of the SlateBook x2 comes during recent good times at HP. After suffering internal struggles and slower sales, HP’s second-quarter sales were much higher than expected. That announcement on Wednesday sent stock prices 13 percent higher in after-hours trading, according to The New York Times.

Sales of the company’s notebooks were still slow, according to its earnings reports. The SlateBook x2 could be a way to make a big splash in the mobile device market and possibly snag potential iPad2 customers by offering its versatile device at an economical price. SlateBook x2 is retailing for $479, a price that should entice budget-conscious customers to at least consider it.

Keeping Up With the Joneses … Almost

HP has realized what others have in the tablet market: the need for versatility. Competitors are also introducing tablet and desktop/laptop combos.

The keyboard has become an essential peripheral for tablet owners. As convenient as it is to have a touchscreen, jobs that require extensive data entry, for example, are just not a fit for a touchscreen alone. The keyboard essentially turns a tablet into a laptop. This should make the SlateBook x2 more versatile as a viable business machine. LaptopMag.com reports that they got 14 hours of juice from the batteries in the tablet and keyboard (each has one), meaning you can get more business done without worrying about a recharge.

One drawback: the 2MP camera mounted on the back of the tablet is not exactly the best means to capture digital media, like shooting photos of your products or even sharing quick snapshots on social media. The review noted photos were grainy in good lighting. The SlateBook X2 is expected to be available by July.

Calls made for better synchronisation between solutions and open architecture

Vendors should work to an open architecture to ensure that different technologies can work together.

Speaking to SC Magazine, Chris Pace, director of product and solutions marketing at Blue Coat, said that he wanted to work with other vendors to deliver users' needs so that there is not only one operation with open architecture, but also find ways to improve.

He said: “It is far better to understand individual needs and how things fit together. We want an open architecture with cooperation with other technology vendors. The way things are positioned, we need to do a better job of what we do, but [look at] what is required to do in IT security and the way the landscape looks today; IT security is high on the list and often it is done with a tick box of what is required.

“We need to get vendors, resellers and integrators to understand what is required and what is best for users; we are not moving forward and talking about a problem and saying ‘work with us' is not right.”

Recently, security consultant Dinis Cruz made comments regarding greater transparency on how things work and Pace said that while he didn't expect source code to be made freely available, by building better relationships he couldn't see a way this could not be achieved.

“Open architecture is not about vendors releasing their source code and figuring out where things fit, it is about having good relations with other vendors,” he said.

“From our point of view, relationships are core of letting people know what to ask and be efficient in knowing what to do. In the past users have had tools, but need to get to the point where things are much better.”

Asked how this can be done, Pace said that vendors cannot sell fear and doubt forever and vendors are showing an understanding of the position that users are in. “IT cannot protect, it has to be about making things possible,” he said.

Speaking to SC Magazine, John Thielens, chief security officer at Axway, said that with data flow technology, there needs to be better user knowledge on default passwords for example, with minimal security concerns - to raise the bar for vendors and help users avoid making mistakes.

He said: “We work with resellers to deliver reference implementation documentation on best practice of service so everyone is working from the same recipe book. This is an evolution from traditional documentation.

“This is how to share and work consistently and another example of putting the onus on the vendor to make sure users understand how to use instructions on how to do things.”

Senior security consultant Niran Seriki at the Council of the European Union told SC Magazine that he agreed with this concept, and that the ideal thing would be that the user has better understanding and clarity of the different technologies.

He said: “Unfortunately, the vendors themselves make things a bit difficult for the users. There are so many solutions out there and what will naturally help the end-user is to be able to use different products/solutions that integrate easily without having to depend on a single vendor, even when such a vendor does not possess strength in certain areas.

“This is where Gartner and other research bodies are quite useful before decisions are made on adopting solutions.”

Calls made for better synchronisation between solutions and open architecture

Vendors should work to an open architecture to ensure that different technologies can work together.

Speaking to SC Magazine, Chris Pace, director of product and solutions marketing at Blue Coat, said that he wanted to work with other vendors to deliver users' needs so that there is not only one operation with open architecture, but also find ways to improve.

He said: “It is far better to understand individual needs and how things fit together. We want an open architecture with cooperation with other technology vendors. The way things are positioned, we need to do a better job of what we do, but [look at] what is required to do in IT security and the way the landscape looks today; IT security is high on the list and often it is done with a tick box of what is required.

“We need to get vendors, resellers and integrators to understand what is required and what is best for users; we are not moving forward and talking about a problem and saying ‘work with us' is not right.”

Recently, security consultant Dinis Cruz made comments regarding greater transparency on how things work and Pace said that while he didn't expect source code to be made freely available, by building better relationships he couldn't see a way this could not be achieved.

“Open architecture is not about vendors releasing their source code and figuring out where things fit, it is about having good relations with other vendors,” he said.

“From our point of view, relationships are core of letting people know what to ask and be efficient in knowing what to do. In the past users have had tools, but need to get to the point where things are much better.”

Asked how this can be done, Pace said that vendors cannot sell fear and doubt forever and vendors are showing an understanding of the position that users are in. “IT cannot protect, it has to be about making things possible,” he said.

Speaking to SC Magazine, John Thielens, chief security officer at Axway, said that with data flow technology, there needs to be better user knowledge on default passwords for example, with minimal security concerns - to raise the bar for vendors and help users avoid making mistakes.

He said: “We work with resellers to deliver reference implementation documentation on best practice of service so everyone is working from the same recipe book. This is an evolution from traditional documentation.

“This is how to share and work consistently and another example of putting the onus on the vendor to make sure users understand how to use instructions on how to do things.”

Senior security consultant Niran Seriki at the Council of the European Union told SC Magazine that he agreed with this concept, and that the ideal thing would be that the user has better understanding and clarity of the different technologies.

He said: “Unfortunately, the vendors themselves make things a bit difficult for the users. There are so many solutions out there and what will naturally help the end-user is to be able to use different products/solutions that integrate easily without having to depend on a single vendor, even when such a vendor does not possess strength in certain areas.

“This is where Gartner and other research bodies are quite useful before decisions are made on adopting solutions.”

Are Your B2B Proposals Working For You?

There are people who will tell you that you should never, ever write business proposals. Proposals take a lot of time, the argument goes. There’s a lot of work involved. The very act of putting together strong business proposals draws heavily on your expertise and insight. You’re making an investment when you create a proposal - and if the client doesn’t close the deal with you, it’s an investment that returns nothing.

There are people who agree with the never write a proposal position, who are simultaneously very aware that in order for their business to function on a daily basis, they need to write proposals. That’s the way the world works, and so they go through the motions, lining up the necessary fact sheets and price points in the routine fashion and sending them off in the hopes they get the sale.

And then there are people who see business to business proposals for what they really are - a powerful marketing tool that can be used to gain a significant advantage over the competition.

Which group do you belong to?

The Underappreciated Sales Tool

While preparing this article, I reviewed the last 200 business proposals my company generated. Not every one of these proposals was ultimately successful, of course, but they all had one trait in common: They got our team in the door for further meetings, deeper into the sales process with the prospective client.

We wondered what it was about these business proposals that made customers open the door enough to say, “We’re willing to explore working with you.” Below are the key ingredients that appeared in every proposal.

Overview of Potential Project

Each proposal begins with an outline of the goals and intended outcomes of the project are. This step is absolutely essential. You’re convincing the client that your company is focused on solving their problems.

To be convincing, you need to speak the same language that your client speaks. Every industry and profession has its own language, composed of jargon, acronyms and shorthand terms. The more fluent you are in your potential client’s language, the easier it becomes for that client to feel like you understand them.

Quick Review & Initial Recommendations

In the next section of the proposal, you have an opportunity to demonstrate your insight and judgment. Remember to think like your customer. No matter what industry you’re in, you want to do business with partners who are perceptive and smart.

Use this section to provide your assessment of your customer’s situation, including any items that may be of concern. This is also the point to provide a few surface level recommendations for your customer to consider. You don’t have to provide the solutions to your customer’s problems in the proposal, but you do have to provide your customers with the confidence that you’re capable of solving the problem.

A business proposal is an invitation to start a new relationship. In this section, you’re demonstrating to your prospect what value they may find in the relationship with you. By giving feedback you’re demonstrating to your potential client your style of communication and your level of intellectual investment in their business.

Assumptions and Process

After proving to your customers the value to be found in beginning a relationship with you, the next step is to explain what the experience of working together will be like.

Not everyone has the same background and not everyone has worked on the same projects in the same way. I find it a helpful to share a list of assumptions about how we like to work and what we expect of our client. This step can often help clients determine very rapidly if they’ll be happy working with you.

Marketing to your customer’s means educating and informing your audience. Depending on your industry, a customer may not realize what’s involved in a potential job. Giving your potential client a way to understand what you do and the process you follow illustrates how you value your time and their time.

Clear Pricing Breakdown

Money matters. You have a budget that guides your business decision making process. So do your customers. We’ve found that the clear, easy to understand pricing information is highly valued by potential clients.

Don’t be afraid to be detailed. Break down the costs in a clear way with supporting details for each line item. Customers want to know what they’re paying for. Having support for every number in your proposal demonstrates an awareness of your client’s business needs.

Pride in Your Work & Team

Go ahead and toot your own horn a bit. This is a sales pitch, after all. Let your potential client know why you’re the best choice for them. Be specific, and relate your experience to your potential client’s needs.

Add case studies or images of successful projects. List your team members and their involvement. Tie everything together for your potential client to see you value your team as much as you value their business.

Make it Pretty

Never, ever forget that business proposals are a sales tool. Presentation really does matter. A well-designed proposal is a demonstration to your customer that you value them highly - that you want to get their attention, their respect and yes, ultimately, their business.

Taking the time to make sure your proposals are well organized. Ensure that everything is easy to read and understand. Use color, font, images and layout to make the process of reading the proposal as engaging and enjoyable as possible. Whether you service business is accounting or design people want to feel they matter and good design is a great way to provide that feeling.

It’s Time To Stop

Stop looking at your business proposals as a waste of time or a necessary evil. Start looking at your business proposals as powerful marketing tools you can use to start profitable, long-lasting relationships.

It’s an investment that will reap rich rewards.

Waiting with Proposal Photo via Shutterstock

Twitter offers two-factor authentication for stronger logins

Twitter said it has enabled two-factor authentication.

“Every day, a growing number of people login to Twitter," Jim O'Leary of Twitter's product security team wrote in a blog.

“Usually these login attempts come from the genuine account owners, but we occasionally hear from people whose accounts have been compromised by email phishing schemes or a breach of password data elsewhere on the web.”

The functionality will work similar to the way it does on Gmail. Users opt in to the additional security feature in the 'Settings' page and add a mobile phone number. Then, each time they login to their account using their normal credentials, they are prompted to enter a six-digit verification code, which is sent via SMS to that phone number.

“With login verification enabled, your existing applications will continue to work without disruption,” O'Leary wrote.

“If you need to sign in to your Twitter account on other devices or apps, visit your 'Applications' page to generate a temporary password to login and authorise that application.”

Twitter has faced pressure to deploy two-factor capability in light of a number of highly publicised account takeovers, including those that targeted The Associated Press and Financial Times.

Twitter offers two-factor authentication for stronger logins

Twitter said it has enabled two-factor authentication.

“Every day, a growing number of people login to Twitter," Jim O'Leary of Twitter's product security team wrote in a blog.

“Usually these login attempts come from the genuine account owners, but we occasionally hear from people whose accounts have been compromised by email phishing schemes or a breach of password data elsewhere on the web.”

The functionality will work similar to the way it does on Gmail. Users opt in to the additional security feature in the 'Settings' page and add a mobile phone number. Then, each time they login to their account using their normal credentials, they are prompted to enter a six-digit verification code, which is sent via SMS to that phone number.

“With login verification enabled, your existing applications will continue to work without disruption,” O'Leary wrote.

“If you need to sign in to your Twitter account on other devices or apps, visit your 'Applications' page to generate a temporary password to login and authorise that application.”

Twitter has faced pressure to deploy two-factor capability in light of a number of highly publicised account takeovers, including those that targeted The Associated Press and Financial Times.

Next-generation firewalls provide protection but add to workload

A third of organisations have implemented a next-generation firewall to improve protection from attacks.

According to a survey of 130 IT security professionals by AlgoSec, 57 per cent of respondents said that next-generation firewalls seemed to be adding protection but also increase the firewall management workload.

The survey also found that 70 per cent of respondents reported having to make more changes to their next-generation firewalls than traditional firewalls, while 72 per cent suffered an outage or security breach due to an application-related rule change.

Paul Clark, AlgoSec's regional director for UK, Ireland, South Africa & Middle East, said: “Organisations are struggling to manage increasingly complex networks - both from a security and operational perspective. Based on the survey results, it's clear that the biggest challenges for infosec and IT teams come with manual processes and poor visibility, which continue to expose organisations to the risk of outages and security breaches, often caused by their own employees and processes.

“Even those that have adopted next-generation firewalls report that increased security comes at the price of more changes, more policies to manage and more complexity. However, moving away from manual processes and toward automated, centralised management of processes and policies will help organisations to fully realise the potential of next-generation firewalls to improve overall security and reduce costs.”

Small Businesses Dodged a Bullet on E-Verify - For Now

If you haven’t heard of the E-Verify system yet, chances are you will in the future.  E-Verify is an online system used by employers to verify that a worker is eligible to work in the United States.

Very recently there was a push to make E-Verify a mandatory requirement for ALL employers. It was included in the immigration bill wending its way through Congress currently.

At the last minute, the E-Verify provision was eliminated from the immigration bill.  And small businesses and small business advocates who see E-Verify as a regulatory burden, breathed a sigh of relief.

For now that is.

The trend at the state level seems to be moving toward requiring employers to use the E-Verify system to verify workers’ eligibility.  Most of the state laws were passed in the last few years.

In all likelihood we will see more states make E-Verify mandatory.  And it’s still possible that an E-Verify  requirement could raise its head again at the Federal level at some future point.

Good Intentions, But Costly

E-Verify is used by a relatively small but growing number of businesses in the United States.  Over 400,000 employers use it currently, with more than 5,000 new employers added each month.

Many of those using it today are government contractors or public employers.  Or they are located in the nine states (Arizona, Utah, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee) that make E-Verify mandatory for most or all employers.

On the surface, E-Verify seems like a good idea. It’s free to use and it is designed to help employers comply with immigration law.

While the system is free to use, it adds a layer of bureaucracy that hits small businesses hard.  Ann Cun, writing on the LawLogix blog, quotes DeAnne Hilgers of Lindquist & Vennum LLP, on the general impact of E-Verify on small businesses this way, “The costs to employers are significant, especially to smaller employers who do not have HR staff. Often, that HR person is the company owner who is up to his or her elbows with their employees working to make the company successful. When the employer loses an employee, they are losing twice the direct productivity - the lost worker’s and their own.”

NASE (the National Association for the Self Employed) did a survey of its members earlier this year.  A majority agreed that some kind of system to verify a worker’s status to work in this country is needed. But as one small business owner puts it, the current E-Verify is not that system.

According to Stephen McNeilly, owner of ServiceProz, Inc., and a member of the NASE Member Council, “We want to comply with any new immigration requirements as long as they are not burdensome and impact our businesses and bottom-lines. The E-Verify system we currently already use takes too long to verify employment. We need a system that is efficient, easy to use and isn’t complex.”

Nearly 80% of small businesses want a system that will allow them to spend under 30 minutes verifying an employee’s immigration status, per the NASE survey.  Yet according to one source, a business may need to spend more than 30 hours on educational materials in order to enroll in and comply with E-Verify.

Back in 2011, analyst Philip E. Wolgin of the Center for American Progress estimated the program would cost small businesses between $1,254 to $24,422  just to implement in the first year. After that it would cost about $435 per year.

Not Reliable Enough

If the time burden and cost weren’t enough, some say E-Verify is not even reliable. For example, back in 2011 Wolgin’s report suggested E-Verify had only about a 46 percent success rate identifying undocumented workers.

Meanwhile, last week Kathy Lotspeich, Deputy Chief of the Verification Division for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services told the Senate judiciary panel there are other problems too.

Of the 21 million employee queries E-Verify processed last year, about 1.3 percent returned a “Tentative Non-Confirmation response,” said Lotspeich. This means E-Verify was unable to verify information provided by an employee. Of those, about 800 were due to system errors, she added.  The success rate is getting better, however.

Still, for small businesses, this can mean days or weeks of lost productivity from flagged existing workers or delay in hiring new employees until problems with the data can be worked out.

Gone From Current Immigration Bill, But…

On Tuesday, May 21, the immigration bill passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee and headed to the floor of the U.S. Senate.  Its current version doesn’t make E-Verify mandatory for all - that was nixed last week in committee last Thursday.

“I am not going to support a bill that is overly burdensome to small business,” said U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.), chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship during Thursday’s discussion.

“The people who employ 2, 3, 4 … people, that’s who is going to get caught up in this mess,” said U.S. Sen. James E. Risch (R-Idaho) another member of the committee.

While E-Verify may be gone from the current immigration bill, we’ve probably not heard the last of it - either on the individual state levels or at the Federal level.

What do you think? Would mandatory E-Verify compliance create hardships for your business?

Statue of Liberty, Shutterstock

Small Businesses Dodged a Bullet on E-Verify - For Now

If you haven’t heard of the E-Verify system yet, chances are you will in the future.  E-Verify is an online system used by employers to verify that a worker is eligible to work in the United States.

Very recently there was a push to make E-Verify a mandatory requirement for ALL employers. It was included in the immigration bill wending its way through Congress currently.

At the last minute, the E-Verify provision was eliminated from the immigration bill.  And small businesses and small business advocates who see E-Verify as a regulatory burden, breathed a sigh of relief.

For now that is.

The trend at the state level seems to be moving toward requiring employers to use the E-Verify system to verify workers’ eligibility.  Most of the state laws were passed in the last few years.

In all likelihood we will see more states make E-Verify mandatory.  And it’s still possible that an E-Verify  requirement could raise its head again at the Federal level at some future point.

Good Intentions, But Costly

E-Verify is used by a relatively small but growing number of businesses in the United States.  Over 400,000 employers use it currently, with more than 5,000 new employers added each month.

Many of those using it today are government contractors or public employers.  Or they are located in the nine states (Arizona, Utah, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee) that make E-Verify mandatory for most or all employers.

On the surface, E-Verify seems like a good idea. It’s free to use and it is designed to help employers comply with immigration law.

While the system is free to use, it adds a layer of bureaucracy that hits small businesses hard.  Ann Cun, writing on the LawLogix blog, quotes DeAnne Hilgers of Lindquist & Vennum LLP, on the general impact of E-Verify on small businesses this way, “The costs to employers are significant, especially to smaller employers who do not have HR staff. Often, that HR person is the company owner who is up to his or her elbows with their employees working to make the company successful. When the employer loses an employee, they are losing twice the direct productivity - the lost worker’s and their own.”

NASE (the National Association for the Self Employed) did a survey of its members earlier this year.  A majority agreed that some kind of system to verify a worker’s status to work in this country is needed. But as one small business owner puts it, the current E-Verify is not that system.

According to Stephen McNeilly, owner of ServiceProz, Inc., and a member of the NASE Member Council, “We want to comply with any new immigration requirements as long as they are not burdensome and impact our businesses and bottom-lines. The E-Verify system we currently already use takes too long to verify employment. We need a system that is efficient, easy to use and isn’t complex.”

Nearly 80% of small businesses want a system that will allow them to spend under 30 minutes verifying an employee’s immigration status, per the NASE survey.  Yet according to one source, a business may need to spend more than 30 hours on educational materials in order to enroll in and comply with E-Verify.

Back in 2011, analyst Philip E. Wolgin of the Center for American Progress estimated the program would cost small businesses between $1,254 to $24,422  just to implement in the first year. After that it would cost about $435 per year.

Not Reliable Enough

If the time burden and cost weren’t enough, some say E-Verify is not even reliable. For example, back in 2011 Wolgin’s report suggested E-Verify had only about a 46 percent success rate identifying undocumented workers.

Meanwhile, last week Kathy Lotspeich, Deputy Chief of the Verification Division for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services told the Senate judiciary panel there are other problems too.

Of the 21 million employee queries E-Verify processed last year, about 1.3 percent returned a “Tentative Non-Confirmation response,” said Lotspeich. This means E-Verify was unable to verify information provided by an employee. Of those, about 800 were due to system errors, she added.  The success rate is getting better, however.

Still, for small businesses, this can mean days or weeks of lost productivity from flagged existing workers or delay in hiring new employees until problems with the data can be worked out.

Gone From Current Immigration Bill, But…

On Tuesday, May 21, the immigration bill passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee and headed to the floor of the U.S. Senate.  Its current version doesn’t make E-Verify mandatory for all - that was nixed last week in committee last Thursday.

“I am not going to support a bill that is overly burdensome to small business,” said U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.), chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship during Thursday’s discussion.

“The people who employ 2, 3, 4 … people, that’s who is going to get caught up in this mess,” said U.S. Sen. James E. Risch (R-Idaho) another member of the committee.

While E-Verify may be gone from the current immigration bill, we’ve probably not heard the last of it - either on the individual state levels or at the Federal level.

What do you think? Would mandatory E-Verify compliance create hardships for your business?

Statue of Liberty, Shutterstock

Small Businesses Dodged a Bullet on E-Verify - For Now

If you haven’t heard of the E-Verify system yet, chances are you will in the future.  E-Verify is an online system used by employers to verify that a worker is eligible to work in the United States.

Very recently there was a push to make E-Verify a mandatory requirement for ALL employers. It was included in the immigration bill wending its way through Congress currently.

At the last minute, the E-Verify provision was eliminated from the immigration bill.  And small businesses and small business advocates who see E-Verify as a regulatory burden, breathed a sigh of relief.

For now that is.

The trend at the state level seems to be moving toward requiring employers to use the E-Verify system to verify workers’ eligibility.  Most of the state laws were passed in the last few years.

In all likelihood we will see more states make E-Verify mandatory.  And it’s still possible that an E-Verify  requirement could raise its head again at the Federal level at some future point.

Good Intentions, But Costly

E-Verify is used by a relatively small but growing number of businesses in the United States.  Over 400,000 employers use it currently, with more than 5,000 new employers added each month.

Many of those using it today are government contractors or public employers.  Or they are located in the nine states (Arizona, Utah, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee) that make E-Verify mandatory for most or all employers.

On the surface, E-Verify seems like a good idea. It’s free to use and it is designed to help employers comply with immigration law.

While the system is free to use, it adds a layer of bureaucracy that hits small businesses hard.  Ann Cun, writing on the LawLogix blog, quotes DeAnne Hilgers of Lindquist & Vennum LLP, on the general impact of E-Verify on small businesses this way, “The costs to employers are significant, especially to smaller employers who do not have HR staff. Often, that HR person is the company owner who is up to his or her elbows with their employees working to make the company successful. When the employer loses an employee, they are losing twice the direct productivity - the lost worker’s and their own.”

NASE (the National Association for the Self Employed) did a survey of its members earlier this year.  A majority agreed that some kind of system to verify a worker’s status to work in this country is needed. But as one small business owner puts it, the current E-Verify is not that system.

According to Stephen McNeilly, owner of ServiceProz, Inc., and a member of the NASE Member Council, “We want to comply with any new immigration requirements as long as they are not burdensome and impact our businesses and bottom-lines. The E-Verify system we currently already use takes too long to verify employment. We need a system that is efficient, easy to use and isn’t complex.”

Nearly 80% of small businesses want a system that will allow them to spend under 30 minutes verifying an employee’s immigration status, per the NASE survey.  Yet according to one source, a business may need to spend more than 30 hours on educational materials in order to enroll in and comply with E-Verify.

Back in 2011, analyst Philip E. Wolgin of the Center for American Progress estimated the program would cost small businesses between $1,254 to $24,422  just to implement in the first year. After that it would cost about $435 per year.

Not Reliable Enough

If the time burden and cost weren’t enough, some say E-Verify is not even reliable. For example, back in 2011 Wolgin’s report suggested E-Verify had only about a 46 percent success rate identifying undocumented workers.

Meanwhile, last week Kathy Lotspeich, Deputy Chief of the Verification Division for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services told the Senate judiciary panel there are other problems too.

Of the 21 million employee queries E-Verify processed last year, about 1.3 percent returned a “Tentative Non-Confirmation response,” said Lotspeich. This means E-Verify was unable to verify information provided by an employee. Of those, about 800 were due to system errors, she added.  The success rate is getting better, however.

Still, for small businesses, this can mean days or weeks of lost productivity from flagged existing workers or delay in hiring new employees until problems with the data can be worked out.

Gone From Current Immigration Bill, But…

On Tuesday, May 21, the immigration bill passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee and headed to the floor of the U.S. Senate.  Its current version doesn’t make E-Verify mandatory for all - that was nixed last week in committee last Thursday.

“I am not going to support a bill that is overly burdensome to small business,” said U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.), chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship during Thursday’s discussion.

“The people who employ 2, 3, 4 … people, that’s who is going to get caught up in this mess,” said U.S. Sen. James E. Risch (R-Idaho) another member of the committee.

While E-Verify may be gone from the current immigration bill, we’ve probably not heard the last of it - either on the individual state levels or at the Federal level.

What do you think? Would mandatory E-Verify compliance create hardships for your business?

Statue of Liberty, Shutterstock