AMP 220: How Can Marketers Avoid Cybersecurity Disasters With Gary S. Chan From Alfizo Security Solutions

02/02/21 • 26 min

High-profile data breaches at big-name companies have become an all-too-common pitfall that creates negative press. Marketers need to protect their company and customers by knowing how to prevent a cybersecurity attack or security lapse.

Today’s guest is Gary S. Chan from Alfizo Security Solutions. Gary is a cybersecurity expert and helps organizations make sure software and systems are safe and secure. Avoid being the next victim and consider the cost of inaction.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

Why should marketers care about cybersecurity? To stay safe and do a better job
Best Practices: Proper messaging, deliverability, and documentation gets clients
Settings: Configure SPF and other security options for recipients to receive email
Security Defense: Stop bad things from happening to you and your customers
Remote Security: Technical services and tools to prevent serious problems
Privacy Policies: Read terms and conditions to understand intended use of data
Repeatable Software: Always use what others use, not something unfamiliar
Security Certifications: ISO/IEC 27001 and Soc 2; clarify certifications
Free Software: Money is being made somehow, so make sure it’s secure
Collaborative Communication: Increase understanding and measure success
Risks and Consequences: Takes only one event to close business, cause chaos
Security Benefits: Leverage good security hygiene for peace of mind
Google not only ranks content, but offers higher rating for better Website security
Advice for Marketers: Follow guidance, use strong passwords, report suspicious activity, and attend security training

Links:

Quotes from Gary S. Chan:

“I help businesses improve their sales, meet compliance, and stay safe.”

“Larger clients tend to care about buying from companies with good security.”

“If you don’t configure things properly, a lot of your emails will go to Spam boxes, which means that your recipients don’t read them.”

“You’re going to lose customer data, you’re going to lose intellectual property, you’re going to lose time, you’re going to lose money, and you’re going to lose some of your reputation.”

Some of the highlights of the show include:

Why should marketers care about cybersecurity? To stay safe and do a better job
Best Practices: Proper messaging, deliverability, and documentation gets clients
Settings: Configure SPF and other security options for recipients to receive email
Security Defense: Stop bad things from happening to you and your customers
Remote Security: Technical services and tools to prevent serious problems
Privacy Policies: Read terms and conditions to understand intended use of data
Repeatable Software: Always use what others use, not something unfamiliar
Security Certifications: ISO/IEC 27001 and Soc 2; clarify certifications
Free Software: Money is being made somehow, so make sure it’s secure
Collaborative Communication: Increase understanding and measure success
Risks and Consequences: Takes only one event to close business, cause chaos
Security Benefits: Leverage good security hygiene for peace of mind
Google not only ranks content, but offers higher rating for better Website security
Advice for Marketers: Follow guidance, use strong passwords, report suspicious activity, and attend security training

Links:

Quotes from Gary S. Chan:

“I help businesses improve their sales, meet compliance, and stay safe.”

“Larger clients tend to care about buying from companies with good security.”

“If you don’t configure things properly, a lot of your emails will go to Spam boxes, which means that your recipients don’t read them.”

Previous Episode

AMP 219: Avoiding the Pit of Dark Mode Despair and Making Sure Your Emails Look Awesome With Melissa Sargeant From Litmus

Are you familiar with the dark mode? About 92% of those with smartphones use dark mode on at least one app. The increased use of dark mode with various email services and clients present challenges. How do email marketers make sure that emails are easy to read in dark mode?

Today’s guest is Melissa Sargeant, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Litmus, a well-known email marketing software company. She explains exactly why dark mode matters for marketers, and what they can do to make sure their emails look their best. Melissa provides insights into why this is important for marketers to understand, test, and optimize.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

App Developers: Dark mode makes type and visuals lighter on dark backgrounds
Functional Trend: People use dark mode to read content; easier on their eyes
Benefits: Reduce screen brightness to preserve battery; accessibility preference
Email Clients: Apple, Samsung, Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo offer dark mode
Problems: Prioritize dark mode for subscriber preference, different email clients
Cost: Sending email versus potential cost of not optimizing email to be visible
Tips and Tricks: Settings, assets, code, examples, and guide to dark mode
Do More with Less: Build, test, and analyze emails, then send them for review
Email Analytics/Insights: It doesn't end with send; use data to make better email
Test every email, every time to deliver an experience that exceeds expectations

Links:

Quotes from Melissa Sargeant:

“The reason why a lot of people are viewing things in dark mode—we talk a lot in email marketing about accessibility to your emails—for some folks, it's just easier on their eyes. It’s an easier way for them to read content.”

“We think about email as a channel. It’s truly this one-to-one connection that you have with your subscribers. If they are showing a preference for how they want to view their content, it's a good idea to honor that and respect that and do the best you can to deliver them their content the way they want to read it.”

“If you are using an email optimization platform, you can do all this building and testing across all these devices and ensure end clients that when that email goes out the door, you'll know with certainty that people who are viewing in dark mode are able to view it in dark mode.”

“Efficiency and the email workflow process is super important.”

Next Episode

AMP 221: How to Create Content That's Laser-Focused on Your Ideal Target Customer With Shondell Varcianna From Varci Media

In a single sentence, describe your ideal customer. Where do they hang out online? What are their biggest problems? How often do you talk to them? Don’t rely on assumptions. Consciously focus on your customers by creating content that serves their needs and beats the competition.

Today’s guest is Shondell Varcianna from Varci Media, a content writing company for financial institutions, about how to get to know your audience. She shares effective and easy-to-follow advice to improve audience research without extra time and resources.

Some of the highlights of the show include:

Reach Real Customers: You can’t offer something to someone you don’t know
Real Problems: Sell your product or service as a solution for your customers
Relationships: Are you the right person to serve your audience at highest level?
Recommendations: Know who to target, where they are, and what they want
Website Content: Match with searched keywords and make it resonate
Communities: Wherever your target audience is, is where you want to be
Ask Audience for Answers: What do you do for fun? Where do you hang out?
Social Media Connections: Meet strangers and don’t take ‘no’ personally
Know, Like, and Trust: Offer consistent content that informs, educates, inspires
Content Strategy: Videos, podcasts, posts—get creative when creating content
Authenticity: Where it all begins to get your audience what they (and you) want

Links:

Quotes from Shondell Varcianna:

“If I know of you, but I don’t know you, how can I offer you anything because I don’t really know what you want.”

“Wherever your target audience is, is where you want to be. You’ll have to find out where they are, and then you just need to show up where they are, consistently.”

“Everyone is accessible on social media. Everybody. I connect with strangers every single day on social media.”

“Content that speaks to everyone is content that speaks to no one.”