August 2nd, 2010
It’s been an interesting past few weeks at FL1 Group.
As well as building blogs, shops and content managed websites, we’ve been involved with securing a company’s website that wasn’t PCI/DSS compliant. The website stored credit card details in a database that was hacked into and the credit card details were retrieved. Two of them were used fraudulently, and that’s where the story began. The banks got involved with fines and costs to recover the costs of the fraud. Added to this the company has been forced to go through a programme of becoming fully compliant. To-date, adding the costs of consultants, website changes, fines, costs to re-issue cards, and significant amount of off-line processing changes and new equipment, the cost to the business at this current time runs in excess of £170,000!
This particular business is lucky enough to be owned by a much larger parent company that could absorb these costs, but these sorts of costs would easily put most small companies out of business.
It’s been an eye opening project that’s for sure, and based on what we’re learning from it, we’ll certainly be putting together a seminar to help more business understand what PCI/DSS is all about and how to stay on the right side of the banks.
It’s not all been about “the dark side” of the internet though…honest!
Ali’s been settling back in and taking to his new role as designer and project manager like a duck to water.
We’ve also teamed up with some a partner that will help our online stores excel using the shopping and affiliate portals, which has to be a good thing in these challenging times.
More on that next month!
As Google’s superb Analytics package gets better and better, we’re proud to announce some free workshops we’re running throughout the summer holidays. We install it on every single website we build, so if you’d like to know how to see how your website is really working, let us know.
The most important thing to consider, is tools like Google Analytics allow you to discover what’s working, but more importantly what’s not!
If you’d like to book a Google Analytics workshop or want to know more about PCI/DSS, drop us a line or call 01727 739812.
See you next month!
Posted in E-commerce, FL1, General, Search Engines, Seminars, Technology | No Comments »
April 23rd, 2010
Friday 20th April 2010
A fun and rewarding half-day seminar presented by Jason Sammon of FL1 Group and June Cory of My Mustard.
This is a relaxed and non-techie seminar that is aimed at businesspeople with a
preliminary knowledge of Google AdWords and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) but
who want to know more and how to apply the techniques to their business for greater
profitability.
Delegates will leave with a thorough understanding of the key tools for SEO, many of
which are free, and techniques to improve the results of their AdWords campaigns.
This is a practical, half-day seminar that will deliver real information and easy to follow
techniques.
Thinking of attending? If you are a director, manager or owner of a start-up, expanding
small business or a medium-sized enterprise without a large marketing department this
seminar is for you!
Unlike many courses, this interesting half-day seminar will quickly pay for itself – and
be highly enjoyable!
Click here to book now.
Posted in FL1, Marketing, Search Engines, Seminars | 1 Comment »
April 7th, 2010
A fun and rewarding half-day seminar led by Sabra Swinson of Cerco Communications
This is a relaxed and non-technical seminar that is aimed at businesspeople with a preliminary
knowledge of Public Relations but who want to know how to raise the profile of their business online,
with online PR.
Delegates will leave with a thorough understanding of the key tools for online PR, many of which are
free, and techniques to improve the results of their existing campaigns.
Delegates will also learn how online PR works alongside, and improves, organic Search Engine
Optimisation (SEO) results.
This is a practical, half-day seminar that will deliver real information and easy to follow techniques.
Thinking of attending? If you are a director, manager or owner of a start-up, expanding small
business or a medium-sized enterprise without a large marketing department this seminar is for you!
Unlike many courses, this interesting half-day seminar one will quickly pay for itself – and be highly
enjoyable!
Presenters:
Sabra Swinson of Cerco Communications and Jason Sammon of FL1 Group
Click here to book now!
Posted in FL1, General, Marketing, Seminars | No Comments »
December 9th, 2009
The festive season is upon is and exciting times are here!
Only 2 more voting days in the FL1 Group Website of year competition.
We could tell you who’s in the lead….but that would be telling wouldn’t it!
So far, over 200 people have voted and received their Free Virtual Goody bag.
The Virtual Goody bag contains special offers and promotions from over 20 businesses around Hertfordshire including Wharton Goldsmith the Jewellers, The Digital Frame Company, St Albans Office Space and Printing.com.
The winners will be announced at 7.30 pm on Monday 14th December at The Buon Amici, St Albans at the St Albans Networking Co-operative Christmas event.
On a slightly sadder note, our longest standing employee Jason Margolin leaves us at the end of the year to head to the big city. Jason’s been an instrumental part of the team for 3 years and will be sadly missed.
He never was much good at washing up, but all the same we wish him the best of luck in his new role.
Finally, we had a great time at Blogs, Pods and Wikis with our brand new Seminar series.
There are also brand new Mastering Google AdWords and SEO, and Online PR and Social Media seminars in January.
For more details visit www.blogspodsandwikis.com/
Have a wonderful Christmas and see you in the new year!
Posted in Competitions, FL1, General, Seminars | No Comments »
November 26th, 2009
Blogs, Pods and Wikis is a fun and un-techie seminar that will introduce you to some of the new, advanced social media marketing tools that businesses like yours are using to expand.
Next generation social media tools have bought huge opportunities for small companies to compete nationally or internationally with large organisations.
Many of these new tools e.g. Twitter applications are ideally suited to service businesses, SMEs and sole traders.
This is a practical, half-day seminar that will deliver real information and easy to follow techniques.
Who should come? The Directors, Managers and owners of start-ups, SMEs and businesses without a large marketing department.
Unlike many courses, this half-day seminar one will quickly pay for itself – and be highly enjoyable!
We’ve only got two places left, so be quick to book now
Friday 27th November 2009
9.30am (registration from 9.00 am) – 1.00 pm and buffet lunch
at: The County Constitutional Club, 29 Ridgmont Road, St Albans, AL1 3AG
Posted in FL1, Seminars | No Comments »