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Two thirds of UK firms won’t be GDPR compliant by May 25
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New research says UK companies are massively ill-prepared for this week’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) enforcement deadline.

Less than a third (29%) of organisations surveyed by USB drive specialist Apricorn felt confident they would comply, and when questioned further and asked whether there were any areas they might be likely to fail, 81% could think of some area of the new requirements that might cause them to fail when it comes to GDPR compliance.

Fifty per cent of organisations who know that GDPR will apply to them admit that a lack of understanding of the data they collect and process is their number one concern relating to non-compliance.

On top of this, almost four in ten (37%) believe they are most likely to fail because of gaps in employee training, and almost a quarter (23%) say their employees don’t understand the new responsibilities that come with the GDPR.

While one in ten still regard the GDPR as a mere tick box exercise, a substantial proportion do view it as being of some benefit to their organisation – for example 44% agree that the new regulation is a welcome opportunity to overhaul their organisation’s data handling and security processes.

The most commonly taken step so far, for those who say they will be at least somewhat prepared for the GDPR, is to review and update their security policies for mobile working (67%). However, 30% still worry they could fail to comply due to mobile working, and almost a quarter (22%) of respondents are concerned they may fail due to a lack of encryption.

“Data or personally identifiable information (PII) is at the heart of GDPR and mapping and securing it should be every organisation’s number one priority. By now, all employees, from the top down, should have an understanding of the importance of GDPR and the role they play in keeping this data safe,” said Jon Fielding, Managing Director, EMEA Apricorn. “While we know that many organisations have provided some form of employee training, clearly in some cases this hasn’t been effective and organisations should address these gaps urgently.”

Do you provide Social Media Management solutions? We want to hear from you!
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Each month on Digital Marketing Briefing we’ll be shining the spotlight on different parts of the print and marketing sectors – and in June we’ll be focussing on Social Media Management solutions.

It’s all part of our ‘Recommended’ editorial feature, designed to help marketing industry professionals find the best products and services available today.

So, if you specialise in Social Media Management solutions and would like to be included as part of this exciting new shop window, we’d love to hear from you – for more info, contact Lisa Carter on lisa.carter@mimrammedia.com.

Here are the areas we’ll be covering, month by month:

June – Social Media

July – Brand Monitoring

August – Web Analytics

September – Conversion Rate Optimisation

October – Lead Generation & Tracking

November – Brochure Printing

December – Creative & Design

For more information on any of the above topics, contact Lisa Carter on lisa.carter@mimrammedia.com.

GUEST BLOG: Best books for digital marketing execs to get ahead
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By Where The Trade Buys

Ready to take your business to the next level? Want to excel in digital marketing? Knowledge is power in business, and in the rapidly evolving sector of technology, staying ahead is critical.

The last thing you want to do is fall behind in business — so learning all there is to know is crucial for success. From how to create the optimum working environment for creative minds, to the world’s next consumer-changing digital trends, there’s a lot you don’t know yet about entrepreneurship and the tech industry…

Bold: How to Go Big, Create Wealth and Impact the World

Bold, written by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler,is the ideal book for the tech-savvy entrepreneur. The first section of this illuminating book gives you an incredible insight into how start-up companies are today going from ‘initial concept’ to ‘multi-million-pounds status’ quicker than ever, and how tech — like 3D printing and androids — might be influencing this trend.

After, you can learn about business strategies from leading entrepreneurs, such as Richard Branson, before you reach the section that might interest you the most. Bold’s finale discusses the various, actionable ways you can build your company, with tips on creating lucrative campaigns designed to rocket your start-up to the top. A must-read for the big dreamer.

The Industries of the Future

This book by Alec Ross is perfect if you’re in the tech industry and want to know how to incorporate online strategies. A New York Timesbestseller, Ross delivers an extensive insight into your industry’s most important advances, from cybersecurity and robotics to genomics and big data, using input from global leaders.

If you’re searching for Ross’ credentials, you’ll soon discover that he was once the senior advisor for innovation to Hilary Clinton. So, his viewpoint is perceptive, learned and unique. His extensive travel has given him access to the some of the most powerful people in business, and his book is packed with astute observations regarding opportunities for growth and the unknown tech forces that are changing — or will change — the world.

The Inevitable: Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future

As a former executive editor of Wired magazine, author, Kevin Kelly discusses and debates how various tech trends will adapt and amend our lives over the next 30 years or so. The best part of The Inevitableis how it paints a picture of ways in which technological forces will overlap, mix and come to co-depend on each other — crucial to know if any of these trends relate to your business.

Featuring sections on VR and AI, the author does an excellent job exploring the long-term impact of tech and it can permeate every aspect of our lives — both personally and as a consumer. Want to prep your company now for the customer of tomorrow? Then, get ahead of the game.

How Google Works

As potentially the most respected tech and digital company on the planet, this book about Google is an absolute must-read for those in the digital industry. How Google Workswas written by Google executives, Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg, and offers an authentic view in the corporate strategy, workplace culture, decision-making, and management philosophy of the brand.

If you want to learn how Google picked itself up after mistakes (remember Wave?) and has maintained an uncatchable drive towards innovation, this book is for you. Glimpse into the birth and evolution of Google to emulate its success.

The Lean Start-Up

If you’re in the digital sector, The Lean Start-Upby Eric Ries is a book you need to take in from cover to cover. This book looks at how new companies can launch, adapt and grow within an industry that has fierce competition. Offering real examples of setting up a new business, you get a great insight into how to make a success of your business and avoid the typical pitfalls.

Your One Word

Author, Evan Carmichael has written an outstanding account of his business process. Carmichael created and sold his biotech company at just 19 years old, so if you want tips on how to emulate his success, make this title the next on your reading list.

Learn how to analyse your business and validate its aims to make sure you enjoy limitless success with Your One Word. If you need a boost of confidence and an injection of motivation to start making your tech-business dreams come true, immerse yourself in the powerful words of Carmichael.

The Upstarts

The Upstartsby Brad Stone offers an amazing glimpse into the inspiring world of two global companies: Uber and Airbnb. Reading this book, you find out how these giants began and developed to become two of the most respected and innovative brands in the world.

Being an entrepreneur, you’ll know the importance of understanding how new trends and innovations can change standards — such as how people travel and what they expect from accommodation — and this is what you learn more about in this book. What can your business do to change the world?

Conscious Capitalism

Capitalism and its benefits is a contentious subject, and this is discussed brilliantly in Conscious Capitalismby authors, Raj Sisodia, and CEO of Whole Foods, John Mackey.

If you’re new to running a digital marketing or tech company, you should have good knowledge of how to deal with staff, shareholders and anyone else who deals with your company. Referencing several other leading companies — such as UPS, Google and Amazon — Conscious Capitalismgives an insightful and expert analysis of how you can infuse your business environment with positivity for the optimum workplace culture.

Having awareness of your company’s impact on the world and how to treat people who interact with your products and services are crucial to success — which is why this book is worth a read!

This article was created by Where The Trade Buys — a leading UK print company and supplier of roll-up banners.

Sources:

https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/knowledge/articles/2017/08/best-books-to-read-for-small-business-success/

http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/30-must-read-books-on-business-technology-and-productivity-as-picked-by-entrepreneurs-2552123/

http://uk.businessinsider.com/must-read-tech-books-2017-9?r=US&IR=T/#lean-in-women-work-and-the-will-to-lead-by-sheryl-sandberg-6

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mnewlands/2017/02/24/13-must-read-entrepreneurial-books-for-tech-founders/#1b08967a56b9

https://www.rocketspace.com/tech-startups/top-6-books-for-tech-entrepreneurs

Firms still not ready for GDPR with less than 3 weeks to go
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Only 6 in 10 company directors say they are confident their organisation will be ‘fully compliant’ with new data protection laws set to come in later this month, a new survey from the Institute of Directors reveals.

The poll of 700 bosses shows many businesses remain unprepared for the changes with just three weeks to go until GDPR comes into force.

Business leaders’ confidence in their preparations has declined over the past six months as the sheer scale of the regulations has come into view. Many business leaders are also less sure about how the new rules will affect their firms, with around 40% reporting they are not confident or unsure as to how GDPR will impact their company.

In preparing for the reforms, businesses were most likely to turn to external private advisors, business membership organisations, such as the IoD, and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for guidance. The IoD has so far directly assisted over a thousand of its members, providing guidance and template policies.

The new laws predominantly impact how businesses engage with customers and clients. However, directors also report that GDPR compliance is affecting processes in HR and IT, as well as their governance practices.

“GDPR has been a long time coming for businesses, but it is only proving more formidable as the deadline looms and companies drill down into the detail. The regulator has assured small businesses that there will be not be a sudden inquisition once the rules enter into effect, but with such large penalties for non-compliance, firms must assess what they have to do to avoid falling foul of the legislation, and they must do so soon,” said Jamie Kerr, Head of External Affairs at the Institute of Directors.

“While the regulations may be burdensome, the overriding impulse amongst company directors now is simply to follow the rules. However, SMEs, who are facing a whole host of competing priorities and generally cannot rely upon dedicated compliance teams, are still finding it difficult to digest the sheer scale of the legal changes.

“The Government’s immediate priority should be to ensure the ICO has the resources it needs to make a big final push to assist small businesses in the run up to this month’s deadline”.

Online ads over take TV commercials for complaints
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The Advertising Standards Authority has revealed that a record number of ads were amended or withdrawn in 2017, with online advertisements sparking more complaints than TV commercials for the first time.

In its annual report the body highlighted that some 7,099 ads were amended or withdrawn, while it provided advise and training to 389,289 businesses.

Other key findings include:

  • 27,138 complaints were resolved about 19,398 ads – a 14 per cent increase in cases compared to the previous year.
  • The internet overtook TV as the most complained about medium – 10,932 complaints about 9,951 online ads (TV: 9,466 complaints about 4,666 ads).
  • The ratio between internet cases and TV cases remained comparable with the previous year at around 2:1.

“We want to make sure ads are responsible without consumers necessarily having to complain to us,” said the ASA’s chief executive Guy Parker. “By being more proactive, we’ve secured the amendment or withdrawal of more ads than ever before. At the same time, we’ve delivered a record amount of advice and training to help businesses get their ads right before they run. Our approach is helping make ads more responsible, which is in the best interests of consumers, businesses and wider society.”

To view the full report, click here.

Print & Digital Innovations Summit

Buyers and suppliers to converge at the Print & Digital Innovations Summit
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Registration is now open for VIP delegate spaces or supplier stands at the Print & Digital Innovations Summit, which takes place on November 22nd 2018 at the Hilton London Canary Wharf.

The Summit is a highly focused event that brings print professionals together for one-to-one business meetings, interactive seminars and valuable networking opportunities.

Throughout a full working day delegates will meet with credible solution providers who will be able to talk through requirements, concerns and obstacles, offering the best advice as well cost saving solutions.

Attendees will also learn about the latest printing trends in educational seminar sessions led by some of the industry’s leading lights. Here’s what delegates thought of the 2017 event:

“The ‘speed dating’ approach was excellent and meant we had time to chat to the companies that related to our needs”
VisitScotland

“Good event, location, mix of suppliers, appointment duration and professionally organised and run”
BT

“The Print & Digital Innovations Summit was a valuable event which enabled me to speak to a range of suppliers all eager to do business. The appointments format was a great way to quickly establish our objectives and work out an action plan. Highly recommended”
Fintrax Group

“It was a first time for me, and I appreciated meeting the different suppliers quickly but efficiently. I look forward to the next one”
Decathlon

“The event was very helpful and a success. It’s opened our eyes to opportunities. Really great convenient way to meet suppliers and learn more about the industry. Great hosts!”
Flannels

Sam Walker, Event Manager at Forum Events, said: “As a print professional we know your time is precious, valuable and limited. You tell us who you want to meet. We handle all the details.

“The Print & Digital Innovations Summit is also a tremendous opportunity to learn new skills and network with peers – we look forward to welcoming everyone on the day.”

To secure a complimentary delegate place, call Emily Gallagher on 01992 374084 or email e.gallagher@forumevents.co.uk.

To attend as a supplier, call Sam Walker on 01992 374054 or email s.walker@forumevents.co.uk.

For more information, visit www.printinnovationssummit.co.uk.

Digital Signage

Learn the real value of digital signage
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The Digital Signage & Interactive Solutions Summit is an industry event unlike any other you’ve attended.

It takes place on September 24th & 25th 2018 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, London Stansted – and, as one of just 60 VIP guests, you can attend the Digital Signage & Interactive Solutions Summit for FREE.

REGISTER FOR YOUR FREE PLACE HERE

Your VIP place includes meetings with matched solution providers, networking opportunities and access to educational seminar sessions, hosted by industry thought leaders.

In his session Digital Retail: The Bottom Line, Beaver Group Managing Director Peter Critchley will frame the opportunities presented by technology for digital signage, interactivity and mobile apps, providing real insight into the importance and opportunities of the digital landscape, including:

• How are successful retailers using digital signage?
• What makes the difference?
• How can you enhance the customer experience?
• How can you add value to your customer?

To register your FREE place, click here.

For more information about attending as a delegate, contact Fraser McClean on f.mcclean@forumevents.co.uk, or call 01992 376727.

Alternatively, to find out how to attend as a solution provider, contact Katie Bolden at k.bolden@forumevents.co.uk, or call 01992 374093.

60% of UK businesses won’t be ready for GDPR deadline
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A new report by Crowd Research Partners has revealed that only 40 per cent of organisations are either GDPR compliant or well on their way to compliance by the May 2018 deadline.

The report highlights the lack of GDPR expertise and an overall underestimation of the effort required to meet GDPR, which represents the most sweeping change in data privacy regulation in decades.

The key findings of the study include:

  • A whopping 60% of organisations are at risk of missing the GDPR deadline. Only 7% of surveyed organizations say they are in full compliance with GDPR requirements today, and 33% state they are well on their way to compliance deadline.
  • While 80% confirm GDPR is a top priority for their organization, only half say they are knowledgeable about the data privacy legislation or have deep expertise; an alarming 25% have no or only very limited knowledge of the law.
  • The primary compliance challenges are lack of expert staff (43%), closely followed by lack of budget (40%), and a limited understanding of GDPR regulations (31%). A majority of 56% expect their organization’s data governance budget to increase to deal with GDPR challenges.
  • Approximately a third of surveyed companies report that they will need to make substantial changes to data security practices and systems to be in compliance with GDPR. The highest ranked initiative for meeting EU GDPR compliance is to make an inventory of user data and map it to protected EU GDPR categories (71%), followed by evaluating, developing, and integrating solutions that enable GDPR compliance.

The 2018 GDPR Compliance Report has been based on a comprehensive online survey of IT, cybersecurity and compliance professionals in the 400,000-member Information Security Community on LinkedIn, and has been produced in partnership with Alert Logic, AlienVault, Cavirin, Data443, D3 Security, Haystax Technology, and Securonix.

To download a copy, click here.

Want consumer trust? Ditch the .tv, .biz, .io and .mobi domain names…
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A new YouGov survey has revealed that the .gov.uk suffix creates the greatest trust amongst the British public.

And while only Government institutions are able to use that particular domain style, the findings make for interesting reading elsewhere.

The YouGov Omnibus asked the British public how far they trusted 12 common website domains. The results reveal that the majority of Brits tend to trust websites that end in .gov.uk (80%), .co.uk (68%), .org.uk (65%), and .com (60%).

By contrast, very few trust websites ending in .tv (10%), .biz (4%), .io (4%) and .mobi (2%). In fact, between 32% and 44% of Brits actively distrust websites with these domains. There are more than three million websites using one of these domain names, and the results suggest they could all be in danger of putting off potential visitors.

Surprisingly, only 42% of Brits trust .ac.uk websites, which are primarily used by British universities. However this is likely due to a lack of familiarity, with only 58% of people saying they’ve ever come across such an .ac.uk website, compared to the more than 90% who have ever visited each of the more trusted domains.

Indeed, .ac.uk websites are much more trusted than .net websites (32%), even though people are more likely to found themselves on a .net website at some point (81%).

Print & Digital Innovations Summit

Join us at the Print & Digital Innovations Summit
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Register today for the Print & Digital Innovations Summit – It’s free for you to attend and could help you reduce your budgets.

If that’s not incentive enough for you to register here are 4 more reasons…

· As one of our VIP guests, you will be provided with a bespoke itinerary of face-to-face meetings with suppliers based on mutual agreement. No hard sell, and no time wasted.
· You’ll have the opportunity to attend insightful seminars and interactive workshops.
· Network with 60+ other senior print and marketing professionals who share your challenges.
· Enjoy full hospitality throughout, including lunch and refreshments

Taking place November 22nd at the Hilton London, Canary Wharf, the Print & Digital Innovations Summit provides a platform for new business connections.

Register your place online today!

Or contact Emily Gallagher on 01992 374085 / e.gallagher@forumevents.co.uk for more information.