Five things you need to know this week

23
Mar

Friday 23rd March 2012

Happy Friday! A taste of what’s to come ahead has officially blown into Australia’s South Eastern states today, with Adelaide, Hobart, Canberra and Melbourne all experiencing a rather unseasonable cold snap…signalling that it’s time to farewell those thongs and singlets and start thinking about boots and scarves!

While the change in weather might not be so positive, the latest from our Federal Government is a great step in the right direction for Australian SME’s. MYOB CEO, Tim Reed shares his thoughts on why this is a positive move for all business owners.

Before you run off to enjoy another weekend, make sure you check out latest from the news sites…

Half of Australian businesses are now online

It’s been a year since we launched our ‘Getting Aussie Business Online‘ initiative with Google, with a goal of helping small businesses (SMB’s) make the most of getting online. Over the past year, an incredible 30,000 businesses have created a free website via MYOB Atlas. In new research released this week by Google, the share of SMBs with a website rose from 35 to 52 per cent in the past year. Still not online? Why not? You can get a free MYOB Atlas site in just 15 minutes today!

Phone scams on the rise

What if your caller ID showed an incoming call from your bank, but it was really from criminals posing as your bank? That’s what’s happening right now, with a major surge in voice-call phishing, or vishing, attacks in the second half of 2011. Scams and cyber crimes are on the rise here in Australia, and these are the top ten ways criminals will try and scam you. Check out these great tips from Dynamic Business to safeguard yourself…and your business.

Thrifty is the new black

With a shaky economy, many business owners are becoming conservative with their cash – preferring to save for a rainy day than splash out on the latest and greatest. And with cash flow regularly rating as a pain point for business owners in the MYOB Business Monitor Report, its a wise move. Check out these great tips to getting the most bang for buck in your business

Baby Boomers want Australian made online

Baby Boomers are finally joining the online shopping trend, and it’s all good news for Australian businesses. New research by Mastercard has show that the older generations (50-64) have a preference for buying Australian made online, with 71% of their purchases being made onshore. Another incentive for keeping your online store fresh and up-to-date!

How spreading yourself too thin can have the opposite effect

So many business owners spend time and effort investing in the health of their business…neglecting their own health along the way! The latest from Ms Mad Woman, Melina Schamroth, is a timely reminder for all to keep an eye on what those long hours in the home office is doing to our waistlines…

Have a fantastic weekend!