Business Action | Spring 2024
Spring 2024 issue of the independent North Devon-based business magazine covering news on business and enterprise in the area. This issue includes finalists in the North Devon Business Awards 2024, how to book tickets for the North Devon Business Awards Celebration Event, a focus on Torrington business and articles on manufacturers, local business directory listings plus more.
Spring 2024 issue of the independent North Devon-based business magazine covering news on business and enterprise in the area. This issue includes finalists in the North Devon Business Awards 2024, how to book tickets for the North Devon Business Awards Celebration Event, a focus on Torrington business and articles on manufacturers, local business directory listings plus more.
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NEWS<br />
peoplewerestilluneasyaboutusingtheircreditcardsonlineand<br />
therewerenosophisticatedshoppingcartsystems.Simon<br />
developedanorderingsystemthatdeliveredpaymentdetailsby<br />
PGPencryptedemailandsoontheywerereceivingemail<br />
subscriptionsfromacrosstheworld–excitingdays!<br />
Writing and journalism<br />
Alongsidethis,wedevelopedourwritingandjournalismservices<br />
andIassumedtheroleoftechnologywriterforthe25,000-<br />
circulationmonthly<strong>Business</strong>MagazineintheThamesValley–we<br />
builtawebsiteforthemtoo.<br />
In2004,MrsZandImovedtoIlfracombe,relievedwhenan<br />
ADSLinternetconnectionwasinstalledonourfirstday,enabling<br />
metoworkremotelywithSimonandallourclientsinLondonand<br />
theSouthEast.<br />
In2009,Iacceptedanoffertowritetwopagesofbusinessnews<br />
fortheweeklyNorthDevonJournal,enjoyinggreatfreedomto<br />
interviewanybusinessIwantedandeventuallyreceivingthetitleof<br />
‘businesseditor’.<br />
Withthescalingbackofthenewspaperandanabrupt‘goodbye’<br />
email,theideatostartanindependentmagazineledtothelaunch<br />
of<strong>Business</strong><strong>Action</strong>–originallywithAlanWilliams–asaseparate<br />
businessin2019.<br />
And now . . .<br />
...herewearein<strong>2024</strong>–30yearslater–SimonandIstillworking<br />
together,stillwriting,stillproofreading.<br />
Weareactuallyseeingincreaseddemandforproofreadingand<br />
thefirstthreemonthsofthisyearhavebeenourbestformany<br />
years.ThisisinterestinginthecontextofmorepeopleusingAI<br />
softwaretowritetext–wearestillcalledinastroubleshootersto<br />
rescueclients’marketingandcommunications.<br />
Theoldskillsremainvaluable–we’renotgoinganywhereyet.<br />
Z<br />
2<br />
Z<br />
Copywriting<br />
Deadlines?<br />
Journalism<br />
Print<br />
Problems?<br />
Editing<br />
Digital<br />
Essential conversations with customers<br />
start with effective copywriting<br />
t 0333 0444 354<br />
w copywritingresources.co.uk<br />
Call us!<br />
<strong>Business</strong>es need to be more<br />
vigilant on AI cybercrime<br />
Every advance in technology<br />
canalsoequipcriminalswith<br />
moretoolstostealanddefraud<br />
innocentvictims.<br />
Inresponsetotheincreasing<br />
useofartificialintelligence(AI)<br />
tools,theNationalCyber<br />
SecurityCentrehasproduceda<br />
simpleguideforbusinesspeople<br />
ateveryleveltounderstand<br />
andtakeprecautionsagainst<br />
thegrowingrisktobusinesses<br />
ofusingAItools.<br />
Assess the risks<br />
Theguidediscussestheusesof<br />
AI,whatcybersecurityrisksit<br />
bringsandwhatquestions<br />
businessescanaskabouttheir<br />
ownsecuritysystemstokeep<br />
themselvessafe–available<br />
atncsc.gov.uk/guidance/aiand-cyber-security-what-youneed-to-know<br />
Live cyber reporting for<br />
businesses<br />
Ifcriminalsdocompromise<br />
yourbusinesssystems,they<br />
maywelldemandaransomto<br />
getyoubackonline.<br />
Recentresearchsuggests<br />
thatfewerthanhalfofthose<br />
whopayransomdemands,get<br />
alltheirdatabackandfourfifthsareattackedagain,often<br />
bythesameperpetrator.<br />
Ifyourbusinessisattacked,<br />
reporttotheauthoritiesasa<br />
firststep:<strong>Action</strong>Fraudhasa<br />
24/7livereportingfacility<br />
availableforbusinessesat:<br />
actionfraud.police.uk/<br />
campaign/24-7-live-cyberreporting-for-businesses<br />
TheNCSChasalso<br />
producedaSmall<strong>Business</strong><br />
Guide:Response&Recoveryat<br />
ncsc.gov.uk<br />
business-action.uk | <strong>Spring</strong> <strong>2024</strong> | business action 9
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