Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132 Page 133 Page 134 Page 135 Page 136 Page 137 Page 138 Page 139 Page 140 Page 141 Page 142 Page 143 Page 144 Page 145 Page 146 Page 147 Page 148DECEMBER 2016 SEEDWORLD.COM / 73 IT IS IMPERATIVE that a seed business is able to track and prove the provenance of any lot of seed. Audits are done regu- larly to ensure that they are recording the information adequately. If the data cannot be relied on for accuracy or is out-of-date, then how can you prove you’re recording this information adequately? Data compliance can mean many dif- ferent things to many different people, but the issues caused by a lack of consis- tent and accurate management of data are often the same and way too common. These problems are commonly associ- ated with the fact that the data the busi- ness needs, from production contracting and payment calculations, inventory, availability and lot tracking, through to sales and invoicing, is distributed across a combination of different applications and spreadsheets. It is a real struggle to get any meaning- ful reporting if you cannot bring together the data you need. To run a business suc- cessfully, you need to have full control of your data. If you don’t standardize the data and processes across the business, everyone does their own thing in their own way. This means that the data is inaccurate, out-of- date and not uniform with other data in other places. Having access to all that data is the only way to keep the business processes running smoothly. If the data is in differ- ent places, this can be disruptive, and ulti- mately cost you money. The only real solution to reducing re- keyed data, having accurate and reliable data for reporting and running efficient business processes, is to invest in a cen- tralized and integrated system. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS The Why of Data Compliance VINCENT VENEZIALE SEED SOLUTIONS PRODUCT MANAGER, CULTURA SEED SOLUTIONS @culturatech • vincent.veneziale@culturatech.com • cultura.com With this system, reporting is easy, as all the data is in a single database and anyone who needs access to it would be able to do so whenever they needed it. The data would be accurate and reli- able, because it is validated and uniformly defined no matter who entered it. Business processes can be aligned properly so that different areas of the operation work together in a more effec- tive and efficient way. The system’s data- base is central and backed up regularly. It is the master record-keeper for all the traceability and details regarding seed lots, and access to this is quick and easy. An integrated system enables you to free your people from the drudgery of wrestling with data, and allows them to focus on the important and productive things that help to grow your business. IF YOU ARE LUCKY, you have one of those friends who “knows someone” who can help in just about any situation, some- one who is a trusted expert or authority and who has built a relationship with them and has proven their expertise on the topic. As a business owner, this is a great posi- tion to be in — to be viewed as that expert people turn to when they need help. So how do you position yourself as the authority that customers turn to? 1. Focus on a Niche: Pick a niche that narrowly focuses in on your ideal clients and what they need or want. The upside to being so specialized is that you can zero in on solving the specific challenges and needs of your ideal clients. 2. Choose the Best Channels: Once you have chosen your niche, you must also select the best channels to share your knowledge and expertise. While you should always have a website full of rele- vant and insightful content, which can also help build your customer database, you will need to determine what other channels are being used by your community, including social media. 3. Provide Real Value: Always ask your- self: what’s in it for them? Think about your content from the customer’s perspective. If there is no clear benefit for them, then why will they read it? It also means not holding back. Share your best knowledge with your audience. By establishing yourself as an authority, they will happily recommend you to others. 4. Be Consistent: Consistency is a key component to establishing your reputa- tion as an authority and building the trust that comes with that reputation. Start with CONTENT MARKETING How to be an Expert SHAWN BROOK PRESIDENT, CREATE BY ISSUES INK sbrook@issuesink.com • Issuesink.com having a consistent brand and a voice that you use in all of your content and marketing materials. Create and post content regu- larly that helps the customer to be more successful. 5. Engage Your Community: Finally, be open and engaging with your industry. Make an effort to celebrate the wins of individuals with your sector as well as share the content that they create when relevant and appro- priate. Being the authority on your topic does not mean that it is all about you or that you know everything. While it takes time and work to position yourself as an authority on your topic, the benefits you receive will be worth the invest- ment. As the trusted expert, you will be the first choice in the minds of your industry when it comes time to invest in the products and services you offer.