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Free E-Guide to Help Your Business Prepare for Disaster

What runs through your mind when you flip on the evening news or catch the headlines on your mobile device and see that another tornado or hurricane has devastated town “X”, leaving countless businesses, not to mention residents, in dire straits? I’m guessing you feel empathy, perhaps followed by the question, “Wow, if that happened to me, would my business survive?”

Well, these are actually really important questions to be asking yourself, regardless of whether you live in an area prone to natural disasters. Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere, and they’re not just physical. Virtual disasters that wreak havoc on IT networks can be just as destructive as physical catastrophes, paralyzing businesses and threatening their survival.

In fact, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates more than 40 percent of businesses never reopen following a disaster and, of the remaining companies, at least 25 percent will close in two years. Furthermore, with fewer resources than larger corporations, SMBs have a harder time recovering from virtual and physical disasters than their larger counterparts. 

I don’t bring all of this up just to make you afraid, but rather to make you aware and point you to a great resource that can help get your business get ready for “the worst,” should it happen. Click here for a free disaster preparedness e-guide, specifically tailored to SMBs. I encourage you to set aside some time as soon as possible to check out the guide and determine what steps your business needs to take to be able to withstand the unexpected.

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About the Author: I’m Cindy Bates, vice president of Microsoft’s U.S. SMB organization; and I’m very excited to be a regular contributor to the ASBDC Biz Blog to connect with the ASBDC community, discuss relevant technology trends and provide some advice for anyone looking to leverage technology for business success.

I’m excited to report that there’s technology movement making waves among businesses these days: “the cloud.” I’m looking forward to sharing insights on SMB technology trends, tips and tricks for your business on the ASBDC Biz Blog. In the meantime, follow me on Twitter (@Cindy_Bates) or follow Microsoft SMB on Twitter (@MicrosoftSMB) and Facebook (Microsoft SMB).

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