Hey there, sugar, it's Auntee Rik and I'm adding this episode slash module due to some things that have happened recently, some a few incidents that have popped up on my radar.

I recorded an episode a few years back based on a similar situation.

And so let's just get into staying in control of your data.

So if you are planning a pre-launch, if you are doing collaborations, if you are having someone come and work in your business on your behalf, this is something I need you to keep in mind. I'm also going to add a note how to manage this as the customer slash client. Okay.

So I've seen this practice for years now, especially with my background in radio and working with people in entertainment.

And sometimes you have an assistant to come in and help you out and that assistant is acting on you and your brand's behalf using their contact information.

I need us to stop doing that. Okay.

If you're using a Gmail or a Google workspace Gmail account, you can set up an alias by using the plus signed and whatever name or word you want to use behind your main email address. So like let's say we have aunteerik I can use aunteerik put in the plus sign in and type help at Gmail dot com. And those emails will come to my main account.

Ideally, maybe you have a secondary email that is specifically used for that person that comes in to assist you or you know, you work something out. But if anyone is acting on behalf of you or your brand, that communication, whatever they're doing, needs to be under your brand, not their personal one, because they are acting on behalf of you or your brand...

Two... You need to stay in control of your customer data, your customers information. Okay.

There are some instances if you are doing a preorder sale where you may be using a vendor who will do the dropshipping or a white label shipping or, you know, print on demand type service, you need to make sure that you are in control of the money and the customer information at all times because it's you brand.

What you don't want to happen is you do that pre-sale. You're out the money you were expecting in sales twice. One because the vendor runs off of your money. And two, because you now have to reimburse customers. You do not want that to happen to you. So make sure that when you're dealing with these vendors, no matter how good it sounds, I need you to make sure that you stay in control of the payments and the customer information.

Which means having some sort of portal. Even if you don't have a full website to sell from having some sort of portal where that customer information comes to and stays with you, and then the payments are made to you and then you paid them. Pay the vendor. The last thing you want is someone running off with your money. And you you're out of that money twice. Okay.

So in addition to making sure you communicate with people and keep them updated on things that's going on, you know, if the if the customer information goes straight to the vendor, you don't have that information to stay in contact. So this these are things that are happening now.

Another situation, what's been happening a lot, especially on social media with ads and those type of things, is people are cloning accounts of of products, of people selling stuff and then buying ads on platforms and showing you ads.

And most people, you scroll and you see something. Okay. I've seen it a few times. Now let me go check out what it is. Oh, this is cool. Let me go buy it. But you end up buying from the clone, from the cloned account, and not the actual original, legitimate account. So on the client side, consumer side, we also need to be vigilant about making sure that the links we're clicking on ads are going to where they're supposed to go and we're purchasing from whomever we think we're purchasing from.

So that, you know, we don't end up the money we spent with our information sold or getting an inferior product or even worse, getting no product at all.

So that said, you know, let me just recap it real quick.

Make sure you have control over stay in control over your brewing assets, your email, your customer data funds from any sales that you're making. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably most definitely is. Just take your time.

One of the things that I say a lot is the fastest way to get scammed is to be in a hurry.

So just make sure, like, take your time. Don't. Don't make decisions in a rush. Sometimes the risk pays off, but just make sure that you are aware of the risks associated with whatever when you get into it and don't let people operate for your brand. Under their own personal or their businesses situation.

If you are collaborating with someone and they have knowledge of a platform that you don't make sure that the controls for access to that does not give them access to your customer information or your proprietary company information. Okay.

If you can't work that out in that manner. Work out another way that they don't have access to your customer information, because not only can they act in bad faith, it also may expose you to liability based on privacy, privacy laws and stuff like that. So just got to be super, super, super vigilant. Okay.

If you are needing to share admin access, please do that with a password manager and. You know, change passwords often.

Use a separate e-mail account or at least a separate email address if you need to give someone access, like as an assistant. Do not hand over your things because - it may sound bad to say on a personal level, but from the business level you kind of got to treat everyone like they can't be trusted for your own protection, for your brand's own protection.

In that bit, in the business sense, because someone can be very nice, you work really well together and something gets put in there back into you, turn around and you know, try to steal your whole fees.

So. I intended to release this like later on through the year. But in any event, tis the season that people get real crafty. In certain instances, people are just really desperate and dastardly. And I want to make sure that you are on your Ps and Qs, and you make sure that that piece of your business is tightened up.

Come up with a like bullet pointed policy for your access to your admin areas and customer information, and just outline that.

And if anything doesn't check the box on your list then don't go forward with it.

Better to be safe than sorry, alright? 

So with that, I will check you around. This is Auntee Rik with The Systems Clinic™ workshops and Protect Your  Launch. Toodles!