Cybersecurity for Small Business Series – Part 3

Written By John Germain

Part 3 - Training & Awareness: Make It Short, Make It Useful

This one hits home for me. Security Moments prides itself on providing quality, relevant, and affordable cybersecurity training and awareness specifically for small businesses. I’ve spent a lot of time championing its importance, but I understand that this is not the flashiest topic. People often hear “security training” and roll their eyes. Long videos. Recycled slides. Same warnings every year. You’re busy, your team is busy, and none of us wants another box to check.

In this article, I encourage you to think about training in a different way. Cyber risks are not going away, and artificial intelligence is making things even riskier. Small businesses need to balance this risk (see Part 2 of this series – Risk: Protect What Matters Most) against the time and money needed for other priorities that are just as important.

So, here’s my take. Training & Awareness can be something that doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Done right, it can be one of the most effective ways to reduce real-world risk for a small business.

TL;DR: Keep it short but engaging. Teach a few important concepts and reinforce them so that they become habit. Provide relatable examples that not only show how to recognize a threat, but also what to do. A good training and awareness program will help protect the reputation and trust in your business, will satisfy regulatory requirements, will keep insurance companies happy, and most importantly, will help keep your business running.

WHY THIS MATTERS (FOUR REASONS TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY)

  1. You need to protect your reputation & maintain client trust
    One avoidable mistake, such as having your social media accounts hacked or accidentally leaking customers’ sensitive information, can shake confidence fast. Simple, repeatable habits can prevent moments like these, protecting the reputation of your business and ensuring customers don’t have a reason for not coming back.

  2. There can be legal consequences for not doing it
    Every business collects information about its customers, suppliers, and staff. Protecting this type of information has become a legal requirement for businesses. If your company were to have an incident where this information was stolen or leaked, regulators will ask if you have a security plan in place. Training is one of the things that is often required. If you don’t, you could face regulatory fines or civil lawsuits.

  3. Cyber insurance may require it
    Insurers increasingly ask for proof of training. Implementing and keeping a record of what training is provided makes renewals smoother and can unlock better coverage options. Additionally, if an incident does occur and you want to file a claim, you may need to first prove that you had a training program in place (as well as other protective measures).

  4. Down time can lead to lost revenue
    Awareness cuts down on incidents that can take away from business operations, such as locked accounts and computer cleanups. Fewer emergencies mean fewer missed deadlines and steadier cash flow.

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A GOOD TRAINING PROGRAM?

Security Moments occur every day, and people need to be ready. Training & Awareness, at its core, is providing your team with the confidence they need to recognize and respond to cyber threats. And when resources and time are an issue, it can be the least expensive and most effective way to quickly add protection for your business.

Here are a few tips when considering what type of training program is best for you.

  • Training should be short and focused. 2-3 minutes per topic, highlighting a specific threat and what to do about it. Anything longer than a few minutes is often tuned out. Training needs to match the attention span of your staff by getting to the point quickly.

  • Training needs to be relatable and engaging. Examples of things your staff might see are most effective, such as identifying phishing emails or knowing how to protect passwords. And content should be delivered in plain language, avoiding technical jargon and unfamiliar acronyms.

  • Training should provide a “safe path”. This means that the training should not only show what a Security Moment is, but also what to do about it.

  • A frequent training cadence is better than once a year. Think of it like muscle memory. The more you repeat something, the more ingrained it becomes. A good training program will have fresh content throughout the year not only to keep security front of mind, but to keep up with the constant changes in threats.

  • Give employees a chance to practice their knowledge. I am not a huge fan of companies using phishing simulations to test their employees, but I do think that short quizzes or games that test knowledge can be effective and sometimes, even fun. Favor programs that use quick challenges to build confidence rather than catch mistakes.

  • Simple management. Running and maintaining the program should be simple. This does not have to be a complex solution that takes a ton of time to administer. Web-based with self-registration and a dashboard that each user can use to monitor their progress works best.

  • Other things to look for:

    • Completion certificates that give people confidence and pride in accomplishment.

    • Ability to provide periodic reminders that training needs to be completed

 SUMMARY

Training & Awareness is not about turning your staff into security pros. It’s about giving busy people a few simple habits and a safe way to ask for help. With a steady cadence, you’ll protect trust, meet the rules that matter, keep insurance happy, and most importantly, keep work moving.

 HOW CAN SECURITY MOMENTS HELP?

Security Moments offers an affordable Training & Awareness program designed specifically for small businesses—short, plain-language videos, quick quizzes, and quarterly cyber challenges, all for less than $10 a month. We also publish free monthly Practical Moments on YouTube that highlight real-world situations we all face, taking the mystery out of security. Keeping your staff educated and informed is one of the least expensive and most beneficial ways to keep your business Safe and Secure.

 WHAT’S NEXT?

Next week, I’ll cover Preparation—simple steps to get ready for the “stuff happens” moments so you can minimize impact and get back to work quickly.

John Germain
Next

Cybersecurity for Small Business Series - Part 2