Are you struggling to get funding for your business? Never fear, alternative loans for businesses are here. They tend to get a bad rap. This is mostly due to the fact that predatory lending runs rampant in today’s world, and it’s hard to know who to trust and who is scamming you. However, not all sources of alternative business financing are created equal.
10 Alternative Loans for Businesses to Help Your Business Soar
Nothing is guaranteed and things change every day. Still, at the moment, these 10 alternative lenders for small business tend to work well for many. They also offer a wide range of alternative business financing options to fit a variety of needs.
When it comes to alternative loans for businesses, Fundation provides both term business loans and lines of credit. It is most known for its working capital financing options. These are funds meant to help cover the day-to-day costs of running a business rather than larger projects.
StreetShares
StreetShares has its roots in lending to veterans. They still hold true to that mission, but now offer term loans, lines of credit, and contract financing to all types of business owners. The maximum loan amount is $250,000, and preapproval only takes a few minutes. They use a soft pull on your credit so it doesn’t affect your score.
BlueVine
There are two options for small business financing with BlueVine. They include lines of credit and invoice factoring. Minimum loan amount is $5,000 and maximum loan amount is $100,000. Annual revenue must be $120,000 or more and the borrower must be in business at least 6 months. Personal credit score has to be 600 or above.
Fundbox
With Fundbox, you get an online lender that offers a super-fast automated process. Originally, they only had invoice financing. Yet, now they offer a line of credit service as well. Repayments are automatic on a weekly basis. So,be sure you have enough funds in whatever account you let them draft from to cover your payment each week.
Kiva
Kiva is an online lender that is a little different. For example, the interest rate is 0%. That means even though you have to pay it back, it is absolutely free money. They don’t even check your credit. There is one catch though. You have to get at least 5 family members or friends to throw some money in the pot as well. In addition, you have to pitch in a $25 loan to another business on the platform.
Fora Financial was founded in 2008 by college roommates. It now funds more than $1.3 million in working capital around the United States. There is no minimum credit score, and there is an early repayment discount if you qualify.
OnDeck
Obtaining financing from OnDeck is quick and easy. First, you apply online. If you receive approval, your loan funds will go directly to your bank account.
Lendio
The secret to Lendio’s success is excellent customer service and a short, easy application process. The loan-connections service it offers slashes the time it takes to find the right alternative loans for businesses. This is due to its heavily vetted network of lenders.
Credibly
Credibly is a specialized lender offering unsecured business loans online. The application process and funding can be complete in as little as two days, sometimes less. They offer daily and weekly repayment options.
Upstart
Upstart uses a completely innovative platform for loans. They choose to use a combination of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to gather alternative data for use in making credit decisions.
This may include such things as mobile phone bills, rent, deposits, withdrawals, and even other information less directly tied to finances. The software they use learns and improves on its own. You can use their online quote tool to play with different amounts and terms to see the various interest rate possibilities.
Warning: Alternative Loans for Businesses Aren’t for Everyone
Despite the fact that these alternative lending companies tend to offer alternative loans for businesses with less stringent requirements, they won’t work for everyone. Alternative financing methods are just not always a good fit. Here is another other option. Keep reading to the end for a sure-fire way to ensure you can always qualify for the business funding you need when you need it.
The Credit Line Hybrid
What if there were alternative financing options that allowed you to have an even better interest rate than a secured loan, and yet get the money faster and easier than any type of traditional funding. What if you could get business funding without having to supply bank statements or check stubs? This is exactly what the Credit Line Hybrid offers.
This is alternative funding for small business that allows you to fund your business without putting up collateral. You only pay back what you use. You do need good personal credit however. That is, your personal credit score should be at least 680. In addition, you can’t have any liens, judgments, bankruptcies or late payments. Furthermore, in the past 6 months, you should have less than 6 credit inquiries. Also, you should have less than a 45% balance on all business and personal credit cards. In addition, you need at least 2 credit cards with at least 2 years credit history.
If you don’t meet all those requirements, you can still qualify. You can take on a credit partner that meets each of these requirements. Many business owners work with a friend or relative to fund their business. If a relative or a friend meets all of these requirements, they can partner with you to allow you to tap into their credit to access funding.
Use This Secret Weapon and Always Get the Business Funding You Need
To be eligible for the highest limits and best rates when it comes to business credit, your business has to be fundable. There are over 100 factors that impact the fundability of a business. It is a complicated web to weave through. Things from decades ago, long before you ever imagined owning a business, can affect fundability.
The key to having a strong, fundable business that can qualify for any funding is to work with a business credit expert. What can a business credit expert do for you?
Help you assess the current fundability of your business
Guide you to the most effective and efficient ways to improve fundability if necessary
Help you find the best funding options for your business right now
Guide you in what specific, actionable steps you need to take to qualify for more funding with better rates
Leverage lender relationships to cut through a lot of the red tape and bureaucracy that can keep borrowers from getting the information they need, when they need it
It’s common for a borrower to call a lender or vendor credit department directly and not be able to find out if they report to the business credit reporting agencies, or exactly what they are looking for when it comes to credit approval.
A business credit expert already knows a lot of this information, and what they don’t know, they know how to get. They also know their way around alternative sources of financing for business, so they can offer guidance in this area as well.
Using the Internet has become a vital part of the working process for many businesses. Nowadays, more and more employees start working remotely, which can lead to the risk of undesirable sharing of corporate data. Various malware and hackers’ attacks prove that additional layers of security are needed. A Virtual Private Network, or a VPN, which is a technology that enables additional levels of security to company information, can be of assistance for online working staff members.
What is a VPN?
A VPN for business is a server that provides a confidential connection over the Internet and keeps your online activity secure. The data is encrypted, which means that people don’t have access to your personal information, therefore it can not be used for any criminal purposes. A VPN in business, as well as in private life, is an essential means for granting security to individuals and enterprises in today’s global world.
Reliable cybersecurity is the basis of a smooth operation for businesses. The bigger the corporation is, the more protection has to be applied since the consequences of malware become exceedingly critical and entail large expenses.
Becoming a victim of a hacker’s attack sounds like something that happens only to other people or firms, and the reason for it is that only the largest cases make headlines. The actual number of breaches is a lot higher. With the help of VPNs and staying away from using public networks by business employers, the chance of getting attacked lowers down to zero.
In the case of connecting to public Wi-Fi while using a VPN for business, all data is encrypted and protected. When hackers try to use it for their villainous purposes, it is useless to them. They have access only to a VPN provider’s IP address, which won’t lead them to any of the user’s information.
#2 Gaining Ability to Connect to the Corporate Network From Anywhere
Earlier, all the apps, software, and data of the company were in the office. With the development of web and cloud services, like Google Workplace, the need for data centers became outdated. This was because apps and data which used by workers can be stored in the cloud. Moreover, modern companies prefer a remote scheme of working with employees not in the office but working online. Team members who prefer working from the virtual office can connect to a network of their workplace from anywhere. That is, all around the globe.
Working on a project in a coffee shop, airport, café or any other public Wi-Fi is convenient and gains its popularity. Sadly, these Wi-Fi spots are extremely insecure. This is especially after threatening defects were found in WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access II, a security program to protect wireless computer networks). This program is a standard encryption tool in many Wi-Fi networks. These program weaknesses make it possible for bad actors to track the activity of a person and his/her data opened while using public Wi-Fi.
For remote workers, this can result in very sensitive company information like passwords, financial documents, clients’ personal data being stolen. Consequently, this can lead to further fraud and other malicious activity.
VPN services enable workers to share files securely. The majority of VPNs have a function to control who can see the documents to make sure that the employees can only open files which they should.
Business travelers enjoy going from one country to another and work online. What needs to be done if online corporate resources that are necessary for work can not be accessed in some countries? For example, in China users can’t access certain websites only because the country has blocked some services. Solely a VPN for business can come into use in such a situation. After all, while staying in China, you can use Gmail, Facebook, Linkedin, and other sites that are banned there. VPN services work there and you can surf the Internet as though you are located in some more free country. For the ones who need it, this solution can be extremely important as when using a VPN you can get an ID of any place in the world and you don’t need to worry about censorship anymore.
Nonetheless, you must be familiar with your VPN provider’s privacy and logging policies. Some of the providers keep thorough logs and can give them to authorities in case they ask. The other VPN providers, who don’t collect such kind of information, can limit IT people from using the services. In any situation, it is mandatory to read privacy and logging policies and discuss them with IT people in your company to find the most suitable balance of the choice options.
It takes a lot of money and time to establish the level of protection within a company as a VPN provides. Specialists who are able to customize the services also will be listed as additional expenses for a company. If you use a cloud VPN for business, the system will work automatically. The need to involve an additional administrator is minimized. So, if there was a choice between using a VPN in business or spending funds on expanding an IT department, what would be a better, cheaper choice?
A VPN for business is a very affordable option for companies, whose budget is limited. Normally, a monthly subscription for VPN services costs less than $10 per one account when purchased through a commercial licensing plan.
It is common that VPNs have a feature that allows five people to get access using one same record. The companies can save money when five staff members log into a single VPN account.
For such not high expenses, the company can get military-level encryption of data they share and protected authentication access. That can be a significant benefit for small and medium businesses.
Details
One more low-cost option is to install a good VPN router in the company’s office. This will provide secure Wi-Fi with a single VPN account. That opportunity is very advantageous for employees, who work in the office.
It is highly important that only one team uses a single VPN address. The personally assigned IP address can help to get the best level of protection and accessibility.
Free Wi-Fi options often display advertisements, their connection speeds are low as many people use the application simultaneously, and they have a very limited choice of servers. This can be an option for individuals who use a VPN rarely for personal needs, but it is definitely a poor choice for big companies using a VPN every day for business.
Many companies give Wi-Fi access to their customers. Hotels, restaurants, cafés, airports – the Internet is almost everywhere! Anyway, the larger the public network is, the more danger hides in it. If someone uses public Wi-Fi to check the news or see the weather forecast for the next day, that’s one thing. It is a lot different when the client of the organization decides to log into his account by entering a password. Or she uses her credit or debit card information to pay for some purchase online.
Some people want to relax in a café with public Wi-Fi and watch a fun movie from services like Popcorn time. This multi-platform is a free alternative to subscription-based services such as Netflix. The lawfulness of the application depends on the jurisdiction. That is why it is better for a watcher to use free VPN for Popcorn Time as its misuse can lead to serious legal problems.
If your company collects data from clients or patients, you can make a step to soften their worries with the help of using a VPN in your place. Many people may not be aware of what VPN calls for, but a little explanation can lead to great success. Wouldn’t you trust the company that does its best to take extra action to keep your data protected?
Enforcing a VPN for staff members working remotely is an accessible, clear, and efficient choice. Nevertheless, it works only when everyone is on the same page. You should make sure that all employees are on board and keep working according to the implemented VPN protocol. New members of a team need to be learn about it right away. And they need to work according to the set VPN standard of the corporation.
Conclusion
VPN is a modern, easy-to-use and affordable tool to increase the security of your company. And now you know 5 main reasons why every business should consider using VPN for data protection. Choose the VPN that meets your needs to the fullest extent. And stop worrying about business data being compromised and misused.
Kevin White is a talented writer and editor. He specializes in content related to digital marketing, SEO, SMM, eCommerce. He is involved in self-development and actively follows new technologies. You can contact him via GuestPostingNinja@gmail.com.
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I work to help teams to accomplish their objective through creating software suited for their need. I have been working with Human Capital Management System, to creating full-stack apps that may suit your needs.
What’s important is once you get them to your site, you offer more than just a catchy headline.
In this post, we’ll explain why clickbait works, how to do it ethically, and why you should be using more of it.
What Is Clickbait?
Clickbait is any content written to attract clicks. It can include any web content, from news articles to blog posts, infographics, videos, interviews, and more.
Clickbait content usually contains:
a catchy or compelling headline
a strong appeal to emotion
scannable content optimized for web reading
witty copy
content aimed at social media sharing
Although widely attributed to online media, this type of content has been around since the dawn of print journalism. In the 19th century, when newspapers were fighting for circulation numbers, they found the best way to attract new visitors was using catchy headlines to entice readers.
Here’s an example from a 1913 version of New York World, a newspaper run by the infamous Joseph Pulitzer. As you can see, every headline is attention-grabbing, emotional, and aimed at hooking a read at first glance.
Fast forward to the 21st century, and catchy newspaper headlines have transformed into catchy blog titles.
With the introduction of SEO, and more brands wanting to increase traffic to their websites, clickbait titles had a mainstream resurgence.
It’s also important to avoid misleading clickbait on your website, as it can damage trust in your brand.
Ultimately, success comes down to two things:
Write compelling, honest, engaging headlines.
Don’t disappoint your readers once they click on them.
Tips to Use Clickbait in Your Content Marketing Strategy
Now that you know how to use clickbait ethically, it’s time to implement these strategies into your content marketing.
Here’s how to get started:
Utilize the curiosity gap, but don’t exploit it. Avoid sensationalist material and inaccurate claims.
Deliver on any promises you make. Your audience expects the information you promise to them. If they consistently feel they can’t trust your claims, they won’t continue interacting with your brand.
Be honest with your readers and avoid misinformation. Be a beacon of honesty. According to Edleman, 53 percent of consumers need to trust brands they purchase from. If you remain truthful with your viewers, you’ll have a better chance of converting them.
Use numbers in your headlines. Numbers represent actionable steps users can use to reach their goals. Numbered lists also improve scanability and make it easier for readers to digest content.
Pay attention to your data. When using clickbait headlines, measure them against other headlines and see which perform better. Like anything in marketing, the numbers don’t lie. There’s no point investing in a tactic if it doesn’t work for your audience.
Write for more than clicks. A headline is just the beginning. What really matters is the quality of your content as a whole. While a witty headline may bring them to your page, your content will make them stay—so don’t neglect the rest.
Examples of Great Clickbait Strategies
Now that you know what not to do, let’s take a look at some clickbait strategies done right.
When Shopify and Google teamed up to promote Shopify Premium plans, they knew the best way to get people interested was to offer them something in return.
By using numbers, Blocks displays the high worth of its product, public trust in the campaign, and scarcity.
Not only will users who read this headline trust a large community supports Blocks, but they will also feel motivated to act immediately before the campaign ends.
Another great example of clickbait in ads comes from One Smart Penny, a financial advice blog.
In their ad, they use the curiosity gap, by alluding to a secret you’ll only find out if you read the blog. They also leverage the power of celebrity with a feature by Barbara Corcoran, which brings an element of social proof to the ad.
How to Create a Clickbait Headline
Ready to start writing your own? Follow these steps to write a great headline that drives clicks.
1. Use Google Alerts to Find Out What’s Trending
Leveraging popular trends and news is a great way to engage your users.
By setting up Google Alerts for trending or viral topics, you can stay ahead of your competition and be the first to break the news to your audience.
Pair your trending headlines with relevant keywords to boost your SEO.
You can offer physical value through discounts, free products, consultation services, and more. Or, you can offer something less tangible, such as a secret or an industry trick.
When using this clickbait strategy, be sure to follow through with your promise in your post.
No one wants a misleading headline, and if you don’t seem trustworthy, you’ll lose your audience’s attention.
4. Use a Teaser
One of the best clickbait strategies is to use a teaser in your headline.
By suggesting the reader will find something they don’t already know in your post, you’re leveraging the curiosity gap and creating immediate engagement.
A teaser can be a number of things, from “The X things you wish you knew…” or, “You’ll never guess what ____ did in Paris”.
As we said before, be sure to follow through with your teaser in the body of your post to avoid annoying your audience.
Clickbait FAQs
Is clickbait good or bad?
Neither. It is a powerful marketing strategy if used correctly. There’s nothing wrong with encouraging clicks on your post, as long as you’re offering value to your audience that goes beyond the headline.
What is the goal of clickbait?
The goal is to grab a user’s attention and encourage clicks on your content.
Does clickbait still work?
Yes, though it is different now. Because of the prevalence of misinformation online, many entities now have regulations in place to discourage misuse of clickbait headlines. Yet there are still ethical and productive ways to use this tactic.
How does clickbait affect us?
It works in our curiosity gap and piques our interest in topics or news.
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