Is a Sam’s Business Credit Card Good for Your Business?  It Depends

How and When a Sam’s Business Credit Card is a Good Option for Your Business

It can be difficult to choose which business credit cards to use.  There are so many options, and they all have varying benefits.  It takes time and thought to figure out which ones will work best for your business and its needs.  Where does the Sam’s Business Credit Card fall on the spectrum of being good for your business?

The answer to that question is widely dependent on a number of variables.  The first is, do you shop at Sam’s?  The card offers a lot of great benefits, but most are brand specific.  If you do most of the shopping for your business at Sam’s, then you are good to go.  However, if you do not shop at Sam’s a great deal already, it is likely not the best option.

Another question to ask yourself is, are you trying to build business credit?  If so, there are other options that will work better.  The Sam’s business credit card only reports to the personal credit reporting agencies (CRAs).  These include Experian, Equifax, and Transunion.

It can also help to compare the Sam’s Business credit card to other business credit cards.  To do that, you first have to know exactly what you are getting when you get a Sam’s credit card.

Check out how our reliable process will help your business get the best business credit cards.

What Does the Sam’s Business Credit Card Offer?

One of the biggest perks to the Sam’s Business credit card is the cash back.  You get 5% cash back on gas worldwide including at Sam’s Club.  This is capped at the first $6,000. After that you get 1%.  You also can earn 3% back on dining and travel and 1% on other purchases.

Another perk is that there is no annual fee, but you do have to have a membership to Sam’s Club.  The membership does have an annual fee.

There is a variable APR of 14.90% -22.90% and a 3% foreign technology fee.  The penalty APR goes up to 29.9% and is also variable. Late fees and returned payment fees are up to $39.99.

Here’s the thing, while the Sam’s Club card is probably not a bad thing to have if you shop at Sam’s often anyway, making the membership worth it, there are other options that work just as well or maybe even better depending on what you need.  There isn’t anything particularly fabulous about the rewards or interest rates with the Sam’s Club Business credit card.

What Are Some Alternatives to the Sam’s Business Credit Card?

There are hundreds of choices for business credit cards, and each one has its own pros and cons.  You have to do your own research to make the best decision for your business.  However, we have put together some information on some that we consider to be the best to get you started with your comparison to the Sam’s Business credit card.

Capital One® Quicksilver® Card

Take a look at the Capital One® Quicksilver® Card. It features flat-rate rewards of 1.5% on all purchases. There are no limits to the amount of cash back rewards that cardholders can attain. Also, the card has a $0 annual fee.

New cardholders have a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months after opening the account. After that, they have a 14.74 — 24.74% (variable) APR. A cash bonus of $150 is available for those who make a minimum of $500 on purchases within 3 months of opening an account.

Also, cash back rewards do not expire for the life of the account, with no limit to how much you can earn. A cash bonus of $150 is offered to cardholders who make a minimum of $500 in purchases within 3 months of account opening.

Drawbacks include the increase in interest rate after 15 months and the flat rate for rewards.

Sam’s Business Credit Card

JetBlue Plus Card

The JetBlue Plus Card also has a 0% introductory APR.  You can earn six points per dollar on JetBlue purchases, two points/dollar at eateries and grocery stores, and one point/dollar on all other purchases.

If you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days and pay the annual fee, you get 40,000 bonus points. New cardholders receive a 12 -month, 0% introductory APR on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening.  After that, the variable APR on purchases and balance transfers is 17.99%, 21.99% or 26.99%, based on your credit score.  The annual fee is $99.

Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business

The Capital One Spark Classic for Business offers decent cash-back rewards as well. The card earns an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases.  You also get benefits including an auto rental collision damage waiver and purchase security.

The ongoing APR is 24.74% variable, with the penalty APR even higher at 31.15%. Also, there is no sign-up bonus.

Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card

Earn 3 points per dollar spent when you book travel through the Bank of America Travel Center and 1.5 points per dollar on all other purchases. You can get unlimited points and points never expire.

There is a 25,000-point sign-up bonus when you spend $1,000 in the first 60 days of opening the account. The card has no annual fee and comes with a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first nine months. After that, the card has a 13.24 — 23.24% variable APR. There is no introductory rate for balance transfers with this card, and bonus categories are limited.

Uber Visa Card

Did you know Uber has a credit card?  It’s the first ride-sharing service to offer such a thing.  The Uber Visa Card is in partnership with Visa and Barclays. It provides 4% back per dollar spent at restaurants, takeout and bars, including UberEATS. Also, get 3% back on hotel, airfare and vacation home rentals. You can even earn 2% back on online purchases.

This includes retailers and subscription services like Uber and Netflix. Cardholders earn 1% back on all other purchases. Each point has a value of 1 cent. You can redeem points for cash back, gift cards or Uber credits directly within the app.

By spending at least $500 in the initial 90 days, users can earn a $100 sign-up bonus. Cardholders spending at least $5,000 per year are eligible to receive a $50 credit toward online subscription services.

One major perk is if you pay your cellular phone bill with this card, you are insured up to $600 for cellphone damage or theft. Cardholders are also eligible for exclusive access to specific events and offers. Uber anticipates most of these offers to be available in major cities like New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and DC, so this benefit is more relevant if you live in or often visit these cities.

There is no foreign transaction fee, but there is also no introductory rate. The APR is a variable 16.99%, 22.74% or 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Cardholders with lower credit scores will be on the higher end of the range.

Also, there are restrictions on Uber credits. To redeem points as credits in the Uber app, accrue a minimum of 500 points, or $5. Cardholders can convert a maximum of 50,000 points, or $500, in a given day.

Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi

You can’t truly do a comparison with Sam’s Business credit card without including the Costco counterpart.   The Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi earns cash back with every purchase.

Get 4% cash back on the first $7,000 spent on eligible gas purchases annually (1% after that). Earn 3% cash back at restaurants and on eligible travel purchases.  In addition, you can get 2% cash back at Costco and Costco.com, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. There is no annual fee, but of course you must have a Costco membership.  There is no sign-up bonus.

Check out how our reliable process will help your business get the best business credit cards.

United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card

If you travel a lot and are interested in earning miles, look at the United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card. Earn 2 miles per dollar with United Airlines and at restaurants, gas stations and office supply stores. All other purchases earn 1 mile per dollar. There is a 50,000-mile sign-up bonus if you spend $3,000 in the first three months after account opening. Benefits include priority boarding, and a free first checked bag for you and a companion on the same reservation.

In addition, you get two United Club passes annually. There are also upgrade options and other perks at hotels and resorts.

After the first year, the card has an annual fee of $95 and an APR of 17.99% — 24.99%, based on creditworthiness.

Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card

The Ink Business Cash ℠ Credit Card is also a viable option. Small businesses can earn cash back with every purchase. Spend $3,000 in the first three months from account opening and earn a $500 in bonus cash back. You can also earn additional cash back on business categories. So, these include office supply stores, telecommunications, gas stations and restaurants.

There is a $0 annual fee with a 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers. Afterwards, the APR is a 15.24 – 21.24% variable.

Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business

If your credit is just ok, Capital One Spark Classic for Business could be a good option. It has no annual fee, and there are even still cash-back rewards. The card earns an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases. There is no annual fee.

There is no sign-up bonus, and the ongoing APR is 24.74% variable APR. The penalty APR is even higher at 31.15%.

Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card

If your credit is less than okay, consider the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card. It charges a $25 yearly fee per card. It also requires a minimum security deposit of $500 (up to $25,000) and it is intended to help cardholders establish or rebuild their credit.

You can choose between 1.5% per dollar in purchases with no limits, or earning one point for every dollar in purchases. You also earn 1,000 bonus points for every month your company makes $1,000 in purchases on the card.

In addition, you get your FICO score for free each month so you can watch as your score improves.  They also regularly review accounts, and it is possible to upgrade to an unsecured card as your score improves.

APR is the current prime rate plus 11.90%. There is no introductory APR period and no sign-up bonus. Balance transfers are not an option either.

Check out how our reliable process will help your business get the best business credit cards.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Credit Card

There are many factors to consider when determining which of these, or if some other card, is best for your business.  First, you have to take your credit score into account.  If your score isn’t very good, you will not have any many options.  Then, you need to consider what your goals are.  Do you want a card that earns lots of rewards, or do you want the best interest rate?

Lastly, consider your spending habits.  You need a card that will first, support your spending habits.  In addition, it would be nice if the perks offered reward your specific spending habits.

Is the Sam’s Business Credit Card Right for Your Business?

This is a fine card if you are already a Sam’s Club member.  The benefits are respectable, and the interest rates are comparable.  However, if you are not already a Sam’s Club member, it probably isn’t worth becoming one just to get this card.  There are a lot of other options available that are just as good, if not better, and that do not require a membership.  Look around and see what you can find that may better suit your needs.

Remember, if you are looking to build business credit, you will need to find business cards that report to the business credit reporting agencies.  These include Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business.  The Sam’s Business credit card definitely does not do this.

The post Is a Sam’s Business Credit Card Good for Your Business?  It Depends appeared first on Credit Suite.

Achievement in Meridian, ID… $15,500.00 in Business Revenue financing!

Our client obtained $15,500.00 in Business Revenue financing.  This financing was a boost for the company and a help to their continued success.

Using the client’s consistent cash flow we were able to provide this opportunity for financing.

Congratulations Ron and your team; we are happy to be part of this success!

Click Here to see how much funding you can get for your business.

The post Achievement in Meridian, ID… $15,500.00 in Business Revenue financing! appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

Achievement in Meridian, ID… $15,500.00 in Business Revenue financing!

Our client obtained $15,500.00 in Business Revenue financing.  This financing was a boost for the company and a help to their continued success.

Using the client’s consistent cash flow we were able to provide this opportunity for financing.

Congratulations Ron and your team; we are happy to be part of this success!

Click Here to see how much funding you can get for your business.

The post Achievement in Meridian, ID… $15,500.00 in Business Revenue financing! appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

Funded again… $15,000.00 in unsecured business cards

Title Back USA gained $15,000.00 in unsecured business cards. With this he was able to help his business succeed and help increase revenue. Congratulations to our client and thank you for allowing us to help be a part of your success! Click Here to see how much funding you can get for your business. The post … Continue reading Funded again… $15,000.00 in unsecured business cards

Funded again… $15,000.00 in unsecured business cards

Title Back USA gained $15,000.00 in unsecured business cards.

With this he was able to help his business succeed and help increase revenue.

Congratulations to our client and thank you for allowing us to help be a part of your success!

Click Here to see how much funding you can get for your business.

The post Funded again… $15,000.00 in unsecured business cards appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

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The post Funded again… $15,000.00 in unsecured business cards appeared first on Buy It At A Bargain – Deals And Reviews.

Funded again… $15,000.00 in unsecured business cards

Title Back USA gained $15,000.00 in unsecured business cards.

With this he was able to help his business succeed and help increase revenue.

Congratulations to our client and thank you for allowing us to help be a part of your success!

Click Here to see how much funding you can get for your business.

The post Funded again… $15,000.00 in unsecured business cards appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

Recently funded… $30,000.00 in Business Revenue financing!

Reptile City received $30,000.00 from business revenue funding.  This provided working capital for the client and assisted in increased revenue.

Using their consistent cash flow we then were able to help them acquire financing to keep their company booming.

Click Here to see how much funding you can get for your business.

The post Recently funded… $30,000.00 in Business Revenue financing! appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

Recently funded… $30,000.00 in Business Revenue financing!

Reptile City received $30,000.00 from business revenue funding.  This provided working capital for the client and assisted in increased revenue.

Using their consistent cash flow we then were able to help them acquire financing to keep their company booming.

Click Here to see how much funding you can get for your business.

The post Recently funded… $30,000.00 in Business Revenue financing! appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

How to Increase Business Credit: 5 Simple Steps Every Entrepreneur Can Take

And How to Get Business Credit if You Don’t Already Have It

Business credit is a vital part of your life as an entrepreneur, even if you do not know it. The fact is, it is almost impossible to run a successful business without it.  Unfortunately, many business owners do not realize this until after their business credit is in shambles.  If this is you, then you need to know how to increase business credit.

While it isn’t easy, it also isn’t impossible to improve your business credit score.  Of course, the most obvious thing to do is to pay your bills on time.  That is most definitely part of it.  There are other steps you can take to raise your business credit score as well, however.

What is Business Credit?

Before you can really understand how to increase business credit, you have to understand what it is in the first place.  It is similar to personal credit.  However, it is credit in the name of your business rather than the name of the individual.  It is used as a predictor of the ability of the business to handle debt.

The beauty of this is, if you have business credit, your business transactions will not affect your personal credit.  Your personal credit score can be protected from any mishaps with your business.  It is important to know, however, that the reverse is not always true.  In some cases, your personal credit can affect your business credit.  Some business credit reporting agencies (CRAs) use information from your personal credit report to calculate your business credit score.

Share our foolproof business credit building checklist and tell your friends about how you’re building business credit the quick and easy way.

In addition, some lenders will check both your personal and your business credit.  This means that, while business credit is essential to running a business successfully, you shouldn’t ignore your personal credit score.  It is important to both your personal and business finances.

How Do You Get Business Credit?

Growing company credit is a process. It does not occur without effort. A company must actively work to establish small business credit. This is in direct contrast to how personal credit builds, often without your knowledge that it is even happening. You do have to work the steps of the process in order however.  If you do not already have business credit, here is how to start.

A small business must exist as its own entity separate from its owner, and it must be fundable to lending institutions and merchants. This means formally incorporating as a corporation, S-corp, or LLC.  It also means getting and EIN, which is like an SSN, but for your business.  They are free on the IRS website.

Then, you need to ensure your business has its own, dedicated email address, fax number, and telephone number.  Get a listing on 411 by going to http://listyourself.net.  List the business contact information with the business name. The phone number should be toll free.

As for the email address, it can’t be from a free email service like Yahoo or Gmail.  It needs to have the same URL as the company website.  Yes, your business needs a professional, well put together website.  Don’t use a free hosting service for this.  Use a paid service like GoDaddy.

A small business also needs a bank account devoted purely to it.  All business transactions should run through the business account.

You will also have to get a D-U-N-S number.  It’s free.  Start here.

How Do You Get Credit Without Credit?

Here’s the thing.  We all know not having credit is virtually the same to lenders as having bad credit. When it comes to business credit, there is a secret to get accounts reporting on your business credit file.  This secret is the vendor credit tier.  These are beginner trade lines that will extend invoices with net terms without even checking your credit.  Then they will report your payments on these invoices to the business credit reporting agencies.

In this way, your business credit score can start to build like a snowball.  As it grows, you will become eligible for credit from more and more companies.

You want 5 to 8 of these to move onto the next step, which is the retail credit tier. Who are these vendors?  How do you find them?  Here are a few of the easiest to get started with.

Uline

Uline is a true starter vendor that offers shipping, packing, and industrial supplies.  They report to D&B.

You have to have a D-U-N-S number, and they request 2 references and a bank reference. The initial few orders may need to be prepaid before you can get approval for Net 30 terms.

Quill

Quill is another option that is easy to get started with. They sell office, packaging, and cleaning supplies and report to D&B and Experian.

Because Quill reports to two separate credit reporting bureaus, you get two credit experiences with them. Place an initial order first unless the D&B score is already established.

Ordinarily they put you on a 90-day prepayment schedule. If you order items monthly for 3 months, they normally approve you for a Net 30 Account.

Grainger Industrial Supply

Grainger Industrial Supply sells safety equipment, plumbing supplies, and more.  They report to D&B. You need a business license, EIN, and a D-U-N-S number to get a net account with them.

For less than a $1000 credit limit they approve nearly anyone with a business license.

Retail Credit Tier

Once there are 8 or more accounts from the vendor credit tier reporting to at least one of the CRAs, the next step is to apply for credit from the retail credit tier. These are companies such as Office Depot and Staples.

Fleet Credit Tier

The fleet credit tier is next.  These are businesses like BP and Conoco. Use this credit to buy fuel, and to fix and maintain vehicles.

Cash Credit Tier

The final tier is the cash credit tier. These are companies such as Visa and MasterCard that are not attached to a specific store.

Share our foolproof business credit building checklist and tell your friends about how you’re building business credit the quick and easy way.

How to Increase Business Credit if You Already Have it

What if you already have a business credit score and it’s not good?  It’s easier to increase something when there is no negative information counteracting the positive.  What if you already have negative information on your business credit report.  Here is how to increase business credit in that case.

5 Steps for How to Increase Business Credit

1.      Add tradelines

Here is how you do that. You can use the starter vendors mentioned above, but if you already have established business credit, that isn’t the only way.  You can also ask the vendors you already have a relationship with about starting a credit relationship.  Ask if they will extend you credit based on the merits of the relationship you already have, and ask if they will report the payments.  Even if you only get one or two to do it, your credit score will only increase with the positive payment history being recorded.

2.      Ask to delete paid off collections.

Did you know that if you have an account that goes to collections, it will stay on your credit report even after you pay it off?  That’s right.  The negative hit stays on your report even if you pay off the account in full.  You can ask to have it removed however.  Be sure to do that.

3.      Ensure all information is correct and up to date.

Take the initiative to notify credit agencies of changes in address, phone number, email addresses, etc.  In addition, monitor your business credit reports so you can dispute any mistakes.

Update the details if there are errors or the information is incomplete. At D&B, you can do this at: https://iupdate.dnb.com/iUpdate/viewiUpdateHome.htm. For Experian, go here: www.experian.com/small-business/business-credit-information.jsp. So for Equifax, go here: www.equifax.com/business/small-business.

4.      Ask for an increase to your credit limit.

Your credit utilization ratio is the amount of debt you have in relation to the amount of credit you have available to you. If you are using a ton of your available credit, your ratio will be high.  The reverse is also true. When people ask themselves how to increase business credit, they often do not realize this.  Once they do see it, the next step is usually to add accounts in an effort to increase the amount of credit available.

However, this isn’t always the best option because the average age of all reporting accounts affects your credit score as well.  If you are adding new accounts, that average age decreases, which negatively affects your account.

Another option, which works much better, is to ask your current accounts to raise your credit limit.  This way, you have more available credit, decrease your credit utilization ratio, and leave your average age of accounts unaffected.

5.      Make payments on time!

Duh, right?  It’s true though.  The number one way to answer the question of how to increase business credit is to make consistent, on-time payments.  Here’s a bonus tip too.  If you find that you need to stop carrying so many balances and have the means to pay a little extra on minimums, pick the balance with the highest interest rate and put all of your extra onto that balance.  Once it is paid off, take the total payment amount and pay that amount extra on the balance with the next highest interest rate.  As you see your balances getting paid down, you will see your business credit score increase. You’ll save money on interest also, since you are paying off the highest interest rate balances first.

Watch It Rise

While you are putting all these tips for how to increase business credit into action, pay attention to what your credit score is doing.  If you are not seeing an increase, however gradual it may be, you need to figure out what it going on.

How do you do this?  Each of the main business credit reporting agencies offer the option to purchase your credit reports. It’s not cheap.

At D&B you can monitor at: www.dandb.com/credit-builder. At Experian, you can monitor your account at: www.smartbusinessreports.com/Landing/1217/. And at Equifax, you can monitor your account at: www.equifax.com/business/business-credit-monitor-small-business. Experian and Equifax cost about $19.99; D&B ranges from $49.99 to $99.99.

We can help you monitor business credit at Experian and D&B for 90% less than it would cost you at the CRAs. See: www.creditsuite.com/monitoring.

What If You Find a Mistake?

Mistakes in your credit report(s) can be taken care of, but the CRAs usually want you to dispute in a particular way.

Disputing credit report errors normally means you mail a paper letter along with duplicates of any proofs of payment. These are documents like receipts and cancelled checks. Never send the originals.

Fixing credit report inaccuracies also means you precisely spell out any charges you contest. Make your dispute letter as understandable as possible. Be specific about the problems with your report. Use certified mail to have proof that you sent in your dispute.

Share our foolproof business credit building checklist and tell your friends about how you’re building business credit the quick and easy way.

Dispute your or your company’s Equifax report by following the directions here: www.equifax.com/small-business-faqs/#Dispute-FAQs.

You can dispute mistakes on your or your company’s Experian report by following the directions here: www.experian.com/small-business/business-credit-information.jsp.

And D&B’s PAYDEX Customer Service telephone number is here: www.dandb.com/glossary/paydex.

Now you Know How to Increase Business Credit

If you don’t have a business credit score at all, you will have to start from scratch.  Establish your business as separate from yourself.  Start building a score with the trade account from the vendor credit tier, then watch your score rise as you work through the rest of the credit tiers.

If you have business credit already, but it’s not great, you can still increase it.  Make sure all your information is updated.  Work on your credit utilization ratio by asking current accounts to increase limits. Establish trade lines with those vendors you are already working with, and ask the reporting agencies to remove collections that have been paid off.

More than any of that however, make your payments on-time and consistently.  If you need to take a breath, regroup, and rebudget, do it.  Not paying your bills is the number one way to ruin your credit.  Conversely, making consistent, on-time payments is the number one way to increase your score.

The post How to Increase Business Credit: 5 Simple Steps Every Entrepreneur Can Take appeared first on Credit Suite.

Relax with Office Comfort and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week

The Hottest and Most Brilliant Business Tips for YOU – Relaxing Office Comfort and More

Our research ninjas at Credit Suite smuggled out ten amazing business tips for you! Be fierce and score in business with the best tips around the web. You can use them today and see fast results. You can take that to the bank – these are foolproof! Get some office comfort in your life and more.

Stop making stupid decisions and start powering up your business. Demolish your business nightmares and start celebrating as your business fulfills its promise.

And these brilliant business tips are all here for free! So settle in and scoop up these tantalizing goodies before your competition does!

#10. Keep Rolling With Payroll

Our first jaw-dropping tip is all about easily managing payroll. The Self Employed says payroll can be a difficult task for many companies. Which is weird when you think about it. After all, unless a company is 100% volunteer (even nonprofits aren’t), then someone has to be paid, at some point in time.

You’d think businesses would be ready for that. But noooooo.

So this article had two tips which were pretty interesting.

Separate Bank Accounts Keep Everything Organized

It’s true, and it’ll probably help with your company’s bank credit score, anyway. The suggestion was for three separate bank accounts. One is for taxes to be withheld. That, we suspect, should be a savings account. Why not earn a smidgen of interest while setting aside the quarterly chunk of tribute to Uncle Sam?

The other two definitely need to be checking accounts – although we think there’s a possibility that this is a touch of overkill. Either way, the article suggests one for expenses and the other for payroll.

But no matter what, you need to work your payroll from a checking account.

Cards Versus Checks Versus Direct Deposit

The world of work, it seems, is divided into two camps – those who use direct deposit, and those who, for whatever reason, don’t. They might not live in the United States and so it’s too hard to do this. Or maybe they don’t trust the banking system or the like.

Or maybe they don’t have a bank account at all.

The article points out the sad truth – the last group of people in particular are perfect victims for 24 hour check cashing scams. The article had an interesting solution. But we feel it doesn’t go quite far enough.

The article’s solution was to use white label prepaid debit cards. It’s an interesting idea, and it can certainly work for a lot of people. Prepaid debit cards could turn out to be the perfect solution for employees who live outside the United States.

However, we thought up two more solutions to this vexing problem.

PayPal, Baby, Yeah!

How many of your employees have PayPal accounts? Why not direct deposit their checks there? Just like any electronic funds transfer to a bank, the transfer is as secure as PayPal can make it. PayPal is accepted in lots of places and that number is growing. You won’t earn interest with it but, let’s face it, interest rates for checking accounts are pretty abysmal these days. You’re probably not missing out on much money.

No PayPal? Then there’s Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. It seems to be easier to do this with Samsung Pay versus Apple Pay, though it’s not impossible.

Don’t like any of these solutions? Then say hello to Bitcoin. It could be another way to get around not being able to directly deposit.

But What About Paper Checks?

Paper Checks are kind of an idea whose time has passed; we feel. Still, there are some people who insist on still getting them. However, talk to your employees about paper before you say yes to it. for one thing, it’s obviously worse for the planet to cut checks made with paper. And the costs of processing are higher with paper. Plus there’s another issue with paper – it can be so much more easily lost or stolen.

Getting off the paper train is probably a good idea all around.

#9. Support Is So Sweet

The next awesome tip is about measuring your brand affinity. Wistia notes brand affinity is the extent to which your customers identify with and support your brand.

We love measuring stuff, because it’s the best way to see if you’re succeeding. If you can’t measure it, then you don’t know if something is working, or what to fix.

This article pulls together a number of metrics to get this figure and make it concrete.

Measure and Combine

Start with Google Analytics and look at your number of sessions and their average duration. That will give you an idea of how much time your customers spend with your content. Multiply the two together and that’s a number you want to strive to increase.

Another metric to look at – although it’s not as helpful – is Facebook Insights. You can look at minutes viewed for any videos you’ve got on your page. It’s in the aggregate, and it’s for every 5 – 10 second impression. That’s an issue because quickie ‘views’ by bots are going to inflate this figure.

Another metric to check is YouTube Analytics. Look at Watch Time and then segment it by traffic source. And look at Google Search Console as well.

We recommend looking at this article closely, as it includes helpful information on how to clean up the data and get rid of trivial fake interactions which don’t really tell you anything.

If you are as passionate about succeeding in business as we are, please help us spread the word about how to take the plunge and save time and money – and your sanity! Enjoy relaxing office comfort and more….

#8. Hurry Up, Web Page!

Our following life-changing tip concerns speeding up your page for Google. Wordstream lays it all out for us. Because how fast your site loads isn’t just a concern for your customers and prospects. It’s also a concern for Google itself.

The faster, the better.

So, how do you speed things up? Stop having your website do things which aren’t necessary. Like what?

How about getting rid of plugins you don’t use if you’ve got a WordPress site? And even if you don’t, get rid of images you’re not using – and compress the ones you keep.

Check out the rest of the article for more helpful tips – it’s that good. And look at offerings from HubSpot – check out their Website Grader and their recommendations. Like this one – to reduce the number of HTTP requests.

Cut the fat and your customers and prospects will be happier to go to your website and hang out. And, we hope, buy something.

#7. Serve Your Customers, And They’ll Serve You

For our next sensational tip, we looked at providing excellent customer service, which never goes out of style. Fundera says that happy customers come back and buy again. And they’re more likely to spend more, too. Excellent customer service can put money in your pocket.

So why wouldn’t you do your best to do it?

Be Empathetic

There were a number of detailed specific recommendations which we loved. In fact, we strongly suggest reading the article in its entirety – it’s that good.

But most of the suggestions boiled down to one basic premise. Be empathetic. Bring some of your office comfort energy to them.

Listen to concerns. Communicate, but respect your customers’ time. Elicit feedback. Get to know your customers, beyond how they connect to you as customers.

In short, treat them like, you know, actual human beings.

What a concept.

#6. Be The Business With ALL The Answers

This tip is so cool, and it works! Buzz Sumo tells us all about creating a comprehensive knowledge base for your site.

The Twitter tip alone is worth the price of admission on this one, no lie.

Twitter Questions, Found

Got a keyword or keyword phrase and you want to see what people are asking? Then pop it into the search bar of Twitter in this format: [keyword ?]

Yes, keep the space between the keyword and the question mark. Hence a question about credit looks like this: credit ?

It works for keyword phrases, too.

Essentially what this query does is, it gets you the most popular tweets with both your keyword and a question mark. Naturally, this assumes everyone with a question uses a question mark (not always the case, given Twitter’s character limit).

The article has tips for finding other kinds of questions online. After all, if you don’t know what people are asking, how can you possibly know which answers they need?

#5. Relax With The Best In Office Comfort

Grab this mind-blowing tip while it’s hot!

Office comfort will make you so happy!

Noobpreneur says office comfort will help with attendance. After all, if your employees don’t like where they work, they aren’t going to want to come in if they can help it.

So, there are three great areas where you can enhance office comfort. But what we really loved was the first one.

First Stop, Ergonomics!Office Comfort Credit Suite

Seriously.

For those of us who are – ahem – pretty far past the latter side of 30, office comfort is a must because otherwise we throw our backs out.

High quality office furniture can make the difference between a good day at work and a not so good day. A bad day at work, where pain punctuates the hours, is a recipe for short tempers and a decided lack of concentration.

Do you want to invest in office comfort and buy good chairs? Or do you want to keep paying for the same reports and content to be corrected, over and over again?

Pro tip – invest in a decent chair for your home computer area as well. Office comfort doesn’t have to stop the moment you leave the workplace. And of course if you work from home, then office comfort by definition is a function of what you do at home.

True story – a better desk chair has improved your intrepid blog writer’s performance, no question.

If you are as passionate about succeeding in business as we are, please help us spread the word about how to take the plunge and save time and money – and your sanity! Enjoy relaxing office comfort and more….

#4. Do You Feel A Sales Chill?

Check out this spectacular tip, all about using cold calling to get to sales conversations faster. Mailshake notes that you don’t want to just be cold calling anyone. You want to be calling prospects only.

The key to this form of calling is to understand your prospects’ problems. And you need to know how your product or service is the solution they need. Once these two things are known, the script practically writes itself.

Where’s the Priority?

For your prospects, ordering a paid solution, or at least taking a meeting to discuss such a thing, directly relates to priority. If they don’t think their problem needs to solved any time soon, then they won’t feel either activity is something they need to do any time soon. If ever.

See tip #3 for even more detail on how to nudge people from prospect to customer.

#3. Let’s Go Prospecting

It’s not your imagination: this winning tip can make your sales prospecting more effective. HubSpot tells us this form of outreach is absolutely essential when it comes to getting new customers.

Their tip about warming up prospects before contacting them is an oldie but a goodie. But there was one tip which we adored and think should be tattooed on any salesperson’s forehead in reverse script so it’s easy to see in a mirror. No lie.

Office Comfort Credit SuiteDon’t Sell!

Oh gosh this is perfect and is the answer to, we suspect, most prospects’ prayers.

For the first prospecting sales call, don’t try to sell anything. Why not? Because it’s off-putting. So don’t do that. The last thing you want to do is leave a bad taste in the mouths of your prospects. And nothing can do that faster than being nothing but a sales mouthpiece, 24/7.

Think about it. Your prospects probably fast forward through commercials on recorded shows. They might use popup and ad blockers on their computers and phones. They don’t read billboards for fun.

So what makes you think they want to hear you go on about your product or service every time they hear from you?

Hint: they don’t.

#2. Price It Right The First Time

Our second to last unbeatable tip can give you a new perspective on correctly pricing your products. Sleek Note reveals all about this essential skill. Many online customers value the ability to get better prices and compare prices easily as two of the most important reasons why they shop online in the first place.

How Do You Price Your Wares?

Just how much science goes into pricing? Or do companies just close their eyes and point, or spin a big wheel?

What if you could carefully put together your pricing so it would best serve you from the start?

Makes a lost more sense than just throwing darts at a board.

Compare and Analyze Your Key Competitors

This is a key tip. Consider how your customers are using the internet to seek your wares and decide if they’ll buy from you or your competition. They are likely doing some form of head to head price comparison.

So why not do one yourself? If you were looking at your prices versus your competitors’, would you choose to buy your stuff?

Tweak If It’s Not Working

This is maybe the most important tip of all. They’re your prices, not the Ten Commandments. If your sales are high or your reviews are off the charts amazing, maybe your customers will tolerate a slight increase. If your sales are low, then maybe a discount or some coupons are in your future.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and change. Words to live by in business!

#1. Get Moving With Emotional Motivation

We saved the best for last. For our favorite remarkable tip, we focused on motivating people to buy. Copy Blogger says feelings drive action. They are the very essence of motivation.

There are a number of emotions which will spur action. An approach motivation, for example, is a positive one, whereby people want to experience or discover more of something or other. Hence you can tap into this emotional well with blog posts and other content which justifies why your product or service is what the prospect needs.

Another emotional motivator is attacking. This is where people want to criticize, devalue, or attack something. Why not tap into this emotion with an ‘axe to grind’ style of post? Ask what your customers’ pet peeves are. Get to the root of what they want to get rid of, versus what they may be trying to avoid.

An emotions can drive our decisions. It’s more than a feeling.

And you just might have something there.

So which one of our brilliant business tips was your favorite? And which one will you be implementing now?

If you are as passionate about succeeding in business as we are, please help us spread the word about how to take the plunge and save time and money – and your sanity! Enjoy relaxing office comfort and more….

The post Relax with Office Comfort and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week appeared first on Credit Suite.