How to Get a Business Loan: 5 Hot Tips to Make the Process Easier

Do you know how to get a business loan?  It’s a broad topic. Probably more so than you realize.  I mean, what kind of loan do you need? What type of lender will you use?  Do you even qualify for a business loan? Are there other options? Can you afford a business loan?  Then, these days, there is the question of whether you qualify for any of the COVID-19 relief loans.

Do You Know How to Get a Business Loan? Here Are 5 Things you Can Do to Make it Easier

These are all questions that you need answer to before you can even think about how to get a business loan.  That’s because those answers affect the process. However, there are a few things that, across the board, can make getting a business loan easier.  

1. How to Get a Business Loan: Evaluate Your Fundability

When most people start thinking about how to get a business loan, they think about credit.  Sometimes they even wonder about business credit, but they usually have the wrong idea about that.  What they are really wondering is, is their business fundable? Fundability itself is often misunderstood, being confused with credit.

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How to Get a Biz Loan Credit SuiteFirst, it has to do with much more than credit, either business or personal.  Fundability includes such things as how your business is set up, what information is out there that connects you to your business, and other factors that you have probably never thought about in relation to getting a business loan. 

Fundability is essential in how to get a business loan.  The following things all affect the fundability of your business.  Take some time to consider each of them and the effect each may have on your ability to get a loan.  Basically, you need to do an analysis of fundability for your business. Doing so will help you get things in order so that it will be easier to get a business loan.

Consider Your Business Credit 

No brainer, right? Business credit definitely comes into play. But, where do business credit reports come from?  There are a lot of different places, but the main ones are Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, Equifax, and FICO SBSS.  Since you have no way of knowing which one your lender will choose, you need to make sure all of these reports are up to date and accurate. 

What Data is Coming Out of Other Business Data Agencies 

In addition to the business credit reporting agencies that directly calculate and issue credit reports, there are other business data agencies that affect those reports indirectly.  Two examples of this are LexisNexis and The Small Business Finance Exchange. You cannot see your reports from these agencies, and you cannot change the data they already have on you or your business.  What you can do, however, is ensure that any new information they collect is positive. 

Identification Numbers 

Dun & Bradstreet is the largest and most commonly used business credit reporting agency.  Every credit file in their database has a D-U-N-S number.  To get a D-U-N-S number, you have to apply for one through the D&B website. You must have this number to have a file with D&B, and you have to have a file with D&B to build business credit. 

Business Information

It may seem obvious that all of your business information should be the same across the board.  However, when you start changing things up, like adding a business phone number and address or incorporating, some things may slip through the cracks. Make sure all your information is updated everywhere.  Check licenses, insurances, deeds, and anything else you can think of for consistency in name and contact information. Then, be sure the same information is on your loan application. 

Financial Statements

Both your personal and business tax returns need to be in order.  Also, you need to be actually paying both. 

Bureaus

There are several other agencies that hold information related to your personal finances. For example, ChexSystems issues reports that can affect fundability.  These reports, in the simplest terms, detail bad check activity.  This affects your bank score.  If you have too many bad checks, you will not be able to open a bank account.  As you can imagine that is a big problem when it comes to fundability. 

Personal Credit History

Your personal credit score from Experian, Equifax, and Transunion all affect the overall fundability of your business.  If it isn’t great right now, get to work on it.  The number one way to get a strong personal credit score or improve a weak one is to make payments on time, consistently. 

The Application Process

Next, make sure that your business name, business address, and ownership status are all verifiable.  Lenders will check.  Then, make sure you choose the right lending product for your business and your needs. 

2. Make Sure You are Set Up Properly

How your business is set up also makes a difference in how to get a business loan.  For one, if your business isn’t set up as a separate entity from you as the owner, your ability to get a loan will rest solely on your personal credit.  You don’t want that. When you separate your business from yourself, your personal credit will still matter, but it won’t be the only thing that matters. Here is how to make sure your business set up separate from you.  

Get Your Business Its Own Contact Information

Your business needs its own phone number, fax number, and address.   You can easily get a business phone number and fax number that works over the internet instead of phone lines.  

In addition, you can use a virtual office for a business address. There are businesses that offer a physical address for a fee.  Sometimes they even offer mail service and live receptionist options.  In addition, there are some that offer meeting spaces for those times you may need to meet a client or customer in person. 

Get an EIN

The next thing you need to do is get an EIN for your business.  This is an identifying number for your business that works in a way similar to how your SSN works for you personally.  You can get one for free from the IRS.

You Have to Incorporate

Incorporating your business as an LLC, S-corp, or corporation is necessary for separation.  It also lends helps your business be seen as legitimate. In addition, it offers some protection from liability. 

Business Bank Account

You have to open a separate, dedicated business bank account.  There are a few reasons for this.  First, it will help you keep track of business finances.  It will also help you keep them separate from personal finances for tax purposes. Additionally, there are several types of funding you cannot get without a business bank account. 

Licenses

For a business to be legitimate it has to have all of the necessary licenses it needs to run.  If it doesn’t, that is a huge warning to lenders.

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Website

I am sure you are wondering how a business website can affect your ability to get funding.  Having a poorly put together website can be even worse than not having one at all.  It is the first impression you make, and if it appears to be unprofessional, it won’t look good. 

Spend the time and money necessary to ensure your website is professionally designed and works well.  Pay for hosting too. Don’t use a free hosting service.  Along these same lines, your business needs a dedicated business email address.  Make sure it has the same URL as your Website.  Don’t use a free service such as Yahoo or Gmail. 

3. Build Business Credit Now

How do you build business credit?  Well, after your business is set up to be separate from you, the owner, you have to get accounts reporting payments to the business credit reporting agencies. 

There are a few ways to do this.   The easiest way is to ask those merchants you already work with if they will extend credit and report payments.  

Another option is to ask those that you already pay each month to report your payments to the business credit reporting agencies (CRAs).  This would be things like utility payments, internet, or rent.  

The last option is what we call starter vendors.  These are vendors that will offer net terms on invoices without a credit check, and then report those payments to the business CRAs.  

Once you have several of these initial accounts reporting positive payment history for a few months, you can start to apply for cards that will check your business credit.  Start with store cards like Office Depot or Best Buy. Then, when you get a few of those, move on to fleet cards from companies like Shell and Fuelman. After that, you can apply for standard business credit cards that are not limited to where you can use them or what you can use them for, and you can get approval based on your business credit.  As you make on time payments, your business credit score will continue to get stronger. 

4. Research Lenders and Products

There are many types of loans and lenders.  You need to know which ones will work best for you and your situation.  Applying for the right product for your business from the right lender will go a long way toward approval. 

Traditional Term Loans 

These are the loans that you go to the bank to get.  As a business, your business credit score can help you get some types of funding even if your personal score isn’t awesome.  That isn’t necessarily the case with this type of funding however. 

With a traditional lender term loan, you are almost always going to have to give a personal guarantee.  This means they will check your personal credit.  If your personal credit score isn’t in order, you will likely not get approval.

What kind of personal credit score do you need to have in order to qualify for a traditional term loan? If you have at least a 750 you are in pretty good shape. Sometimes you can get approval with a score of 700+, but the terms will not be as favorable. 

If you have really great business credit, your lender might be more inclined to be a little more flexible. However, your personal credit score will still weigh heavily on the terms and interest rate. 

SBA Loans 

These are traditional bank loans, but they have a guarantee from the federal government. The Small Business Administration, or SBA, works with lenders to offer small businesses funding solutions that they may not be able to get based on their own credit history. Because of the government guarantee, lenders are able to relax a little on the personal credit score requirements. 

In fact, it is possible to get an SBA microloan with a personal credit score between 620 and 640. These are very small loans, up to $50,000.  They may require personal collateral as well. 

The trade-off with SBA loans is that the application progress is lengthy. There is a ton of red tape connected with these types of loans. 

Currently, there are some changes to some SBA loan programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Check out our best webinar with its trustworthy list of seven vendors to help you build business credit.

Business Line of Credit 

This is basically the traditional lender’s version of a business credit card. However, rates are typically much better than a credit card.  The application and approval process is similar to that of a traditional term loan. 

Non-Traditional Lenders 

These are lenders other than traditional banks and credit unions that offer terms loans.  The difference between these and traditional lenders is that the loans have looser approval requirements and a much faster application process. Typically, you can simply apply online, get approval in as little as 24 hours, and the funds are in your account within 24 to 48 hours after approval. They work well if your personal credit isn’t terrible and you need funding quickly.

One Way How to Get a Business Loan is to Have a Workable, Professional Business Plan

The next step in how to get a small business loan is the business plan.  You have to convince lenders that your business will be a good investment.  Honestly, it’s best to hire professional writers and researchers to help you put this together.  If you can’t, there are plenty of free resources online to help.  This includes templates. For the most part, a well put together business plan should include the following. 

  • An Executive Summary
  • Description
  • Strategies
  • Market Analysis
  • Analysis of audience
  • Competitive Analysis
  • Plan for Design and Development
  • Plan for Operation and Management
  • Financials
  • Financial Information

How to Get a Business Loan: There Are No Guarantees

The truth is, even if you do all of these things, there are no guarantees when it comes to how to get a business loan.  However, these things can increase your chances in a huge way. All of it makes a difference. Still, fundability is the number one tool lenders use to make decisions.  Business credit and personal credit are a huge part of this. If you are fundable, and you have a winning plan, you can get the funds you need to run and grow your business.

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Essential 2020 Business Tax Tips Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic

As we near the time most of us dread, when taxes are due, there is a major spin on things this year.  The Covid-19 virus has put the world completely on its head, and even the IRS isn’t immune. What does coronavirus mean for taxes, and how can you make sure you keep as much of your money in your pocket as possible? Make sure you take full advantage of all the coronavirus relief options with these 2020 tax tips.

These 2020 Tax Tips Can Help You File Faster and Pay Less In These Uncertain Times

Truly, the coronavirus has affected everything.  Currently, the economy is in a constant spiral. There are no signs of letting up any time soon.  Before any other 2020 business tax tips, you need to know how Covid-19 affects your tax return this year at the federal level.

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Coronavirus Business Tax Impact

2020 biz tax tips Credit SuiteFirst, both individuals and corporations have an extra 90-days to file and pay their taxes this year.  Meaning, instead of having to turn in your tax return and pay by April 15, you have until July 15 to do both without interest or penalties.  As of right now, interest and penalties will start to accrue on July 16. 

As a result,individuals can defer up to $1 million, including self-employment tax.  However, corporations can defer federal income tax payments of up to $10 million. Yet, the government is reminding people and businesses to file as soon as possible in case they are getting a refund.  Having the cash-on-hand is more necessary now than ever than ever before. 

Remember, this is for federal income taxes.  Forty-two states and the District of Columbia have state income tax that currently must still be paid by their original deadline. This could change however, so watch for updates. 

Now that you know this, here are our top 2020 Business Tax Tips. 

2020 Business Tax Tips: Credit Card Rewards

It may be too late for 2019 taxes, but be sure you pay attention to credit card rewards if you use business credit cards.  You could owe taxes on those. For this year, look at the rewards you have earned and determine if you need to include them on your tax return. Making sure your taxes are accurate is the best way to avoid a lot of unnecessary time in an audit later on.

2020 Business Tax Tips: Use Your Software Wisely

Few businesses keep their books with paper and pencil these days. Most use some form of accounting software.  Many of these will print out tax forms automatically using the data already in the accounting system. Then, all you have to do is review the forms and supply any supporting documentation. 

Be sure you know what your system is capable of and use it.  Entering accurate information throughout the year and keeping it up to date will go a long way toward ensuring your tax time goes smoothly.  

Here are some great options to consider for next year if you find your software is not what you need.

Zoho

Zoho is a great option if automation is your jam. They offer a 14-day free trial.  The software compiles IRS compliant audit reports making tax filing much easier. Package prices range from $9 to $29 per month. 

Wave

 Wave has many advantages. The smart dashboard is one of the best.  It organizes your income, expenses, payments, and invoices in a way that makes preparing a tax return as quick and painless as possible.  In addition, accounting, invoicing, and receipt services are free! Fees for payroll and payment services vary.

Intuit Quickbooks

Arguably, Intuit Quickbooks is the most widely used small business accounting software on the market. The system is comprehensive and affordable for many, making it a great choice.  There is a 30-day free trial and packages range from $12 to $75 per month. Payroll add on options are available. 

2020 Business Tax Tips: File Online

There are many ways to file your tax return.  Still, the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to do so is online.  As mentioned, this goes much faster and is a much smoother process if you have the best bookkeeping software for your business.

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2020 Tax Tips: Scan Backup Documentation

Start now scanning backup documentation for next year.  Once you are caught up, a few minutes a day can save hours next year.  While you are at it, depending on the number of transactions your business does, you could go ahead and scan backup documents for 2019 since you have extra time.  It may come in handy in the case of an audit. At the very least, take the extra time to organize all the receipts in your shoebox. 

2020 Business Tax Tips: Hire a Professional 

When it comes to 2020 business tax tips, this is the one I would like to stress the most.  If you can at all afford it, hire a professional to do your taxes. This is the best way to ensure you keep the most money in your pocket, which is hugely important amidst this coronavirus epidemic. 

2020 Business Tax Tips: Going Forward

Looking forward to next year, what can you do to ensure your tax preparation goes as smoothly as possible?  There are actually a number of things. They will not help you when it comes to taxes, but they will help you build fundability and business credit as well.  

Get an EIN

Use an EIN to file your income taxes if you do not already.  This is important for a number of reasons, including increasing fundability and helping build business credit. It’s easy and free to get one on the IRS website.

Consider Your Organization

If you are operating as a sole proprietorship or partnership, consider incorporating.  Tax wise you can see how functioning as a corporation is going to allow businesses to defer up to $10 million in taxes for 90-days due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  There are a number of other benefits as well, including some liability protection. Now more than ever you do not want to be held personally liable for business debts. 

Business Bank Account

You have to open a separate, dedicated business bank account.  There are a few reasons for this.  First, it will help you keep track of business finances.  It will also help you keep them separate from personal finances for tax purposes. Furthermore, it aids in separating your business from yourself for fundability and business credit building.

Beyond taxes, there are several types of funding you cannot get without a business bank account.  Many lenders and credit cards want to see one with a minimum average balance.  In addition, you cannot get a merchant account without a business account at a bank. That means, you cannot take credit cards payments.  Studies show consumers usually spend more when paying by credit card is an option.

What Else Affects Fundability That Is Not Related to Taxes? 

While not technically under the category of 2020 business tax tips, it still bears mentioning.  Without fundability your business cannot access the funding it needs to run. How the IRS views your business can have an effect on fundability as well.  Your business has to be an entity separate from you as the owner in the eyes of the IRS and lenders. Organizing as a corporation and getting an EIN are major for this.  What else helps? 

Contact Information

The first step in setting up a foundation of fundability is to ensure your business has its own phone number, fax number, and address.   You do not have to get a separate phone line, or even a separate location.  In fact, you can still run your business from your home or on your computer. You do not even have to have a fax machine.  Be certain to use this separate business contact information on your business tax return.

Business Credit Reports

The main distributors of business credit reports are Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, Equifax, and FICO SBSS.  Honestly, you have no way of knowing which one a lender will choose.  Consequently, you need to make sure all of these reports are up to date and accurate. This is just as important in hard economic times as any other time. 

 If you have business credit, keep an eye on it right now.  Times are tough, and monitoring your business credit is essential to staying on top of any problems that may pop up so you can adjust and correct. 

Other Business Data Agencies 

In addition to the business credit reporting agencies that directly calculate and issue credit reports, there are other business data agencies that affect those reports indirectly.  Two examples of this are LexisNexis and The Small Business Finance Exchange. These two agencies gather data from different sources, including public records.  This means they could even have access to information relating to automobile accidents and liens. While you may not be able to access or change the data these agencies have on your business, you can ensure that any new information they receive is positive.  Enough positive information can help distract attention from negative information. 

Identification Numbers 

Dun & Bradstreet is the largest and most commonly used business credit reporting agency.  Every credit file in their database has a D-U-N-S number.  To get a D-U-N-S number, you have to apply for one through the D&B website. You have to have this number to have a file with D&B, and you have to have a file with D&B to build business credit.

Business Information

On the surface, it seems obvious that all of your business information should be the same across the board.  However, when you start changing things up, like adding a business phone number and address or incorporating, you may find that some things slip through the cracks. 

This is a problem because of those fraud concerns lenders have.  When business information doesn’t match up, it sets off alarms.  Maybe your business licenses have your personal address but now you have a business address.  You have to change it.  Perhaps some of your credit accounts have a slightly different name or a different phone number listed than what is on your loan application. Do your insurances all have the same information?  

Bureaus

There are several other agencies that hold information related to your personal finances that you need to know about.  For example, many business owners do not realize that their ChexSystems report can affect fundability.  Basically, this details any bad check activity.  It makes a difference when it comes to your bank score.  In fact, if you have too many bad checks, you will not be able to open a bank account.  That will seriously affect fundability. 

Keep in mind, everything can come back to bite you.  Have you ever been convicted of a crime? Do you have a bankruptcy or short sell on your record?  How about liens or UCC filings? All of this can and will affect the fundability of your business.

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Personal Credit History

Your personal credit score from Experian, Equifax, and Transunion all matter.  You have to have your personal credit in order because it will definitely affect the fundability of your business.  If it isn’t great right now, get to work on it.  Don’t forget, the number one way to get a strong personal credit score or improve a weak one is to make payments on time, consistently. 

Also, make sure you monitor your personal credit regularly to ensure mistakes are corrected and that there are no fraudulent accounts being reported. 

2020 Business Tax Tips: Get Past This Year and Look Forward to the Next

For now, the best of the 2020 business tax tips is to take advantage of the extra time you have to dig through and find every advantage you can.  First, if you can at all afford a professional, it’s worth it. They know what they are looking for and are the best at reducing what you pay in and increasing what you get back.  

Next, If that is just simply not possible, take advantage of everything your software has to offer.  Make sure you are fully aware of all that it can do, and that all the information entered is accurate and complete.  This will help ensure your tax bill is reduced as much as possible, but also that in the case of an audit, you are prepared.

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Support Remote Working and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week

You’re concerned about the coronavirus. So are we. So, we put together 10 awesome business tips helping you to support remote working even long after COVID-19 becomes a distant memory.

The Hottest and Most Brilliant Business Tips for YOU – Support Remote Working and More

Our research ninjas at Credit Suite put on surgical masks and 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! Support remote working to keep your employees safe – plus more ways to refresh your business and marketing.

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. Content is King; We’re All Just Vassals (or Maybe Court Jesters)

Our first jaw-dropping tip is all about kicking off your content marketing the right way. Inc says the first key point is to own your own content. Oh yes. Oh my God, yes.

What does this mean?

Owning your own content virtually always means your business has a blog and a website. It’s not Wix and it’s not Medium. Content ownership matters because you never know when a platform will implode. Remember: people used to think MySpace would be around forever.

Heh, not so much now, eh?

Here’s another tip we really liked.

Define Your Niche, and Then Broaden It

What does Credit Suite write about? Well, we don’t write about business in the generic sense. Rather, we write about business credit. And there are some natural offshoots to that. That includes these Friday blog posts about marketing. It also includes what it takes to start a business, and how to fund yours.

But we don’t write about just anything when it comes to business. So, don’t expect to get advice about working with foreign exporters here. But that’s okay. There are plenty of other places to find such information.

The bottom line is you don’t have to be all things to all people. For that way lies madness. Get good at your niche!

#9. Marketing for Those of Us with Champagne Tastes and Beer Pocketbooks

The next awesome tip is about marketing for a startup when your budget is, shall we say, less than grand. Young Upstarts notes the old school business card is still a fantastic way to market yourself.

It also has the benefit of being something tangible. Even with fewer gatherings (thanks a heap, COVID-19), there’s nothing stopping you from slipping a business card into an envelope with something you’re mailing anyway. That could be advertising materials or even invoices.

Here’s another idea we loved.

Fishbowl Marketing

Have you ever seen one of these on a receptionist’s desk? It’s one of those things where you toss your business card (there’s another use for ‘em) into the bowl or bucket. You’re entered into a contest for … something. 

Of course, only one person (or only a few people) wins. What happens to all those other business cards?

If you said they’re added to a marketing mailing list, then give yourself a gold star. And if they’re just tossed, then what a wasted opportunity!

So, collect the cards. And for the folks who don’t win? How about telling them they’re entered into a second chance drawing or future drawings? Give to get, as we say.

Mailing lists filled with warm prospects are worth more than their weight in gold. The good old fishbowl is an easy way to build one, for nearly no cost.

Support Remote Working Credit Suite

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! Support remote working for more than safety and health – it’s great for productivity, too. Plus, nine more fantastic tips!

#8. You Have from the Ground Floor to the Top Floor to Convince Me: Now, Go!

Our following life-changing tip concerns writing an elevator pitch. Business Knowhow lays it all out for us.  This is a skill you can use elsewhere in life, by the way. 

Maybe the best part of this article is the emphasis on personal connections and tailoring. We believe in value in every transaction here at Credit Suite. And you should, too! Your audience certainly does.

It all starts with understanding what they’re looking for. So, let’s go with a fer-instance.

An Example

Let’s say you sell perfume. A retailer is wondering whether it’s worthwhile to set aside some of their valuable shelf space for your product. An end user is wondering what your product smells like. And they may be wondering if you ever test on animals. And a distributor may be concerned with how well your product is packaged to prevent breakage, and where your manufacturing center or warehouse is. 

Telling your end user or a retailer that your product is made in Milwaukee is going to get you tuned out right quick. And telling a distributor that your product smells like lavender and mint doesn’t matter to them unless your packaging fails. Or there’s a spill on the highway.

A Personal Story

Elevator pitches (often in writing) are an integral part of the author experience. In a few moments, I have to convince a publisher that they want to read all 100,000+ words of a science fiction story showcasing the struggles in a society composed of humans, smart robots, and aliens.

This has led me to understanding better about what a publisher (or agent) wants. They want something that sells. That’s their bottom line. So, while they want to know if my book will be a page turner, they’re also wondering what the ultimate readership could be. This helps them figure out how to market it. So, if I tell them it’s a cross between Alien Nation and I, Robot, then they’ve got a much better idea of who might want to read the novel. 

This is different from how the story might be pitched to readers. That’s the blurb (you know, the piece on the back cover of a book or in the description section on Amazon). For a reader, I might draw an analogy to current attitudes toward immigration and technology.

You may have a service and not a product. And if you have a product, it’s probably not a book. So, your specifics will differ. But this is yet another area where tailoring will serve you well.

#7. Good Blog Posting is no Accident

So, for our next sensational tip, we looked at creating converting blog posts. Opt in Monster says that breaking up texts makes it more compelling.

That’s kind of why we do it in these posts!

But there’s more than that, when it comes to writing a blog post to help with conversions. We’ll just concentrate on one of the tips in this article.

Bang! Bullet Points to the Rescue

The best things about bullet points are:

  • They’re easy to read
  • Readers are naturally drawn to them
  • They’re a great way to make short, sharp points
  • You don’t need to even write full sentences
  • In fact, they’re supposed to be a lot more like headlines
  • And they break up text beautifully

#6. Creating Bite-Sized Content for Bite-Sized Attention Spans

This tip is so cool, and it works! G2 tells us all about creating ‘digestible’ content. 

Did you know the current attention span is something like eight seconds?

That’s less time than it just took me to read the first part of our tip #8 (right before the ‘An Example’ subheading). And I know what it says! The first time you read it, it probably took more like eight seconds to read the first one or two paragraphs.

Yeah, it’s like that. Whoa.

Short, Sweet, and Maybe to the Point

The article focuses on some great forms of short content and how to get them going. We highly recommend reading the article in its entirety. So, let’s talk about one type of nugget-sized content.

Videos

We create business credit videos here. Lots and lots of videos. Some are short, and some are longer. The beauty of video isn’t just that you can get a lot across in a shorter amount of time. It’s also possible to multitask when it’s on. You’re busy. I’m busy. All God’s children are busy.

So, make it easier for your unbelievably busy audience to connection with you and give them short, sweet content mixed in with the deeper dives.

#5. Keep Your Workers Safer and Support Remote Working – Now and Forever

Support Remote Working Credit SuiteGrab this mind-blowing tip while it’s hot! 

And you can help people, too, which is awesome. You can do so when you support remote working.

Effortless HR says when you support remote working, you allow for more employee flexibility. Because the challenge is less to attract top talent these days (although that’s still vital) – it’s keeping them. And keeping them happy.

Of course, this setup reduces operational expenses. Imagine having to only rent enough office space for 15 workers, rather than 30. And if you offer a commuting benefit, you’re only paying for gas or train or bus tickets for 15 people (or whatever the figure is). After all, it makes sense. Letting people work from home means you don’t need to pay someone to commute from their bedroom or kitchen to their spare room or couch or the like.

Let’s concentrate on one terrific benefit when you support remote working.

Look at that Big Candidate Pool – Just Look at it!

That is, when you support remote working, you’re allowing people to work who couldn’t before. The parent with the small child. The caregiver for an elderly parent. And, yes, the person who’s disabled, either temporarily or permanently. 

Your employee could be in a wheelchair, and it wouldn’t make any difference versus other employees who aren’t. They could have a child who needs attention. But so long as they get their work done, then things should be golden. 

Personally, I love working from home. And I am just about at a point where I wouldn’t even consider a company if they didn’t offer it (don’t worry; I’m not looking to jump ship). But yeah, it means that much to me.

Support Remote Working Credit Suite

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! Support remote working for more than safety and health – it’s great for productivity, too. Plus, nine more fantastic tips!

#4. Ready, Set, Makeover!

So, check out this spectacular tip, all about giving your office a productivity makeover. After all, even as you support remote working, you may still have folks who’ve got to be the office. Under 30 CEO notes that your environment can have a serious effect on your productivity. One of their tips really surprised us.

Clutter, Clutter, Everywhere

You may be used to working amidst a lot of papers you’re not working on right now. 

Guilty as charged.

Don’t.

And here’s why.

Clutter can actually make you more creative. How? It has to do with being able to make unique and new connections. But that tanks your productivity. Once you’ve got the creative stuff going on, it’s time to buckle down and execute on your ideas.

So, maybe take out those papers and the like, whatever helps you get creative, to start. But then put them away when it’s time to get in gear and get things done.

#3. Initial Traction, then Scaling

So, it’s not your imagination: this winning tip can help you scale your efforts. Startup Professionals tells us your first job is to get traction. Of course, you should – otherwise, you won’t have a business!

But once you’ve gotten going, things are going to have to change. This is a part of the natural progression of startup ventures. Things need to slow down and pivot after a while.

Let’s concentrate on two separate tips.

Squeeze Those Pennies!

Can you get a volume discount? Or maybe a few percent off if you pay early? If you can do it, then go for little helpers like this. Get used to looking for the bargains out there. And get used to finding ways to defer payments. Hey, starting business credit is one great way to do that.

That’s one of the reasons why we here think it’s so awesome.

Selling is Everyone’s Job

Just adding sales to someone’s job title shouldn’t be necessary to get them to help with sales. This doesn’t mean everyone is hard selling and cold calling, etc. Rather, it means your employees are company advocates. This can even get into them telling their friends they like working for you (assuming they do, of course). More easily and cheaply attracting great talent is a terrific way to save money.

By the way, the article says to do this and we agree – reward people who help with this! Being a wonderful place to work is a pretty surefire way to convince your employees to tell your pals they, you know, actually like working for you.

#2. Job Candidates are People, Too

Well, of course they are. 

Our second to last unbeatable tip can give you a new perspective on improving the job candidate experience. Indeed reveals all about treating your future employees better. 

It’s hard to hire these days. So, why make it harder for yourself? 

I’ve been through a ton of job interviews and the hiring process varies wildly from place to place. This tip really resonated.

Don’t Wait Forever to Provide Feedback

At a certain point, a job candidate will think you’re ghosting them if you don’t follow up soon. At the absolute minimum, please let people know if they’re still in the running. And if they aren’t, then cut them loose.

#1. Is Disruption Compatible with Customer Satisfaction and Process Excellence? It Can Be

We saved the best for last. For our favorite remarkable tip, we focused on how industry disruptors can improve customer satisfaction and process excellence. Entrepreneur says these are not mutually exclusive goals. We recommend reading the article in its entirety, so instead we’ll focus on one particular point.

Map and Maintain Your Processes

YouTube is a disruptor. So’s Google. You honestly think they don’t have any processes in place? Of course, they do! Those are processes for everything from hiring to deciding on the color the walls in their offices.

Processes help with workflow. They save time and, by extension, money. The gist of it is – if it’s already been decided, then that’s one less thing to do. So, your business can be Disruption City. Just, stop reinventing the wheel all the time.

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

Support Remote Working Credit Suite

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! Support remote working for more than safety and health – it’s great for productivity, too. Plus, nine more fantastic tips!

The post Support Remote Working and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week appeared first on Credit Suite.

Write More Likeable Social Media and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week

Are you looking to write more likeable social media copy? It’s nothing without a thumbs up – so make it easier for people to like what you’re putting on social media. We show you how, plus 9 other awesome tips to help your business succeed.

The Hottest and Most Brilliant Business Tips for YOU – Create More Likeable Social Media 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! More likeable social media can get you more prospects and more sales – and we show you how to do it!

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. Business Success is in Your Hands

Our first jaw-dropping tip is all about running a successful business. HubSpot quotes some sobering statistics. Currently, 9% of American businesses close each year. Yet only 8% of businesses are started each year. And around half of all new businesses close after the first five years.

Still, that means half don’t. So, how do you get into the other half? You know, the good half?

This article is jam-packed with great stuff so we encourage you to read it all. Hence, we’ll concentrate on bits of it.

Offer Benefits for Staff

Now, you may be wondering why I’m zeroing in on this. It’s not necessarily something which businesses start with. Yet, it’s still vital.

Why is it so important to offer employees benefits? Well, some are required by law no matter what. You’ve got to offer jury duty leave. And you need to have workers’ compensation. But there’s another reason to do so.

Benefits help to motivate your employees. And they help your employees with buy-in. Employees are more likely to be loyal to a company with decent benefits because benefits directly help them. Life and disability insurance could help a struggling family more than nearly anything else. Beyond employee loyalty, you’d also be doing the right thing. Can’t beat that! 

#9. You Don’t Have to Go it Alone

The next awesome tip is about working with an advisory board. Startup Professionals notes working with an advisory board can help to fill any talent gaps in your organization.

Now, this article is in the context of startups. But there’s no reason why you can’t work with an advisory board even if you’ve been in business for a while. An advisory board can be as formal or informal as you like. They’re essentially people you turn to for advice on your business. 

Fill Knowledge Gaps

Gather ‘round for a quick true story.

Over a decade ago (oh my gosh, it really is that long ago), I worked at a startup. It was four engineering students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. And me. You know, Wendy and the Lost Boys.

None of us really understood how to do everything from working with suppliers to doing the books. That’s not to say we didn’t try. And the school provided some assistance. But it wasn’t truly enough. 

You don’t need to know everything. And you don’t need to do anything. Cripes, no.

Get help from others – and in this article the biggest takeaway is that a regular, formalish advisory board is the way to go.

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! Create more likeable social media and win over more customers and prospects. Plus, nine other awesome tips to keep your business humming.

#8. Spending Money to Bring in Employees to Help You Make Money

Our following life-changing tip concerns improving your recruiting budget. Indeed lays it all out for us. First, the budgeting process for recruiting should be going on all year long. And, the truth is, budgeting for everything should probably be more or less constant.  Being able to roll with the punches and turn on a dime is good for nearly any aspect of business.

But let’s talk about your recruiting budget.

Examine Your Process and Refine It

So many businesses seem to be stuck in an older mindset when it comes to recruiting. They’re advertising online, yes, but that’s about the only difference between today and 1960.

It’s still vetting tons of resumes, in-person interviews, etc. 

So, let me tell you a story.

The Never-ending Recruiting Process

Well, at least it seemed that way at the time.

A few decades ago, I was interviewing for positions and the standard was, you’ll hear in a week or so. Okay.

There was a company which I ended up interviewing with for two separate positions. Both of them said it would be a month before I would hear. So, for the second one, I asked why. And they told me it was to get through the pool of applicants and meet them. All of them.

I asked – how many people are interviewing for this one role?

Oh, forty.

Say what?

That business had never learned to triage its applicants. As a result, the recruiting process had to have been extraordinarily expensive.

Vetting and Meeting and Deciding

To combat this, that business would have done well to vet the applicants and their resumes better. Vetting takes some time. But it’s far cheaper than pulling so many people out of their work routines to meet with over thirty employees who would never work there. 

By devoting more time and attention and money earlier in the process, you’ll save money. And you can save cash later in the process, too. After all, just how many people have to meet every single applicant? The first interview should be a second stage of vetting. Your, say, 40 applicants should be vetted down to maybe 20 who get a first interview. And then there should be maybe only 10 – 15 people who make it to the second interview round.

Putting off the big decisions and saving them for the end of the process wasted everyone’s time and money. 

Tech to the Rescue

That company – and yours, too – could have used better triaging technology. It didn’t really exist then. But it sure as heck exists now. You may find the expense well worth it, to eliminate less acceptable candidates faster. And then you can concentrate on your best prospects.

Budgeting for such software should help to offset some of the human hour costs. So, be sure to factor that in when putting a final bow on your improved recruiting budget.

#7. Stretch Productivity Without Stretching Numbers

So, for our next sensational tip, we looked at upping sales productivity without upping headcount. LinkedIn says that most salespeople spend about 40% of their time selling. But if you could raise that to 50% for a ten-person team, then you would effectively have the work of 11 salespeople.

Pretty neat, eh?

But how do you do that?

Reduce the Time Spent on Things Which Keep Your Salespeople from Having Enough Time to Sell

Like what?Likable Social Marketing Credit Suite

Well, like onboarding, for example.

How do you reduce the time onboarding? Isn’t it important? Of course, it is.

So, make your salespeople want to stay. And you won’t be onboarding quite so many people. 

Another way to save non-selling time is with technology. Are your computers too slow? Do your employees constantly do workarounds to get their work done properly? Then your tech could stand an overhaul. 

And our fave was good old outsourcing. Are your salespeople typing up orders, or keeping the common areas in your office tidy?

Why are they?

Pay someone else to do less skilled and mission critical work. Save your salespeople for what you hired them for – selling. 

#6. Hello, I’d Like to Sell You Something

This tip is so easy, and it works! Mail Shake tells us all about selling over the phone. This article covers some fundamentals when it comes to any sort of selling – not just over the phone. 

The tip I’d like to concentrate on is the one about action. As the article notes, once the writer knew what to do to make sales, he kept doing the same thing. Over and over again.

It’s hard to overemphasize the importance of this point. So, it means less experimenting, perhaps – or maybe not. After all, to be genuine with your prospects, you can’t say the exact same thing over and over again. Treating people individually is the name of the game – just check out our tip #5 for the specifics on that.

Instead, here’s an analogy which should be more instructive.

Free Throws

Have you ever played basketball? Any level, even pickup, counts. 

There are a ton of variables in the game, as there are in all sports. Except for in one area (this is operating under the assumption that you’re inside – the outside world has wind as a variable).

Free throws.

It’s just you, the ball, the basket, and the free throw line. Basketball courts are of a regulation size. Unlike baseball diamonds, they have to conform perfectly to certain measurements. This includes court size, where the free throw line is, and the height of the basket. The ball stays the same (if you’re in an all-female league, the ball is smaller, but it’s the same size from game to game and from team to team).

Once you start making free throws, should you change your technique? Of course not. Just ask Hall of Famer Rick Barry.

Sales isn’t perfect. There are variables. But if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

#5. Generate More Likeable Social Media 

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

More likeable social media is where it’s at.

Word Stream says treating every platform the same way is a mistake. And so is just tossing any old content out there.  Be intentional with your marketing.

Actually, that’s good advice no matter where you’re marketing, or how.

Treating Everyone and Everything the Same is SO 1956

We live in a world of personalized marketing and branding. So, hop on board that train. It’s not going away any time soon.

But what does that mean to your brand?

It means paying attention to your customers’ and prospects’ demographics – and knowing those might not match perfectly. And it means paying attention to what they are saying and doing. If they’re not clicking on and liking cat videos (not everyone does – shocking, I know!), then don’t use cat videos in your marketing.

Here’s a tip which truly stood out for us.

Match the Visual with Relevant Copy

How many times have you gotten a message on your feed from a business? Probably lots of times, whether that’s on Facebook, Twitter, or elsewhere. 

How many times did a cute puppy (awwww) accompany a message about buying brooms or taking a pottery class? Hopefully, not too often. And what did you do with those ads? 

You probably ignored them. And you may even have felt a nagging, unconscious feeling that those ads were weird, as were the companies serving them.

Likable Social Marketing Credit SuiteYour gut was trying to tell you something.

Getting attention for a social media post with a wholly unrelated image can leave your audience with a vague feeling of being cheated. Because you have cheated them, in a way. You promised one thing, yet you failed to deliver on that promise.

Don’t do that.

But what do you do if your product just isn’t that attention-grabbing? Or you sell a service that is maybe harder to visualize, like life coaching? 

Adding a Visual to a Concept Which Doesn’t Lend Itself to Visuals

Consider how the NBA team, the Miami Heat, does it. After all, heat is an amorphous concept. And they can’t go with the sun, as that visual goes along with another team, the Phoenix Suns.

So, the Heat did it with an image of flames. Even now, their name has a stylized flame tailing away from the T in Heat. And before, the image of flames was even more pronounced.

There is a team called the Calgary Flames. And they also use images of flames. The Heat can coexist in this space because the Flames are an NFL team. Hence, the Heat’s imagery won’t be confused with a rival’s.

So, consider related imagery and similar imagery. Maybe your life coaching visual can show pictures of the coach/coaches with clients or alone. Or maybe you can go with a more representational concept, like a ladder or a series of stairs, showing how a coach helps clients succeed. Experiment and play with the concept until you find what works.

We suggest reading the article in its entirety as there are plenty of other terrific tips in there.

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! Create more likeable social media and win over more customers and prospects. Plus, nine other awesome tips to keep your business humming.

#4. Up Your More Likeable Social Media Game

So, check out this spectacular tip, all about better promoting your company on social media. The Self Employed notes that, for example, you should never, ever buy followers.

The article is actually an infographic, and we recommend checking it out.

However – here’s a caveat.

The infographic refers to Klout Score. Which hasn’t been around since 2018. So, take it with a grain of salt. This doesn’t mean the infographic is no longer useful. It is! But we recommend digging a bit deeper and not just accepting every bit of it without some further investigation.

#3. Up Your Website Traffic with Influencer Marketing (Talk About Getting More Likeable Social Media!)

So, it’s not your imagination: this winning tip can increase your website traffic with influencer marketing. Noobpreneur tells us there are a number of ways to bring influencers around to working with you and your brand.

And these don’t have to be influencers with enormous followings. But wait, back up a sec – what’s an influencer?

The Power of Recommendations x 1000

When was the last time you bought a new car, or at least a new-to-you car? 

Did you talk to your social circle about it? Maybe you wanted to find out if the new model you were looking at was really worth it. Or maybe you were trying to figure out if you could get a better deal on the other side of town. Perhaps you were asking about features you didn’t have and thought those options might be a good idea.

Whatever the reason, you were talking to influencers. Your personal influencers probably don’t have a million Instagram followers. But you trust them. So, their follower count most likely doesn’t matter to you.

That’s what influencers are. Except these are folks who you don’t know well, if at all. Hence, your degree of trust is different.

Divulge Any Commercial Relationships

In the article, they say you should be paying your influencers. And that makes sense – they’re offering a valuable service which you need. But at the same time, an influencer is supposed to be a trusted recommender. Doesn’t that feel like a paradox?

It doesn’t have to. By disclosing all commercial relationships (you disclose, and so does your influencer), then your audience is respected. They know – or at least they should know – that your influencer isn’t motivated by love, like your Aunt Sally. 

Any savvy consumer will understand your influencer would be compensated for their services. But you will attain and retain their trust if you make it clear that your influencer gets some cash for saying your widget is better than your competitors’.

This does beg the question, though – what about when your customers are very young children? If this applies to your business, then I would advice you to use an overabundance of caution when working with influencers.

After all, you probably wouldn’t like it if your kids were overly influenced by someone – or manipulated by them.

#2. Prevent Facebook Ad Mistakes!

Our second to last unbeatable tip can give you a new perspective on avoiding Facebook advertising errors. Main Street ROI reveals all about the kinds of blunders which so many fall prey to on the world’s largest social media platform.

By the way, some of the errors involved not properly targeting an audience and not writing the right kind of ad – talk about needing to create more likeable social media!

But beyond that, here’s our favorite tip because we think a lot of people ignore it at their peril.

Don’t Ignore Custom Audiences

It is in Facebook’s best interests for your advertising on their platform to succeed. After all, if your company makes money, then you’ve got more money to spend on advertising on their platform.

And if you do well, you’ll tell others, etc.

They provide a ton of tools to help you succeed. Those tools are free.

So, why the heck aren’t you using them?

The Wonderful World of Custom Audiences

The idea behind custom audiences is to best target the people who will receive your sales messages. There probably aren’t any real universal products out there (I’m not talking about oxygen, which is technically not a product. And I’m not talking about health care, either, which is more like a galaxy of several products and services). So, because there are likely no truly universal products, your audience needs to be tailored in some fashion or another.

Even if you don’t have a perfect handle on the demographics of your audience, Facebook knows the demographics of the people who like your page. 

So, target your Gen Xer customers, or your customers of color, or your female customers. Giving people the content they want means, to them, you’ve got more likeable social media content. That means engagement. And it can mean sales.

Think laser-like pinpointing, not blanketing.

#1. SEO, Like Politics, is Local

We saved the best for last. For our favorite remarkable tip, we focused on local SEO. Succeed as Your Own Boss says it all starts with Google My Business. Google gives you a ton of free real estate to provide detail about your business. And the search behemoth pulls from GMB when people search for services like yours in your area.

So, why are there blanks in your profile?

Fill ‘em.

You have space to tell Google what you are and what you do – and where you do it.

This means well-defined service areas. Let’s say you’re in Brooklyn. Your service area might be Queens. Or Bushwick (a part or Brooklyn). Yes, neighborhoods count. Make this information painfully clear. Because when someone is searching for your product or service in Park Slope (another part of Brooklyn), you want them to be able to find you!

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! Create more likeable social media and win over more customers and prospects. Plus, nine other awesome tips to keep your business humming.

The post Write More Likeable Social Media and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week appeared first on Credit Suite.

Beating Imposter Syndrome and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week

Have you ever struggled with not thinking you or your business was good enough? Then you’ll want to read on and scoop up our tips for beating imposter syndrome. The Hottest and Most Brilliant Business Tips for YOU – You Could Be Beating Imposter Syndrome and More Our research ninjas at Credit Suite smuggled out … Continue reading Beating Imposter Syndrome and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week

Beating Imposter Syndrome and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week

Have you ever struggled with not thinking you or your business was good enough? Then you’ll want to read on and scoop up our tips for beating imposter syndrome.

The Hottest and Most Brilliant Business Tips for YOU – You Could Be Beating Imposter Syndrome 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! Beating imposter syndrome is in your future.

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. Please Don’t Hurt Me, Customer!

Our first jaw-dropping tip is all about the bane of ever businessperson’s existence – handling angry customers. Last week, we looked at turning complainers into promoters. Here’s more on that topic. 

The Self Employed says for every brand promoter, you’ll have some 26 brand detractors. Ouch.

As you would probably expect, there’s a lot of harm which detractors can do. And it can be tough to get over that.

One idea is to continue to build as many positive experiences as possible. While you’re not going to be able to please everyone all the time, you can please more people than not. Well done, you could drown out some of the negatives.

But that doesn’t solve them. So, here are some tips for getting to the heart of the matter.

Find Your Complainers and Address Them

What happens when your brand isn’t tagged by the complainer? What if they get really coy, and refer to your business as ‘the company that shall not be named’? Is all lost, in terms of trying to find the complaints and properly handle them?

One idea is to use software such as Daylite, or some other CRM software. The idea is to locate any mentioning of your brand online, and sometimes those aren’t perfect. 

Listen to the Complainers

Now, if you’ve been on the internet for more than five minutes, you’re well aware that there are plenty of people who troll. And there are a ton of folks who just complain for the sake of complaining.

But what about the legit complainers? In such instances, your task is to acknowledge that hey, they’re right. And then tell them what you’re going to do about it. It doesn’t have to be anything detailed. Rather, you can say you’re going to review the matter. That’s good enough. But don’t forget to follow up and do just that.

#9. Run the Customer Journey Smoothly

The next awesome tip is about avoiding problems in your customer relations. Main Street ROI notes there are several ways to, well, mess things up.

We’ve covered a lot of similar territory before, so we won’t repeat ourselves. Rather, we’ll concentrate on what we think is the biggest issue.

Don’t Let Leads Slip Through Your Fingers

Have you ever been to a website which you wanted to be at, but somehow you lost the connection? Maybe you got a phone call and clicked away. Or you restarted. Another possibility is you were there for a while and meant to save the information, but something distracted you. And then, oops, it’s gone.

Imagine being on the other side of this. Heck, you probably don’t have to imagine. You’re probably living it. And you may not even know you are.

The Big Net

Those lost prospects are a bit like fish falling through a bigger than normal hole in a fisherman’s net when he’s failed to repair a tear. That fisherman needs a second net. And so, do you.

But how?

Consider adding a lead capture form to your website. You want contact information. So, in return, provide something for free. In exchange for a name and an email address, try providing a white paper to download. Or maybe access to a webinar not found anywhere else.

Not every lost prospect will fall into your secondary net. But it’s senseless to not put out that net and at least try to catch a few of them.

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! Start beating imposter syndrome today.

#8. Get a Marketing Network Going

Our following life-changing tip concerns networking for marketers. Wordstream lays it all out for us. Connecting to similar businesspeople doesn’t have to mean just going to a networking event and collecting a bunch of business cards. And then promptly tossing those cards into a drawer and not finding them for a year.

We felt the article had good ideas and recommend checking it out in its entirety. So, we’ll showcase just one of their tips.

Be Our Guest

Contact people and ask them to be your guest bloggers! And do the opposite – ask if you can write a guest post for them. 

The best part of this tip was to do the legwork in advance, including crafting good headlines. Make it painfully easy for the host to say yes.

A Few Extra Words on Blog Guest Posting, From Us

We’ve taken a few guest posts over the years, and here are a few things we’ve learned.

First, craft guest posting guidelines and refer people to them. Second, craft standard responses to people who suggest guest posts. These should cover instances like an acceptance, an acceptance with reservations, a denial with a chance to resubmit, and a flat-out denial.

Ask for a relevant sample. So, here at Credit Suite, it would be a blog post or article about business funding, business credit, or maybe banking. We’ve accepted some posts about related topics, like business insurance. But the idea is to match our theme as closely as possible.

And determine what your standards are going to be. One thing I have found is that, if the pitch letter has grammatical and spelling errors in it, then the pitch sample probably will as well.

Make your life easier and have the guest poster write up a short bio. And give them a chance to give input on topic, title, etc. 

Most importantly, don’t ever be afraid to say no. We’ve only accepted about 5% (if that) of all of the pitches we’ve ever received. 

#7. Social Media + Sales = Results

So, for our next sensational tip, we looked at integrating social media with sales. HubSpot says that you can use social media to, for example, prospect for customers. How? Check places like LinkedIn, and find out their location, work history, and any mutual connections you may have.

Plus, people put all sorts of stuff into their LinkedIn profiles. They might be the member of a surfing club. Or maybe they identify themselves as a graduate of Quinnipiac University. Getting talking points and ways to relate to your prospects can only help you.

Here’s our fave tip of them all.

Social Proof on Social Media

What’s social proof? It’s reviews, mainly. What do other people say about your product or service – or your company? Why not share that with sales. Most people love social proof, as it can often feel more authentic than what a pitchman would say.

Consider Amazon. If there are any reviews for a product at all, people read them. And sometimes those reviews make the difference between a sale… and no sale.

‘The sleeves are too short.’ ‘It didn’t fit my window but the company could not have been nicer. They quickly replaced my purchase with the right size and didn’t charge me for shipping.’ ‘It says it’s chew-proof, but my dog took it apart in less than half an hour.’ ‘The coffee comes with a neat little surprise – a small bracelet with stone beads! I’ll give it to my daughter. What a fun little extra!’

For the positive reviews, give them to sales to make the most of them. And as for the negative reviews, see tip #10 – and address them! 

#6. Cold Emails, Hot Leads

This tip is so cool, and it works! Mail Shake tells us all about how to best cold email prospects. 

We recommend checking out the entire article so instead we’re going to concentrate on one thing.

It’s Not All About You

‘I am writing because …’ ‘You’re on my contact list because I …’ ‘I wanted to tell you…’ ‘Please help me…’

Are you guilty of any of these?

<Raises hand.>

Why should your prospect buy from you when all you can talk about is yourself? Start with them. ‘First off, thank you for …’ ‘You’ve got a great… and I was hoping to…’ See what I mean?

Now, if you could please, go back and reread the first sentence in this article.

Yeah. That’s why it looks the way it does.

Oh and by the way, better cold emailing might just give you the confidence to start beating imposter syndrome – see tip #5.

#5. Start Beating Imposter Syndrome Today

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

It’s all about beating imposter syndrome.

Freelancers Union says imposter is all too common in the world. And we would venture to say that it’s likely to be more common for new business owners. It’s easy to feel you’re not good enough.

Imposter syndrome takes a number of forms, and that includes resisting raising your rates or asking for extra money for scope creep. It also includes taking guff from clients because you feel you need them. Or maybe, deep down, you feel you somehow deserve it.

I know it all too well. Let me tell you my story.

The Storyteller’s Story

I’ve mentioned this before, that I’m a fiction author. And this came from a number of choices I made and actions I took. Of course.

But it wasn’t overnight. It happened after a number of years of writing. This meant putting thoughts on paper and then, later, realizing how cliché or tired they were. It meant throwing prose against a wall, seeing if it would stick.

I belong to a ton of writing groups, particularly on Facebook and Twitter. These groups are filled with folks who lie about how much money they are making. Some are, yes, telling the truth. But a bunch aren’t. They’re also filled with people who claim you can’t use the term ‘author’ unless you’ve been published. That instead, you must say ‘writer’, as if it were a lesser title.

That’s a load of malarkey.

Beating Imposter Syndrome in the Book

You're Not An Impostor! Credit SuiteSo, how did I first get published? I actually won a contest. Normally, I would have been terrified of entering one. Yep, I would have felt I wasn’t good enough. How could I possibly be good enough, with so many awesome authors out there? I had no experience and no portfolio. There was nothing I could point to and say, ‘I’ve been published at ___’.

Nothing. Nada. Zip.

So, for me, beating imposter syndrome meant putting myself out there and saying ‘oh, to hell with it! Let’s see what happens.’ I hesitated before I sent the email. How could I possibly measure up? I didn’t deserve that sort of success. But I sent the email anyway.

And, once I sent it, I second-guessed myself for a few months.

Some Solutions for Beating Imposter Syndrome

Our favorite tip was to surround yourself with people who are further along than you are. This is for the purpose of mentoring, yes. But I like to think it’s also for the purpose of seeing that it’s possible. Know that person was once in your position. And they made it – or at least they’ve made it further than you have. 

It’s very encouraging.

And, I might add, ignore the folks who claim you need to satisfy some nebulous, weird ideal which, bottom line, means nothing for your success or your career or industry. Of course, CPAs have to pass exams, and a long haul trucker must have the proper driver’s license. But if someone tells you the equivalent of you can’t be a real ___ without a totally unnecessary ___, then smile sweetly. And ignore them.

They’re only projecting their own insecurities on you.

And, here’s one more thing. When you’ve made it, or at least made it further – do the same for those not so far along as you. Don’t pull the ladder of success up behind you. Throw a rope down and help the next person up.

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! Start beating imposter syndrome today.

#4. Businessperson, Motivate Thyself!

So, check out this spectacular tip, all about motivating yourself. Addicted 2 Success notes that daily motivation starts the night before. And we could not agree more!

So, here are a few tips, together.

The Night Before

Get to bed early. Yeah, really. That means, binge watch Netflix some other time. We would also add that sleep deficits can be downright dangerous. Try to get more sleep and try to get it early.

But before you turn out the light, plan the following day the night before. This means making a list, and it also means visualizing how to get each task accomplished.

By the way, this should help with insomnia. After all, if your tasks are already written down, and you’ve already considered how to get them accomplished, you might spend less time in bed, worrying.

Here’s one tip, just from us.

Batch What You Can

What the heck does that mean? It means getting your lunches together on Sunday, rather than every morning. It means choosing your clothes for the week, or at least the night before. It may also mean cooking something which will work for you for much of the week, like plain drumsticks, which can be served with mashed potatoes and gravy one night, and with buffalo sauce on another night. 

You’re going to need to get dressed on Thursday and make dinner on Wednesday. You’ll have to carry your lunch (or at least snacks) on Friday. And you’ll need to, say, pay for coffee with exactish change on Monday. 

Since you already know this stuff is happening in advance, stop behaving as if it’s blindsiding you! It isn’t. So, be prepared, and you’ll be a far happier person. And that will translate into improved motivation.

#3. You Don’t Have a Big Budget; But You Can Still Have Big Motivation in Your Business

So, it’s not your imagination: this winning tip can help you motivate your employees – even when the Benjamins just aren’t there. Effortless HR tells us flexibility can be an excellent motivator for people. In fact, parents tend to value it more than a higher salary! So, if you can allow an employee to work from home or later or earlier in the day, do it.

Here’s our fave tip from the pack.

Tradition!

So, this is a neat idea, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. What can your business do together which won’t break the bank? I once worked for a company which did a potluck lunch once per quarter. People either made something or brought paper plates or soda or the other trappings. Or they contributed a little cash. 

Sitting down together was fun and relaxing. It took us all out of our everyday lives for a few hours, every three months. It’s easy to do something like this. And – bonus – how about asking your employees what they want to do?

#2. What’s in a Business Name?

Our second to last unbeatable tip can give you a new perspective on naming your business. Crowd Spring reveals all about naming your business properly. We’ve covered similar ground on our blog. There are ways to name your business which can lock you out of financing. 

Don’t do that.

This article provides a few other reasons why one name or another could be a pitfall for your business. We suggest you check out the article in its entirety for examples and advice on how to avoid issues.

So, here’s one issue they outlined.

Guilt by Association

Disney recently bought 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures. And they promptly dropped the ‘Fox’ from both acquisitions.

Never mind that these properties aren’t owned by Murdoch (the folks who own Fox News). Disney didn’t want to alienate any potential customers. By dropping the term, they neatly sidestepped that.

For Disney, it was also convenient, as they would have likely been renaming those properties anyway. So, they changed the names to better associate them with the Disney brand. At the same time, they dropped a term which could have turned off some customers.

Smart folks, those Disney people.

#1. Clean Office, Organized Mind

We saved the best for last. For our favorite remarkable tip, we focused on neatening up your office. Noobpreneur says too much clutter can make your job harder. After all, what was the last time you just knew you had a piece of paper on your desk, but now you’ll be damned if you can find it?

This is not good, and you know it! So, getting organized makes sense not just to keep your work area germ-free (ish – we all know there are going to be germs) – it can potentially help you keep clients. 

Here’s the best tip, we felt.

Paper 1, 2, 3

Your paper should have three potential homes. This can, by the way, work for virtual documents as well.

  1. You haven’t gotten to it yet.
  2. It’s a work in progress.
  3. You’re done – so you file the paper. Or you toss it, if appropriate.

We would argue that you may need to make #2 a little more granular. One idea could be a separate folder or the like for a work in progress where you’re waiting for something from someone else. Or you might want to separate time-sensitive items in pile #1. 

You do you. But please, get organized!

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! Start beating imposter syndrome today.

The post Beating Imposter Syndrome and More –10 Brilliant Business Tips of the Week appeared first on Credit Suite.

Three Tips For The Best Mutual Fund Company

Three Tips For The Best Mutual Fund Company

If you want to invest in mutual funds then you might be looking for a good mutual fund company. This article will give you some ideas of what to look for to determine which company may be the best. All companies are different and all their customers’ needs are different so the mutual fund company that is best for you may not be best for your neighbour. You need to find the one that is best to suit your needs.

Here are three tips to keep in mind when you are looking for a good option for your investments.

1. Firstly you need to have a good think about your goals, your needs and your wants. What exactly do you want the end goal to be from your mutual fund? What is it that you are saving money for – kid’s college fund, retirement or perhaps a new home? You need to work out what you want the money for and how long do you have before you need that money. So if you have toddlers and you are saving for their college fund then you will have 10 – 15 years before you need the money. If you are in your 20’s and are saving for retirement then you have 40 years before you need the money. The length of time you have will play a big role in the type of investment you want.

The length of time that you have will also determine how aggressive an investment you will want. Some people are prepared to take more risk than others and usually the investments that will give you big returns in a shorter time period also come with the bigger risks. If you are young then you may be willing to take big risks as you do have longer to recoup any losses but if you are older then this is probably not a wise move.

Some people are just not able to take big risks because of the stress factor involved. They will be constantly worrying about losing their money and the stress is just not worth the hassle. These people will prefer a more conservative approach to investing so they can be more at ease with their choice.

You will need to consider the different risk levels and decide which type of risk you are prepared to take. This is a big decision on your investment strategies.

2. When you have decided the risk factor then you can start thinking about some of the mutual fund companies that you may possibly invest in. You can look in financial magazines or look online to find out information on different mutual funds. It is best to check out quite a few different funds so you can compare and see what the different funds can offer you. You should never just choose the first fund you find without checking out all of your options.

3. You want to look at a mutual funds performance rating over the last 5 to 10 years and narrow your list down to those funds that have a high performance. There is always some risk with investments but if a fund has performed well over the last few years then there is a higher chance it will continue to perform well.

When you are just starting out with investing, you will most likely have a lot of questions. It can be confusing and a little overwhelming but you will soon learn what you need to know and the more you learn the better decisions you will make. Keep these three tips in mind when you are looking for the best mutual funds and hopefully you will get some great results.

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