Author: Elizabeth Bryant

How Can I Get a $10,000 Loan for My Business With 1 to 3 Years Operating

In terms of business funding, the longer you have been in business, the better. There are some nuances to this you may not expect however. How can you get a $10,000 loan for your business when you have only been operating for 1 to 3 years?

How Long Have You Really Been in Business?

You may not have been in business as long as you think. At least, not in the eyes of credit issuers.

For example, if you have been doing business as a sole proprietor, and then decide to incorporate, some credit issuers will consider the date the business began to be the date of incorporation. Another thing that can affect time in business in the eyes of a lender is the date you open your business bank account.

Many lenders require a separate, dedicated bank account for your business, and they consider the date the business began to be the date the bank account was opened.

How Does Time In Business Affect Funding?

Generally speaking, the longer you have been in business, the more funding you can get. And you can also get better terms and interest rates when you have been in business longer.

There are not as many funding options when you have only been in business a year or fewer as there are when you have been in business 2 years, 3 years, or more. The longer you are in business, the more financing choices you will have.

$10,000 Loan Options for Companies with 1 Year in Business

When you were in business for less than one year, your funding options were pretty limited. There are ways to get money, but few of them are actually loans. These include:

  • The Credit Line Hybrid
  • Retirement and Investment Financing
  • Angel Investors
  • Venture Capital
  • Crowdfunding
  • And grants

You have more choices for $10,000 loan options once you get beyond a year in business.  Still, the Credit Line Hybrid in particular is a good choice regardless.

Credit Line Hybrid

A credit line hybrid is a form of unsecured funding. With it, you can get interest rates as low as 0%.  It’s a credit card stacking program, and many of the cards report to business CRAs. This means, you can build business credit while funding your business.

You need a good credit score or a guarantor with good credit to get an approval. For the Credit Suite Credit Line Hybrid, this is a FICO score of at least 680. No financials required, and a $10,000 loan which this program is more than doable.  That is because often you can get a loan of up to $150,000.

Be aware, some cards may report on your personal credit. That means it can affect your personal credit score as well, so be sure you make your payments.

$10,000 Loan Options with 2 Years In Business

With another year in business, you can access the above funding types, plus you have the possibility of a few more. Here are some examples:

Business Revenue Lending

Although you can technically qualify with only one year in business, the annual revenue requirement is high enough that applying later may make more sense. With a similar basis for getting funding, business revenue lending can be considered a reasonable alternative.

This is a way to raise capital from investors who get a percentage of the enterprise’s ongoing gross revenues in exchange for money invested. In a revenue-based financing investment, investors get a regular share of business income until a predetermined amount is paid.

Often this predetermined amount is a multiple of the principal investment. It can be between 3 – 5 times the original amount invested. Since repayment of the loan is based on revenues,  the time it takes to repay the loan will fluctuate. The faster revenue grows, the quicker you’ll repay the loan, and vice versa.

The percentage of monthly revenues committed to repayment can be as high as 10%. Furthermore, monthly payments will fluctuate with revenue highs and lows and will continue until you’ve paid back the loan in full.

The terms for the Credit Suite business revenue lending program are:

  • You must be able to prove consistent revenue verifiable through bank statements
  • Loan Amounts from $5,000-$500,000
  • 3-36 month terms
  • 10-1.45%
  • 500 credit score or higher, with no recent bankruptcies
  • Annual business revenue of $120,000 or more per year
  • Or business must bring in at least $15,000 monthly revenue with 6 months’ time in business
  • In business for a year or more
  • The business must do more than 5 small transactions each month
  • Financial services industries are prohibited

Cash Flow Financing with Fundbox

Fundbox makes cash flow financing easy. All they need is information relating to business cash flow when deciding whether to approve. You can get a revolving line of credit for up to $100,000. Fundbox will auto debit your weekly payment from your bank account.

Even better, you don’t need to show a minimum personal credit score or minimum time in business. You pay in equal installments over the course of a 12 or 24 week plan, and available credit replenishes as you pay. There is no penalty to repay early.

The business must be U.S. based and you need a 600+ personal FICO score. Other requirements include:

  • $100,000+ in annual revenue
  • A dedicated, separate business checking account
  • Ideally 6 months in business or more

Equipment Financing

Equipment financing is when you use a loan or lease to purchase or borrow hard assets for your business. It is a business financing option you can use to buy any physical asset. Physical assets can include items such as a restaurant oven or a company car.

When you get equipment financing through Credit Suite, you need at least one year in business. You can get approved even with challenged credit, and no financials are required.

$10,000 Loan Options After 3 Years on Business

After your company has been in business for at least 3 years, many more funding options become available. That is, in addition to those already listed. These include many of the more common options you have probably heard of.

SBA Loans

It’ll be easier to get an SBA loan the longer you’re in business. This is because you can more readily show your business is established, and making money. Demonstrating profitability and responsible credit and bank account management will improve your chances of getting an approval for an SBA loan.

SBA loans have great terms, so it is worth it to do what it takes to become eligible.

Term Loans

Banks are often the first place we think of when we think of financing. Yet, big banks only sign off on about 25% of the small business loan applications that come their way. Term loans often have lower interest rates than many other funding options. They also tend to be for higher loan amounts.

Generally speaking, the companies banks end up funding have:

  • Very strong financials
  • Near-perfect credit scores
  • Collateral

There Is More to Fundability Than Time In Business

It’s important to remember that credit issuers look at much more than just time in business. Obviously things like whether or not you pay your bills or even make a profit come under consideration. However, even if you are currently paying bills and making a profit, you may not get approval if you do not have the time in business.

The post How Can I Get a $10,000 Loan for My Business With 1 to 3 Years Operating appeared first on Credit Suite.

New comment by Sindrome in "Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2021)"

Location: FULLY REMOTE – OR Santa Monica

Position: Senior Backend Rails or Full Stack

To summarize, what https://welcome.tech does would be impossible without a TLDR; which is what this is. We are a group of Gen -/+1 immigrants creating a suite of products to help the newly immigrated backbone of America succeed. Our bread and butter is our POPDERcard banking Fintech Product (currently top 15 in the ios App Store under Finance), enabling the unempowered masses to access banking. But we have way more products we have been working on that create exciting network effects. Right now, we have a small intimate, and highly accomplished 5 person engineering team. We are looking to scale this team with other skilled, humble, and quirky engineers.

Our Tech Stack:
-AWS
-Ruby on Rails
-Vue.js (All of us came from React and we might switch back)
-ios/android apps using simple wrappers
-Lots of Fintech integrations. Right now, we are building a bank from scratch.

Please apply here: https://jobs.lever.co/urwelcome/b8e39212-8686-42a5-a2ea-bfa8…

We are a no-bs B-corp that serves the community. Something that you won’t find anywhere else. We also pay well. (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/welcome-tech-recogn…)

7 Link Shortener Alternatives to Goo.gl

When you’re trying to drive traffic to your website and generate new leads, the goal is to make your content as attractive as possible. After all, with so much competition out there, it’s important you stand out from the crowd and grab someone’s attention right away, right? 

The answer’s yes!

Just like you spend time and energy creating visually appealing content for users to enjoy, you shouldn’t forget the finer details: namely, your links.

Yes, really. URLs matter. Let me show you why link shortening is worth your time and what link shoortening alternatives to Goo.gl are worth trying.

What Is Link Shortening?

Link shortening takes longer links, with their confusing combination of numbers, letters, and special characters, and turns it into a short, readable link.

Here’s an example from NASA’s Twitter feed. The link is only a few characters long, it contains the NASA branding, and it’s clear where the link redirects to:

Link Shortener Alternatives to Goo.gl - Example from NASA Twitter Feed

Here’s another example. When you click the link, it takes you to a YouTube video. The destination is fairly clear from the short link (youtu.be) even though it’s unbranded, meaning there’s no mention of NASA’s name in the link:

Link Shortener Alternatives to Goo.gl - Example of NASA YouTube Video

The original “longer” link looks like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mqsd0ru_pc

Which one do you think looks more attractive on a website or social media post? Which one would you be more likely to click on?

Chances are, it’s the first option, and the reality is, your potential customers feel the same way.

Why Should You Use a Link Shortening Tool?

OK, so that’s how link shortening works, but is it worth your time? Here’s a bit more detail.

In most cases, URL shortener tools also track how many people click your links. You can track who clicked your link to calculate the success of ad campaigns or content marketing strategies you’re running. From a marketing perspective, link shorteners are invaluable.

It’s also ideal for social media posts, where you might have a limited number of characters to convey your message. Shortening URLs and focusing on content makes it easier to engage your followers.

Finally, short URLs are more attractive. They’re easier to read and make your content more user-friendly. You can also create branded links with URL shorteners to reinforce your brand message at the same time.

Since great marketing is all about creating a great experience for your customers and building awareness, short URLs are a crucial tool.

To be clear, it’s not always worth shortening URLs. For example, if you’re just linking from one page on your website to another, there’s no need to shorten the link.

If you need help figuring out which links to shorten and which ones to leave alone, check out my consulting services.

How Did Goo.gl Work?

Google’s own URL shortening tool, Goo.gl, launched back in 2009.

At first, it only worked with Google applications, meaning you could only shorten URLs for the Google toolbar. However, Google made the tool available to the public in 2010, which made it simpler for all website owners to access and use.

Goo.gl offered a simple means to create shorter, more readable URLs. All you had to do was input your long URL and Goo.gl generated a smaller URL without lines of extra characters:

Link Shortener Alternatives to Goo.gl - How Did Goo.gl Work

You didn’t need a Google or G Suite account to create a one-off URL, either. However, if you wanted to keep track of all your custom URLs, you could create an account and view all your shortened links at a glance:

Link Shortener Alternatives to Goo.gl - Screenshot of Simplifying Links with Goo.gl

Website owners could also track how many people clicked the shortened URL, which helped with marketing strategy creation:

Link Shortener Alternatives to Goo.gl - Website owners could track how many people clicked the shortened URL

Why did Google shut down Goo.gl, though? Put simply, Goo.gl wasn’t designed for anything other than desktop browsing. As browsing habits changed and it became more common for people to access the web through mobile devices or apps, Google realized the tool just wasn’t flexible enough to stay competitive.

The answer? Firebase Dynamic Links, or FDL, which replaced Goo.gl back in 2019. As we’ll see in a moment, FDL improves upon Goo.gl in a few ways, although it’s not the only URL shortening tool worth considering.

7 Goo.gl Replacements

There are many other link shortening tools out there, so how do you choose the right one for your needs? To help you narrow your search, here are seven promising alternatives to Goo.gl you can try right now.

1. Firebase Dynamic Links

Since Firebase Dynamic Links (FDL) replaced Goo.gl, it’s a good tool to start with if you’re focusing on app creation and development.

Firebase works similarly to Goo.gl, since you’re still creating short URLs. However, these URLs are no ordinary links: they’re “smart” links, or Dynamic Links.

When a user clicks on a FDL link, they’re directed to exactly where you want them to go in your Android or iPhone app… even if they don’t already have the app installed. They simply download the app and the right page loads automatically.

Cool, right?

It doesn’t matter whether they click through from a desktop browser or mobile device, either. They will be directed to a compatible version of your website, so there’s no need for you to generate different URLs for each platform.

If you’re focusing on app-based marketing, definitely consider FDL. There’s a free plan available, although the paid plan has some nice features.

2. Rebrandly

Do you want to create unique branded links using custom domain names? Then Rebrandly could be for you.

Trusted by global brands like IBM and Shopify, Rebrandly is more than just a URL shortening tool. It’s a link management platform designed to help you build entire marketing campaigns around branded links in just a few clicks.

Without leaving your browser, you can create and share links across over 100 integrated apps including Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Plus, you can measure your campaign results from the dashboard.

Link Shortener Alternatives to Goo.gl - Rebrandly

It’s free to sign up, but paid packages start at just $29 per month, which gives you access to more detailed metrics and a larger number of branded links. If you’re looking for an enterprise-level solution for larger teams, reach out to Rebrandly for a custom quote.

3. Ow.ly

If you’re already using Hootsuite, Ow.ly is worth a look.

You can shorten any link posted to social media right from the Hootsuite dashboard. This lets you view everything from your campaign ROI to your link metrics at the same time. There’s no need to switch between different tools (unless you’re also using other platforms like Google Analytics.)

Ow.ly comes free with every Hootsuite account, too, so you don’t need a paid subscription to benefit from the tool. Sounds good, right?

All that said, Ow.ly’s only available to Hootsuite users, so it’s not the right tool for everyone, but it’s worth a try if you already use Hootsuite.

4. Bitly

For enterprise-grade link management, consider Bitly, one of the most comprehensive tools out there.

With Bitly, you’re not just creating short, branded links. You’re turning those links into valuable marketing tools. Bitly offers some of the most in-depth campaign management tools available to help you track everything from clicks to organic shares.

It’s a useful tool for tracking customer journeys without hopping between different CRMs, making it ideal for larger companies looking to track data and grow their campaigns efficiently. You can even generate QR codes to engage customers and drive sales.

What’s more, Bitly is trusted by the likes of Amazon, Disney, and Gartner, so you know it’s a platform that delivers on its promises! Packages start at $29 per month.

5. TinyURL

No roundup of link shortening tools is complete without TinyURL, the very first program of its kind:

Link Shortener Alternatives to Goo.gl - TinyURL

You don’t need an account to shorten one or two short URLs. To get the most of the platform, sign up for a free account which allows you to create an unlimited number of URLs and track clicks.

The Pro package starts at $9.99 per month and offers advanced tracking options. For businesses looking to run high-volume ad campaigns, the Bulk package may be a better option at $99.00 per month.

If you’re looking for a no-fuss way to shorten your URLs and track some metrics, TinyURL is worth a go.

6. BL.INK

Are you a small business owner looking to launch marketing campaigns but don’t need a large-scale solution? BL.INK was designed for you.

With BL.INK, you can quickly share shortened URLs across social media channels and even send actionable links by SMS or messaging platforms. BL.INK seamlessly integrates with existing worktools and CMS, so you can easily track link performance and view the data alongside other metrics.

Packages start at $48 per month, making it one of the more expensive tools on the list. However, you can try it free for 21 days, which is a bonus.

If you’re not looking for an enterprise-level solution but want more than just a basic shortening tool, consider BL.INK.

7. Sniply

Do you want to add a CTA to every shortened link you create? Now you can, thanks to Sniply.

On the surface, Sniply works like any other link shortener. However, it offers a unique level of customization: you can embed a colorful CTA button with every link you share across social media.

Not only do your links look more appealing because they’re shorter, but they’re more actionable than ever:

Link Shortener Alternatives to Goo.gl - Sniply

Pricing is reasonable, too, with packages starting at $29 per month. However, if you want to add more than one team member, you’ll need to opt for a more expensive tier.

Link Shortener Frequently Asked Questions

What is link shortening?

Link shortening, or URL shortening, lets you change how a link displays to users. You can make a URL appear shorter or even add branding and still send users to the correct page.

What’s the point of link shortening?

A link shortening tool turns a long, rambling link into something memorable to share with prospects, which is handy on social media. You can also track the number of real people visiting your website, which provides more accurate analytics information.

Why did Google stop supporting Goo.gl?

Google made the changes in response to how people use the internet. Its new tool, Firebase Dynamic Links, is more flexible than Goo.gl and lets site owners redirect users on mobile apps rather than just desktop websites.

When should you not use link shortening?

Since one of the main reasons we shorten links is for tracking purposes, you don’t need to shorten links if you’re just linking from one page on your website to another.

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Link Shortener Conclusion

Are the alternatives to the Goo.gl link shortener worth your time? Absolutely. With the range of link management tools out there, you can quickly generate short, readable links to showcase your brand and drive traffic to your website.

What’s more, there’s a link shortening tool to suit every marketing strategy, whether you’re looking for a no-fuss, budget-friendly option or want to invest in an enterprise-level solution.

Have you tried a link shortening tool yet? How has it improved your conversions or made it easier to track your performance?

10 Automated Video Creation Tools, Tips, and Resources

Video content creation can be a massive headache. I get it. Even for seasoned marketers, creating compelling content is a challenge. The real uphill battle is trying to create that level of content regularly. That’s why we’re taking a closer look at automated video creation and some of the best tools your brand can use … Continue reading 10 Automated Video Creation Tools, Tips, and Resources

5 Hacks to Get a Credit Score Increase for Your Business

It’s easy to find quick tips on how to increase credit score on your personal credit report.  You won’t find as much about business credit score at all, let alone how to get a credit score increase. Many business owners do not even know a business can have its own credit score, while others think … Continue reading 5 Hacks to Get a Credit Score Increase for Your Business

Should I Outsource My Blog? 5 Questions to Help You Decide

Running a blog is a lot of work. You have to continually feed it new content, keep up with WordPress updates, maintain your hosting account, moderate comments, respond to readers…dozens, maybe even hundreds, of little tasks. On top of all that, there’s promoting and monetizing your blog, which is even more work. It’s hard for …

The post Should I Outsource My Blog? 5 Questions to Help You Decide first appeared on Online Web Store Site.

How to Use Data Visualization in Your Content to Increase Readers and Leads

Have you heard of data visualization? Even if you don’t know the term, you’ve probably seen some examples.

Data visualization refers to graphical images that represent and explain data trends or other numerical information, such as charts, maps, scatter plots, or graphs.

You can use data visualization in articles or on web pages to make numbers and data easily digestible to the reader. Especially when you are trying to distill down complex topics to convert more readers, data can add value and help you make your case.

The Benefits of Data Visualization

Visuals are a powerful addition to your articles and presentations.

Our brains process images at a rapid pace, according to an MIT study. Including visuals in your article not only breaks up the text and gives your reader something else to look at, but also may help them process the information more quickly.

Think about it: we’ve been communicating visually from the cave painting days. Data visualization just takes image communication to the next level, integrating stats and data into compelling visuals that your brain can absorb faster than just scanning numbers.

Plus, it’s more than just laying out the numbers. Data visualization is about presenting data in a very specific way to back up your claims or illustrate your point. It’s more than just a table of statistics the reader has to work through to figure out for themselves.

Numbers can often be the “proof” you need to convince your reader to take the next step or to make a purchase, but many people don’t want to take the time to read through all the data.

According to the Nielsen Norman Group, people don’t read word-for-word online, going back to the internet’s earliest days. Instead, they scan, looking for stand-out headlines and images that grab them. Data visualization gives you that opportunity to capture their interest and get important stats in front of their eyes.

Examples of Data Visualization

Are you inspired to start creating data visualization images for your content, or are you still needing some examples? Here are a few ideas to get you thinking.

1. USA Today Housing Bubble Graphic

Using an interactive map, USA Today created this graphic to help readers understand the data behind current housing sales trends. The simple color palette makes it visually appealing, and the ability to scroll over each state to learn more means readers may spend more time on the page, interacting with the data.

USA Today example of data visualization

2. CNBC Job Change Graph

This visual from CNBC is an example of using a bar graph in a visually compelling way. At a quick glance, you can see what’s growing and decreasing. As you look closer, you can check out more detail about the numbers and specifics.

CNBC example of data visualization

3. NY Times Nutrition Scatter Plot

Scatter plots can get complex, which is why this graphic from the NY Times uses images to help make the point. It also explains the XY axes, so readers understand what they’re looking at.

Data Visualization - NY Times nutrition scatter plot

Types of Data Visualization

When it comes to creating unique images, the only limit is your imagination, but here are a few common types to get you started.

Bar Graphs

Bar graphs are a simple option. Think back to your school days and science projects. Bar graphs can be vertical or horizontal, with each bar representing the values of each category.

Bar graphs can represent any set of numbers you need to compare side-by-side, and you can use colors to reflect different categories. For example, you could compare salaries for different jobs, prices for different products, or populations of different groups.

example bar graph for data visualization

Pie Charts

Pie charts consist of circles representing 100% of something, broken into “slices” of ratios or percentages.

They are a great way to illustrate how various categories compare to their larger context. For instance, you can show how many people of a certain group have different behaviors, habits, or preferences.

Data visualization pie chart

Tables

While not always the most visually compelling, tables can allow you to provide multiple data points or categories to help people understand the relationships among items.

On a table, you can lay out in rows the main categories you’re comparing. Along each column, you can include as many different topics as you need to.

Tables are simple and useful but can easily get cluttered. Make sure to highlight the sections that need your attention and use colors to make things stand out. Keep everything lined up and clear to make it easily scannable for your readers.

Data visualization using a table

Infographics

A power horse of online images, infographics can mean almost anything. However, an infographic typically acts as a curated collection of charts, graphs, icons, and short text to share high-level information about a topic or tell a narrative.

They are usually vertically designed, with strong headlines and numbers. Its power comes in combining various elements to tell a story. Infographics are great for an overview, such as a brief history behind a topic or a quick lesson.

Infograph example of data visualization

GIFs

What’s more visual than a GIF? Functioning as a quick video, a GIF can allow you to show growth, movement, regression, or progress. GIFs often involve an animated graph or chart that shows demographics or change over time.

Gif example of data visualization

Maps

When the information you present is demographically or locally focused, maps can help tell that story visually. You can connect readers with information relating to specific areas or groups of people in those locations.

Color-coding different areas of your maps can give your readers a quick visual of exactly which areas relate to which topics in your content. For instance, you can shade areas red or blue depending on how that region voted on a particular topic or election.

map example of data visualization

Heat Maps

A heat map can show areas of concentration or intensity. You can use this for actual temperatures, such as climate or record temperatures in certain areas, or you could use it for proverbial heat, showing intensity or even popularity.

Sometimes heat maps illustrate population density, for instance, or the behavior of users on a website, such as how often they interact with a certain area.

example heat map for data visualization

Scatter Plots

A scatter plot is a type of graph that shows the correlation or relationship between two topics on a horizontal and vertical axis, with dots scattered throughout to represent examples of that relationship.

You can draw a line through the area where the dots are concentrated to see trends. Your reader can see that as one factor changes, such as increases or heats up, the other factor tends to respond in some way.

scatter plot example of data visualization

Pair Up Simple Data Visualization Types

The above are just a few of the simple elements you can use to illustrate your data. The options are almost innumerable. Just about any kind of chart, graph, or map can be employed.

However, some of the best data visualizations integrate multiple types or pair up more than one element. For instance, you can use a series of pie charts to show how trends have changed over time.

Sometimes, matching up multiple elements can illustrate your point more fully or allow you to describe various points of your narrative better. You could even use a chart within a chart or lay them out in an infographic style to tell a story.

Make Data Visualizations Interactive

To make your data visualization work hard for you, you may want to consider interactive options.

Interactivity allows readers to scroll over or click on various parts of your charts or graphics to learn more about each section. Maybe each bar on your graph or each area on your map has more specific information that your viewers can read.

This not only provides more powerful data points to your image, but it also allows it to be a more relevant and customizable experience for more users.

Data Visualization Tools

You can create data visualization images for your content from scratch using design software or an online option like Canva. However, data visualization tools can give you a leg up by allowing you to create truly stand-out projects.

These tools can take the guesswork out of the process and let you focus on plugging in the data and cranking out designs that reflect your brand and convey your message.

The great thing about these tools is that they are made for the casual creator. You don’t need to be a developer or coder to get into making great charts or graphs. Here are a few of the plug-and-play options that can get your idea off the ground.

Flourish

Flourish advertises an easy option for creating and sharing data visualization. You can upload spreadsheets directly to the platform or create your images from scratch. It has a number of animated or interactive templates, which you can update with your brand graphics and elements.

Flourish has a free option that allows you to explore and create public data visualization. If you want to interact with your team or create private projects, it offers a few levels of paid options.

Datawrapper

Datawrapper promises to be easy to use, with no coding experience required. It provides several intuitive options, with tools such as a color-blind check that remind you of colors that are color-blind friendly.

With a variety of defaults in its templates, Datawrapper brings the details of each data visualization that newbies may not have thought through.

Infogram

This tool allows you to create charts and graphs that have the animation and customization you need to wow your audience. You can also use Infogram’s drag-and-drop feature to drag the images around and combine elements into a single, highly-effective visual.

Tracking the Success of Your Data Visualization Elements

The time and effort it takes to create data visualization and work it into your content can pay off if it helps drive people to your goals, like increasing readerships or leads. However, you’ll only know if they’re successful if you track the metrics.

Consider the Big Picture

As you start incorporating data visualization into your content, one of the easiest ways to track their success is to see how well your content is doing. The most basic questions to ask are: is the content with data visualization more popular? Do those pieces get more readers and more shares?

Dive Into the Data

One way to get a little geeky with your data is to set up a heat map tool, such as Hotjar. This can give you more data about how people behave on your page, such as how and where they scroll or click. This is especially useful for a landing page where you’re trying to convert people to sales.

Help Them Act

The only way to know if your data visualization is actually converting is to give readers a way to be converted. Once they have been convinced by the data you are sharing, what do you want them to do next? Make sure you keep clear CTAs near the data visualization. Clicks or email sign-ups can help you track the effectiveness of that image.

Conclusion

Data visualization can help you drive readership and more leads by engaging with them from the start. People come back to your online hub when they find quality content there. They’re also more likely to share your content with others when they find it interesting and engaging.

Data visualization can help you take complex or dry concepts and make them more compelling, helping drive home your point and increase sales along the way.

If it feels daunting to create and manage your data visualization elements, we are here to help out. We also offer services like SEO, content marketing, and paid media.

What kind of data visualization are you going to use in your content?

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Produce Your Marketing Machine to Plan for Marketing Success

Develop Your Marketing Machine to Plan for Marketing Success Do you ever before really feel like you’re continuously running about, attempting to obtain your advertising products placed with each other and also out the door? Or are you continuously jumping on the newest advertising concept, and also tossing away your time as well as cash …

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How to Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession – Amazing!

The Fantastic Way to Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession and Get the Financing You Need – Even if the Economy Tanks

Crowdfunding has become all the rage and it’s not surprising. It’s (generally) free money which you do not have to repay. And you can get these funds without needing to give up any ownership or control over your small business. Additionally it can help you to determine the popularity of an idea or a prototype or invention. Because there is no sense in continuing if there is no interest in your design. Still, a lot of entrepreneurs can use crowdfunding to start a business in a recession.

You will need to make a lot of choices before you even launch a startup crowdfunding campaign. And this goes double in an economic downturn.

Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession: How Much?

Your very first decision should be: just how much do I need to crowdfund? If you need $1 million, you are going to need to crowdfund more than that. Why? Because that is how crowdfunding platforms make their money– they take a percentage of any money you can raise. Thus, you will need to take that into consideration. Crowdfunding percent charges vary from 4% to 10%.

Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession

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Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession: Will I Succeed?

Another decision has to do with how successful you think your campaign will be. If you are extremely confident that you will be 100% funded at the end of your campaign, then traditional funding is for you. If you are not sure, then try GoFundMe’s flexible funding.

With flexible funding, you, the campaign runner, can keep your donations even if your campaign falls short. However, for this benefit, you will have to pay a higher fee to GoFundMe. Other crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter don’t offer this option.

Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession: What Should I Offer for Perks?

Yes, you will have to offer perks to your donors. Perks can take many forms– buttons, tees, book marks – every one of those are possible tangible perks. Consider a perk format which can sync with your business. If you sell homemade jam, then perhaps create a unique flavor just for the campaign, and offer bigger and bigger-sized jars depending on donation amount.

If you are a horseback riding stable, offer a complimentary lesson or a postcard with a favorite horse’s image on it, or something like that. Does your startup flip houses? Then consider offering a coupon to a neighborhood home supply company (work with them beforehand, of course) or the like.

Pro Tip on Perks

Physical perks are a pain! A lot of people love them, and they will stand out. However, you also have to ship physical perks. International shipping is extremely expensive, even for small items. So if you offer physical perks, specify whether you will allow international donor addresses.

Even if everything has to be shipped in the US, you are still left with working with a data base of names and addresses (a few of which might have misprints or be incomplete) and usually a range of available perks. Did Jane want the stuffed teddy bear or the book mark? Did Alan want the pennant or the tee shirt? Do Jane and Alan live at the same address so perhaps you could mail their perks out together? What if a perk is lost or broken in the mail? And what if it injures someone?

Because of this, if you can do it, try for digital perks. For a house flipping startup, you might record video footage about home design or repair. For a pastry shop, you could offer downloads of recipes. And for a health club, maybe offer digital coupons for a free month of membership.

Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession

Discover our business credit and finance guide, jam-packed with new ways to finance your business without emptying your wallet. Save your money during the recession!

Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession: Your Campaign

Your campaign’s success is far from assured. However, you can capitalize on a few proven approaches. First off consider these four feelings that you need to engender in donors. Use one or more of them as the focal point of your campaign as a starting point.

Urgency

The first two and last two days of a crowdfunding campaign are pretty much always the days with the biggest payoffs. Often, lengthening the campaign doesn’t make you significantly more money. So why not open a campaign for only a week? Don’t let donors feel they can contribute any old time they feel like it.

Scarcity

If you have thousands of something or other to supply as a perk, it will not be as desirable. If you only have a few copies of a specific perk, that will instill a feeling in some potential donors that they just have to have it. Do this with your larger donation levels only. Therefore, you might want to establish a perk/donation level system similar to this:

Donation Level Number of Perks
Lowest 1,000
Second lowest 500 (reward also incorporates lowest level reward)
Second highest 50 (reward also includes two lower level rewards)
Highest 10 (reward also incorporates all other levels’ rewards)

Remember: a lot of variety in physical perks will make fulfillment a lot harder, so don’t work with greater than maybe five separate varieties of physical perks– and even that is pushing it.

Novelty

If you are offering the identical thing as a thousand other places, no one will want to make a donation. Your widget needs to be lighter, hotter, cheaper, or more resilient. Your food should be reduced in calories or higher in nutrition or better-tasting. Or your professional services need to be delivered better or quicker, by friendlier and more skilled employees. And it should come with a money back guarantee your competition does not provide.

Cool factor

Is your product a work of art? Is it a new, gadget-like innovation? Then it may have a coolness aspect which you can construct your campaign around. But don’t be discouraged if it isn’t! These days, some of the most unforgettable advertising campaigns are based around a product the majority of people found uninspiring not ten years ago– insurance.

Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession: Crowdfunding Strategy

A few words on strategy:

Your Pitch Video Will Need to be Great

Use an expert to film it and develop the script. Are you unable to pay for experts? Then try schools, both pupils and educators. Your script doesn’t need to be verbatim but you should have points you wish to make and not babble. Write a script and stay with it. This is not the right time to ad-lib.

If You Have Tangible Evidence of Your Project, then Make Sure to Present it

Put it in your campaign video and on your campaign page. This means a picture of your health spa’s sign or a short video clip of your prototype robot. A number of people are naturally doubtful about crowdfunding. An image and a tangible thing will go a long way to assuring them that your project isn’t vaporware.

Manners Matter

Say please, thank you, and you’re welcome to everyone. Use these magic words in your pitch and in your communications with your donors, even in the cover letters you deliver with your perks (even internet perks can include a cover email message). You do not have to be servile, but you absolutely must be diplomatic.

In particular, be courteous when you want to use crowdfunding to start a business in a recession. After all, you have no idea what people may be going through.

Don’t be Greedy!

If you need $250,000 for your campaign, but you call for $1,000,000, that will not do anyone any good. You’ll just look like you want to leech off other peoples’ generosity. Instead, explain your expenses as plainly and transparently as possible.

And incidentally, if you misuse your funding, you may end up in an unpleasant meeting with your state’s attorney general. So be truthful!

Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession

Discover our business credit and finance guide, jam-packed with new ways to finance your business without emptying your wallet. Save your money during the recession!

Your Stretch Goals Should be a Combination of Readily Achievable and Pie in the Sky

If you are crowdfunding for $100,000, a reasonably easy to attain stretch goal is $125,000. Pie in the sky going to be more like $300,000.

Make it abundantly clear what you will do with any added money if you are fortunate enough to get it. Will you buy the property your startup is in? Employ five more people? Replace your old equipment? Launch a brand-new market on another continent? Let your donors know what you are pursuing, so they can dream with you.

Be Gracious if Your Campaign Fails

Even if you use GoFundMe’s flexible funding option, you still may not receive enough to make an appreciable dent in your funding requirements. If you wanted $100,000 and you just got $500, your best option is to simply give back the money.

If you nearly made it with $95,000, then thank everybody who donated. And see what you can possibly do, although there’s a deficiency. And let them know what you are doing! Maybe you’ll purchase your building next year, or hire four people rather than five.

Once more; give your donors a stake in and an inside look at your startup. This will enable them to feel invested. And they may just opt to make up the deficiency themselves. Even if your crowdfunding campaign concludes does not mean a donor cannot send a check or buy extra goods or services. If that comes about, then politeness is essential.

Start a Business in a Recession with Crowdfunding Credit Suite

Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession

Line up the Most Significant and Most Dependable Donors You Can Before You Start

Tell your mother or your brother in law or your former high school soccer coach to postpone on handing over their $1,000 or $10,000 donation till you start your campaign.

And ask them (nicely!) to release their donation at a very precise time. Which time? The initial or final day of the campaign (split the funds as well as you can. If the split isn’t around half and half, then request the larger chunk of donations to come on the very last day of the campaign.

Make the most of the novelty factor of the first day of the campaign, or the urgency factor of the very last. Just like a busker with a couple of her own bucks in her hat, to motivate people to toss in a few bucks for a song, you want your biggest donors to demonstrate to other donors that they believe in you and in your project. And you also want them to suggest your other donors that they had best get in on investing in your startup before the opportunity ends.

Share Your Campaign on Social Media

And ask your family and friends to do so, too. Tweet the link. Incorporate it as a Facebook status. Make it a Tumblr post or a snap on Snapchat or create a blog post about it. Ask your network to publicize the link.

The most effective technique to get your network to help you out is by assisting them in return. If your relative’s rock band is on Facebook, share their page, or tweet about it.

Be a collaborative member of your own personal network. And then your contacts will be more likely to help you out when you ask.

And rerun these social media postings. Considering time zones and our all-too hectic lives, people may not see your message the first time around. Mix it up and deliver it at odd hours (you can oftentimes use scheduling software such as HootSuite for this), including what is the middle of the night where you live.

Use Crowdfunding to Start a Business in a Recession: Pay it Forward

Finally, if your small business crowdfunding campaign succeeds, think about donating a few dollars to others’ campaigns. Because your business goodwill and a good reputation are priceless. And you never know when the economic pendulum will swing the other way.

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