UP42|Berlin, Germany| Full Time|Berlin (hybrid work model)|https://up42.com
We were born from the idea to democratize access to geospatial data. Our developer platform opens up access to a variety of first-class geospatial data and processing power for the very first time. Here, you can pick and choose from a selection of off-the-shelf data and processing blocks. This is UP42. The fastest way to build, run and scale geospatial products.
Aeditive | Software Engineer | Hamburg, Germany | Full Time | ONSITE | https://aeditive.de
We build robotic 3D printing solutions for manufacturing concrete elements.
A district court judge issued a Temporary Restraining Order blocking Texas S.B. 8 abortion law on Wednesday, finding in favor of the U.S. Department of Justice, which had sought the order to block the law from going into effect.
D2C companies, by definition, take out the middleman and sell their products “direct to consumers.” In many ways, this seems like an obvious choice. You sell your product straight to them and cut out any fees required with wholesale and other sales platforms. Plus, you don’t have to charge markup fees to cover those additional … Continue reading The 7 Best Strategies for D2C Brands
Building Your Commercial Fleet of Sprinter Vans While You Build Your Business and Its Credit
Want or need sprinter vans for your business? Then you should be building business credit!
Your business doesn’t start off with good business credit already built. In much the same way, you probably didn’t start with any vehicles. Or, at least, not with business vehicles you wanted to keep. And even if you bought your business fully created, you can still build it to greater heights. For all three goals, it pays to work in an orderly fashion. Step by step, it all works together.
Building business credit will mean getting vendor accounts. Starting with vendor credit accounts is a proven way to start building business credit. But we don’t include vendors just because they report to the business credit reporting agencies. We include them and we talk about them because they have quality products that you can use and great customer service. They are not just a means to an end!
But let’s start off with some basics.
How Do Sprinter Vans and Business Credit Work Together?
In general, the term ‘sprinter van’ is used more or less synonymously with ‘cargo van’. But it’s actually the name of a line of vans made by Mercedes-Benz. However, much like the words ‘Kleenex’ and ‘tissue’, the brand name has entered the lexicon as a synonym for a more general term.
Sprinter Vans and Business Credit Together
Sprinter vans tend to be a bit taller than full-sized SUVs. Per Zip Recruiter, you generally don’t need a special commercial license to drive a sprinter van. But in some states you may need a chauffeur’s license if you’re driving passengers.
According to Car and Driver, “over 50 percent of Sprinter vans that are sold in the U.S. are used for commercial purposes. The other half of these vans are sold as passenger shuttles and recreational vehicles, such as limousines, office vans, family vans, wheelchair accessible vans, and golf vans.”
Sprinter vans can currently cost between $35,000 and $45,000 and that’s before you add options.
Building Business Credit the Right Way
Start with building business credit. But you can’t start with high limits. First build starter trade lines that report (vendor credit). Then you’ll have an established credit profile. Then you’ll get a business credit score. With an established business credit profile and score you can start getting high credit limits.
The Process
Use your credit and pay on time, just like you should with personal credit. These vendors we’ll show you will report to the business credit reporting agencies. And you’ll build a good business credit score.
But Just What is Starter Vendor Credit?
These trade lines are creditors who will give you initial credit when you have none now. These vendors typically offer terms such as Net 30, instead of revolving. So if you are approved for $1,000 in vendor credit and use all of it, you must pay that money back in a set term such as within 30 days on a Net 30 account. However, there are some revolving accounts which are still considered to be starter vendors.
Vendor Credit Accounts
You must pay net 30 accounts in full within 30 days. And you have to pay net 60 accounts in full within 60 days. Unlike with revolving accounts, you have a set time when you must pay back what you borrowed or the credit you used.
To start your business credit profile the RIGHT way, you need to get approved for vendor accounts that report to the business CRAs. Once that’s done, you can then use the credit, pay back what you used, and the account is reported to Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, or Equifax, or some combination.
Details
Once reported, then you have trade lines, an established credit profile, and an established credit score. Using a newly established business credit profile and score, you can then get approval for more credit under your EIN. For vendor credit, you can often leave your SSN off the application since this credit isn’t on offer through a bank.
With and EIN and not your SSN on the application. the credit issuer pulls your EIN credit. They see a solid profile and score, and as a result can approve you for more credit. Keep in mind, credit through a bank will require your SSN. It’s an anti-money laundering requirement under federal law.
Vendor Credit Cards
Vendor credit cards will get business credit building for your business going. Once you’ve added payment experiences from three vendors, and they have reported to business CRAs like Dun & Bradstreet, you can start qualifying for fleet credit. Make sure business credit cards don’t report on your personal credit
Every step and every credit provider is designed to help your business. The idea is to help you qualify for business credit cards that you will actually use. This isn’t building for the sake of building, and it isn’t just to increase a number. These credit providers are going to have what your business needs to succeed.
Keep in mind, business credit is independent of personal. Applying for it often won’t harm your personal credit scores, although it can if you offer a PG and then fail to pay. An inquiry will also impact personal credit. Too many inquires can hurt your ability to get an approval. Building this asset can only help your business. You can help your future business right now.
Vendor Credit Benefits
You MUST have 3 or more vendor accounts reporting to move onto more credit with higher limits and better terms, more reporting accounts are even better. It will take 30-90 days for those accounts to report, 60 days on average. Do NOT apply for tier 2 credit without having 3 or more accounts first.
Getting a Vendor to Pull Credit Under your EIN
Remember, there is no Social Security requirement for starter vendor credit. This is unlike bank loans and more universal business credit cards. So leave the field blank. Don’t fill in any other number, as that’s a violation of two Federal laws. A blank field will force them to pull your business credit under your EIN.
But note: some creditors will still require an SSN for verification purposes. You should present your SSN in this situation but make sure you aren’t agreeing a PG or personal credit check.
Building Business Credit – What You Really Need to Know
You won’t get a Visa or a MasterCard (more universal business credit cards) right away. You need to have credit to get more credit. Start building trade lines to get the big payoff. Getting initial credit is the hardest part. The vast majority of trade vendors who issue credit don’t report it to the business reporting agencies. So, you MUST find sources which actually report.
Using Business Credit Vendors
Check out three of our favorite starter vendors:
76
Wex Fleet
Marathon
All three come from Wex
76
Phillips 66 Company owns 76. It has more than 1,800 retail fuel sites in the United States. This card reports to D&B and Experian. But keep in mind: before applying for multiple accounts with WEX Fleet cards, make sure to leave enough time in between applying so that they don’t red flag your account for fraud.
Qualifying for 76
To qualify, you need the following:
Your corporate entity must be in good standing with the applicable Secretary of State
An EIN
Company address matching everywhere
D-U-N-S number from Dun & Bradstreet
Your business license (if applicable)
A business bank account
Business phone number with a 411 listing
Your SSN is necessary for informational purposes. If concerned they will pull your personal credit talk to their credit department before applying. You can give a $500 deposit instead of using a personal guarantee if you’ve been in business less than a year. Apply online or over the phone. Terms are Net 15. You can use this card at any P66, 76, or Conoco fueling location.
Wex Fleet
They report to Experian and D&B. Wex offers universal fleet cards, heavy truck cards, and universally accepted business fleet cards. Their cards have features supporting a small business. This includes a rewards program. But before applying for multiple accounts with WEX Fleet cards, make sure to have enough time in between applying, so that they don’t red flag your account for fraud.
If you’re not approved based on business credit history, or been in business for at least a year, then a $500 deposit is needed or a Personal Guarantee. Apply online or over the phone. Terms: Net 15 (Wex Fleet Card), Net 22, or revolving (Wex FlexCard).
Marathon Petroleum Company provides transportation fuels, asphalt, and specialty products throughout the United States. Their product line supports commercial, industrial, and retail operations. This card reports to Dun & Bradstreet and Experian. Remember: before applying for multiple accounts with WEX Fleet cards, make sure to have enough time in between applying so they don’t red-flag your account for fraud.
Qualifying for Marathon
To qualify, you need:
Entity in good standing with Secretary of State
EIN number with IRS
Business address- matching everywhere.
D-U-N-S number
Business license (if applicable)
And a business bank account
Business phone number with a 411 listing
Your SSN is necessary for informational purposes. If concerned they will pull your personal credit talk to their credit department before applying. You can provide a $500 deposit instead of using a personal guarantee if you’ve been in business less than a year. Apply online or over the phone. Terms are Net 15.
Let’s move onto what’s called fleet credit.
Fleet Credit
Fleet credit comes after starter vendors. It comes from places like Gulf and Exxon. You can use it to:
Buy fuel
Maintain vehicles of all sorts, including sprinter vans
Repair vehicles
Even businesses which don’t have big fleets can still benefit. Yes, fleet credit works for sprinter vans. These are usually gas credit cards.
There may be a minimal time in business requirement. If your business can’t make a time in business requirement, you may be able to instead offer a personal guarantee or give a deposit to secure the credit.
Now that you’ve got a bunch of cards to support your fleet, it’s time to look at vehicle financing to buy the fleet!
Vehicle Financing
Much like you probably didn’t buy your personal vehicles outright, financing is a great way to get a vehicle now, without having to wait until you can just pay cash and drive it off the lot. With a fleet car, your choices are usually buying or leasing. Providers include banks like Bank of America or the financing arm of the manufacturer, such as Chrysler Capital.
Using Business Credit for Vehicle Financing
You can even finance a vehicle purchase or lease through our Business Credit Builder. These offers are in Tier 4, so they’re going to have certain requirements that business credit neophytes just won’t be able to meet. Lenders will want to see that you have the income to support the purchase.
Consider Ally Car Financing.
Ally Car Financing Through Credit Suite
Ally provides personal financing. But they will also report to business credit bureaus. If your business qualifies for financing without the owner’s guarantee, you can get financing in the business name only. Ally will report to D&B, Experian, and Equifax.
Qualifying for an Ally Commercial Line of Credit
You will need:
Entity in good standing with Secretary of State
EIN number with IRS
Business address- matching everywhere
D-U-N-S number
Business license (if applicable)
And a business bank account
Bank reference
Fleet financing references
If you use a personal guarantee, Ally will not report to the personal credit bureaus unless the account defaults.
Qualifying for Ally Commercial Vehicle Financing
You can get a lease or a loan. To qualify, you need most of the same things as you need for an Ally Commercial Line of Credit, except for a bank reference and fleet financing references. There is no minimum time in business requirement. Apply in person only, as the dealer will advise if you have an approval or will need to provide a Personal Guarantee (PG).
Ford Commercial Vehicle Financing Through Credit Suite
Ford offers several commercial vehicle financing options. These include loans, lines, and leases to actual business entities. This is not for sole proprietorships. You can get a loan or a lease.
Ford may ask for a Personal Guarantee (PG) if you are not approved on the merit of your application. Apply at the dealership. Ford will report to D&B, Experian, and Equifax.
Qualifying for Ford Commercial Vehicle Financing
To qualify, you need:
Entity in good standing with Secretary of State
EIN number with IRS
Business address- matching everywhere
D-U-N-S number
Business license (if applicable)
And a business bank account
Strong business credit history, with a good Experian business credit score.
Now that you’ve got the cars and the cards, it’s time to look at using your business credit for vehicle financing.
With commercial vehicle financing, business owners may be required to personally guarantee vehicle loans. If you are a co-borrower the loan will most likely report to your personal credit report. Starting off by giving a personal guarantee means you can get money, and start building your commercial fleet, now instead of later.
PG (Personal Guarantee) Financing
According to Investopedia, a personal guarantee is “an individual’s legal promise to repay credit issued to a business for which they serve as an executive or partner. Providing a personal guarantee means that if the business becomes unable to repay the debt, the individual assumes personal responsibility for the balance. Personal guarantees provide an extra level of protection to credit issuers who want to make sure they will be repaid.”
When you provide a personal guarantee, you are adding your Social Security number to the application. You should expect a hard inquiry. You’re also adding the details of your personal income to the application.
No PG (Personal Guarantee) Financing
With no PG financing, you can get higher limits and better terms. Continue to build exceptional business credit and pay your bills on time. In general, the following will eliminate the need to provide a personal guarantee for this type of financing:
good business credit
a decent amount of time in business or
good personal credit
Much like with any other kind of business borrowing, the more assurances you can give the lender, the better.
Get Sprinter Vans with Business Credit: Takeaways
Use business credit to buy everything you need to run a fleet, from fuel to service. And use auto financing to buy your sprinter vans. Help make your business’s future bright – today! Let’s get together and have a conversation about getting started.
There are a lot of business credit cards out there. Choices can come from well-known providers, and not so well-known ones. If you’re looking for a business credit card bonus, then you’ve come to the right place.
What Sort of a Business Credit Card Bonus is Available?
In general, bonuses will come in the form of either cash or points, sometimes travel points. Although we did find one where you can get a bonus in bitcoin! Virtually always, you will have to spend a minimum amount within a particular time frame before you can get the bonus. To find the best deal for you, check out the details closely.
Business Credit Card Bonus in Generous Points, Not Requiring a High Minimum Spend
We start with cards which give generous point bonuses but don’t require that you spend an arm and a leg in order to get them.
Bremer Bank Visa Smart Business Rewards
Check out the Bremer Bank Visa Smart Business Rewards card. Pay a $0 annual fee for the first twelve months, then $95 for the first year and every year after $95 for Account Owners, $0 for Authorized Employees. Get double points per dollar spent in your top two spend categories each month. And get one point monthly per dollar spent on other eligible purchases. Earn a 20,000 bonus reward points after you spend $500 in the first 90 days. Pay a 15.99-20.99% APR based on creditworthiness.
The bonus reward points offer is generous, and the minimum spend should be a snap for most businesses to meet. The annual fee for account owners is fairly high, but no annual fee for authorized employees means this card could be used successfully with a large number of employees.
Mechanics Bank Smart Business Rewards Visa
Consider the Mechanics Bank Smart Business Rewards Visa. Pay a $0 introductory annual fee for the first twelve months, then $95 for the first year and every year after $95 for Account Owners, $0 for Authorized Employees. Get double points per dollar spent in top two spend categories per month. And get 20,000 bonus rewards points if you spend $500 in the first 90 days. The APR for purchases and balance transfers is 15.99-20.99% based on creditworthiness. This is a very generous bonus for an incredibly low spend.
Business Credit Cards with the Most Generous Points Offers
You may have to spend more with these cards, but you’ll get even more points.
Union Bank Business Preferred Rewards Visa Credit Card
Check out the Union Bank Business Preferred Rewards Visa Credit Card. Get a 50,000 introductory reward points bonus when you spend $5,000 in the first three months. And get 5x points per dollar spent to $25,000 annually on select business expenses (office supplies, utility bills, telecom services), and one point per dollar spent above that. Enjoy double points for each dollar spent up to $25,000 annually on gas stations and restaurants and one point per dollar spent above that. Get one point per dollar spent on everything else.
Pay a 0% introductory APR for the first six months, then 11.99-20.99% variable APR. You pay no annual fee.
This card has a great introductory points offer and the amount you have to spend to get it isn’t bad.
Get to know the Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards Credit Card Platinum + MasterCard. There is a $0 annual fee. Get 30,000 bonus points when you make at least $3,000 in new net purchases that post to your account within the first 90 days. Earn 1.5 points per dollar spent. And get triple points per dollar spent on travel. There is a 0% introductory APR for the first nine billing cycles, then 12.24-22.24%. The bonus points offer is generous and the minimum spend is relatively easily attainable. If your business requires a lot of traveling, this is a good card.
Business Credit Card Bonus via Cash Back Offers and a Fairly Low Minimum Spend
If cash back offers are more your speed, consider these options.
Chase Bank Ink Business Unlimited®
Check out the Chase Bank Ink Business Unlimited® card. Get $750 bonus cash back if you spend $7,500 in the first 3 months after account opening. Pay no annual fee. Get 1.5% cash back unlimited. Pay a 0% APR on purchases for the first 12 months after account opening, then 13.24-19.24% based on creditworthiness. The balance transfer APR is 13.24-19.24% based on creditworthiness. If you have several computers or other expensive equipment to purchase, buy it quickly to take advantage of the cash back bonus.
US Bank Business Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®
Get to know the US Bank Business Cash Rewards World Elite Mastercard®. Earn to 3% cash back on eligible gas station, office supply store and cell phone/service provider net purchases. All other purchases earn 1% cash back. Purchases of gasoline greater than $200 will not be deemed to be a purchase of automotive gasoline, and as such will earn a reward of 1%.
Get $500 cash back if you spend $3,000 in the first 90 days from account opening
Earn a 25% annual bonus based on your prior year’s cash rewards, to $250. Pay no annual fee. And pay a 0% introductory APR for the first 12 billing cycles. After that, 13.99-22.99% based on creditworthiness.
Details
To hit the bonus limit, you would have to have spent over $33,000 in the previous year. But the initial spend requirement isn’t too bad, and you can certainly meet it by buying computers or the like. The APR after the introductory period is acceptable. If your credit is such that you qualify for the lower APR, this card could turn out to be a decent deal.
Secured Card Business Credit Card Bonus
If you want or need a secured credit card, here’s one with a business credit card bonus.
Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card
Get to know the Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card. A Wells Fargo business checking or savings account must be open before applying. Upon approval, your funds will be transferred from the deposit account to fund the credit line. Get a $500 to $25,000 credit line, based on the amount of funds deposited by you as security in a collateral account. Pay no annual fee. There is no foreign transaction fee.
Get up to 10 employee cards. Pay prime + 11.90% APR on purchases. And pay prime + 20.74% APR on cash advances. Cash advance or balance transfer fees may apply.
Choose between Cash Back or Rewards Points
There is no annual rewards program fee. And there’s no required spending categories or caps. Earn 1.5% cash back for every $1 spent on net purchases. You get cash back automatically as a credit to your account or to your eligible checking or savings account each quarter.
If you choose rewards points, you will earn 1 point for every $1 spent on net purchases. Get 1,000 bonus points when your company spends $1,000 or more in any monthly billing period. Redeem points for gift cards, merchandise, airline tickets and more. Get a 10% points credit when you redeem points online. And you can earn extra bonus points or discounts from Earn More Mall® retailers.
Build Business Credit
Wells Fargo reports your payment and usage behavior to the Small Business Financial Exchange. Plus, payment and usage activity of the Wells Fargo Business Secured card is not reported to the consumer credit bureaus, therefore it will not help build or rebuild personal credit history.
Wells Fargo will periodically review your account and recent credit history for an opportunity to upgrade to an unsecured business credit card. You may become eligible with responsible use over time. Being able to upgrade to an unsecured business credit card also depends on your FICO score, payment history and ratio of credit card usage to credit limit.
For the most out-there credit card signup bonus we found, check out how you can get bitcoin as a bonus.
BlockFi Bitcoin Rewards Credit Card from Visa (personal)
Check out the BlockFi Bitcoin Rewards Credit Card from Visa. But note this is a personal credit card, but any popular rewards or bonus program can eventually make its way into the business credit card world.
Earn an unlimited 1.5% back in bitcoin on every purchase. Pay no annual fee. There are no foreign transaction fees. Earn 2% back in bitcoin on every purchase over $50,000 of annual spend. And earn 3.5% back in bitcoin during your first 3 months of card ownership.
The introductory offer is capped at $100 dollars in bitcoin, which equals about $5,000 of spend to earn an extra $100 in bitcoin. You can earn crypto interest on bitcoin rewards. Get a 2% annual percentage yield bonus in bitcoin on stablecoin holdings, which is paid in bitcoin, up to $200. Get a trading bonus of 0.25% back in bitcoin on all eligible trades. And earn $30 in bitcoin for every client referral, on top of base.
Details
A soft credit pull happens before accepting the credit card offer. And a hard credit pull occurs when you’ve accepted your credit card offer. There is no information on when this card will actually be available. Until this card is available, it will be difficult to tell which individuals would most benefit from it. Backing from Visa is encouraging, but the hard credit pull is concerning.
Business Credit Card Bonus and Low APR
If you want to enjoy a low annual percentage rate in addition to a business credit card bonus, take a look at these choices.
PNC Bank Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Business Credit Card
Take a look at the PNC Bank Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Business Credit Card. Get $200 bonus if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 billing cycles after account opening. 1.5% cash back on net purchases, no cash back limits. Pay no annual fee. You pay a 0% APR for the first 9 billing cycles after account opening, then 10.99-19.99% variable APR, based on creditworthiness . With mostly lower interest rates and an easy to meet minimum spend, this card is great if you can’t or won’t spend so much in such a short amount of time after getting the card.
Alpine Bank Visa Platinum Rewards
Take a look at the Alpine Bank Visa Platinum Rewards card. You pay no annual fee, and get one point per dollar spent. Get bonus points: 5,000 for first $3,000 spent in first four billing cycles. The APR for purchases is Prime + 8.74-14.74%. And the APR is 21% for cash advances. There is a balance transfer APR of 10% or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. This is a good card for both APR and the amount you need to spend for a bonus is fairly low.
Another choice is the Bank of Hope Business Rewards Visa® Credit Card. You pay no annual fee. There is a 3% balance transfer fee with a minimum of $5. Earn 5,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first three months. And you can earn triple points on gas. Get double points on travel and dining. Earn one point per dollar on all other purchases.
There is a 0% introductory APR for nine months, then variable APR 12.49%, 16.49% or 20.49% based on creditworthiness after introductory period ends. It should be easy for most entrepreneurs to meet the minimum spend required for the points bonus. Triple points on gas are particularly helpful if yours is a business requiring a lot of time on the road (say, trucking). If your credit is good enough to get the lowest APR after the introductory period ends, this could be a great card for you.
Get a Business Credit Card Bonus: Takeaways
Always look for the biggest business credit card bonus you can get, with the lowest possible minimum spend. Plus make sure it’s a bonus you can use. Because if points expire before you get a chance to use them, it’s as if you never got the bonus in the first place.
Snapchat is an invaluable tool for growing just about any business or personal brand. To use it well, you need to get more Snapchat friends.
While Instagram is awesome for showcasing products and edited “best versions,” Snapchat kills it at being completely natural.
It doesn’t hurt that 293 million people are active on that platform every single day.
Snapchat users spend an average of 30+ minutes on the app daily, opening it more than 25 times in a single day.
That level of engagement is almost unheard of.
The social platform may take a bunch of heat from critics who compare it to Instagram’s astonishing 1 billion users, but they’re dead wrong.
While the two platforms may be similar, they can be used in dramatically different ways.
Snapchat isn’t Instagram, and Instagram isn’t Snapchat.
How to Get More Snapchat Friendsand Followers
Here’s how to leverage Snapchat for business and personal branding to get your first 1,000 followers in 30 days.
1. Invite Contacts and Share Your QR Code on Social and Email
The first step in gaining easy followers on Snapchat is leveraging your existing contacts and connections.
These will be the easiest followers to get because they know you and are likely to follow you right back.
Since Snapchat connects to your phone, you can easily allow it to access your contacts and social media platforms.
That means you can instantly add selected contacts or Facebook friends with just a few clicks.
When starting up your Snapchat, head to your profile and click on the “Add Friends” button:
From here, select the “Contacts” menu and click “Find Friends” to allow Snapchat access to your contacts and social profiles.
Then navigate back to “Add Friends.” In this section, Snapchat will have a long, curated list of everyone you can add with one tap.
Now just sit back, relax and wait for your friends and family to follow you back.
With this simple move, you should be able to secure a decent amount of followers to get the ball rolling.
Next, you can use the existing followers you have on any other social platforms to spread awareness of your new Snapchat profile.
One of my favorite examples of this technique being perfected is from Gary Vaynerchuk. On his Twitter, he’s amassed over 1.6 million followers.
While that amount of followers won’t be the case for everyone, other social platforms where you have a following are a great place to find Snapchat followers.
Why? Because people don’t just use one social platform. They use multiple. In fact, the average person has more than 8 social media accounts.
Chances are, your followers on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram use Snapchat. Maybe not all of them, but some of them surely do.
With Snapchat, you can generate a unique QR code that is shareable to anyone you send it to.
This makes it extremely easy for users to follow you. All they have to do is save the image, open Snapchat and import the picture.
To find your own Snapchat QR code, head to your profile on the mobile app and click on your profile name and image:
This will bring up a menu of three choices:
First, you can either share your Snapcode directly from your profile via email, text, or social media.
I recommend that you simply save your Snapcode to your camera roll.
Let me explain why:
If users are newer to Snapchat, they might not know how to add you via the QR code function.
That’s why Gary Vee used instructions on his Twitter post about Snapchat:
To make the process easy and ensuring he gets the maximum carry-over of followers from each social platform that he shared the graphic on.
So for this step, select “Save Snapcode to Camera Roll.”
One of my favorite tools for creating fast graphics is Canva. Taking that newly created Snapcode from your camera roll, you can import it directly into Canva and create a graphic for social media.
First, fire up Canva and select the generic “Social Graphic” template.
In the image editor, head to the “Uploads” section and upload the Snapcode that you downloaded previously:
You can then choose from pre-made Canva templates for a design that fits your branding.
If you don’t want a pre-made template, you can always edit your own using more uploaded content or background colors.
In just a few minutes of editing and tweaking, I created this simple graphic to post on social channels that will drive tons of easy follows:
Be sure to include simple instructions to reduce any potential friction by adding you.
Now take your graphic and spread it on your most active social channels.
Once you’ve done that, you can move onto your email list as a secondary way to drive social follows.
The key here is to provide incentives to following your Snapchat. You have to make it worthwhile for users.
If you are focusing on personal branding, can you offer them free content or a coupon for your online course?
If you sell products, can you offer them a small discount?
Let’s recap your steps to get you tons of followers fast:
Invite your contacts: This is an easy win. A quick way to get potentially hundreds of followers.
Share your QR code: Use Canva to craft a beautiful graphic with your Snapcode and use it on social media to spread the news.
Email your subscribers: Using that same graphic, email your subscribers with an incentive to bring in loyal followers who will buy from you.
2. Use Bitmoji and Augmented Reality to Create Viral Content
Snapchat is a highly engaged platform. People spend a ton of time on the app daily. While that’s a great opportunity to capture attention, it also poses some serious challenges:
Saturation: Thousands of companies and brands use Snapchat, posting daily with excellent content. Topics have been covered from end to end, making viral content hard to create.
Competition: With so many brands using Snapchat, getting attention is harder than ever, despite engagement being through the roof.
Luckily, Snapchat has a few tools up its sleeves with serious potential for crafting viral content, even if your brand isn’t well-known.
Bitmoji is a key addition to Snapchat that has become a cornerstone of content. It allows you to customize a virtual avatar that looks exactly like you.
It can be used on your Snapcode, in actual snaps and photos, and even messaging across Snapchat or other social platforms.
Its ease of use with Snapchat makes it widely popular. Users are able to simply take a selfie and Bitmoji instantly builds a potential avatar for them:
Once in the app, you can edit everything from your hair color and style to clothing and even eye color:
The real big win with Bitmoji comes in the form of creating more dynamic content on Snapchat.
For example, you can easily integrate Bitmoji shots into any photo you take:
You can use the search bar to find relevant Bitmoji scenarios. Everything from specific foods to events and keywords will bring up new Bitmojis.
Setting up Bitmoji is extremely easy and can only improve and aid in your content creation.
Bitmoji will prompt you to connect to Snapchat. Begin editing your avatar and it will quickly populate to your Snapchat profile, giving you new avatars to use in any photo you send to friends, followers, and your story.
Using BitMoji can also aid in the use of augmented reality features on Snapchat. And the AR features of Snapchat are already proving to be viral.
You might remember seeing the dancing hot dog meme that blew up the Internet in 2017:
That originated using Snapchat’s AR developing tools.
That single hotdog AR character was shared more than 1.5 billion times in 2017.
It’s safe to say that augmented reality features are making the content much more engaging.
So, how do you get started?
It’s easy. On your Snapchat, head over to take a new Snap, but click on the smiley face button next to your camera button:
This will instantly bring up a scrollable menu of augmented reality features that you can use for any photo:
Use these new and constantly updating AR features to create the most engaging, funny, viral content you can.
3. Run an Interactive Snapchat Giveaway
Everybody loves a good giveaway.
I mean, who doesn’t like getting free things?
It’s no secret that giveaways can have a huge impact on driving sales, growing your followers, and increasing your email list.
Don’t believe me? Let me give you a few examples.
Brian Harris of VideoFruit ran a contest in an attempt to increase his own email list for sales. Using a giveaway plugin, he grew his list by 2,200 subscribers in just seven days.
Josh Earl of SublimeTextTips grew his email list by 187,000. He started with a mere 5,500 subscribers, growing it by 3,400 percent.
Now I know what you must be thinking:
Did he offer to give away a new car?? A new house?
Not even close. The total prize value of his giveaway was less than $100.
You don’t have to give away your life savings or a dream house to benefit from a giveaway.
Simply providing value to your target audience can result in tons of engagement.
GrubHub recently conducted a Snapchat giveaway/competition, giving away a $50 gift card to the winners:
Nearly 33 percent of their followers on Snapchat participated in the competition. But not only did existing customers benefit, tons of new traffic flooded in.
They grew their already huge following by 20 percent from the giveaway.
Taco Bell has followed suit, creating small trivia games in which followers and new users can win gift cards:
The proof is in: Snapchat giveaways can result in big success when it comes to pleasing your current follower base and even growing it by reaching new interested users.
Consider creating a giveaway directly on Snapchat and promoting it on other social channels.
You can even partner up with other popular influencers in your niche to co-promote the giveaway.
Some of my favorite Snapchat giveaways have followed these themes and ideas:
Local-based scavenger hunts
Trivia questions
Photo or hashtag contests
Try putting those to the test on your Snapchat to see which generates the best ROI.
Another technique that I’ve used before with great success is using a third-party source to host your giveaway.
Using Gleam, you can ensure that all entries to your giveaway follow your Snapchat account.
Gleam works with hundreds of account integrations from social to blogging and your website.
Through intense verification methods, they confirm users follow your directions.
Getting Snapchat followers is incredibly easy using Gleam. You can promote the link on outside platforms to reach wider audiences.
Meaning you don’t need to host the giveaway or contest only on Snapchat. With this method, you increase your chance of reaching a broad audience rather than just your current Snapchat following.
Plus, making an account with Gleam is free.
Once you sign up, you can get a giveaway live in just minutes. When it goves live, you have a unique link that you can share with anyone:
Using a multi-entry system, Gleam collects all of the data and automatically chooses a winner for your giveaway.
It takes out all of the stress of managing typical giveaways that can get out of hand fast.
Be sure to offer prizes directly related to your target audience. You don’t want to bring in thousands of followers that don’t like what you post on a daily basis.
For example, if you run a blog about jewelry, give away a piece of your jewelry. Provide value that attracts the audience you need.
4. Create Engaging Blog-Style Stories
Getting followers and keeping them takes more than giveaways. It also requires great content to keep people entertained and following.
Snapchat organizes your feed based on who they think you are most interested in. So, users who watch your stories are more likely to see your content.
This provides an excellent opportunity to capitalize on more followers. All you have to do is focus on creating the best content you can.
One of my favorite examples of content that keeps users engaged and coming back for more was from the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics on Snapchat:
Their Snapchat news story used a listicle style post to drive tons of clicks with 14 Secrets Olympians Won’t Tell You.
When you scroll on each page, you get to see one of the 14 different secrets:
Clicking on the right-hand side of each page brings users to the next secret, keeping them on the edge of their seats waiting for more.
One of my favorite aspects of the story was how it was leveraged to drive website traffic using a simple call to action:
With Snapchat’s swiping capabilities, you can link full articles from each slide.
Meaning you can tease content and stories on your Snapchat, but ultimately use those social visits for sales or leads on your site.
If you are struggling to find ways to create engaging stories like this on Snapchat, try thinking of them as a blog post.
You can even repurpose your blog content into new Snapchat stories.
For example, this recent post I wrote on Excel hacks could easily be broken down into seven different slides for my Snapchat story:
Take a look at any recent blog posts or pieces of content you’ve created.
Analyze them to see how you can split them into different slides for a Snapchat story. If you want to cover new topics, let Google do the work for you.
Searching for almost any topic on Google will give you multiple sub-topics to cover. For example, take a look at this search I did regarding the Olympics:
Notice the “People also ask” box? It gives me four topics instantly that I can use for a Snapchat story.
Each slide can cover a different question, giving you tons of content ideas to work with.
You can bring up these topics with most Google searches. Cover topics that you know a lot about, or use them as an opportunity to research and share the news with your fans.
Create story-driven content that keeps people engaged and your Snapchat friends coming back for more.
5. Copy Content Ideas from the Discover page to Attract More Snapchat Friends
When all else fails, competitor research should be your go-to technique for content ideas.
You can see what works and what doesn’t without taking the risk yourself.
Instead of spending hours on content creation that doesn’t drive follows, search existing popular content.
The best place to gather more information on content ideas is from the Discover page on Snapchat:
While some of the content on the Discover page contains paid placements, it still gives you an idea of what content succeeds.
Look for stories on the Snapchat Discover page that are labeled “Popular Story.” These are unpaid, organic posts that are gaining traction.
Mimic their style, tone, and ideas with your own spin.
Snapchat Friends and Followers: Frequently Asked Questions
How can users follow me on Snapchat?
Users can follow your account by scanning your QR code, searching for your username, or searching by phone number.
How do I get more Snapchat friends?
Follow others, put your QR code in more places (like your business card), create engaging stories, and link to your profile often in content.
What other ways can I advertise on Snapchat?
You can sponsor filters, create sponsored story ads, and use links in your stories to advertise your products.
How many followers do I have on Snapchat?
You can now display your number of followers on your public profile, according to Search Engine Journal. Just select to display it in your settings.
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Snapchat Friends and Followers Conclusion
Snapchat’s platform has amazing engagement. People log in nearly thirty times each day.
This opens the door for capturing tons of new followers who love using the application.
But getting your first 1,000 Snapchat followers isn’t easy. Following someone on Snapchat is harder than platforms like Instagram or Twitter.
To combat this, share your QR code on social media platforms to spread it like wildfire. Send it to your email list and provide incentives for people to follow you, like a five or ten-percent discount or free content.
Start sharing viral content using BitMoji and augmented reality features. These additions to Snapchat are proven to increase engagement.
Run interactive Snapchat giveaways directly on the platform, or use third-party services to drive follows on your most popular platforms.
Then create engaging stories like the Olympics so you can keep people coming back for more. If all else fails, search for content ideas on the Discover page to boost your traffic.
Snapchat isn’t dead. It’s alive, and the user base is active. Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to 1,000 followers in just a month, growing your brand awareness and credibility in the process.
How do you plan to use Snapchat to gain more followers and build your brand?
D2C companies, by definition, take out the middleman and sell their products “direct to consumers.”
In many ways, this seems like an obvious choice. You sell your product straight to them and cut out any fees required with wholesale and other sales platforms. Plus, you don’t have to charge markup fees to cover those additional costs, so you can keep the prices low for your customers.
The hiccup comes with marketing. Stores you could be selling wholesale to have the advantages of customer loyalty, brand recognition, a diverse inventory, and convenient locations.
With D2C, you have to find those customers and convince them to buy directly from you, rather than grabbing that item the next time they are out shopping.
It can be a challenge, but when done right, it can be worth it.
Examples of D2C Brands
We live in a world of disrupters. As a result, many of the most popular D2C brands tend to have a rebellious or revolutionary angle to their product or service.
Dollar Shave Club is the epitome of D2C brands because their product is often a last-minute purchase. Razors for shaving aren’t often something you search the internet for.
Dollar Shave Club found a way to directly sell in a way that also helps their customers avoid the inevitable: Forgetting to add it to their shopping list or not realizing they need it until it’s too late.
Warby Parker isn’t the first D2C eyeglasses company, but they are one of the first to make it cool.
Eyeglasses are often sold wholesale in doctors’ offices after appointments. Offices have captive audiences, and eyeglass sellers can connect with and supply them with the latest styles.
The problem for consumers comes when the office doesn’t have a style they like or when all options are too pricey for them. They may feel pressured to settle for something so they have a pair in their new prescription.
Warby Parker took a D2C approach to bring some very stylish brands and let customers try them out. As a result, customers don’t have to feel that pressure to just choose something.
Through Warby Parker, customers can use an app to see how they look in lots of “rental” pairs of glasses. Between this and having time to show the styles off to their friends, they can take a few for a sort of test drive, then purchase the one(s) they love.
Warby Parker can offer competitive prices by selling directly and avoiding markups at the doctor’s office.
Most of us grab our coffee at the grocery store—sometimes only because we realize we’ve already run out. We don’t often think to buy directly from the coffee maker unless we are talking about a local coffee shop that brews their own.
Peet’s brought these concepts together with their coffee subscription service. As a result, the same products you would usually get at the store are now available in an exclusive-feeling monthly delivery.
Nearly all the brands that use a specialty D2C subscription option in addition to their retail locations allow consumers to feel closer to the headquarters of these coffee producers. That is, the brand is best known in a particular part of the country, and they market their subscriptions to those who lived there and have moved away.
7 Strategies for D2C Brands
D2C, by definition, means you need to be able to reach your target audience. However, before you can reach them, you need to know who they are. The more you can learn about them, the better your chances of not only finding them with your message but of them converting to your brand.
1. Make Good Use of Reviews and Testimonials
Word of mouth is powerful for any brand, but D2C relies heavily on loyal customers spreading the word. Leverage this power by collecting reviews and testimonials and sharing them in your ads, social media, landing pages, product pages, and other relevant locations.
Unearth stories from your customers that speak to your key differentiators and use feedback that tells the story of the impact you made in their lives. For example, what was different about what you sell? How did it finally provide the solution they’ve been looking for?
Those reviews and testimonials sound like talking with a friend and help potential customers feel heard.
2. Be There When They’re Looking For You
Using SEO (search engine optimization) and PPC (pay-per-click) ads can place your brand before your potential audience where they look for you. By researching them well, you can learn the keywords and phrases they use to find what you’re selling.
Start with on-page SEO, capitalizing on keywords your target market is looking for and ensuring your website uses those keywords effectively. Weave those keywords into headlines, product descriptions and tags, page titles, and more.
Then create ads that leverage those keywords. You can place them on Google to show up when people are searching. Make sure your ads paint a clear picture of the solution you are providing.
Stay at the forefront of your customers’ minds by using retargeting ads that will pop up when they are scrolling other sites later. After a while, your brand should begin to feel familiar, and you may enter your potential customers’ subconsciouses.
3. Get Creative With Ad Placement
You can take the approach to another level by showing up in other places where you know your target audience is. You might use keywords your competitors would be using or are slightly off-topic but still related, keywords your target audience is searching for. It’s a disruptor approach that can work very well for D2C brands when done creatively and intuitively.
Although not D2C, you can see this a lot with software and technology brands. Here’s an example.
You need to know your audience to make this work: What are they looking for? What sense of humor do they have? What makes them unique?
4. Offer Something Different
This is a crucial step for D2C brands. If you are going to sell a product directly to clients, you’ve got to give them a reason to buy.
Sometimes a lower price or a unique brand personality can help them choose you over Amazon, the mall, the drug store, or Target.
However, to get traction with a D2C brand and build enough momentum to make it long-term, you need to come to the market in a fundamentally different way.
For many D2C brands, this may mean a monthly subscription, like the coffee mentioned above. You can bring the convenience of not forgetting or running out of a needed product.
You could also offer a unique approach to your consumers. For example, how are items in your industry typically packaged, sold, and delivered? How can you make the experience better? How can you provide more?
5. Referrals and Word of Mouth
As you build up your D2C brand, your customers will be your best marketers. When they love what you’re doing, they can help others get excited. In addition, they can probably talk about your product or service better than you can, so let them talk!
Dial up your referral program by offering incentives to those who refer others to your brand and even better kickbacks to those who put the work in and bring in a lot of referrals.
Make it easy for your audience by providing unique URLs they can share with others. You can also drop postcards and little treats into your shipments to help your customers spread the word.
6. Set Up a Chatbot
Successful D2C companies build relationships with their customers from the start. Those relationships start with first interactions, and you can add a chatbot to those first interactions on your website.
A chatbot allows people to immediately start “talking” with someone to get their questions answered. Although those initial interactions will be automated, you can and should follow up with customers who interact with your chatbot to find out how you can help more.
Bring some humanity to your brand, and you can stand out from the corporate competition.
7. Turn Customers into Product Developers
What do your customers want from you? Just ask!
Among the most significant benefits of D2C is that you have access to your customers. You can communicate with them, so do it.
Ask questions and listen to your customers: the happy ones and the unhappy ones. They are going to be your best research and development department.
They can tell you about what’s working well and what needs improvement, as well as what other products or services they would like to see in the future.
Not only does this help you bring products to the market that people will like, but it also builds rapport with your customers. People want to feel heard, and you can stand out as a brand that listens.
Additional Resources for New D2C Brands
If you’re thinking of starting a D2C business or want to offer some products direct-to-consumers, you may want to learn more about the advantages and challenges of this approach and some strategies for success.
You may have noticed some overlap in the millennial market and the uptick in D2C brands. Fundera explains more about how to leverage that connection in this article.
If learning by podcast is more your style, here is an excellent roundup of podcasts, episodes, and themes that you might find interesting as you explore this opportunity.
As we’ve discussed, building a loyal customer base is not only a necessity of the D2C approach, but it’s also an advantage of setting up your brand this way. Learn more from the team at Shippo about how you can use various tools and resources to win customers.
Direct to Consumer (D2C) Frequently Asked Questions
What does D2C mean in retail?
D2C means “direct to consumer” and refers to maintaining inventory and selling products directly to your customers.
Is Amazon a D2C company?
Mostly no; D2C companies sell own products directly to customers. Amazon does have some branded products, but most items are owned by other companies using Amazon as a sales platform.
What brands are going to D2C?
Brands from every industry have begun to try this method of reaching and interacting with customers.
Can you make a lot of money with D2C companies?
Success with D2C depends on whether you can connect with your target audience and provide them directly with a product or service they can’t get elsewhere or in a better way. This trend is growing and many companies are seeing success with it.
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7 Strategies for D2C Companies Conclusion
D2C companies are growing in popularity as e-commerce marketing technology makes it easier to connect with your audience and build sales processes in-house.
If you’re looking to overcome standard wholesale or dropshipping models, or if you just want to dabble in new methods, you may want to try direct to consumer. It can give you a closer relationship to your customers and provide new opportunities.
Small businesses are often at the greatest risk of cyberattacks because of their lack of resources and inability to invest in cybersecurity. However, with limited ability to protect the network from malware, ransomware, trojans and viruses, these attacks could lead to financial ruin.
Learn about the risks you can face if you do not prioritize cybersecurity.
What are the Risks?
Therisks of not having adequate cybersecurity include the cybercriminal being able to access the following sensitive information:
Client lists
Customers’ credit card details
Company financial data
Internal pricing, product, and structure
Designs, manufacturing details, and company secrets
Usernames, passwords, and employee records
Company processes leading to revenue
These risks have a serious impact on the company and can cause the entire business to fold if attacks are successful.
The primaryeffect of a cyberattack involves financial damage. But these incidents can also cause irreparable harm to the company’s reputation. Some cybercriminals are looking to steal data rather than usernames or passwords. This may lead to identity theft or a ransomware attack that locks down all computers until the demand for monetary compensation is met. If you have to tell customers there was a breach, this can damage the company’s reputation. You may need identity monitoring for customers or employees to protect possible loss of credit details and personal identifiable information.
Why Small Businesses are Easy Targets
The susceptibility of a small business lies in the lack of properly secured computers, networks, and systems. However, there are many otherreasons why they are targeted, including:
Data is valuable to anyone looking for it. Small businesses have plenty of it.
Hackers can mine cryptocurrency with access to computer data or use it for DDoS attacks on other businesses.
As an initial entry point, the small business can provide the cybercriminal with access to other financial institutions or businesses connected through its network.
Insufficient security measures lead to leaks in security with single computers and entire networks whether for work-at-home employees or daily processes.
Inadequate cybersecurity and a lack of employee education = about it can lead to a breach and theft of information for future use by hackers.
Financial data may provide hackers with sensitive customer details and connections to banks through leaks in security or breaches into the company.
How to Boost Your Cybersecurity
Adequate cybersecurity requires an understanding of what is lacking in securing your network. Having a dedicated IT team to support the company is vital. But it is not cheap.Boosting the business in this way requires covering the basics in software and hardware to defend against threats. And the company needs a business-wide policy on cybersecurity and employee education about possible cyber threats. This education should include how to handle mobile devices while on company grounds and away from them.
Keep security infrastructure up to date by automatically installing updates to your software. Continue improving and learn how to ensure software can spot possible problems. contingency plan in place. Business identity monitoring services can scan the dark web. They can look for stolen usernames, passwords, and personal identifiable information. Every business should have a response plan in place in case of a cyber attack.
If your employees and stakeholders are not aware of the potential risks, they are more likely to fall prey to cyberattacks. Here are some commonmyths that prevent businesses from taking cybersecurity concerns seriously:
The business is too small. But cybercriminals are willing to attack if there is any possibility of financial gain.70% of small businesses report being victims of cyberattacks.
If no products are sold, there is no worry. Every company has information, financial transactions, and user data. Yet with malware, ransomware and data breaches, a hacker can make money.
The company has nothing of worth. But cybercriminals can hold business data hostage through ransomware and demand money to return access. Also, about 70% of attacks of ransomware involved small businesses in 2018.
Our company information cannot be breached. Password protection ensures a solid defense. But all it takes is one employee to click on the wrong link in email or text to lead to a data breach.
Employees are aware of phishing emails. But not all phishing uses email. So some attacks appear completely genuine. Instead, they may appear as vendors or customers.
Cybersecurity requires a one-time setup. Rather, proper cybersecurity is a never-ending, ongoing process.
Cybersecurity is a vital part of any business. But with proper protocols in place, a plan, and a team dedicated to protecting the company, you can safeguard company information from many breaches. Also, always stay updated and remain informed of the newest changes in data security.
BIO
David Lukić is an information privacy, security and compliance consultant at IDstrong.com. The passion to make cyber security accessible and interesting has led David to share all the knowledge he has.
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