The use of credit cards in small businesses is gaining popularity. An industry study conducted by a research group reports that more than two-thirds of small businesses are making use of credit cards to cover expenses. However, only two-fifths of these credit card using businesses employ business credit cards.
Since these small business owners are already using credit cards to provide financing for their businesses, they should consider converting to business credit cards instead. With prudent usage and wise management, the small business credit card could be an effective business tool to help small business owners “grow” their businesses.
Among other things, a business credit card allows you to separate business transactions from personal charges, thus avoiding potential problems in managing your funds and preparing your tax reports. A business credit card also conveys the message to third parties who take an interest in your financial transactions, such as the IRS and creditors, that you are managing your business and its financial accounts in a professional manner.
A significant benefit of having a business credit card is the year-end statement summary that business credit card issuers provide to their cardholders. This detailed listing helps you to itemize and classify your business expenses.
The small business credit card is a good way of building your business credit. By being judicious in the management of your business credit card accounts, you will strengthen your credit standing. This will be an important factor when you need additional financing for growth or expansion purposes.
The responsible management and sensible use of your business credit card cannot be overemphasized. Some ways of achieving this include:
• Make use of your local bank. There is much to be said in favor of engaging with your existing bank when you need to apply for a small business credit card - especially if the difference is not overly significant between your banker and the other card issuers’ offerings. Your existing relationship will make the card approval process easier. It will also help with your other financing transactions.
• Avoid missed or late payments. You should be judicious about making your monthly payments on your business credit card in a timely manner. Failure to make payment by due date, leaves you vulnerable to higher interest, costly fees and a blemish on your credit record.
• Capitalize on grace periods. Business credit cards give you a 21-day grace period before you need to pay your purchases. You can maximize this to improve your cash flow.
• Pay your bill online. Most of the business credit card companies accept payments online. Their websites are secure, which means that that your online transactions will not be compromised. This will save time and avoid the extra costs normally incurred when making use of other modes of payment. It also ensures that your payments will not be subject to delays.
•Limit having multiple cards. There is some advantage to having a couple of business credit cards. If you sign up for too many cards though, your credit scores will suffer. It may also make management of your accounts more difficult.
Given the salient benefits of using a business credit card as opposed to using a personal credit card, converting to a business card will be an astute move. Your business credit card is a worthwhile business enabler for as long as this credit line is dealt with responsibly and in a circumspect manner.
small business grants | grants for businesses
Friday, September 3, 2010
Small Business Owners - Listen Up
Have you ever considered why SPAM has caused such a public backlash compared to the deafening silence from its unsolicited paper cousins of direct and junk mail? People seem to care a lot more about what enters their Inbox than their letterbox. And for the word “care” think about logical substitutes of “notice”, “read” and “respond”.
All this translates into campaign results that can surpass other forms of direct communication making it an ideal cost effective option for any small business owner.
And what’s more I believe that as a small business owner the odds are stacked in their favour to become budding email marketing superstars.
Let me explain why.
Firstly, it’s about personality. E-mail messages written in a personal style seem to work the best. Writing this way doesn’t seem to faze most small business owners. Usually their business shows more of their personality when dealing with customers than larger competitors so writing this way seems to be a natural option.
Secondly, a small business owner can understand what content that has a good chance of being read. With them working closely with customers they tend to understand what their customers want to know about and can easily translate this into articles and reports that will be read.
Thirdly, the time and cost efficient nature of email marketing ideally suits the busy small business owner. It can take the same amount of effort to create an email newsletter for 500 subscribers as it does 50,000. Plus the costs of an email production are a fraction of the alternative paper option.
For a small business owner a regular e-mail message can have as much personality and content to end up being the next best thing as a phone call from themselves, just more efficient and at a lot less costly to produce.
So there you have it, three reasons why small business owners can make it big in the Inbox. Have fun harnessing this great tool for your company.
small business grants | grants for businesses
All this translates into campaign results that can surpass other forms of direct communication making it an ideal cost effective option for any small business owner.
And what’s more I believe that as a small business owner the odds are stacked in their favour to become budding email marketing superstars.
Let me explain why.
Firstly, it’s about personality. E-mail messages written in a personal style seem to work the best. Writing this way doesn’t seem to faze most small business owners. Usually their business shows more of their personality when dealing with customers than larger competitors so writing this way seems to be a natural option.
Secondly, a small business owner can understand what content that has a good chance of being read. With them working closely with customers they tend to understand what their customers want to know about and can easily translate this into articles and reports that will be read.
Thirdly, the time and cost efficient nature of email marketing ideally suits the busy small business owner. It can take the same amount of effort to create an email newsletter for 500 subscribers as it does 50,000. Plus the costs of an email production are a fraction of the alternative paper option.
For a small business owner a regular e-mail message can have as much personality and content to end up being the next best thing as a phone call from themselves, just more efficient and at a lot less costly to produce.
So there you have it, three reasons why small business owners can make it big in the Inbox. Have fun harnessing this great tool for your company.
small business grants | grants for businesses
The Value of Web Presence for Small Businesses
Undoubtedly, the internet can make the difference between a successful small business and one ignored by customers. Due to the global nature of the Internet surpassing physical frontiers between nations, and even making it unnecessary to use printed business cards when they can easily be hosted online.
Web presence can make small businesses more competitive from any angle, allowing you to understand new trends, as well as discover opportunities and problems without wasting time. A small business with Internet presence improves your opportunity to connect with a number of suppliers and customers that otherwise might not be possible in your local area.
Furthermore, traditional printed business cards including an Internet address, not only opens a new range of possibilities to succeed, but also is a way to increase your communications, showing an appealing professional appearance, no matter how big or small your business or company is actually. Magnetic business cards often create a long-lasting marketing image.
In fact, you will be surprised to see prospective clients seeking what they want through search engines. Others might check for URLs in business cards instead of browsing the printed yellow pages, because a web presence translates is synonym to having a shop or booth in every corner of the world, where every individual or small business can have the same presence as the big enterprises.
Of course, budget, skills, knowledge and other Internet resources determine the performance of every small business online. However, it will always be beneficial to develop your business web presence if you want to get customers from every location around the world or, as a practical alternative, you can create online business cards for you, your partners and employees.
On the Internet, you will find a number of websites offering both services, development of your web presence and creating your online business cards, ranging from low-mid prices to those unaffordable for people who are just starting a new business venture. However, you do not need a big budget to start.
There are a number of free Web hosting services that will gladly give you web space to develop your presence. If you have no idea how to create a website, they usually have facilities called online tools or web site builders, allowing you to create a nice looking page with just a small amount of information regarding your small business, products and services.
If you do not feel comfortable with those tools, there are other options for you. If you want to create only a business card that looks like real printed business cards, you can always get free or cheap web templates, coming in a variety of designs and only requiring your information to be uploaded, which will create your web presence instantly.
small business grants | grants for businesses
Web presence can make small businesses more competitive from any angle, allowing you to understand new trends, as well as discover opportunities and problems without wasting time. A small business with Internet presence improves your opportunity to connect with a number of suppliers and customers that otherwise might not be possible in your local area.
Furthermore, traditional printed business cards including an Internet address, not only opens a new range of possibilities to succeed, but also is a way to increase your communications, showing an appealing professional appearance, no matter how big or small your business or company is actually. Magnetic business cards often create a long-lasting marketing image.
In fact, you will be surprised to see prospective clients seeking what they want through search engines. Others might check for URLs in business cards instead of browsing the printed yellow pages, because a web presence translates is synonym to having a shop or booth in every corner of the world, where every individual or small business can have the same presence as the big enterprises.
Of course, budget, skills, knowledge and other Internet resources determine the performance of every small business online. However, it will always be beneficial to develop your business web presence if you want to get customers from every location around the world or, as a practical alternative, you can create online business cards for you, your partners and employees.
On the Internet, you will find a number of websites offering both services, development of your web presence and creating your online business cards, ranging from low-mid prices to those unaffordable for people who are just starting a new business venture. However, you do not need a big budget to start.
There are a number of free Web hosting services that will gladly give you web space to develop your presence. If you have no idea how to create a website, they usually have facilities called online tools or web site builders, allowing you to create a nice looking page with just a small amount of information regarding your small business, products and services.
If you do not feel comfortable with those tools, there are other options for you. If you want to create only a business card that looks like real printed business cards, you can always get free or cheap web templates, coming in a variety of designs and only requiring your information to be uploaded, which will create your web presence instantly.
small business grants | grants for businesses
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