Marketing with Quick Response Codes

 

 

 

Small businesses all over struggle with the overwhelming options they have for marketing their business.  Some options are too expensive; others are too broad and won’t reach your intended market.  Of course other marketing plans can be too narrow and not reach enough demographics to pay off.  Once you advertise, prompting the customer to visit is a little daunting.  It can take up to ten exposures before you name will stick with someone and turn them into a customer, but Quick Response Codes are breaking the trend for some small business owners who know when and how to use them.

For instance, if you are advertising at your local baseball field, and the big billboard on the wall is not bringing in business, try printing informational cards for the team, and pass them out during the game.  Include a QR code on the card about your business and watch your web traffic soar.

 

Quick Response codes have been around for about 15 years.  They were developed in Japan, but the US was slow to adopt them until recently.  QR codes appear to be random funny shapes within a square pattern.  They can be scanned by any smart phone, with a special app made just for scanning QR codes.  The code will then take the phone directly to the website you programmed into the code.  So in an instant you can have potential customers watching a promotional video, or testimonials for your website.

QR codes are effective because they are semi-exclusive.  Only smart phone users can access them, and only those who know how can access them.  The codes are also a great way to offer exclusive sales, which makes tracking the response of the QR codes incredibly easy.

Creating a QR code is simple; there are multiple websites available to generate a QR code specific to your small business.  From there, you can download and send it to the printer with your next marketing media order.  Be sure to check the code from the printer to be sure it retained the the program information.

New marketing strategies can get expensive, and as always, Strategic Nationwide Funding is there to help small businesses.  A merchant cash advance is a short term advance to help you get the funds you need to advance your business to the next level.  Visit our website for more information on how a merchant cash advance can help your business or call and speak to one of our knowledgeable representatives at 1-866-972-8885

Employee Loyalty Falling for Small Business

Employee loyalty may not be what you think it is.  Reportedly 54 percent of employers believe their employees are loyal to their small business, while only 44 percent of employees feel loyal to the small business they work for.  What has employees so unhappy these days?  In a nutshell; benefits.  Over 50 percent of small business employees are not happy with their current employment because of the benefits or lack of, they receive.  Workers who are satisfied with their benefits tend to be loyal to their company, by as much as 72 percent.  Workers are interested in financial education programs, wellness programs and health care benefits. Another reason for fewer loyal employees is lack of job security.  Employees feel they are working more and have less job security than they did just one year ago.

As a small business owner, employee retention is important due to the high costs of hiring and training new employees.  It may be time for you to take a look at how attractive your employment package is.  If you are losing more employees than you wish, and want to increase employee satisfaction, Strategic Nationwide funding can help.  We offer alternative business funding, to assist in funding your business benefits package.  Merchant cash advances can be used for any business related purpose, including employee benefits or incentive bonuses.  To learn more about a merchant cash advance, call Strategic Nationwide funding at 1-866-972-8885 or visit http://snffunding.com

Research Your Funding

In today’s fast paced society, business owner’s work 24/7 to keep up with demands of their customers and financing their business can be a daunting task unless you know all of your options.  There are many options to choose from when looking to fund your business.  Options range from bank loans, to equity funding, strategic investors, and more.  These conventional types of funding have their place in the business world, but there are usually many hoops to jump though and long application and waiting times for each.  Not to mention the documentation, high interest rates, and the possibility of losing control of your business as your investors gain input.

 

One of the financing options out there is a<a href="http://snffunding.com/about.php"> Merchant Cash Advance</a>.  A  Merchant Cash Advance is the fastest growing form of funding for small and medium sized businesses.  Merchant Cash Advances come with a multitude of benefits above that of conventional financing.  The biggest draw for most business owners is the ability to use the funds in any way you see fit to grow your business.  You can finance seasonal inventory, hire a new employee, catch up on bills or use it to pay for emergency repairs.  There are other reasons to consider a Merchant Cash Advance, including prompt funding, less stringent approval process and minimal documentation.  The key is to do your research and find out what funding option best suits your business.

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Apply Now: <a href="http://www.snffunding.com/signup.php"> http://www.snffunding.com/</a>

Banks Receive first Money from Small Business Lending Fund

The first money from the government program “The Small Business Lending Fund” were released today.  The program was created at the suggestion of President Obama during his 2010 State of the Union address.    It took a while longer than anticipated to release the funds, which were expected early in the first quarter of 2011, but better late than never.

 

The program was created to encourage banks to lend to small businesses, especially smaller banks with less than $10 billion in assets.  The money received from the fund is like a loan, and banks begin paying interest of 5 percent, but should they increase their lending to small businesses to meet the guidelines of the Small Business Lending Fund, the interest rate could drop as low as 1 percent.

 

If your bank is not a part of the small Business Lending Fund, and you are still struggling to find working capital and funding for your small business, Strategic Nationwide Funding can help.  We offer Merchant Cash Advances to small and medium sized businesses.  A merchant cash advance is easy and faster to obtain than traditional bank loans, and can be repaid in as little as 4 months.  If you would like to learn more about a merchant cash advance, call Strategic Nationwide Funding at 1-866-972-8885 or visit our website at http://snffunding.com

 

Trends in Customer Loyalty

Creating customer loyalty is a greater challenge than it used to be.  In the past, people would shop at their local market or frequent shops where they knew the owner personally.  Current trends are vastly different though, as people travel clear across town to shop competing stores.  I suppose the economy is the main culprit for this trend.  Businesses have been forced to scale back services in order to reduce costs.  Remember when most gas stations had full-service pumps?  They are rare here in California now, but it’s a perfect example of how businesses cut back to reduce costs, and consumers don’t seem to mind, as the economy has put a crunch on most wallets and the savings benefit both parties.  Secondary to the economy is the rising competition from the internet.  The internet lets consumers shop around for the biggest bargain, and if they can find reasonable shipping rates, they don’t even have to step out of their pajamas, let alone their house!

Considering the trends, how do customers attract and keep loyal customers?   Most large and medium sized businesses have created rewards cards, but small businesses have a similar tool in their arsenal; the punch card.  The reward card and the punch card reward customers for repeated visits.  Another option is to offer coupons for a return visit, but great customer service is still an attractant to loyal customers.  They just don’t rely on it like they used to, but should an issue arise, great customer service, in a prompt and courteous fashion is key.  Disloyalty is almost guaranteed should a customer have a bad experience which was handled poorly.

 

Strategic Nationwide Funding is proud of our loyalty record; as many as 80% of our customers return for a second merchant cash advance after completing the terms of the first.  We believe it’s due to our great customer service, and our up front approach with our customers.  We want our customer to understand the details of our merchant cash advance, others are not straight forward with the terms, and quickly lose repeat business.  Find out about a merchant cash advance on our website at http://snffunding.com/faq.php or call one of our representatives today at 1-866-972-8885

 

Spray Tanning's Golden Moment

Tanning is big business, and is still growing in multiple regions, such as the United Kingdom greatly due to Kate Middleton sporting a fake tan at the royal wedding.  She has inspired rocketing sales of self-tanning accessories all over the U.K, but the fad is not new to the U.S.  Especially in beach locations, such as Long Beach California, where perfectly tanned bodies are inspired by a multitude of celebrities who pay upward of $100 for a personalized spray on tan.  The steadily increasing demand for sunless tanning products is not just for the wealthy.  Shops are opening all over the US, as clients are looking for a UV free way of getting a beautiful bronze glow, and a typical sunless tan costs  $35-$55.00, making it affordable for most, and a huge potential profit for merchants offering sunless tanning products.

 

The golden moment of spray tanning is not without tarnish though.  Recent publications have claimed a multitude of negative effects from the products.  Some articles claim spray on tans contains small amounts of arsenic, and prevent you from absorbing vitamin D.  Although these claims are supposedly made by the competitor and inventor of the sunless tanning bed.  Such claims have caused spray on tanners to search for more organic and natural recipes to alleviate customer concern.  The benefits to merchants is the availability of a multitude of products to offer their customers desires.

 

Despite the claims, spray tanning is here to stay, and its steady growth is not expected to slow anytime soon.  Merchants offering sunless tans should take advantage of this boom, and consider expansion to boost profits.  If you are interested in growing your business, whether it be increasing your product line, offering organic tanners to your clients, or expanding to a new location, Strategic Nationwide funding can help.  We offer merchant cash advances as an easy alternative to tedious bank loans.  How easy is it to get a merchant cash advance?  Approximately 90% of our applicants are approved for up to $250,000.    If you are interested in learning more about a merchant cash advance, visit or website at http://snffunding.com or call and talk to our helpful representative at 1-866-972-8885



 

Small Business Loans Drop by $15 Billion in First Quarter of 2011

Despite urging from the US government, US banks are still cutting back on their funding of small businesses.  The Small Business Lending Fund (SBLF) was a federal program set up to encourage banks to increase lending to small business, but banks utilized less than half the funds available.  The was set up in September and provided capital to banks at a incredibly low interest rates, some as low as 1 percent.

 

This means trouble for small businesses who are hoping for funding through a traditional loan in the near future.  Lending is still tight with most banks, but smaller banks are more likely to loan than larger banks.  However if you are a business owner in need of additional working capital, there are still options available.  Many businesses unable to get a traditional loan, are seeking alternative funding options.

 

Strategic Nationwide Funding offers a form of alternative financing, called a Merchant Cash Advance.  It is based on your future credit card sales (not your credit), so a Merchant Cash Advance is easy to obtain.  Minimum requirements of at least $4,000 in monthly credit card sales and having been in business for at least a year.    If you are looking to increase your working capital, call Strategic Nationwide Funding today and learn how a Merchant Cash Advance can work for you.  1-866-972-8885 or visit our website at www.snffunding.com

 



 

More About A Cash Advance With Strategic Nationwide Funding

How much of a cash advance can I expect?

The average size of our cash advances is about $25,000. The range is between $2,500 and $250,000, depending on the anticipated future sales of the business.

Will I qualify?

Most business owners do. If you process a monthly minimum of $4,000 per month and have been in business for at least a year, you should qualify for a merchant cash advance.

Many of our customers use the cash advance for any one or more of the following reasons:

• To purchase new equipment or inventory�


• To open new locations s


• To renovate the business


• To manage unexpected expenses

Options to Upgrading Your POS System

Point of Sale (POS) systems have changed dramatically in the past few years.  What once began as a simple card reader has now evolved into a book keeping powerhouse for most business owners.  If you haven’t updated your POS system in a while, maybe it’s time to investigate the possibilities.  Below I have laid out the three basic POS systems, and their basic function.  Getting a system built to your specific company’s needs is easy once you know what your needs are and what is available to you.

 

Standalone ECR’s – These are simple electronic register systems which collect data from one register.  They are basic and easy to use, and the least expensive POS system available.  These compact systems do come with many great features, such as automatic tax calculation, automatic change calculator, sales report generation, and a several other features you may be interested in.  The downside to these machines is they are not suitable for businesses operating in multiple locations, or with more than one register running at one time.

 

Network Systems – Network POS systems work much like a network of computers.  One terminal is primary, and the subsequent terminals are secondary.  This allows you to collect data from multiple locations and/or registers, and combine the information seamlessly into a plethora of information regarding your business.

 

Controller-Based POS Systems -  Typically for mid-to-large sized businesses, and like the Network systems, they are all connected as secondary to the controller.  The Controller terminal receives all data, and is capable of checking the data from each terminal for transmission errors, and can reforma the data for use by the headquarters’ computer.

 

Each of the systems above can be customized to your specific business.  A few things to consider when customizing your POS system are:

Software – Do you want to keep a Software based POS system, or would you like to upgrade to a web-based product?

Hardware -  Will you need to replace your current computer?  What other types of hardware would you require for your business?  Barcode scanner, credit card reader, receipt printer, label printer, etc.

Inventory – Would you like your system to have inventory control capabilities?  The system can help employess locate merchandise quickly, or the system can alert you when you are running low on certain products.

Customer tracking – What kind of information would you like to keep on your customers?  You can track their line of credit, you can store addresses in order to print labels and possibly assist with demographics for marketing.

 

Security -  How secure do you need the system to be?  Do you require multiple levels of security and password protection?

Employee’s  - Most POS systems can offer time-clock management for your employees, sales for each employee and commissions for each employee as well.

 

When you are ready to shop for a new POS system, consider making your purchase through Strategic Nationwide Funding.  We can fund the purchase of your new system, while getting you the best rates on the market.  In most cases, our customers receive better rates than their current POS supplier offers.  While you are upgrading, consider a Merchant Cash Advance to make a few improvement you have been putting off.  If you would like to learn more about a Merchant Cash Advance and the POS systems we have available, call:  1-866-972-8885 or visit http://snffunding.com today!

Boost Your Working Capital

Every small business runs into a financial bind at one point or another.  Whether it is late paying customers, unexpected bills, or just the desire to expand your business.  All of these situations, and thousands more can create a cash flow crisis.

Bank loans are tedious to apply for, come with hidden application fees and take ages for approval,that is if you can get approval.  Banks are not willing to loan money to most small businesses during recessions.  Other options may be to borrow from friends or family, but asking people you know for money is often times embarrassing, not matter how short term it is.

There is one solution you may not have considered.  If you are a Merchant which utilizes POS (point of sale) machines on a regular basis, you may qualify for a Merchant Cash Advance through Strategic Nationwide Funding.  A Merchant Cash Advance is quick and easy, most approvals are given within 24 hours and 90% of Strategic Nationwide Funding's applicants are approved!  You can have the funds in hand in 3-7 days!  If you would like to learn more about a Merchant Cash Advance through Strategic Nationwide Funding, call Call Now: 1-866-972-8885 or visit our website here.

What if I have questions?

No problem. Simply call 1-888-293-3610 to speak to a Strategic Nationwide Funding customer service representative 24 hours a day/7 days a week.

Click here to apply now!

 

Can I monitor the status of my account?

Absolutely. In addition to receiving a monthly statement, you will be able to log into our password protected website to view your account status.

Click here to apply now!

 

Will I receive the same low credit card rates?

The credit card processor we use will either match or beat your current rates.  Click here to apply now!

 

Will I need to change credit card processors?

You may need to change to our preferred credit card processor.  Click here to apply now!

 

What can I use the money for?

You are free to use the money in any way you feel is best for your business. Many of our customers use it for expansion, advertising, new equipment or increased (or seasonal) inventory. It is also frequently used for unforeseen emergencies or to buy out a partner or acquire a new location.

Click here to apply now!

How much can I hope to receive?

The average size of our cash advance is about $25,000, although cash advances range from $2,500 to $250,000.

Click here to apply now!

 

How long will it take to get the cash?

Once the agreement is signed, the money will be received as early as the next business day.  Click here to apply now!

 

How long will it take to find out if I qualify?

Pre-approval usually takes place within 24 hours. Funding takes two to three business days depending on the amount of the transaction.

Click here to apply now!

 

How difficult will it be for me to qualify?

Most businesses will qualify. Generally, all you need to show is that you’ve been in business for over a year and process a minimum of $4,000 a month in credit card receipts.

Click here to apply now!

 

How does the Strategic Nationwide Funding program work?

Once you submit an application, a funding consultant will determine how much money you qualify for based on your average monthly MasterCard and VISA credit card sales volume. At this time, you’ll be asked for three months of credit card and bank statements, a copy of your lease and a tax return or financial statement depending on the size of the advance. These documents will be given to our underwriting department for approval. You will then receive a contract spelling out the specifics of the agreement. If you agree, the funds will be deposited in your bank account as early as the next business day. In return, we will collect a small, agreed upon percentage of your daily credit card sales until the terms of the agreement are satisfied.

Click here to apply now!