How Your Business Can Accept Credit Card Payments

If your business isn’t accepting credit card payments then you are missing out!   How many people do you think will actually send you a check in the mail in order to pay for your services?

So few, that its laughable if you are running your business this way!

To be competitive you need to be able to accept all forms of payment online.  Some small businesses choose to use 3rd party payers like Google pay or Paypal as their merchant provider.  And while those services are wildly popular, there can be problems with them such as:

  • Holding your payments for long periods of time – with no notice to you.  I had a friend that Paypal held his payments for almost a month!  It was a misunderstanding and they found in his favor and released his funds.  But he had to scramble for a while to find an alternative service. And of course he had sold product and needed to fulfill it.  Telling clients Paypal wouldn’t release his money was really cutting it with people.
  • Dispute process usually goes against the merchant.  If you are selling a digital product this can be especially frustrating.  You have delivered the product.  The client has it.  They decide they want their money back for whatever reason.  They don’t seem to require a very good one.  And now your product is out there, probably being used by them, but you aren’t getting paid for it!

That’s where having a good merchant service provider become essential.  A good service provider gets to know you and your potential clients.  They will be there to act as an intermediary if the client request a refund. Thus, if you don’t accept credit card payments, you could be losing a large percentage of potential customers. The question is, how do you accept credit card payments?

Opening a Merchant Account

The first step to be able to accept credit cards as payment is to apply for a merchant account.

Banks and merchant account companies offer credit card payment systems for both small and large businesses. However, before you sign up for their service, do your research well and check the exact terms and conditions of your chosen merchant account provider.

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Is It Time To Open A Virtual Office

Renting an office space can be expensive.  But its also a big landmark for your business.  You have now outgrown your home.  No more working at the kitchen table or in your make shift office, that used to be your guest room!  But there are some things you need to watch out for before you sign on the dotted line!  Here are a few tips to help you negotiate your first office space rental. Continue reading “Is It Time To Open A Virtual Office”

Best Small Business Phone Service that Fits the Budget

Many small business owners today are incorporating VoIP phone systems to enhance their customer service.  If you are planning to subscribe to a small business telephone service, what key features should you look for?

small business phone serviceHosted VoIP or VoIP PBX – Which to Choose?

A hosted VoIP service means a separate company provides the telephone service and other features related to it so there’s no need to hire an IT specialist to help you manage the system.

This type of telephone service is entirely dependent upon your internet connection.

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Advantages of Using A Hosted VoIP Phone Service for A Small Business

For small businesses, subscribing to a hosted VoIP telephone service can truly help stretch a limited budget.  Have you discovered the benefits that a hosted PBX VoIP system can bring to your company?  Consider the following advantages:

Business Phone systemHandle multiple calls simultaneously. The VoIP phone system makes it possible to attend to multiple calls simultaneously.  Calls are routed to the right extensions or forwarded to the appropriate number eliminating long call waiting time.

Enjoy lower call rates. Because the VoIP phone service makes use of the Internet, it is far cheaper to make calls than using a standard telephone line.

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How To Break Office Lease Without Being Penalized?

In some instances, a business owner must make the decision to give up its current lease location.  Perhaps the business isn’t going as expected and moving to a different location is a better choice.  This article discusses possible options for small business owners who want to discontinue their current office space lease contracts.

business lease agreementSpeak with your landlord.  This is a very important step for anyone who plans to break an office lease contract.

Discussing your concerns with your lessor will help you to decide your next action.

What is the reason why you plan to terminate the contract?  Is it because your business isn’t going as expected and you can’t keep up with your monthly payments?

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Common Operating Costs Of Office Space Leases

To determine the operating costs involved in a commercial real estate lease, it’s important to know exactly what services would be provided by your landlord.  Generally, services that are provided for a leased office space are electricity, cleaning services, security, air conditioning, heating, maintenance and repairs.

office space leasingWhether or not you would be paying for these operating costs separately from your monthly rental depends on the agreement between you and your landlord.

It is very important to understand exactly the terms of payment associated with your lease right before signing any contract.

How To Break Office Lease Without Being Penalized?

Your landlord can either charge you separately for the operating costs or include operating costs in your monthly lease payment.

In some cases, your landlord can ask for an increase in your rental when operating costs increase.  This is called a net lease where the landlord bases the increase in rent on actual expenses incurred.  In other cases, the landlord may choose to increase your rent on an annual basis.  This is done for Gross Leases and Step Leases.

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Prepaid Debit Cards – Why They Can Be Advantageous for Merchants

Prepaid debit cards  have been introduced in the market for quite some time.  To keep up with the competition, different issuers have enhanced it’s features to make them more flexible and user-friendly.  Today, prepaid cards are not just ideal for people with bad credit history.  Even those who do have good credit standing can choose to own a debit card for personal reasons.

prepaid credit cardIn fact, small business owners are beginning to recognize the benefits of using such.

If you are a small business owner, then you should be interested to learn how it can be beneficial for your business.

In this article, let us discuss why debit cards are advantageous for merchants and how you can make the most out of them.

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Your Business and Your Manpower

When you started your small business, you may have done all the tasks on your own.  However, as your business grows, you may be thinking that it’s about time to hire helping hands so you can be more efficient in managing your company.  In this article, let us discuss some essential points about hiring employees for a small business.

small business managementHiring Employees

If you have decided to designate some of your tasks to employees, then you need to look for the right people.  It is crucial to find workers who are not only efficient in performing the job but can trusted as well.

This is why it is very important to spend time evaluating the applicant’s resume and conducting actual interviews with potential candidates.

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Full-time Employees or Independent Contractors –Which to Choose?

If you have been managing your home business for a year or longer, perhaps you are considering about hiring employees. Home based business entrepreneurs have two choices- to hire permanent employees or to hire independent contractors. Before making a decision, always weigh the pros and cons of each choice.

business outsourcingConsider Your Options

In order to decide whether to hire full-time workers or freelancers, you need to distinguish the task at hand. What kind of tasks do you need to designate to a worker?

If you need a personal assistant in your home office to do your filings, prepare your documents, answer calls or look after you shop, then what you need is an in-house employee.

However, if you need assistance in marketing your online shop, maintaining your website, or other tasks than can be done online, then you can consider hiring a freelancer.

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5 Steps To Making an Automated Home Business System

If you’re an online homebased business owner, then you need to start thinking about creating or acquiring a plan to automate your marketing. Since most online businesses make use of an automated system in promoting their products and services, you’ll find it harder to keep up with the competition if you don’t start thinking about your own marketing plan.

Here are five steps on how you can start automating your home based business:

1) Set up your “capture page”.

What is a capture page? It is a page that contains a teaser of information. The viewer would be required to enter his e-mail address in order to be able to read the rest of the information. By presenting a compelling reason, you can capture the reader’s interest and make him want to know more.

Capture pages are great to start building your e-mail list. Not only will you be able to collect e-mails, you’ll also be able to get in touch with people who are really interested in your business.

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