Square Levels the Playing Field for Small Businesses With New Pricing Structure |  |
- Square Levels the Playing Field for Small Businesses With New Pricing Structure
- Is Your Small Business Marketing to Hispanic Consumers?
- Do You Participate In the Insurance Buying Process?
- 7 Steps To Get Media Attention The Right Way
- Apple Stock Soars While Facebook Tanks
| Square Levels the Playing Field for Small Businesses With New Pricing Structure Posted: 22 Aug 2012 01:00 PM PDT Small merchants often don't enjoy the same savings and options as larger businesses when it comes to credit card processing and other fees. But those small businesses received some potentially good news this week when mobile credit card processing company Square announced that users will now have the option to pay a flat monthly fee instead of paying a small fee for every transaction.
Specifically, businesses can choose between paying $275 per month to use the service, or 2.75% per swipe. The monthly fee may not be the best option for small businesses that don't process very many payments, but it would lead to savings for businesses that process over $10,000 in credit card payments per month. Square will only allow businesses that process up to $250,000 per year to pay the flat monthly fee. The Square team stated in a blog post that the fixed pricing option for merchants aims to "level the playing field" for small businesses and help relieve uncertainty about fees by ensuring that the amount processed from a customer is the same amount that is deposited in the business's account. Square works with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, and the credit card reader is free for all users. Square Register also gives small businesses the ability to track inventory, share information, and accept payments. Of course, this pricing structure isn't the first big move for Square in the past few weeks. The new pricing model, along with Square's recent deal with Starbucks, is all part of a larger trend where more and more businesses and consumers are moving away from cash payments. There are many mobile payment competitors that have surfaced recently, but this new option from Square is something that hasn't been offered by other businesses, and it may entice even more merchants to jump on the mobile payments bandwagon. From Small Business Trends |
| Is Your Small Business Marketing to Hispanic Consumers? Posted: 22 Aug 2012 11:00 AM PDT Did you know that:
The stats above are from a recent Nielsen report on Hispanic households in America. And I sure hope they whet your appetite to cater to this important and growing consumer group. There are more than 52 million U.S. Hispanics, Nielsen says, and they are the fastest- growing ethnic group in the country. By 2050, the Hispanic population in the U.S. will grow by 167 percent, compared to just 42 percent for the overall population. One thing that makes Latinos a particularly profitable market for small businesses is their youth. While the U.S. as a whole is graying, the median age of Hispanics in the U.S. is just 28 (almost 10 years younger than the overall median age of 37). More than half the U.S. Latino population is under 35 years old. That means Hispanics are in the market for:
MediaPost reports that research firm IBISWorld has identified seven industries that will benefit most from the growing Hispanic population:
If you're in one of these areas and want to reach Hispanic consumers, you'd best get active on social media. MediaPost says Hispanics are avid social media users and that trend is likely to grow. As of February 2012, Hispanic Internet users' visits to social networking sites rose 14 percent year-over-year. Hispanics are the fastest-growing U.S. ethnic group on Facebook and WordPress, and Hispanics over age 18 are 25 percent more likely to fan or follow brands on social media than the general population. Are you targeting Hispanic customers in your marketing tactics and how is it working for your business? Hispanic Family Photo via Shutterstock From Small Business Trends |
| Do You Participate In the Insurance Buying Process? Posted: 22 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT This probably sounds like a silly question, right? Of course you participate in buying your insurance. You're the one that did the Google search for insurance quotes. You're the one that clicked all the little buttons to get a quote. You're the one that hit the "buy now" button to purchase the policy. And you're the one that printed out the auto ID cards and stuffed them in the glove compartment of your car.
If that's not participating in the insurance buying process then what is? A Little TruthNot to be rude, but with minimal training, a primate could have purchased that auto insurance policy and a well trained squirrel could have put the auto ID cards in your glove box. You may have bought insurance but you didn't participate in the insurance buying process. It’s likely that you didn't take the time to review your own insurance needs. It’s very likely that you didn't take the time to research the coverage that allows you to address your needs. Its very, very likely you didn't take the time to have a licensed professional review the insurance carriers within your geographical market that supply the insurance products to meet your needs. I'm also pretty sure you didn't take the time to receive competitive quote offers from multiple insurance carriers. And you most certainly didn't take the time to create a detailed personal insurance program adequate to fulfill your future insurance needs. It's Your Life… Be an Active ParticipantUnless you are offensively naive, I'm assuming you have at least some conceptual idea that bad things happen no matter how careful you are. Insurance is designed to take the financial stress out of the terrible things that may happen to you. This is really important stuff. This is your life. Sticking your head in the sand and hoping bad things won't happen is no way to live. Be a participant in your own life. As apocalyptic as this may sound, participating includes purchasing insurance – auto, home, life, disability, etc. It also includes planning for your retirement, shopping for better interest rates on car loans and personal debt and educating yourself. The Rub |
| 7 Steps To Get Media Attention The Right Way Posted: 22 Aug 2012 05:00 AM PDT Last week Problogger's Darren Rowse issued a well-deserved rant, attacking SEO Guest Post Pitches – The New Scurge of a Blogger's Existence. In his post over at Google+, Darren explains that over the past year he's seen a noticeable shift in the pitches that are hitting his inbox. Instead of hearing from well-intentioned bloggers looking to offer value, he's getting impersonal pitches from people with no understanding of his blog or what he writes about. Awesome!
Darren has had enough. And, really, who can blame him? Pitching is par for the course in today's marketing world. We pitch guest posts to gain exposure and build authority, and we pitch reporters to help our businesses earn coveted media exposure. But there's a right way and a wrong way to pitch someone. You've probably seen the wrong. The right way looks something like this: 1. Have something worth pitching: Sadly, this is where way too many business owners fail in the process. Yes, at step one. Fueled with a sense of urgency to attract links and coverage, business owners pitch articles or news stories that simply aren't interesting or worth the initial email. Have something worthy to pitch OR hold that email until you do. What's pitch worthy? Maybe you're a new startup that solves an old problem or you're a company using shock and awe tactics to surprise your customers and make their day. You need something that will make you stand out and make the recipient of your email want to learn more. If you don't have something worth sharing, you're not ready. Nothing slams doors harder than mediocrity. 2. Do your homework: Whether you're approaching someone like Darren Rowse for a guest posting opportunity or you're about to email a local reporter, be respectful of their time and do your homework beforehand. Study what their blog/site is about, learn which writers/reporters cover what topics, know the type of spin they use, what their hot buttons are, and who to contact for what kind of story. Once you have a specific writer in mind, find their personal email address. You'll get a much better response emailing someone directly than using a generic info@domain.com or sales@domain.com email. 3. Personalize your pitch: Because you've done your homework and you know the person you're reaching out to, you'll be able to better personalize your pitch. Talk about a recent post they've written or a stance you both share on a particular topic (but don't lie!). One pet peeve Darren mentioned in his rant post was how obvious it was that the people contacting him were simply copying and pasting their messages. There was no attempt to personalize the email. Even if you're pitching multiple people about the same story, do your due diligence and customize the pitch to that person. You may have 2-3 lines that are standard, but add personal elements to show there's a human on the other end of the email. 4. Tell a good story: In most cases, it's simply not enough that you have something cool to share (unless it's really cool). You have to make people care by telling a story that ties what you're pitching to what the recipient is selling. Anyone with a blog or a platform today is in the storytelling business. We tell stories about ourselves and our customers to get them to take a desired action and to make them feel something. Your pitch should lay out the benefit for the recipient and tell a story about how it will help their readers. Stories are what make people care about your business and your bottom line. 5. Get to the point: Respect your reader's time by telling them, immediately, who you are, what you do, and why you're contacting them. If they want to learn more about you, they'll respond to your email and ask. Be brief and resist the urge to tell your complete life story in your initial email. Learn to get your message and story across in just a few sentences. 6. Include all pertinent information: Somewhere in your pitch you want to provide all of the information this person will need to get in touch with you. If you're emailing them they already have your email address but include the URL for your site/blog, your Twitter handle, and any other pertinent information. Don't make them search for it to find you. Because they probably won't. 7. Be helpful: Regardless of whether or not your pitch is accepted on the first attempt, don't end the relationship after that interaction. Find ways to keep yourself and your company top of mind for that blog or site by lending a helpful hand whenever you can. Maybe that means connecting them to someone they should know, recommending a new source/contact, or pointing them toward a story that doesn't involve you but would be of interest their audience. By fostering that relationship and acting like a good Web citizen, your contact will be more likely to keep you in mind for future stories. Whether it's for an interview, a blog post, or a story about our company, we all have to pitch sometimes. But by crafting a pitch that is relevant and respectful, you're much more likely to get a positive response. Because if Darren Rowse is going to mention your company, you want him to mention it for the right reasons, not the wrong ones. Image credit: iqoncept / 123RF Stock Photo From Small Business Trends |
| Apple Stock Soars While Facebook Tanks Posted: 22 Aug 2012 02:30 AM PDT What makes some businesses successful while others see success for a time and then decline? No one is sounding Facebook’s death knell just yet, but the company’s stock has struggled since the network’s IPO earlier this year. Meanwhile, Apple’s stock has hit an all-time high. Whether your business is large or small, it’s important to consider what adds value to a company. Here are some thoughts. Highs and LowsUp, up and away. This week Apple became the most valuable stock ever traded, closing at a $665.15 high on Monday. The company set a record by surpassing a level last hit by Microsoft back on Dec. 30, 1999. The company shows no signs of slowing down, with products still wildly popular among their core fans and customer base. Yahoo! Finance The meaning of success. The key to Apple’s success is its hardcore customer base of obsessive fans who generally end up buying not just one, but many of the company’s products. Peek into the Apple ecosystem with this guest post from a fan who shows us why the company dominates its market like no other. LockerGnome Down in the valley. While Apple soars, Facebook tanks. Some of the social media giant’s early investors have sold out and more investors may be planning to do the same. The company’s stock value is now at about half of what it was at its original offering. Other social media companies have had similar experiences, but some analysts say the setbacks are temporary. USA Today Creating ValueThe A-team. The first step in creating an incredible company is assembling an incredible team. Building an a-team is harder than it may look. Begin by looking at the people you already have, and don’t be afraid of making organizational changes if necessary. Here’s how to create an unbeatable team that can build value for your business. Merchantos Innovate or die. Innovation is a critical part of creating value in your company. However sometimes, as Anita Campbell observes, you need look no further to find the person responsible for holding your business back than the nearest mirror. Here are some tips to help you get out of your business’s way and move your company to the next level. Open Forum Bring your passion. Passion for your product or business is a huge step toward creating value in your company. Here we see how a passionate blog becomes a business. Consider the product or company you most want to build. Creating a company you feel passionate about will also instill value for your customers and fans. Tweak Your Biz Repeating yourself. A huge part of determining whether you are creating value your customers can recognize is figuring out whether they regularly come back for more. Susan Oakes has some suggestions for determining whether your customers are new or repeat. Figuring this out will give you an idea of how others see what you do. M4B Marketing From Small Business Trends |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Small Business Trends To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment