Tax Time Worries? National Business Capital Can Help!

Tax season is tough, especially in this difficult economy.  Often, money is stretched just to cover operating expenses and business owners find they are unable to pay taxes. Fortunately, National Business Capital can help!

National Business Capital offers a variety of financing programs and works with each applicant to  create a tailor fit solution. National Business Capital can even provide solutions where other lenders can not. We can provide:

• Financing to pay taxes

• Financing to pay tax liens

• Financing to business owners NOT on an IRS Payment Plan

Recently, National Business Capital helped a business owner obtain financing to pay a $140,000 tax lien. We were even able to offer one of our premium programs! If taxes are a concern to you, call and speak with one of our experts so we can create a solution for you!

Maximize Your Summer Earnings!

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer.  Is your business ready? National Business Capital can help prepare your business to maximize your summer earnings. NOW is the time to finance all of your seasonal needs!

Our financing programs can help repair, replace, update, your equipment or create services to increase your revenue. Don't wait for equipment to fail and you find yourself in a bind.  Be proactive so that you can research and purchase the best equipment at the best price.

Restaurants Owners! Would an outside bar or patio increase revenue? Does your patio furniture need an update? Does the outside of your building look clean and inviting? Act now and enjoy summer months filled with new customers.

Doctors!  Be creative!  Are there additional services you can provide to increase your revenue and provide greater patient care?  Do you need special equipment to offer this service? Don't let finances hinder you.

Landscapers, Pool Services, Contractors!  Do you own a company that relies on summer income for the bulk of your earnings?  If so, ensure your equipment is top quality and prepared to work hard.  Would new equipment allow you to offer additional services or work faster?  Do you have the funds to maximize your advertising during these critical months?  Do you have enough employees to handle the amount of business you could be doing?




Call now and learn how National Business Capital can help make this summer a successful one!

Business Credit Lines are Back!

Having access to a line of credit is essential for a business.  Since cash flow can be unsteady and unpredictable, quick access to funds can help a business make payroll, pay taxes, pay bills, buy equipment, etc.  

 

With the economy causing greater fluctuations in cash flow, business owners need lines of credit more than ever. Unfortunately, most banks have cut or closed their business line of credit programs.  Not us.  National Business Capital never stopped lending and our guidelines have remained flexible.

Some of the benefits of a business line of credit are:

• Having peace of mind knowing that you have access to available credit.

• Receive an actual check book!

• Only pay for the funds that you use.

• Having the ability to take separate drafts when needed.

National Business Capital's business line of credit is available to limited industries. Call and speak with one of our business experts to learn if your business qualifies.

New Local Daily Deals for Small Business

By now everyone has heard of, and probably used,  Groupon, Living Social, or one of the many sites like them.  These sites all work along the same premise, they just go about it slightly differently. They offer customers the chance to purchase one significant deal each day.  This allows the business to attract a large number of new customers and, hopefully, earn their continued business. 

Daily deals have worked well for many businesses, but problems have been seen as well.  For instance, many small business owners find it difficult to offer the large discounts that is required to utilize these coupon services. Also, with the huge quantity of deals being offered, many business owners believe customers go where the next coupon sends them rather than convert to a repeat customer.  Again, this is especially difficult for a small business.

A new coupon based marketing company thinks it has the answer for small business.  Constant Contact, a company used by approximately half a million small businesses to manage and create email marketing campaigns, has recently launched SaveLocal.  Rather than model the marketing campaign on large scale consumer lists, Save Local targets your existing customers and offers incentives to share coupons with their social networks. In addition, the merchant controls the amount of discount offered to ensure they do not lose money and Save Local only charges $1 to $3 per coupon.

So what's in this for your existing customers? That is up to the merchant.  Some examples are an extra discount on the coupon, a percent off a future visit, or even a free item.  The biggest plus is that the customer gets the incentive just for sharing!  Your existing customer is thanked, by earning the incentive, simply for sharing the coupon whether or not any of their friends make a purchase.

Targeting your existing customers social networks increases the chance that the person seeing your coupon is local to your business and therefore more likely to use it.  SaveLocal states that approximately 1/5 of the people responding to the deals are new customers for the merchant.  Being local customers, they are more likely to be become repeat customers.


National Business Capital is always on the lookout for services which may benefit our customers. SaveLocal may be a good marketing option for small businesses to reach local customers.   Take a look if you think daily deal marketing might work for you.

How to Successfully Price Business Services

Deciding to open your own business is a risky, yet exciting, venture.  One of the most important factors to consider is how to price your services so that you can make a profit.  Customers come to National Business Capital for help achieving their business financial success, whether through funding or merchant services, so we would like to offer the following tips on setting price points.

Many business owners feel they should undercut their competition when first starting out. Discounts may be given to family members, friends, neighbors, or anyone to bring in business.  This may seem like a good way to start, but there are a few problems it can create. First, can the business sustain itself on this reduced pricing? The business may be busy with work, possibly even overloaded, but still be unable to cover costs.  Second, pricing affects the perceived value of your services.  Set your price too low and potential customers may question the quality of your work or the need for the particular service you provide.

Raising the price of services often causes concern for business owners as they feel customers may be upset or not feel the need to continue the service at the higher price point.  Confidence is key here.  The business was created because there is a demand for the services provided and the business produces quality work.  Communicate with your customers to be sure they have a full understanding of the full value your business provides.  Highlight the areas where you go above and beyond your competitors. Higher prices means the business can sustain itself on fewer customers or with added employees.  Either way, staff will have more time to spend with each client therefore providing greater service.  The higher price point may also help attract the right customers, meaning the customers who understand the value of your business and the value of paying for quality products.

Take a look at the cost to you for providing the service and then determine a fair profit margin.  Customers understand that a profit needs to be made and will not begrudge a fair one, but may walk away from a business with a reputation for overcharging.

Research the industry.  Find out what competitors are charging. Review annual statement studies on small and mid-sized business financial benchmarks and be sure your profit margin is in the ballpark. Overall, have confidence in yourself and your business and the value you place on it.

Pinterst for My Business?

The use of social media in business is on the rise and business owners are learning that it is not whether they use it, but how they use it.  Keeping up with the constant evolution of social media can create a challenge for the business owner to implement the best strategy.

The newest social network to grow at an unprecedented rate is Pinterest.com. The site works as an online scrap booking community. The users create different boards on which they pin items of interest.  For example, a user may create a board for photography to include unusual photos they come across or may create a board for their favorite kid friendly recipes. The user may follow people who pin items they find interesting and can in turn re-pin the item to their boards.

Business owners have rapidly been learning the benefits Pinterest can have for their business.  There are many ways a business can utilize the site for their benefit.  Let's take a look at how a hair salon may use it.  The salon owner can create a board for each faction of their business, such as Wedding Styles, Color, Hair Care Products, Cosmetics, Hair Care Tips, etc.  The owner will then pin pictures of the styles they have created, the color treatments they have done, the products they sell, and tips to keep hair healthy or manage hair in difficult weather. Each person who follows the salon then shares all of these pictures and tips with their followers.  Comments can also be left for each pin. 

Suppose your business does not sell actual products, but rather provides a service.  Let's look at how a medical provider might utilize Pinterest.  The provider can create boards to offer education and tips to their followers.  For example, Preventative Care, How to Care for a Cold, The Benefits of Immunizations, etc. 

Pinterest is the HOT social network at the moment and offers business owners free word of mouth advertising and a free platform to showcase their work.  The staff at National Business Capital is always on the lookout for ways to help their customers become more successful. Pinterest may be useful tool to spread the word about your business.

Happy Workers = Productive Workers

Everyone dreams of having a job that they love going to each and every day.  As a business owner, hopefully you have created a work environment that you find enjoyable and you love the industry you work in. Now take a moment to think about your employees. 

Most likely your employees smiled a lot during their interview with you and "wowed" you with their enthusiasm for the position.  Their early days were likely filled with energy and aspirations.  How do their attitudes seem to be now?  Do you see smiles and hear friendly, happy voices?  Do they want to be successful not only for themselves, but for the betterment of your company?  Or perhaps, are your employees using a lot of sick days, coming in late, or rushing out a bit too early?

Research has shown over and over again that a happy employee is a productive employee.  Creating a positive work environment is not just a fringe benefit for your employees, but it is vital to the success of your company. 

Studies show that management styles may be the largest factor in employee satisfaction.  Whether you are the sole manager or you have a management team, help ensure that your employees are happily engaged at work.  Managers should show both the ability and willingness to help an employee achieve his/her goal.  Workers are more productive when they feel their work is meaningful and their efforts are appreciated.

Companies such as Google, Apple, Zappos, and Maya Design consistently rate as top companies to work for in America.  They all share similar leadership styles and focus on a positive company culture.  They believe in the research which shows that freedom and an enriched environment facilitates hard work and positive results. You can achieve the same results even if your company is not as large.

How you promote the positive company culture will depend upon your specific company.  Options available to some companies may not work for another.  For example, the opportunity to work from home when not feeling well or caring for a sick child may work for an employee who can do most of his/her work on the home computer.  A retail store can not utilize this option.

Adult workers today spend an enormous amount of their time working.  Look for ways to help improve the work/life balance and have fun.  Possibilities are flexible work hours, providing on-site child care or an on-site gym.  Perhaps you can give your employees their birthday off  or provide lunch for the staff once per week or month.  If that is too expensive, you can have a company lunch time every so often where your employees all take lunch at the same time and you facilitate games or bring in a movie.

The bottom line is that your employees happiness does matter.  Think outside of the box and find creative ways to engage them as well as problem solve.  Be approachable and open to new ideas and your employees just may help you design the positive work environment you all are looking for! We, at National Business Capital, hope you find this article beneficial!