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When your small business needs funding, where do you turn? Whether you’re looking to expand your business, cover expenses during hard times, or simply gain more financial flexibility, there are all sorts of circumstances in which getting a small business loan could give your business an advantage.

If your particular small business is in need of additional funds, here are four of the best small business loans you can find in 2024.

Fundera

Fundera is a marketplace that has helped more than 85,000 small businesses secure more than $2.5 billion in total funding to date. Fundera offers a wide range of loan products, from SBA loans to lines of credit to term loans and everything in between, and allows businesses to compare top loan options through one simple online application.

Loan amount: $10,000 – $5 million

Loan terms: Varies by lender

Monthly revenue: Varies by lender

Minimum credit score: 550

Why we like it: Plenty of small business loan options, funding in as soon as one business day, no borrowing or origination fees.

Additional features: Advice and comparison technology, single online application form.

Find out how much cash your business might get right here.

What Are Small Business Loans?

A small business loan is exactly that — a loan designed for small businesses to get immediate funding that can be paid back over a specific term.

Although small business loan terms vary from lender to lender, most lenders require that you make routine payments until the full amount of the loan has been completely paid off.

Types of Small Business Loans

When looking for the right small business loan, there are multiple types of loans for you to consider:

• Installment loans: These loans are paid back with equal monthly payments that cover both principal and interest over a specific term.
• Short-term loans: These are installment loans that, as the name suggests, are required to be paid off over a shorter term — typically, 1 – 3 years.
• Long-term loans: These are installment loans that are required to be paid off over a longer term — generally, 3 years or more.
• Microloans: These installment loans typically have much lower dollar amounts and shorter payoff terms.
• Secured loans: These loans are backed by collateral—assets you own that may be used as payment if you aren’t able to pay back your loan.
• Unsecured loans: These loans are not protected by any kind of collateral, and instead, are approved solely on creditworthiness.
• SBA loans: These loans are government-backed, meaning the lender is either fully or partially guaranteed repayment of funds. This often allows lenders to offer better terms and interest rates.
• Line-of-credit loans: These short-term loans provide businesses with financial flexibility, allowing them to pull funds as needed and pay them back quickly.
• Balloon loans: These loans require that only the interest is paid during the life of the loan, with the principal due on the last day of the term.
• Equipment loans: These loans are designed to help small businesses purchase expensive equipment.
• Commercial real estate loans: These loans are designed to help small businesses purchase new real estate or improve their current real estate.
• Construction loans: These loans are designed to help small businesses finance the construction of a building or home.
• Working capital loans: These short-term loans allow businesses to cover everyday line items such as operating expenses, payroll, and rent.
• Accounts receivable loans: These short-term loans allow businesses to receive funds that are relative to their outstanding payments.
• Merchant cash advances: While not exactly a loan, a merchant cash advance allows a business to get cash upfront in exchange for future revenue.

Common Reasons for Applying for a Small Business Loan

There are a few different reasons why your business might consider applying for a small business loan:

• Expanding your business
• Improving cash flow
• Making new hires
• Buying equipment or inventory
• Covering operating expenses
• Refinancing a previous loan
• Expanding/purchasing real estate

How to Apply for a Small Business Loan

First, you’ll need to visit your potential lender’s website and check out of your loan options. This will involve answering a few questions about your small business. After completing this step, you’ll be presented with all of your small business loan options in one place.

From there, you’ll need to fill out the lender’s application form and wait for a response. Typically, this occurs within 48 hours of applying. If you’re approved for your small business loan, you shouldn’t have to wait very long at all for your funds to be deposited!

Why Online Lenders?

Online lenders present a handful of advantages for borrowers. First, the use of online tools and applications reduces the time needed to apply for, review, and offer a loan.

The use of these tools also results in fewer overhead costs on the lender’s part, and typically, this also means lower fees on the borrower’s end.

Questions to Ask About Small Business Loans

If you’re strongly considering a small business loan, you should be aware of the financial responsibility you’re about to take on. You’ll want to give your loan plenty of thought before signing the dotted line and this process involves asking a handful of important questions.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What do I need the money for?
• How much money do I need?
• How quickly do I need it?

Then, ask your lender some of the following questions:

• Do you lend to business like mine?
• What is the interest rate and total cost of the loan?
• What does my payment schedule look like?
• When would my first payment be due?
• How should payments made?
• Do you report payment history to all credit bureaus?

What Is the Average Interest Rate on a Small Business Loan?

A small business loan allows businesses to get quick funding with reasonably fair repayment terms and fees. The average small business loan interest rate varies by lender, but generally speaking, a loan’s interest rate is relative to the amount of risk that the lender is taking on.

What Is the Average Term for a Small Business Loan?

Different types of loans tend to offer different terms. An SBA loan, for example, may have terms as short as three years or as long as 25 years, whereas loans from non-bank lenders typically have terms between one and five years.

Is Now a Good Time to Get a Small Business Loan?

If your business is facing hardship during these turbulent times, you may have no option than to take out a small business in order to keep your business alive.

But even if your business isn’t desperate need of immediate funding, you may still want to take advantage of low interest rates if you sense that you may need funding down the road.

Get the Funds You Need with a Small Business Loan

With some information about the different types of small business loans that are offered and a handful of the best small business loans currently available, the ball is now in your court.

Thanks to online lenders and quick application processes, you can apply for a loan online today and get much-needed funds for your business in no time!

The post Best Small Business Loans In 2024 appeared first on Wall Street Insanity.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the landscape for all types of businesses. Maybe your business has hit a particularly rough patch. Perhaps you haven’t been as impacted as heavily as other businesses but are still looking to make the most of your position during this pandemic.

Whatever the case, here are eight money moves that all business owners can make during these turbulent times.

1. Reach Your Customers in Their Homes Through Online Channels

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With your customers staying at home during this pandemic, you’re going to need to use online channels to reach them.

Don’t have a website? With a robust tool like Constant Contact, you can use build your own website with no coding skills required. You can even build your own online store to sell your goods and services just as easily!

And if you already have a website or online store, there’s much more that Constant Contact can help you with — namely, email marketing that allows you to reach your customers through attractive, clickable email campaigns.

You’ll be able to rely on the platform’s gorgeous templates to build your own branded emails, whether the goal is to get new subscribers, direct readers to your content, or alert loyal customers of important news.

You can even add the platform’s custom sign up forms to your website to help you add subscribers to your list. And get this — through Constant Contact, you’ll be able to track important metrics, such as opens, clicks, sales, and more!

What’s more, you can try Constant Contact for free with a 60-day trial!

2. Find Customers Searching for Your Business Online

Yelp

With potential customers spending more time indoors — and as a result, more time online — your business has a unique opportunity to reach new customers. You just need to know where to look!

Fortunately, there are likely customers who are already searching for a business just like yours. Meet them halfway by leveraging one of the largest online directories, Yelp.

Yelp hosts more than 4.8 million businesses and sees more than 91 million visitors every single month. Use the platform to advertise your own products and services, bringing more and more potential customers directly to you.

And get this — if you start using Yelp today, you can take advantage of a free $300 advertising credit!

Creating an ad campaign through Yelp is so easy that you can launch yours in just minutes!

3. Get Funding When Your Business Needs It

ELEVATE on Pexels

Most businesses are feeling the financial pressure of this pandemic in some form. If you find that your business is in desperate need of funding, you probably don’t have time to be pitching to investors and hoping that they bite. You need cash, fast.

And through a platform like Fundera you might be able to get the funds you need in as quickly as one business day!

After you fill out a single application form, Fundera will show you all of your potential lending options in one place. They will even provide you with one of their very own lending specialists who can help you go over your options and determine which loan is best for you.

And get this — many businesses struggle to get loans because of bad credit. Well, not with Fundera. Even if your business has poor credit, you might still be able to get the funds you need.

Don’t wait any longer — fill out Fundera’s short questionnaire now to view your loan options!

4. Purchase Insurance to Protect Your Business

Artem Gavrysh in Unsplash

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has made many businesses aware of their financial instability.

If you’re looking to protect your business in as many ways as possible so that you’re prepared for any possible financial setbacks in the future, you need insurance.

Not sure what types of coverage your business might need? Fear not — Embroker is a company that pairs technology with broker expertise to help you set up and manage your commercial insurance.

Embroker eliminates the need to fill out hand-written applications with a digital application that can be completed in minutes, which they will then use to match you with ideal coverage and carriers.

You’ll receive free quotes for coverage without the need for phone calls and emails. The whole process, from getting quotes to purchasing your new policy, can be performed entirely online!

Take advantage of free quotes through Embroker today and make sure your business is protected going forward!

5. Sell Your Products at an Established Online Marketplace

VOICED Market

If you don’t have a website or are finding it difficult to reach people online, you may need help from a more established online marketplace — one that will partner with you and help you promote your brand, products, and services to a built-in audience.

An online marketplace like VOICED Market, perhaps. This platform handles all of the advertising for their merchants, promoting your business across not only the VOICED Market marketplace itself but also other channels within its greater network.

And check this out — the platform does this with no upfront cost to you! They only take a cut once you actually make sales. And from that small cut, VOICED Market even donates a percentage towards feeding and educating those in need.

It’s easy to get started. Apply to become a VOICED Market merchant today in under a minute and begin selling to a bigger audience!

6. Unleash Powerful Online Advertising for Your Business

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Businesses spend a ton of money advertising through Google and social media platforms. But what about those other important search engines that some businesses neglect, like Bing, Yahoo!, and others?

Under the banner of Microsoft Advertising, business owners are able to launch powerful, clickable ads across these popular search engines, attracting a plethora of new customers as a result. Designing ads through the platform is easy, as you’re able to target specific audience segments through your preferred keywords.

Want a piece of the Bing and Yahoo! pie? Sign up with Microsoft Advertising today and you’ll even get a $100 free credit for your business after spending just $25!

7. Get More Customers to Your Website Through Search Engine Optimization

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If you already have a website but struggle to accumulate traffic, it’s likely that people can’t find your website organically. In other words, your website isn’t showing up in search engine results.

In this case, unless you want to rely solely on paid advertising to get customers to your site, you need to harness the power of search engine optimization (SEO) to bridge the gap. And with help from a tool like SEMRush, you can do just that.

SEMRush will not only help you improve your SEO and give you important tips that help you climb the ranks of Google and other popular search engines but also show you how your website compares to your competition.

Through this platform, you’ll get access to important tools, such as keyword research, site auditing, social media tracking, and much more.

You can even get a free 7-day trial today for a glimpse of what the platform can do. And if you decide that you love the service, you’ll be able to keep using SEMRush for $99.95 per month once your trial ends.

8. Get Help Handling All of Those Online Orders

Claudio Schwarz | @purzlbaum on Unsplash

With many physical locations closed and more people placing online orders during the pandemic, your business might need a hand getting orders shipped on time.

Enter ShippingEasy. With this helpful platform, you can manage your orders and get exclusive shipping discounts for your business. But that’s not all — with ShippingEasy, you can take advantage of advanced reporting tools, and track all deliveries and returns.

And check this out — if you sign up with ShippingEasy today, you’ll get a 30-day free trial with the platform!

Keep Your Business on the Front Foot During COVID-19

This pandemic is forcing many businesses to adapt, yet not every business will. It’s likely that more businesses will close their doors in the coming weeks and months.

By employing these coronavirus money moves for business owners, however, you can take the necessary steps to protect your business, strengthen your online presence, and keep new customers coming in!

The post 8 Coronavirus Money Moves For Business Owners appeared first on Wall Street Insanity.

ELEVATE on Pexels

No investors that take royalties and equity in your company. No perfect business or personal credit needed. Just fast funding when your business needs it.

So, what’s the catch?

Get this — there isn’t one. Fundera makes it simple for businesses of all shapes and sizes to get the funding they need.

The company offers a wide range of products, from small business loans to startup business loans, and lines of credit, to name just a few.

Have you already been turned away by investors, or denied by banks? You’re in good company.

When Options Were Few, This Startup Got Fast Funding with Fundera

When Shayna Ferullo and Manuel Ainzuain decided to turn their passion for coffee into Snowy Owl Coffee Roasters in 2015, they had enough capital to get their fledgling business up and running in the Cape Cod community.

But as many entrepreneurs often do, they underestimated just how much capital would be needed to keep up with demand and grow their business.

Funding opportunities were actually dead ends. Shayna and Manuel applied at a local development organization, as well as a bank, and were either denied or never got a response.

That’s when they found Fundera.

They connected with one of the company’s account managers, who helped the couple get quick funding to sustain the business’s first seasons of highs and lows.

Thanks to Fundera, the small-batch coffee roaster doesn’t have to worry about merely surviving.

They are looking to future, where huge milestones, like bottling their cold brew and expanding into Boston, are very much on the radar.

How Do I Get Funding Through Fundera?

If your business is at a point where it needs an extra boost or has hit a rough patch, Fundera may offer the help you need to get funding!

And the process of getting funds is simple. Fill out one short application form, providing some basic information about your business. From there, you’ll receive all of the lending options potentially available to your business.

Fundera will then connect you with a lending specialist. That person will help you break down your options, walk you through all of the number-crunching, and become a personal resource for you!

Ready to pull the trigger on a loan? Once you receive an approval, you’ll receive your funds as soon as one business day!

What’s more? Fundera is not only free to use, but completing an application and comparing lending options will have no impact on your credit score whatsoever!

More than 35,000 small businesses have secured over $1 billion in total funding through Fundera.

Check out your lending options through Fundera today and get your business the funding it needs to thrive!

The post Here’s How To Get Up To $5,000,000 In Funding For Your Business appeared first on Wall Street Insanity.

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You’ve probably heard the phrase a hundred times: work smarter, not harder.

Whether you’ve just launched a startup or whether you’ve been in business for a few years, you can make your job a whole lot easier by simply equipping your business with some basic small business must-have tools and services.

And we’re not talking novelty or luxury items here. No company cars in the lot or flatscreen TVs in the office lobby. Just the everyday essentials your small business must have to keep things running smoothly and successfully.

Here’s what you’re absolutely going to need:

1. Advertising to Increase Sales

Artem Beliaikin on Pexels

Your business might be able to survive on word-of-mouth for a while. But to scale and grow, most businesses need to advertise.

Even the largest, healthiest, and fastest-growing businesses pour money into advertising to create awareness, generate leads, and win customers. So, it’s essential for your business to have a few different channels for advertising.

Advertising doesn’t even have to be expensive. It can even be free!

→ Yelp: If your business isn’t already listed on Yelp, you’re late to the party. This massive online directory sees roughly 91 million unique visitors each month. And many of them are searching fora business like yours!

With Yelp Advertising, you can market to and potentially win over new customers who would normally be going to your competitors instead.

Need another reason to sign up? By simply claiming your business on Yelp today, you’ll get a free $300 advertising credit!

→ Microsoft Advertising:  This is a great place to start to get your feet wet with advertising online.

With Microsoft Advertising, you’ll be able to reach potential customers across the Bing and Yahoo! search engines with highly clickable ads. Target custom audiences by keywords and keyphrases. You can start with an advertising budget as low as $5 a day.

Spend $25 on Microsoft Advertising today and you’ll get a free $100 credit to spend on more advertising!

2. Email Marketing to Capture and Engage Your Customers

Webaroo on Unsplash

With a website up and running, you’re going to want to set up email marketing.

Constant Contact is a top email marketing platform that can easily integrate with your website to capture visitors who want to hear from you again.

Add a quick Constant Contact sign up form to your website, and boom — you can now generate new leads and reach them whenever you send an email campaign.

Then with Constant Contact, you’ll be able to build email campaigns that keep these new subscribers fully engaged.

The platform features a ton of customizable and branded template options, as well as a host of drag-and-drop assets. All of these tools can be used to create gorgeous emails in a matter of minutes.

After your email campaign is sent, you’ll also be able to monitor key metrics through Constant Contact. You can see how many people opened your email, clicked on a link, and so much more.

You can use Constant Contact risk-free with a 60-day free trial and witness firsthand what the platform can do for your business.

3. Search Engine Optimization and Competitor Research to Increase Organic Traffic to Your Website

Webaroo on Unsplash

Got your website up and running? That’s a great start!

But in order to have a real impact online and reach more potential customers without relying solely on advertising, you’re going to need a hand from a little thing called search engine optimization (SEO).

In short, search engine optimization is a set of best practices that cater to search engine algorithms, which determine how websites rank in search results. As you implement SEO, you also increase your search engine visibility.

To put it simply, the better your SEO, the higher you will rank on search engines (like Google) and the more people will find your business online.

SEMrush can help you get your website SEO to a top-notch level.

With SEMrush, you’ll have access to a ton of helpful tools, including keyword research, social media tracking, as well as an audit tool that will offer a full breakdown of your site. You’ll even be able to research your competitors and keep a close eye on industry trends!

With an analytics interface that gives you access to hundreds of important performance metrics, SEMrush is the go-to SEO software for more than 4 million users worldwide, including the likes of Wix and Booking.com.

Plans start at $99.95 per month, and you can save a little more by paying for the year upfront. You can also get a 7-day free trial and see whether SEMrush is a good fit for your business!

4. Video Making to Help Build Your Brand

Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably well aware of the presence of video marketing at the moment.

85% of businesses use video as a marketing tool and 95% of those businesses plan to maintain or increase their video spend this year.

As a small business, perhaps you realize the importance of video marketing but struggle to come up with the funds for it. The good news is that you don’t need to break the bank to create video content for your business.

With Animoto, beginners and experts alike can create attractive, engaging videos for their marketing campaigns.

Access to dozens of pre-built storyboard templates and millions of stock resources means that, even with zero editing experience, you can create professional-looking videos with little effort.

Align your custom videos with your branding and messaging by using your go-to fonts and adding your company logo as a watermark.

Get a free plan with Animoto for many of these features, or choose an upgraded plan for all of the bells and whistles!

5. Funding to Grow into a Big Business

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You know the saying, “you need money to make money?” Well, it’s true. If you want your business to grow and flourish, you’re going to need funds that you can access.

You might try to persuade investors to buy into your vision. But at what cost? Once you offer up equity in your company or royalties on your sales, you may find that this kind of burden stifles your business’s growth.

Fortunately, there are a few different ways to get funding without investors.

With Fundera, you may be able to choose from a handful of different small business loan options!

Here’s how it works. Fill out a single application form with just a few questions about your business, and Fundera will return all of the different lending options that you might qualify for, from SBA loans to business term loans to startup business loans and more!

Next, Fundera will pair you with one of their lending specialists, who will help you understand your options and crunch numbers. This way, you can make the best possible decision for your business.

Once you’re approved for your loan, you may get your funds in as little as one business day!

Worried that your credit might not be good enough? Bad credit is often OK with Fundera. What’s more is that when you spend and repay responsibly, you can actually build your business’s credit.

Ready to get your business funded with Fundera? Complete a short questionnaire to start getting personalized loan options!

6. A Website (Because It’s 2020)

Tranmautritam on Pexels

Businesses talk themselves out of starting websites all the time. “They’re too expensive.” “They take too long to set up.” “Our business doesn’t need one.”

Guess what? Today, you can set up your own website or blog for little to nothing, in as quickly as a few minutes. And there’s just no way around it — a website is a must for every business (yes, even yours!), for a bunch of different reasons:

• A website helps develop your brand and builds reputability.
• Many people want to scope you out online before buying.
• Your website is available, even when you’re not.
• A website is a key component of most marketing strategies.

But websites have also come a long way. Depending on your type of business, there are a few different options you should look at:

A. If your business needs a simple website with content, Bluehost is a reliable and extremely affordable option.

Sign up with Bluehost for just $3.95 per month and you’ll get a free domain, a free SSL certificate (which keeps your customers’ data secure), up to 50GB in storage, and access to 24/7 support.

Bluehost’s website builder allows you to set up your own site in minutes. No web development or design experience needed!

B. Does your business need an online store? With BigCommerce, you can get it up and running in no time.

The company’s website builder gives you all the features you could ever need to showcase your products and services in the best possible light. Choose from hundreds of responsive templates and customize them to your liking with code-free adjustments.

You’ll be able to manage orders and inventory using the platform’s control panel. Not to mention, BigCommerce supports PayPal, Apple Pay, Pay with Amazon, and dozens of other payment methods.

Ready to start? You can even take advantage of a 30-day free trial today!

7. A Business Phone Line (Because Handing out Your Cell Number Won’t Cut It)

Berkeley Communications on Unsplash Nothing screams, “I’m still figuring this business thing out” like listing your cell phone number for customers to contact your business.

And do you really want to give customers your personal phone number anyway?

In the past, business phone lines were a little more difficult to set up and had the potential to be expensive. But today, virtual phone systems can keep your setup simple and your costs low.

Need convincing? Check out Phone.com. For just $12.99 a month, you can get a local or toll-free number, unlimited extensions, 300 minutes, and 5,000 SMS messages. This base plan also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee!

All plans come with more than 50 standard features, including caller ID, custom greetings, call queuing, hold music, and voicemail. What more could you need?

Getting a phone line for your business has never been easier. Sign up with Phone.com today and find out why over 30,000 other businesses use it!

8. Protect Your Business with Insurance

Nik MacMillan on Unsplash

Nothing puts a damper on the joy of having a business quite like insurance. It’s one of the first things you should have, but one of the last things you ever hope to use.

Not to mention, insurance can be pretty tricky. Especially if you’re new to this, you’re likely going to spend hours Googling the different coverages your business might need.

Let’s face it — you’ve got enough on your plate. Instead, lean on Thimble for a little help. This company will help you set up and manage commercial insurance for your business online.

Fill out some basic information, and get a free, personalized quote for affordable rates in minutes.

Get insured with Thimble and get back to doing the thing you really love — building your business!

9. Fax (for the Digital Age)

Claudio Schwarz | @purzlbaum on Unsplash

Yeah, fax is still a thing.

While computers, tablets, and smartphones have replaced fax machines (for the most part), many businesses like having the option available.

But a traditional fax machine can also become a real pain. Just think about the phone lines, paper, ink, toner, and of course, those dreaded maintenance costs. Add to this the frustration of paper jams, busy lines, and waste.

Fortunately, you can actually hang on to your fax capabilities without having a fax machine at all!

Enter eFax. This service offers a simple way to send and receive faxes from anywhere and at any time.

Using the eFax portal or application on your computer, tablet, or smartphone, you’ll be able to view faxes as PDFs, add electronic signatures as needed, and reply to faxes with ease.

Sign up for a 30-day free trial and get your free fax number, secure and unlimited storage, as well as access for multiple users.

With more than 10 million customers and nearly 20 years in the game, eFax makes faxing super easy with its paperless, online service.

Got Everything Your Small Business Needs to be Successful?

A surefire way to start your business out on the right foot is to have all of these items in order before you launch. Missing even one item from this list might come back to bite you — whether it’s insurance, funding, or your website!

But even if that ship has sailed, it’s never too late for you to go back and make sure your business is properly equipped with the essentials. You can even use these items as your personal checklist!

The post 9 Everyday Small Business Tools And Needs To Thrive appeared first on Wall Street Insanity.

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Running a business comes with tons of perks – flexibility, personal fulfillment, and the freedom that comes with being your own boss. However, it’s also a lot of work. There are demands from clients, the never-ending pursuit of new customers, and the stress of always trying to stay on top of the competition. Luckily, these tools and tactics can lessen the headache and help your business reach its full potential.

1. Lead Generation.

Igor Ovsyannykov on Unsplash

If you’ve got a website or blog that you’re looking to collect email subscribers for, then you should be using Leadpages. It can supercharge your email subscriber efforts.

With Leadpages you can do a number of things to acheieve this, such as setting up landing pages (dozens of templates to choose from) for a product, contest, subscription service — whatever you want. Easily test what’s performing well, and what’s not. Simple, right? Well, that’s the point. No coding skills required, and tons of time and money saved by not needing to hire a developer or designer to set everything up.

It’s the kind of service that every website owner can utilize, and it can be a hugely valuable tool added to your arsenal.

Get a 14-day free trial here.

2. Reach your customers through email.

Matthew Fournier on Unsplash

Email marketing companies provide you with a way to reach out and stay in touch with existing customers, or visitors who have expressed interest in what you have to offer. However, designing and writing email newsletters, timing your sends, and tracking your results can be a hassle. That’s why you’ll want a good, reliable company to do all the work for you.

You can’t go wrong with Constant Contact, as it’s one of the biggest email marketing services in the world. Its easy-to-use email editor allows you to pick a template and customize it any way you want, and you can rest assured that each template will look great on small screens, big screens, and everything in between. You’ll get real-time reports on who is clicking, sharing, and reading your emails. It also transforms your emails into
eye-catching social media posts in just a few clicks.

For a 60-day free trial, click here.

AWeber is another great choice which offers business owners email automation and templates. It has low, easy-to-understand pricing with no strings attached. If you have 500 or less email subscribers, you pay just $19 per month for AWeber to take care of everything for you. More than 100,000 email marketers already trust this service, so they must be doing something right.

Give it a try, completely free for 30 days, by clicking here.

Both Constant Contact and AWeber offer great templates with drag-and-drop editors, as well as features including the tracking of opens, clicks, and visits to your site. However, if you’re looking for something more personalized with automation and integrations, you should opt for drip. The service is great at intelligent email and social media tactics which adapt to your customers’ interests and behaviors.

Interested? You can try drip free with no obligation.

3. Advertise, advertise, advertise.

Igor Ovsyannykov on Unsplash

You can have the best business in the entire world, but that doesn’t mean anything if you aren’t getting customers. Online advertising is a great way to get the word out  – and no, not through Google Adwords.

Bing Ads is one of the best ways to spread the message about your business, for several reasons. First of all, about 23% of all online searches happen on Bing. That equates to around 15 billion searches. Secondly, Bing is getting more popular each day. And perhaps the best reason to go for Bing over Google is that advertising is generally cheaper – often up to 40% cheaper.

Bing Ads is currently offering $100 worth of advertising credit to anyone who spends $25, so give it a try today.

Another overlooked advertising platform is Yelp. If you have a local business, this is surely not a place you want to miss. According to a 2013 study by Boston Consulting Group (as cited on Yelp’s website), the average annual revenue reported by Yelp advertisers is $23,000. That’s a pretty substantial number, which means that choosing not to advertise on Yelp would be a fool’s errand.

We’ve got you $300 in free Yelp ad credits to get started, so why not give it a go?

4. Who needs landlines?

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Your clients need to be able to get in touch with you, but traditional landlines are a thing of the past for many business owners. This is because a much better deal can usually be had by using an internet-based service like eVoice – a cloud-based phone system which includes a free local or toll-free number, call routing, voicemail, and conferencing. One of the coolest features is that customers can call a single number and be seamlessly directed to employees who can take the call on their mobile phones (without the customer even knowing the transfer is happening). It also offers a number of other neat features, like converting a caller’s voicemail into emailed audio files or text messages.

You can try it for free for 60 days by clicking here.

Grasshopper offers a similar service, also making it easy to run a business from your cell phone. This service knows how to cater to today’s entrepreneur, making it extremely easy to start and grow a business from anywhere – even your home. Just like eVoice, it allows you to get a toll-free or local number, add extensions for departments and employees, and direct calls to the appropriate place – no matter where your employees are actually located. They can be taking business calls from the beach or the bathtub. That’s the beauty of it. Tens of thousands of entrepreneurs are already using the service.

The greatest part is that you don’t have to sign a long-term contract, so you can try it out with no strings attached.

5. A logo that impresses.

AJ Garcia on Unsplash

They say first impressions are everything, and your logo is often the first impression that your customers see. That’s why it needs to be awesome. However, you don’t need to waste time hiring designers you’re unsure about. Instead, you can be part of the process and only pay for a logo if you’re completely satisfied.

Logojoy operates on the belief that great ideas need great design. That’s why it’s committed to helping you create a logo that you’ll be proud of – one that can feature on your website, on promotional goods, or anywhere else you want it to go. All you have to do is bring a loose idea to Logojoy, and let the service’s artificial intelligence do the rest. Your logo is guaranteed to be 100% unique, and will come with a social media kit which includes 40+ perfectly sized versions of your image for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Etsy. This website happens to be the most popular logo maker in the world, and for good reason.

You can also head over to LogoGarden to make your own logo. Yes, you read that right. Make your own. Don’t worry if you don’t have much artistic ability; the website makes it incredibly easy. You simply pick from thousands of icons by industry, and select one to edit. From there, use the logo creator’s design tools, fonts, colors, and editing features. Tweak the logo as much as you want. When you’re satisfied, save it and download it. Congratulations, you just made a logo.

You can get 10% off your order by clicking on this link and using the promo code WallSt10.

6. A design that dazzles.

Tranmautritam from Pexels

Having a great website isn’t just about having a functioning website. It also needs to be aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. Luckily, there are some great options which allow you to have a gorgeous site for an extremely reasonable price.

99designs is home to a wide community of professional designers. The process is simple – create a detailed brief, letting designers know exactly what you’re looking for. From there, you can view designers’ portfolios and hire one directly, or start a contest. Launching a contest lets interested freelancers submit their ideas, allowing you to pick your favorite design. This site is a great way to hire a true professional who has been vetted for quality.

DesignCrowd is another great site, offering a network of more than 617,000 designers. You can use its website for any creative project, from logo design to t-shirt design. It also allows you to create a contest, with the typical project receiving more than 100 design submissions from around the world. You can choose the best design, correspond with the freelancer to tweak it as you wish, and receive all the necessary copyright ownership. If you don’t like any of the designs (which is highly unlikely), DesignCrowd will refund your money. This means there’s no reason not to give it a go.

7. A host that delivers.

bsdrouin on Pixabay

Security. Scalability. Load time. Uptime. These things matter. This is why you need to find a web host that will work hard to keep your site up and running. There are a lot of choices out there, but not all of them are quality choices. Luckily, we’ve done the hard work and identified three of the best options.

If you have a WordPress site, look no further than WP Engine. It’s dedicated solely to WordPress, so it knows how to support those websites. Unlike many web hosts, it’s available to support customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. That alone can be a godsend when you’re pulling your hair out and are ready to throw your computer out the window (don’t worry, it happens to everyone from time to time). Choose from a variety of plans, from Startup to Growth and Scale. Have a look and the WP Engine website to determine which plan is best for you.

Just be sure to click here first, to receive 33% off your first payment.

HostGator is another great hosting platform, also offering customers support every day of the year, 24 hours a day. Those who opt for this host will also benefit from a 99.9% uptime promise. There are three hosting plans, starting at just $2.75 per month. You’ll get unmetered storage and bandwidth, along with unlimited email addresses, even if you pick the cheapest plan. Not bad at all, right? More than 9 million websites already trust HostGator.

Give them a try – you have nothing to lose, thanks to the company’s 45-day money-back guarantee.

Blue Host is owned by the same company as HostGator, and gives you a free domain, site builders, and 24/7 support. It’s another great option for anyone planning to use WordPress, as the company employs a team of WordPress experts who are on hand to offer assistance when you need it. The process is super easy, allowing you to have your WordPress platform up and running in just a few minutes. From there, you can manage all your installations in one place. The company is currently running a special promotion which allows you to pay just $3.95 a month.

Try Blue Host for free, using its 30-day money back guarantee.

8. A website that’s easy to build.

LeBuzz on Unsplash

Gone are the days when business owners had to hire expensive developers to build their websites. You can do it all on your own now, even if you don’t have any experience in the field.

Weebly offers a selection of free templates which can be fully customized to fit your needs. From basic business sites to online stores and portfolios, you’re bound to find a template that works. Every single template is ready to launch immediately, so you can get a professional looking website in the blink of an eye. Weebly is also a great service if you’re looking to create a blog to connect with your customers. Don’t worry if you lack experience – there’s no coding required and you’ll get step-by-step guidance throughout the entire process. A major perk is that you can manage or edit your site from any device. Weebly’s $8 a month ad-free plan will allow you to look like a bona fide professional in no time. They’ll also give you a free domain and $100 in free Google ad credits.

You can also opt to go with Blue Host for just $3.95 a month, which also gets you a free domain and the use of the company’s site builders.

9. Video Marketing.

freestocks.org on Pexels

Create powerful, professional marketing videos with Animoto’s incredibly simple video editor.

Animoto’s the fast and easy way to make videos that’ll grow your business. Create videos in minutes with their online video editor, so you can increase sales with video ads and promotions, create marketing videos for social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and improve brand awareness with powerful professional videos. No video editing experience required.

10. A keeper of passwords.

NeONBRAND on Unsplash

If you’ve ever found yourself staring blankly at a sign-in screen because you forgot your password, you’re not alone. It’s no wonder that people forget them so easily, with every website requiring something different – uppercase letters, lowercase letters, special characters, numbers.

With Dashlane, you’ll never have to struggle again. That’s because it only requires you to remember one “master password,” which you simply enter each day. Dashlane takes it from there, remembering all your other passwords and signing into your various accounts with them. The best part is that you’re kept incredibly secure throughout the process, as even Dashlane doesn’t know or store your master password.

11. An online store that’s good looking & functional.

Shopify Partners on Burst

Just like brick and mortar shops, online stores need to be well organized and attractive to bring in customers. They need to look professional. They need to be easy to use. All of that is easily done with Shopify, a commerce platform that allows anyone to sell things online.

You can choose from hundreds of graphic themes offered by sector. This means that whether you sell vintage clothing or brand new jewelry, you’re bound to find something that’s a perfect fit.

But it’s not just about having a nice looking store. It’s also about having the technology that makes it possible for customers to buy your products online. This means having a payment system that can accept credit cards, and a dashboard where you can view sales and order details. Shopify offers all of that.

You can get a basic plan for $29 a month, or pay just $9 a month if you only want to sell on Facebook, accept credit card payments, and use ‘Buy’ buttons.

Sign up for a free 14-day trial and see why more than 600,000 companies around the world choose Shopify as their online selling platform.

12. An easy payment system.

Sarah Pflug on Burst

No matter what kind of business you run, you need to have a way to accept credit cards. After all, how many people do you know that still carry around cash? Your grandfather might, but you’ll probably be hard-pressed to find anyone else who does.

Square makes it incredibly easy to take debit and credit card payments, no matter where you are. All you have to do is sign up and receive your free magstripe reader, allowing you to swipe credit cards anywhere. You can also order a Square reader for contactless and chip cards, starting at just $49. Square takes just 2.75% of each swipe, dip, or tap. This tool is a great way to ensure you’ll never miss a sale from a person who isn’t carrying cash. Square also offers an app which helps you track sales.

13. Invoices that are organized for you.

rawpixel.com on Unsplash

Accounting and numbers can be a real drag when all you really want to do is enjoy the more exciting side of running your own business. While there are a lot of ways to take care of your business’ accounting needs, FreshBooks is a fabulous choice. It’s a cloud-based secure accounting program which is accessible from wherever you are. It’s easy to use, and organizes all of those boring numbers into great-looking invoices. Just think of all the things you could be doing with your time if you weren’t pouring over invoices, tracking expenses, and following up on payments.

Click here to get a free 60-day trial of FreshBooks.

14. Legal experts to answer questions & make paperwork a breeze.

Unsplash/Olu Eletu

At some point, you’re going to need legal advice. Maybe you’re just starting out and have questions about business formation and trademarks, or maybe you have forms that need to be completed and submitted. LegalZoom is a great resource which can help you make sense of it all.

If you have a question, LegalZoom has an answer. It provides personalized, affordable legal services for less than a traditional lawyer. It’s been around for more than 12 years, and has helped over a million small businesses. If you have ongoing legal needs, consider signing up for a plan that will provide you with legal advice from a real-life lawyer for as little as $31.25 a month.

15. Make signing a snap.

Pixabay

Signatures are usually needed to seal any business deal, but you aren’t always located in the same place as your customers. That’s okay. Docusign makes it easy to sign documents electronically, no matter where you happen to be. You can send out relevant documents via email, and the recipients can sign them with just a couple of taps on their phone or tablet. You won’t have to spend loads of money overnighting important papers ever again. The system is perfectly secure and encrypted, and a complete audit trail is maintained.

Click here for a free 30-day trial.

16. A business loan with a great rate.

Jimi Filipovski on Unsplash

It’s not always necessary for business owners to take out a loan, but those who do need to borrow a little cash should make sure they do it in the smartest way possible. Comparing interest rates is absolutely key when it comes to choosing a lender. After all, you want to make money…not spend it all on high monthly payments.

Zaprates is a loan comparison site that can help you find the perfect business loan. Simply visit the Zaprates website, enter a few details, and get quotes in minutes. Once you apply for a loan, you’ll find out within 24 hours whether you’ve been approved. You don’t have to have perfect credit or a credit history, and little to no collateral is required. You’ll be given all the information up front so you can make an informed decision that will help your business become what you want it to be.

Click here to get free quotes.

17. Don’t just fax … eFax.

freepik

In the age of online digital storage, the need for hard documents is becoming increasingly less common. However, that doesn’t mean they’re obsolete. If you’re required to fax over a document, there’s no need to hunt down an old-fashioned fax machine. Just use eFax, which allows you to send faxes over the internet using your phone, tablet, or computer. It goes straight to the recipient’s fax machine. And when someone with an old-school machine sends you a document, eFax delivers it to you via email. From there, you can review, sign, and send it back – no printing or scanning required.

Click here to get a free 14-day trial.

The post 17 Everyday Business Essentials That Will Save You Time & Money appeared first on Wall Street Insanity.

Freshbooks

FreshBooks is a cloud-based accounting software that is custom-built for freelancers and small business owners. Instead of breaking the bank to hire your own accountant or struggling to do the finances on your own, read on to see how FreshBooks is the perfect solution for you.

1. Keep everything in one place.

Instead of creating invoices in Excel or Word, and doing financial accounts work in QuickBooks, FreshBooks is your one-stop shop. You can make invoices, track expenses, keep track of the time and budget spent on each project, accept payments online, and more.

2. Literally one place, since it’s cloud-based.

This software lives in the cloud, which means you can start something on your work computer, then pick up from where you left off via the app on your phone. It works with all platforms: PC, Apple, and Android.

3. Quick and easy money management.

FreshBooks has everything set up for you to choose from, including invoice templates you can design to look professional. Instead of having to struggle to learn a new software or accounting method, it’s an intuitive program that just needs a little input from you to create exactly what you need.

4. No more paper receipts.

Link your business credit card or bank account to FreshBooks to make keeping track of expenses a breeze. You can also take photos of relevant receipts and upload them to the app so they are seamlessly imported into your financial records.

5. Work well with others.

If you work with contractors, or run your own business and want your employees to have access, they can. You can assign anyone access to a specific project’s financial records, or records for the entire business.

6. Tax time won’t be a hassle.

As you input expenses, FreshBooks categorizes them, so you won’t have to do it at tax time. All of your billable hours are already there. All of your income, sales tax, and more. You can hand over the numbers to your tax preparer, or do it on your own with helpful tax tips from the FreshBooks blog.

7. Try it for free, then keep your costs down.

FreshBooks offers a 30 day free trial so you can see if it will be the best fit for you and your business. Once you’re hooked, you start off at $15/month for total control of your freelance or business finances. They also offer a 30 day money back guarantee, so there’s no risk to giving it a shot.

The post 7 Reasons FreshBooks Makes Managing Your Small Business Finances Easier appeared first on Wall Street Insanity.