Month: February 2021

Best Small Business Ideas: Start a blog

In 2021 we are seeing entrepreneurs coming alive! With so many people trying to make extra income with a side-business or discovering ways to work from home, new online business concepts are popping up all over the map. One of the best side-hustles that can quickly transform into a full time business may sound like a hoax to you, but hear us out: Blogging. 

Blogging might sound like more of a hobby than a business concept, but anything – even hobbies – with the right execution can become a lucrative business. So here’s the deal. When you start an online business, you’re most likely selling one of three things:

  • Your time (coaching or consulting).
  • Your own products
  • Someone else’s products (affiliate marketing or ads).

As a blogger, you are able to market and sell all of the above, with little-to-no overhead and a tremendous profit. So how do you get started? Well, first you have to clear your mind of any of the common blogging nonsense advice and put on your business owner cap from day one. 

Here are a few tips to get started with your own blog:

  • Choose a niche based on business factors
  • Choose your domain name and set up hosting
  • Install themes with plugins that are relevant to bloggers
  • Get to know SEO tools and perform keyword research to generate traffic to your site
  • Educate yourself in SEO to rank your content
  • Scale your guest blogging and link building strategies to build Domain Authority
  • Monetize your blog with the right tactics at the right stage of your blog’s growth
  • Begin to create email lists to push your content out to the right people

Blogging is the ultimate low-risk, high-reward business idea. With a low barrier-to-entry and high profits, it’s a great idea, even while working full-time. 

Thinking of Starting a New Business?

Now is the time! With our society ready to get back in action (safely), new business concepts are quickly emerging with creative flows for serving the public without the high risk of spreading the virus. Put your innovative business concepts into play, and connect with us to get the funding you need to start your newest venture!

Financial restraints have been a complaint for many of the dreamers, limiting themselves to their immediate funds. There is an alternative. If you have the dreams and decent credit, Small Business Loans and No Doc Loans are available to you. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need and the resources available to make your dream a reality. Give us a call – we have the education and the perspective to help you obtain the loans you need for your small business. Visit our website or give us a call to find out what financial backing is available to make your business soar!

Unsecured Finances has over 10 years in the consulting business! We specialized in educating and assisting clients on acquiring Unsecured Business Loans and Start-Up Business Specialty Loans including; Unsecured No Documentation (No-Doc Stated Income) Loans, Unsecured Business Loans, and Unsecured Start-Up Business Loans and Lines of Credit from $10,000 to $500,000 without Assets.

Apply on our website to find out if you qualify, or call today for a free consultation: 1-888-294-2584

Could Now Be the Time to Buy Into a Franchise?

While the world continues to respond to the current unpredictable economy, the resulting trends are opening doors of opportunity for the franchise industry over the next year.

Successful businesses tend to have the talent for spotting trends over fads. While a fad is a passing fancy, a trend points towards the future and opportunities. Exploring franchising trends that emerged in what will prove to be one of the most challenging economies we have ever seen, everyone in franchising can find opportunities like never before.

1. Cohesive partnerships

Franchising only works when franchisors get wealthy by helping their franchisees get wealthy. While this might sound obvious, the trick is creating a cohesive business that continues to succeed based on past success. When done right, franchises create a cycle, with franchisors actively promoting their franchisee’s success and franchisees wanting their franchisors to succeed. This keeps everyone focused on the same goal and avoids a dangerous “us versus them” mentality.

2. The ideal franchisor

Today, the ideal franchisor has 500-plus franchise units with fewer than 50 franchisees. Happy, successful franchisees will grow their businesses into larger territories. They focus on scaling their business exponentially, using free cash flow to reinvest into building more units. Large territory, multi-unit franchisees are the best way for a franchisor to operate a franchise business with less effort put into monitoring franchisees and a much higher return when they sell the company.

3. Long-term value

Historically, franchisors have regarded the franchise fee as the only source of revenue from a franchisee. Today, franchisors consider the long-term value of their franchisees. A franchisee pays royalties into the system that could equal millions of dollars over the lifetime of the business. Franchisors are focusing on nurturing their franchisees and providing the tools they need to succeed.

4. Private equity and professional investors

More private equity and professional investors see franchising as a way to earn steady, predictable revenue and profits. Investors can witness the snowball effect of compounded returns resulting from an investment that generates enough profit to reinvest successfully. More investors will see franchises as a self-perpetuating investment that generates profit to meet their long- term wealth-building goals.

5. COVID-driven needs and opportunities

2020 introduced a down cycle of scary proportions and brought opportunity. Ghost kitchens create opportunities for companies with the foresight to change their model. Off-premise sales are about the brand bringing their product to customers. The shift from dine-in and take out to new options such as curbside pick-up and Chipotle’s “chipotlanes”, has shown that scrappy business owners have innovated new ways to operate their businesses and change with the demands of society.

“As sad as COVID-19 is, it has created new opportunities”

Businesses can now start up for 50 to 80 per cent less than they would have in better days, opening in low-cost conversions of shuttered businesses or with smaller footprints. Smart franchisees take advantage of the great real estate deals and available labor force to grow their businesses. As sad as COVID-19 is, it has created new opportunities.

While the world continues to respond to the unpredictable economy of an ongoing pandemic, the resulting trends are opening doors of opportunity for the franchising industry in 2021. And don’t forget: franchising only works when you get wealthy by helping others get wealthy.

Thinking of Starting a New Business?

Now is the time! With our society ready to get back in action (safely), new business concepts are quickly emerging with creative flows for serving the public without the high risk of spreading the virus. Put your innovative business concepts into play, and connect with us to get the funding you need to start your newest venture!

Financial restraints have been a complaint for many of the dreamers, limiting themselves to their immediate funds. There is an alternative. If you have the dreams and decent credit, Small Business Loans and No Doc Loans are available to you. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need and the resources available to make your dream a reality. Give us a call – we have the education and the perspective to help you obtain the loans you need for your small business. Visit our website or give us a call to find out what financial backing is available to make your business soar!

Unsecured Finances has over 10 years in the consulting business! We specialized in educating and assisting clients on acquiring Unsecured Business Loans and Start-Up Business Specialty Loans including; Unsecured No Documentation (No-Doc Stated Income) Loans, Unsecured Business Loans, and Unsecured Start-Up Business Loans and Lines of Credit from $10,000 to $500,000 without Assets.

Apply on our website to find out if you qualify, or call today for a free consultation: 1-888-294-2584

Businesses: Marketing Tips for Valentine’s Day 2021

Businesses are optimistic about preparing for Valentine’s Day this year, so marketing is more important than ever before! Let’s dive into how you can maximize your marketing strategy to make the most of this lovely holiday.

Valentine’s Day Marketing Strategies

Any holiday associated with gift giving presents an opportunity for ecommerce business. Valentine’s Day is no exception. Let’s take a look at some of the Valentine’s Day marketing strategies you can use to tap into the holiday spending and look at examples of how merchants have curated successful campaigns.

Think outside the box (of chocolates).

So you don’t sell candy, flowers, or jewelry. That doesn’t mean you can’t capitalize on Valentine’s Day holiday shopping! With the right messaging, even products not traditionally considered for Valentine’s Day could become part of your loyal customers’ gifting plans.  

Start sending Valentine’s Day-themed emails.

Remind your email subscribers of the upcoming holiday with Valentine’s Day-themed email marketing. Make sure your emails have a catchy subject line and copy to keep your customers engaged.

Schedule emails for two weeks before Valentine’s Day to ensure that your products remain at the forefront of the customers’ minds (without being overbearing). And don’t forget about last minute shoppers — especially common on Valentine’s Day.

Provide shoppers with gift guides.

Buying gifts for loved ones, whether it’s a best friend or significant other, can be a real challenge, especially if you want to stray from the traditional candy-flowers-teddy bear equation.

Give your customers some help with a gift guide! 

Holiday-themed gift guides are a great way to provide customers with ideas for what to buy. It is a great opportunity to highlight products that your audience wouldn’t have normally thought of.

Share the love on social media.  

Social media is a great place to get creative with your campaigns. Connect with your customers on Valentine’s Day by sharing anything special your shop is doing for the holiday.

To broaden your reach, consider engaging with common Valentine’s Day hashtags, or use a unique campaign hashtag and encourage your customers to share their own love stories or photos — then make use of all the great user-generated content.

Create daily deals and time-sensitive offers.  

Create a promotion with a countdown timer. Shoppers are urged to make an instant purchase if they have limited time to qualify for a sale or special offer. Here’s another example from Bottle Breacher showing how they added a sense of urgency to their special holiday offer.

You could also consider keeping customers engaged with a special holiday giveaway.

Tailor your paid search messaging.

Let’s face it — shoppers are going to be searching for gift ideas. Why not make sure your store shows up high in their search results?

Create a marketing campaign with related keywords and tailored Valentine’s Day ad copy, like this La Perla example below (which also does a great job of creating a sense of urgency by including the latest order date for on-time delivery).

Drop a new product.

Cleaning supplies are not everyone’s idea of a good time, but Mrs. Meyer’s makes cleaning cute by dropping their limited edition rose scent around Valentine’s Day. The design and copy of this tweet tie the two together in a super creative way.

Keep your promotions going until the last minute.

If you’ve ever been in the grocery store or pharmacy on Valentine’s Day, you already know this — it’s a holiday notorious for last-minute shopping.

So, while you can start peppering in your promotions early, don’t stop short.

If you’re selling in a brick-and-mortar, be ready for an uptick in sales in the days and hours leading up to Valentine’s Day. And on the ecommerce side, reinforce your shipping deadlines to prompt shoppers to pull the trigger.

Capitalize on anti-Valentine’s Day sentiment.

Not everyone is in love with love. Of the 44% of men and 46% of women who say they’re not planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day, 28% and 30%, respectively, say they still plan to mark the occasion somehow.

Plans include getting together with friends, treating themselves to something they want, or purchasing an “anti-Valentine’s Day” gift. Just like LARQ found a way to put a Valentine’s Day spin on their water bottle, think about ways you can market your products to all your anti-valentines.

Conclusion

Valentine’s Day isn’t the niche opportunity it used to be. Brands and merchants well outside of the typically popular gift categories can, with the right messaging, take advantage of the uptick in holiday shopping. Take these marketing tips and turn them into a love-filled campaign full of goodness for your business.

Thinking of Starting a New Business?

Now is the time! With our society ready to get back in action (safely), new business concepts are quickly emerging with creative flows for serving the public without the high risk of spreading the virus. Put your innovative business concepts into play, and connect with us to get the funding you need to start your newest venture!

Financial restraints have been a complaint for many of the dreamers, limiting themselves to their immediate funds. There is an alternative. If you have the dreams and decent credit, Small Business Loans and No Doc Loans are available to you. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need and the resources available to make your dream a reality. Give us a call – we have the education and the perspective to help you obtain the loans you need for your small business. Visit our website or give us a call to find out what financial backing is available to make your business soar!

Unsecured Finances has over 10 years in the consulting business! We specialized in educating and assisting clients on acquiring Unsecured Business Loans and Start-Up Business Specialty Loans including; Unsecured No Documentation (No-Doc Stated Income) Loans, Unsecured Business Loans, and Unsecured Start-Up Business Loans and Lines of Credit from $10,000 to $500,000 without Assets.

Apply on our website to find out if you qualify, or call today for a free consultation: 1-888-294-2584

Businesses Preparing for Valentine’s Day 2021

There may be a lot of apprehension concerning Valentine’s Day this year in 2021 for a lot of businesses. The question remains about how much business they should be preparing themselves for. However, many publications have predicted this Valentine’s Day to big a success, especially following this past year. 

Setting aside some time to plan a thoughtful Valentine’s Day promotion can really help your business compete. With some easy tips and targeted promotions, you can make this a successful holiday for your business!

Remember to keep your customers and staff safe by adhering to standard COVID guidelines (wearing a mask, frequent hand washing, social distancing, etc.), and adhere to all local and state health regulations.

Safety Issues

Leave enough room in your store so that customers are not in close contact with each other. Keep the area near your cash register as open as possible and ensure that aisles are wide enough to allow for ease of movement and distancing. If you’re providing online shopping and delivery, clearly spell out your order deadlines and delivery options. If you’re providing curbside pick-up as an alternative to delivery, train your staff in your process.

Marketing Basics

Review your customer base to decide who you want to target (men, women, younger/older adults, etc.), and plan accordingly with your merchandise or services.

  • Decorate your business. Visit your local party supply store and pick up pink, red, and white decorations.
  • Create window displays. If your business has a front window, advertise your Valentine’s related goods and services in this prime real estate.
  • Review what you ordered last year to see what was popular and what didn’t sell well.
  • For many businesses, such as florists and candy stores, it’s the busiest time of the year, so hire additional staff as needed.
  • Spotlight your Valentine’s Day items by placing those goods in one area, preferably close to the door and/or checkout area. Make this area stand out with decorations and signage.
  • Increase sales with gift sets. If you sell items that go together well, consider creating gift sets at a discounted price. Items such as candles, soaps and lotions are complimentary.
  • For a service business such as a hair styling salon or spa, consider offering discounts for package deals on services.
  • Create special items just for Valentine’s Day. Consider making special items created or sold once per year; a chocolatier, for instance, could make special heart-shaped candies and include cute sayings about love on larger pieces.
  • Don’t forget that men and women both shop for this occasion. Dedicate a special section of “for him” and “for her” gifts.

Marketing Campaigns

Online shopping has seen an increase in the age of COVID, so update your website and social media accounts with any changes to your business (such as safety procedures and online shopping/delivery options), as well as new products and specials. There are many styles of marketing campaigns to engage customers, including direct mail, email, social media, and in-store signage. An email is one of the cheapest ways to communicate with clients, but send email promotions early so people can plan gift ideas ahead of time. Use Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. While it’s good to plan ahead with posts leading up to Valentine’s Day, you can also post information at the last minute and still reach shoppers via social media.

Tips

While many of the tips offered above also apply to restaurants, there are a few special considerations:

  • Much of your business this year will likely be takeout or delivery, so review these procedures and change as needed. 
  • Make sure you have enough staff and that they’re trained to handle increased business.
  • For customers who place orders online in advance of the day, provide specials such as free dessert or discounts on appetizers.
  • Don’t forget to order plenty of take-out packaging.
  • In order to keep staff and customers as safe as possible, allow pickups only at the front door or a designated window rather than letting customers inside.If that’s not possible, serve one customer at a time inside to avoid crowding. You can also use curbside delivery.
  • Finally, don’t forget that Valentine’s Day isn’t just for romantic partners, but many loved ones. People, especially women, may buy gifts for children, parents, friends, coworkers, and even their pets!

Thinking of Starting a New Business?

Now is the time! With our society ready to get back in action (safely), new business concepts are quickly emerging with creative flows for serving the public without the high risk of spreading the virus. Put your innovative business concepts into play, and connect with us to get the funding you need to start your newest venture!

Financial restraints have been a complaint for many of the dreamers, limiting themselves to their immediate funds. There is an alternative. If you have the dreams and decent credit, Small Business Loans and No Doc Loans are available to you. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need and the resources available to make your dream a reality. Give us a call – we have the education and the perspective to help you obtain the loans you need for your small business. Visit our website or give us a call to find out what financial backing is available to make your business soar!

Unsecured Finances has over 10 years in the consulting business! We specialized in educating and assisting clients on acquiring Unsecured Business Loans and Start-Up Business Specialty Loans including; Unsecured No Documentation (No-Doc Stated Income) Loans, Unsecured Business Loans, and Unsecured Start-Up Business Loans and Lines of Credit from $10,000 to $500,000 without Assets.

Apply on our website to find out if you qualify, or call today for a free consultation: 1-888-294-2584

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