Tag Archive for Small

SurePayroll Launches Extreme Payroll Stories Contest, Giving Small Businesses Opportunity to Win Free Payroll Services

January 24, 2012 admin Payroll Services

SurePayroll Launches Extreme Payroll Stories Contest, Giving Small Businesses Opportunity to Win Free Payroll Services










Glenview, IL (PRWEB) November 23, 2010

SurePayroll today announced the launch of “Extreme Payroll Stories,” a contest that awards participants with free payroll services for sharing their stories about how they’ve processed payroll under extreme circumstances.

To enter the contest, small business owners and small business employees who process payroll can submit their “Extreme Payroll” stories to the official contest site, and encourage family, friends and colleagues to vote for their extraordinary experience. The participant who submits the story that receives the most votes wins free payroll service from SurePayroll for one year. The participant who submits the story with the second-highest number of votes will receive free payroll service for three months.

Submissions are due by December 15, 2010, and voting ends on December 17, 2010. Official contest rules can be viewed at http://extremepayroll.com/contest-rules/.

The Extreme Payroll Stories theme highlights SurePayroll’s mission to provide a fast, simple, and convenient payroll process (online and through the mobile payroll app) even under extreme circumstances. SurePayroll’s Mobile Payroll app is the first of its kind in the payroll industry, and was introduced by the company last year to give their customers the freedom to process payroll anywhere and anytime they want.

“Small business owners are very busy during the workday and never off the clock, so they often need flexibility in how and when they complete tasks,” says SurePayroll Vice President of Marketing Scott Brandt. “Payroll is no exception. People often tell us they’ve processed payroll in outrageous places – in the jungle, right before the start of their child’s ballet recital, on a romantic date, you name it. The contest is a fun way to celebrate their commitment to — and passion for — business.”

For more information about the Extreme Payroll Stories contest, or to submit or vote for a story, visit http://extremepayroll.com/extreme-stories/.

About SurePayroll

The online alternative to ADP® and Paychex®, SurePayroll is dedicated to providing a simple, convenient and accurate online payroll service at a price small business owners can afford. Tens of thousands of customers rely on SurePayroll to process payroll on demand in as few as two minutes. In addition, SurePayroll offers efficient online solutions for managing 401(k) plans, health insurance, workers’ compensation, employee screening and more. For accountants and banking partners, SurePayroll provides private-label and co-branded services that enable them to offer payroll processing to their small business clients. Every month the company releases the SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard, which aggregates hiring and compensation data from more than 30,000 small businesses regionally and nationwide, and includes overall optimism levels among small business owners. Founded in 2000, SurePayroll has received numerous prestigious awards for its innovative technology and outstanding customer service, including recognition from PC Magazine, Inc. 500, Accounting Today, the American Business Awards and many others. For more information, please visit http://www.SurePayroll.com.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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Tax Relief Company Helps Small Businesses with Payroll and Income Tax Problems

August 7, 2011 admin Taxes

Tax Relief Company Helps Small Businesses with Payroll and Income Tax Problems










New Canaan, CT (PRWEB) November 1, 2005

Citizens Tax Relief (CTR), a national tax resolution firm specializing in tax relief for small business owners, announced a new campaign to help small business owners with un-filed income tax and payroll tax problems.

Citizens Tax Relief is now offering a free consultation for small business owners who have questions or issues with payroll taxes, income taxes, IRS wage garnishments and bank levies. The firm, which has helped a number of small businesses in the past year, is led by specialized tax attorneys, financial experts, and CPAs.

“Over the past few years, we have encountered a number of small businesses who have not had the resources or knowledge to deal with taxes and the IRS,” said Terry O’Rourke, CTR President. “In many cases, the business owners are unaware of their taxpayers’ rights or the resources available to help them with tax relief. It’s our goal to educate small business owners about their rights regarding income and payroll taxes, IRS wage garnishments, IRS bank levies; and how to use the government programs and resources to their benefit,” said O’Rourke.

These free and confidential consultations are meant to educate the business owner and help them quickly implement a tax relief strategy that protects their business and provides the time to help the business grow. In many cases, CTR has been able to help small businesses reduce their tax liability by as much as ninety percent.

Each free consultation provides an in-depth analysis of the business owner’s liability and every potential tax relief resolution available to them.

Citizens Tax Relief services include:

    Payroll tax remedies

    Removal of wage garnishments and IRS bank liens

    Stopping IRS property seizures

    Subordinating IRS property liens

    Innocent spouse’s relief

    Income Tax relief

    Preparing and filing back tax returns – even when records have been lost

CTR tax attorneys, CPAs, enrolled agents, and financial advisors can also remove penalties and interest for late filers who meet IRS criteria or arrange manageable installment agreements.

Small businesses, which have been a growing segment in an otherwise weak economy, account for a significant portion of tax relief business for tax attorneys due to payroll tax misunderstandings. “Penalties can be severe and excessive,” said O’Rourke. “Small businesses often make the mistake of paying bills rather than payroll, and they don’t realize that management personnel can be held personally responsible for payroll taxes even after a company has been shut down.” CTR provides a hotline for small businesses to obtain needed information.

Citizens Tax Relief has helped thousands of people find tax relief and remove the fear and stigma that can come with owing money to the government. Citizens or small business owners can visit the CTR website at http://www.CitizensTaxRelief.com for information to help them through the maze of tax laws or for a quick, free determination of whether they qualify for tax relief.

About Citizens Tax Relief

Citizens Tax Relief is a national tax relief firm with tax attorneys, enrolled agents and CPA’s. CTR has over 20 years of experience in IRS negotiations and resolution work using highly trained financial professionals and tax attorneys. It is a member of the Better Business Bureau since 1991 with an AAA rating and National Association of Tax Professionals.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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New Technology Frees Small Business Cash Advances from Credit Card Processors

June 21, 2011 admin Cash

New Technology Frees Small Business Cash Advances from Credit Card Processors












Cliffton, NJ (PRWEB) October 7, 2008

FastUpFront introduces a new technology that provides small business to qualify for unsecured cash advance loans. Traditionally, these loans were only available from the business’s credit card processor, making these companies vulnerable to inflated costs, bad service and refusal. Through its new technology, FastUpFront provides businesses a new option for cash advances, which are an essential financial lifeline for many small to medium sized companies.

“No one likes dealing with a monopoly situation,” explains FastUpFront Manager of Business Development, Mark Schafer. “Without any competition, there is no incentive to bring down costs or increase service levels. So many of our customers tell us how they were literally trapped before.”

FastUpFront provides this essential service to businesses facing cash crunches. This is a common phenomenon for firms dealing with steep growth curves or seasonal lulls in revenues. Banks and other institutional lenders are often unwilling to provide unsecured loans for operating cash flow, leaving businesses to seek other methods of financing. Small business cash advances are generally offered against a company’s credit card receipts. FastUpFront now provides these companies options in seeking cash advances.

“Our technology makes it easy to apply, receive the business cash advance and repay the unsecured loan,” says Schafer. “We have chosen to compete not just on approval rates and low fees, but also on customer service. Bad service has been a source of major complaints from businesses seeking cash advances.” He points out that more than half of first-time customers return for further advances. FastUpFront approves 95 percent of applications.

FastUpFront has established itself as a leader in the lending industry. Our mission is to help businesses succeed by offering simple and effective programs for financing while focusing on quality service. Their unsecured cash advance program makes borrowing money simple and quick, and cuts out the strict application requirements normally associated with business loans. Their unsecured cash advance works for business on a variety of levels and in ways that make small business loans either unattainable or not suitable due to repayment schedules or credit history.

For more information contact:

Mark Schafer

Manager of Business Development, FastUpFront

(877) 585-7868

mngt @ fastupfront.com

http://www.fastupfront.com

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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Small Business Stalker Strikes Again

May 18, 2011 admin Cash

Small Business Stalker Strikes Again











Houston, TX (PRWEB) August 12, 2004

Did you start a small business hoping to create financial security for yourself and your family, only to find yourself running out of cash after only a short while? You are not alone.

80 percent of small businesses flatline within five years because they don’t know what is going on with their most precious resource – their CASH. To avoid the pain and loss of failing in business, you must learn how to take control of your cash flow.

“Getting your cash flow under control is not a luxury. It is a requirement for survival,” says Philip Campbell, business cash flow coach and author of “Never Run Out of Cash: The 10 Cash Flow Rules You Can’t Afford to Ignore.”

An expert in the field of financial management, Campbell has been helping business owners learn how to manage their cash flow for more than twenty years. Here, he offers four simple yet powerful tips that will help you get a grip on your cash flow and set yourself up for financial success.

1. Know your cash balance right now. This is critical. Even the most intelligent and experienced entrepreneur will fail if they are making business decisions using inaccurate or incomplete cash balances.

2. Do today’s work today. The key to keeping an accurate cash balance in your accounting system is to do today’s work today. When you do this, you will have the numbers you need – when you need them.

3. Don’t manage from the bank balance. Reconcile from the bank balance, but do not manage from it. The bank balance and the cash balance are different. Trying to manage from the bank balance is a prescription for failure.

4. Know what you expect the cash balance to be six months from now. This one simple strategy alone will transform the way you manage your business.

Find out more about how to get a grip on your cash flow today and set yourself up for success! Get the FREE special report “The 7 Deadly Cash Flow Sins” at http://www.NeverRunOutOfCash.com

Contact:

Philip Campbell

(713) 962-1646

pcampbell@GrowAndSucceed.com

http://www.NeverRunOutOfCash.com

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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Two New Books Catalog Hundreds of Tax Deductions for Individuals and Small Businesses

May 9, 2011 admin Taxes

Two New Books Catalog Hundreds of Tax Deductions for Individuals and Small Businesses










Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) January 17, 2006

With millions of American taxpayers preparing to file their 2005 tax returns, now more than ever will they need to know what avenues are available to them to legally reduce their tax burdens and/or maximize their tax refunds. Unfortunately, while many of them are making their tax filing plans, they neglect several of the legal tax deductions they qualify to claim or have qualified to claim.

Encyclopedia of Individual Tax Deductions (2006 Edition) by Gladson I. Nwanna, (PhD). and A Simplified Guide to Small Business Tax Deductions by Gladson I. Nwanna, take the guesswork out of determining or exploring which expense items are tax deductible and which are not. Both the Individual Taxpayers and Business Taxpayers will benefit from the information contained in these books. Unlike other books on this subject, each of these books catalogs in a simplified format, hundreds of federal income tax deductions available to the individual taxpayers and business taxpayers.

According to Dr. Nwanna, “the additional unique features of these books is the format. For each deduction listed, readers are provided with (1) the Schedule or Form to use to claim the deduction, (2) additional information, tips and/or discussion concerning the particular deduction (3) IRS tax publications you may consult and use and (4) the Actual Line on the tax schedule or Form to claim the deduction.”

Readers will also find these books useful and timely since they provide taxpayers with a checklist of a sort, and a readily available list of potential tax deductions that taxpayers can readily present and/or discuss with their tax preparer, tax accountants, tax advisers or financial advisers.

Besides including information on hundreds of potential federal income tax deductions Encyclopedia of Individual Tax Deductions and A Simplified Guide to Small Business Tax Deductions contain numerous references and resources that taxpayers can consult such as, Useful Addresses and Telephone Numbers, Tax Publications and Descriptions, Tax Publications and Topics discussed in them, Commonly Used Tax Forms, TELETAX Topics, TAXFAX, Nondeductible Expenses, Tax Credits, and Record Keeping.

Gladson I. Nwanna, Ph.D., is also the author of several other tax-related books including “A Citizen’s Guide to Negotiating and Working Through Tax Problems with the IRS”, “The History of Federal Income Tax and Facts the IRS Wants You to Know – An Annotated Guide for Students and Adults”, and     “A Citizen’s Guide to Frequently Asked Tax Questions and the Answers the IRS Wants You to Know.”

Dr. Nwanna is a professor of Accounting & Finance and a former consultant to the World Bank. Encyclopedia of Individual Tax Deductions and A Simplified Guide to Small Business Tax Deductions are published by Frontline Publishers, http://www.frontlinepublishers.com. They are available at Amazon.com, myustaxdeductions.com, through major bookstores nationwide, or directly from the publisher at 410-922-4903. (Encyclopedia of Individual Tax Deductions, ISBN: 1-890605-39-5, 335 pages, Retail price $ 24.99); (A Simplified Guide to Small Business Tax Deductions, ISBN: 1-890605-40-9, 285pages, Retail price $ 39.99).

A copy of your review will be appreciated.

Review Copy available upon request. Please indicate format. Electronic Via E-mail.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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$19 Billion in Government Business Loans for Small Businesses

April 5, 2011 admin Loans

$ 19 Billion in Government Business Loans for Small Businesses











(PRWEB) December 30, 2005

American small business owners can learn how to take advantage of the federal government’s small business loan programs at http://SmallBusinessCenter.com.

The process of getting a government business loan is fairly simple. The business owner submits a loan application to a participating lender for initial review. A copy of the application and a credit analysis are forwarded by the lender to the U.S. Government’s Small Business Administration (SBA). Following SBA approval, the lending institution closes the loan and disburses the funds.

Start-up and existing small business may use the loan proceeds to:

expand or renovate facilities;

purchase machinery, equipment, fixtures and leasehold improvements;

finance receivables and augment working capital;

refinance existing debt (under some circumstances);

finance seasonal lines of credit;

construct commercial buildings; and/or

purchase land or buildings.

Congress created the SBA in 1953 to “aid, counsel, assist and protect, insofar as is possible, the interests of small business concerns.” Since its founding on July 30, 1953, SBA has delivered about 20 million loans, loan guarantees, and other forms of assistance to small businesses.

In 2005, the SBA guaranteed 88,912 small business loans through its flagship 7(a) business loan program for a total of $ 14 billion, a 23% increase in the number of business loans compared to the previous year. In the Certified Development Company loan program, also known as the 504 program, 8,979 loans were made for $ 4.9 billion.

Business loans to women were up 39% over 2004. Loans to African Americans were up 41%. For Hispanics, the increase in loans was 19% and for Asians it was 17%. Women received $ 3.3 billion in government small business loans, representing 17% of total dollars, an increase of 27% over the previous year. Minorities received $ 5.8 billion in small business loans, representing 31% of total dollars, an increase of 26% over the previous year.

Small businesses turned to the U.S. Small Business Administration for commercial financing in record numbers in 2005, securing 97,891 small business loans through its two main small business loan programs, setting a loan volume record for the fifth consecutive year. The figure is more than double the number of small business loans made in 2000.

“This is fantastic news for small businesses and we’re very pleased with the results our two main loan programs showed in 2005,” said SBA Administrator Hector V. Barreto. “This positive growth trend means that the President’s mission of providing an economic environment in which entrepreneurs can succeed is working. It is further evidence that small businesses are continuing to power the economy and create jobs. It’s also a positive thing for the taxpayers,” Barreto added. “In 2004 it cost $ 100 million in government dollars to operate the 7(a) program. In 2005, modest fees paid by the lenders and borrowers have allowed us to meet the extraordinary demand for these loans and dollars without taxpayer expense. We’re proud these cost-effective programs have been a win-win for small businesses and the American taxpayer.”

Be sure to check out http://www.SBASmallBusinessLoans.com for more detailed information on how to take advantage of various government programs and services for small businesses.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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Netcelerate Launches Hosted Applications Designed to Improve Small Business Accessibility and Productivity

January 11, 2011 admin Business Services

Netcelerate Launches Hosted Applications Designed to Improve Small Business Accessibility and Productivity











Ottawa, Ontario (Vocus/PRWEB) February 01, 2011

Time-starved and cost-conscious small and medium businesses are now able to boost productivity with the release of Netcelerate’s Hosted Applications. The launch of services like Hosted Exchange, Blackberry Exchange Server (BES), Hosted Website Service and Domain Name Service will allow businesses to reduce costs, reduce administration and reduce maintenance.

“Our goal is to provide small and mid-size businesses with the most sought-after applications that improve accessibility, mobility and overall productivity,” says Jack Hunt, CEO of Netcelerate. One such tool is Netcelerate’s Hosted Exchange powered by Microsoft Exchange Server 2010: a Fortune-500 collaborative business tool that is now available to small and medium businesses at an affordable price. With Hosted Exchange, businesses can benefit from: Shared Tools such as emails, calendars, contacts and tasks. Hosted Exchange also includes a Scheduling Assistant to help users schedule meetings based on the availability of invitees and resources and Outlook Web Access which provides access to Exchange using Outlook via web.

Business owners and IT managers concerned with the security of cloud-based services such as Hosted Exchange can gain reassurance by the anti-SPAM, anti-virus and support services included in Netcelerate’s Personal Messaging, Group Collaboration, Group Collaboration Not-for-Profit (which is eligible for discounted service) and Unified Communication bundles that are available at an affordable per user/per month rate.

The introduction of Hosted Applications is a natural addition to the range of communication solutions that Netcelerate currently offers and is supported by the robust cloud-based architecture built by Netcelerate. Hosted Exchange powered by Microsoft Exchange Server 2010, Blackberry Exchange Server, Hosted Website and Domain Name services present a great opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses to leverage the cloud technology responsible for these mobility enhancing and efficiency generating business solutions.

Readers interested in learning about Netcelerate’s Hosted Applications, including Hosted Exchange, are encouraged to visit Netcelerate’s website for more information.

About Netcelerate

Netcelerate has become a leader in transforming business communications by providing small and medium enterprises with business grade phone systems, hosted and managed voice and data services, business communications, and mobility solutions. The company’s solutions have been built using Cloud Computing architecture and robust, manageable network access technology to ensure the best quality of service and the highest security for their customers. Netcelerate strives to provide affordable, easy-to-use, cost-saving solutions that are simple to integrate, modify and scale to accommodate enterprise growth. Netcelerate provides their customers with great telecommunication cost savings while enabling business growth and improving customer experience.

Netcelerate was established in 2003 and is headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, with offices in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and New York. Netcelerate offers private networks across Canada, with network coverage in all major U.S. cities through various partnerships.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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Small Businesses Complete Payroll Tasks in a Fraction of the Time

December 24, 2010 admin Payroll Services

Small Businesses Complete Payroll Tasks in a Fraction of the Time










Madison, WI (PRWEB) September 14, 2005 -

— Today The Payroll Company announced that customers using its Online Payroll solution were completing their payroll with extreme accuracy—in about five minutes. Previous paper payroll methods could take hours, depending on the number of employees and the complexity of the payroll deductions and garnishments.

“Our customers have found that they can log in and complete their payroll in less time than it takes to make coffee in the break room. The system saves valuable time and virtually eliminates payroll errors. We’re ecstatic to be able to provide that kind of service,” said Chris Murphy of The Payroll Company.

Customers access Online Payroll through a secure Internet site. The solution includes wizards to ease data entry, and finishes with a pre-process verification step as a final check to ensure the payroll is correct. Customers then submit their payroll for processing with one button click. For those customers who want it, the solution can also manage human resources and time management information.

About The Payroll Company

Payroll Company, Inc., is a leading provider of payroll and human resource solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses. The company offers comprehensive payroll services, including payroll processing, payroll tax administration, and employee pay services such as direct deposit, check signing, and paperless payroll. Human resource and benefit services include 401K plan recordkeeping, workers’ compensation administration, section 125 plans, and other administrative services for business. The Payroll Company was founded in 1998. With headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, the company services businesses nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.payrollcompany.biz.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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INEVOLVE SB Launches Business Continuity Planning Service for Small Businesses

December 21, 2010 admin Business Services

INEVOLVE SB Launches Business Continuity Planning Service for Small Businesses











INEVOLVE SB Profile


Washington DC (PRWEB) March 15, 2011

Over the past 10 years there have been countless small businesses critically affected, both directly and indirectly by local and regional disasters. The attacks on September 11, 2001, Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill in the Gulf and the economic downturn in 2008 are reminders that disasters can occur at anytime and without warning. Eight out of ten small businesses affected by these events never recovered simply because they didn’t have documented strategy for recovery, also known as a Business Continuity Plan.

It is critical that small businesses have plans and procedures in place that will allow them to recover from a disaster. While business insurance covers some of these elements, it doesn’t cover the most important thing; your business’s ability to continue providing its products and services to customers.

According to Business Continuity industry leaders, having the ability to recover your business’s products and services, and documenting all of the supporting elements that go into producing and delivering them to customers, reduces the risk your business will suffer catastrophically from a disaster.

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery experts from around the world strongly suggest business owners develop, document and test Business Continuity Plans for their businesses, agreeing that having these plans in place before a disaster occurs is the best way to ensure your business can recovery and continue operating.

INEVOLVE SB, a professional Small Business Service Continuity Planning provider now offers Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning Services that enable small business owners to recover their business operations and products and services quickly and effectively in the event they are affected by a short or long-term disaster.

Unlike many Recovery Planning services operating today, INEVOLVE SB focuses its recovery strategies on a business’s product and service offerings, rather than just critical services or IT/Data systems. Their plans are designed to recover each product and service individually, including each of the support elements required to continue providing the service to customers. In the event of a disaster or emergency, this approach provides small business owners the capability to recover their operations almost anywhere and at anytime, enabling them to return to providing all of their products and services to their customers quickly, with little or no down-time.

ABOUT INEVOLVE SB

INEVOLVE SB was formed to assist small businesses in planning for recovery from disasters, whether natural or man-made, that will have their business operating again in as little time as possible. Offering Business Continuity Planning Services is the next step in the evolution of Service Continuity. INEVOLVE SB Business Continuity Planners have 15 or more years providing these services to both commercial businesses and the federal government and have had success with planning, testing and execution of Continuity of Operations and Business Continuity Plans. They also have over 20 years experience in Disaster Preparedness, Recovery and Emergency/Crisis Management.

INEVOLVE SB can develop and tailor a Business Continuity Plan that meets your business’s needs, providing a cost effective and easy to implement solutions should your business ever experience an event that requires a partial or full recovery.

INEVOLVE SB also offers Business Development and Process Improvement Services. For a complete list of products and services they offer, please visit their website.

For more information, please contact their office at (540) 219-4274 or visit their website at http://www.inevolvesb.com.

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The Frightening Truth about Selling to Small Business via Bank Branches

December 7, 2010 admin Business Services

The Frightening Truth about Selling to Small Business via Bank Branches











Free eBook for small business bankers and branch managers. Download at www.claritynomorefear.com.


Concord, MA (PRWEB) April 18, 2011

Selling to small businesses is very profitable for banks. Studies show that a business account is three times more profitable for a bank than a consumer account. The problem is that most branch staff are afraid to talk to small business owners, which results in missed sales opportunities. To make matters worse, their low confidence and lack of sales training about businesses, business owner concerns, and bank products and services often result in selling the wrong products—more than 40 percent of small businesses in a recent survey were in the wrong deposit accounts.

Clarity Advantage, a consulting and bank sales training firm, offers six strategies to reduce fear and increase effectiveness in building profitable business relationships:

1.    Pick One – pick one type or very few types of businesses to learn well and sell to. “While you may sell to companies or buyers other than the chosen ‘One,’ develop your business based on that ‘One,’” says Nick Miller, bank small business sales specialist and president of Clarity Advantage. “Once you have mastered the ‘One’ and developed a good business based on that ‘One,’ pick another one that is somehow related so that now you have ‘One plus One’ that go together rather than ‘two alone.’”

2.    Go Deep – become an expert on those businesses. Understand clients’ and prospects’ challenges and concerns first. Then offer ideas that will help them.

3.    Develop the Offering – understand the bank’s products and how businesses use those products best to address their challenges. “There’s no substitute for this,” says Miller. “Like business owners know their stuff, bankers have to know theirs. From memory, bankers have to know the products the bank offers, what they were designed to do for a company, and how companies would typically measure or notice the benefit of using the products.”

4.    Accentuate Personal Value – translate knowledge and personal experience into potential benefits those types of businesses will welcome. Miller recommends thinking about it as a features/advantages/benefits presentation—“I have certain features, which help you do certain things, which produce certain benefits for you.”

5.    Own the Conversation – guide the conversation process with engaging, challenging questions. Use the perspective of present, past, and future to learn about the business. Some examples: How is your business going at this point? (present); How has your business changed over the last couple of years? (past); How do you see it evolving into the future? What sorts of challenges do you think you’ll face? (future). Avoid predictable, generic questions like “Tell me about your business.”

6.    Size ‘Em Up – know whether or not the business owner meets the bank’s credit criteria. According to Miller: “You can save yourself, your bank’s underwriters, and your applicant’s time if you are courageous enough to ask three tough questions upfront. Has the business been profitable during the last several years? Has the company or any of its owners filed for bankruptcy at any point? Do any of the company’s owners have any issues on their personal credit reports?”

“It is imperative that bank sales training emphasize small business operations challenges, the value of bank solutions, and sales skills appropriate to the business types on which the bank wants its sellers in the branches to focus on most,” notes Miller. “The end result should be a more confident, knowledgeable branch staff that is no longer afraid to call on small businesses, and is well equipped to meet both the bank’s business sales goals and consumer sales goals.”

For more information on increasing the effectiveness of selling to businesses via bank branches, Clarity Advantage has released an eBook entitled, “No more…fear: 6 Ways Small Business Bankers and Branch Managers Can Build Confidence in Talking to Business Owners and Increase Sales Now.” Sales team leaders can use the sales training exercises in the eBook as sales team meetings. To download this free eBook, please visit: http://www.claritynomorefear.com/ebook.php.

About Clarity Advantage

Consulting and bank training firm Clarity Advantage helps banks generate more profitable relationships faster with small businesses and medium-sized companies, their owners, and employees. Clarity consulting, communications and sales training help banks recruit and deploy sales team members, choose their best business and consumer prospects and clients, then approach, engage, sell, expand, and retain relationships. Clarity also assists banks with consumer sales and cash management sales. Clarity clients have posted increases in household penetration, cross-sells, deposit volume, and loan volume. Visitors to Clarity’s website, http://www.clarityadvantage.com, can subscribe to “The Weekly Sales Thought,” a free eNewsletter and podcast focused on business-to-business selling and sales management.

Contact:

Karen Tunks

Clarity Advantage

980-939-2112

Karen(dot)tunks(at)clarityadvantage(dot)com

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







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