Improve your small business!

How Can You Keep Your Small Business Competitive?

If you are a small business owner you must prepare for everything. For the not so profitable months of the year and for the months your product has more demand. You must also make smart investments, keep your small business trendy, and always have long-term and short-term goals. Keeping your small business competitive can be a little challenging. The following tips may help you improve your small business strategies.

  1. Know the meaning of the word “but”
    This seems like an odd tip but this small word can be very powerful. For example, if you charge more than your competitors’ chances are you get a few complaints. The short-term solution can be to change your product prices for a period of time, but that doesn’t solve the actual problem. Plus, if customers are going to you for products (even while complaining) it means it is worth buying. With this in mind, this is how the word “but” can help you. First, acknowledge your high prices, then follow with the word “but” and add a valuable statement.“Yes, it is true our prices are high but we use high quality products that can help save money for our customers in the long run.”By doing this, you are sending the message that you care enough about the quality of your product and to help your customers save money. It gives you a valid reason to keep your prices high.
  2. Invest in advertising
    Paying top price for a product or service can be justified by its benefits. People won’t choose your business unless you invest in getting the word out there.
    Invest on a website with good content and SEO strategies. This will serve as social proof for new customers and it will create a digital convenience for your old customers.
  3. Research the market constantly
    Competitive research should be a part of your business planning, and it should continue until your business is stable. The easiest way to do this now is online. Research competitive businesses near you until you can find the differentiating factors and you can promote your business more efficiently.
  4. Offer products and services as needed
    It is okay to offer a variety of products that can do the same thing and value at different prices. You can offer your premium product and have a backup to become more competitive in case it might be too pricey. It is better to retain a customer who has the potential of returning and purchasing more.Owning your business can be rewarding and challenging at the same time. Continue to improve your business and see how successful it can be.


Credit Check

How to Remove Credit Report Errors

Credit Check

What do you do when you spot an innacuracy on your credit report? Take steps to dispute it. Because of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, cleaning up your own credit report is usually quick and easy. Credit reporting agencies (often called credit bureaus) should only report accurate and current information.

Step one – Obtain your credit reports
To know exactly what is happening with your credit, check the reports from all the major credit bureaus – TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. The information on each report may vary because not all creditors report to every bureau. You may receive a free report from each company once per year from Annual Credit Report Request Service, or you may obtain them from the bureaus directly for a fee.

 

Step two – Know what can be removed
You can’t rid every negative notation from your file – credit bureaus are obligated to report all credit and debt information as long as it is correct and timely. So what can be removed?

  • Wrong information. If the report lists incorrect information, such as an account you never opened, someone else’s name, or a judgment for a lawsuit you were never a part of, you can have it permanently purged from your record.
  • Duplicate information. While an account can sometimes show up multiple times, you may want to have your report list it just once. This can prevent lenders from believing you have more debt or credit problems than you actually do.
  • Old, negative information. In most cases, negative information, even when accurate, won’t haunt you forever. Your credit report may reflect lawsuits, judgments, liens, foreclosures, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy (from the filing date), late payments, and charged-off accounts for seven years. Chapter 7 bankruptcy will be evident for ten years from the date of filing. Child support arrearage and default notations for student loans, though, can be reported until satisfied.

Step three – Dispute inaccuracies
If you do spot errors or items that should have aged off your report, it is time to take action:

  • File the dispute with the bureau. You may make your dispute on the company’s website, over the phone, or by mail. In all cases you’ll have to provide your personal identification and a description of what is wrong, and what the correct information is. If you have any documents that support your case (such as copies of cashed checks that confirm you paid an account), include those as well.
  • Wait 30 days. After you file your dispute, the bureau has 30 days to investigate the matter, and a dispute notation will show up on your report. The creditor will have this time to verify the information, and if they can’t prove it’s accurate, the bureau will stop reporting it. When the bureau completes the investigation they will send you a written report covering what they found, and an updated copy of your credit report if it resulted in any change.

In the majority of cases, removing inaccuracies is that simple. However, if the investigation results in no change, contact the creditor by phone and/or mail and explain why the information is incorrect and that you want them to report the accurate information. Include copies of supporting documents (a statement showing a zero balance, for example), if you have them. The creditor may not continue to report unproven information.

Finally, if the situation still doesn’t get resolved to your satisfaction (or if the negative information is correct but you have a good reason for why it happened), consider writing a letter of explanation to add to your report. In one hundred words or less, you can explain your side of a credit problem. Write the note clearly, include supportive facts, and send it to the bureaus to be attached to your report. This “100-word statement” could make a positive difference to whoever is reading the report.


Save on Your Electrical Bill

How Can You Save on Your Electrical Bill?

Living in Florida has its benefits. You never have to shovel mountains of snow; you never pay an individual state income tax and can enjoy the beach all year-round. However, the never-ending summer leads to the excessive use of air conditioning. Therefore, your electric bill keeps climbing.

If you are looking to reduce your electric bill and save money, our tips will certainly help you.

  1. Never leave your electronics turned on.

Most of you know this, but do you actually turn off your devices before leaving the house?

Computers, TV’s, coffee makers, and gaming devices should be turned off when they aren’t being used. That means you don’t have to keep them on when you are in the house showering, cleaning or sleeping either.

 

  1. Spend time outside.

The more you are outside, the less you will need to use your AC. We are not saying to spend money going out (that will defeat the purpose). You can go to a park with your pets, walk around the beach, or visit a friend. If you aren’t home you don’t need to have the AC on. If you have pets you have an excuse to take them out, and leave it on for them while you are at work.

 

  1. Invest in a smart thermostat

A sophisticated thermostat can help you adjust the temperature of your home according to your individual routines. You can divide your day into blocks and set desire temperatures for each. For example you can adjust your settings to a higher temperature while you’re at work and lower them when you return from work automatically. A smart thermostat can trim cooling cost by 15%.

 

  1. Insulate hot water pipes

According to the Department of Energy, insulating your hot water pipes can reduce your electricity or gas bill $12 annually. Insulating your hot water pipes is inexpensive­­­­­­– especially if you have duct tape at home.

 

Stop overspending in your electrical bill change your habits and start saving money.