Small business owners rely on business lines of credit for short-term money needs. A business line of credit is similar to a credit card in the sense that you are approved for a maximum credit limit. You can borrow and withdraw funds as you need them, up to the limit.

You are charged interest only on the amount you withdraw. As you repay the amounts you borrowed, you free up the line to again withdraw those amounts.

A business line of credit is a popular type of funding. According to the 2020 Small Business Credit Survey (Federal Reserve Banks), 40% of small businesses applying for financing seek out business lines of credit.

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What is a Business Line of Credit?

A business line of credit is a type of small business financing that you can draw on periodically, up to an approved credit limit.

Its number one advantage is flexibility. You borrow only the funds you need when you need them — you are not forced to take out the full amount in a lump sum. And you pay interest on the money you draw out, only, not on the full amount. So it is cost-effective.

A business line of credit is a valuable strategy for managing cash flow. That’s because sometimes expenses hit when your business checking account is low. For example, you may need money to make payroll because sales were unexpectedly down or you had a business emergency. In that case, you can tap into the line of credit.

Or perhaps you want to buy inventory and take advantage of a bulk discount. But sales are slow right now. A temporary cash flow dip doesn’t cause you to miss out on a savings opportunity.

How Does a Line of Credit Work?

A small business line of credit works like a credit card in some ways — yet it is different.

When you establish a line of credit, it means your business gets approved up to certain credit limits. The lender determines the amount based on your ability to repay, the business revenue, your credit score and other factors.

Think of it as a contingency fund. The money is there if and when you need it.

A line of credit is revolving credit. With a revolving line, as you repay the amounts you borrow, the funds then become available to borrow again.

The following business line of credit example further illustrates how a line of credit works.

• In January, the lender approves a business line in the amount of $50,000 for your business.
• In April, you experience a temporary cash shortfall. So you borrow $10,000 on the credit line.
• You are charged interest on the $10,000 you borrowed, only.
• You must pay interest and principal on repayment terms established by the lender, until the amounts you borrowed are repaid.
• Once any funds are repaid, those amounts become available to borrow for other financing needs.
• If you need more money later, you can go back and borrow more up to the maximum limit available.

What Can You Use a Line of Credit For?

You can use business lines of credit for any legitimate business needs or expenses.

Many FDIC banks today require business borrowers to certify that they are not involved in illegal or high risk activities, such as online gambling or payday lending. Aside from such activities, there are typically no restrictions on how small business owners use lines of credit. Companies use business lines of credit for:

• operating expenses,
• equipment funding,
• inventory financing,
• software installations,
• buying new computers or mobile devices,
• paying unexpected bills or invoices,
• paying employees,
• growth opportunities,
• emergencies, or
• any other small business expense.

Seasonal businesses often rely on a credit line for working capital needs. Seasonal businesses may need to prepare for the high season, such as by buying inventory or raw materials. Or they may simply need money for cash flow to meet short term needs.

Some banks let you link your business line of credit to a business checking account as overdraft protection to avoid costly fees.

How to Access Funds

There are three main methods to access money from business lines of credit:

• Checks: The lender typically issues checks to the borrower upon the account opening. Then the borrower writes checks for specific amounts.
• Debit Cards: Depending on the lender, borrowers may also be issued a special debit card (such as a MasterCard) to access money.
• Balance Transfers: If a business line of credit is through the same bank as the owner’s checking account, transferring cash into a checking account is especially easy. In those situations, the owner often can transfer funds online, by mobile app or even by phone into a business bank account.

Each time you write a check, withdraw or transfer a sum, you are borrowing money from the line.

How do You Qualify for a Business Line of Credit?

Most lenders have three minimum qualifications you must meet:

Time in business: You must have been operating and in business for a minimum amount of time. Most lenders require a minimum of one or two years of time in business.

Annual revenue: Your business must have a minimum amount of annual revenue. Once again, this varies by lender. Some require as little as $25,000 in yearly sales — although that would be unusual. Most lenders want to see at least $100,000 in annual revenue. For some credit line products you may need $250,000 or more. For the most favorable terms or a long-term line of credit, you might need a much larger revenue number, such as $1 million.

Credit history: You must have an established credit history including a good personal credit rating. Credit scores of around 600 usually are a requirement. Here again the credit score requirement varies by lender. A poor credit score may not prevent you from getting a credit line — but you may end up with less advantageous terms, such as a higher interest rate or lower credit limit.

About 79% of small business owners who apply for business lines of credit are approved for at least some amount. That’s according to the Federal Reserve Bank’s 2020 Small Business Credit Survey, as this chart shows.

Documentation for a Business Line of Credit

The lender underwrites business credit lines just like any other loan product. The lender also performs a check of your personal credit score and business credit score.

Every lender’s requirements differ, but lenders typically ask for the following type of documentation for a business line of credit:

• Personal and business tax returns (last 2 years)
• Bank statements
• Balance sheet
• Profit and loss statement (P&L)
• Accounts receivable aging report
• Personal financial statement showing the owner’s net worth
• Business documents (such as LLC or incorporation articles)
• Tax ID number / social security number
• Information about other owners (if any)

You can generate the balance sheet, P&L statement and accounts receivable report easily using most accounting software. The lender usually supplies a standard form for the financial statement.

Some lenders ask for a business plan but most small business owners don’t have one. So the lender usually settles for a brief description of the business. The loan officer will also ask questions during the application process.

How Much Will a Line of Credit Cost?

A variety of factors affect your costs. Each lender varies. The lender will disclose costs up front, but be prepared for the following:

Fees: Sometimes there is an origination fee charged when you first are approved. Also, most lenders charge a modest annual fee or maintenance fee, such as $100 a year.

Interest Rate: Interest rates on a business line of credit typically range between 5% up to around 15%. However, rates can go higher. The lender will quote a specific rate upon loan approval.

• Often the interest rate is quoted as “prime +” which means that it is based on the current prime rate, plus an additional percentage. Currently prime is 3.25%. So if a lender charges prime + 1.75%, your rate would be 5% at present.
• Those with an excellent credit history generally get better rates. Read: How to Build Business Credit.

The lender will assess how big of a risk you are. The more risk the lender perceives, the higher your costs. Risk factors include:

• The amount you request. Higher amounts mean more risk for the lender.
• The nature of your business or industry. Some industries are riskier than others.
• Your length of time in business. Brand new businesses are riskier to the lender than those with a longer track record.
• Collateral. The more assets you have for collateral, the less risk for the lender

Secured vs Unsecured Credit Line

A business line of credit can be either unsecured or secured. It depends on what the lender offers. Secured means that the lender requires collateral to ensure repayment. Unsecured means that no collateral is required. Here is a comparison of secured vs unsecured:

Unsecured Line of Credit

Unsecured business lines of credit have higher interest rates and usually have smaller maximum limits. For instance, banks like Wells Fargo and Bank of America currently offer versions of an unsecured line of credit for small businesses. The maximum in each case is $100,000. The interest rate charged usually is higher than a secured line.

An unsecured business line is good for startups or young businesses. Unsecured lines are also good for service businesses that do not have a lot of assets to serve as collateral.

Secured Line of Credit

A secured line of credit is usually for larger amounts. For many lenders, secured lines of credit are standard.

Most are secured by a blanket lien on accounts receivables, usually through a UCC filing in your state. The lender may also take other collateral such as equipment, banks accounts or inventory to secure a larger line of credit.

Secured business lines of credit may charge a lower interest rate with better payment terms than unsecured.

Business Line of Credit vs Credit Cards

As mentioned above, a small business line of credit is similar to a credit card. But there are real differences:

• Interest Rates – A business credit card usually has a higher rate of interest — 15% to 24%. Business lines of credit, on the other hand, may be 5 to 15%.
• Fees – If you are unwise enough to take out cash advances on your card, the interest rate can exceed 25%. On top of that, you may have to pay a cash advance fee. A business line of credit is more cost effective for cash advances.
• Rewards – But what about rewards programs? If a credit card has a rewards program, then the cash back may offset some of the interest. However, most cash back is only 1% or 2%, so costs are still high.
• Introductory Offers – Some business owners get lured in with a low introductory credit card offer. But that attractive introductory rate may last only for the first 90 days or 6 months.

When to Use a Credit Card

Credit cards are a good choice for small expenses or when you need convenience. For example:

• Convenience – credit cards are convenient for business travel and online purchases in particular.
• For small expenses – If you need to buy a small amount of office supplies or pay for a business lunch, business credit cards are ideal.

Business lines of credit are better where a credit card would be too expensive.

Difference Between Line of Credit and a Loan

A small business line of credit is very different from a regular business loan. A business loan is close ended — a fixed term that last longer than a line. Also, with a loan you must take the entire loan amount all at once.

When to Use a Business Loan

Business loans are a better choice than a business line of credit for any situation where you need more than a few months to repay the money or it’s a large capital investment. For example:

• If you are buying an office building, a business line of credit would be a terrible choice because the repayment term is too short. Commercial real estate mortgages, by comparison, have longer repayment schedules — 10 to 25 years.
• If you are buying expensive equipment it might be wise not to tie up a chunk of your working capital for a large planned investment. Instead, look into financing from the manufacturer or a term loan.

By contrast, business lines of credit are good for short term needs where it is not worthwhile to take out a business loan. For example, assume you are experiencing a temporary cash flow dip. You expect it to be resolved within 60 days when some large invoices are paid. A small business line of credit is perfect in this situation.

Summing Up the Advantages

A business line of credit allows the owner to sleep at night. Lines of credit are great for contingencies. It’s comforting to know that you’ll have necessary operating funds to manage your small business finances, despite temporary shortfalls in revenue or if surprise expenses hit. As one small business owner told us about lines of credit, “The money is there if you need it.”

Image: Shutterstock

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If your small business ships a lot of packages, it’s important to avoid accidents by using the best shipping tape. Each small business may have different needs or preferences when it comes to tapes. Some may prefer clear tape. Others may opt for heavy-duty versions. Understanding the options can help you make the right choice for the specific items you need to ship.

Here is our list of the top choices in each category.

Best Clear Tape	Best Heavy Duty Tape	Best Adhesive Tape
Duck Brand Clear Heavy Duty Packaging Tape	Tape King Clear Packing Tape	Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Packaging Tape
Buy on Amazon	Buy on Amazon	Buy on Amazon

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Shipping Tape to Consider

There are tons of different attributes to consider when purchasing shipping or packaging tape. Some come in a single roll. Others arrive in bulk. Some have dispensers. Others offer a stronger adhesive bond. Here’s a selection of some of the top options currently available in each category. The list below should help with your search for the best tape.

Best Shipping Tapes

These options provide a basic solution for those who ship packages occasionally. These options tend to be economical and easy to use. They’re perfect for new businesses or those that ship small items.

Scotch Brand Strapping Tape

From Scotch, this tape is reinforced with fiberglass to handle heavyweight and provide a strong bond. It measures 1.88 inches by 30 yards. And each roll is priced at $4.99.

Mr. Pen Packing Tape

This two-pack of packing tapes is known for being clear, smooth, and odorless. From Mr. Pen, it’s ideal for packing and mailing. And each roll measures 2 inches by 60 yards. The pack of two runs for $6.45.

Ultra Durable Water Activated Tape

Those who need a strong bond for their shipments can opt for this Craft Gum Tape. It measures 2.75 inches wide by 450 feet long. And it has a water-activated adhesive that is designed to stay put even in rough conditions. It’s also reinforced with fiberglass for an extra-strong bond. And each roll is priced at $20.56.

AmazonBasics Moving and Storage Packing Tape

Those who want a simple solution can opt for this pack from AmazonBasics, which includes six rolls. Each one measures 2.83 inches by 54.6 yards. And you can use it with a tape gun, though one is not included. This six-pack is priced at $18.01.

T-REX Clear Packing Tape with Dispenser

If you just need a small amount of tape for your packages, this option from T-REX is easy and affordable. It measures 1.88 inches by 15 yards. And it comes with a dispenser that’s already attached. It meets postal regulations and provides an instant stick due to hot melt adhesive. Priced at $3.99, it’s one of the most affordable options available.

Best Heavy Duty Shipping Tapes

If you need to ship large packages, you need tapes that are up to the challenge. These options provide a strong adhesive bond and enough thickness to stand up to even the toughest taping jobs.

Scotch Tape Heavy Duty Shipping Packaging Tape

This packing tape from Scotch runs 1.88 by 800 inches. It includes six rolls, each with its own dispenser for easy to use application. It is also guaranteed to stay put or 3M will refund the purchase price. It includes a strong seal for all boxes. And it currently runs for $22.99.

PERFECTAPE Heavy Duty Packing Tape

This is another durable six-pack of tapes from PERFECTAPE. It’s meant as a refill for those who already have dispensers, so you’ll need to purchase that part separately. Each roll measures 1.88 inches by 60 yards. And it offers strong adhesion and decent clarity. The price is currently $11.99.

JARLINK Clear Packing Tape

This tape from JARLINK also falls into the durable category because of its strong, quality adhesive. It measures 1.88 inches wide by 60 yards. And there are a total of twelve rolls in the pack. Additionally, it is 2.7mil thick. So it’s one of the thickesr options available. It’s also made to fit into standard tape dispensers or guns, though this doesn’t come with the purchase. The cost is $20.99.

Duck HD Clear Heavy Duty Packing Tape Refill

From Duck brand, this pack of tape includes six refill rolls measuring 1.88 inches by 54.6 yards. The brand says it meets postal regulations for shipping. And it offers crystal clarity for a professional appearance, along with adhesive that is meant to hold up in a variety of conditions. The current price is $22.99.

Tape King Clear Packing Tape

This strong tape from Tape King is especially thick at 3.2mil. It comes in a pack of six refill rolls. And each one measures 2 inches by 60 yards. It’s made specifically for commercial and industrial use. So this may be one of the better options for, especially heavy shipments. It’s priced at $12.97.

Best Bulk Tapes

If you need a ton of tape options for your business search no more. Here are some options that can keep your warehouse stocked.

iMBAPrice 3 Inches Shipping Packing Tape

Businesses that shop a lot may opt for a bulk option like this one from iMBAPrice. It’s thicker than many of the other options at 3 inches wide. Each roll also measures 110 yards. It’s a brown tape. So even though it’s not clear, it should blend in with most cardboard boxes. The price for 24 rolls is $41.99.

Tape King Clear Packing Tape

Those that want a clear tape in bulk might consider this option from Tape King. Each roll measures 3 inches by 60 yards. And the pack comes with 24 refill rolls for $53.99.

ELFTAPE Packing Tape Rolls

This package of packing tapes from ELFTAPE includes 36 rolls. The transparent acrylic tape can be used for shipping, moving boxes, and various other tasks. Each one is 2 inches wide by 55 yards long. And a pack of 36 rolls runs for $58.35.

Duck Brand Clear Heavy Duty Packaging Tape

This pack of packaging tape from Duck brand comes with an acrylic adhesive that forms a strong bond. Each roll is ultra-clear and measures 1.88 inches by 54.6 yards. A 24 pack runs for $49.93.

Scotch Heavy Duty Shipping Packaging Tape

From Scotch, this package of packing, moving, and shipping tapes offers durability and ease of use. Each roll measures 1.88 by 54.6 yards. They fit into standard dispensers and come with a box that makes it easy to grab a new roll when needed. A pack of 18 runs for $73.38.

What is the difference between packing tape and shipping tape?

The tape for packing and shipping looks and functions pretty much the same way upon first glance. But the adhesive used in each one is designed for a specific task. Tape for packaging is meant to stay in place for long periods and hold up to heat, humidity, and other extreme conditions such as longterm storage. Shipping tape is instead meant to hold up against impact and rough handling of boxes while moving.

Can you use duct tape for shipping?

No, you should not use this tape. The adhesive used in this kind of tape does not adhere effectively to cardboard, so there’s a good chance that it will come off or get damaged during transit. In fact, USPS, UPS, and FedEx all caution against using it if you want to ship something.

What’s the best way to tape up a shipping box?

Start by taping the bottom of the box before placing any items inside. Place tape lengthwise across all of the seams. Cut the piece of tape that runs between the two main flaps a few inches longer than needed so it runs up the sides. After filling the box, repeat the process on the top.

Feature Image: Depositphotos.com

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When The Most Powerful You: 7 Bravery-Boosting Paths to Career Bliss by Kathy Caprino showed up on my doorstep I thought “Hmm, who wouldn’t want to be their most powerful self?!  When I turned the book over and started reading more about what was inside, I realized this book wasn’t for everyone.

“The Most Powerful You” was written by a professional woman, for professional women.  While I’m sure author, Kathy Caprino started writing this book way before the 2020 pandemic started, the timing of its release and the inward journey she proposes seems like just what today’s women might be looking for.

The Cycle of How Women Perceive and Are Perceived

While “The Most Powerful You” would love to have the distinction of changing the way women are perceived, this isn’t really the goal of the book.

Caprino recognizes that you can’t expect or try to change others, you have to change yourself first.  And this is really the core mission of the book; to help women discover and accept their own power and then be brave enough to use it to achieve their dreams.

How women are perceived is really a function of this dance between women and the defining people in their lives; family, bosses, spouses, etc.

Caprino seeks to help outwardly successful women who feel stuck either in their careers or their lives and are ready for breakthrough transformation.

Caprino’s coaching and counseling process is simple. She takes you through a series of client stories that outline perception, frame the circumstances and then she guides you through a process of reframing.

Reflecting on a Personal Journey

To get the full benefit of the book, it helps to understand a little about its author, Kathy Caprino.

Kathy is the President of Kathy Caprino, LLC, a premier career coaching and executive consulting firm offering career and leadership development programs for women.   A former corporate Vice President, she is also a trained marriage and family therapist, seasoned executive coach and Senior Forbes contributor. She is also a TEDx and keynote speaker and top national media source on women’s issues, careers, and leadership.

The 7 Power Gaps That Get in the Way of Success

Over the course of her work, Caprino identified 7 “Power Gaps”.  These Power Gaps are prevalent among women — especially women entrepreneurs.

The seven power gaps are:

1. Not recognizing your special talents. (Brave Sight)
2. Communicating from fear and not strength. (Brave Speak)
3. Reluctance to ask for what you deserve. (Brave Ask)
4. Isolating from influential support. (Brave Connection)
5. Acquiescing instead of saying stop to mistreatment. (Brave Challenge)
6. Losing sight of your thrilling dream. (Brave Service)
7. Allowing past drama to shape and define you. (Brave Healing)

In her research, Caprino discovered that 98 percent of respondents revealed that they were facing at least one of the seven power gaps.  75 percent said they were experiencing three or more gaps at the same time.

In Powerful You Caprino seeks to guide readers through the process of closing these gaps, coming to terms with the events and behaviors that are limiting your life experience and unleashing your most powerful self.

Is Powerful You for “Women Only”?

In short, The Most Powerful You is written for women entrepreneurs and professionals.  But that doesn’t mean that men shouldn’t read it,

There’s no lock on the book and nothing will stop you from cracking it open.  In fact, the men who are interested enough in reading this book will get a deep understanding of what their colleagues, wifes and daughters are dealing with daily.

So, I’m going to take a guess and say that most men will not enjoy this. But the ones who are brave enough (see what I did there?) to venture inside its pages will be rewarded handsomely.

I played a game with myself and read sections of the book as myself (a woman) and then pretending to be a man.

That was an interesting experience.

Take this excerpt from the chapter entitled “Reluctance to Ask for What You Deserve and Want”:

Caprino shares the story of Janine, a woman who had done the work to transform her life from being a marketing executive to a coach.  After years of working with “Brave” (the program behind this book), she reported the following:

I had to let go of thinking:

• I have to be perfect to be worthy.
• I must put everyone first to be a good girl.
• Success comes easily to others not me.
• I must continuously prove my worth.
• People will see my worth through my hard work.

I had to accept:

• People aren’t mind readers: I have to speak up for what I want.
• The more evidence we offer about what we deliver, the more acceptance by others is possible.
• You teach people how to treat you
• Feeling comfortable is not a prerequisite for asking for what you want

ME: YES!  OMG! This is me.  I do this all the time (except expecting people to be mind readers.  But this is me for sure.

ME PRETENDING TO BE A MAN: WHAT?  No one is perfect. You have to go and get what you want.  I’m totally worthy. As for evidence — I’m not sure about that one. Decisions are often emotional and when I am confident, people just go with it.  People will believe what you tell them.

So, Are You Ready For Transformation?

Only you know the answer to this question.  I found this book an uncomfortable and somewhat confronting read.  The stories Caprino shared sometimes hit too close to home. And, when I stopped to reflect on her lessons of “bravery” and closing the gaps I could feel myself pulling away from the conversation.

Am I ready for this conversation.  Maybe not all at once, but I can see all the different ways that I can slowly begin integrating these practices into my live.

I did learn one thing from The Most Powerful You: I am the creator of my experience. While  can look to systems and structures upon which to place blame, the only one who can change my experience is me.

Now it’s your turn.  Are you brave enough to close the gaps that are keeping you from being your most powerful you?

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According to Money Crashers, 90 million Americans use payment apps. But its new survey reveals 52% of the respondents are not concerned about payment app security. This translates to millions of people not taking the necessary precautions to protect their transactions and personal data.

What this means for small business owners is they have to take more precautions to protect their payment processing platform. Because hackers can use the compromised account of a customer to get information about a business.

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Money Crashers Payment App Security Survey

The case Amanda Pell highlights in the report is quite revealing. The data comes from Venmo’s reported $40 million loss in fraud reimbursements during the first quarter of 2018. In analyzing the security issues of Venmo, Hang Do Thi Duc, a coder and privacy researcher, explains what you can learn just from the personal information people share on the app.

Details such as text and time stamps of transactions people make is all it takes. With this information, a hacker/scammer can examine the transactions of a single food cart vendor. To show what could be done, Do Thi Duc was able to identify the vendor’s most frequent patrons, how often they made purchases, and at what time of day they could be expected to visit.

Pell goes on to say, “Depending on the context, this information can expose users to everything from marketing schemes to theft, assault, and blackmail.” If you stay on top of your payment app security protocol, you can greatly decrease and/or eliminate these threats.

Downloading Apps

In the survey, 20% of the respondents say they have security concerns, but it doesn’t prevent them from continuing to use the apps. However, almost a third (31%) have enough concerns to make them stop from downloading a payment app. Another 43% say they haven’t decided against downloading and 26% have never considered using a payment app.

According to Pell, users should read the privacy policy before making a decision about downloading the app. Because it’ll tell you how the company will collect, store, protect, and use the personal data you share with them.

The sharing of this information can put your personal and financial data at risk if the company is not careful. Who it shares the information with is out of your control once you click the privacy statement without reading it. In the survey, only 19% of the respondents say they read privacy policy statements. So, 81% or more than 4 in 5 people are in the dark as to what is taking place with their information.

Pell says you should at least read enough of the privacy policy to learn:

• What information the app is collecting
• Whether your information will be used for secondary purposes (such as marketing)
• Whether your information will be shared with third parties
• What the app’s policy is on sharing information with law enforcement
• Whether information is protected in all phases of collection and storage
• Whether the app allows users to delete their data
• If the app uses personal information to build user profiles for non-primary use

Answering the above questions will give you enough of a clue to determine how the app is using your data. This includes whether the app will sell their data, use it for marketing and advertising, or store it in such a way it makes it vulnerable to hackers.

Securing your Payment Apps

Security has to be a daily part of your personal and business protocol in a digital ecosystem. It takes less than a minute to check and update your anti-virus/malware software. But this simple act will save you a lot of headaches by preventing a breach.

A simple cybersecurity training will do wonders for you and your employees to protect your small business. When it comes to payment app security, you can do the following to make your information more secure:

• Read the Privacy Policy. Learn how your information is being collected and how marketers or advertisers can use it.
• Use a Password Generator. Password protection is crucial in securing your financial information. Use a password generator to come up with and protect your password.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication. Go a step further with password protection and configure an extra layer of security with two-factor authentication.
• Secure Your Lock Screen. Don’t stop at a secure login to the app. Make sure your phone is also locked so your information isn’t compromised if your phone is lost or stolen.
• Make It Private. Although it can be amusing to use Venmo as a social network, doing so can compromise your security. Switch your payment settings to private so your payment history and time stamps aren’t available publicly.
• Enable Notifications. Make sure you’re notified of any payments or changes to your account so you can address them quickly if you didn’t authorize them.
• Monitor Your Bank Accounts. Don’t neglect your bank accounts. Regularly monitor their activity so you can alert your bank if something doesn’t look right.

Payment apps have introduced a new level of convenience for both consumers and merchants. But this convenience has risks if you don’t apply some precautions to protect your information. With the right safety measures in place, you can enjoy the benefits of payment apps.

Image: MoneyCrashers

More in: Statistics

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The step-by-step free webinars Zoho is offering are designed to give you a basic knowledge base about your digital brand.

The lessons started with Setting Up Your Website, followed by Establishing Your Brand Story and Elements of Website Design.

Next up is Converting Visitors to Leads: Web Forms, CTAs (Call to Actions), and Other Tools. Together these webinars will teach you what you need to know to get your digital commerce up and running.

With this particular lesson, you will learn best practices for optimizing web forms and CTAs in order to maximize the number of visitor conversions on your site. The beauty of these courses is they will teach you exactly what you need to know. And with the information you gain from them, you will have a better understanding of what else you need to learn.

Remember this Zoho Educational Webinar, as well as all the other ones, are completely free. The first less begins on August 26, so you still have time to get ready and register for all of them.

Converting Visitors to Leads: Web Forms, CTAs, and Other Tools will take place on September 16, 2020, from 1- 2 p.m. EST.

Click the red button and register now.

Register Now

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Featured Events, Contests and Awards

Educational Webinar: Setting up Your Website
August 26, 2020, Online

Learn the basics of choosing and registering a domain name. We’ll also go over web hosting options so you can decide what’s best for your business.

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Educational Webinar: Establishing Your Brand Story
September 2, 2020, Online

Learn how to find, incorporate, and use your brand’s voice throughout your website to increase website traffic, improve customer engagement, and drive brand loyalty.

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Educational Webinar: Elements of Website Design
September 9, 2020, Online

Join us to learn about fonts, color schemes, and gain a basic understanding of visual hierarchy.

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Educational Webinar: Converting Visitors to Leads
September 16, 2020, Online

Learn best practices for optimizing webforms and CTAs in order to maximize the number of visitor conversions on their site.

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Getting Started with Zoho One
September 23, 2020, Online

In this presentation, we will walk through an overview of Zoho One using real case studies from Zoho customers to demonstrate different ways Zoho One can support your business.

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Small Business Expo 2020 – PHILADELPHIA
October 28, 2020, Philadelphia, PA

Small Business Expo is a FREE one-day event to attend for small businesses to network, attend great business-growth workshops, build new business relationships, exchange ideas, shop from new vendors and learn from leading industry experts. If you are serious about starting or growing your business, Small Business Expo is a “must attend” event. Small Business Expo is the #1 Business to Business Networking Event for business owners, entrepreneurs, start-ups, decision-makers or anyone who works for a small business or is interested in starting a Small Business.

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LinkUpConferenceShow
November 12, 2020, Online

LinkUpConferenceShow (LUCS) is a digital networking conference that merges the incredibly dynamic worlds of tech and comedy to provide informative and personalized networking opportunities designed to help executives, entrepreneurs, business leaders and tech professionals grow and scale their businesses. LUCS is the tech conference that combines Silicon Valley insights with New York’s nonstop energy to bring the technology community a totally new virtual experience designed to inspire, engage and entertain.

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More Events

• Digital Marketing Transformation Virtual Assembly – August 2020
  August 25, 2020, Online
• The Future of Our Workspace
  August 25, 2020, Online
• Advancing Integrated Project Delivery 2020
  September 14, 2020, Online
• Small Business Expo 2020 – PHOENIX
  October 1, 2020, Phoenix, AZ
• World-Famous HR Technology Event, Oct. 2020
  October 13, 2020, Las Vegas, NV
• Creative Operations San Francisco 2020
  October 14, 2020, San Francisco, CA
• Miami’s Largest MBA Event! QS MBA Tour
  October 20, 2020, Online
• Small Business Expo 2020 – CHICAGO
  October 20, 2020, Chicago, IL
• Atlanta’s Largest MBA Event! QS MBA Tour
  October 22, 2020, Atlanta, GA
• Houston’s Largest MBA Event! QS MBA Tour
  October 24, 2020, Houston, TX
• Austin’s Largest MBA Event! QS MBA Tour
  October 26, 2020, Austin, TX
• Claims Innovation USA Virtual Event
  October 26, 2020, Online
• AI DevWorld 2020
  October 27, 2020, Online
• Salt Lake City’s Largest MBA Event! QS MBA Tour
  October 31, 2020, Austin, TX
• Denver’s Largest MBA Event! QS MBA Tour
  November 2, 2020, Denver, CO
• San Jose’s Largest MBA Event! QS MBA Tour
  November 5, 2020, San Jose, CA
• San Diego’s Largest MBA Event! QS MBA Tour
  November 7, 2020, San Diego, CA
• 17th International Conference on Machine Learning and Data Mining MLDM’2021
  July 17, 2021, New York, NY

More Contests

This weekly listing of small business events, contests and awards is provided as a community service by Small Business Trends.

You can see a full list of events, contest and award listings or post your own events by visiting the Small Business Events Calendar.

Image: Depositphotos.com

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This week Adobe released a US-based study of one thousand currently employed people who usually work in an office setting to see how they are working during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Among some of the findings include:

• Zoom fatigue is real – Only 33% of workers surveyed feel video conferencing is as productive as in-person meetings and another 34% say they’re starting to experience video conference fatigue. Instead, 78% of workers are using email to connect with colleagues, while 56% prefer making phone calls.
• Distance makes relationships grow stronger – 42% of workers feel they know their colleagues better now vs. when they were in the office.  Of this group, a whopping 60% of parents admitted to feeling closer to fellow parent-colleagues as they bond over homeschooling their kids and adjusting to working life as stay-at-home-working-parent.
• Work/life balance is more critical than ever as workers decrease the number of minutes a day they check email by 10% (352 in 2019 down to 315 in 2020.) To keep the work/life separation, 53% of workers are waiting until they officially start the workday to check email (compared to 48% in 2019)

Interview with Patrick Knight of Adobe on Changing Work Behaviors

To dig in more to the study I had an opportunity to speak with Patrick Knight, Sr. Deliverability Consultant at Adobe, to get more takeaways and insights from the study. Click on the embedded SoundCloud player below to hear the full discussion.

Below is an edited transcript of a portion of our conversation.

Small Business Trends: Interesting to see that so many people feel they are more productive working from home than they were going into the office.

Patrick Knight: You’re right, 73% of parents feel that they are equally, if not more productive working from home. And the reason for that is flexible schedules, right? It’s the primary reason. They feel that they can balance their life a little bit better. So for example, you can put the younger children down and maybe it’s nap time and then you can schedule your workload there. Or maybe after dinner, or maybe a little bit earlier before the kids wake up.

It forces you to have more control over things there. And when you’re in the office, you don’t have too much of that because of other things like commuting and so on and so forth. So yeah, having that flexibility is great. And then in turn, you can then have that time with your family and children and so on and so forth. So it’s really about that work-life balance that you can really take more advantage of versus being in an actual location.

Small Business Trends: And even though we’re Zooming all the time now and using instant messaging apps, email and phone are by far the most popular communication channels for work.

Patrick Knight: Why is email so high? The first thing is that email is a communication channel that’s not an on-demand type of video conferencing. And just as a sidebar, there was a time where marketers felt that email was not going to be the communication channel anymore. But in the deliverability world, we knew that email would always stand strong. So they felt that SMS may take over instant messaging and other media.

However, we see that email is on top. And the reason why is because instant messaging and other forms of communication tend to be more interrupting, more intrusive. So if you think about that Slack conversation, that conversation may never end and you cannot be productive with that. It’s like the same for on-demand video conferencing.

With email, it gives you more control over your schedule, your time checking your email and when you respond. So this also allows you to get more done versus being on these calls. You ever had a video conference call or even an in-person conference that could have been handled with email? But because it’s so easy to push that button and say, “Well, I can get this person on my screen. They use it.”

So additionally or secondary, the phone communication also has that same effect. So this is the reason why you’re seeing email so high and you’re seeing the correlating information here between the video conferencing and email and why it’s a communication method that’s more preferred and you’re seeing it more.

Small Business Trends: Do you think if you did this survey a couple of months from now, that number for “Zoom Fatigue” would be significantly higher at this point?

Patrick Knight: Absolutely, because I think again, we’re going back to these… I think we already abuse meetings in general. Now we’re just going to take it to a whole other level. And then on top of that, we’re still stuck inside. So we’re going to have more of these meetings. And I would think that number would shoot up if not even maybe another 40% in the next few months because of where we are today.

Small Business Trends: One of the more interesting findings was that doing web conferencing meetings seems to be making coworkers feel like they know each other even better than they did when they were doing face-to-face meetings.

Patrick Knight: Yeah, absolutely. I thought this was interesting as well. And this made perfect sense to me. So nearly half of American workers say they know their coworkers better than when they were in the office. Then nearly 60% of parents reported feeling closer to their colleagues as they bond over things such as homeschooling children, adjusting work schedules due to lack of childcare, even occasional guest appearances of those pets or children or someone’s running across the screen. Sometimes a cat may… I’ve seen it where, it was on a call with a client the other day, and their cat just came right on in and just started touching the screen and everything else.

And then you also see the background of your office because it gives you more of a understanding of who that person is. You see people every day at work. You hear about the children, you hear about pets, you hear about what their interests are, but seeing it, which is another means of sensory that is pretty powerful, sight, that brings that bond together. And that’s the reason why it’s actually not surprising to me to see the numbers and results that we have so far.

Small Business Trends: And maybe this helps to explain this a stat that says 93% of folks surveyed say they feel brands were striking the right tone with their email communications during the pandemic, because, quite honestly, when I was looking at this the first time around, I was like, “Are you kidding me? 93% feel like brands are hitting it out of the park on the messaging?” But you have a theory for why this is the case.

Patrick Knight: Absolutely. So, yeah, we can see clearly that 93% of consumers feel that most brands were striking the right tone with emails, especially when we talk about COVID and despite the increase of focus on COVID from brands related to safety. That was a large percentage of it, just COVID-related emails in general.

Brands understand that connection means everything when it comes to their consumers, especially through email. Because email is a… It’s a conversation. I always say that email is a two-way conversation. So if you’re just sending out information and you’re not really relating or targeting or creating really relevant content, email is pointless. So I think with COVID it was very relevant for everyone. So hence the reason why I think they are really sending out the right communication, we care, we understand and we’re here for you.

Now, what’s interesting is that 66% of those consumers, they still want the email offers. Thank you for telling me about COVID, thank you for understanding and now I want to engage more because of the fact that you care and we’re trapped at home. Everyone’s buying online. So they want to receive those offers from those brands and they want to understand exactly what those discounts look like. Because I can tell you right now, most of the companies that have an online presence, they’re doing amazing because of the fact everyone’s ordering something. I have to tell my wife, “Stop ordering from Amazon. Stop it!”

You just want to hit that button and literally every day somebody comes here. My doorbell rings and there’s a package and it’s just not my household. I’ve spoken to many. And because the brick and mortar is going away for right now, the email really is what drives traffic to a website. So if you get an email about an offer that is relevant and it’s engaging, then that’s going to just drive that customer to your website, where they’re going to purchase and purchase and purchase.

I can tell you, I have had countless conversations during even freelance, I did freelance Livability for a while, and every client that I would talk to, even now, engagement is important. Engagement drives something called email reputation. And so if your reputation is actually really good, your chances of you reaching the subscriber, it’s their inbox, not their spam folder, it’s a heightened situation there. So I absolutely agree that they should continue with the same enthusiasm, the same strategy, the same energy that they have now. And that, in itself, will drive the traffic and the revenue that they want.

Now, them going back to the old ways, I think that because they’re seeing such great responses, I think more and more people are going to understand why engagement matters, why reputation matters, why they need to keep sending those very well thought out emails versus the batch-and-blast method, which previously was the thing to do before COVID. So once we start seeing the results of things, this is the direction I think, or hope, people will take.

But that will be up to everyone else to see. I can tell you that there’s great learnings here, but it’s really going to depend on the individual. And just as a thought again with that, I recommend always engage. Whatever you’re doing now, continue because this is what’s going to keep your brand alive. This is what’s going to build the trust with a subscriber and your customers. This is what’s going to drive conversions and open rates. And that’s where the meat is. That’s exactly where you want to be.

CHECK OUT MORE:

This is part of the One-on-One Interview series with thought leaders. The transcript has been edited for publication. If it’s an audio or video interview, click on the embedded player above, or subscribe via iTunes or via Stitcher.

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Hulu, the streaming TV service, has launched its first ever Creative Partner Program. The program is designed to help small and medium sized businesses build ads for streaming TV.

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Hulu Creative Partner Program for Small Business

Placing ads on Hulu can help small businesses reach highly targeted audiences. In July 2020, the streaming platform launched a “self-service” tool to make it easier for small businesses to buy ads. The Hulu Ad Manager makes it easier for small businesses to reach target audiences. It achieves this through basing audiences on more granular data, including demographics and location. Audience goals are set based on small businesses’ budgets and number of impressions.

Hulu’s newly launched Creative Partner Program is aimed at helps SMEs get the most our of ads placed on the service.

The resource provides small businesses with access to partners who are specifically trained in developing the most effective Hulu ads. By tapping into expertise in creating unique ads, the program will help SMEs in all stages of the advertising process.

Faye Trapani, Director, Self-Service Platform Sales, notes how the program is designed to help small businesses optimize Hulu ads:

“At Hulu, we want to help small-and-medium sized businesses (SMBs) build the best ads for streaming TV — ads that engage audiences in a streaming environment and meet the same high quality standards as the content viewers are streaming.

“That’s why we have launched the Creative Partner Program for small-and-medium sized businesses. Whether an advertiser is repurposing an existing video for streaming TV or “baking from scratch,” the Creative Partner Program is a resource designed to offer SMBs access to creative partners who are specially trained in Hulu best practices, and have expertise creating unique, non-templated ads for smaller businesses at all stages of the advertising creative process,” Trapani writes on the company blog.

Creating High-Quality and Visually Engaging Ads

Hulu’s creative partners provide small businesses with creative solutions through a range of production options and prices. Every partner connected to the scheme recruits a network of experts experienced in working with small businesses. The teams work together to create high-quality and visually engaging ads primed for premium streaming TV.

The Creative Partner Program current features four partners. QuickFrame supports projects from start to finish and crafts ads optimized for Hulu. VidMob enables marketers to produce high-quality ads to a business’s schedule. Shuttlerock create TV-ready ads from a company’s existing brand assets. Genero’s platform connects a business to a global network of professional creatives.

Intuitive Technology Platforms

Each partner is equipped with intuitive technology platforms. The platforms can be modified and tailored to navigate the unique creative production requirement processes for individual businesses. The process runs from brief to delivery.

At time of business uncertainty and tough competition, the Creative Partner Program could prove invaluable for small businesses. Utilizing the talents of professionals trained in Hulu best practices, will help SMEs bring their creative ad to life. The program will make sure creative ads are primed for premium streaming TV.

READ MORE: 

Image: Depositphotos.com

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Small businesses often don’t have access to full service marketing agencies like big companies do. But that doesn’t mean they can’t find unique ways to market their offerings.

Phlywheel wants to bridge the gap between those massive agencies and small businesses. So the company offers a DIY platform for marketing.

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Phlywheel DIY Marketing for Small Business

Learn more about the offering and the company’s journey in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.

What the Business Does

Provides a DIY marketing platform for SMBs.

Co-founder and CEO Tara Hunt told Small Business Trends, “With ever-tightening marketing budgets, Phlywheel is focused on doing more with less. On Phlywheel, members can find a full range of digital and traditional marketing guidance across strategy, research, design, writing, optimization and more. Content features include masterclasses, expert guest speaker series, case studies, how-to videos, digital tools and downloadable guides, as well as actual templates that have been used on live campaigns. Expert coaching tops off the premium Phlywheel experience as members are offered one-on-one access in addition to online community lessons.”

Business Niche

Providing personalized solutions that work for SMBs.

Phlywheel is based on the “teach a man to fish” mentality. The founders, who stem from award winning strategic marketing firm Truly, Inc., had all sorts of tools and templates and knowledge. Realizing that there are many small businesses or individuals that couldn’t afford their services, they thought, “what if we could teach them and guide them to do it themselves?” That would take less time and then they would have the expertise in-house!

“Because a lot of SMBs don’t have the budget to spend on the time needed to invest in creating a digital marketing strategy, Phlywheel provides the tools to become in-house experts, reducing dependency on external experts and helping organizations market smarter.”

How the Business Got Started

After realizing that SMBs struggle to access quality marketing resources.

Hunt and the team at Truly noticed how many SMBs weren’t able to work with them because of budget concerns. So they decided to build something they could use.

“The idea of Phlywheel began in spring 2019 when the need to provide a resource for SMBs became apparent. The platform officially launched in July 2020, as industries and the economy were still trying to process and adapt to the massive changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. At that point, the platform was not only thought of as a modern take on a digital agency, but a real solution to challenges the pandemic presented businesses.”

Biggest Win

Getting through the public beta period.

“Phlywheel only launched publicly a week ago, but we ran a private beta for 5 weeks before this. The beta was all about proving our thesis that we can scale services and really help SMBs with the combination of content, community and coaching. Though we did a ton of research ahead of time, I was still nervous about the beta. We had a pretty overwhelming response with 50 businesses signing up! It would be a real test!”

Biggest Risk

Turning down other business to focus on Phlywheel.

“We’ve been wanting to create and launch Phlywheel since June of 2019, but focusing on it kept being put off due to inbound work with Truly. In early 2020, we decided to “burn the boats” and turn down new leads altogether, which puts us in a bit of a scary position. We only have a handful of bigger clients and Phlywheel, which isn’t make much money yet!

“This, of course, could go very wrong as we’re spending that cushion of savings we have from being cautious on growing Phlywheel. As an executive team, we check in on this frequently. We still get lots of inbound leads (though a bit less since COVID-19 hit!) and we have that discussion again, “Should we take this potential client on so we mitigate our risk and give ourselves more runway?” It’s a difficult balance, but we are really committed to what Phlywheel can do in the long term, so we need to put that community first…even if it’s not replacing the lost revenue yet.”

Lesson Learned

Don’t say yes to everything.

“These were the projects that I could feel would be the wrong kind of challenge. The red flags were there: they didn’t have solid goals, they weren’t ready for marketing (product was still in disarray), they didn’t completely value what we bring to the table, etc.

“I love a good challenge. But I need to pick the ones that have a path to winning (not hopeless causes!). No agency or company should be arrogant enough to think they can fix something nobody else has been able to fix. I’ve learned that this idea is a deadly form of vanity now and wish I could go back and tell myself this.”

How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000

Slowly growing the team.

“If we had an extra $100,000 kicking around, I’d be using it to invest in talent. But, to my previous experience of hiring too many people too fast, I’d spend it very very slowly and wisely.”

Company Value

Playfulness.

“We don’t like taking ourselves or anything so seriously that there isn’t room for fun and laughter. From our Llama mascot, Elphyra, to the weekly planning jams and happy hours with our members, the goal is for the platform to come to life, to stoke engagement between members and our team and make the experience educational and lighthearted.”

Favorite Quote

“The trouble with normal is it always gets worse,” by Bruce Cockburn.

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Find out more about the Small Biz Spotlight program

Image: Phylwheel, Tara Hunt

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With advances in telecommuting technology, working from home has been steadily gaining momentum in recent years. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic saw a sudden spike in the number of employers letting employees work remotely.

Despite the popularity of homeworking and 91% of remote workers feeling more productive, distractions are rife in homeworking environments.

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Keep Focus Despite Distractions

With workplace dynamics changing, it’s more important than ever that workers don’t give into distractions. To help employees maintain focus in new working environments, Nonprofit Colleges Online published an infographic. The infographic was commissioned by NowSourcing, an infographic agency that specializes in data visualizations and interactive infographics.

The ‘How to Keep Focus Despite Distractions’ infographic outlines the many distractions of modern workspaces. It provides tricks and tips to help employees keep focused when working in remote environments.

Culture of Distraction

According to the infographic, 99% of employees say they are distracted daily. 93% of workers cite video conferencing as the primary distraction. 51% say they are most distracted by phone calls.

Why We Can’t Focus

The research looked at the reasons behind workers’ lack of focus. Stress, multitasking, sleep deprivation and a busy environment, are leading reasons for an inability to focus at work.

Generational Divide

NowSource’s study explored how different generations feel about distractions and focus in modern workplaces. 74% of Generation Z and Millennials are distracted at work. 69% of these age groups admit their smartphones are one of the biggest distractions.

Baby Boomers admit to feeling more productive in a quiet space with less going on. Three times as many Boomers are unable to concentrate in an open space compared to younger generations.

Working from Home

The study found that because of coronavirus many are working remotely for the first time. More than 50% of recipients have concerns that household distractions prevent them from working. 84% of workers say they can refocus in less than 30 minutes. However, even small distractions can increase workers’ chances of making mistakes.

Optimizing Your Work Environment

The infographic provides a series of tips on how to optimize a work environment. Turning off notifications on phones is recommended as notifications can disrupt thoughts making it difficult to get back on track.

Three hours a day is spent checking work email and two hours looking at personal emails. Cutting down on checking emails could therefore be an effective way to stop wasting time.

Writing down tasks in order of rank and importance can help workers focus on what is most urgent. Prioritizing tasks can help employees stop wasting time.

To help remain productive and focused it is recommended to take a 15-minute break from the screen every two hours.

Tech to Retain Focus and Productivity

The infographic looks at the tech available to help people maintain focus and productivity in modern workspaces.

Freedom.to is an effective tool to assist workers in setting up lists of website and apps that can be distracting. Freedom.to blocks access to such distractions during scheduled times of day.

Trello enables employees to list tasks and separate products by board to keep track of tasks and projects. Noisli provides custom background to drown out unpleasant noises that could prove distracting.

Image: Nonprofitcollegesonline

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Some 70% of consumers say that load time website affects their purchasing decision. According to WebsiteBuilderExpert the longer a webpage takes to load, the more chances that people will not stay on the website.

If more people don’t stay long enough on a website because of slow load time the site will have a high bounce rate. The report Website Load Time Statistics: Why Speed Matters in 2020 high bounce rate will also affect a website’s ranking. A high bounce rate will tell search engines that users don’t find the page content useful consequently lowering its ranking. Thus, highlighting the impact of having a slow load time on a website’s effectiveness.

Often the reasons for slow load time on websites can be easily identified. It can include issues related to web hosting; quality and size of images and files; plugins; browsers used and cache clearance rates.

Ideally, websites load within three seconds, or two seconds if it’s an eCommerce site. The two-to-three second mark is the turning point where bounce rates skyrocket. Some 40% of consumers will wait no more than three seconds before abandoning a site. Customer conversation rates also are impacted by 7% for a mere one-second delay.

A report by Backlinko found for a website to fully load on a desktop it averages 10.3 seconds. While it takes an average of 27.3 seconds to load on mobile devices. Faster upload speed time makes visitors feel stress-free and in control. But a little more than 10 seconds could have negative consequences such as frustration leading to high bounce rates.

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Why Speed is Important

Pages that load within two seconds have an average bounce rate of 9%. A marginal increase load time of five seconds can send bounce rates rocketing to 38%. This means visitor’s patience on websites is very slim.

delays in load time not only cause frustration but also impact future visits to a website. One in four visitors abandon a website if it takes more than four seconds to load. Among visitors to websites, almost half (46%) don’t return to websites that take too long to load. This has also larger ramifications for eCommerce sites as they stand to lose not only visibility but also revenues.

In fact, 64% of shoppers who are dissatisfied with a visit to a website will decide to shop elsewhere next time. The threshold for dissatisfaction is also high. A one-second delay could result in lowering customer satisfaction by 16%. A ten-second delay could result in a 65% reduction in customer satisfaction.

The lack of patience applies to businesses of all sizes. For example, the BBC loses an additional 10% of users for every extra second it takes for its site to load. Conversely, if Yahoo!’s site experiences a reduction of load time by just 0.4 seconds its traffic increases by 9%. If an eCommerce site making $100,000 a day experiences a one-second delay it could lose $2.5 million in yearly sales.

The figures also support this. Around 88% of internet users choose online retailers that deliver a high-performance website experience.

What Should Businesses Do

Your website’s speed can potentially impact your business. High bounce rates mean that you are losing on sales and a drop in search engine performance. Around $18 billion is lost annually because of abandoned shopping carts

This is why it’s important to optimize mobile page speeds as much as possible, as it is where most browsing takes place. Studies indicate that mobile minutes accounted for 77% of online browsing in the U.S. in 2019. With 96% of the U.S. population owning mobile phones, of which 81% are smartphone users it amounts to tens of millions of people. Furthermore, a quarter of U.S. adults say they are almost constantly online. This underlines the importance of having quick load times for your website.

The website experience you offer your clients should be as important as your in-store experience. Optimizing your website’s speed is just a start. You will also need to offer a great user experience as well. This means having engaging content, great graphics and user-friendly navigation.

Your website might be fast to upload but it is meaningless if users find it difficult to navigate through it. The rule of thumb here is to design your website with your customers in mind.

Take a look at the WebsiteBuilderExpert infographic below for more.

Image: Depositphotos.com

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