We are thrilled to share that social media marketing can play a vital role in building connections and engaging with like-minded individuals on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. With its unparalleled ability to amplify your message, we believe that incorporating social media marketing into your business strategy will yield significant results in the upcoming year. To help you take full advantage of this opportunity, we’ve compiled six tips that will enhance your social media marketing efforts. Let’s get started on this exciting journey together! And you can also always learn even more with other similar articles on our Complete Controller blog.
Make information and entertainment a priority (stop talking about sales)
Nobody likes to see social media updates that sound like product advertisements. No matter, select whether your platform is Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, TikTok, or any other channel. Focus on getting your updates on social networks was on the brand and the story, not sales.
You can link to current news related to your industry, share trivia and tips, create entertaining videos that open your brand values, and regularly develop interactive contests for people to participate. Informative, helpful, and entertaining content builds customer loyalty further than endless product mentions and sales offers.
Use the latest social media trends
Your business must leverage the latest social media developments to stand out in customer feeds to build awareness and showcase your brand. Some of the crucial trends shaping the social media landscape are:
Augmented reality
Social media technology continues to evolve, significantly augmented reality (AR). Brands are picking up this trend by creating AR filters to promote new products, launch creative campaigns, and increase user engagement. Consider incorporating augmented reality into your social content to interact with customers, entertain them, and attract new subscribers to your business.
Targeted social networks
Not only are more and more people participating in significant social, cultural, and environmental movements on social media, but they also expect their favorite brands to join them. Your business should consider incorporating targeted initiatives into its social strategy to connect with today’s conscious customers/users and give them a reason to follow your business.
Whether it’s sustainability and environmental awareness or distraction and inclusion, you’ll want to create social messages that match what’s most important to your audience.
Social commerce
While customer engagement is critical, your social media should also deliver results. Social media platforms are constantly evolving to make them more user-friendly. The latest built-in commerce features on Facebook and Instagram make selling directly to social media easy. Consider using these social commerce features to attract new customers and drive them along the buyer’s journey.
Keep your followers closer and your competitors closer
What are your competitors doing on their social media? If you don’t know, now is the right time to find out. Identify your top 3 competitors and do your research to find out which social media platforms they are on, how many fans and followers they have, what hashtags they use to increase reach, and what types of content and advertising strategies they are pursuing.
Understanding, segmentation, and target customers
Do you know who your primary demographic is? Your strategy must be based on a deep understanding of your audience to be successful. Examine your sales data and web analytics to understand your target audience better and segment it based on their wants, needs, and preferences.
Prioritize maintenance and communication daily
In addition to entertainment, social media has become a significant customer support channel for businesses. Consumers turn to social media to communicate and interact directly with their favorite brands and quickly resolve their questions and concerns. The comments and posts they leave on your social platforms are publicly available.
Focus on social media metrics
If done correctly, social media marketing can deliver impressive results for your eCommerce business. You must closely monitor your social media metrics to determine if your strategy is hitting the mark. Your goals will help you choose the right metrics to track – for example, if your goal is to improve conversions on your site, you look at metrics like social traffic and conversion rate to determine if your posts, ads, or influencer content were successful.
Social media metrics help you get an idea of the state of your online presence and its impact on your business. While the metrics you select will depend on the specific goals and needs of your business, here are some essential metrics that can help you determine the success of your social media strategy.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
The average download speed on 5G networks is about ten times faster in the consumer segment than in previous generations; this has fueled the widespread adoption of virtual reality (VR) applications and live streaming services with 360-degree camera angles. 5G applications have already passed the testing phase and are gradually becoming more widely available. In the corporate segment, 10,000 projects are currently in development, within which the possibilities of 5G industry applications in the B2B segment (5GtoB) are also under investigation.
Mr. Hu noted “the existence of specific areas, which require improvement despite the stable development of 5G. We already have extensive application implementation practice but need more long-term business cases”.
He talked about the massive organizations’ impact on the atmosphere and how people globally are becoming more serious about climate change. “These trends open up many chances for our manufacturing,” he said. “But they also create particular challenges. There are a few things we can attempt to anticipate and prepare for them. “
In the expedient consumer market, dropping the fences to headset usage will mark a turning point for virtual reality, one virtual reality key technology, including augmented (AR) and mixed reality (MR). “To do this, we must improve both the headsets and the content. Users want less intrusive, lighter, and more reasonably priced headsets. “To support the development of the gratified ecosystem, Mr. Hu encouraged the manufacturing company to create cloud-based stages and apparatuses to efficiently and quickly develop content that is now too complex and expensive to develop.
Second, carriers must modernize their networks and develop new competencies to prepare for 5GtoB solutions. A modern network is crucial for implementing 5G applications in industry scenarios, so operators must continually improve network performance, such as uplink speed, positioning accuracy, and recognition quality. Because industry scenarios are much more complex than consumer scenarios, O&M will face significant challenges. To solve these upcoming issues, Huawei is developing autonomous networks that support intelligent functions.
Digital alteration also demands new approaches. Operators can provide communication services and act as cloud providers and system integrators, developing the necessary competencies. Industry telecommunications standards are also essential for the widespread industrial adoption of 5G networks. In China, carriers have begun working with industry partners to develop standards for 5G in the coal, steel, and power industries, which has fueled the broader adoption of new network solutions in these sectors of the economy.
“Beyond technology,” Mr. Hu concluded, “several intangible benefits will not be immediately apparent.”
Third, the industry must prepare for the transition to green technologies. According to the World Economic Forum, digital machinery can help reduce global carbon dioxide emissions by at least 17% by 2030. “On the one pointer,” said Hu, “we have a great chance to assist all businesses to reduce releases of Co2 and improve energy competence through cardinal technology. On the other hand, we must find out the carbon footprint of our company’s industry is also growing, so we need to take steps to remedy the situation. Huawei is already using new materials and algorithms to reduce the energy consumption of its products. We are modernizing sites and optimizing energy consumption in our data centers to improve operational efficiency. “
“Over the past two years, we have witnessed tremendous change related to the pandemic, technology, business, and the economy,” concluded Mr. Hu. “In the future, when the world begins to recover, we must realize what opportunities are opening up before us and meet them in full readiness. We must prepare technologies, enterprises, and competencies. ”
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
The challenge for marketers will be to translate the lessons of 2020 into growth for 2021. Marketers reported a 17% loss in sales during the 2020 pandemic while expecting just 4% growth this year. New strategies are needed to achieve that 4% because 2021 also promises to be a year full of uncertainty and changes in behavior.
Despite the changing circumstances, we’ve outlined four ways for CMOs to drive digital marketing team growth in 2021.
Bet on flexibility and agility
Because we don’t know when the pandemic will be largely behind us, 2021 will not be a ‘normal’ year either. Knowing this, let’s stick to what Forrester writes:
“Resilience, when confronted with unprecedented and unpredictable change, requires a high degree of agility.”
For clarity, being flexible and agile doesn’t mean you don’t have a plan. Quite the opposite, as marketing leaders need to have a concrete plan. A program that aligns with business objectives and reflects a healthy mix of marketing channels and functions.
When marketing strategies fail or business goals shift, marketing leaders must help the team respond. A key point for growth in 2021 is quickly stopping systems that seem to be forgetting and focusing on investments that show growth and promise.
Cherish and nurture your existing foundation
According to a Garner survey, 45% of CMOs surveyed say their #1 strategy for growth is introducing new products into an existing market. While 34% say they plan to sell more existing products in a current need. The overarching theme? Focus on the existing markets.
For many companies, 2020 was about stabilizing profits and reducing churn. 32% of marketers focused mainly on retaining current customers during the pandemic. Only 14% have started focusing on attracting new customers, according to the 2020 CMO survey.
Maintain focus and spend around your organization’s critical competencies. Your customers feel well taken care of, so they remain loyal to your offer. You can then look further and invest in areas within your existing market with growth opportunities. You can then offer your existing customer base new products and services.
Fill your marketing communications with trust and empathy
The past year has been an amalgamation of personal and professional.
We see each other’s houses, dogs, and children during calls. We deliver webinars from our living rooms and hear how our colleagues and customers’ families cope with the pandemic.
At the same time, we share feelings of fear, loss of control, insecurity, and overwhelmingness. We want to take care of each other more and contact each other.
These emotions and shared experiences have a lot of impact on decision-making. 40% of respondents to an Edelman survey said, “I have convinced others to stop using a brand that I felt was not coping well with the pandemic.” And 36% said it is more important than ever for a brand to make them feel safe during the pandemic.
Marketing leaders needed to take such emotions into account in 2021. Otherwise, they will seem out of touch with the zeitgeist. Marketers must fill their content and messages with trust and empathy to display these emotions effectively.
CMOS works closely with other members of management to ensure coverage aligns with customer experience. Marketing teams can draft messages to promise something to deliver to (future) customers; this closes the ‘experience loop’ and ensures that intention and reporting match what you provide.
Show empathy
Instilling confidence in your message is not enough to meet the challenges you will face on your way to growth in 2021. Showing empathy and recognizing the human needs of (future) customers is essential to ensure that your marketing efforts are successful with your supporters. Deloitte writes in their Global Marketing Trends for 2021 report:
“When a brand connects in a human, empathetic way, people become more open to its intentions; they believe that their needs are indeed seen. ”
Hold on to your brand values
An important driver for growth in 2021 is your brand values firmly in place. More than ever, customers want to know which brands reflect their values and beliefs, and they are expressing this through their wallets. In a 2019 survey by Edelman, 64% of respondents said they choose, switch, avoid, and even boycott brands based on their views on social issues. 81% said they must ensure a brand is doing the right thing.
In short, customers notice when companies have a clear purpose and strong values and reward this with brand loyalty. One in five consumers admits that they have switched to brands with a vital sense during corona. Marketers can use this by reinforcing their brand values and goals and communicating them.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
Embracing and driving change with development is seemingly the critical answer for the most quickly increasing food Business and refreshment problems. At the same time, slender net revenues and contests are significant developing issues. Change is about a settlement with development; it is vital to coordinate current innovation and developing market needs with advancement. Driving growth in the food and drink industry is significant for making worth and item separation.
In the space of Research and Development in the food business, advancement, food quality, security, and administrative consistency are essential variables to consider when fostering an item. Dealing with the information from the store network and creation angle is fundamental in marking. Also, food guidelines are changing quicker and becoming harder constantly. Two instances are the public authority charge on sugar and the new EU food guidelines, alongside the developing shopper interest in clean marks, adding more provokes and unique intricacies to food naming.
Customers are moving towards careful eating by picking spotless and supportable food varieties. However, they are not surrendering their inclinations for organoleptic properties. Besides, changing medical problems and dynamic ways of life encourage a more prominent interest in inventive and altered food varieties as purchasers’ interest in sound, new, and nutritious food increments. So, too, is an expanded inclination for natural, practical, plant-based food varieties arising. Innovation is filling the change of purchaser necessities achieved by evolving patterns. Rivalry is getting fiercer for F&B as retailers have their brands.
Furthermore, observing the rack space in the FMCG business is overwhelming, as retailers progressively require food items in the pattern. Food Startups are developing quicker than at any time in recent memory.
In the meantime, the most beneficial food companies are making another market through their items and enhancing things to satisfy present buyer needs. Then again, Big Food has its arrangement of objects and brands. This significant industry needs to continue improving or reformulating new things, a cycle that requires more assets like expense, time, executives, and workers; this introduces some significant food producers’ difficulties in getting productivity. Consolidation and acquisitions have been an essential impetus after reshaping the food and drink industry to satisfy developing business sector needs. Different changes incorporate beginning hatcheries, cost-cutting – rebuilding projects, and lay-offs notwithstanding, the simple formula to progress lies in innovative work, advancement, new item improvement, and re-formulation with the assistance of an item life cycle on the board.
Regarding the food business, “get it going rapidly” ought to be the witticism. In any case, advancement, from item improvement to evidence of an idea, is tedious. It makes a market pipeline excessively long, even with quickly changing food patterns; this implies a slower reaction to customer needs. This perspective is fundamental to fostering a more customized association with clients through their items.
Because of intense rivalry and advancing the purchaser’s food inclinations, the food business ideates and reformulates new items; this is a continuous cycle, which speeds up the presentation of fresh food and drinks items to showcase consistently, thus making a mystery decision. Moreover, the low retail food expansion is another element that has come to fruition as one more aftereffect of extreme rivalry in the food business.
In rundown, having a business that will be creative and unique concerning what any remaining organizations are offering is crucial for making your spot in the food and refreshment industry.
Whether you utilize the patterns we referenced above or take motivation from the organizations we featured, we trust this blog assisted with conjuring up an imaginative food business thought that you can chip away at slowly.
Anyway, the proper promotion and effort of the business are fundamental for gaining clients and creating a dedicated client base.
Squint can assist you with doing this. Squint provides a Software-as-a-Service and provides internet with requesting an answer for both web connection points and portable applications.
With the Blink stage, you approach a protected, versatile, associated with a pre-planned yet marked portable application and site layout. These go about as your online retail facades and proposition your clients simply the web-based requesting without you going through the issue of making these stages.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
A bank is a business that treats money as a commodity, lends it to borrowers for a limited time, and then charges them for it. Regarding a consumer loan or mortgage, the annual interest rate is set rather than the monthly, daily, or minute rate because it is easier for the client and the bank to calculate.
If the phrase “annually” does not appear in the loan agreement at a surprisingly low-interest rate, it could signify quarterly or monthly charges. Central banks will not engage in such shady practices; this isn’t the price rise we observed during the outset of the pandemic when scared people rushed out to buy toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Instead, a rise could indicate that we are entering an inflationary period, with continuous increases in the cost of living spurred by a gradual reopening of the economy following the pandemic’s abrupt halt.
What Determines the Interest Rate?
The central bank sets the country’s minimum rate, the most significant regulator. No one will make a loan if it is less than this amount. As this minimum rate is known, the refinancing rate is linked to the critical rate, a financial phrase that is meaningless to ordinary people.
Inflation is the second most crucial factor. Inflation is closely related to emissions and the government’s issue of banknotes into circulation, but we won’t get into that here. When a bank issues a loan, it is interested in generating a profit on the amount it expects to receive. However, because money will be worth a little less in a year and we would be able to purchase minimum items for the same amount, the initial interest rate will need to be increased by the real interest rate.
Finally, there’s the premium or extra payments. There seems to be one drawback: if the price of ordinary loans consists simply of the refinancing rate plus inflation, it will be difficult for banks, tiny ones, to make money. Banks are at risk of nonpayment; they’re aggressively borrowing cash from one other, and the central bank needs to pay for offices and staff. As a result, they employ several strategies to raise the ultimate cost, ranging from a simple surcharge to an increase in the rate for specific consumer groups.
By the way, the lower the price, the larger the financial institution.
What Does the Interest Rate Depend On?
Interest rates and payment types are two factors to consider. Everything is evident in interest; however, think about the additional payments. There are two types of them:
Annuity: Your loan is accepted, interest is computed in advance, and a payment schedule is set so that you pay a regular amount every month, but the early months primarily pay off interest, and the last months predominantly pay off the principal debt.
Differentiated: In this situation, they take your principal debt, divide it evenly over the entire period, and charge interest on the outstanding amount.
Different Types of Interest Rates
There are a lot of them, but they aren’t as significant for lending to individuals. Let us give you a quick explanation:
Fixed versus flexible exchange rates: In one, the rate remains constant throughout the term, while in the second, it fluctuates.
Recursive and anticipative: In one case, the borrower must pay everything after the period; in the second, the borrower must pay everything in advance or through the banking procedure.
Inflation-adjusted nominal: Excluding inflation or adjusted for inflation.
What Is the Effective Rate of Interest?
What is a common interest per annum on a consumer or other loan? The fact that the percentage given in the offer does not align with the overpayment leads to people misunderstanding their loan terms. The effective interest rate enters the picture at this point. The EIR includes the loan’s interest and all additional payments and levies. The bank decides the initial price, and you have no control over it. The only choice is to keep this proportion unchanged. Pay on time, take advantage of special offers, hunt for benefits, and read and analyze documentation. A hike in price is neither a good nor a bad thing. The ability to keep things under control is a sign of a thriving economy. It encourages us to spend rather than hide money beneath the bed. However, while inflation has remained consistent in recent decades, some fear that current prices will continue to climb, putting consumers under strain and jeopardizing the recovery.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
Most lenders require a PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) when a household makes a down payment of less than 20% of the home’s purchase price — or, for mortgages, a collateral-to-value ratio (LTV) of more than 80% (the higher the LTV ratio, the higher the risk level of the mortgage). PMI allows borrowers to receive financing if they can afford (or prefer) to file only 5% to 19.99% of the cost of living, but there is an additional monthly cost to pay. Borrowers pay their PMI monthly until they acquire enough equity in the home that the lender no longer considers high risk.
PMI costs can be limited from 0.25% to 2% (but typically work out to 0.5 to 1%) of your loan balance per year, depending on your down payment and mortgage, the length of the loan, and your credit score. The higher your risk factors, the higher the rate you pay. Also, since PMI is a percentage of the loan amount, the more you borrow, the more PMI you will pay.
How Long do You Tolerate PMI?
Once the LTV of the mortgage drops to 78%—that means your down payment, plus the loan amount you “paid,” equal to 22% of the home’s purchase price. The lender must automatically cancel the PMI, as required by federal homeowner protection law, even if the market value of your home has decreased (if you use your mortgage).
Otherwise, the time you must transfer PMI depends on your chosen PMI.
PMI Types
There are three different types of private mortgage insurance:
Paid PMI (BPMI): You pay a monthly premium until your PMI ends (when your LTV balance should reach 78% of your home’s original value) or when it is canceled at your request.
When the borrower has reached 20% equity in the house, the borrower may notify the lender in writing that it is time to stop making PMI payments. Lenders must provide the buyer with a written statement at closing stating how many years and months it will take for the buyer to pay 20% of the mortgage principal. But this may be earlier due to rising home prices (validated by appraisal) or because you have made additional principal payments. The lender must comply if the value of your home has not fallen, you have a history of timely payments, and you verify that you do not have a second lien or a subordinate lien on the property. You can also request a cancellation when you reach the middle of the amortization period (for example, a 30-year loan will get the middle in 15 years).
Premium PMI: You pay mortgage insurance premiums upfront in a lump sum, eliminating the need for a monthly PMI payment. You may pay the single premium in full at the closing or financing of the collateral. While it requires more upfront costs, this option can save money for long-term homeowners.
Payable PMI (LPMI): The lender pays private mortgage insurance on behalf of the borrower. It can be the outcome of lower monthly mortgage payments. Unlike BPMI, you cannot cancel LPMI because it is a durable loan part. Still, you may end up paying more interest over the life of the loan, mainly since rates are usually higher for this kind of PMI (because its cost is included in the mortgage interest rate for credit life).
Cancel PMI
This 78% threshold for auto-completion is based on the date LTV is scheduled to reach 78%, not actual payments according to the depreciation schedule. If you made additional payments and hit the 78% threshold early, your lender does not have to terminate PMI before the initially scheduled date, which could leave you with months or even years of avoidable PMI payments. (By law, creditors must tell you about the general right to cancel PMI, but not when you precisely can.) With BPMI, tracking mortgage payments and building your wealth is essential.
Also, don’t expect the lender to know that your equity in the property has reached 20% of the original purchase price or current appraisal value. If so, then you will be required to cancel. To request a cancellation, you must be aware of your mortgage payments and have a good account; specifically, what you have:
Price has not been made that has expired 60 days or more within the first 12 months of the last two years before the date of cancellation (or the date you are requesting cancellation, whichever is later) or
Has not made a payment for 30 days or more in the 12 months before the cancellation date (or the date you request the cancellation, whichever is later).
Paying off your mortgage isn’t the only way to create equity that allows you to claim a cancellation. Making improvements that add enough value to your home can also go to the bare minimum. If you’re doing a major renovation – for example, it’s important to redo the kitchen – review the numbers to see if you can now get a written PMI cancellation request.
Once PMI has been canceled, the lender cannot claim further PMI payments more than 30 days after receiving your written request or when you satisfied the evidence and certification requirements, whichever is later.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
“It’s okay to be in debt a little bit, isn’t it?” That’s how it started so that unwitting debt continues to grow and accumulate. A little or a lot, you should avoid debt. Naive? Is there a living person who never owes a debt? The answer may be “barely any.” Some even make it a hobby or, rather, a bad habit. It makes no difference for the rich or the poor; debt is just debt.
Isn’t it okay to owe? It’s not like that either. What can’t be if we owe and don’t want to pay? But, if possible, avoid going into debt if it’s just to fulfill a wasteful lifestyle and not an urgent need or productivity goal. Look at the lifestyle we live today. Is a peg bigger than a pole? If so, be careful because it becomes a gap to get to the doors of debt.
If ordinary people are in personal debt or stuck to moneylenders, it’s a different story for those in the socio-economic circle, which is more fortunate. Instead of getting out of debt bondage, even for some, debt is a way of life. Well, how come? Of course, using more subtle language makes them feel like they’re not in debt. Yes, just a magic card – a credit card, swipe anything you want. They feel proud and sometimes show off the magic card. These credit card users seem to be pampering themselves, but without realizing it, credit cards trap them in a pile of debt that will only swell.
For this reason, it is best to avoid debt as much as possible. Why? Perhaps the following reasons will help us understand it;
Debt Drives Us to Spend More Than We can Afford
Debt, especially using a credit card, will eliminate self-control when we face many items that tempt our eyes and shopping desires. We can go crazy because we can obtain everything at a moment’s notice without simultaneously dealing with the pain of parting with money. But in the end, expenses that will catch up with us in the future may even be until the goods we get with the debt are damaged before the debt is paid off. Painful, for sure.
Debt Requires Money
While debt makes us feel free when swiping a card or signing loan documents, it doesn’t set us free. We generally pay the price for each debt we make plus the interest. The higher the interest rate, the bigger the installments we must pay. And the longer it requires to pay off, the higher our debt burden will be. The only exception is interest-free loans.
High-Interest Debt Causes Us to Pay More Than the Principal
It is even possible that the interest to be paid can be greater than the actual debt if the repayment limit exceeds the stipulated time. This interest is detrimental to us as debtors. Being patient to wait for time by saving until the amount of money is sufficient will help us save expenses.
Debt Borrows Our Future Income
Every time we withdraw a loan or charge something on our credit card, we only borrow money we should use for our future. Think about it! Do we want to spend our money paying for something we spent first and not getting other things we should have deserved later?
Debt Keeps Us from Reaching Our Financial Goals
Monthly debt payments limit the money we have to spend on other things that may be more crucial when needed and reduce our opportunities to have fun with the family. The more debt we have, the more monthly payments and the less we can set aside for other needs.
Debt can Hurt a Marriage
Individuals who are married, of course, have different needs from those who are still single. When we get into debt, we often exercise extra restraint and control in the current cash flow. This restricted budget will give birth to conflict in the household, accusing each other of who caused the debt, who was responsible for the accumulating debt, and other things. This debt, of course, drains household finances.
Well, for that you should think again if you want to borrow. If you need to go into debt, carefully calculate the debt you will take on with your regular income. If we can still enjoy life to the best of our abilities, be grateful, and don’t have to force ourselves to live too much like others. Because happy and sad, rich and poor, how we accept and interpret what we have is a gift from God, not in the quantity of material. The value of one thousand rupiahs can make a person rich if he feels he is rich. On the contrary, the value of one billion can make a person poor if he feels inadequate.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
An overview of your money matters gives you peace of mind. You also see what you can save if you know how much is coming in and going out.
Avoid Spending Money Without Having Insight into Your Financial Situation
Keep your eyes open to your financial status. Having some vague rules to make sound financial decisions is not enough. So, take the necessary time to map out your financial situation thoroughly: what are your incomes, both the certain (e.g., wages) and the uncertain (e.g., pocket money, money that you get as a gift on your birthday or on public holidays or the money you earn if you occasionally do some weekend work)? What are your fixed costs (e.g., house rent, electricity bill, telephone costs), and what variable costs (e.g., clothing, clothing, supermarket) do you have? Ten steps to put it all together.
Ensure you have a good overview of your total assets, including ALL your income and expenses (and therefore the amount you only have to spend once a year, e.g., the home insurance or the tax). You can use a budget planner to overview your income and expenses (see, e.g., budget planner. be). Also, keep the documents related to your finances (invoices, payment receipts, account statements, insurance contracts) organized and always keep this “paperwork” in order.
Investigate which Expenses You can Save and Spend on Social Rights/Premiums
After you have figured out your financial situation, you can adjust it if necessary. Decide which platform you do not want or cannot save and then save on less essential expenses. You can eliminate some costs while you can look for cheaper solutions for others.
It might also be interesting to schedule some new releases. Also, make sure that you use the premiums you are entitled to. After all, this can cause certain incomes to rise and decrease certain expenses.
Be Prepared for Unforeseen and Significant Expenses
If feasible, keep a piggy bank for unforeseen costs (for example, if your washing machine or automobile breaks down) and significant future purchases. You can build this piggy bank by putting an amount aside every month. Give this amount a place in your budget plan. Inform yourself about the various savings options at the bank and choose the most suitable product for you.
You can insure yourself against various potential setbacks (e.g., hospitalization insurance if you fall ill). Buying used products might be advantageous for significant purchases: you won’t have to empty your savings account!
Think Longer Term
Do not save on necessary expenses (e.g., hospitalization insurance, family insurance, pension savings) that seem unnecessary in the short term but can be of great use at a particular moment.
Keep in mind that your financial status can change drastically if you or your partner become unemployed or long-term ill if you have children, if you start living together or get married if your relationship breaks down as you get older, and if more medical problems—or health care expenses.
Even if you are young, it is never too early to figure out your pension prospects and, if necessary, adjust them. When making (large) purchases, you should consider many more durable products that involve lower maintenance costs.
Be Sensible When Using Credit Cards
Credit cards are handy, but ensure the installment fits your budget! Be sure to think long-term. For example, consider possible future setbacks: make sure you still have a buffer in case you suddenly have to make urgent payments and pay off the credit. It is cheaper to save for some purchases and only afterward to make the purchase.
Borrowing money is typically highly costly. When using credit cards, be particularly cautious: “plastic money” entails the danger of spending more than you want, and interest rates might be considerable. So, if you don’t have any other options, utilize credit cards.
Avoid Impulse Purchases and be Alert to Temptations
Thinking longer-term also requires you not to get carried away when a salesperson approaches you on the streets or at the doors. An “amazing offer” online or in the supermarket can be less attractive than it seems initially. If you buy something in emotions, there is a high risk of forgetting the financial consequences or purchasing something you do not want or need. And if you go shopping in the supermarket, it is best to take a shopping list with you and not leave with an empty stomach. If you have given in to a whim, you sometimes have a right to cancel the purchase, but you must do this quickly. In concrete terms, you can cancel an online purchase or a purchase through a door-to-door seller within 14 days; this does not apply to purchases in stores, but sometimes the store allows you to return purchased goods.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
If you buy a car for the first time, you may have little to no credit history. So, you’ll probably pay more than the lowest prices you’ve seen in dealership ads. You can get better deals if you spend extra time accumulating credit before buying a car. You can also find deals by having financial companies compete for your business. Compare approximate interest rates online. To do this, you can use Auto Blog and get up-to-date quotes from banks and dealerships. Then, see who can beat the lowest score.
Financing through Bank
Bank financing involves applying directly to a bank or credit union for car loans. The loaner will give you a quote and a letter of guarantee, which you will provide to the dealer, saving you time when negotiating the contract. As a rule, you will receive pre-approval for a loan before entering the dealership.
Having a particular approved loan amount on paper can also deter a car dealer from convincing you to include extras you don’t need.
Depending on the bank or credit union, you can apply for pre-approval online or at your local branch. You may have to provide vehicle information, which may cause delays if you are unsure what you want.
The interest rate offer from a bank or credit union will be the actual interest rate and will not include any markup that may occur when dealing with a dealer.
However, as a rule, the price offer you receive is not the final offer. When you go to a car dealership to buy a car, the lender will run a rigorous credit check and review your full credit report before approving your application and setting loan rates.
Remember that your options may differ depending on whether you are buying a new or used car. Few banks and credit unions have limits on the age and mileage of a vehicle, and new vehicles may have lower interest rates in general.
Financing through a Dealer
Dealer-arranged financing works the same way as bank financing, the only difference being that the dealer does the work on your behalf.
Once you select your vehicle, the dealer will ask you to fill out a loan application to send to several lenders. Applying through several lenders lets you compare prices and terms to choose the best option.
However, in some cases, the dealer may negotiate a higher interest rate with you than the one the lender offers and accept the difference as compensation for managing the finances. In other words, you may not get all the information you need to make the best decision.
You can usually get low interest rates on a new car through a dealer than on a used car. Some dealers may offer promotional funding for new models, including 0% per annum rates for those who qualify.
Another form of dealer financing occurs when a dealership provides internal funding. These purchase here, pay here dealerships specialize in dealing with people with or without bad credit. However, these loans’ costs and down payment requirements are high, and there is also a higher likelihood of repossession.
Keep Your Loan Term Short
A longer-term loan will lower your monthly payments but could cost you hundreds or thousands more in interest. You can also get stuck paying for a car that costs less than you owe. Try to shorten the word of the loan—no more than 60 months, preferably less. You will save money in the long run. Of course, one way to reject high monthly payments is to buy a cheaper car.
Know Your Budget
To solve what you can afford, return to your desired monthly payment and look at the car’s total cost. And, if you’re buying a used car to save some money, be sure to budget more than the price. Used vehicles may need maintenance and have little to no warranty left. So, you want to be covered.
Make a Minimum 20% Down Payment
You are investing more money when buying has many benefits. It’ll be easier to qualify for financing, so the lender takes on less risk. You’ll pay less interest on the loan and lower monthly payments. You offset the vehicle’s depreciation, which is even more critical for used cars. And if the vehicle gets into an accident, you’ll owe less to pay it off. You can also save money by paying all taxes and fees at the purchase instead of including them in your monthly payments and paying interest on them.
Find Someone Willing to Sign Your Loan
It will be easier for you to get financing if you can find someone with good credit to sign your loan, which means they are willing to pay it back if you can’t. Remember that your co-signer will be on the hook for payments if you default.
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
Smart Business Financing Options to Fuel Your Growth
Business financing options include traditional bank loans, SBA loans, alternative lending, equipment financing, invoice factoring, merchant cash advances, lines of credit, and investor funding—each designed to meet specific business needs and growth stages. The right financing choice depends on your business’s current financial health, growth objectives, and repayment capabilities.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 20% of businesses fail annually, with 82% of small business failures attributed to cash flow problems. As someone who’s spent over 20 years as CEO of Complete Controller, working with businesses across every sector, I’ve seen firsthand how smart financing decisions can transform a struggling company into a thriving enterprise. In this guide, I’ll share the financing strategies that actually work, including real examples from businesses that have successfully navigated their funding journeys and practical frameworks you can implement today.
What are the best business financing options, and how do you choose the right one?
Business financing options include debt financing (loans, lines of credit), alternative financing (invoice factoring, merchant cash advances), and equity financing (investors, crowdfunding)
Traditional options like bank loans and SBA loans offer lower costs but require strong credit and longer approval times
Alternative financing provides faster access but typically costs more, making it ideal for urgent needs or businesses with limited credit history
Equipment financing and invoice factoring serve specific purposes, allowing businesses to leverage existing assets for funding
The best choice depends on your business stage, credit profile, funding timeline, and intended use of capital
Traditional Business Financing Options That Build Long-Term Value
Traditional financing remains the cornerstone of business funding strategies, offering competitive rates and established structures that have supported American businesses for decades. Bank loans continue to provide some of the lowest borrowing costs available, typically ranging from 6% to 15% APR for qualified businesses with strong credit profiles and clear repayment capabilities.
In fiscal year 2024, the SBA supported 103,000 financings to small businesses—the highest level across SBA’s core programs since 2008. The agency increased its annual capital impact to $56 billion, representing a 7% increase over the previous year. Winter Park Ski Rental in Colorado exemplifies successful traditional financing implementation, where an entrepreneur secured a $2.2 million SBA 7(a) loan to purchase an established ski business from a retiring owner. First Bank of the Lake closed this acquisition financing deal in just 35 days, demonstrating how SBA loans can facilitate business ownership transfers efficiently.
Small business financing through community banks
Community banks and credit unions consistently outperform larger institutions in loan approvals. Small banks show the highest full approval rates for business loans at 52%, compared to large banks at 44% and online lenders at just 31%. Credit unions and finance companies both maintain 51% full approval rates, making them competitive alternatives to traditional banking.
These local lenders understand regional economic conditions and maintain personal relationships with business owners. They often provide more flexible underwriting criteria and faster decision-making processes, particularly for businesses with unique circumstances or seasonal revenue patterns.
Business loans for equipment and real estate
Asset-backed financing through traditional lenders provides excellent value when purchasing tangible assets. Equipment loans typically offer 80% to 100% financing with terms matching the asset’s useful life, while commercial real estate loans can provide up to 90% financing for owner-occupied properties.
Banks excel at these loan types because the collateral reduces their risk exposure, allowing them to offer competitive rates even to newer businesses. Section 179 tax deductions amplify the value proposition by allowing immediate expense deductions for qualified equipment purchases.
Alternative Financing Options for Modern Business Needs
The global alternative lending platform market was valued at $3.82 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $14.47 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 25.4%. This explosive growth demonstrates increasing demand for faster, more flexible financing solutions that traditional banks cannot always provide.
Online lenders like Kabbage, OnDeck, and Funding Circle have funded over $20 billion in small business loans since 2010. These platforms use advanced algorithms to analyze bank account data, payment processing history, and digital indicators to make lending decisions within 24-48 hours rather than the 30-90 days typical of traditional banks.
Alternative financing options for startups
Startup funding requires creative approaches since new businesses lack the operating history traditional lenders require. Revenue-based financing has emerged as a powerful solution, allowing companies to repay loans through a percentage of future sales rather than fixed monthly payments.
This flexibility proves invaluable for businesses with unpredictable revenue patterns or seasonal variations. A technology startup might pay 8% of monthly revenue until reaching 1.5x the borrowed amount, avoiding the cash flow strain of fixed payments during slower months.
Short-term business financing solutions
Invoice factoring addresses immediate cash flow needs by converting outstanding receivables into working capital within 24 hours. Companies can access 80% to 95% of invoice value immediately, with factoring companies handling collections from customers.
Transportation, staffing, and manufacturing companies frequently use factoring to maintain operations while waiting for customer payments. The cost typically ranges from 1% to 5% of invoice value per month, making it more expensive than traditional financing but invaluable for maintaining cash flow.
Lines of Credit and Flexible Financing Solutions for Businesses
Business lines of credit provide unmatched flexibility by allowing companies to draw funds as needed up to predetermined limits. Unlike term loans that provide lump sums, credit lines function like low-interest business credit cards with higher limits and better terms.
Wells Fargo’s BusinessLine offers credit limits from $5,000 to $100,000 with rates starting at Prime plus 1.75%, requiring no annual fees for the first year. Companies only pay interest on borrowed amounts, making this an efficient solution for managing cash flow fluctuations or unexpected opportunities.
Financing for entrepreneurs with limited credit history
Secured lines of credit allow new entrepreneurs to establish business credit by pledging cash deposits or other assets as collateral. This approach builds the credit history necessary for future unsecured funding while providing immediate access to working capital.
Starter business credit cards also help establish credit profiles. Capital One Spark Classic for Business approves applicants with fair credit and reports to business credit bureaus, helping entrepreneurs build creditworthiness for larger future financing needs.
Best options for small business loans in growth mode
Growing businesses benefit from layering multiple financing sources to optimize costs and maintain flexibility. A typical growth strategy might combine:
Traditional bank term loan for major equipment purchases (lowest cost)
Business line of credit for working capital fluctuations (maximum flexibility)
Invoice factoring for immediate cash flow needs (fastest access)
SBA loan for real estate acquisition (longest terms)
This diversified approach prevents over-reliance on any single source while matching each financing type to its optimal use case.
Specialized Business Financing Options for Unique Situations
Equipment financing stands out as one of the most accessible business financing options, with approval rates often exceeding 80% for qualified applicants. The equipment itself serves as collateral, enabling competitive rates even for newer businesses without extensive credit histories.
Crest Capital exemplifies modern equipment financing efficiency, providing same-day approvals for amounts up to $250,000 without requiring tax returns. The equipment financing market has expanded beyond traditional machinery to include software licenses, technology systems, and even intangible assets like patents or franchising rights.
Unsecured business loans for startups
Mission-driven lenders like Accion Opportunity Fund specialize in providing unsecured business loans to underserved communities and new businesses. These organizations consider alternative criteria beyond credit scores:
Business experience and industry knowledge
Market potential and competitive advantages
Community impact and job creation
Personal character and commitment
Interest rates typically range from 8% to 18%, higher than secured loans but accessible to businesses that traditional lenders reject.
Invoice factoring and asset-based lending
Asset-based lending extends beyond equipment to include inventory, accounts receivable, intellectual property, and other business assets. Companies pledge these assets as collateral to access working capital, typically borrowing 50% to 85% of asset value.
A wholesale distributor might use inventory financing to purchase seasonal goods, repaying the loan as products sell. This approach works particularly well for businesses with substantial assets but limited cash flow, providing capital without diluting ownership or taking on fixed monthly payments.
Technology and Innovation in Business Financing Options
Financial technology has revolutionized access to capital through AI-powered underwriting, blockchain-based lending, and real-time cash flow analysis. Companies like Fundbox and BlueVine analyze thousands of data points from bank accounts, payment processors, and accounting systems to make instant lending decisions.
These advances particularly benefit small businesses previously excluded from traditional financing. Automated underwriting identifies creditworthy businesses that human underwriters might overlook, while real-time monitoring enables flexible repayment terms based on actual business performance.
Digital banking platforms now integrate lending directly into business banking relationships. When cash flow gaps arise, businesses can access pre-approved credit lines with single-click approval, making financing as simple as transferring between accounts. This integration represents the future of business financing—seamless, intelligent, and responsive to real-time business needs.
Final Thoughts
Smart business financing options form the foundation of sustainable growth when properly selected and implemented. Throughout my career helping thousands of businesses navigate financial challenges, I’ve learned that successful companies treat financing as a strategic tool rather than a last resort.
The financing landscape continues evolving rapidly, with new options emerging while traditional sources adapt to changing market conditions. By maintaining accurate financial records, building relationships with multiple lenders, and understanding your specific needs, you can access the capital necessary to fuel growth without unnecessary stress or excessive costs.
Whether you choose traditional bank loans, embrace alternative financing, or combine multiple sources, the right financing decision today creates tomorrow’s success. At Complete Controller, we help businesses optimize their financing strategies by maintaining the accurate financial records and documentation lenders require. Contact our team at Complete Controller to discover how professional bookkeeping and accounting services can strengthen your financing applications and support your growth objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Business Financing Options
What are the most common business financing options available today?
The most common options include traditional bank loans, SBA loans, business lines of credit, equipment financing, invoice factoring, merchant cash advances, and alternative online lending. Each serves different purposes and business situations.
How do I choose between different business financing options?
Consider your credit score, time in business, funding timeline, intended use of capital, and repayment ability. Traditional options typically offer lower costs but require stronger qualifications, while alternatives provide faster access at higher costs.
What credit score do I need for different business financing options?
Traditional bank loans typically require 680+ credit scores, SBA loans often accept 650+, while alternative lenders may approve businesses with scores as low as 500-550, though at higher rates.
How quickly can I access different types of business financing?
Bank loans can take 30-90 days, SBA loans 60-90 days, while alternative options like merchant cash advances or online loans may provide funding within 24-48 hours.
What’s the difference between secured and unsecured business financing options?
Secured financing requires collateral (equipment, real estate, inventory) and typically offers lower rates, while unsecured financing relies on creditworthiness and business performance but provides faster access and more flexibility.
Sources
Bankrate. (2024). “Alternatives to Getting a Small Business Loan at a Bank.” www.bankrate.com
City National Bank. (2024). “Equipment Finance: A Guide to Understanding How it Works.” www.citynationalbank.com
Comerica. (2024). “How to Raise Capital for Your Business: Useful Options and Strategies.” www.comerica.com
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
Jennifer BrazerFounder/CEO
Jennifer is the author of From Cubicle to Cloud and Founder/CEO of Complete Controller, a pioneering financial services firm that helps entrepreneurs break free of traditional constraints and scale their businesses to new heights.
Brittany McMillen is a seasoned Marketing Manager with a sharp eye for strategy and storytelling. With a background in digital marketing, brand development, and customer engagement, she brings a results-driven mindset to every project. Brittany specializes in crafting compelling content and optimizing user experiences that convert. When she’s not reviewing content, she’s exploring the latest marketing trends or championing small business success.
Whether it’s sustainability and environmental awareness or distraction and inclusion, you’ll want to create social messages that match what’s most important to your audience. 
About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.
