3 Marketing Myths for Small Businesses

1. Accepting credit card for payment is too expensive
   When I started my business I often asked other business owners what the most challenging part of owning a business was.  Hands down, most of them answered, “chasing clients/customers for payment”. This is why accepting credit card at your business is important. Anything you can do to make it super easy for your clients to pay you is what you need to focus on. The myth that it costs a lot of money is not true. For accepting credit cards online and providing a link on an email or button on your website for payment can be as little as $10/month and each transaction is usually less than 2.5%. (Try CardPointe to price it out). Transfer this fee onto the customer. Charge a 3-4% fee for all credit card transactions to make up for the small cost. This is very common throughout many industries. And most customers don’t even blink because they are just happy you accept easy payment options. Also… Did you know that from a consumer survey report 72% of consumers are more likely to make an online purchase if they see that credit cards or other convenient payments options are accepted? This is a big number! So start collecting more revenue and accept credit and debit cards.
   *report by american express in 2018
2. It's okay if I don’t have an online presence. My customers aren’t online.
   This is no longer true. Most people who say this are B2B clients who feel that social media or having a decent website is not so important. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Employees who work at B2B companies in procurement, HR, and many other departments do research on the companies with which they do business. The first place they look is online. First impressions are extremely important. A person will judge a website within 50 milliseconds. This is why you need a good one! They will also check your activity on social media. So make sure you have a presence. It all counts when they are comparing you to your competitors. 
3. I’ll lose money if I give out a free offer
   We all know that you need to spend money to make money. And sometimes that means giving away something for free. There are several ways that free offers can pull in more revenue: Sampling a product first before you buy is important to many consumers. Food, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, are some examples. (I have fallen victim to this several times myself ESPECIALLY AT COSTCO!) Gyms or Wellness centers can give a free session or class. This could bring in a customer with a high lifetime value. Have a raffle that offers something free if you collect information from a potential customer. Gift baskets, free service hours or free visits are all examples of how a free offer can generate revenue for you. Try it!

Got questions or suggestions?  We would love to hear from you. Comment below!