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Solo's blog provides the resources that microbusinesses, solopreneurs, freelancers, and other super-small businesses need to start, operate, and grow.

Blog for starting, running, and growing your business | Solo.co

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In this article:\nWhat space do you need?\nWhat do you want?\nBudget, size, and other necessities\nA large part of starting a new business, or expanding your current business, is finding the perfect location. You may start out working from home, and eventually need to find office space. As you are looking for a new business space, several factors come into play and will affect what may or may not work for your company. \nTake some time to do your research and learn more about what you need for your business and what kind of commercial rental will work best. This article will go over several things that you should consider when renting your first business space. \nDo you really \nneed\n a rental space?\nFirst, determine if a rental space is even a necessity. You may think that you need to have a separate space for your business, but if you only meet customers off-site and don’t have any additional employees, do you actually need to pay for a commercial lease?\nAsk yourself these questions to help determine if a rental space is necessary for your business:\nIs running your business from a home office an option?\nDo customers need to visit you at your place of business?\nDo you have employees who need an office to work from or can they work remotely?\nHow much of your business is handled off-site versus on-location?\nIf you’ve determined that you do need a rental space, then continue down this list to learn what you should be thinking about as you engage in this endeavor. \nWhat features and space does your business need? What do you want?\nMake a list of the things that you need for your business and a list of things that you want. The necessities might include things like:\nParking for employees (if you have any)\nRestrooms\nGood security\nSize specifications\nEasy access for customers\nBreak room\nKitchen\nThese are the features that you are not willing to compromise on, so you should make sure each space you look at has these if you are considering them. \nThings that you want for your rental space might include:\nOpen floor plan\nGround-level entrance\nSkylight\nLots of windows\nIndividual offices for employees\nOther unique features\nThese are the things that you may need to compromise on when looking for the perfect space to rent. Make a list of both and keep these in mind as you begin your search. \nLocation\nLocation is critical, especially for retail, restaurant, or other business types that rely on foot traffic. A good business location can help you acquire new customers and make it easier for your current customers to find you. \nLet’s say for example you have a retail business. You’d want that to be in a central location that gets a lot of foot traffic and will catch drivers’ attention as they are passing by. This will help you get more walk-in traffic and will help with marketing. \nBut if you choose a location that is out of the way where people rarely visit, you may have a hard time drumming up new business without a really solid marketing plan and a truly unique set of products and services that will motivate people to go out of their way.\nThink about your ideal customers, where they spend their time, and what their needs might be for finding your business. Use that information as you look for the right location. \nbusy street with traffic for commercial space for rent\nAccessibility\nYour business space should be accessible in every sense of the word. If you have customers that come to your space, it needs to be easily accessible from the street, including a place to park and an entrance that is easy to locate. \nOn the other side of that, if you have a lot of walk-in traffic or employees with disabilities, your space should be accessible in that sense too. Is it easy for wheelchairs to access? Can people who are less mobile access your location? \nCheck your local ordinances to ensure you are compliant with any accessibility requirements, and if not, be sure to work with your landlord to bring things up to code before you sign your lease.\nSize\nSpace is a definite necessity. You should already be thinking about the size of the space that you need for your business. How many employees do you have? What is the customer capacity that you want? Do you have large equipment or inventory that needs to be stored on-site?\nAlong with these things, you also need to think about the growth of your business. How quickly do you plan to grow? Are you going to be in this space for a while and will you need to bring in more employees? The answers to these questions will largely impact the size of the space that you should consider. \nAmenities\nConsider the amenities that the building itself has and that the general location offers. What features of the rental space are going to benefit your business, your customers, and your employee?\nWhat amenities are located near your business? Is there a mall, a movie theater, a park, medical offices, playgrounds, or other customer-friendly venues? \nThink about your target customers and how they spend their day and whether or not these nearby amenities make your location more appealing and convenient to access. \nBudget\nObviously, you need to determine what your budget is for a rental space. You can’t rent a space that isn’t going to make sense for your business financially. \nGo over the numbers carefully before you begin your search and then strictly stick to your budget allowance for a rental space. Don’t rent anything that is outside of your budget, no matter how appealing it may seem. \nBut, that doesn’t mean not to \nlook\n outside of your budget (within reason). Landlords may be willing to negotiate on prices, especially if they have a lot of vacancies in their building. So don’t be afraid to reach out and see if you can negotiation a lease that fits your business plan and finances. \nAdditional expenses\nThink about any additional expenses that may arise related to your office space. These should be included in your total rental budget as well. \nCommon regular expenses include:\nInternet and phones\nParking permits\nSecurity deposit\nSecurity features (cameras, new locks, etc.)\nFurniture to fill the space\nNOTE: many landlords will also charge you for common area maintenance (CAM), your portion of the insurance on your space, and possibly a percentage of your profits, depending on location and your revenue. Be sure to get it all in black and white and discuss it with your broker or realtor.\nRead more: \nHow much does it cost to rent space for a small business?\nThink about the duration of your lease\nYou don’t want to get locked into something for a longer period of time than you plan on being there. \nThink about your five-year plan and how to plan to grow and expand your business. How long can you realistically remain in this first rental space?\nConsider how long you want to be in the space and find a lease agreement based upon that. Find a landlord that will work with you on this arrangement. Don’t settle yourself into something long-term if you don’t have a pretty good idea what the future looks like. \nConsider your market\nIt is important to educate yourself about your market. If you’re looking for a rental space for your business, you’ve likely done your market research and are familiar with what the market looks like for your industry in your particular location. \nYour market can widely influence what will make a location good for your business. Consider your target customer, where competitors are located, use what you know about your market to find a suitable location for your business space. \nInvestigate your landlord\nDon’t get yourself into an agreement with a company or individual that you know nothing about. Do your research on them to make sure that this is going to be a worthwhile arrangement for your business and that there aren’t going to be any surprises along the way. \nSome things to ask about your landlord:\nWhat do current renters think of them? (Ask for references)\nWhat’s their BBB rating?\nWhat is their credit like?\nSet up a time to meet with your landlord and ask them your questions to get to know them better and determine if they are someone you could easily work with. \nIf you plan on being in your rental space long-term, this will be a beneficial relationship to maintain. \nUnderstand your commercial lease\nBefore ever signing any kind of lease agreement, you need to fully understand what it says. You need to know what your responsibilities as the renter will be and what the landlord will be responsible for. \ncouple carefully studying commercial rent agreement\nPay attention to the lease terms and make sure you know what is required of you. The last thing you need is to get evicted from the building because you neglected something of import in the agreement. \nHere are some questions you should ask and understand within your lease agreement:\nHow long is the lease? \nHow much is rent? Will there be any changes in rent for the duration of the lease?\nHow much will rent increase when the lease is up?\nCan you sublease?\nIs there a penalty for vacating the space?\nCan I pay up front and get a discount?\nIs renewing your lease an option?\nWho is responsible for what? (i.e. repairs, insurance, utilities, etc.)\nWhat building services do you get? (janitorial, utilities, wifi, HVAC, etc.)\nWhat changes are you allowed to make to the space? \nAll of these items should be made explicitly clear within the lease agreement so you know exactly what your responsibilities are as a lessee. \nSecurity of your commercial space\nWhat is the building’s security like? Are there security cameras on site? Have the locks to your doors been changed since the last tenant? How often do police patrol the area? Is there any after-hours security? Is there an alarm system?\nFind out what kind of security is available so you can cover your bases by ensuring the best security for your assets and employees. \nLayout of the office\nAs you are looking at commercial spaces to rent, consider how you will fill the space. How will you lay out your office?\nSome questions to ask as you consider the layout:\nWhere will your employees work?\nWill you have your own office?\nWhere will customers be allowed?\nWill any space be off-limits to customers?\nWhere can employees take their breaks?\nWill you need a conference or meeting room for customers or business partners? Where will that be?\nThe condition of the building\nYou should have an agreement about the condition of the building when you move in. If there is a current tenant in that space prior to your arrival, how will the space be left for you? Will it need any renovations or repairs? Will you be responsible for that?\nIf you want a move-in ready space, be sure that it is detailed within your lease agreement. \nParking\nDo not neglect the need for parking. Whether you will only have employees working from your rental space or you want customers to come into your space on a regular basis, you need to know what the parking situation will be like. \nIs parking included as part of the arrangement for the rental? Does your space have its own parking lot? Do you get an allocated number of parking spots or an entire lot? Is there public parking? Will there be enough space for your employees and customers? Are you responsible for maintenance costs, snow plowing if applicable, etc?\nKnow what your needs will be for parking and be sure that the rental you get can fill those needs. \nOutside perception and appearance of your rental space\nThis is your place of business, and if you plan on inviting customers in for meetings or are providing a service or product in this space, it needs to be presentable. How will your customers perceive this rental space?\nIs the building well-kept and comfortable? Are there potentially strong/weird smells from nearby restaurants?\nYour space will send a message about your business to all who come into contact with it. Whether they are just looking at it from the outside or have the opportunity to visit with you inside, people will form opinions about your business based on your location. \nThe right rental space can enhance your small business marketing\nThink about how your rental space will enhance your marketing capabilities. Is it in a location where it gets a lot of walk-in traffic and can market for you in that way?\nWhat features of your location can you use to help market it to customers? Are there nearby amenities that compliment your services or products? How close are you to other regular shopping venues?\nMarketing is a huge part of growing your business so be sure to consider this as you are looking for your rental. 

Top things to consider when renting your first business space

In this article:\n5 advantages for your hair and nail salon of paying vendors and suppliers with a credit card\nBelieve it or not, business-to-business credit card payments are still in the stone age, for the most part. In fact most businesses still pay at least half of their bills using paper checks. Smaller businesses like local hair and nail salons including one-person shops and freelancers typically pay even more of their bills with paper, or the cumbersome “online bill pay” method where you have to have a different login for each vendor or business you have to pay.\n \n\n\nCredit card processors\n and \nthird-party payments facilitators\n usually charge between 2% and 5% to businesses that accept these payments, and for some vendors, these fees can eat up a significant portion of their profit—or all of it. \nSo small suppliers or local vendors may not be set up to accept your credit card payments for their services.\nWhy should you care? Because there are quite a few advantages for you to paying all of your vendors, suppliers, rent, utilities, etc. with a credit card.\nLet’s go over a few perks you can benefit from when you pay your salon’s bills with a credit card, and then we’ll talk about ways you can pay everyone using a credit card—even if they don’t accept credit card payments (nope, we’re not kidding!).\nYou may also like: \nWhat’s the cheapest way to accept credit cards?\n \nAdvantages to your salon of paying vendors and suppliers via credit card rather than by check or online bill pay\nNow let’s talk about some of the benefits to salons who pay vendors, utilities, suppliers, and everyone else, using a credit card, rather than sending paper checks.\n1. Credit card payments save time and improve cash flow for businesses\nSending a check can take quite a few days or even weeks to complete the process and clear a bank. When you pay vendors using a credit card, you speed up the process and free up cash for other business expenses.\n2. Increased purchasing power and business credit\nSince you don’t have to pay off your card balance for at least 21 days (and often longer, if your account is in good standing), you can effectively borrow business funding at 0% (plus you get perks and rewards) to pay vendors and suppliers. \nIf you need to spend a little more than you currently have in your bank account to order salon supplies or make improvements, a business credit card with an appropriate limit can make that easy. (Just be sure to pay it off quickly once you have what you need.)\nIn addition, as you regularly pay your credit card statement on time and use much of your available credit, you can increase the credit limit available to your business and improve your business credit rating, which can lower your interest rate for business loans and other expenses.\n3. Perks, miles, rewards, cashback, discounts\nNearly all credit cards offer perks and advantages to members, and for local, small like hair and nail salons this can be a huge asset. You might get a price break or increased cashback for using your business card to pay vendors and suppliers.\nSalon owners who rack up lots of airline miles using one of these cards can pay for a significant portion or even all of their business travel expenses, get discounts for small business expos, enjoy free concierge service, get free car rental insurance and discounts, and much, much more.\nSome salons use their cashback bonuses to improve their facilities, buy equipment or supplies, pay for employee team-building events, pay for salon maintenance, or even pay rent and utilities. The uses for rewards points/cashback bonuses are almost limitless. This is assuming the card you choose allows you to spend your cashback bonus how you choose.\n(Image)\n\n4. Paying all your salon’s vendors, suppliers, and bills with one card vastly streamlines your accounting process\nWhen you have to keep track of expenses and bills for your hair or nail salon, the simpler the better. If you can move all of your monthly business expenses and vendor payments to a single card, it’s much easier to keep track of, plus you get the benefit of your credit card statement to help you keep things accurate.\n5. It’s more secure than writing a check\nWhen you pay with a credit card, your issuer and processor help absorb the risk of fraud. (This is one reason they charge fees for the service.) When you mail someone a check, you are giving them your bank account (via the routing number and account number) and your signature. 

Why you should pay your hair or nail salon’s bills with a credit card

In this article:\nBuilding your own website from scratch using Squarespace\nThings to consider before you get started\nTutorial: 11 steps to build your business site\nBuilding your own business website can seem like a daunting task, but there are several great website builders out there that allow you to seamlessly integrate your brand and business into a professional-looking website. \nIn this article, we’ll walk you through the steps to create your own website on \nSquarespace\n. \nOne thing to keep in mind as you start building your Squarespace website: this isn’t a free solution. Squarespace has several different subscription plans currently ranging from $14/month to $49/month. Each plan has varying features and levels of support. (We’ll provide more information on this later on, too.) \nNote: pricing and details are subject to change.\nBefore you get started building your small business website\nBefore you jump in and start putting together your website on any DIY platform, it’s important to first map out a plan for your website. \nThis includes:\nDetermine the main pages that you want on your site (home/landing page, about us, services, products, FAQ, contact, shopping cart, etc.)\nDetermine which pages you want to be in the main navigation of your site (this is the main menu along the top of your site to help visitors find the information they need)\nWrite (or hire out) any content that you want featured on your website (we strongly urge you to write your own content and not to copy and paste from another website, as this can hurt your online visibility and may be illegal in some cases)\nDecide what content you will want on your home page\nGather other assets that you’ll need on the site (logo, images, videos, graphics, etc.)\nHave a few ideas for your domain name (your exact choice may not be available)\nOnce you have your plan in place, then you can jump in and get started. \nStep-by-step tutorial: how to build a basic website for your business\nAs we mentioned, we’ll be walking you through how to build a website on Squarespace, but most of these steps will be similar to other DIY website builders (Wix, Weebly, etc.) And no matter which site you start from, you’ll need to create an account before you can move forward with launching your new site. \nWe’ll go over the following steps:\nGet started and pick a template\nCreate your account\nStart building your site\nEditing your pages\nEditing images\nAdding a new section\nCreating a new page\nEditing the main navigation\nEditing you header\nPublish your site\nRegister your domain\nStep 1: Get started and pick a template\nOn Squarespace you don’t have to have an account in place before you are able to look at the various templates they have available. \nSo if you prefer to check out your options before signing up, let’s start here. Click “Get Started”\n(Image)\n\nFrom the next page, you can describe your business or website with the buttons or text field provided. This will help Squarespace show you the templates that are a good fit for your industry. Alternatively, you can click “I’m just browsing” in the top right corner to look through all of their template options. \n(Image)\n\nNext, you get to pick your template. You’ll have tons of options to choose from, and if you need help narrowing it down, you can browse by category (see the left side of the screen). \n(Image)\n\nWhen you hover over one of the template options, you can choose to start building your website on that template, or you can preview it first. We suggest looking at the preview so you can get a feel for that template and all of its pages before you start. \n(Image)\n\nWhen you preview the site first, you can see what it looks like on desktop, tablets, and phones so you get an idea of how the experience may vary across different devices. Click through each of these options and the different pages on the site to make sure you like it. \n(Image)\n\nWhen you find the template you want, click “Start with this design” in the top right corner. \nStep 2: Create your account\nIf you haven’t created an account yet, this is where Squarespace will prompt you to do so. You can use a Google, Apple, or Facebook account or continue creating an account with your email. We recommend using the email or Google account that is associated with your business. \nOnce you’ve selected your option, click “Log in” in the top right corner to log in and get started. \n(Image)\n\nStep 3: Start building your site\nOn the next page, Squarespace will provide a mini-tutorial/welcome message to help you get started. You can choose to skip this if you want, but it’s helpful information. \nOn the first page of this tutorial, title your site. \n(Image)\n\nThe next couple of pages will just be brief tips on how to edit, create, and style pages. \nClick “Get Started” on the last page. \nAs you get started, your page will look similar to this:\n(Image)\n\nClick “Edit” at the top left of the website template to start putting your site together. \nStep 4: Editing your pages\nYou’ll notice that as you hover over different elements (Squarespace calls these “content blocks”) on any page of the website, you can edit the text and images. \n(Image)\n\nClick in the box to rewrite the text and style it how you want it:\n(Image)\n\nYou can also choose to remove any content block by hovering over it and clicking the little red trash can icon:\n(Image)\n\nIf you want to add additional content blocks, you can hover over the left above or below the current elements and you’ll see a gray teardrop that you can click on to add something in that spot. \n(Image)\n\nYou can scroll through the different options to see what kind of content you can add.\n\n\nAs you can see here, we chose to add a line to help separate the text. \n(Image)\n\nTo update the size, content block alignment, and colors of any section on the site, just hover over the larger section and click the edit icon.   \n(Image)\n\nUnder “Format,” you can adjust the height of that section, the content width (how wide it stretches across the screen), and the content alignment. \n\n\nYou can easily change the look and feel of the site with just the click of a few buttons. \n(Image)\n\nUnder “Background,” you can choose what you want the background to look like: if you want an image, video, solid color, overlay, or for the background to stretch across the screen or have some white space around it. \n\n\n \n(Image)\n\nUnder “Colors,” you can select a color theme that you want for each section. If you don’t love the color choices available, then you can click the edit icon on the theme that is closest to what you want and customize the colors yourself. \n\n\nYou’ll be able to look through every possible element and choose the color that it should be. There are a lot, so this can feel overwhelming. We recommend sticking to one or two main colors for headings, links, borders, and backgrounds, and using one or two neutral colors (black, white, gray, tan, brown) for the rest. Choose colors that coordinate with your brand’s aesthetic. \n\n\n \n(Image)\n\nIf you want to rearrange the sections on any page, you can hover over it and click the up and down arrows to move the entire section. \n(Image)\n\nIf you just want to rearrange the content blocks within a section you can drag and drop them. \nStep 5: Editing images\nSquarespace is helpful in that it has tons of free and premium stock photos for you to choose from, and it has an image editor built into the site so you can easily adjust colors and the cropping of the image within the engine.\nTo edit the image in any section you can hover over the image you want to change and click the edit icon. \n(Image)\n\nFrom the content tab in the new window that pops up, you can change the image that is being used. You just need to delete the current image and upload a new one or search through the images that Squarespace has available. (They pull their free images from Unsplash.com.) \n\n\n\n\nIf you click “image editor” below the picture you just uploaded, you can make the following edits to your image if you need to:\nBrightness\nContrast\nSaturation\nSharpness\nBlur\nHighlights\nShadows\nCrop\nRotate\nFlip\nAdd filters\n\n\n(Image)\n \n(Image)\n\n\n(Image)\nClick “Save” in the top left corner when you are finished editing your image. \nYou’ll then be redirected back to your website. In the image window, there are a couple other adjustments you can make to your image to help style it the way that you want. \nUnder the “Design” tab, you can choose where the text resides in relation to the image (if there is any) and you can add a link to your image if you need to. The link can be a button on or next to the image or it can be in the image itself. \n\n\n\n\n(Image)\nUnder the “Animations” tab, you can choose if you want the image to have an animation when it loads onto the page. Play with these and test them out to see if any fit the tone you are going for on your website. If you have multiple images on one page, we recommend using no animations or the same animation for all of them. Too many different animations can make the site feel overwhelming or busy. \n\nStep 6: Adding a new section\nSimilar to adding new content blocks, you can add new section to any page for different types of content that you have. Just click the plus icon above or below any section to add a new one. \n(Image)\n\nThen you’ll get a popup window with all of your options. Click through the menu on the left to see what each of these items looks like and scroll through the different configurations available. \nAnd remember, you can always adjust the colors, images, and layouts once the section is on your page. \n(Image)\n\n \n(Image)\n\n \nWe added a contact section with a form to our example home page. \n(Image)\n\n \nStep 7: Creating a new page\nNext let’s create your pages! When you’re ready to make a new page, you can click “Done” in the top right corner to return to the main menu. \n(Image)\n\nFrom there, you’ll click “Pages” to edit or delete the current pages and create new ones. \n(Image)\n\nThe next menu will look something like this. If you want your new page to be linked up in the main navigation, you can click the plus icon next to “main navigation” and create a new page from there. You can choose between a blank page and start from scratch, or you can choose a prebuilt page layout to start from. \n\n\n\n\nIf you choose a page layout, you’ll have several options to choose from, depending on the kind of content that will reside on that page. You can also select “Add Blank” from here if you choose not to use a page layout. \n(Image)\n\nOnce you pick which option you’ll use for your new page, you’ll need to title it. \n\n\nIf you click the little gear icon next to your new page, you’ll have several settings that you can adjust, including SEO options, the featured image for social media, and other advanced page settings. \n\n\n(Image)\n\nYou can also use the general settings on any page to duplicate that page if you want the same layout for other pages (for example on services or products pages).\n(Image)\n\nJust make sure that whatever changes you make, you click “Save” in the top left corner when you are done. \nIf you added the page into your main navigation, you’ll be able to see it linked up there once you’ve created it. \n(Image)\n\nFollow the instructions for editing a page and editing images above to design your new page. \nStep 8: Editing your main navigation\nEditing the main navigation is super quick and easy. \nWhen you are under the “Pages” menu from the last step, you can click and drag your pages to wherever you want them in your main navigation. If you created any pages in the “Not Linked” section, you can also drag those up to the main navigation. \nWe recommend not adding more than 5-6 items here because it can start to get busy and wrap weirdly if there are too many items. \n\n\n\n\nStep 9: Editing your header\nWhen you are editing your website, you can hover over the header (from any page) and click “Edit site header.”\n(Image)\n\nFrom here, you’ll have the option to change the layout of the header, update the site title and logo, add different elements to the header, change the colors, and adjust the style. \n\n\nAt the very least, we recommend adding your logo and scrolling through the header layouts to see if there’s another layout you might like beyond the default. \n\n\n(Image)\n\n\nStep 10: Publish your website\nWhen you are finished building your website, adding all of your pages and organizing it the way you want, then it’s time to publish!\nUnder “Done” in the top right corner, make sure you save your changes, and then click “Done.”\n\n\nWe recommend taking advantage of this “Assistant” that Squarespace provides. If you scroll down to the bottom of the window, you’ll see a “Launch Your Site” option with a checklist. \n\n\nClick “See the checklist” to review final recommendations for publishing a complete and professional-looking website. \n\n\nOnce you’ve reviewed the checklist and are satisfied with all of your final touches, go to your assistant or the bottom of the page and click “Subscribe.”\n(Image)\n\nFrom here, you can select the plan that you want from Squarespace. They lay out all of the different features that each plan comes with and you have the option to pay annually or monthly (there is a discount when you pay annually). \nOnce you select your plan you will need to enter your payment information. \n\n\nJust one more step. You’re almost there!\nStep 11: Register your domain\nWith all annual plans on Squarespace, you get one custom domain free for the first year. You can choose to purchase your domain through Squarespace, or if you already have your domain from a third-party domain registrar, you can follow \nthese instructions \nto get it registered with your Squarespace site. \nTo find a domain through Squarespace, go to \nsquarespace.com/domain-name-search\n. Type in your desired domain name right on this page to search for the right domain for your website. \n(Image)\n\n \n(Image)\n\nYou can find instructions \nhere for registering your free Squarespace domain\n. \nOnce your domain is registered and you’ve purchased your plan, you can launch your site and start sharing it on your social media accounts, business cards, and other marketing platforms. \nGet your site out there so that it can start working for you and bringing in new customers. 

How to build your own business website (step-by-step walkthrough)

In this article:\nWhy consistency is important in online listings\nHow to use Yext to help your small business\nYext is a powerful online resource that all businesses should take advantage of, whether you choose to pay for their premium services or not. \nYext doesn’t have its own online directory, but it helps you to find your business across several other online directories and check the consistency of your online listings. \nConsistency across platforms is vital in online business listings\nGoogle and other search engines use online directory listings, also known as citations, to help verify your business’s information across multiple sources. The more of these listings you have filled out, the better information the search engines are able to provide their users (your customers). \nBecause of this, it’s very important that your information is consistent across all of these listings. At the very least, your business name, address, and phone number (or NAP) should be exactly the same across all of your citations. \nThe more online listings you have with correct and consistent information, the better opportunity you have to rank in Google’s map pack when users do a local search for your services or products. \nSo, how can Yext help you with all of this?\nHow to utilize Yext to enhance your online business listings\nYext has some powerful capabilities that can help you improve your online listings and create consistency among them. \nHow to use Yext’s free service\nThe first thing that all businesses should take advantage of is Yext’s free business scan. With this tool, any business can enter their information to check the consistency and accuracy across the main business directories you should be listed on. \nGo to \nyext.com\n to see how your business appears online. You don’t even need to sign in. \nJust scroll down to the section where you can add your business information. Add your country, business type, business name, and phone number. \nClick “Scan Now” and Yext will generate a list of directories and how your business appears on them. \n(Image)\n\nThe next page is your list of citations Yext has found across the web. These will include Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Bing, Yelp, Mapquest, and many more (assuming you have \nclaimed your listings\n).\nThe thing that you want to look for here are any listings that have incorrect information. In the far right column, Yext will show you if any information is inaccurate with a red warning sign. \nIf you aren’t currently subscribed to Yext, you’ll likely also see “Not verified on Yext” on your listings that are correct. If you aren’t interested in paying for Yext’s services at this time, just ignore this (more on premium Yext services below).\n(Image)\n\nMake a note of any listings that are incorrect. Each listing Yext shows has a link in the left column that says “View Listing.” That link will take you directly to your listing for that site, where you can then update it. \nIf you want to update these listings yourself without paying for Yext’s premium listing service, we have helpful tutorials to guide you through the process, step-by-step. \nGoogle\nYahoo\nFacebook\nBing\nYelp\nTripAdvisor\n\nYP.com\n\n\nLinkedIn\n\n\nFoursquare\n\n\nOpenTable\n\n\nCrunchbase\n\n\nBBB\n\nIf the process of updating all of your listings is beyond the time you have available, then you might want to consider Yext’s premium services. \nHow to use Yext’s premium listings management\nYext’s premium solutions allow you to sign up for a plan that has specific listings and features. Yext will then update all of the listings within your plan to make sure that your information is correct. You will need to pay an ongoing fee to keep these listings updated. \nIf you are interested in doing this, proceed from the business scan page and click “Fix All Errors.”\n(Image)\n\nYou’ll then be brought to a form to update your information and make sure everything is exactly how you want it to appear across all of your online listings. Click “Continue” to see the four different Yext plans for small businesses. \n(Image)\n\nThe four plans Yext offers for small businesses are as follows:\nEmerging: This plan is what they call their “Starter Package” and is billed at $199 annually. With this plan, you get your information updated across 40 lower level directories. \nEssential: This “Plus Package” is billed at $449 annually and includes listing your information across the main search engines and directory sites, like Google, Yahoo, Bing, Facebook, and 10 others. \nComplete: This “Standard Package” includes all of the listings from both the Emerging and Essential packages and is billed at $499 annually. \nPremium: This last option is Yext’s “Advanced Package” and is billed at $999 annually. This includes all of the listings from the previous packages as well as review monitoring and enhanced content for your website. \nSimply select the plan you wish to use, pay for it, and Yext will update your listings and provide you with a free training session on their software. \n(Image)\n\nThe one thing that you need to remember with Yext solutions is that once you stop paying for their services, you no longer have access to your listings that they’ve updated for you. 

How to use Yext to improve your online business listings

In this article:\nWhat is an alternative payment method?\nCommon types of alternative payment methods\nAdvantages to accepting APMs\nHow to get your business set up to accept alternative payments\n“Business” has at its core the process of buying and selling, or the exchange of goods and services for payment. Your small business isn’t going to be around very long if you give your products and services away for free, so you obviously need to get set up to accept payments.\nMost successful businesses (by far) are set up for \ncredit card processing\n. However, a growing number of consumers are looking for “alternative” payment methods to use, even when dealing with small, local businesses.\nLet’s look at some common alternative payment methods and why you should consider using one or more of them.\nWhat is an “alternative payment method”?\nDefinitions vary depending on context, but for our purposes here when discussing small businesses, an APM or alternative payment method is any method of transferring funds from consumer to business other than the usual payment by cash, credit/debit card, or check. \nSome popular APMs include prepaid cards, store cards, eWallets or digital wallets, mobile payments, money orders, bank transfers, and “buy now, pay later” instant financing programs. Some of the big names currently are APMs like Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Fitbit Pay, Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, Square Cash, Alipay, Afterpay, and Affirm.\nPrepaid cards generally work like any other credit card, so for the business owner, you usually don’t have to get “set up” to accept this particular form of APM if you’re already able to accept credit or debit cards. \nAnd not many local businesses have the wherewithal to extend in-store lines of credit or “store cards” (anyone remember the old Sears card?). However, since many of today’s customers use mobile payment, digital wallets, or other payment services providers, you should consider discussing these types of payment with your merchant services provider or payment processor, or whoever helps you process digital payments or facilitates your POS (point of sale) hardware and software.\nAPMs came into being to reduce payment friction. Example: PayPal\nPayPal was the first widely accepted alternative payment method and gained popularity during the explosion of the Internet in the 1990s-2010s. PayPal was for a while the only practical way two non-commercial parties could pay each other online without getting a bank transfer involved, or sending a check, money order, or cash via the mail.\n(Image)\n\nPayPal got so popular on eBay (since it made the sending and receiving of funds between eBay buyer and seller so much simpler) that eBay bought PayPal for about 1.5 billion dollars in 2002, and the two companies grew together until eBay split PayPal off into a separate publicly traded company in 2015. PayPal is worth about $100 billion currently.\nPayPal payments can be sent online (via the website) or using the PayPal app, and funds can be drawn from a linked credit or debit card, or a linked bank account. PayPal has also issued its own credit card, just to confuse things further.\nVenmo (owned by PayPal) was intended to be a “social networking” app that allowed P2P (person to person) payments. They’ve (wisely) dialed back on pushing the social networking functionality over the years but Venmo has exploded in popularity because it’s very quick and easy to use, and is free for friends or acquaintances to connect their bank accounts to the Venmo app and pay each other, split a check, etc. \nHowever, there's still considerable "friction" for individuals or small businesses that want to accept payments via Venmo, since you have to have your buyers/payers sign up for accounts, download the app, and connect their bank accounts before they can make payments.\nWearables, “smart cards,” and other contactless payments\nWhile so-called “contactless” payments may certainly be considered “alternative” compared to the more traditional way of processing credit card payments, they may or may not fit into our definition of an APM, depending on how they are funded.\nContactless payments can be made via certain credit cards, debit cards, key fobs, smart cards, “wearables” (such as wristbands, watches, rings, etc.), or other devices including smartphones, that are capable of using radio-frequency identification (RFID) or near field communication (NFC). These cards and devices allow payments to be made without actually requiring any physical contact between customers or their devices/cards and your payment terminal or employee, and without forcing the customer to carry any other form of payment or ID.\ncustomer paying with a contactless payment wearable\nThis has obvious advantages in speed and convenience for both businesses and customers, and is particularly useful during a pandemic since there is no required physical contact between the device/card/wearable and the payment terminal, nor the exchange of any item between cashier and customer.\nSome well-known contactless examples include Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and Fitbit Pay. Your bank’s mobile application may also support contactless payments, and you more than likely have a “smart card” in your wallet. These are simply standard credit cards with RFID chips embedded in them that allow near-field validation of your card at compatible payment terminals.\nWhy should local businesses consider accepting alternative payment methods?\nToday’s customers expect that businesses they like will move toward a more “omnichannel” business model for providing goods and services via multiple avenues, allowing for convenience and flexibility for their customers.\nThe same thing goes when it comes to payments. The more ways you have for customers to pay, the better it is for them—and thus the better it is for you.\nIf you suddenly had a lot of people coming to you wanting to pay with, say, gold bullion, you’d probably quickly learn all you could about gold bullion, determine how to accept it and value it correctly, and convert it into a form of currency you could use.\nIt’s the same thing with APMs. Cash is falling in popularity, particularly among younger consumers, who may also be skeptical of traditional credit cards (and don’t even think about asking them to pay with a check).\n\nModern customers expect multiple avenues to pay, even from small, local retailers, and some customers don’t even carry wallets, cards, or cash anymore. A smartphone or even a “wearable” can be enough for a postmodern consumer to carry out daily life and typical in-person purchases.\nWhat types of alternative payments should I consider accepting?\nFor the purposes of this article we are going to treat all “mobile payments,” app-based payments, online payments, digital wallets, and digital payments services as functionally identical. \nWhether customers’ funds are sourced from a linked bank account, a credit card, a PayPal balance, or stored digitally on the device in question is not really the main point where business owners are concerned.\nWhat you care about is how complicated is it to accept these payments, how much is the fee (if any), and how easy is it to get set up with your current POS system (if you have one). The best way to get a relevant answer to these questions is to discuss them with your specific payment processor, merchant service provider, or business advisor familiar with the payments process. Or check out \nSolo.co\n and learn why it's perfect for small businesses, solopreneurs, freelancers, contractors, gig workers, and more!\nGenerally the fee (when a fee is charged) is similar to what your processor would charge you to accept a traditional credit card payment (perhaps around 3%) but in some cases it can vary, and it may be lower, which is another reason you might consider APMs.\nZelle is free for consumers and person-to-person transfers, but your bank may charge you a fee depending on several variables. Your business account will also need to be with a bank that offers Zelle if you wish to accept that type of payment.\nKnow your customers and tailor your APMs to them\nAnother thing to consider is your customer base. In some places and for some businesses it may make sense to go through the process to accept, say, Fitbit pay, and in other places it may not, due to lack of customer adoption. Talk to your customers and fellow business owners and see what people are using and what they want to be able to use.\nAlipay is a good example as well. Alipay is an online and mobile payments system that is huge in China and growing in popularity in the US, particularly where there are large Chinese populations or in locations where Chinese tourists frequently visit. \nIf this describes your business, you may want to get set up to accept Alipay, because it can greatly reduce friction for payments where communication is a problem and cross-border payments can be complicated. If you never deal with any customers wanting or expecting to be able to pay using Alipay (or WhatsApp pay or whatever else), it may not make sense for your business.\nDepending on what kind of store you run, you might consider partnering with an instant consumer financing company like Affirm or Afterpay that allows customers to get their purchases immediately (after a short approval process) and pay over time, sometimes without any fees. \nGenerally the merchant (you) get your full amount up front (minus the financing company’s fee), and the 3rd-party financing company handles any installments, fee collection, and the repayment process from there. This type of purchase is exploding in popularity and it might make sense for you.\nHow do I get set up to accept alternative payment methods?\nChances are, you already have the capability to accept one or more APMs. Many POS systems (depending on the processor) already come with the capability to accept mobile- or app-based payments.\nYou may need to upgrade your POS hardware if you don’t have the capability to accept “contactless” payments made with RFID/NFC enabled cards, phones, and devices, but since more and more customers are moving toward this type of low-contact payment, it may be worth it to you. \nBartering, trading, discounting\nWhile not technically part of the strict definition of “Alternative Payment Methods,” bartering or trading for goods or services is pretty much the O.G. of the payments world, and in some business models this “alternative” can still make sense, depending on the attitude and willingness of the parties involved.\nA dairy farmer might trade fresh milk to a local piano teacher in exchange for weekly lessons. A baker might barter a couple of dozen hot donuts for a local printer to make up some business cards. A tax preparing firm might offer free analysis and tax return preparation to all members of a local chamber in exchange for waiving annual dues. These are just a few examples of how this might work.\nOf course, be sure to comply with all regulations related to your industry and adhere to proper tax laws.\nSolo can help you accept APMs\nSolo is the easy way for small businesses, solopreneurs, freelancers, and sole proprietors to pay and get paid. Buyers can pay you using cards or APMs like Apple Pay or Google Pay, and they don't have to sign up for an account to pay you! Check out \nSolo.co\n and learn why it might be perfect for you.

What are alternative payment methods and why should your business consider them?

In this article:\nWhy use Facebook advertising\nCreate a Facebook account for your business\nHow to set up Facebook Ads Manager for your small business\nHow to create your first ad campaign\nSocial media is a prominent source of entertainment and information in this digital age, and Facebook is king. It’s no wonder there is so much emphasis to get your business on Facebook and start advertising there. \nIn this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up Facebook Ads Manager for your small business, and even get you started with your first ad campaign! \nWhy use Facebook advertising for your small business\nFacebook advertising holds three main purposes or goals for the businesses that use it:\nBrand awareness \nIncreased consideration\nIncreased conversions\nWith enhanced targeting capabilities and low costs, advertising your business on Facebook can help you with each of these goals.\nImportant note: If you want to advertise your business on Instagram, you’ll need to have a Facebook Ads Manager because it is integrated with this platform. \nCreate a Facebook account for your business\nBefore you can start advertising your small business on Facebook, you’ll need to set up a Facebook business page. Whether you choose to advertise your business on Facebook or not, this is still an important step for any business’s marketing strategy. \nCheck out our guide: \nHow to create and claim your Facebook business page\nHow to set up Facebook Ads Manager for your small business\nLet’s get started. \nStep 1: Set up your Business Manager account\nFacebook Ads Manager is a feature of Facebook’s Business Manager, so you’ll first need to set up an account there. \nGo to \nbusiness.facebook.com\n and sign in to your Facebook account. Once you’re signed in, click “Create Business.” \n(Image)\n\nA modal will then pop up where you’ll need to enter your Business Name, Your Name, and Your Business Email. Click “Next.”\n\n\nNext, enter your business details:\nCountry\nStreet address\nCity\nState\nZip\nBusiness phone number\nWebsite\nBusiness use\nClick “Submit.”\n(Image)\n\nNow, confirm your email address and your Business Manager account will be set up. \n(Image)\n\nIt can sometimes take a little time to receive this email, so if you don’t have it right away, don’t worry. You can still continue setting up your account. \nStep 2: Add an ad account to your Business Manager\nNow that your Business Manager is set up, you can add an ad account. After you confirm your email or click “Done” on the pop-up, you’ll be brought to your Business Manager dashboard. Click “Add Ad Account.”\n(Image)\n\nYou’ll then be brought to a pop-up modal with three options: add an ad account you own, request access to an ad account, or create an ad account. \nWe’re going to show you how to create a new ad account, so select “Create Ad Account.”\n(Image)\n\nGive your ad account a name (your business name works best here), select your time zone, and select your currency. Click “Next.”\n(Image)\n\nNext, select who your ad account will be used for–your business or another business. This will likely be your business unless you are a marketing agency setting this up for a customer. Click “Create.”\n(Image)\n\nThe next window you are brought to will prompt you to add yourself to the ad account so you have full access to it. Click the circle by your name, click the toggle option next to “Manage Ad Account,” and click “Assign.”\n(Image)\n\nNice work! You’ll see the following message and your ad account is official.\n(Image)\n\nStep 3: Add a payment method to your ad account\nBefore you can start creating Facebook and Instagram ads, you’ll need to add a payment method to your Ads Manager account. \nYou can select “Payment Methods” in the window that pops up after you finish creating your ad account or follow the next steps. \nFrom your Business Manager dashboard, click “Ad Account Settings” on the left menu bar. If you don’t see this option yet, refresh your page. It may take a minute to appear since you just created your Ad Account. \n(Image)\n\nGo to “Payment Settings.”\n(Image)\n\nClick “Add Payment Method.”\n(Image)\n\nEnter the payment method of your choice. You have the option to add a credit or debit card, your Paypal information, your bank account, or a Facebook Ad coupon. Click “Continue.”\n(Image)\n\nThis last step of setting up your ad account is optional, but super handy if you have a max budget that you can spend on Facebook ads. You can set a spending limit for your Facebook ads, so as soon as your ads reach that limit, they will shut off. This is good if you forget to put an end date on your ads or if you have someone else managing them for you. \nYou can always update or remove this limit when you run another ad campaign as well. \nClick “Set Your Account Spending Limit.” Then type in the amount that you want to set it to and click “Set Limit.”\n(Image)\n\n(Image)\n\nYour Ads Manager Account is officially set up!\nStep 4: Create an ad\nYour ad account isn’t complete without getting a new ad set up. There are tons of ways to configure your ads, so we won’t walk you through every option in this guide, but we’ll give you some of the basics to get started. \nGo to your Business Manager dashboard and click “Create Ad.”\n(Image)\n\n(Image)\n\nFirst, select the goal for this new ad campaign. \n(Image)\n\nName your campaign and click “Continue.”\n(Image)\n\nThen you’ll be taken to create your “Ad Set.” This is your ad audience, placements, and budget. Here you’ll need to complete the following steps:\nName your Ad Set\nChoose where you want to drive traffic to (website, app, or Messenger)\nCreate your audience (click “Create New” to change your audience’s location, age, gender, and detailed targeting information) and save it\nChoose your placements (Automatic Placements is recommended)\nSet your daily budget and schedule\nClick “Continue.”\n(Image)\n\n(Image)\n\n(Image)\n\n(Image)\n\nOkay, now your audience and budget are set, so it’s time to create your ad. \nName your ad and choose the Facebook page that it is associated with (this will be your business Facebook page). \n(Image)\n\nNext, you can create an ad by using media from your Facebook page, uploading new content, or using an existing post on your Facebook page. \n(Image)\n\nMake sure to add the following items to your ad:\nPrimary text (tell people what your ad is about)\nHeadline\nDescription (any additional details)\nLink to your website or a Facebook Event\nChoose your Call to Action\n(Image)\n\nClick “Confirm” and watch as your ad starts getting traffic and engagement!

87 articles found in “Resources”

Top things to consider when renting your first business space

Why you should pay your hair or nail salon’s bills with a credit card

How to build your own business website (step-by-step walkthrough)

How to use Yext to improve your online business listings

What are alternative payment methods and why should your business consider them?

How to set up Facebook Ads Manager for your small business

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