Let It Flow---Importance of Establishing Lines of Credit For Your Business

Having the access to the capital resources you need to start or grow your business is critical for business success. One of the funding strategies I recommend for every business is to establish your business credit platform so that you have ongoing access to business lines of credit. Your business is a separate entity and can (as well as should be) totally disassociated from your own personal credit. That means it’s not necessary to use your social security number to access business financing but people often do so, not understanding the alternative.

So, regardless of your personal credit situation, there is a specific process you can follow that will walk you into potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in lines of credit that you may use to grow your business. I you want to start the process right now to access up to $100K, go to http://businesscreditspot.com and you’ll start seeing results within days.

Here are facts you should know and ways to get started in establishing your own business credit:

1. Regardless of what you’ve heard, “business credit” has not gone away for businesses. While the guidelines for individual financing may seem to be more stringent, there are still plenty of financial resources for businesses if you know where to look. The stimulus money authorized by Obama’s administration is still available using this process.

2. Best time to start is now. The more time you have to “germinate” the process, the more success you will have so start it as soon as you incorporate or when you don’t even need the money. It will always be there for you.

3. The process is easy to follow IF you know the process. Years ago I attempted to do this process on my own and unbeknownst to me, made several simple reporting errors that caused me to get denied a couple of times. Either spend a bit of time educating yourself on the entire process OR simply work with someone who knows the exact next steps.

4. Your business credit is built on a Paydex score, not a FICO score. In business credit we use a Tax ID number to apply for a DUNS number which starts the reporting process, NOT your Social Security number. It’s a totally different reporting system but if you haven’t started the process, there won’t be anything for the lending institutions to look at. A perfect Paydex score is 100.

5. Start with trade lines who report your DUNS number. Best way to ensure success is to start with a few small trade lines of credit that you know report your credit status thus naturally building your Paydex score. This takes just a few days to complete. At BusinessCreditSpot.com, we share no less than 10 resources for you to quickly establish credit trade lines.

6. Establish several unsecured lines of credit starting at $5000-$10,000. From trade lines you’ll quickly move into credit lines and now the money is flowing. It will be much easier to quickly step into larger lines of credit from there.

7. This is not “expensive” money. Business lines of credit generally have very low interest rates, generous terms and do not require you giving away equity in your company. Also, they are unsecured and uncollateralized for the most part which means you’re not required to put any of your tangible assets into the mix.

8. Having a solid business credit platform will help you attract more lucrative resources. Being able to show a positive credit status may help you attract SBA funding, private investors, larger contracts and strategic alliance partners.

BE Your Magnificence

I've found there are many activities in life that are more quickly mastered by not only DOING that thing
but doing it alongside someone who has done it and can demonstrate success to you.
Like learning to drive, paint, cook (my grandmother taught me) and especially growing a business.
In the past, the times when I’ve launched a new project on my own are the times I’ve struggled more, felt overwhelmed, spent more money then I should have and took a lot longer than I thought it would.
This also seems to be an obvious truth with many of the people I work with, is it the same for you?
My clients start taking off in ways they only imagined once they’ve had the opportunity for immersion with me.
That means I’ve gotten into the “doing” with them as opposed to them just reading about how to do it or listening to CD’s.
I’m committed to helping Conscious Entrepreneurs create their millions in a meaningful way over the next couple of years
and that’s why I want to make it as easy as possible, as well as IRRESISTIBLE for you to work with me and my team.
For those who appreciate structured support---we’re now taking enrollments for our latest support program for entrepreneurs, speakers and service professionals.

Doors are officially open for “BE Your Magnificence- A Transformational Business Experience” beginning May 11th, 2010.
This COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT Package was created with women entrepreneurs in mind and includes:

*Weekly calls for 16 weeks with a small group as we walk you step-by-step into creating more sustaining revenue in your new or existing business.
We create a Business Blueprint so you have a plan to execute, support in clarifying your passion and purpose, help structuring your marketing funnel so we can automate many of your business activities, develop products and services that will quickly get you into revenue, online and offline marketing strategies so you’re attracting customers with ease, social media marketing, funding strategies, learn to charge what you’re worth, and breaking through any obstacles you may have about money and success.
This support alone is valued at almost $15,000.

* One-on-one support throughout the months from myself and my technology expert husband as we work specifically on your business agendas, valued over $1000.

*Monthly Call-in Q & A Coaching Afternoons for 6 months where the spotlight is on you and your progress, valued at $600.

*Access to our database of resources. Includes templates, people, promotional opportunities, investor contacts and so much more.

*One month of SEO and social media promotional support to help you jumpstart your marketing campaign, valued at $500

*A ticket to my 2-day BE Your Magnificence Intensive in Scottsdale, AZ, June 26-27, valued at $3500.
My team of millionaires, marketing, systems, transformation and funding specialists will work with you personally on Joint Venture development, product creation, design, mindset, funding, implementation of your social media marketing plan and so much more.

*A ticket to “Powered With Passion”, a 2-day unique abundant living retreat in breathtaking Sedona, AZ, http://poweredwithpassion.com valued at $497.

*We create an AUDIO PRODUCT and design other products/programs for you that you can sell over and over again, valued at $600

*ADDITIONAL BONUSES focusing on wealth creation, branding, publicity, creating instant revenue streams, and developing a conscious business valued at over $1000.

How’s that for immersion?
This total business building support package has a real value of $22,700 but we’ve bundled it into an incredible offer that starts at just $599.
I know it's hard to believe--- I think it's a pretty wild offer myself! You can see all the program details once you sign in at http://passion2prosperity.com
(NOTE: all the bonuses listed above are included but are not all visible on the website).
Go ahead and register today if you're heart is saying "YES" right about now. We only have 16 spots available and will sell out.
We’re serious about helping you move into meaningful, financial success and if you’re serious about it too and want to discuss it, send an email to simone@passion2prosperity.com and my team will schedule us for a heart-to-heart chat.

7 Steps to eCommerce Success

I work with a lot of start-up business owners and during the initial entrepreneurial stages, the emphasis is usually on planning, product development, establishing markets, gathering resources and attracting the right people. When it actually comes time to hang out the OPEN FOR BUSINESS sign, it's not uncommon to see some very key elements missing ---such as the actual operational infrastructure of the business, for instance. The following are necessary tools you'll want to have in place to not only be taken seriously as a business owner who conducts business online but to also be able to systematize and scale your online operations for growth.

1. Protect your IP--Register all corresponding domain names.
Secure any domain name related to you, your company and your products at Snagadomain.com . You may have a vanity site with all your Company info and links but it could be more profitable to also put your main products on their own mini-sites or landing pages. Spreading your name around the internet helps to create a bigger footprint.

2. Establish an online presence conducive to selling
Most people put up a website that does everything but inspire people to buy. Wherever your product is being sold should have a strong, clear call to action without other distractions. It should also establish your credibility within seconds AND have an opt-in area with a compelling free offer in exchange for your visitor's contact info.

3. Use a shopping cart with autoresponder.
Your product catalog should be loaded onto an online shopping cart so people can browse then click to buy in 1-2 easy steps. Even more importantly, you want to be able to follow up with automated (autoresponder) marketing messages to your customers and prospects to inspire them to buy more frequently and to refer. The #1 Shopping Cart with autoresponder I recommend to get you started is Kickstart Cart(1ShoppingCart) . I've had multiple accounts for years and it's served me well! Digital orders are processed and shipped to the customer automtaically. Services can be performed without have to worry about collecting fees. Physical product orders can go directly to whomever is doing your fullfillment and shipping.

4. Sign up for a professional merchant account.
You can use PayPal to process money transactions online but I recommend signing up for a bank backed merchant account to establish a more professional presence. It also happens to be more cost effective in the long term. My husband, Michael Murdock, offers wholesale merchant accounts with discount fees starting at 1.59% (PayPal fees average 3.5%). Contact him at murdock@docmurdock.com for details. Your merchant account will then be connected to your shopping cart for complete automation. Orders are processed and money appears quickly in your bank account.

5. Optimize your website so your customers can find you
Once you've set up your eCommerce site, make sure you've physically submitted it to the search engines like Yahoo and Google. More specifically, if you've researched and are using the most appropriate keywords for your product, people can more easily find you when searching online for your product category. You may have a great product but it won't really matter if no one can find you. Michael is an SEO expert and offers FREE info about this at Docmurdock.com .

6. Follow-up with ongoing email communication
Your prospective customers may not buy on their first visit so frequency is important to establish a connection until they ultimately make a purchase or at least tell others about you. The easiest way to do this is with a pre-planned email or video campaign. It should start the moment they make a purchase or give you their contact info and continue for as long as they're on your list. You can dramatically change your conversions with the proper follow-up.

7. Use measurement tools to track your results
There are many strategies you'll want to employ for traffic generation, sales conversions, and copywriting. You'll find that even the smallest change to your website or marketing strategy can produce big results. Google Analytics is a great first step and one of the many tools you can use for monitoring website visitors, page views, conversions, etc.

Join Maria's Abundance Mastermind Group call on 7/21 @ 12pm pacific and learn specific steps to creating a successful eCommerce presence. Get 2 months FR^EE when you purchase her eBook at http://www.passion2prosperitybook.com

7 Ways To Get The Media Talking About You

Publicity is not just for celebrity-type individuals or companies that are wildly successful. There are many ways that entrepreneurs can capitalize on media exposure during pre-launch and ramp up mode and even use the press to help attract investors and strategic alliances. Ultimately the exposure will translate into an increase in business. And to think it’s all FR^EE! In our upcoming program for entrepreneurs (http://explosiveresultspublicity.com/ ) one of my publicists and I will walk you through the creation of a campaign that will land you in the spotlight time and time again. Today at least I’ll share 7 ways to get the spotlight shining on you.

1. Announce your team during the formation stage
Tap into the media to share who’s joining you to launch your company. Emphasis is on people here to start the buzz and attract potential investors and partners.

2.Celebritize yourself
Start getting used to telling your story early on and/or position yourself as an authority so people start following you. It will spill over to any business you’re associated with when you’re ready.

3.Publicize Events
Create offline events or associate yourself with a community event to get the buzz going about you. Events get lots of media play across the board.

4.Product launch
Any launch of a product or service in your company should be an event and could get lots of media attention. However, you want to be sure and properly coordinate this so it doesn’t come across as an advertisement in which case the media will tell you to take a hike.

5.Cause Marketing
Associate yourself with local charities making a difference in the community. Help them get what they want which is usually money and resources and they can help you attract lots of media attention.

6. Chronicle the story of your company
As your business is moving along, consider all the human interest angles in your company and share that with the media as often as possible. Could be related to the people you hire, the materials you use, the values you’ve adopted.

7.Look for tie-ins to current events
Pay attention to what people in the media are talking about to see if there is a relevant tie-in to your business to keep YOU in the news. War, economy, layoffs. Take your pick.

Once you understand the fundamentals of publicity, you’ll be able to implement effective campaigns on a regular basis that will keep you in the spotlight and customers at your door. For more information, go to http://explosiveresultspublicity.com/ and register for our next event. The program comes with a guarantee!

Now Money Now: 6 Quick Revenue Strategies

I don’t work with individuals one-on-one as much as I have in the past but one of my favorite activities to do with people is what I call a “Now Money Now” session. It’s a 90 minute strategy session where we quickly go over what’s working, what’s not working and also create a plan to create new revenue with minimal effort in a short period of time. I thought I’d share some quick strategies that I use over and over for clients, including for myself. When the real estate market shifted last year, my investment company was caught having to cover mortgages on several properties for a period of time until we straightened the situation out. I used these strategies to create quick revenue in different areas of my business without missing a beat to cover the additional mortgages. Other people may have not been able to respond so quickly and this event could have been financially devastating. If you’re interested in having a “Now Money Now” session for yourself, please email me directly for details at simone@passion2prosperity.com .

1. Do a quick comparison of your gross and net revenues
You may be so busy trying to make more money you could be missing opportunities to put more of what you make to the bottom line. Activities or expenses that are really eating up your profits should be eliminated or modified. Reduce inefficiencies, look at ways to automate quickly. Include your time in there as well. One client was making over $1 million a year but hardly seeing any of that in his bank account. Within 60 days, just by changing the way he was creating his revenue and how the service was being delivered, he found more money going in his bank account. Creating new revenue was a lot easier as well once there were more operational efficiencies in place.

2. Offer new products and services to existing or past customers
You have a group that has already experienced you ---no new marketing or selling involved ---but perhaps your services are complete. This is a great time to devise additional services for them or offer complimentary products. You may not have anything in-house to be able to offer them but someone else may and this could mean commissions (affiliate revenue) for you.

3. Start looking at continuity revenue
In the past you may have charged larger upfront fees for a product or service. You may want to create a win-win situation by charging lower fees to help people get in the door and spread them over a period of time. Perhaps allowing monthly payments or creating a membership program. This will allow more people to experience you overall and create a steady stream of revenue for you.

4. Create opportunities to approach your target market directly
Many people beat around the bush when it comes times to promote their wares to their target market. Have a clear understanding of your market demographics (age sex, income, etc) and APPROACH those who have direct access to those people. Ask them specifically to promote you via email or telephone endorsement. Create a win-win situation by offering a special gift or some other value because of the relationship they have with your endorser. These relationships are called Joint Ventures, Strategic Alliances, and Affiliates (online). My friend was promoting a deep tissue healing device and thought the people who were continually getting hurt and needed instant relief were cage fighters (don’t ask). He developed relationships directly with those groups to promote his device.

5. Go with the lowest hanging fruit for speed
If you’re planning on creating something new to sell, make sue you really think through not only time and money involved in product development, but also how it will get out to your market. Do you have the contacts here? Is this an area you have expertise in or will there be a learning curve for you and new relationships that have to be developed? Do you have a passion for this product and an affinity for the market? Don’t get caught trying to make a fast dollar creating something new and get stuck midway to market without the steam and resources to see it through. Try working with what you have already…or FIND someone that can open these doors for you quickly.

6. Tap into social networking for speed and lowest cost to market
I know there are volumes being written on maximizing your efforts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others. I'm addicted to Twitter now and have found that I can create more new business and alliances in one day then I may be able to do in one month offline (with travel involved). If time is of the essence, get online with all the other movers and shakers and start networking but have a very clear agenda. Look to create new relationships leading to new Joint Ventures and new customers. Follow me and my husband on Twitter and starte getting connected http://twitter.com/mariasimone and http://twitter.com/docmurdock .

There at least 20 points that I would go through with each business and usually within 30-60 days their financial landscape changes fairly dramatically. These are some basics that could help make a difference in your business right away---put them to work! You can modify them to use if you’re in capital raising mode. “Now Money Now” Strategy Sessions are by appointment only so please send an email to simone@passion2prospertiy.com for details.