Akron Today Magazine

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Money

10 Point Small Business Marketing Checklist

Small businesses often do their own marketing and have some minimal outside help.  This can mean small details get overlooked and even minor things you do not see can be costing you a lot of opportunities.  So we have assembled this list of 10 things to review and improve if needed to save you time and improve your chances of getting more leads and sales.

  1. Dormant Social Media & Blogs – Social Media accounts and blogs that never get updated tend to also never get traffic because the various services take freshness into consideration.
  2. Mobile Website – More than half the traffic to your website is probably on a mobile phone. Websites can be made to display optimally for mobile devices and this will improve your traffic and the inquiries you get from these kinds of visitors.
  3. Online Reviews – It only takes one bad online review to really hurt your traffic and lead generation. The reason is that people do research on many kinds of companies and if they find a bad review first, they will most likely stop researching you.  There are ways to address online reputation and even having reviews taken down.  One good defense is a good offence though.  Ask happy customers to review your business and build up a lot of positive reviews.
  4. Functioning Website Forms – The kiss of death is when you find out for the last year your website contact us form has not been working. Test this regularly.  Software updates or changes in your spam filter might have stopped these contacts from reaching you.
  5. Effective Advertising – If you are running your own Facebook or Google ads you need to know your numbers and pay attention to the results. Just letting these kinds of campaigns run without knowing if they are profitable or now is a huge money waste.  Try using a magazine like this one to run native advertising which is then pushed through these channels and is more effective than just sending traffic to your main website.
  6. Spam Filter – Your spam filter on your email is always getting updated. This could mean you may not be seeing legitimate leads and prospects who are trying to contact you.  This could be especially true if you offer something free, like a “free estimate” on your website.  Visitors would send an email asking for the free estimate and your spam filter picks that up as spam and does not deliver it to you.  Another lead lost.
  7. Old Emails – Do you have older emails no one monitors in your company? Maybe ex employees?  Leads might be coming into these emails and just sitting there unanswered.  Make sure all these kinds of email situations are forwarded to your active email.
  8. Phone Forwarding or Voicemail Full – Do you have old phone numbers out there not being forwarded properly? Maybe tied to some older marketing?  This needs to be fixed because the cost of forwarding an old phone number is much lower than a lost customer.  Also, if your voicemail is always full people probably are just giving up and calling your competitor.
  9. Business Registrations – Especially if you have a physical storefront, you need to register your business in Google local and other places so you show up in apps that use GPS, on maps and in more searches. Basic common sense but some people may not know how important this has become.
  10. Local Media Exposure – Magazines like this one offer great ways to reach a local audience. For example, we offer the opportunity to submit a free article to us for consideration or sponsored articles which are seen by many thousands of local readers.  Not taking advantage of local media when you are a local business is money down the drain.  Local media outlets specialize in connecting with the exact same people you are most likely trying to reach.  And you can just reach out to them – they all want to talk to local business owners.  Find out what they have to offer.

If you verify you are not losing leads and also improve these areas where needed, you should see a significant spike in leads and new customers.  At least once a year I run into someone who has not known about one of these things causing leads to be lost for many months.  It is painful to think about “what-ifs” when you see your website form not working or lots of old leads you did not see in your spam folder.  Save this article and review it occasionally to make sure you are not having problems that are costing you money.

Ohio Residents Consider the Pros and Cons of Investing In Solar Panels For Their Homes

As Ohio residents consider putting in a solar power system, solar stock investors finally begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Up until 2017 solar companies, across the nation, had reported poor year end results. “The solar industry is recovering and it is looking like the days of bleeding red ink are finally coming to a halt.” There have been some solid leaders who have maintained stability within this industry and they are confident that not only investors but homeowners will reap the benefits from all of the developing technology.

But Ohio residents remain skeptical. As the small mom and pop solar shops close up people are not too quick to rush out and install a $100,000 to $200,000 system on their home. Many companies, were not only fly by night companies, but they left homeowners with a huge bill and lien on their property. “Talk about being left in the dark. We were told that our power bill would be cut in half and it would only take six years to pay off our system.” Says a disgruntled solar panel buyer.

Solar companies like SolarWorld and Suniva are just two of the many solar manufacturers who closed their doors. Ohio, which has a flourishing non-residential solar market, has experienced increased competition in the face of the states rising renewable portfolio standard goals. With close to 300 solar companies in Ohio, that means 300 businesses are employing Ohio residents. One local resident said “We have been talking about putting in a solar system for years. We figure with all of them being here and with so many of our friends working for them, it must be a solid, good investment.”

As the cost of photovoltaic, PV, continues to decrease, the rise of solar power in Ohio has increased. According to Wikipedia “Ohio installed over ten megawatts of solar in 2015.” Ohio utility companies put in place a net metering rule which permits customers producing up to 25 kW to use net metering. Net Metering puts money back into the homeowner’s pocket. If a homeowner’s system produces more than the home actually needs then these “credit” go back into the utility grid for credit to the homeowner. More often than not a solar system takes in a lot more power than needed for that home. This is a win-win for the customers as well as the utility companies.

Now that the solar industry has infiltrated Buckeye Nation, Ohioans have a lot more to think when it comes to renewable energy.

 

Akron Family Resource Guide

This is the ultimate family resource guide for Akron Families.

Are you  in search of a better bank for you? Do you want to know if there are close banks near your home, or if they offer a better rate to refinance your home mortgage? Are you looking for a better price or company  for your electric or gas supply? This small list will give you the places you need to go to compare your current rates, prices, and services from other banks and energy suppliers. Check them out and compare.

Interested to know how your school district is doing? How about your particular school?

To find a better bank. Go to:

FindABetterBank.com.  You can find the locations, fees, and best bank options after you enter basic information for them to you your search.  They offer you many choices and even after that you can compare up to 3 banks to see who offers the best deal for you.  This is truly a no brainer.

To compare Electric or Gas suppliers rates. Go to:

http://www.puco.ohio.gov/

Check the prices, contract’s lengths and fees, and take the best option for your family.

Do you want to compare your child’s school?

There are several places that you can go and check out the place where they are educating your children.

  1. U.S. News &World Report – Best School Districs

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/ohio/districts/akron-city-102127

  1. Akron City District-If you are looking for the best high school.

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/search?district-id=102127&state-urlname=ohio

Middle school Ratings –http://www.greatschools.org/ohio/akron/schools/?gradeLevels=m

  1. The Ohio Department of Education offers resources for testing and to find your district’s or school’s 2016 report card.

http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Data/Report-Card-Resources

Do you have a junior or senior in high school looking for a college? Here is a link to the National Universities Rankings for them to pick and choose.

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

Would you like a resource you would like us to include? Send as an e-mail. We would be happy to include it in a future article.

Children’s Gifts-What Are you Doing with Them?

Children’s birthdays, Christmas, or any other holiday where they received cash for the occasion, is a very nice day for older children if they know a bit about the value of money. For little children, it’s just funny to look at their faces when they open an envelope and out comes a $20 dollar bill or a check. They push it aside and continue with the box that actually has a toy of some sort.

So, what are you doing with that $20 dollar bill or check? They got it for-let’s say their birthday— but what are you actually doing with it?

You know, and they know they actually don’t need more gifts.  They probably have their rooms full of all sorts of toys that haven’t  been touched in months, and they probably have more video games than GameStop.

Then , what do you do with their money? Does the money then goes into your checking or savings account? Are you keeping track of how much money you have put into your personal account over the years? Are you planning on reimbursing them later on? With interest?

It is so easy, isn’t it, to forget that the money is actually theirs? After the party and the cleaning, the stress or anxiety level drops and we forget little things that need to be taken care right away.  A lot of people forget.

When our daughters were babies and were receiving a $20 dollar bill from grandpa and grandma, we did not open a savings account for them right away.  We never slept a whole night for four months with our first daughter, can you imagine us thinking about investing their gift money then?

We opened a savings account for our daughters a while back with the money they received at Christmas and birthdays from family members – Yes, we did reimbursed them—  The interest those savings accounts were earning was pitiful. We took the cash out and opened an account at an online investment company. We don’t regret it.  We stuck with safe stock options, haven’t sold them, haven’t traded them — it’s $6.95 per trade — and we do not panic when their price goes down.  We are in for the long run with their investment, and hopefully you will start investing their birthday money too.  When they’re 18 and want to have control of their money, then it’s your choice if you want to be an advisor or let them have full control of their investment.

Little by little, those gifts can amount to something. If you have a financial advisor, ask for advice.  This is only for you to start thinking about taking small steps with money that they probably don’t need right now.  Think small first, when they’re older and see what you have done with their money they’ll thank you.

Happy Investing!

Saving Tips For The American Family

Many companies try to entice the consumer into buying their particular brands over those of the competition regardless of the value or the quality of their products.  A pretty product that is packaged well and looks pretty may perform worse than the simple packaged one.  As a consumer, you may fall for the marketing and buy the pretty package over the better one, but hopefully, you will make the mistake only once.

Many Americans are struggling with mortgage payments, car payments, insurance payments etc, to worry about other things like comparing prices, weight or performance of the products they are buying, but being savvy about the products they are using should save a buck or two, and in the long run, make us better consumers.

What are some of the items we use daily that can save us some money?

Gas and Electricity: Comparing prices for gas and electricity can save hundreds of dollars every year for the average American family.  There are many companies one can choose for gas and electricity, and even if entering into a contract with a particular company, it will save you money.  Be choosy when signing a contract, and make sure the penalty for canceling it early is not too much.

Car Insurance: If you want to save in car insurance, you need to shop around.  If you have a good history of no accidents or other claims within your company and you do not get any discounts with them, you need to shop around with other companies.

Dishwashing Soaps: According to a Consumer Report test, all dishwashing soaps perform equally well and according to them you should really buy what’s on sale because all dishwashing soaps perform equally well.

I can personally tell you that I do not agree with their results.  I can tell you for example that for me Palmolive, does not perform better or equally well than Dawn.  And some generic brands that you find on the shelves at the grocery stores, pharmacies or Wal-Marts require almost double the amount that you would need for Dawn.

Very recently, I tried a brand called “simply done” a registered trademark of Topco Associates LLC.  By simply looking at the bottle, it reminds you of the generic brands you see at the store.  I expected the same results as well.  The truth is that you do not see a difference between “simply done” and Dawn.  Is there a difference?  There may be a difference between the dishwashing soaps, but the price does not warrant buying the most expensive brand.

Restaurants: Despite having issues with money, Americans are spending over $3,000 eating out according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The convenience of having food readily available without having to cook it is very enticing, but the convenience of having no dirty dishes or cooking chores come with a steep price. Eating out should not be abandoned by families but should be treated as a treat instead of a necessity.

Saving is very smart, try to practice the habit.

What is Probate and why should you care?

Many people do not know about probate until a person has died. When a person dies, their will and other legal assets have to go through the probate process. This is often done by a probate lawyer because the process can become very complicated. When family members are involved it can create tension so having a neutral third party can help the process along.

Akron families can protect themselves with planning and finding an Akron probate lawyer.

When a person dies they leave behind debts, tax bills, property, and other assets. All of this is called a person’s estate. When a person dies with a will in place, by law the estate needs to be administered. This is done by a person called an executor. The executor will read the will and notify the beneficiaries that the process has begun.

Many people do not understand that even if they die with a paid off home and cars that their debts still need to be resolved. This is why most probate lawyers ask people to give a specific percentage of their estate’s value to each beneficiary. This way it does not become too confusing to administer after the debts are paid off.

This process can be lengthy because creditors need to be notified of the deceased person’s death. Some creditors will even ask for a death certificate as proof that the person has in fact passed away. If the person has a life insurance policy then that needs to be administered either by the insurance company itself or the executor. Some people decide to leave their life insurance proceeds to one person or to their estate so that it is divided equally among the beneficiaries.

The first thing that needs to be done is to submit the will to the court in the state where the will was filed. A petition will need to be filed with the court that states the deceased person’s full name, if there is a will, and when the death occurred. Then, the court will review the information, appoint the executor of the estate, and see if a bond needs to be given to the estate. After this process is completed, people who are related to the deceased, those individuals named in the will, and creditors will be notified by mail that the court has received the will and that the estate is now being dealt with.

After this, the probate process begins; it can take more than a year to get a will through this process. It depends on how well the parties that are involved deal with each other. If someone challenges the will then it can take years to close the probate process. When dealing with the probate process it is a good idea to consult a probate lawyer. They can help guide people through the process to make it easier and much less stressful.

Akron Business Networking

Akron is full of things to do.  But if you are starting a new business or if you want to get out and meet more people because you are in sales, you have to know where to go.

What many people do not realize is that not only is there an Akron Chamber of Commerce that provides business networking opportunities in Akron, but there are many other chambers as well in all the surrounding communities.  I have been to Fairlawn, Kent, Stow, Ravenna, Streetsboro and more different chambers.

Beyond that, Rotary is in many of these same communities.

Then you have professional networking organizations that provide specific networking opportunities.  One I was in was B to B Connect which generated a lot of referrals for our business to business marketing agency at the time.  They had groups in Kent, Stow, Akron, Streetsboro,  Aurora and more locations.  Because the same group meets every two weeks, you get to know people better and even if you do not get business, you will probably develop some good business friendships.

Network After Work puts on events in Akron and Cleveland as well and you do not have to be a member to attend and meet some new people.  The combination of events to meet new people and other events where you get to know people better is very powerful over time.

Then you can check Facebook Groups, LinkedIn and MeetUp to find even more things going on in Akron for business networking.  If you want to go to something new every few days you should be able to find something.

Some tips to networking better:

  1. Follow up the next day – nothing is more frustrating when people do not follow up after meeting.
  2. Do not expect sales – look to grow your network of connections and keep them fresh (reaching out regularly) and the sales will come over time.

Sure you can go to Cleveland which has come great events as well.  But chances are you can find all the new customers you want in the greater Akron area if you just know where to look.

Jobless But Earning – Three Ways To Earn Money Online Without Actually Being Employed

Intriguing title, isn’t it? After all, a lot of us would want to earn money without having to work, but hold up. Don’t get me wrong here. This is not one of those posts that say you can earn money just by lying in your bed all day. Don’t confuse the phrase “not being employed” to being lazy because I’m pretty sure those two are not the same. And just to be clear, I do not know of any way that you can earn money just by doing nothing.

This post, however, will provide you three ideas where you can possibly make money online without actually being employed. By employed, I mean that you have your own employer with definite working hours throughout the day. I would also like to clarify that this is not for everyone and not every person who will read this post and try out these ideas will be successful at it. This will still take some effort on your part and perhaps, a little bit of luck. Are you ready to hear out these ideas? Let’s begin then.

  1. Set-up an online business. I know, very original, but seriously, consider the perks of this. You are your own boss. The success of your business, however, will depend on how much you work for it, but if it’s something that you love doing, it’s not work at all. If you love baking, you can set up a small cupcake business. Cupcakes are so in these days, so you may have a lot of competition, but if your products taste absolutely amazing, word will spread. Don’t be shy. Ask your friends for help, they can recommend prospective clients to you. You don’t even have to own a bakery to do this. In fact, I would suggest starting a homebased business. It will cut your initial costs while you’re still starting up. Another great online business would be selling knick-knacks, especially if you love visiting thrift stores for collectibles. You can set it up in an online marketplace like eBay and start earning.
  2. Sell gigs. What are gigs, you ask? Gigs are simply things you offer to people who need to outsource work online. There are many websites where you can sell gigs, like Fiverr and Gigbucks. Are you a writer? Offer to write a 1000-word story for a gig then. Do you like making crafts? Great, you can offer to make a scented candle for a fixed price. You don’t have any talent except that you look cute and quirky on cam? Not a problem! Gigs can be serious or wacky, it doesn’t matter. If you’re good at something (wholesome, please), offer your services in the site. Who knows? Someone might find the video of you singing Happy Birthday adorable and will hire you to make one for him.
  3. Sell items at an online consignment shop. Are you one of those people who like to buy designer bags or shoes, but get bored after wearing them twice? Well, there are a number of online consignment shops that offer to sell your gently-used clothing or bags. The shop will have to take a percentage off the sale, but that’s normal. Besides, you can get rid of you stuff to make room for more and earn money to pay for your next designer item.

So, there you have it. While these ideas will work, success will not be possible without some effort on your part. These may not be actual jobs, but it requires hard work and ability to make it possible for you to earn some money from it.

Do you have other ideas on how to earn money online? Share them with the other readers by commenting below.

Options to Improve Retirement Prospects

According to  the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), many Americans are falling short when it comes to saving for retirement. In 2015, 28% of Americans had less than $1,000 dollars saved, and a whooping 64% had less than $50,000.  And although the savings so far are not much, the confidence of those interviewed believe they will have enough money saved by the time they retire. How can that be possible you may ask? One of the reasons they believe they will have enough saved for retirement,  is because they have started a retirement account and have started contributing to it.  They believe that now that they have started, they will continue saving till the time comes to retire.

While retirement plans are not always available through their employers, many individuals should be happy to know that the ease to open a retirement account through other mediums is fairly easy and pain free.  There are many companies out there that can have an account open for you within minutes, and can give you a list with a few steps to follow to roll over a 401(k) retirement account from another brokerage firm.

Remember to do a bit of checking to find  out which companies offer you the best deal for you.  If your current brokerage firm’s management  fees are eating up your earnings, remember there are many companies with lower fees that can do better, or comparable to what your current firm is doing. There is no need for you to stay with an investment company that takes all your earnings, and the initial capital invested has not grown.

Wealthfront is an online investment company where investment for a new person should be pretty easy to understand. They advertise zero trading fees, zero hidden fees, and if you need the help of an advisor, their cost is a fraction of other traditional advisors. Wealthfront is an example of the many investment companies that you can turn to when beginning to invest for your retirement.

If you are wondering whether you need to keep or buy a life insurance policy for when  you retire, talk to an advisor right away, specially if you have no other dependents to take care of, or your children are all grown up.

Long-term care insurance coverage is probably one of the many concerns Americans have for when they retire, and many  are unaware of the costs.  But even if you managed to saved enough for retirement, needing long-term care at a hospital or nursing home can eat up your savings pretty quickly.  So planning for long-term care insurance coverage now, can help protect your savings in the future.

Protect your investments and your retirement by making good decisions now. Talk to a professional advisor to find out what you need to do now, to retire comfortably.

3 Ways to Boost Your Home Value on the Cheap

It’s now a good time to buy or sell a home. However, overspending many times to boost a home’s value is not a good idea. Some things can be done at a lot cheaper price, but the outcome will be a lot better than expected.

With that in mind, the following are three ways to boost one’s home value for more affordable prices. And even though some of these steps may seem minimal, the value will spruce up greatly:

1. Clean up thoroughly.

From a few bucks to a few thousands dollars depending on the amount of clutter, weird smells, and grime, cleaning thoroughly from top to bottom, inside and outside the home, and in garages and other areas outside the home go a long way. And the potential return from doing this step is three to five percent.

When cleaning thoroughly, one must depersonalize the space so that potential buyers can visualize how they can use that space. Even the opening of the curtains and blinds to let sun in will give them a better feel, and it would make the space appear bigger. For spaces that are severely cluttered, a professional organizer can help, and there are places like the Salvation Army who are willing to pick up belongings that are in good condition but is no longer needed. And with the harsh winds causing dirt marks and debris on homes in the Midwest, like Akron, OH, it’s important to do some power washing on the exterior of the home. One would be amazed of the significant difference after the thorough power washing.

2. Paint the rooms selectively.

Painting the walls a neutral color is always a good idea because potential buyers can visualize how they would use the space. Also, neutral colors go with any type of furniture they may want in that space. With this said, depersonalization is key here. Having purple walls may be great for the current residents, but it may be a turnoff to potential buyers who may automatically be withdrawn from buying the house because of that. Also, painting the walls are important because it makes the place appear bigger, cleaner, and fresher.

3. Fixing minor fixtures.

Whether it’s caulking the tub, fixing light fixtures, getting the burnt mark off the counter-top, or replacing some shingles that are more affordable and with a warranty, these steps would definitely make a great difference. It only costs a mere $100 to a few thousand dollars, depending on what all needs to be done. However, the potential return would amount from two to seven percent, depending on the work done.