Akron Today Magazine

Akron Lifestyle and Entertainment

Money

5 Ways To Get Your House Ready to Sell

It’s time to move! Whether your job is taking you to a new city, you’re ready for a fresh start across the country, or you’re moving down the street for a few extra bedrooms, moving is a stressful, challenging time. As you prepare to put your house on the market, you have to be ready for strangers to traipse through your home at any given time. And most importantly, you need to impress them to get it sold. The following tips can make a big difference, and are sure to get that SOLD placard on your lawn in a flash.

1) Clean it up! It sounds simple, but a clean home is inviting, presentable, and gives potential buyers a look at the house in its most perfect possible state. Dust those ceiling fans, mop the floors, and make every surface sparkle. And don’t forget the outside – clean the gutters and power wash the siding.

2) Outdoors matter. Speaking of the outside, don’t neglect your landscaping. Plant a few flowers, pull out the weeds, and keep it freshly mowed for the best first impression you can give. We tell kids to never judge a book by its cover, but it’s unavoidable – everyone wants a pleasant looking home.
 
3) Fix everything. There would be nothing worse than thinking you have your house sold, but the deal gets hung up because of some needed repairs. It’s a buyer’s market, so make it easy on yourself in advance and replace those broken windows and the broken water heater. And that bright orange bedroom wall you love? Not everyone will, so repaint it a neutral white or gray before you leave.
 
4) Organization is key! Buyers may open up that forgotten closet or unkempt drawers, and if it looks jam-packed or messy, they might be led to assume there just isn’t enough storage space in the house. Keep it neat!
 
5) Make it inviting. Some of the smallest details matter a lot to buyers who are imagining what life might look like in your home. Get a new welcome mat, keep out just a few striking trinkets and artwork, and make it feel like home.

 

Shopping Around – The New Norm

Shopping around for items is normal, but many people are moving towards shopping for items and services that used to not be questioned.  Prices can be very different from one place to another depending on the vendor. And things that used to be a monopoly have a high degree of competition now.  This week I saw a friend on Facebook complain about a new medication he needed be $500 a month and not covered by insurance.  Within an hour he had people telling him how to get it for $60 and places he could maybe get it free (from manufacturer) and how to do it.

Facebook and other social media channels are helping people collaborate and share information to find better deals on things.  But are you looking for better deals when it comes to some of these things?

  1. Utilities – By shopping for utility providers, you can reduce your rate significantly.  Put when your contract is up on your calendar and reshop for it once it expires or your rate will go up and not one will notify you.
  2. Medical – The exact same procedure can be radically different from place to place.  Some people even find it cheaper to go to another country and have a medical vacation versus just taking the first offer on a medical procedure.  (Please do not shop around if it is an emergency though!)
  3. Auto Repairs – If you are one of those people still going to the dealer, you are paying too much for some things.  I do like the dealer for maintenance but not for big jobs unless it requires a specialist.  That said, this is one area asking around is very important.  Just taking the cheapest person to fix your car can be a nightmare.
  4. Prescriptions – Not only does the place matter, but there are programs that will give you a discount at your pharmacy, whether in Akron, Hudson, Fairlawn or Aurora.
  5. Cars – Sure we all shop around for cars already, but did you know if you know what you are looking for and you start calling dealerships (especially if you are a little flexible) you can get a great deal without ever setting foot on the lot (until you buy)?
  6. Entertainment – I cannot even say “TV” or “Cable” anymore because there are so many options for entertainment.  Do you just watch movies and tv shows?  You probably only need a streaming service.  The trick here is to know what you can’t live without and then shop around for the entertainment necessities and cut out the unused stuff.
  7. Insurance – If you got the best price on insurance more than a year ago, why have you not shopped it around again?  For example, we got a great deal on insurance a year ago and this year they raised the price about 30% for no reason.  Clearly the first year was a discount to get the business and they hope people will not move after year one and the price increase.  Time to start calling around.

I wish it was not such a hassle.  It is an unfortunate byproduct of our hyper capitalistic economy that businesses are always using gimmicks, specials and tricks to squeeze more money out of you.  You can either accept the games and pay more or you can manage your buying and pay less.  The choice is yours.

Is It A Scam? How To Spot a Scammer

Even the least technical among us now are wired into the vast computer network called the Internet and using apps built by people all over the world.  Most of us are comfortable putting some portion of our identity out there online in many different ways.  And the fear people use to have about using credit cards online is not as common as it once was.

With all of this, it is more important than ever to be able to spot a scammer and prevent the theft of your identity or money.

What is a scam?  

First, you do not want to be able to trust anyone.  Someone asking for your email address to enter a contest is probably just good marketing and not a scam.  However, any time you enter your email you should consider if it is worth it.  Do you want regular emails from the company or website in exchange for a tiny chance to win something?

Email Scams

Email has been very difficult for even highly educated technical people.  Once one person has their inbox hacked, then anyone in that inbox can get emails from anyone else in that inbox with links to viruses.  If someone you know sends you an email saying “I found this link for you” or something like that – do not click.

Also, anyone offering you money or needing some info when you did not initiate the contact should not be easily trusted.  Remember, your bank, the IRS and other organizations can be called to confirm that they need something from you.  Use a trusted phone number, not the one in the email you are unsure of.

Job offer in email?  This also could be a scam.  Many Multi-Level Marketing companies lure people in with a “job offer” to get them into the MLM company which costs money and does not guarantee any income.

One way to quickly find these things out is to search “company name scam” and read some sites about it.

Software Scams

Any time you give software permission to install or access your computer you are also giving them access to everything on your computer.  This means you should only install highly trusted things.  While the average person might think

  1. I have virus protection and
  2. This software must have been reviewed by someone

These are not always the safeguards you think they are.  Virus protection does not protect you from giving software you install the right to access your computer, unless it is a known and documented threat.  And new threats come out every day.

Also, the idea that code is reviewed is not actually possible or practical.  There is a lot more trust involved than the average person realizes.

All of this means you should be careful what you install and also careful what you keep on your phone and computer.

Phone Scams

Phone scams occur in many forms.  Automated voice as well as people calling.  Just as in emails, you should not give information to people that call you.  If you call a company directly like your credit card company, the IRS, your medical company – then you know you are talking to a real representative.  I once had a company send me an email from their company email to verify they were real.  While even this could be faked, it would take some time so it gave me the confidence to do business with them.  Nearly always I do not even answer calls though.

What can be especially dangerous is when you are new to a category and do not know how the systems work.  For example, college or turning 65.  If people know your age they can guess that you are experiencing new systems such as college registration, scholarships, medicare, etc.  Much easier to trick someone new to a system like this so you have to be extra vigilant.

Mail Scams

Mail is just as dangerous as any other form of communication.  One common scam is looking up people’s ownership information if they own a domain (this is by default public information) and sending them a fake invoice for domain SEO.  It will be something like $75 per year.  Since the domain is a once a year type renewal, people forget the process and pay these fraudulent invoices.  You should have your domain set up to auto-renew and you should check it once a year online to make sure your credit card has not expired.  It is very unlikely they will send you a paper invoice.

These are just some of the scams you can get hit with.  It is changing all the time and some are very sophisticated.  Be smart and skeptical of anything that sounds too good to be true.  Stay safe.

7 Ways to Make Today GR8TR

The only way to make a lasting change for the better in your life is by doing little things better every day.  Even if you quit something cold turkey (all at once, for my non-US readers), you still must commit to maintaining that change day in and day out.

Here are seven things you can do today that will have an impact on you and the world in a positive way and make everything GR8TR.  They take very little, or no, time but can be a big change in your life if done regularly.

Be More Present

The biggest single change is an ancient one:  to be more present in the moment.  This means look around, pay attention to what is happening around you and engage with the world on purpose, not on the side.  So, a little less mobile phone screen time is going to be needed.

Smile More

Smile more and look at people.  Say hi.  Force yourself to engage a bit more with people you do not have to around you.  Even forcing a smile has been shown to make people actually happier.

Help Someone

Slightly more than hold the door and not as much as give someone money.  Just find a way to be helpful to someone throughout the day.  Think of that “act of kindness” sort of attitude.  This has maximum effect when the person is not actively looking or asking for help.

Boost Health

Today do one small thing that improves your health.  This could be skipping a sweet or could be going for a walk.  Does one day only make a different?  Maybe not.  But a journey starts with the first step.  Also, it is worth noting that when you are being healthier you are not only helping yourself, you are also helping the world.  You are consuming less resources in many areas, such as food, food processing and health care resources.

Add to Savings or Investment

Unless you have already set this up, today would make your future life GR8TR by setting it up now.  Set up automatically saving money each month.  Have a monthly amount moved to another account for saving, investment and retirement.  If you do not want to get involved in how to invest, you can use automated systems like Wealthfront or Betterment to do it for you.

Cut Something Bad Out

Breaking a bad habit can start today.  And you do not always need to completely stop doing something.  Maybe setting strict limits, such as only drinking on weekends or only buying shoes once a quarter.  Maybe it is changing from expensive coffee drinks to a simple black coffee.  Or maybe it is something that can help the environment such as not using plastic utensils and straws.  Cut one thing out today and keep it up, and lots of things get better.

No one can make wholesale changes in one day.  Instead, you can start today and make small changes that build up over time.  It all starts with a higher level of consciousness and effort day in and day out.  GR8TR is our effort to help people daily think about their activities and the impact their lives have on everyone else, and become better, and GR8TR.  To find out more about GR8TR visit www.GR8TR.us and join our email list if you are committed to improvement and planning for the future.

 

 

Estate Planning Pitfalls – 5 Things You Need

“I have a will. I am covered.”

If this seems like something you would say, you probably are not aware that you are not covered for 80% of the life events that you need to be. Yes, a will is important. But you are far more likely to have another kind of issue that a will does not address.

In this article we will walk you through four other documents you need to protect yourself, protect your family and minimize the costs and hassles that can be experienced by your loved ones in the event that you have a medical emergency or become incapacitated.

As you read this, do not feel overwhelmed. There are attorneys who specialize in setting these all up for you and are very experienced in making sure there are no gaps or errors. In the greater Akron area, call Boone Legal at (330) 968-6003 for help with these.

Here is the list of must-haves to protect yourself and your family:

  1. Yes. An actual Will is important for distributing your assets according to your wishes. If you do not have a properly made Will that clearly states where or who your assets should go to, the State of Ohio makes a plan for you, which may or may not comply with your wishes. It is also important to note that even if you have a Will, you will most likely still need to probate the Will when you die, which is an expensive and time consuming process. The only way to avoid probate is through the use of advanced estate planning techniques that are best discussed with an attorney. Call Boone Legal at (330) 968-6003 to discuss these advanced techniques so that your assets pass to your loved in the way that you desire.
  2. A Financial Power of Attorney (also called a Durable Power of Attorney)– This is very likely to be needed in the event that you become unable to make financial transactions for yourself. This gives someone you trust the authority to complete financial transactions on your behalf. This can include renewing car tags, filing taxes, paying bills, etc.
  3. Living Will – This is needed to specify your wishes in situations of medical treatment in which you are no longer able to express informed consent to a doctor. Often referred to as the “pull the plug” document, a Living Wills names an agent to speak on your behalf should you be unable to make life ending decisions for yourself.
  4. Health Care Power of Attorney- Similar to a Living Will, a Health Care Power of Attorney names an agent to give informed consent to medical treatment should you be unable to express consent yourself. A Health Care Power of Attorney grants a broader scope of authority than a Living Will and in Ohio, it is customary to have both a Living Will and a Health Care Power of Attorney in place.
  5. HIPPA Release – This gives someone else authority to access your medical records and find out information regarding your health. Without this, your family may be left in the dark if you are experiencing medical issues.

Many families need an additional document in place called a Trust, which allows for more privacy, flexibility and if properly drafted and funded, can even be used to protect and preserves assets for heirs. Even if you think your means are modest, a trust can help facilitate the transfer of assets and reduce the costs and losses of those assets.

Failure to have any of these can result in considerable loss of money, or time, or both. With a little advanced planning you can make sure no matter what the emergency is, your family can have the resources and access they need to make good decisions on your behalf and minimize the expense and frustration when you pass.

Boone Legal helps Northeast Ohio residents plan for all these things and have greater piece of mind for their own well-being and for their family’s future security. Call (330) 968-6003 or visit https://www.boonelegal.com​ to find out more.

Annual Penalty For Non-Action

Every year, in the United States, we have to file and pay federal, state and local taxes, and we have to do them because there is a due date and penalties if we failed to file. Filing taxes are chores that MUST be done every year regardless of whether you want to or have the time to do them.

In a household, there are other chores that we MUST do, but neglect to do because those chores don’t incur penalties nor do they have a due date. One of the many drawbacks to neglecting to do our household chores is the fact that we are losing money. 

Here is a short list of the household expenses you must look at every year and reevaluate to see if everything is as it should be.

  1. Homeowners Insurance – Every year, your insurance company sends you the renewal papers to find out whether anything has changed.  From the coverage of your home to other structures in your property, the coverage you have for the home has to make sense to you. If you have a $1,000 deductible, consider all the $1,000 additional coverage charges your insurance company is charging you every year.  Your deductible comes first to pay for these losses. Why pay for them every single year if at the end you will be paying out of pocket anyway?  You must have home insurance to protect your home, but you have to be vigilant about what your insurance company is charging you. If you need more information or want to find more about home insurance follow this link. https://www.usa.gov/property-insurance
  2. Car Insurance – Nowadays, many insurance companies offer accident forgiveness or accident credits if you haven’t had an accident for the last twelve months. They offer a good student credit if you have teenagers in your policy, and they can offer you great rates if you bundle your home and car insurance.  Give them a call and talk to their agents, they want your business and they will find very competitive rates to lure you over.  Those TV advertisements are not all phony gimmicks, they do want your business, and shopping around for insurance coverage can save you money. For more information about car, homeowners, renters and flood insurance follow this link to this government site. https://www.usa.gov/property-insurance#item-34897
  3. Life Insurance – According to  2017 statistics,  almost half of Americans do not have any life insurance coverage and the other half has only the basic group policy.  If you have children under the age of eighteen living at home and do not have life insurance policy, we recommend to shop around and buy a policy right away. It is very scary to think of the consequences if something bad should happen to you, but it is very irresponsible to leave children financially unprotected.  Many Americans that do not have a life insurance policy believe the price of having one is much more expensive than it is.  With too much information at your disposal, it is easy to shop for insurance and find the best possible rates.  Talk to your partner or spouse and decide what insurance policy makes sense for you and your loved ones.

On top of these, there are other things that go up frequently and you should shop around when they do.  Utilities, mobile phone and television are just some other examples.

About Those Memberships

Today we are going to explore all those membership offers you need to decide about.  Are they a good value for your family?

Is a Consumer Reports membership worth the money?

Depends.

Americans buy billions of dollars worth of merchandise every year. From clothing, toys, and electronics to the most unnecessary items on their lists. If you are a person who likes shopping or buy things online, a membership like this can give you an extensive list of options while comparing quality and prices all from one place.

If you are buying electronics, appliances, or big ticket items, it is a good idea to buy a Consumer Reports membership and find out whether the item you are buying is worth the money. They have ratings for over 8,000 items to help consumers like you and I make a better decision when buying something for our home. The membership by itself can save you money the first time you buy a big ticket item.  You can get your membership fee back in the first year if, for example, you buy the best-rated lawnmower which should last longer, have  fewer problems, and minimize maintenance expenses.

Amazon Prime membership?

The Amazon Prime membership is not worth it if you don’t buy many things at Amazon.

But if you are like the average American, then with the Amazon Prime membership you will save money on shipping and it can pay for itself.  Plus you get Amazon Prime video and free returns on many items you buy.  The video by itself can make worth having the membership to Amazon if you use that and reduce your cable bill.

Is a Costco, Sam’s Club, or BJ’s membership worth it?  

How about those wholesale clubs?  For many families, it is worth it.  You can get four different membership options depending on what kind of membership you need, and the fee is more than worth it for many families. They can buy many items in bulk to save money, or they can store them when they find them on sale for future use.

One issue is they have so many items on sale and in bulk.  This makes the impulse to buy them hard to resist, and that is one of the major drawbacks of having a wholesale membership like this. Items that are on sale and the price is too good to pass is one of the reasons this membership is not worth the money.  A family might end up with too much stuff in their home and things they do not really need, like a box of muffins or a case of soap.  If you are not saving a lot, or if you are taking too long to use these items, remember there is interest on charge card debt or your money could be used to invest and earn more money, instead of buying enough product to last two years.

Impulse buying is a big thing when entering stores like these, and like it or not, we all love to get a good deal. Knowing what you need and what you will use is a must.  Also, avoiding bulk items that are unhealthy, no matter how good the deal is, will save you money and improve your health.  If you cannot resist these temptations, then these memberships are a bad deal for you.

 

Summer Home and Vacation Savings

Vacation Saving Tips (If You Are Driving)

As the time to start planning your summer vacation approaches, gas prices are going up.  It happens every year in anticipation of the travel season. Even if money is not an issue for you, these tips will help you be good to the environment, and help you save for other things you want to do with that money.

1. Shop around – Some of the best apps for your iPhone that are free and can save you money right away are:

  • a) GasBuddy
  • b) AAA Mobile
  • c) Gas Guru

2. Use Apps to help you with traffic and rerouting trips to avoid traffic jams, accidents or

  • a) Waze
  • b) Route4Me
  • c) inRoute

3. Check your vehicle’s tires. Having a well maintained car will help you save on gas.  The efficiency of your vehicle on the road depends on how well maintained you have kept your car all year round.

4. Follow the speed limit signs. Even when you have a long road ahead, driving at the speed limit posted can save you money on gas.  Driving slower and at a consistent speed burns less fuel, and if traveling for a long trip, use your cruise control to keep a consistent and moderate speed.

5. Keep it light – Excessive baggage or a roof box cargo can make gas consumption a bit expensive. Keeping your windows and sunroof close will reduce the drag, making you car more aerodynamic.

Home Saving Tips

Many of the new  homes have excellent windows, new roofs, new air conditioning units, etc.  Everything is new and working properly.  But, if you have an older home and are looking to save energy and money, what are some of the energy saving tips that will also save you money?

  1. Replacing your old air conditioning unit is not something we do frequently, they last a long time and they are expensive. But, if you have an old unit, the efficiency is not longer there. The electric bill is probably not a pretty sight every month, so replacing the unit is probably the only solution that can save you money in the long run.
  2. Replacing old Windows – The draft you feel as you get close to a window or door is heat leaving your home and making your gas or electric bill higher than it should be. Replacing old windows or doors can save you money in heating bills and add value to your home.
  3. Keeping the temperatures in your home at comfortable levels can save you money.  Too cold in the summer months and too warm in the winter can add hundreds of dollars a year.  Try a difference of a couple degrees and see if you feel a difference in your comfort level and notice the difference in your bill.
  4. Turning off the lights in your home and appliances or other electronic devices that nobody is using saves electricity and money.
  5. Remind your children that the water in the home is not heated by the sun. A short shower can save water and electricity and hundreds of dollars a year.

By using some of these tips, you will not only save money but will help the environment as well.

 

 

 

5 Ways To Improve Your Life AND Cut Expenses

The first thing we need to do is agree that some of the things in this article are not going to be more fun.  When I write, “Improve Your Life” I mean in a healthy way, not in a binge drinking frat party way.  The real key to this article is if follow all of these things, you should save many thousands of dollars per year and also be healthier and happier.

Next I want to say I got this information from all over.  We reference some things, in other cases you can do a search and find different numbers from different sources.  This is not a scientific research paper – just an interesting article on how to save money while improving your life.

Cold Showers

Your first reaction might be “Hell no!” but give me a moment.  There are a lot of people that swear by cold (or colder) showers because they have significant benefits and they save you money.  Cold showers have been associated with increases Alertness, Refines Hair and Skin, Improves Immunity and Circulation, Stimulating Weight Loss, Speeding Up Muscle Soreness and Recovery, Easing Stress and Relieving Depression.  I have also heard that taking a cold shower when you cannot go to sleep and getting in bed right away will put you in a great, deep sleep if you have trouble with that kind of thing.

So fine, it is good for you if you can hack it.  But does it save you a lot of money?  I found a calculator for shower costs online here.  I did an example where I did a colder, shorter shower and a longer, hotter shower and compared the cost.  Turns out a family of 4 would save $478.50 in a year.  Not bad – and good for you.

Drink Less

Well, this is already starting to sound really sucky.  Take cold showers and stop drinking.  But in 2018 more evidence has been steadily coming out that the whole 1-2 drinks a day are good for you thing is not really true.  Women should have much less than that and even men should only be have a couple a week.  I found another calculator that will help you see how much you are spending weekly on alcohol.  And remember, it is not as good for you as you have been lead to believe.

In this very reasonable example, I have used this calculator and estimated a $1,872 annual expense per person.  If you live in a big city and like to go out with friends or coworkers a lot you are spending a lot more than this in fact.

Eat Less

The average American consumes more than 3,600 calories daily.  This is a 24% increase from 1961, when the average was just 2,880 calories. A man needs around 2,500kcal a day to maintain his weight with a healthy , balanced diet. Woman need around 2,000kcal a day. These values can vary depending on age, metabolism and physical activity, among other things.  Body builders and professional swimmers should not try this at home.

With all of this in mind, we simply eat too much – and food costs money.  We eat 37.5% too much food to be exactish.

How much money does the average person spend on food per month?  This figure varies based on age and income level.  Assuming you are middle class and a fairly young adult, it is $173 per week times 52 weeks which equals $8,996 in annual food costs.  Now if we cut that back by 37.5%, we would be saving $3373.50 per year per person.  And you would also save money on health care as it would reduce the likelihood of many weight related diseases.

This gets even crazier when you consider Forty percent of food in the United States is never eaten, amounting to $165 billion a year in wasted food, according to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council.  This would figure that you might be throwing away 40% of the groceries.  If you are someone throwing away a lot of food, plus eating 37% more calories than you need, it means 75% of your groceries could be wasted or eaten when they should not be.

Cook More

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014, the average American household spent $2,787 on restaurant meals and takeout, compared to $3,971 on groceries. But in 2015, the average amount spent on restaurants and takeout jumped $221 to $3,008. Grocery spending, by contrast, increased just $44 per household to $4,015.

We all know that restaurant food tastes great.  It is higher in sodium, bacon fat, fried breading and slathered in butter or some delicious sauce.   If you learn to make good, healthy meals at home and cut the restaurants, you can save money and be healthier very easily.  Going out no more than once a week should cut that restaurant bill in half or less, saving approximately $1,500 a year and

Walk or Bike More Short Trips

In 2017, the average household made 1.5 trips per week to grocery store.  Most likely these were done driving.  As mentioned above in the article, chances are you have too much food in your home already so going 6 times a month is too much.  But instead of saying “You can’t go”  let’s say you can only go on bike or walking unless you are going for a big run that should only happen 2-3 times per month.

Walking and biking are great exercise and if you really want something, just make yourself go on foot.  Chances are the craving will not be worth it if you have to walk there.

By using this strategy you will help yourself cut down on those food and alcohol expenses mentioned above while also saving gas and car maintenance.  AAA estimates that it costs 58 cents per mile to operate a car. Of that 58 cents,  only around 11 cents is in gas. The other 47 cents goes for expenses like, maintenance, insurance and depreciation.

So if you cut down on short trips by walking or riding your bike more, you could save several dollars on each trip and get better fit and buy less crap.  Putting a savings tag on this is harder but let’s say you cut $5 a week in car expenses plus another $10 per week in stuff you do not buy on a whim.  That is small but would add up to $780 saved in a year.

All told, all of these things would make you healthier.  And I certainly do not mean to imply to never take a hot shower or have a glass of wine again.  But the little daily things add up to huge savings and health benefits.  Let’s recap.

In one year, a family of 4 average people can save the following:

  • Cold Showers: $478.50
  • 2 Adults In Family Cut Drinking: $3,774
  • Eating Only Recommended Calories for Family of 4: $13,494
  • Eating Out Maximum 1 time per week: $1,500
  • Walking more and driving less: $780

This is all based on averages, different sources and fuzzy math.  We are just having fun here.  But this would suggest these changes could save an average family of four $20,026.50 per year.  Your results will vary.  But that is a lot of savings and health benefit.

If this all seems a little extreme, remember to start small and no one says you have to go to this level.  Shorter showers and less restaurants alone could save you some cash.  Make it work for you.  This is just an example of how you can imagine a different life.

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.