Web traffic building is essential to the success of any kind of online business. The emergence of the Internet has made it possible to make money online, and many people have realized that this can be a viable way to earn a living. Starting an online business can be the start of a successful business venture, but only so if the right steps are taken.Traffic building for an online business takes time, and so patience is the key here. Very few websites become overnight sensations, and most of the successful ones have become so over time. With patience and the correct online business traffic building tools, your website could soon be counted as one of the successful online businesses.The reason why web traffic is important to an Internet business is that the business can only make money if people visit the website and consequently make purchases. Without this, it would be impossible to make money. Although there are millions of Internet users, it can be difficult to get a sufficient number of traffic.For an Internet business that has just been set up, the initial number of visitors can be discouraging. It is also the most difficult period to make money, and can tempt the business owner to abandon the venture all together. It is important at this stage to remain focused on generating traffic. Otherwise the desired outcome to make money will not materialize.There are many things that one can do to make money online and encourage traffic onto the website. These methods vary, although most will achieve the desired result. There are some things to consider before embarking on web traffic building for an online business. The first and most crucial is the budget for the business.Before any decisions can be made regarding traffic building for the website, one needs to figure out the budget that is at the disposal of the business. Because there are many traffic building tools available, and some can be very expensive, it is important to first find out how much it would cost to take the desired route, and if it is value for money.Furthermore, it is important to consider the kind of online business that one is undertaking, and if the chosen tools are in line with the business. Some of these traffic-building tools work for a particular kind of online business and may not work for another, and so this is an important factor to consider during the initial planning process.Furthermore, looking at what tools successful websites that make money have used to direct traffic can be a good pointer as to what one needs to do to gain web traffic. There are a number of successful websites that one can look at to determine what would be the best course of action. Also talking to other online business owners can help you make the right decision.It is not easy to make money online, and just like any other business; online business requires a lot of input from the owner. With the right tools, an Internet business entrepreneur can see his venture grow to great heights.
Techniques Used By An Advertising Agency In Modern Times
In the modern world, with the rapid growth in technology, brands, lifestyle, etc., it is very important to sell and promote the products and services of your business effectively. The traditional methods of television, radio and newspaper are just not enough, anymore. The creative minds of modern day advertisers have to be quick, smart and efficient. They have created new ways and have gone above and beyond the old traditional ways. These days, any advertising agency provides all the services and uses specialized techniques, to promote your brand adequately.Some of the latest techniques used by these advertisers are as follows:Consumer Advertising – This technique is informative as well as persuasive in nature. It is used by a full service advertising agency, to advertise the FMCG (Fast moving consumer goods). This technique is used in every medium like T.V., radio, newspaper, internet, etc. Consumer ads are done to pull in the customers who buy products like soaps, shampoos, biscuits etc., on a regular basis.Industrial Advertising – The manufactures and distributors of industrial products demand for this technique to target industrial buyers. Products like plant and machinery, fabricated machine parts, raw materials, etc., can be promoted. Industrial advertisements are seen on trade publications, and attracts factory owners and businessmen, on a large scale.Financial Advertising – This technique is used by the financial industry to advertise financial products like bank loans, mutual funds, shares, etc. These type of advertisements are seen in newspapers, magazines, theaters, and now-a-days, outdoor advertising is also used. Financial advertisements are not only issued by the advertisers, but also by the banks. This type of advertising educates the audience on any financial matters.Political Advertising – This technique is used by politicians to gain votes. It is specially done on mass media, and generally targets the common man. It is a new trend of gaining votes by the political parties. The demand for this political advertisements are high, especially around the time of elections. This technique is a challenge to agencies, as they have to think of an ad campaign carefully, keeping in mind the sentiments of the people of that area.These are the various techniques in which the product is advertised by any creative ad agency. There are many other techniques to advertise products, according to the category that they belong to, like lifestyle, B2B, classifieds, retails, etc. These techniques are used in the present competitive markets to target the appropriate audience and increase the sales of products and services for your business.
Alternative Financing Vs. Venture Capital: Which Option Is Best for Boosting Working Capital?
There are several potential financing options available to cash-strapped businesses that need a healthy dose of working capital. A bank loan or line of credit is often the first option that owners think of – and for businesses that qualify, this may be the best option.
In today’s uncertain business, economic and regulatory environment, qualifying for a bank loan can be difficult – especially for start-up companies and those that have experienced any type of financial difficulty. Sometimes, owners of businesses that don’t qualify for a bank loan decide that seeking venture capital or bringing on equity investors are other viable options.
But are they really? While there are some potential benefits to bringing venture capital and so-called “angel” investors into your business, there are drawbacks as well. Unfortunately, owners sometimes don’t think about these drawbacks until the ink has dried on a contract with a venture capitalist or angel investor – and it’s too late to back out of the deal.
Different Types of Financing
One problem with bringing in equity investors to help provide a working capital boost is that working capital and equity are really two different types of financing.
Working capital – or the money that is used to pay business expenses incurred during the time lag until cash from sales (or accounts receivable) is collected – is short-term in nature, so it should be financed via a short-term financing tool. Equity, however, should generally be used to finance rapid growth, business expansion, acquisitions or the purchase of long-term assets, which are defined as assets that are repaid over more than one 12-month business cycle.
But the biggest drawback to bringing equity investors into your business is a potential loss of control. When you sell equity (or shares) in your business to venture capitalists or angels, you are giving up a percentage of ownership in your business, and you may be doing so at an inopportune time. With this dilution of ownership most often comes a loss of control over some or all of the most important business decisions that must be made.
Sometimes, owners are enticed to sell equity by the fact that there is little (if any) out-of-pocket expense. Unlike debt financing, you don’t usually pay interest with equity financing. The equity investor gains its return via the ownership stake gained in your business. But the long-term “cost” of selling equity is always much higher than the short-term cost of debt, in terms of both actual cash cost as well as soft costs like the loss of control and stewardship of your company and the potential future value of the ownership shares that are sold.
Alternative Financing Solutions
But what if your business needs working capital and you don’t qualify for a bank loan or line of credit? Alternative financing solutions are often appropriate for injecting working capital into businesses in this situation. Three of the most common types of alternative financing used by such businesses are:
1. Full-Service Factoring – Businesses sell outstanding accounts receivable on an ongoing basis to a commercial finance (or factoring) company at a discount. The factoring company then manages the receivable until it is paid. Factoring is a well-established and accepted method of temporary alternative finance that is especially well-suited for rapidly growing companies and those with customer concentrations.
2. Accounts Receivable (A/R) Financing – A/R financing is an ideal solution for companies that are not yet bankable but have a stable financial condition and a more diverse customer base. Here, the business provides details on all accounts receivable and pledges those assets as collateral. The proceeds of those receivables are sent to a lockbox while the finance company calculates a borrowing base to determine the amount the company can borrow. When the borrower needs money, it makes an advance request and the finance company advances money using a percentage of the accounts receivable.
3. Asset-Based Lending (ABL) – This is a credit facility secured by all of a company’s assets, which may include A/R, equipment and inventory. Unlike with factoring, the business continues to manage and collect its own receivables and submits collateral reports on an ongoing basis to the finance company, which will review and periodically audit the reports.
In addition to providing working capital and enabling owners to maintain business control, alternative financing may provide other benefits as well:
It’s easy to determine the exact cost of financing and obtain an increase.
Professional collateral management can be included depending on the facility type and the lender.
Real-time, online interactive reporting is often available.
It may provide the business with access to more capital.
It’s flexible – financing ebbs and flows with the business’ needs.
It’s important to note that there are some circumstances in which equity is a viable and attractive financing solution. This is especially true in cases of business expansion and acquisition and new product launches – these are capital needs that are not generally well suited to debt financing. However, equity is not usually the appropriate financing solution to solve a working capital problem or help plug a cash-flow gap.
A Precious Commodity
Remember that business equity is a precious commodity that should only be considered under the right circumstances and at the right time. When equity financing is sought, ideally this should be done at a time when the company has good growth prospects and a significant cash need for this growth. Ideally, majority ownership (and thus, absolute control) should remain with the company founder(s).
Alternative financing solutions like factoring, A/R financing and ABL can provide the working capital boost many cash-strapped businesses that don’t qualify for bank financing need – without diluting ownership and possibly giving up business control at an inopportune time for the owner. If and when these companies become bankable later, it’s often an easy transition to a traditional bank line of credit. Your banker may be able to refer you to a commercial finance company that can offer the right type of alternative financing solution for your particular situation.
Taking the time to understand all the different financing options available to your business, and the pros and cons of each, is the best way to make sure you choose the best option for your business. The use of alternative financing can help your company grow without diluting your ownership. After all, it’s your business – shouldn’t you keep as much of it as possible?