Financial Service Info

This week’s WinWeb Pitch of the Week winner is Tessa Stowe, founder of Sales Conversation – a company developed to help small businesses to make more sales through the building of relationships and the art of conversation.

Tessa passionately believes that small businesses could greatly increase their sales figures if they stopped using sales-y and pushy tactics, and instead valued the conversations they are having every day.

Do you have a business you would like to be featured here? If you would like to enter WinWeb’s Pitch of the Week competition visit our Facebook page for more information – you could win superb free publicity for your small business!

The percentage of underwater homeowners continued to rise in the third quarter of the year, with nearly one-quarter of mortgage holders owing more than their property is worth.

An estimated 23.2 percent of single-family homeowners with mortgages owed more than their property was worth in the third quarter of the year, up from 22.5 percent in the second quarter, according to figures released this week by real estate data firm Zillow.   In some housing markets, as many as four mortgage holders in five were underwater, with 80.2 percent of Las Vegas homeowners in negative equity, followed by Phoenix at 68.4 percent. Eleven of the 145 metropolitan markets tracked by Zillow had negative equity rates in excess of 50 percent.   “The high percentage of homeowners in negative equity continues to be troubling, in that it represents a huge number of people who are not only more vulnerable to foreclosure, but who are essentially trapped in their current homes and are prevented from selling and buying a new home,” said Dr. Sta Read all post…

We have talked about the rampant violations of the federal law known as the TCPA — Telephone Consumer Protection Act — which prohibits automated calls to cell or mobile phones without permission.

In a case we filed against Chase (credit card company) and the large debt collector NCO, allegations were made about alleged violations of the FDCPA (Fair Debt Collection Practices Act) and the TCPA.

These allegations are listed below:

COMPLAINT

COMES NOW the Plaintiff, by and through counsel, in the above styled cause, and for Plaintiff’s Complaint against the Defendants states as follows:
1. This action arises out of Defendants’ repeated violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq. (“FDCPA”), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227 (“TCPA ”) and out of the invasions of Plaintiff’s personal and financial privacy by the Defendant and its agents in their illegal efforts to collect a consumer debt from Plaintiff.

PARTIES

2. Plaintiff is a

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Today we announced the second winner of the Vistaprint “Make an Impression” contest and it’s Northfield Collision Repair located in Livingston, New Jersey.

Like all of the winners in the contest, Northfield Collision will receive a marketing makeover valued at $10,000.

Owners Jennifer and John Condron’s story is a unique one. The business was founded after a failed business deal put the Condrons out of work. Like all entrepreneurs, the family puts everything into their business. They currently work 60-70 hour weeks and have limited time to market their business. That will change now that they have been selected as one of Vistaprint’s contest winners.

“We are honest and hardworking people who believe now is the time to make a difference,” said Jennifer Condron. “Our customers are like new friends and we do everything we can to make them feel at home. We haven’t been

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Those who are still learning the ropes of running a small or home-based business may be unsure about how to accept credit cards for their goods and services. Perhaps you have sold handmade items by mail order up to this point, receiving a check in the mail as payment. Or you might run a small shop where customers come in to shop and pay by check or cash. If you are wondering how to accept credit cards, here are a few basic guidelines.

1. Apply for a merchant account to find out how to accept credit cards at your business. You can get one through many banks and other financial institutions in your area. Visit websites such of as many credit card merchants as possible. Also visit websites of several banks to see if they offer merchant accounts. Click on the link to find out what the requirements are and whether you are eligible. If you don’t see specific information for this type of account, email the contact person and ask for information about how to obtain a merchant account so you may start accepting credit card payments.

2. D

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Whether you are currently running a small business that you are looking to expand or you are running a ‘lifestyle’ business to suit you and your family growth and reputation are imperative. Even if you are not looking to grow your business in the traditional sense, growth of your brand is still necessary to ensure a regular customer base and the ability for your business to provide you with the income and lifestyle you want.

Is it a flawed concept of growth that means that some small businesses, which are not looking to expand think that any opportunity that facilitates growth is not for them. To the contrary, I believe that growth, in terms of expanding your business’ reputation, building customer loyalty and finding new customers, is essential to any business – whether you are looking to expand in to new markets or become established in your niche.

Aggressive growth strategies are not necessary for the majority of lifestyle businesses, but what is necessary is customer service, word of mouth and online presence in order to safeguard the future of your business.

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Rate CenterToday’s Average Rates Across the Country*Savings / MMACDsRefinanceAuto Insurance
Min Balance APY Trend

0.26% 0.33% 0.43% Savings Accounts and Money Market Rates provided by 8 November 2010 The holidays are just around the corner – and that means it’s time to start thinking about New Year’s resolutions.Don’t make them? That’s ok. But they can help you focus on improving your life – and if you share them with friends, you may be more motivated to act on your intentions than you otherwise would.Resolutions don’t have to be about practical things like exercising or spending time with your family, either. Read all post…

Has it ever occurred to you how much you are saying to people even when you are not speaking?  Unless you are a master of disguise, you are constantly sending messages about your true thoughts and feelings whether you are using words or not.

Studies show that your words account for only 7% of the messages you convey. The remaining 93% is non-verbal. 55% of communication is based on what people see and the other 38% is transmitted through tone of voice. So think about it.  In the business setting, people can see what you are not saying.  If your body language doesn’t match your words, you are wasting your time.

Eye contact is the most obvious way you communicate.  When you are looking at the other person, you show interest.  When you fail to make eye contact, you give the impression that the other person is of no importance.  Maintain eye contact about 60% of the time in order to look interested, but not aggressive.

Facial expression is another form of non-verbal communication. A smile Read all post…

Believe it or not, all of your customers don’t live in the online world. Studies show that most people now have an email address, but may not necessarily spend a lot of time online.

That means you will need to use offline marketing tactics in addition to your online efforts if you want to grow your email list. This is as simple as making sure you have a sign up option at the checkout or an enclosure in your product delivery packages that encourages people to sign up.

Here’s a good example from a pizza shop. On the top of the pizza box, they invite their customers to sign up to a list to get special treatment. Who doesn’t want to feel special? I don’t know the results of their campaign, but I bet they’re successful.

Think about how you could offer an email sign up in your business by making your customers feel special. If you need some help, let’s talk about it. Leave me a Read all post…