4 Reasons a Website is Important to Your Business

Posted on October 15, 2020October 15, 2020 by Jennifer Brazer

Whether a business is just starting or well-established, it should have a business website and an online presence. A business website is a great marketing tool and can offer information on your business hours, location, products, and services. It is often the first glimpse a potential customer has of your business. If your website is not engaging and eye-catching, it can turn that potential customer into someone else’s actual customer.

While your website needs to capture your potential customer’s attention, it also needs to be simple and easy to navigate. If a website is too busy, it can make it challenging to gain information and go elsewhere. It is not only critical that you have a website, but it also needs to serve the purpose of informing and gaining customers quickly. Here are four reasons a website is essential to your business.

Marketing

A website works as your online presence and presents your brand in a way that appeals to the target audience. You may say it’s one of the essential marketing tools you could have because it gives the audience an insight into what your business is about and the services or products available. Even though using social media marketing is essential and useful, it can negatively impact your marketing strategy if you don’t have a business website.

Your website should be the center of your marketing strategy, and when planning it with your web designer, marketing should be kept in mind. The focus should be on using SEO (search engine optimization) and keywords when building your site from a marketing standpoint.

Sales

Without sales, your business cannot continue operating. Fortunately, there is an easy way to improve sales, and that is by improving your website. Although it may not seem like a critical factor to many, in reality, the condition of your website can either enhance or reduce your discernibility. Because a business’s primary focus is profit, sales should be seriously considered when designing your website. If you use your website to confirm sales, you will need to implement e-commerce tools.

Credibility

In this modern world, where the internet is easily reachable, and browsing on a daily basis, not having a website can become a problem. Without a website, consumers have no way of knowing if your brand is reputable and dependable. A website that looks specialized and neat generates an identity for your brand and delivers valuable insight into your products or any services you offer. Often potential customers will not even consider using a business that doesn’t have a business website. It gives credibility to the business and helps the customer explore the products and services before deciding to give their business to your company.

Accessibility

The internet has taken the world of advertising by storm, giving businesses benefits and avenues to reach possible customers worldwide. Since users can be in different time zones, having a website permits your brand to be available anywhere and anywhere in the world. This means that you can produce sales even after business hours. Your site will always be accessible; that way, consumers can get information on your brand and make purchases no matter where they are. To truly expand your business, your website’s accessibility is crucial because even if you have a brick and mortar business with certain business hours, customers from across the globe can order products from your site even after hours.

Conclusion

A website is a highly valuable tool for modern businesses all over the world. It may seem as if every company has a site, but you would be surprised at how many businesses have gone without having a website or an online presence. Whether you’re a well-known brand or a small business, having a presence online can make a huge difference in your sales.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

3 Easy Steps to Financial Independence

Posted on October 14, 2020October 14, 2020 by Jennifer Brazer

Financial independence, two words that every responsible adult wants to hear, but what is financial independence? It is the financial goal you achieve when you have zero debt, savings for emergencies and retirement, and aren’t living paycheck to paycheck. It can also include some great major purchases like a house, car, or boat. To be financially independent should be everyone’s goal, with no exceptions.

Most people give up on the dream of financial independence, thinking it is difficult to achieve. Still, the truth is there are steps you take that are immediately actionable and can greatly impact your financial status. Here are three easy steps that will get you to financial freedom that you can apply today!

Get Control of Your Money

Often, a person cannot get out of debt or have financial independence due to the loss of control over their money. This loss of control can happen when debt is taken on that is hard to overcome. These debts include high interest or payday loans, maxed out credit cards, or other loans or credit lines that have you in a hole you can’t climb out of even with making payments.

Suppose you can’t afford a financial planner or credit fixer, which is often the case when deep in debt. You can take control without professional help. First, work at consolidating your debt if you can. Find the lowest interest loan or obtain a low-interest loan if possible to cover all your debt and use it to pay off all your cards and higher-interest loans. This action will consolidate all your debt into one payment with a lower interest rate. If you cannot obtain a loan or don’t have room on a lower interest credit card to charge off higher interest debts, start by paying off two things right away. First, any high-interest loans or credit cards, and second the smallest debt you have. Doing these two things will help you gain control of your finances quickly.

Once you gain control, it is vital that you get rid of credit cards and don’t take on any new loans. Once you get control and get out of debt, don’t allow yourself to get there again.

Cut Spending

Besides getting out of debt, trimming the fat in your spending is an immediately actionable way to get to financial independence. First, you have to look at your finances and truly analyze it. You don’t have to do away with every luxury you spend on. Luxuries are anything outside of necessities. Luxuries can include everything from big-ticket items like a new TV to something small like impulse buys when you go grocery shopping. Cutting spending or trimming fat can be much like a diet. If you are not keeping track of what you are eating, how much you’re eating, or the quality of the food you’re eating, you will not be successful with your diet. In a budget, you need to write down everything you spend your money on and prioritize it.

If you are single and have no other people on your budget, it can be fairly easy to determine spending. However, if you are working on a family budget, you will need to ensure all the family members account for their spending and participate in the decision on what to cut. This participation and buy-in is essential to help everyone participate in cutting spending.

Increase Your Income

In today’s gig economy, it is much easier to get a side hustle going. In the past, the only side gigs were selling make-up or housewares in a pyramid marketing venture. Today, there are hundreds of ways to earn extra income on the side with little to no upfront costs to you. You can make food, grocery, or package deliveries as a contractor, which gives you a great deal of flexibility in schedule and income. You can also do various freelance jobs on the side using your skills and talents to gain you more income.

Another way to increase your income is to obtain a second job. Often you can get jobs that are seasonal if you only need the second income for a limited time to pay down debt or build savings. Unlike the gig or freelance type job, this would be a regular job schedule and income. You can also ask for a raise or go for a promotion. These extra boosts in your income can help you work through debt more quickly or build a great savings that can be used for emergencies, large purchases or down payments, or retirement.

Conclusion

Financial independence should be a goal for every financially responsible adult. Many think it is hard to achieve, and either don’t try or give up if they do try. There are many ways to gain financial independence, but these three easy steps are quick ways you can get on the road to financial independence today!

5 Issues to Address with Your Partner About Household Finances

Posted on October 14, 2020October 14, 2020 by Jennifer Brazer

Every responsible adult and partner should have a family budget. Managing the household finances is often put on the shoulders of one partner of the family rather than both. While this is generally not an issue, it can become one when the partner not involved in the household finances needs to take over. This need to get involved can be because of illness, time, and other issues that draw the need for involvement.

While it is strongly suggested that both partners be equally involved in the household finances from the beginning, that is not always how it goes, and now one partner will need to be caught up to financial speed. You need to address five issues with your partner before handing over the household finances’ responsibility.

Financial Communication

Communication with your partner is key overall with any relationship. However, even if one partner is taking on most of the household finances’ responsibility, financial communication needs to occur. If this has not been done throughout the partners’ joining, it will need to be the first conversation you have, leading to the shifting of responsibility. Both partners need to be keenly aware of the current state of household finances.

Shared Goals

If you have not already done so, now is the time to sit down and figure out your financial goals as a couple. What do you want to accomplish financially, including short-term and long-term goals? These goals could include significant purchases such as vehicles and a home. It could also include luxury items such as a boat or an expensive vacation and retirement, nest egg, savings, and future investment goals. The most crucial thing in this part of the discussion is that all the shared goals are agreed upon before moving on to transfer power.

Household Budget

At this point, the household budget should be a well-oiled machine and no surprise to any household member if it is being followed. But for transition purposes, you should select any past budget to inform your partner of the budget’s fine details. These are the essential points of the budget that need to be discussed and understood.

Savings goals
Investments
Monthly bills
Monthly Income

This budget meeting is another way to discuss money-related problems and make any changes to the household budget concerning both partners.

Spending rules

In most partnerships, one partner spends more than the other. There are some cases where both partners are big spenders or thrifty, but this is rare. If spending rules have not already been established, this would be an excellent time to develop them together. If both partners create the household’s agreed-upon spending rules, it is more likely to stick to the rules. There are no hard and fast rules except for two. Don’t spend more than you earn and keep credit card usage to a minimum. Outside of those two rules, you and your partner can decide what is best for the household.

Debts

It is not uncommon in a partnership for one or both of the partners to hide personal debt. Most people find debt embarrassing or worry it will anger their partner and cause problems in the relationship. This transitioning of responsibility is a great time to lay all debts out on the table and plan together how to overcome it. The important thing is not to be judgmental but rather to be kind and merciful. You are partners and in this together for better or worse.

Shift a Few Responsibilities

If one of the partners has not been involved in the household finances, it may be in their best interest to only shift one or two financial responsibilities to them until they can take on more. The best idea is to both remain involved in the household finances for the duration of the relationship. But if this shared responsibility is not possible, and the transition does not need to be completed immediately, make the transition slower to make the shift seamless.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Hiring a Tax Professional

Posted on October 14, 2020October 14, 2020 by Jennifer Brazer

Whether business or individual taxes, every working person has to prepare and pay taxes. Doing your taxes is not impossible and, in some cases, is not even challenging. However, as a business grows or a person grows in their career and diversifies their income and investments, tax preparation can become complicated. Once you reach this point as a business owner or individual, you will need to consider hiring a tax professional heavily. Before you throw in the towel and hire a tax professional, consider the following advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

Doing taxes can be incredibly time-consuming

According to the IRS, an average person spends around 11+ hours dealing with tax preparation, including obtaining the correct forms, figuring deductions, and checking for mistakes. This amount of time could easily triple for individuals who have extra forms to include and business owners. If you were to calculate the time spent, you are not earning income or are away from your family, which could be costly. Having a tax professional prepare them may not only save time but money.

Tax preparation fees are deductible

Tax professionals are up on all the ever-changing Federal Tax Codes. They are also aware of deductions and the confusing business of itemizing. If you have very few write-offs and plan to take the standard deduction, you don’t need a tax professional. However, you may not know of deductions that you can take that add up to greater than the standard deduction. Therefore hiring a tax professional is almost always in your best interest, and your tax preparation fee is deductible, so that’s a bonus!

Audit assistance

In the case of an audit, only a tax professional, a CPA, Tax Attorney, or an enrolled agent can help a person with the paperwork and organization, along with handling the IRS to ensure that their client gets a fair shot by making sure they are fairly represented. A tax professional will ensure you are well represented when facing the IRS, proving to be extremely beneficial during an audit. Though facing an audit is rare, having a professional tax handling your case can make a difference in a positive outcome.

Avoiding mistakes

It doesn’t matter how self-assured a person is on their abilities regarding tax preparation; they are likely to make mistakes. That’s why most tax professionals use professional tools such as tax preparation software to make sure the numbers are 100% accurate. This accuracy attempt doesn’t mean a tax professional won’t make a mistake, but it is far less likely. Mistakes when it comes to taxes can be extremely costly and follow a person for years to come.

Disadvantages:

Cost

One of the biggest reasons most individuals don’t hire a tax professional is their fee. Depending on the complexity of your situation, these tax professionals can cost a lot. An average tax professional can cost around $100 for a routine tax return. They charge more if your tax return has a lot of itemizing or require extra forms attached to the 1040, such as the schedules A and D, which are the forms for loss and gain calculations. Some tax professionals charge an additional hourly fee on top of the fixed fees for various services. Other tax professionals opt to charge a percentage of the refund expected, which is an incentive for them to get you the most money back possible.

Tax preparation software

Though tax preparation software is not a disadvantage to using a tax professional, the fact that you can use tax preparation software to effectively and accurately do your taxes, therefore, it is a disadvantage to hiring a tax professional as the cost of the software is far less than hiring a professional only one time. Your software can be used for years to come.

Planning Ahead

Spring is the time of the year when the majority of tax professionals are extremely busy. Keeping that in mind, finding a tax professional who is willing to work with a new client takes a lot if not done in advance. It is almost impossible to find a reliable tax professional in the late tax season that has time to add a client. Because of this, if not prepared by planning ahead, you could be left in need of a tax professional. It is better to prepare for the upcoming tax season in advance and keep in touch with a reliable tax professional ahead of it.

Social Media Recruiting Tactics

Posted on October 13, 2020November 3, 2025 by Jennifer Brazer

Effective Social Media Recruiting Strategies for Success

Social media recruiting is the practice of attracting, engaging, and hiring top talent through platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok—combining targeted outreach, employer branding, and interactive content to reach both active and passive candidates efficiently.

As the founder of a cloud-based accounting firm that scaled its workforce by 200% in 18 months, I’ve experienced firsthand how strategic social media recruiting transformed our talent acquisition process. My team at Complete Controller discovered that 65% of our highest-performing hires came through social channels, particularly from passive candidates who weren’t actively job searching. This guide shares proven strategies I’ve refined over 20 years working with businesses across all sectors, showing you exactly how to build a high-performing team through social platforms while cutting recruitment costs by up to 50%.

What are effective social media recruiting strategies—and how do you succeed?

Effective social media recruiting strategies combine employer branding, target audience definition, consistent interactive content, and metrics-driven outreach across platforms.
Employer branding through authentic employee stories and culture content increases applications by 41%.
Target audience definition ensures you reach ideal candidates where they spend time online.
Interactive content like videos generates 4x more engagement than static posts.
Metrics-driven approaches track cost per hire, engagement rates, and conversion data for continuous improvement.

Setting Clear Recruitment Goals for Social Media Success

Defining specific objectives transforms social media recruiting from scattered posting into strategic talent acquisition. Without clear goals, recruitment efforts lack direction and measurable outcomes.

Start by clarifying exactly which roles need filling, the ideal candidate profiles, your hiring timeline, and the volume of hires required. Establish concrete KPIs including application counts, interview-to-hire ratios, and referral numbers that align with company growth plans. For instance, if you need 10 software engineers within 90 days, your goals might include generating 200 qualified applications, conducting 40 first interviews, and achieving a 25% offer acceptance rate.

Track these metrics religiously. Organizations using recruitment analytics fill positions 20% faster than those relying on traditional methods. Create dashboards showing weekly progress against targets, allowing real-time strategy adjustments.

Pinpointing Your Ideal Candidate and Audience Online

Success in social media recruiting depends on knowing exactly who you want to hire and where they spend their digital time. Generic approaches waste resources and attract mismatched candidates.

Build detailed candidate personas using data from your top performers. Document their skills, experience levels, interests, and online behaviors. A senior developer persona might include: 5+ years experience, active on GitHub, follows tech influencers on Twitter, participates in Stack Overflow, and values remote work flexibility.

Research reveals platform preferences vary dramatically by profession. Engineers gravitate toward LinkedIn and GitHub, designers showcase portfolios on Instagram and Behance, while Gen Z entry-level candidates discover opportunities through TikTok where 46% have secured jobs or internships. Match your outreach strategy to these platform preferences for maximum impact.

Choosing the Right Platforms and Crafting Your Content Strategy

Platform selection directly impacts recruitment success—each social network attracts different demographics and supports unique content formats. Strategic platform matching ensures your message reaches the right candidates effectively.

LinkedIn dominates professional recruiting with 52 million weekly job seekers and 8 people hired every minute through the platform. Its professional focus attracts knowledge workers, making it ideal for corporate, technical, and management roles. Facebook’s 2 billion daily active users provide massive reach for retail, hospitality, and service positions where geographic targeting matters. Instagram excels at showcasing company culture through visual storytelling, attracting creative professionals and younger demographics.

Build a content calendar mixing job openings (20%), culture posts (30%), employee testimonials (25%), and industry insights (25%). Post consistently during peak engagement times—weekdays between 9 AM and 2 PM generate highest interaction rates. Video content performs exceptionally well, generating 4x more engagement than static posts and resulting in 41% more applications when highlighting company culture.

Building Employer Branding with Authentic Stories and Employee Advocacy

Strong employer brands reduce hiring costs by 50% while attracting higher-quality candidates. Authentic storytelling through employee voices builds trust and credibility that corporate messaging cannot match.

Employee advocacy programs amplify your recruitment reach exponentially. When employees share job openings through personal networks, those posts receive 30% more applicants than company-only postings. Employee voices carry 3x more credibility than CEO messages when discussing workplace culture. Implement formal ambassador programs providing content resources, sharing guidelines, and recognition for participation.

Feature real employee stories regularly. Behind-the-scenes videos, day-in-the-life content, and authentic testimonials resonate strongly with candidates. Posts featuring actual employee photographs generate 61% higher engagement than generic corporate imagery. Showcase diversity initiatives, professional development opportunities, and unique perks that differentiate your workplace.

Leveraging employees as brand ambassadors

Transform your workforce into recruitment partners through structured advocacy programs. Provide employees with shareable content templates, recruitment messaging guidelines, and incentives for successful referrals.

Create an internal content library featuring pre-written social posts, branded graphics, and video snippets employees can customize and share. Track participation through unique referral codes, rewarding both shares and successful hires. Companies with socially engaged employees are 58% more likely to attract top talent and 20% more likely to retain high performers.

Engaging Passive Candidates through Targeted Outreach and Interactive Content

Passive candidates represent 73% of the workforce—currently employed professionals open to compelling opportunities but not actively searching. These candidates often represent the highest-quality talent pool.

Personalized outreach proves essential for passive candidate engagement. LinkedIn InMails customized to individual profiles receive 15% higher response rates than generic messages. Reference specific achievements, shared connections, or relevant interests demonstrating genuine research. Focus messaging on growth opportunities (prioritized by 68% of high performers), meaningful work, and work-life balance rather than immediate job openings.

Interactive content builds relationships before positions open. Host LinkedIn Live sessions discussing industry trends, generating 24x more comments than standard videos. Run Instagram polls about workplace preferences, share educational content addressing professional challenges, and participate authentically in industry discussions. This positions your company as a thought leader while maintaining visibility among passive candidates.

Personalized outreach and multimedia content

Craft outreach messages addressing individual career aspirations rather than organizational needs. Lead with value—share relevant articles, invite candidates to webinars, or offer industry insights before mentioning opportunities.

Multimedia content accelerates passive candidate engagement. Educational videos see 3x higher engagement than promotional content, while storytelling formats generate 2x higher click-through rates. Create series addressing common career challenges, showcasing employee growth stories, and providing actionable professional development tips.

Measuring Success: KPIs, Metrics, and ROI in Social Media Recruiting

Data-driven recruitment strategies consistently outperform intuition-based approaches. Track comprehensive metrics demonstrating social media recruiting ROI and enabling continuous optimization.

Monitor core KPIs including cost per hire (averaging $4,700 traditionally), time to fill (reduced 20% through social recruiting), application sources, engagement rates, and quality of hire metrics. Social media typically reduces cost per hire by 30-50% compared to agencies while improving candidate quality. Employees sourced through social channels show 45% four-year retention versus 25% for job board hires.

Implement attribution tracking linking social posts to applications, interviews, and hires. Calculate channel-specific conversion rates, identifying which platforms and content types generate highest-quality candidates. Review metrics monthly, adjusting strategy based on data insights. Benchmark performance against industry standards while recognizing that optimal metrics vary by role complexity and industry.

Analytics and continuous improvement framework

Establish systematic review processes examining recruitment funnel performance at each stage. Track application-to-interview ratios, interview-to-offer conversions, and offer acceptance rates by source channel.

Create feedback loops incorporating hiring manager satisfaction, new hire performance ratings, and retention data into recruitment strategy refinement. Organizations implementing comprehensive recruitment analytics achieve 23% better hiring outcomes than those using basic metrics alone.

Final Thoughts

Having built Complete Controller’s distributed team primarily through strategic social media recruiting, I’ve learned that success requires more than posting job openings—it demands authentic relationship building, consistent brand storytelling, and data-driven optimization. The companies winning today’s talent wars combine compelling employer brands with targeted outreach strategies that meet candidates where they naturally spend time online.

Ready to transform your talent acquisition strategy? The experts at Complete Controller can help you implement proven social media recruiting frameworks tailored to your industry and growth goals. Visit Complete Controller to discover how our team’s expertise in strategic business operations and thought leadership development can accelerate your recruitment success.

Frequently Asked Questions About Social Media Recruiting

Which social media platforms are best for recruiting different types of candidates?

LinkedIn works best for professional and technical roles with 95% of recruiters using it actively. Facebook excels for retail and service positions requiring geographic targeting. Instagram attracts creative professionals and younger demographics through visual culture content. TikTok reaches Gen Z candidates, with 46% securing positions through the platform.

How do I measure the ROI and effectiveness of social media recruiting efforts?

Track cost per hire (typically reduced 30-50% versus traditional methods), time to fill (20% faster on average), source of hire attribution, engagement rates on recruitment content, and long-term retention rates. Compare these metrics against traditional recruitment channels and industry benchmarks.

Can social media recruiting help attract passive candidates who aren’t job searching?

Yes, social media excels at reaching the 73% of workers not actively job searching. Passive candidates engage with thought leadership content, company culture posts, and industry discussions. Personalized outreach through these channels receives 15% higher response rates than generic recruitment messages.

How often should I post recruiting content on social media platforms?

Post recruitment content 2-3 times weekly per platform during peak hours (weekdays 9 AM-2 PM). Balance direct job postings (20%) with culture content (30%), employee stories (25%), and industry insights (25%) to maintain engagement without overwhelming followers.

How can employees effectively contribute to social media recruiting efforts?

Implement formal advocacy programs providing shareable content, posting guidelines, and referral incentives. Employee-shared job posts receive 30% more applicants while carrying 3x more credibility than corporate messages. Track participation and reward successful referrals to sustain engagement.

Sources

ApplicantStack. “Social Media Recruiting: 9 Best Practices.” 2025.
Heyflow. “10 Effective Social Media Recruiting Tips for Better Talent Acquisition.” 2025.
Indeed. “Social Media Recruiting Tips and Strategies.” 2025.
Heyflow. “Social Media Recruitment Strategies.” 2025.
Buffer. “How Buffer Hires Remotely: Lessons Learned.” Buffer Open Blog, 2024.
Wonderkind. “The Best Social Media for Blue-Collar Recruiting: A 2025 Industry Breakdown.” 2025.
GoodTime.io. “22 Smart Recruitment Strategies That Work in 2025.” 2025.
Joveo. “The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Recruiting [2025].” 2025.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Jennifer Brazer Founder/CEO

Jennifer is the author of From Cubicle to Cloud and Founder/CEO of Complete Controller, a pioneering financial services firm that helps entrepreneurs break free of traditional constraints and scale their businesses to new heights.

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5 Financial Risks Every Small Business Owner Should Understand

Posted on October 13, 2020October 13, 2020 by Jennifer Brazer

Being a small business owner alone can be a risk. When you risk money, time, and your future, deciding to start a small business may seem challenging. But despite the challenges, most small business owners will say that the risk is worth the reward because running your own business and having some control over your career and financial destiny is a powerful position in which to be.

Financial risk does not have to be something with which a small business owner needs to be overly concerned. If you have a good business plan and heavily research your business’s financial aspects, the risk can be manageable to imperceptible. If you know and identify all the financial risks you can face, you can develop solutions to minimize these risks. Here are some financial risks every small business owner should understand and how to manage them to success.

General financial risk

Financial risk refers to the risk that the company’s cash flow will not meet its financial obligations. This risk is shared by every business that exists and is the biggest concern of an entrepreneur. Financial risk isn’t limited to cash flow issues; it also relates to funding sources. Financial risk for the business owner can never be eliminated. However, it can be minimized by having a stable accounting system and by vetting investors.

Market risk

Market risk refers to the risk of loss due to fluctuations in the market. To minimize this risk-taking a toll on your business, an entrepreneur needs to plan how to ride out market downturns. You know your business better than anyone else and should know your business’s strengths and weaknesses and what it offers. Having a strategy in place to combat market fluctuations will lessen or even eliminate this risk.

Credibility risk

Credibility risk refers to the risk when putting out a new product or service in the market. It is a proven fact that consumers are more willing to try a new product from a brand they already trust. Building your brand from the beginning will eliminate any risk when offering new products or services or making any significant changes to the business. Even if a new product or service fails to be a hit with consumers, you will retain loyal customers if they trust your brand before the failure.

Technology risk

Technology risk refers to the risk of losses due to technology failures. This risk is incredibly risky for those businesses that are technology-based or dependent. Even if your company is not technology-based, even a website crash could spell significant revenue loss for a business. This risk is easy to minimize by investing in reliable and up-to-date software and regular security checks and maintenance.

Competitive risk

Competitive risk refers to how direct or indirect competition impacts your business. Unless you have a product or service that no one else in the world has, every business has a competitive risk. Start-ups, in particular, are vulnerable to this risk due to competition with well-established companies with the same product or service. However, this risk can be seriously diminished by researching the competition. Learning what works for them and their weaknesses can help you form strategies to give you a competitive edge over the competition, even if they have been in business longer.

Conclusion

For the small business owner, risks are a part of the business ownership process. While these risks cannot be avoided, they can be minimized. The key to facing risks is knowing what they are and formulating a plan to combat them and stop them from damaging your business. If you make yourself aware of the risks, your business will thrive and succeed, possibly even beyond your expectations.

Pros and Cons of Freelancing

Posted on October 13, 2020October 13, 2020 by Jennifer Brazer

In today’s world of advanced technology and a gig economy, freelancing has become more common than ever before. Freelancers have existed for centuries, but the evolution into what a freelancer is today has been in the last few years. Freelancing means that you are self-employed and an independent contractor for hire in your field of work. Freelancers find clients or gigs through various outlets or contract themselves out to do certain types of work for a period of time and get paid according to the individual job. Though being self-employed can be lucrative and rewarding, there are some pros and cons to consider before ditching the office and work attire. Here are the pros and cons of freelancing.

Pros of Freelancing:

Flexibility

Many businesses are trying to integrate “work-life-balance” so that employees can work in a flexible environment. But still, many employees are stuck in “nine-five” type shift work, and some businesses expect employees to be available outside of working hours via email or text. Freelancers are not an employee, so they have more flexibility when it comes to schedule and availability. A freelancer can also refuse jobs they don’t want to do.

Since a freelancer has so much time flexibility and set their hours and types of projects, they can easily fulfill family and social commitments. As long as assignments are delivered on time, freelancers can take hours or even days at a time off for obligations or recreation.

Office Politics

Most businesses have some level of office politics. At times, office politics can be adverse and even toxic to employees caught up in it. Office politics can be so extreme at times that it can affect productivity and individual employee performance. In the case of the freelancer, there is no office politics, therefore eliminating its adverse effects on their work. Further, if a client is difficult or causing productivity issues due to a negative attitude, a freelancer can end the relationship and discontinue working with the client. This ability to pick and choose clients and eliminate negative ones ensures a positive and healthy working environment for the freelancer. In some cases, the freelancer may put up with more if the job is well-paying or necessary, but for the most part, a freelancer does not have to deal with toxic or negative people in their workplace.

Pay Rates

Because a freelancer gets paid by the job, there is no fixed salary, which means the freelancer can make more than a salaried position with experience and negotiation. There is no ceiling to the amount of money a freelancer can earn, depending on the job and the payment negotiation.

Cons of Freelancing:

Inconsistent workload

For a freelancer, it is rare to get steady and reliable work. Most freelancers are subject to month-to-month financial concerns. Most freelancers seek out regular gigs, and when they have a well-paying assignment or gig, they save some for times when the work is not steady or in abundance. The sporadic nature of freelance work makes it not for everyone.

Difficulty Finding Clients

Depending on the field, finding clients can be competitive and challenging. Many freelancers will use sites to assist in finding clients. However, most of these sites take a percentage of the commission and payout over a period rather than immediately. Creative freelancers can find ways to get clients through social media platforms, their websites, and other free to inexpensive avenues.

Fraud

Freelancers are more vulnerable to fraud or non-payment for various reasons. If a freelance job is done directly with a client, some may not get paid or have slow payment outside of a website. Even with a site to help the freelancer get paid, a client can receive work and dispute payment, therefore getting work for free. While this type of fraud is rare, it can still be costly in time and revenue.

9 Ways to Protect Yourself Against Credit Card Fraud

Posted on October 12, 2020October 12, 2020 by Jennifer Brazer

Over the past decade, debit and credit card use has been the number one way consumers make purchases, pay bills, and make security deposits. Due to plastic being the primary form of payment, credit card fraud is at an all-time high. This high amount of fraud means you have to protect yourself against it. Here are nine ways to protect yourself against credit card fraud.

Protect Your Credit Card

Protecting your credit card may seem obvious, but surprisingly most credit cardholders fail to do so. Make sure you place it in a wallet, purse, or bag that is held close to your body and not easily grabbed. If possible, put it in a small purse or wallet that can be concealed. Don’t carry all your cards with you simultaneously. Only take one or two debit or credit cards with you and leave others behind. This will ensure that if a thief does manage to snatch your purse or wallet, they won’t have all your debit or credit cards.

When you use your card, make sure you conceal it as much as possible and pay attention to your surroundings. Some thieves will take a photo of your card and use the number for online purchases. Once you make a purchase, conceal your card as soon as possible.

Shred Credit Card Documents

Whether it is a billing statement or credit card receipt, once you no longer need the document, it is essential to shred it rather than throwing it away. Also, make sure you shred old cards when they expire. Often a new credit or debit card will have the same number with a new expiration date. The key is to ensure anything you are disposing of that has your credit card number on it must be destroyed before throwing away.

Never Sign Blank Credit Card Receipts

Not signing a blank credit card receipt may sound like an obvious no, no, but again, sometimes we are busy or distracted and will mindlessly sign anything put in front of us. Make sure you read anything you sign that is related to your debit or credit card. If you are at a restaurant and tip cash, make sure you write a zero or put a line in the blank and write the total yourself or write “No Tip” or “Cash” in the blank. Even if you do write in a tip, make sure you provide the total and write the amounts so that they cannot be doctored into another amount.

Don’t Give Out Credit Card Information

It is sometimes necessary to provide your credit or debit card number over the phone. First, never do so in public. If you have no choice, make sure you go to a private area and ensure no one is listening. Second, if you didn’t initiate the call, never give your card information to the caller, even if they claim to be a bill collector. If you think it is a legitimate entity, ask for their website and how you can make a payment online.

Be Safe Online

Never click on links in emails claiming to be your credit card company, bank, or another payment platform. If you receive an email that looks like it is from one of your banking or payment institutions claiming there is an issue with your card or account, go to their site or app and check your account after your secure login. This type of fraud is called phishing. It is used to capture your debit or credit card information or get your login and password. Also, when using your card online, ensure the site is secure. You can see if it is a secure site by looking at the URL or address bar on the site. If you see a padlock in the status or address bar, the site is secure.

Report Lost or Stolen Credit Cards

If your credit or debit card is stolen, immediately call the card holding company and cancel the card. If you think you merely misplaced the card and don’t want to have to deal with replacing the card or cards, many credit card companies and banks have an option to freeze the account. This freezing of the account will also allow the company to recognize fraudulent use and contact you if an attempt to use your card is made.

Check Your Statement Regularly

Unauthorized charges on your credit card are the first sign of credit card fraud. Some banking institutions or credit card holding companies will alert the cardholder to unusual activity. However, this cannot be counted on to catch fraud early. It is suggested that you check your banking or credit card statements daily. Though this may not avoid fraud, it will allow the fraud to be caught early and minimize any damage before it becomes overwhelming.

Create Diverse Passwords

Most people use the same passwords for all of their online activities. You must create complicated and unpredictable passwords for any site where your credit card is stored and make it different for every site. Also, never keep your passwords in an easy to locate or access place. Password diversity and security is vital to avoiding credit card fraud.

Watch for Credit Card Skimmers

A more recent and popular debit or credit card fraud is thieves employing the use of skimmers. A skimmer overlays the card reader of gas pumps and ATMs. It will not affect your ability to complete a transaction or purchase; however, the skimmer retains your credit card information and pin. To avoid this credit or debit card fraud, use bank ATMs, and be wary if the reader slot looks unusual. To prevent the possibility of a skimmer used on a gas pump, pay inside if you must use the reader on the pump, look at it closely and be wary if it seems out of place or unusual.

What Defines a Serious Business Buyer?

Posted on October 12, 2020October 12, 2020 by Jennifer Brazer

The buyer persona corresponds to a fictitious prototype of the target of the company’s buyers. Based on statistical data, the profile will give an overview of potential customers’ needs and desires and their characteristics and requirements. Therefore, buyer personas are a useful marketing tool, which is more generally part of personas.

What are buyer personas?

Buyer personas are fictitious representative profiles of potential customers. We also speak more simply in French of “typical buyer.” These people, defined by way of example, represent the target group of a company. Although these profiles are fictitious, the background information is based on real data and measurable socio-demographic facts, such as purchasing behavior, habits, or centers of interest.

In online marketing, typical buyers are at the center of conceptual and strategic planning. Buyer personas are an effective way to keep an eye on who you’re talking to. It is also an opportunity to understand customers better and know which marketing measures are the most effective.

Create a typical buyer profile

The strategic implementation of buyer personas is only useful if we can draw up a very detailed profile. Upstream, it is, therefore, essential to define your target group based on empirical data. You will be able to obtain them thanks to detailed web analysis and tracking processes. Socio-economic and demographic data also play an essential role in determining precise profiles.

Social media also offer critical features of the target. Many users have publicly available profiles. These give a good idea of the interests and lifestyles of the different buyers.

Here is some essential information to know about your target group:

Age
Sex
Civil status
Place of residence
Level of education
Socio-Professional Category
Income

In general, several personas are created for each target group. The average is two to four, but it can also be useful to create many more with a huge target. The number of buyer personas depends on the complexity of the product or the scope of your product range.

To start, you have to look at the data you have about real people. Besides the general gathering of information on the target, it is also essential to have personal contact with representative people. You can interview existing customers, launch opinion polls, or rely on market research reports. Based on the knowledge thus acquired and the data resulting from the analyzes, detailed profiles as realistic as possible will be established. A description of a buyer personas may contain the following:

Demographic data
Interests and hobbies
Preferences
Habits, especially consumer habits
Needs
Expectations of the product, service, or company
Buying behavior
Search history

A kind of curriculum vitae can thus be created. It is good to favor a narrative form rather than to make a sober enumeration of critical points. Indeed, it is the emotions that it is important to highlight also in this process. If you can, add photos that make sense for the profile. Quotes gathered from interviews with customers also make the profiles even more concrete. To create a buyer persona, you can also use tools. With the help of this free program, it is possible to develop a sort of card gathering the most crucial information for each persona.

The advantages of buyer personas

If it is well created, the buyer persona allows a faster and more precise vision of its target than with a simple data collection. Potential buyers are not a uniform group in which each individual corresponds to the average. These are individuals who share only specific characteristics. Thus, the buyer persona makes it possible to get closer to its buyers, even if they are merely fictitious prototypes.

Not all customers see the same benefits in a product, do not make the same associations of ideas, and do not experience the same sensations. Therefore, the path to get to the product can be very different from one customer to another. From an initial interest in the product to the actual purchase decision, a person’s journey is not the same for everyone. Buyer personas strive to reflect this diversity as much as possible.

This has a substantial impact on marketing. If you know the different interests, values , and motivations of potential customers, you can adapt your advertising measures accordingly. Instead of a standard solution that would be a little suitable for everyone but would not correspond to anyone, you can use more precise profiles. In this way, by reaching more deeply to potential customers, it is easier to succeed in its marketing campaign.

Also, working with buyer personas increases customer interest. Marketers not only work with raw numbers but also work on profiles using their creativity. When working on buyer personas, we focus on the different types of personalities within the target group. This often promotes new impulses.

Once the final profile is created, you have a clear document. As this new profile has a fictitious image and name, we can proceed with a more personal treatment. We are talking to a specific person (although imagined) and not to an unknown mass of buyers. As a result, coordinated marketing efforts are generally more lively and attractive.

The New Challenges of the Profession of Chartered Accountant

Posted on October 12, 2020October 12, 2020 by Jennifer Brazer

In recent years, the accounting sector has been shaken by many upheavals: dematerialization, increased competition, new expectations of companies. The profession of a chartered accountant has thus had to reinvent itself to sustain its performance. Find out what is expected today from a chartered accountant.

The profession of chartered accountant

The chartered accountant’s role has always been to support business leaders in their creation, takeover, or daily management of their company.

Beyond intervening within the framework of the simple realization of annual closings, the chartered accountant:

Advises entrepreneurs on the choice of legal status;
Guide managers on the choice of social status;
Support managers in optimizing their taxation;
Help in managing the company’s financial funds;
Ensures accounting management;
Performs contractual audits.

This list is far from exhaustive and will be extended according to the needs of the entrepreneur.

In addition to these main missions, accountants are increasingly confronted with the digital economy and information exchange scope.

Guarantors of corporate financial information must now educate their customers on the security of financial data and the storage and preservation of accounting documents.

Their role is now to support entrepreneurs in their digital transition.

Creation and implementation of a support program

Forced to adapt to these new needs, the chartered accountant must promote his advising and become a real key partner of the company. For this, he must expand his services and offload all the tedious and time-consuming tasks to bring real added value to his customers. He must :

Offer advice at the right time;
Be proactive in meeting the needs of leaders;
Identify the most suitable accounting and administrative organization for the company;
Set up management tools to facilitate exchanges with its customers;
Respect the formalism linked to the new accounting obligations;
Offer customers the possibility of having reliable tools that comply with the law.

The chartered accountant must keep himself constantly informed of news related to his activity sector to protect his clients’ best interests. His engagement letter should no longer only mention bookkeeping, but indeed personalized support.

To sum up, beyond providing current advice, accountants must now deliver cutting-edge expertise in line with everyday reality. All the more so in this period of crisis and a rapidly changing world, they must position themselves alongside entrepreneurs as partners on whom we can count.

How to start your business?

Do you want to start alone? You will have more work, but you will have the advantage of being your boss, and you will have less turnover to be able to pay you. If you are several, the work will be shared, but it will be necessary to generate a more considerable turnover to reimburse all the partners.

What are the formalities for setting up your accounting firm?

To open your practice, you must first find a room, the best possible location like a city center. You must ensure proper management of your budget to be able to support the office rental and expenses. Joining up makes it easier to manage the firm’s costs incurred at the start of the business. You can continue your project alone when you have won your customers’ loyalty and acquired the necessary funds.

How to start your business?

Whatever your situation, the company’s legal form most suited to the exercise of the activity of chartered accountant is the limited liability company or its one-person form if you are alone: EURL. This is justified by a more advantageous tax system for this type of activity, which requires significant computer hardware costs and the calculation of social contributions.

You can choose to be a generalist or a specialist. The second option will be more suitable if you exercise in a big city. On the other hand, in less populated regions, it is better to opt for general practice.

If you have the necessary funds, you can take over a former colleague’s clientele, which will allow you to start your business quickly with good remuneration. On the other hand, if you start at the starting point, you will have to canvass the first customers. You have several options for finding customers. You can contact large firms and offer them subcontract work. You can also use platform services connecting experts and business leaders, which quickly generates contacts. It would be best if you also thought about having your website well referenced with a blog section to promote your expertise and bring you a certain number of customers.