Paper vs Plastic: The advantages of paying cash in the Modern Age

It’s no secret, people love paying with credit cards. A recent survey showed that the public favored cards over cash 3:1. It’s convenient, easy and saves pennies jingling in your pockets. Naturally, the acceptance of cards at a retail establishment is great for the consumer, but also means dealing with processing fees, the price of doing business in the modern age. Are you ready to say goodbye to unnecessary credit card fees? Here’s how a Cash Discount Program can help you.

Many smaller businesses are now opting for the “cash discount program” option. The seller offers a discount to those customers paying cash over card, an incentive that can prove very fruitful. The main bonus is that it can reduce credit card processing fees tenfold. If you don’t process the card, you don’t have to pay for the service. It is easier to explain to the customer and is perfectly legal when adhered to correctly.

Of course, the main battle you will always come across in implementing such a program is that for the most part, people don’t carry cash anymore, in a CNBC study in 2017, it was reported that 75% of Americans carry $50 dollars or less on them at any given time, With millennials at the forefront of the plastic revolution.  However, with the recent boom in Farmers Markets, Artisanal goods and a return to supporting home grown, local businesses, a correctly marketed cash discount program could see your business transactions grow exponentially.

As with every move when running your own business, make sure that the program will work for you and the product you are selling. A cash discount program may not be for you. If you think it might be the perfect fit for and your business, It can save you thousands of dollars in processing fees.

For more information, head over to www.Cocard.info

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Decatur, GA Shops and Restaurants

It’s a great time to be a small business or restaurant owner

Decatur, GA Shops and Restaurants

It’s a great time to be a small business or restaurant owner if you are a millennial. A recent study showed by the SBCD showed that 49% of Millennials want to start their own business in the next three years. Over half would say goodbye to the daily grind to start their own business with the right resources.

Good job there are plenty of Point of Sale systems to help you get ahead of the curve.

So, why jump on the entrepreneurial wagon? How can a great POS System help me?

INDEPENDENCE. The biggest plus to being your own boss is Independence. You make the decisions; you choose what you do and when you do it. It is important to arm yourself with technology that can grow with you. A POS system can add devices easily. Opening an additional stall at a farmer’s market? Adding a pop up shop during peak season? POS can help you with that, you don’t even need more hardware. You can do it from that smartphone of yours!

CONTROL. Control is a wonderful thing. As a business owner, from concept to creation every inch of the business is in your hands. Complete immersion in your business can be thrilling and overwhelming, so why not use POS to work FOR you. POS improves inventory visibility, helps track sales and works with you to manage total counts and shelf inventory. With a system that can track product to such a high caliber, you will be able to make future inventory predictions more accurately.

FLEXIBILITY Perhaps the biggest plus to running a small business is flexibility. Smaller staff sizes allow businesses to develop personal relationships with the customer, leading to repeat business. With a system like POS you can make sure the customer experience is the top priority. Freeing up employees from time consuming book keeping to focus on activities related to boosting clientele service. Faster checkouts and easy to use systems have customers leaving already planning their next visit.

Sound like it’s for you? For more information on the systems available from CoCard, head to our main website at www.cocard.info.

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5 Organizational Apps To Make Your Days That Much More Effective

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Apps these days are a dime a dozen, so we wanted to assemble some of our favorite apps for organization. From file storage to organizing trip details to content management, these apps have the power to make your work life that much easier, and more effective.

  1. Evernote

Take notes in meetings, and attach documents, articles, and presentations to these notes. You can also record meetings as a part of the note so that you can stay focused on what a client is saying, or doing your best in a presentation. Evernote is available on Android and iOS, and also has a desktop version to sync to a tablet.

  1. Dropbox

Dropbox is great for file storage, especially files that are too large to attach to an email. Keep both business and personal information in your Dropbox account. The great thing about this app is that it offers a free 30-day trial for a relatively inexpensive cost of $12.50 per month. It also has a snazzy camera upload feature where your pictures automatically upload to your account.

  1. TripIt

Keep your flight confirmations, restaurant reservations, and hotel information in this app. For many business owners, travel is a given whether for business or in your personal life. Keep photos and information about cherished destinations—where to dine again, for example, or an article about a particular workspace. The premium version also gives access to frequent flyer miles.

  1. HabitList

If you are a person who wakes up at 5am, you likely understand the benefit of forming good habits. And HabitList is one way to form even more habits. It allows you to proactively decide which things in your life you’d like to be more consistent so that they, in fact, become habits. Do you want to schedule small meals throughout the day? Or do your most difficult tasks first? HabitList tracks progress and offers positive reinforcement along the way to make forming habits more achievable.

  1. CoSchedule

This app is available via desktop, not smartphone or tablet yet. However, it is excellent with content management. Schedule your blog posts and other social media posts through this program which offers more organization. CoSchedule also integrates seamlessly with Google Docs and Evernote.

These apps will make your work life more efficient. And of course, chances are you already have a great organizational app that you already use that isn’t on this list. Don’t hesitate to try something new to make the most out of each day.

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New Year, Newer You: 4 Things To Remember As 2018 Moves Along

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As we find ourselves in the second month of 2018, we at COCARD would like to do a quick check in for any New Year’s resolutions you may have made this year, or things that you’d like to improve on for the upcoming year. From money management skills to planning, how have you been doing with these things since January 1st?

 

  1. Managing cash flow

 

How do you manage the money that goes in and out of your business? Money is the lifeline that keeps your doors open, and your business running. Without it, you and your business will have a difficult time existing. Did you know that 82% of startups and small businesses fail because of a lack of cash flow, according to a study from U.S. Bank, a financial services company? So take stock of where your money is coming from, and if needed, take stock of tip #2, reviewing your rates.

 

  1. Reviewing your rates and charging your worth

 

It is one thing to charge one rate as you start, but another thing to keep the same rate as you’ve gained more experience and can prove the value that you bring to another business or company. So look at rates in your industry, and make sure that you are charging a rate that fits your experience and worth. Anything less would be criminal, and would hinder your ability to bring in the right amount of money for your business and livelihood. So do your research, and even write down the value that you’ve provided to customers. Then set new rates.

 

  1. Staying on top of your industry-game

 

As a professional in your field, you should continue to learn. Learning doesn’t stop after you make a certain amount of money. It also doesn’t stop after you’ve reached a certain professional marker. To stay current and at the top of your game, you should read books, take courses, and attend events that will help you to keep developing your skills. In this way, your business will continue to evolve for the better, and can continue to compete in the marketplace.

 

  1. Focusing on what works

 

If you come up against obstacles or questions, you should focus on the things that work for you. If something isn’t working, toss it aside, and continue moving forward. This method allows you to make room for something else in the future, something potentially much better than what you had before.

As the year progresses, it is important for us as business owners to take stock of the roads we are taking and how we will get there, to our destinations. For all of us, “there” often means profitability along with a strong bond with our customers.

What else have you taken stock of as a business owner since this year has started?

 

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