Merchant Cash Advance Blog

Social media engagement is one of the most important metrics for small business owners to analyze when developing a social media marketing strategy. According to Epic, “Engagement with brands is 10 times higher than Facebook, 54 times higher than Pinterest, and 84 times higher than Twitter.” This makes Instagram one of the top platforms for small business owners to grow their brand and show off their personality. The question is, what is the best way for business owners to use Instagram?

Successful restaurants have well defined themes and feature unique dishes, drinks and atmosphere. The reason for specialization comes from the tastes and perspectives of your customers. You may cook a great steak, but if your restaurant isn’t defined as a steakhouse, the customer may look elsewhere for that particular dish. While it is important to have variety, having a central theme that ties all of your offerings together is a must in today’s competitive landscape. When choosing your restaurant theme you’ll want to consider your current customer base, geographic location, local demographics, possible competition, the skill-set of your staff as well as several other factors. Here we’ve compiled some of the most popular themes to consider when refining your restaurant brand.

The bakery business thrives on freshness and a single stale roll could ruin your reputation. The goal is for every customer to have the same great experience, and to achieve that you will need your products to be consistently fresh. Investing in storage and display equipment will have a long lasting effect and can improve the quality, shelf life and consistency of your items.

Ecommerce helps small business owners reach new markets in at least two ways: it expands your reach to include those who could never shop at your physical store location, and it allows people a way to check out your products before coming into your store. There are many ways to market your ecommerce site online, including blogs (your own and other people's), newsletters, social media, Google ads, and more. So the question becomes, what is the importance of utilizing ecommerce in your retail strategy and where do you need to focus your efforts?

The beauty industry is booming and owners of independent salons have realized the importance of incorporating technology while focusing on the customer experience. “On average, the industry has grown 2.7% annually in each of the past five years, and is expected to grow 2.2% annually for each of the next five. That means the salon industry is expected to out perform the United States general economy in that same time period.” In recent decades the industry has evolved to attract men and women of all ages, providing convenience and luxury to anyone willing to fit the bill. It just so happens, that number continues to grow.