Author Archives: M2 The Agency

5 Tips for Holding a Frugal BBQ

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One of the many joys of summer are BBQs. The aroma of hamburgers and hotdogs grilling, the refreshing taste of lemonade and watermelon and finger licking corn on the cob…can you say YUM?! But as we know, frequent outdoor entertaining can become quite pricey. Here are a few ways to save some money:

portal-graphics-20_1156087a1. Bring Your Own

The classic BBQ frugal tip is to have guests bring their own. They can bring whatever type of meat they want — or other items to grill, including fish, veggies, and tofu/soy based meat substitutes. Not only can this save you money, but it also ensures that everyone is happy with the BBQ offerings.

Even if you don’t have your guests bring their own meat, it’s possible to have them bring their own drinks. This is a great way to make sure that everyone has the drink he or she wants, and it can save you money — especially if your guests prefer alcoholic drinks.

2. Pot Luck

Perhaps you want to provide the meat and the drinks. You can reduce your costs in other areas by asking guests to bring something to share with everyone. Assign chips, fruit bowl, veggie tray, buns, condiments, and other items. You can even ask someone to bring the paper plates, napkins, and cups. If you are doing a themed BBQ, ask someone to bring decorations. This will help you save a little money on the affair, and ensure that everyone has a good time.

3. Consider Plastic Dinnerware

If you are serious about providing BBQ entertainment, you can purchase inexpensive, reusable plastic dinnerware. The initial outlay is a little bit more, but you can reuse the plates, cups, and utensils year after year. You won’t have to keep buying the paper versions (which can get expensive). The clean up isn’t too bad, either, as long as you get dinnerware that is dishwasher safe.

4. Carefully Consider Your Meat Purchases

Those who like providing the meat can do so less expensively by taking care to consider what they choose. Bone-in steaks are often less expensive than boneless varieties (and it helps keep the meat from drying out). You can also buy ground beef and form your own patties, rather than buying pre-made patties. Another option is to make kabobs. You use less meat, and more veggies, so you can keep the costs down. Get creative, and you will find that you don’t spend as much money on your BBQs.

5. Buy Your Grill Items Off Season

Finally, if you want to save more money over time, you should buy your grill items in the off season, and on sale. Get a grill in the fall, and you can get it for much less. The same is true of cooking utensils, as well as outdoor furniture and other items. You can also get charcoal, propane and other related items on discount if you are vigilant about prices. Pay attention, and you can save more over time, and reduce the per-BBQ cost of your outdoor entertaining.

Article Source: http://moneyning.com/money-tips/5-tips-for-holding-a-frugal-barbecue/

Turning Your Customer Database into Business Growth

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There are several ways to build your business, but you must know what’s strategic for your particular business, and you must execute this well.

Loyalty cards can be effective because they draw your customers into your business with discounts and/or rewards programs, and will keep them coming back. Many of the cards are able to do more than just earn loyalty through discounts. They can help businesses understand the buying habits of their customers and market to them more effectively.

Social media can also be a very beneficial tool, and allows you to engage your customers. In one innovative promotion we saw, a store invited customers to comment on the store’s Facebook page about their experiences with the store, and those who did were automatically entered into a sweepstakes competition. In another, a restaurant invited customers to post photos of their meals and comment on them for a chance to win a prize. There is almost no limit to what a business can do using social media. A clothing store could invite customers to post photos of themselves in their new outfits. It’s the sort of thing that can generate energy and buzz, and the best part is that the customers do most of the work for you!

Email is also very effective if you use it correctly. You don’t want to constantly invade your customers’ inboxes, but when you have something that is truly of value to them, email lets you get it to them directly. You can offer them coupons and promo codes for birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions – or even just for the season at hand.

Speaking of promo codes, there’s no reason not to add them onto the back of your business cards as well. You hand them out all the time, after all. Give recipients an easy way to try out the experience of doing business with you.

Of course, so much of modern communication is now happening in the mobile environment, it also makes sense to communicate with people on their mobile devices. Again, you have to be careful because they may not respond well if they’re constantly receiving promotional texts from you. But there’s a right way to do it, says Derek Johnson, CEO of SMS marketing software Tatango.

It’s all about getting permission to capture customers’ information, and then making sure they understand how you’ll use it. And of course, quantity is not what gets results. Quality is – and that means useful, relevant messages that offer value to the customer, including worthwhile discounts, deals and other offers the customers have already told you they want.

Finally, customer referral programs offer a win-win, as you can reward customers with discounts when they refer a friend – and of course, you get a new customer in the process.

Customer referral programs can keep your customer focused on promoting your business. Referring a friend can not only benefit the customer but also the business as well.  If they tell their friends and offer them an incentive, customers will be more engaged and more likely to keep spreading the word.  The business will make more money as a result.  It is a win-win for everyone.

Your customer database is a tremendously valuable asset! But like any asset, you have to use it wisely and effectively to get the value out of it.

Have a question about business planning, products, or services? Contact Business Development or leave a comment below.

 

Warning: Phony Sweepstakes Scam Using FTC’s Name

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iWarning“Hi, I’m calling from the Federal Trade Commission to tell you that you have won $250,000…”

If you receive a phone call like this, you are most likely being targeted as a potential victim of a scam. Reports of someone claiming to be from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have surfaced, so be aware not to fall victim.  The scammers in this situation pretend to be from the Federal Trade Commission, possibly even using the name of an actual FTC employee, and ask you to pay “taxes” or “insurance” in order to claim your prize, either by wiring money or sending a check.

TelemarketedIf you receive any sort of calls like this, DO NOT send any money, and report the incident to the FTC at ftccomplaintassistant.gov.  The FTC is the nation’s consumer protection agency and they investigate fraud and provide free information.  The FTC will never ask you to send them money, and neither will a legitimate sweepstakes company.

Take the following precautions to prevent yourself from falling victim to any type of sweepstakes scam:

Don’t pay to collect winnings.  If a company makes you pay to collect your sweepstakes winnings, you aren’t dealing with a legitimate company and may end up never seeing that money again.  Legitimate sweepstakes companies will never ask you to pay “taxes,” “insurance,” or “shipping and handling” on your winnings.

Hold on to your money.  When scammers act, they will try to pressure you into wiring money through commercial money wiring companies such as Western Union.  Wiring money is essentially the same as sending cash, so if you do fall victim, there is very little chance of recovering your money.  Also don’t mail a check or money order, especially by way of any sort of high speed shipping.  This allows the scammers to receive the money before you realize the scam.

Beware of look-alikes.  It is illegal for anyone to lie about an affiliation with or endorsement by a government agency or other well known organization.  Sometimes scammers may use a similar name to trick you into trusting them, but remember, insurance companies will never insure delivery of sweepstakes winnings.

Phone numbers can be deceptive.  Internet technology exists that allows con artists to disguise their area code.  Although it may appear that your caller is contacting you from Washington DC, they could in fact be calling you from anywhere in the world.

Alert the FTC! If somebody tries to impersonate a government agency to try and take your money, be sure to file a complaint at ftc.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP.  When you do this make sure you provide as many details as possible. Your complaint is more helpful if it includes information such as the time of the call, the phone number, name of the person or organization who called, which FTC employee name(s) were used, requested amount and method of money to be sent, or any other details.

We urge you to constantly be on the lookout for scammers and to always protect your personal and account information. Do not hesitate to call our Member Service Center at 732.312.1500 or stop into one of our branches if you suspect any fraudulent activity on your First Financial accounts.

 

Back to School Shopping: 10 Ways to Save Your Money

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back-to-school1First Financial gathers some easy tips and advice in order for you to save on back to school shopping:

  1. Coupons and Coupon Codes: It’s all about the bargains. When shopping online, don’t forget about coupon codes that you can apply to your cart. Also, remember to look through newspapers and your junk mail to cut out coupons for various items that might be on your checklist.
  2. Get Ahead: Most clearance items go on sale after the season has ended. Take advantage of this opportunity and buy items for the fall and winter even though it may be spring or summer, you’ll be able to save money and use it for the following year.
  3. Use Your uChoose Rewards: All First Financial VISA® Platinum Cash Plus Credit Cardholders are eligible to earn uChoose Rewards on all purchases, which can be redeemable for merchandise, gift cards, and more. For more information login to your uChoose Rewards Account.
  4. Outlet Shopping: Many people forget that large retailers have factory outlet stores. Outlets are great for special deals and markdowns on your favorite brands without paying full-retail price.
  5. Leave the Kids at Home: Parents, you know all about the guilt-trip. Don’t be pressured to buy certain things and wind up spending more money than you have to!
  6. Use Your Smartphone: They’re called “smart” for a reason. For example, the Google Shopper app enables you to scan an item’s barcode and then it shows the prices for the same product at different stores in your area so you can get the best bargain.
  7. Utilize Social Media: While you’re poking around on Facebook and Twitter, make sure you “like” or follow your favorite stores and brands. They often post different deals, coupons, and promotions that are going on.
  8. Sharing is Caring: Buy in bulk and split it amongst the kids, or save it for later on in the school year.
  9. Don’t Forget About eBay and Amazon: Use these sites to your advantage; your kids don’t need the latest and newest technology, they need something that works and is fitting for them. Frequently, these sites will sell items new or barely used for a great price.
  10.  Maybe Hand-Me-Downs are Good: Do a little “summer cleaning” and go through your kids’ closets and see what could be passed on to another sibling.

If you need additional assistance paying for back to school supplies and clothing, First Financial offers one of the lowest credit card rates around. To learn more about First Financial’s VISA® Platinum Cash Plus Card and apply today, please visit our credit card page.

Identity Theft Seminar Summary

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We recently held an Identity Theft seminar where attendees were taught what identity theft is, how it happens, and how to deter, detect, and defend themselves against it.

b4_3d_pig_with_calculator_03-resized-600Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information such as your credit card or social security number, and uses it fraudulently.  Once the thieves have your information, they can charge large amounts with your credit card, open new accounts using your social security number, or even give your name to the police if they get arrested.  All of this will likely cost you time and money, as well as it can potentially ruin your credit and good name.  Identity thieves can obtain this information in many different ways, such as computer hacking, “dumpster diving” into your trash, or simply stealing your wallet or purse.

Although there is no guarantee you’ll never fall victim to identity theft, you can minimize your risk by following the “3 D’s” of identity protection:  Deter, Detect, and Defend.  By safeguarding your information, you can deter identity thieves from stealing your identity:

  • Shred financial documents
  • Protect your social security number
  • Don’t use obvious passwords
  • Avoid giving out personal information unless you’re sure who you are dealing with.

The importance of being proactive in protecting your identity was stressed, as knowing your identity makes it a lot more difficult for thieves to steal it. The next step in avoiding identity theft is to detect suspicious activity by routinely monitoring your financial accounts and billing statements.  Always be alert for mail or bills that don’t arrive and denials of credit for no reason.  Also, contrary to the myth, you are not punished for inspecting your credit report.  In fact, the law entitles you to a free credit report each year from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.  These three companies urge you to review your annual free credit report at  http://www.annualcreditreport.com/, which is the only authorized site to view your credit report for free each year.

The final step of the “3 D’s” is to defend against identity theft as soon as you suspect a problem.  You will want to close faulty accounts, file a police report, contact the Federal Trade Commission, and even place a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports by calling one of the three credit reporting bureaus.

If you’d like more tips or advice on identity theft, be sure to check the Federal Trade Commission’s website at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft for helpful tips, documents, and videos.  First Financial also posts important articles in protecting yourself from online fraud on our website.

Creative Business Strategies to Drive Summer Sales

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Summer is certainly a time when people get out of the house, so owning a local business presents a chance to get them into your store. What’s more, our area tends to attract additional population during the warm parts of the year – so there is more business to be had! A good strategy could be the difference between attracting them to your space and watching them go to a competitor.

What are some effective ways to attract customers during the summer months?

If your business is in a strip mall, you might consider joining with your fellow tenants to host a summer block party – complete with games, prizes, coupons, and gift cards. Maybe a guest could win $5 off their next visit to your store in a spin-the-wheel game.

People are drawn to spectacle, and there are lots of low cost ways to create them. A well-planned spaghetti eating or hot dog eating contest can generate traffic via word of mouth, not to mention possible media coverage. This is a great fit for a restaurant, but it might work for other businesses as well.

Other businesses can come up with concepts that fit their particular specialty. A salon can generate attention by staging special makeover nights, while a printing company can offer free wedding invitations – something that is sure to find plenty of takers during the summer months.

Any special event that attracts an audience is also an opportunity to build your mailing or email list, or to find new Facebook fans and Twitter followers, so it’s important when people show up for an event to get their contact information. That might be accomplished through raffle entries, with a charitable component as a possible incentive for people to participate.

There are also usually plenty of events already being planned, such as city street fairs or Chamber of Commerce events where individuals can sign up and participate – often at less cost and with less preparation required than you would need to stage your own event. Within the context of these events, you can often do something creative that helps people to remember your business.

Summer brings the crowds to shopping districts, but it’s your creativity that will bring them through your door – and keep them coming back!

Have a question about business planning, products, or services? Contact Business Development or leave a comment below.