Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Changing Content Requirement Affects Current SEO Strategies

As any web developer, blogger, or entrepreneur knows, the key to making your business known online, is showing up on the first page of an online search. Up until recently, companies were dumping money into marketing & SEO firms to get their websites to the top of google rankings. The analytics, SEO, PPC, and other factors were key to making the changes necessary to getting up to that point. With Google changing around its web crawling bots, the game is changing. New algorithms change how we gain popularity through searches.

Here are the things that need to become the keys to focus on:

Quality Content - The new king of google rankings is quality content.  To make your site seen, the quality must be there. Just typing random blurbs that connect to nothing, mean nothing. Make a point, an argument, a statement, or something helpful. This will draw readers in to share, talk about, and blog about. Make it readable, and make it enjoyable. Find a topic, talk about, don't ramble (like I do), and it is a pretty simple concept. Make content that people will be engaged in.

Social Media - Oh, you want your name on the top of the search engine results? So does the rest of the world. Where can you find the rest of the world? On Social Media (who'd of thunk it). Get your twtitter handle, facebook page, facebook fan page, pinterest, intstagram, or whatever you find necessary to engage your target audience. Ask them questions, share funny photos, share cool photos of your product with trendy filters, and the options are endless. Get social. Get friendly. Get slightly annoying, but don't overdo it. Too much repetitive nonsense will make your friends/followers/groupies drop off faster than Kirstie Alley on another crash-course diet.

Paid Links - Always handy if you have the extra cash. Pay for some advertising in banners, videos, or just PPC. Find the right ingredients, and anyone can make spaghetti.

Authorship - You have an interesting article, that's fun. You have an interesting article from a Harvard study, even better! Having an authority behind what you publish makes it that more desirable. Make sure to cite the source, and where you got the info from, and a back link is always appreciated.

Mobile - The year is 2013, you know you can't live without a cellphone for 3 minutes. Phones are attached to hips, and hips are attached to chairs in front of computers, thus is life. Anything being put onto the internet should have integrated mobile versions for visibility. New ads are becoming available for the smartphone market, and truly changing the game of advertising. Don't miss the wave, and be left bobbing in the ocean. Optimize for mobile, and don't forget it.


There are some easy pointers to some changes in the SEO world. Make due by changing your ways, adapting to new strategies, and doing a little research of your own.

Live Long & Factor  _\\\///






Monday, April 8, 2013

Are you Factoring Me?

My blog postings have been scarce with all of the new business LCF's business model has been creating, my apologies to our sincere followers. The whole concept of transparency is really becoming a winning factor in our asset-based lending industry. Many companies try to change the game, but all they do is change the fees. Simplicity & kindness are key in this business.

Some in competition with us may say, you can't change the game, there is only one way to do it, we have been in the business longer. That is what our competition would tend to think in the receivables business, but it isn't true.

Lenders Commercial Finance makes it a point to keep things simple for everyone, because who wants to have to read through stacks of paperwork, only to find out they are probing you with more fees than an alien in Area 51? Simplicity, LCF only establishes a Convenient Daily Rate with no other hidden fees, nothing else is tacked on, no start up fees, no ending fees, no fees for looking at someone, no fees for making the mistake of going to a traditional factor to start with, NADA.

It is plain, it is simple. So if you have a business with an existing sales channel, credit worthy customers, a product or service to sell, give us a call. At LCF we were started by entrepreneurs with the point of fixing what is wrong with the receivables industry. We are changing the game, and hope to have your company save money with us soon.

Live long and factor, my friends.   _\V/


Factoring Loans



Monday, March 4, 2013

Business Brokers create less need for a Sales Force

We pride ourselves in the bonds we grow with our clients, and the brokers that represent us with prospects. A key to a successful business relationship is friendly, courteous, and professional communication. In the financing industry there are deals that work, and there are deals that do not work, it is plain and simple.

Brokers are the lifeblood of our business. With constant communication and information exchanges, you can extend your salesforce exponentially. They may not be on our payroll, but they still have the broker fees that make up for not being connected to a financing business. These business relationships are what make business exciting. Every day there are new, and exciting deals that are pushed forward by the bridge builders. Working in the industry you get to see how businesses are developed, built, thrive, fail, stumble, and recover. It really opens up your eyes, and gives a valuable lesson in the business realm.

That being said, check out our friend Tom Dewell's blog, Alternative Commercial Finance , to learn more about his side of the business, learn some tips, and see another side of the coin in the finance world.






Lenders Commercial Finance: Your Answer to Factoring Loans

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Factor Your Receivables

Any small business has heard about a factoring company. They are very cookie cutter, expensive, and have a small window to fit in if you want financing. The problem with this is that if you do fit into that small window of doom, a factoring company will charge you a ton of sneaky fees, and rob companies of their profit.

Since here at Lenders Commercial Finance, we are not a factor, we are an asset-based lender; we will be discussing the benefits of using a company that likes to think out of the box when it comes to financing companies.

1. Advance Rates - that is the big part of the equation, as a small business, how much money will we get out of financing our receivables? Our rates on advance vary from 75%-90% of the invoice, as compared to 70%-85% that a factor will give. That means more bang for your buck!

2. Rate Periods - 
Factor - 5 Day, 10 Day, 15 Day, 30 Day Chunking
LCF - Convenient Daily Rate, No Chunking

3. Rates Applied To - 
Factor - Full Invoice Amount (Regardless of Advance Rate)
LCF - The Net Amount Advanced

4. Typical Rates - 
Factor - 2%-4% every 30 days
LCF - 0.069% to 0.089% for each day

5. Float Days - 
Factor - 3 to 5
LCF  - 1 or 2

6. Required Reserves -
Factor - Typically 10%
LCF - No Reserve Requirements

7. Factor All Your Accounts -
Factor - Usually Required
LCF - Not Required

8. Factor All Accounts with Single Debtor
Factor - Usually Required
LCF - Not Required

9. Factor When Confirmed with Debtor
Factor - Usually Required
LCF - Can Hold Your Invoices Up to 15 Days Before Due Date

10. Repurchase Your Invoices Early
Factor - Not Allowed
LCF - Allowed Anytime


There are the first 10 ladies and gentlemen!

As you stew over that pretty little list, I will start working on the next 10.

In the meanwhile...




Monday, February 4, 2013

Simple, Proven Ways to Increase Page Traffic

Anyone who has a blog, e-commerce store, or webpage, is always wondering: "How do I increase my ranking on a search engine?" There are a many different ways that apply to marketing experts, and amateurs alike.

These techniques are applicable to anyone in the field; a few easy steps will have you taking steps to increase the web presence of your site.

Start A Blog - It's easy, customizable, and with a little effort, you can have regular readers and glances at your blog. The topics do not have to be anything in particular, write about what is on your mind, sports, activities, hiking, cars, the world is your oyster. While writing your blog make sure to use keywords with links to your website to drive traffic. Hop onto Google Adwords and find some easy and difficult keywords to narrow your gaze on. Make sure to include pictures and keep it vivid! Consistency is key; if you start a blog, make sure you stay up to date on weekly updates. Post a picture, a list, a fun fact, stay consistent!

Free Stuff:  Who doesn't love free stuff? Scour the internet, find deals, drive traffic to your site by offering something for free, then add some advertising, and boom, sales & advertising that make you money. For a great example try out Sites180's lovely site, It's What Jen Says she knows her stuff!

Social Media: I say this with hesitancy, but yes, it does help. A twitter account can be helpful, by posting guidelines, 144 characters of knowledgeable information. Share links, photos, anything that may get someone to click on it. Avoid just trying to get followers, and find people that are in the industry and something you can talk about, connect to, plug if need be.

Facebook: This word does not mean start telling your friends to visit your site by posting pictures of cats talking, half naked women, or quotes by people who have died centuries ago. That word means post helpful, intelligent things, no baby momma drama. Ask your friends and acquaintances for opinions, suggestions, and constructive criticism. Make a fan page, but keep it current.

Pinterest: Selling things? Try pinning some ideas and uses for your products!

Directories: These bad boys are easy to use! Make a dummy email account, sign up, post your website under the correct indsutry, and away you go! Check this link out for a list of top directories that you may find useful.

Article Submission: Hop on Reddit, Digg, or any article based website, and submit something off of your blog. If it is approved by something like Ezine you never know where in the world people will be viewing your website from!

SEO: Try reading up on some Search Engine Optimization techniques. SEOmoz offers some great tools to learn how to start out. If you are too busy, hit the SEO link, and check in with one of the country's top firms.

Backlinks: If you have done business with other websites, ask for a link. Maybe they have a blog, and can post a positive review about your company.

Press Releases: For under 400.00 you can have a website write a press release for you, include an SEO package, and distribute it across the web. Watch your keywords jump up through the rankings as this easy-to-do, and low cost piece does its' due diligence for your company.


Take these easy tips, find some free time, and enjoy the journey.

As always, your faithful and loyal scribe, Mike

Lenders Commercial Finance - Factoring Loans




Thursday, January 31, 2013

Eye of the Financier, my rocky comic

As any day goes by, a mind tends to wonder. Whether it be about what the plans are for the evening, the cadre of things you forgot to do at work, or in my case, what to blog about next. Writing an article about every good and bad thing that happens in an industry can become monotonous, tiring, and blatantly bland. With this thought in my mind, how do we change up a seemingly bland industry? My artistic side kicked me in the shin and said, 'hey, let's make popular cliche' movie lines into comics.' Thus my new blogging idea has sprouted; to take the most famous movie quotes, and turn them into cheesy, corny, and humorous one still frame comics.

So in the next couple of weeks, try to enjoy the dry humor I have, and if you're in the industry, maybe some of the themes will ring true. Make sure to drop a line, tell me what you think, and I'll be more than glad to comment back.

To start off, my homage to Sylvester Stallone in Rocky, with his famous line: "Yo Adrian, I did it!"

Earlier this year, as part of my bucket list tour, and since I am from Pennsylvania, I took a trip down to Philadelphia with my running buddy, and we did a 7 mile trek to the Philadelphia Art Museum, and climbed the legendary steps. It was a gorgeous October Sunday, the air was crisp, the streets were not overly crowded, and we had a plan. After scouring running blogs, and checking for signs of the route that Sly ran in the movie, I came across a remote map that wasn't completely accurate, but a good start. Panning through the training scene I found a couple of more roads. We started on the south side of Philly, 16th Street I believe, ran through the capital building, past the Rodin exhibit, through the Czech parade that was going past the museum. A perfect run, a great time, and an experience, I care to never forget. One of those cheesy moments in your life that will always make you smile.

With that being said, enjoy.