October 22, 2020

How To Offer Gift Wrapping To Your Customers & Boost Your Online Store This Holiday Season

Finding the perfect gift is hard enough. The thought of wrapping it can be enough to throw even the most satisfied gift-giver over the edge.

Your online store can help with the first part of the equation, by giving customers great products at great prices. And if you can find a way to help with the second part, by adding a gift-wrap option to your checkout, you can not only ease your customers’ gift-giving experience but also increase their satisfaction and cement their loyalty to your brand.

The Benefits Of Offering Gift Wrapping To Your Customers

No matter the occasion â a holiday, birthday, anniversary, birth, graduation, housewarming, or just because â nothing makes a gift more special than beautiful gift wrap. The problem is, not everyone has the time, energy, interest, or ability to perfectly prepare packages.

Although many retailers offer holiday gift-wrapping services, the truth is that your customers are shopping for gifts year-round. And especially during times (like during a global pandemic) when it’s hard to deliver gifts in person, many customers will appreciate having the option to purchase, wrap, and deliver gifts with one click of the mouse.

Remember: The easier you make it for customers, the more likely they are to return to buy from you again. So why not test out offering gift-wrapping services, and see how it can affect your bottom line?

11 Gift Wrapping Tips For Your Online Store

If you’re ready to offer a gift-wrapping service as an option in your online store, remember that you don’t have to do everything at once. Read through the list below, pick something to try, see how customers respond, and then add another element once you’ve gained confidence in your abilities and seen how customers respond. Before you know it, you’ll be a gift wrapping pro!

1. Make Sure You’re Up For The Job

It should go without saying that if you offer gift wrapping services to customers, the packages you send out need to look top-notch. You want the wrapping to increase your products’ perceived value, and a sloppy wrap won’t do the job.

Maybe you’re a wrapping wiz, and you already know what you’re doing. But if not, don’t despair. Head over to your favorite video-sharing site and search for some wrapping tutorials. Practice a time or two to hone your technique before wrapping orders start to roll in.

2. Show Your Stuff

Don’t just tell customers you’re offering a gift-wrapping service. Show them! Add a photo of a beautifully wrapped sample package to each product page or at checkout â wherever the gift wrapping option appears. If there’s anything special about the wrapping materials you use or the things you add to the package, say so.

3. Offer Multiple Gift Wrap Options

You can increase the appeal of offering gift-wrapping services by giving customers a limited number of choices for how they’d like their gift to look. Maybe you can offer a choice of wrapping paper, or a couple of different types of ribbon. After all, the option to customize can make it feel more personal.

Don’t make it too complicated, though, because having too many choices can quickly become a negative for shoppers. And you don’t want to make gift-wrapping a headache on your end, either.

4. Give A Gift Message Option

Allow customers to enter a simple message to the gift’s recipient. It’s okay to keep the message short; you can limit the character count so you don’t end up with book-length messages. Just make sure that the recipients will be able to tell who sent them the gift, and why.

You may be able to simplify the process by suggesting a few options, like “Happy Birthday!” and so on, and prompting customers to enter only the “to” and “from” information.

5. Take It Easy On Yourself

Who is going to be the chief present-wrapper? If you are going to do it yourself or at least keep the wrapping in-house, make sure you’re set up to succeed. That means creating a wrapping station that is well stocked with everything you’ll need to wrap quickly, neatly, and efficiently, so this extra step doesn’t become too much of a distraction from everything else you’re doing to keep your business up and running.

At a minimum, you’ll need a large, flat surface that’s kept clear of clutter. Keep two kinds of tape nearby (clear cellophane and double-sided), ribbons, a good pair of scissors, boxes, notecards, tissue paper â everything you’ll need to get packages prepared quickly and ready to mail. As you ramp up and begin to offer wrapping services year-round, you may find it wise to invest in spools to hold wrapping paper rolls and a paper cutter to make the job neater and faster.

6. Pre-Wrap Popular Products

Every business has its busy seasons. Maybe yours is around graduation, or Mothers’ Day, another major holiday, or a certain month or season where your orders peak. Whenever it happens, that’s definitely not the time when you want to spend too much time wrapping gifts for customers.

So play it smart. Think about the way you know your customers tend to order, including what and when. If you know that your sales of a certain product tend to double around a certain holiday, go ahead and wrap up a few of those items now, before you get slammed with business. If you allow customers to make choices about wrapping paper and ribbons, you might need to hold off on the final steps. But you can at least place items in the gift box with tissue paper now, for example. When the orders start to rush in, you’ll be glad you planned ahead.

7. Keep Expenses Low

When you’re just starting, you may not need a lot of supplies. But once you see how your customers respond to the option of gift wrapping, you may be able to keep costs lower by buying supplies in bulk. The worst thing you can do is continue to buy individual ribbons and rolls of wrapping paper at your local store.

Eventually, as you do more and more wrapping, you’ll probably want to sign up for an account with a wholesale service like PaperMart, Nashville Wraps, or WrapSmart. That will allow you to buy larger rolls of paper and bulk up on other supplies at discount prices.

8. Customize Gift Wrap To The Occasion

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with starting small and testing the waters by offering limited numbers of choices for wrapping paper and finishing touches. As you become more comfortable with fulfilling your customers’ gift wrapping expectations, think about expanding your offerings and changing them by season.

Let’s say you sell a toy for infants. People may want to give that toy as a gift to the parents during a baby shower, when a baby is born, for a holiday like Hanukah, or for a birthday. Offering a generic baby print and a holiday print may be enough to cover your bases without overly complicating things. After the holiday passes, simply replace the holiday print with another fairly generic pattern to maintain the number of choices.

9. Consider Outsourcing

If your online store is hosted by a service like 3DCart, Shopify, Etsy, BigCommerce, or others, you may be able to partner with that host to make gift wrap easier to manage. With 3DCart, for example, you can download a free module that, when activated, automatically adds gift wrap options to your store.Â And it’s not a one-size-fits-all module. You’ll be able to customize the options you offer to your customers. For example, you can offer gift wrapping only during certain times of the year, adjust the price you charge for gift wrap, and omit the gift wrap option from certain products that might be a little too tricky to wrap.

If you use a shopping cart solution like Shopify or Amazon that offers fulfillment services, you may be able to outsource your gift wrap services as well. Shopify Fulfillment, for example, allows you to provide custom packaging for your products. You’ll probably have fewer options to offer customers, but it may be worth it to hand off wrapping duties.

10. Adjust Your Returns Policies

Any time you’re mailing out gifts for your customers, you run the risk of encountering product returns. That’s complicated by the fact that orders may be placed well in advance of when the product will be opened. A holiday gift, for example, could be sitting under the tree for at least a couple of weeks, and if it’s damaged or the wrong size, you should allow a couple more weeks for the recipient to return it to you.

If you haven’t already written up a return policy for your online store, there’s no time like the present! Add in some information about returning gifts, too. After all, when gift-giving enters the equation, you’re really working with two customers, not just the one who placed the order. That means you have two chances to get it right, make a good impression, and earn repeat business.

11. Add A Soft Marketing Touch

You don’t want your gift wrap service to be all about you. But could you add something inside the box that lets the recipient know where the present came from? A simple message saying “We hope you enjoy your new ____ ,” followed by your business name and contact information or instructions for returning or exchanging the gift, can be seen as an additional service — and not an intrusion — if it’s done right.

How Much Should You Charge For Gift Wrapping?

While complimentary gift wrapping is sure to please your customers, it may deliver a hit to your bottom line. Is the cost of wrapping worth the potential increase in sales and customer satisfaction? Or should you charge a reasonable fee when customers add a gift-wrapping service to their order? You may need some time to figure out the best approach. Think it through, start small, analyze the results, and adjust as you go forward. Here are some considerations and suggestions as you decide how much to charge for gift wrapping:

Know Your Costs

Anytime you add a service, you have to consider the cost. Do the math. How much will you spend on wrapping paper and other supplies per package? If your products vary greatly in size, it’s okay to use an average.

Don’t forget to calculate the costs associated with the person who will be doing the wrapping. How much time will that person need to wrap a typical package? You may be surprised at how much time you’ll be investing in gift-wrapping. Knowing the true costs upfront can help you decide if you should pass all or part of those costs on to your customers.

Consider Outside Costs

If you choose to outsource gift-wrapping duties to a fulfillment center, you’ll be able to see exactly how much each package costs to wrap. Maybe you can split the difference with customers, and adjust your prices slightly upward to cover at least half the cost. Or you may decide that the convenience is worth the price you’ll pay to outsource the wrapping.

Use Gift Wrap As An Incentive

If you want to offer complimentary gift wrapping to customers, one way to contain the costs is by setting a price threshold for the service. Suppose your most popular product costs $20. Offering free wrapping to customers who spend $25 provides an incentive for customers to shop a little longer. The extra $5 or more that they spend on your site may be enough to offset the cost of gift-wrapping â and may even result in a little extra profit in your pocket. Or maybe you can offer complimentary gift wrapping to customers who join a loyalty program, if you offer one, or agree to sign up for your mailing list. The point is, even if you don’t charge for gift wrapping, you don’t have to give it away for free.

Mix It Up

One way to keep costs down while still satisfying customers is by offering different levels of service. In this case, that might mean a free gift wrap service and a deluxe option that customers can pay for, if they choose. Keep the free option fairly basic, and charge enough for the deluxe option to cover your costs.

Extend The Giving

If you decide gift wrapping charges are a must for your small business, you can make customers feel good about paying for it. Just promise to donate a portion of the wrapping charges to charity â and post the total you’ve donated so far. Choose a reputable nationwide charitable organization that almost everyone can feel good about supporting, and you’ve developed a win-win for your customers and your small business.

Start Offering Gift Wrapping Services

You’ve already got great products and customers who want to buy from you. Adding gift wrapping services puts a great big bow on your offerings. Start small by offering gift wrapping for a trial period or around a certain holiday. You may be surprised by how your customers respond. At the very least, you’ll gain the data you need to decide if it’s worth offering year-round.

The post How To Offer Gift Wrapping To Your Customers & Boost Your Online Store This Holiday Season appeared first on Merchant Maverick.

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October 22, 2020

22+ Insurance Agency Marketing Ideas To Get More Clients

Most insurance agencies & brokers would agree that there’s nothing like finding a new client. New clients not only bring in revenue, but also lifetime value and new referrals. But it’s hard to find a good client if you don’t have new inquiries coming in.

Some insurance agencies & brokers – especially those with a large, national brand – have a reputation and client base that brings in referrals and inquiries with nothing but a phone number.

But for most agents and brokers, you have to go out and market your agency or brokerage to get a quality pool of potential clients.

I’ve consulted on search marketing for several local insurance agents* and many local service professionals. Based on those experiences, here are some insurance agency marketing ideas that you can use to bring in more clients.

*I’ve found that some local insurance agents are highly constrained by their national company franchise agreements. These constraints come with major marketing advantages, but also force you to be creative with your supplemental digital marketing. Some of these tactics might be unavailable for you, but some just need a bit of tweaking.

Create City-Specific Website Pages

For many clients, regions are too big and neighborhoods are too small for the right insurance agent, but they do want a local agent or broker in their own city.

That may sound obvious, but most professional firms that I’ve worked with still don’t focus their marketing on individual cities within a region. It’s a lot of work. It’s tedious. But it can still be worthwhile.

Make sure that every city page is actually about that city and includes all your services. Make your page structure “scalable” so that you can easily expand your service area as needed.

Create Niche Service Pages

Lots of clients have specific services and/or expertise that they want. Instead of listing your services & expertise in a giant list, make detailed pages about each expertise. Try to rank for searches like “[service] insurance”.

You can use Google Suggest for ideas. Go to Google and type in “[city] insurance that” and hit space, but not enter. You’ll see some suggestions.

You can do this with the entire alphabet and as many modifiers as you can think of.

Create pages that match those search queries to show up when people search.

If you want to take this to the next level, you can use a tool like SEMrush’s Keyword Explorer to provide phrase match search terms in bulk.

Just type in a broad term and see what it’s comes up with.

Create Local Guide Pages

Create resource guides for people moving to or living in your city. Create lots of them.

Use Google Autosuggest to understand what people are searching for in your city.

Find niche insurance questions, which vary State by State and jurisdiction by jurisdiction.

Make a local version for popular insurance questions.

Develop Your Local Citations & Reviews

You should already have a Google My Business profile so that you can show up in Google Maps.*

*In fact, if you are a local agent who can’t run your own website, your Google My Business profile will be your primary search marketing tool.

But you can take it to the next level to show up even more prominently.

First, you can build your Google My Business profile with photos, posts, and full listing details.

Second, go to every local business listing site and make sure that your Business Name, Address, and Phone Number match exactly. Whether it’s on the Yellow Pages, Yelp, or elsewhere – everything must match. These are called your “local citations” and Google uses them to confirm the relevance of local business.

You can use SEMrush’s Local Listing Management Tool to audit all these listings quickly.

Third, create a local review strategy. Having diverse, unique, and regular reviews on your Google My Business page is the number one way to get more views (aka calls & inquiries) from Google Maps. There are many ways to get reviews, but you can use follow-ups emails, retargeting on social media, and many other methods.

Getting creative with reviews is how you’ll leapfrog other local competing insurance agents in search.

Fourth, you need to make sure your categorization is comprehensive and complete. Many listings offer varying and multiple business categories. If you are an insurance broker or agency with multiple services, makes sure you are listed in every database.

Steal Ideas from Large Local Competitors / Businesses

I’m not a fan of brainstorming. I think that it’s more effective to build off ideas that have already worked.

No matter your size, you can always look to larger competitors or larger businesses for inspiration.

With insurance marketing, make a list of local businesses that you *think* are being creative – including companies in different industries.

Like local listings and keywords, I then use a marketing tool like SEMrush to spy on those competitors. Type in the URL of a competitor below to see an example.

Here’s what you’ll see.

It looks like a lot. But drill down and categorize each link. You’ll quickly get a sense of what they are doing. You’ll see where they are posting on social media. You’ll see which media outlets have accepted press releases and what types of digital marketing they’re doing.

The trick here is *not* to copy cat them. Instead, take the general idea of what your competitors have done and make it your own – or, make it better.

Work with Local Publications & Blogs

Every city, no matter how small, has an interest in themselves. In Atlanta, where I live, we have a Curbed blog in addition to the AJC Blogs, Atlanta Business Chronicle, and dozens of smaller neighborhood newspapers and real estate blogs.

Find those and become a regular fixture. All local publications & blogs act on tips & press releases. Very few have a “boots on the ground” journalists. If you can be the place to provide inside information, free images, and consistent write-ups, you’ll earn attention and links.

In the insurance arena, any statistics, trends, or data that you have can easily translate to free PR, which can then translate into links to your website or agent profile.

That extra attention and those links will help every other idea on this list. Google loves links. Social media users find URLs via links.

Your city pages, service pages, and everything else on your website will benefit from more inbound links.

Use Hyper-Local Facebook Ads

A local business has one massive advantage against national brands trying to operate locally – you live in your city and understand it.

Facebook allows for hyper-local advertising. You can run ads that show within a radius of only a few miles. It’s tedious to set up, but it’s relevant and effective.

Learn how to create hyper-local targeting for demographics and geography to find lots of interested clients.

You can run small, targeted campaigns that show multiple places at once.

Use Hyper-Local Google Search Ads

Google Search ads are famously effective and famously expensive. The best client is someone who searches for “car insurance in [city]”.

But that search click will be very costly.

In fact, some of the most expensive searches on Google are for legal terms.

But like Facebook, you have an critical local advantage with Google Quality Score. Google will show ads higher if they are more relevant even if they don’t have the high bid.

Like Facebook, it’s tedious to set up, but if you can set up a hyper-local campaign, you’ll be able to get Google Search traffic that large competitors can’t bid on.

The key is to run landing pages that perfectly match your ads, and run ads that perfectly match specific, local keywords.

If you offer tailored or niche insurance products, this strategy can be particularly useful.

Use Hyper-Local Google Display Ads

Google’s Display Network also offers opportunities for local advertisers who are willing to put in the work.

Google serves banner & text ads on some of the best ad locations on the Internet. Many placements are expensive for bulk ad buys.

But again, Google would rather serve a relevant ad with a low bid than an irrelevant ad with a high bid. That’s your opportunity to set up a hyper-local campaign focused on specific demographics in a specific area.

Even if you have a small market, you can always use Google’s Retargeting setting to solicit more reviews & referrals.

List on Locally-Popular Insurance Websites

Insurance listing websites are a dime a dozen. They will send traffic to your listing. But they are expensive and require a lot of legwork.

The key is to find a few key insurance websites that are popular in your area – and list on those.

You can use Google Trends, client interviews, SEMrush, or simply looking at the Google Search Results to see who is more popular for your city / neighborhood.

List on NextDoor & Local Forums

NextDoor is one of many local social media websites & forums. They are hard to find and hard to join, representing an opportunity for any local, enterprising broker or agent.

These networks are interesting because they are specifically local and extremely relevant for professional services.

They also have an accessible, affordable, and useful local advertising service.

Automate Social Media Monitoring

Like Reddit, people often start their insurance search on local social media with open-ended, specific questions.

It’s impossible to spend all your time on social media. But it is possible to automate both posting and listening on social media.

Take advantage of Twitter alerts, IFTTT, Zapier, and other tools to automate your social media presence and find great leads.

Contribute to Local Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a known resource for everyone. It relies on contributors – and authoritative contributors for local cities are often sparse.

Look for opportunities to use your website as an authoritative source for Wikipedia. An insurance agency is well-positioned to provide historical documentation, legal background, and more for Wikipedia entries.

Don’t be over-promotional or spammy, but you can look to increase your presence there for the links and the potential exposure.

After all, if people are using Wikipedia for research, it’s a great place to have your website & brand.

Identify & Market Popular Client Sources

Take previous & existing clients and try to understand where those clients came from and how they found you.

See if there is a way to build off that success. It sounds cliche and obvious, but the key is in the execution. I’ve worked with plenty of professional firms who knew where they got clients from, but never thought about increasing that channel.

Cross-Promote Local Professionals

Local real estate agents usually have an incredible offline network, but have a poor online network. That’s the same with accountants, therapists, and other professional services. If you are investing in your online marketing efforts, try to develop a relationship to cross-promote as many local professionals as possible.

Cross-Promote Local Businesses

As an insurance agent, you have the opportunity to stand at the nexus of lots of businesses & people. The key to most law firms is referrals. Try promoting other businesses in an effort to simply be top of mind for when the need for an insurance agent / broker happens.

Remember that even a link to your website from their website will dramatically help your other online efforts.

Coordinate Offline & Online Marketing

Take what your other marketing channels and drive them to specific landing pages with tracking. Create a marketing funnel rather than direct call to action across your on and offline marketing.

Use Events To Get Social Media Attention

Events like pro bono, Q&A sessions, seminars, college recruiting events are staples for many law firms. But events have a bonus effect online.

You can list them on multiple platforms to get extra exposure. Facebook is the best place for this tactic, but it also works on Google, Instagram, and event apps like Meet and Four Square.

Use Video Tours To Hack Social Media

Like events, most social media gives preference to video in their feeds. Take interesting video tours of insurance issues with behind the scenes explainers.

Video can be hard, but that means you will get a competitive advantage if you can pull it off. Create “evergreen” videos about topics that will last.

Post the file natively to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. Pay a small budget to boost it. And look for opportunities to embed it on your website.

Use Digital Referral Fees for Word of Mouth

Referral fees are also a staple of insurance marketing. But they don’t get the same reach as digital referral codes.

Whether you use a simple bit.ly link, manually hand out custom codes (i.e., client numbers), or use a software service – digital referral codes can help you move limited physical word of mouth to unlimited digital word of mouth.

Find & Sponsor Local Charities

Sponsoring local charities provides a few marketing benefits.

First, you can likely get a link to your website, which will help your other efforts. For many agents, it’s the cheapest, simplest, and best way to promote your local listing & get links. You get long-term value for a short-term fee.

Second, you can tap into a well-networked organization with lots of word of mouth potential.

Third, you can tap into neighborhood goodwill to help with soliciting reviews to help with your Google My Business efforts.

Next Steps

There are a lot of marketing ideas out there for insurance agencies & brokers. You don’t have to do all of them. You just have to do one or two well.

Find the one that fits your interests & resources and give it a try. Learn based on your initial experience and improve.

This post originally appeared at 22+ Insurance Agency Marketing Ideas To Get More Clients via ShivarWeb

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October 21, 2020

Gusto VS ADP: Which Payroll Software Is Better?

	Gusto	ADP
Features	Excellent	Excellent
Pricing Start Point	Good	Fair
Ease of Use	Excellent	Excellent
Customer Support	Excellent	Excellent
Reviews & Complaints	Excellent	Good
Integrations	Good	Good
Hardware & Software Requirements	Fair	Excellent
Security	Excellent	Good
Best For	Small to midsize businesses	Large and growing businesses
	Start Trial Read Review	Visit Site Read Review

Payroll software can cut down on errors and reduce time spent calculating paychecks, handling tax withholdings, and getting employees paid on time. But with so many options, it can be challenging and time-consuming to find software that best fits the needs and budget of your small business.

To help take out the guesswork and narrow down your search, we will compare two leading payroll software apps available to small businesses: Gusto and Run by ADP. For each, we will evaluate several criteria, including features, pricing, user-friendliness, customer support, and candid feedback from small businesses.

Read on for our side-by-side comparison and decide which software is best suited to your business.

Gusto VS ADP Overview

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to payroll. In assessing Gusto vs. ADP, we aim to highlight how and when businesses might benefit from each software. Notably, there are some key differences in features and pricing to be aware of when comparing Gusto vs. ADP.

Before diving into the details of how Gusto vs. ADP stack up head-to-head, letâs begin with an overview of each, including pros and cons.

Gusto

Formerly known as ZenPayroll, Gusto has been in the payroll software industry since 2012. The cloud-based payroll platform has a reputation for its straightforward interface and the ease with which it automatically calculates payroll and tax filings. Gusto supports flexible payment schedules too, which comes in handy whether following a standard bi-weekly plan or periodically doling out bonuses and commissions.

Gusto is effective at integrating other aspects of business too, such as HR, employee onboarding, and benefits administration. Through the employee portal, workers can log hours and keep track of PTO with any of Gustoâs three plans. Additionally, Gusto can sync up with third-party applications, such as the popular accounting program QuickBooks.

Gusto has the essential nuts and bolts of payroll covered, but its provision of extra features isnât extensive across any of its three plans: Core, Complete, and Concierge. Conversely, this actually makes Gusto a budget-friendly option, even with some extra add-ons like health insurance and 401(k) plan support. Between pricing and features, Gusto is a fit for many small and midsize businesses looking for a practical platform to take care of payroll.

Pros

Transparent pricing for tiered plans
Integrated time tracking and HR
Intuitive user interface
Prepares year-end tax forms
Unlimited payroll runs (for businesses with <100 employees)

Cons

Limited time tracking
Less reporting than ADP
Health insurance offered in only 38 states and D.C.

ADP

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP for short), is a leader in workplace management for companies around the world. ADP has been helping businesses run payroll since the 1940s (beginning with an ice cream parlor before acquiring 12% of the payroll market today). The global firm helps deliver payroll and HR solutions to small businesses and major corporations alike.

For that reason, ADP offers multiple plans catering to diverse business needs. ADP Run, which is structured for companies with 1-49 employees, is the most suitable ADP package for small businesses. ADP Run has four tiers: the Essential Plan, the Enhanced Plan, the Complete Plan, and the HR Pro Plan.

Across all four plans, ADP Run handles core payroll functions, including payroll processing, direct deposit, tax filing, and new hire reporting. Each plan also comes with useful HR applications, namely PTO tracking and approvals, time tracking, and assistance with workers’ compensation, retirement, and health care. An employee portal (My ADP) connects workers with these HR functions, while also giving access to their pay stub and tax information.

As a major global firm, ADP has made a name for itself on customer support on top of its cutting-edge technology. Though reviews tout how intuitive the platform is, ADP staff are on hand 24/7 for phone and live chat support. Customer service also includes user tutorials and getting started with the software.

Pros

A total of four plans helps with customization
Strong payroll and employee management features
Payroll and HR reports can be exported to Microsoft Excel
24/7 customer service compared to Gustoâs Monday-Friday coverage

Cons

Pricing is not disclosed online
Additional features come with added fees
Charges per payroll run, whereas Gusto offers unlimited

Both Gusto and ADP possess an array of features to take care of payroll, as well as employee and HR management. They also pack many of the same features, including full-service payroll, tax filing, direct deposit, time tracking, new hire reporting, generating reports, and employee management. There are two distinctions in features that stand out. First, ADP offers health insurance in every state, whereas Gustoâs coverage is limited to 38 states and D.C.. Second, Gusto supports free unlimited pay runs, while ADP charges extra for frequency of payment.Â

Features

Features	Gusto	ADP
Payroll Processing	â	â
Tax Filing	â	â
Direct Deposit	â	â
Unlimited Pay Runs	â
Time Tracking	â	â
Benefits Administration	â	â
New Hire Reporting	â	â
Reports	11	50+
Employee Management	â	â
	Start Trial Read Review	Visit Site Read Review

Although both software programs tout many of the same features, some tools and components differ considerably in scope and practice. To help make sense of it all, weâll compare Gusto vs. ADP on a number of important payroll features for small businesses.

Payroll Processing

Getting payroll taken care of in less time and without errors are major reasons why small businesses utilize payroll software. Therefore, itâs worth examining how Gusto and ADP help achieve these ends.Â

Across all their plans, Gusto and ADP offer full-service payroll for W2 and 1099 employees in all 50 states. For small businesses with tipped workers, Gusto can automatically adjust wages to claim the tip credit and abide by FLSA minimum wage requirements. Gusto can also handle garnishments and multiple pay rates and schedules, which can come in handy if employees earn commission or bounce between multiple roles (host and server at a restaurant, for example). ADP Run only offers garnishment for its three heftier plans (Enhanced, Complete, HR Pro).

Small businesses can choose to automate payroll with either software. ADPâs payroll services are accessible from its mobile app too.Â

Payment Methods

Both Gusto and ADP Run allow small businesses to use direct deposit and cash cards to pay their employees across all plans. With Gusto, the Core, Complete, and Concierge plans allow users to run payroll just two days before employees need to be paid. The most notable difference in payment methods between the two is that Gusto supports in-house printing of paychecks, whereas ADP Run can only mail checks through the Enhanced, Complete, and HR Pro plans.Â

Reports

On paper, both Gusto and ADP deliver payroll reports with any plan. However, ADP reporting features go incredibly in-depth. ADP Run users can access dozens of reports related to payroll, taxes, benefits, and HR. Some examples include employee time card comparisons, earnings by department, tax withholdings, and PTO per employee. On the flipside, Gusto supports just 11 reports. Although it is considerably less extensive, users can still view and export reports related to payroll summary, taxes, benefits, and employees too.Â

HR Support

In addition to paying employees and calculating tax withholdings, payroll software can bring HR support to small businesses too. Only Gustoâs priciest Concierge plan comes with HR compliance help, policy guides, and templates. Meanwhile, ADP Run has HR features available with all four plans. The essential plan gives access to an HR newsletter and checkups. Upgrading to more advanced plans can bring additional HR perks, including poster compliance assistance, background checks, ZipRecruiter subscription, legal assistance, and employee training.Â

Pricing

Gusto

Gustoâs straightforward pricing lets small businesses make easy cost comparisons and determine how a prospective plan would fit within their budget. The monthly cost per plan is characterized by a base rate plus a flat fee added for every person in a customerâs payroll.

Basic: $19/month + $6/month per person (employee or subcontractor)
Core: $39/month + $6/month per person
Complete: $39/month + $12/month per person
Concierge: $149/month + $12/month per person

Extra Services

There are extra costs for adding on benefits administration services and other features to complement Gustoâs payroll software. For instance, customers can tack on health benefits, 401k retirement plans, workersâ compensation insurance, 529 college savings plan, and tax-advantaged spending accounts

ADP

As previously mentioned, ADP does not have set pricing for each of its plans. Instead, interested customers receive a quote based on their business, desired features, and number of employees. On ADPâs website, getting pricing for any of the ADP Run plans requires entering your businessâs name, zip code, number of employees, and a contact email.Â

Research by the team at Merchant Maverick reports that there is generally a $20-$50 per month increase in pricing between each tier of ADP Run. Although pricing does not give ADP a competitive edge, an offer for three free months of ADP Run upon sign-up could lower the cost barrier to give it a test run.Â

Ease Of Use

Finding payroll software that fits your budget and needs is an important first step to narrowing down your options. Being able to quickly learn how to navigate the platformâs interface is another critical factor in selecting payroll software.

Gusto and ADP are both well-organized and intuitive on the user end. For Gusto, the employer and employee portals have dashboards containing the main payroll information, while sidebars provide quick access to its features. On the other hand, business owners can easily find ADPâs payroll and HR features from the home page or employer portal dashboard.

In the case of ADP, customers may work with a company representative to work through the payroll set-up process. This support also comes with tutorials to guide customers through utilizing ADP Runâs various features. Meanwhile, Gusto users will need to take a more DIY approach to setting up payroll. Step-by-step instructions and customer support can take most of the guesswork out of it. Once the payroll information has been inputted, Gustoâs AutoPilot can take care of payroll moving forward or employers can manually run payroll as they see fit.

Employee Portal

Employees can access payroll and HR resources and information with either software. After logging into Gustoâs employee portal, workers can look into pay stubs, time off, benefits, and upcoming payday with just a few clicks. ADPâs portal and mobile app â MyADP â help employees get to their pay stub, tax information, and HR features, such as making PTO requests or updating personal information.

Customer Service & Support

Gustoâs quality customer support is one of its main selling points. Once youâre a Gusto customer, you can reach support staff by phone, email, live chat, and social media during business hours from Monday through Friday. If youâre in need of assistance outside these hours, youâre still in luck. Gustoâs Help Center, Resource Center, and Ask Gusto how-to articles are loaded with useful tips and information. Although all four Gusto plans have access to customer support, the Concierge plan delivers the extra perk of a dedicated customer service team to help with HR and compliance.

Over the past six decades, ADP has built its reputation on attentive and quality customer service and support. ADP customers can reach a company representative 24/7 by phone and live chat. Community forums, email, and social media are other options for advice and help too. Visual learners will appreciate the fact that ADP has its own YouTube channel with tutorials and resources to help customers make the most of their payroll processing and HR management features.

Reviews & Complaints

Small business owners undoubtedly know their needs better than anyone else, but tapping into the knowledge and experiences of other small businesses can be informative when it comes to payroll software.

When it comes to Gusto, most small business customers are pleased with the softwareâs features (especially tax support, reminders when itâs time to submit payroll, and customer service. Generally speaking, reviews have also praised the softwareâs intuitive nature, transparent pricing, and its ability to save business owners time and energy. On the flip side, some customers have complained about limited reporting and analytics. In some cases, customers have expressed the wish that Gusto covered international employees and contractors too.

As a veteran provider, ADP Run has worked out many bugs and internalized customer feedback over the years. This experience has been praised in some customer reviews. Users also appreciate the round-the-clock support, multitude of features, and easy-to-use interface. Conversely, customer complaints have touched on hidden fees and undisclosed pricing for its various plans. Some customers have voiced frustration with having to request a demo from a sales representative to get a sense of the softwareâs interface.

Integrations

There are many aspects to running a small business beyond payroll and HR, including accounting, project management, recruiting employees, and sales. Some small businesses may even utilize other software or applications for these needs. Gusto and ADP both recognize this reality and have chosen to offer a host of integrations.

Both Gusto and ADP offer plentiful integrations, including accounting programs, QuickBooks, and Xero. ADP also supports dozens of time and attendance software, including ClockShark, Deputy, Homebase, and TSheets. Although the company doesn’t disclose every available integration on their website, ADP is known for working to customize integrations when needed.

If small businesses donât find Gustoâs time tracking features up to par, they can also integrate with a more robust app time tracking app like TSheets. If you have in-house developers, Gusto offers API to support any further integration needs.

The Key Differences Between Gusto & ADP

Between features, pricing, ease of use, customer support, reviews and complaints, and integrations, there is a lot to consider when choosing between Gusto and ADP. If youâre still undecided, letâs examine how these payroll software applications differ through the lens of a small business:

Pricing Structure: Gustoâs pricing is upfront and transparent. The cost will incrementally go up with the number of employees, and some optional add-on features can be included for a fee. On the contrary, ADP does not advertise pricing for any of its plans. Interested customers must obtain a quote and negotiate a deal, which could put smaller employers at a disadvantage.
Payroll Scheduling: Gusto grants the flexibility to pay employees on multiple pay schedules without charging extra. ADP charges per payroll, so paying employees on a weekly basis or processing contractor invoices would rack up extra expenses.
Reporting: Gustoâs 11 reports can inform users on some payroll basics, but ADP offers a wider and more in-depth selection of reports for small businesses. ADP lets users analyze employee data, including overtime and performance, as well as create custom reports.
HR Support: Only Gustoâs Concierge plan includes HR features. ADP Run has significant HR capabilities, such as an HR toolkit and dedicated HR advisers, in its more robust Complete and HR Pro plans. These resources could be advantageous for small businesses without a dedicated HR person.

Which Is Best For My Business Needs: ADP Or Gusto?

There isnât a single model for success when it comes to processing payroll. Many small businesses are satisfied with how ADP and Gusto have enhanced their operations. Letâs consider some scenarios when each software could be a better solution for small business needs.

Choose Gusto If…

You run a small or startup businesses
You value streamlined payroll, HR, and benefits management over sophisticated analytics and reporting.
You need flexible payroll runs for contractors, tipped workers, or employees earning bonuses or commission.

Choose ADP Ifâ¦

You have a mid-size or rapidly expanding businesses.
You want to integrate payroll with other apps and software.
You require more extensive HR features to recruit applicants and perform background checks.

Gusto VS ADP Comparison: The Final Verdict

Gustoâs success in the payroll realm can be attributed to its transparent, budget-friendly pricing structure and easy-to-manage interface. The softwareâs leading features â automated payroll processing, direct deposits, tax filing, and PTO management â are available across all four plans. Benefit options, such as medical, vision, dental, 401(k), and tax-advantaged savings accounts are affordable add-on features if desired. For these reasons, small and startup businesses stand to benefit from the straightforward features, pricing, and integration with other software and applications.

Across all four plans, ADP Run is more comprehensive in its features and customization. Beyond its full-service payroll processing, ADPâs most prominent features are its extensive reporting and analytics, HR support, and time tracking. Additionally, 24/7 customer service can give small businesses peace of mind, especially if working outside standard 9-5 business hours. Since ADP doesnât disclose pricing, the time demand and uncertainty of negotiating a price (plus hidden fees) may not be right for smaller businesses. Instead, mid-size businesses with greater HR needs and plans to grow may better afford and appreciate ADP Runâs added features

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October 20, 2020

QuickBooks Desktop 2021: Everything You Need To Know About Intuit’s Latest Release

We can all agree that 2020 has been quite a year. Many of us are ready to put it behind us and are looking forward to the year ahead. Intuit has gotten a jump on the new year with the release of QuickBooks Desktop 2021, the latest version of its best-selling accounting software.

But before you jump headfirst into an upgrade, take a few minutes to understand what’s new about QuickBooks Desktop 2021. In this post, we’ll explore the new features and new pricing to help you determine if this latest version is right for your business.

What’s New With QuickBooks Desktop 2021?

QuickBooks 2021 has introduced a handful of new features that make it easier for small businesses to balance their books. These features include improvements to bank feeds, automated statements, categorized receipt entries, and receipt customization.

QuickBooks 2021 Features

Let’s take a look at each of the new features offered by QuickBooks Desktop 2021 so you can see how these changes affect your business.

Automated Statements
Bank Feed Improvements
Receipt Management Tools
Customer Groups
Customized Receipts

Of course, you’ll also still have access to the same great features offered in the previous version of QuickBooks Desktop, including cash or accrual-based accounting, expense tracking, invoicing, estimates and quotes, contact management, inventory, and more.

If you’re a Mac user, QuickBooks for Mac offers a number of new features in its latest software. These features include:

Automated Payment Reminders
Statement e-Payments: Add a payment portal link directly within your statements, making it easier and more convenient for you and your customers.
Combined Invoices: Combine multiple invoices into one simple email.
Sales Tax Codes: Now you can record sales tax for out-of-state orders, non-profits, and multiple districts.
1099 e-Filing: You can now e-file 1099s through QuickBooks for Mac.

QuickBooks Desktop 2021 Pricing Changes

QuickBooks Desktop 2021 also brings increased pricing. There are several different pricing options available to you. Let’s break down the costs of each option to help you determine which is right for you.

	2020 Pricing	2021 Pricing
QuickBooks Pro	$199.95/year $299.95 one-time license	$299.99/year $399.99 one-time license
QuickBooks Premier	$299.95/year $499.95 one-time license	$499.99/year $649.99 one-time license
QuickBooks Enterprise	Starting at $924/year	$1,213/year
QuickBooks Mac	$399.99 one-time license	$399.99 one-time license

QuickBooks Pro 2021

Your first option is to purchase an annual subscription. QuickBooks Pro Plus 2021 is priced at $299.99/year, although you may qualify for discounts when purchasing directly through Intuit. With this subscription plan, you’ll have full access to QuickBooks Desktop, as well as unlimited customer support, automatic backup and recovery, and automatic updates and patches. You also have the option to add on payroll and hosting services. Additional users can also be added for a fee.

You may also opt to purchase a QuickBooks Pro 2021 license for a one-time fee of $399.99. While this may seem like the less expensive option, there are a few things to consider. Automatic updates, data recovery, and backups are not included. You will also pay an additional $299.95/year for a Care Plan that offers unlimited support. These are all included for no additional fee when you subscribe to QuickBooks Pro Plus 2021. Payroll, hosting services, and additional users can be added for an additional fee.

QuickBooks Pro Plus 2021 + Payroll

If you have employees and plan to use QuickBooks for payroll, QuickBooks Pro Plus 2021 + Payroll has what you’re looking for. This plan costs $749.99/year. It includes everything from the QuickBooks Pro Plus 2021 subscription, as well as QuickBooks Enhanced Payroll. Hosting services and additional users can be added for a fee.

QuickBooks Premier 2021

If you want everything offered by QuickBooks Pro but want industry-specific software, QuickBooks Premier 2021 is a good choice. QuickBooks Premier 2021 can be purchased for a one-time fee of $649.99. Payroll and the QuickBooks Care Plan can be added on for an additional cost.

If you prefer an annual subscription that includes unlimited customer support, updates, and automatic data backups, you can sign up for Premier Plus 2021 at a cost of $499.99/year.

QuickBooks Premier Plus 2021 + Payroll

You can sign on for Premier Plus 2021 with the addition of Enhanced Payroll for a cost of $949.99/year.

QuickBooks Enterprise 21.0

Businesses looking for a more scalable solution may want to give QuickBooks Enterprise 21.0 a try. With this plan, you can have up to 40 users and get access to additional features including advanced inventory, priority support, and industry-specific software versions. QuickBooks Enterprise costs $1,213/year.

QuickBooks For Mac 2021

There are no complicated pricing tiers for QuickBooks for Mac. This software is available for a one-time cost of $399.99.

QuickBooks Desktop 2020 VS QuickBooks Desktop 2021

Features	QuickBooks Desktop 2020	QuickBooks Desktop 2021
Automatic Statements		â
Receipt Management	â	â
Customer Groups		â
Live Bank Feeds	â	â
Custom Payment Receipts		â

Intuit has always added new features to further simplify its accounting software and the release of QuickBooks Desktop 2021 is no exception.

One of the biggest additions is automated statements. This feature lets you automatically send scheduled statements or payment reminders to your customers. With automated reminders, you can get paid faster without having to manually set up statements.

Another feature added to automate processes is improved receipt management. Users can be given access to upload expense receipts from a computer or mobile device, making it quick and easy to track expenses. You can also automatically categorize and record multiple transactions at the same time, helping cut down on the time spent importing receipt data.

QuickBooks Desktop 2021 now offers customer groups. With this feature, you can group customers based on set criteria such as location, customer status, or customer type. Once your groups are created, you can send automated statements, payment reminders, or create custom mailing lists.

QuickBooks Desktop 2021 also brings improvements to bank feeds, making it faster than ever to review, add, or match bank transactions. The latest improvements to bank feeds save time by automatically categorizing bank transactions by accounts, payees, and classes. You can take advantage of batch editing and enhanced rules to cut down on data entry, while also making it easier and faster to find and resolve discrepancies.

Finally, the latest version of the software allows you to customize your payment receipts with a logo or custom fields to give your receipts a more polished and professional look.

Should You Upgrade To QuickBooks 2021?

The first factor you should consider before upgrading to QuickBooks 2021 is what version your business is currently using. If you’re using QuickBooks 2018 or an earlier version, support for your software may have already expired (or is set to expire soon). While you can still use your software, you lose technical support, as well as important features like security updates and access to QuickBooks Payroll. So, if it’s been a while since you’ve updated your software, it may be a good idea to upgrade to the latest version.

On the other hand, if you’re using a more recent version of QuickBooks Desktop, an upgrade may not be necessary. While there are a handful of new features, these features may not be worth the increased pricing that comes with upgrading to QuickBooks 2021.

If you’re an annual subscriber, you’ll automatically be updated to the latest version and will be able to use all of the new features. But if you made a one-time purchase, you will need to evaluate if the new features will be beneficial for your business and worth the additional cost of upgrading to QuickBooks Desktop 2021.

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October 20, 2020

Google’s AI Can Now Make Appointments & 4 More Small Business News Stories You Need To Know

Welcome to the first week of Merchant Maverickâs essential news briefing for small business owners.

An appointment-making robot and Amazon Prime Day records dominated the small business news cycle over the past seven days. Read on for this weekâs top five must-know stories for small business owners.

Google’s AI Assistant Has Begun Booking Appointments For Users

Google recently began rolling out the booking feature of its AI chat assistant Duplex, per a report by VentureBeat. Duplex’s booking abilities enables users to request appointments at a business using the Google Assistant, Search, or Maps apps on their phone. Duplex will then call the business and reserve an appointment on the user’s behalf using “natural language processing.” In all cases, Duplex informs the person on the other end of the call that it is an automated service.

Originally teased by Google in 2018, Duplex’s recent launch supports barbershop, hairstylist, and salon appointments, but the AI bot has also had a limited capability to make restaurant reservations over the phone since at least 2019.

Besides the rollout of Duplex’s booking feature, Google also shared a number of tidbits relevant to small businesses during its Search On conference this week. The company says Duplex has updated 3 million business listings across eight countries since the start of the pandemic. Google also announced that starting in the first half of 2021, everyone can migrate for free from Hangouts to its new communication service Chat — a potential Slack competitor.

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Why this matters to you: Duplex’s booking feature could help increase the reach of small businesses that rely on phone calls to book services. Because not everyone likes talking over the phone, potential customers who might balk at calling to set up an appointment may feel more comfortable booking one through Duplex.

Further reading: One year later, restaurants are still confused by Google Duplex, The Verge

Amazon Prime Day Set A Record For Small & Medium Businesses

This year’s Amazon Prime Day, which ran October 13-14, saw third-party sellers rack up $3.5 billion in sales — a 60% increase over last year. While failing to disclose total Prime Day sales, Amazon claims that third-party sales grew more than Amazon’s own retail businesses. Amazon added that “most” of its third-party sellers are small-to-medium-sized businesses, with small businesses in Utah, California, and New Jersey nabbing the biggest sales per capita.

Despite smashing sales records, Amazon faces scrutiny. The company was recently named in a Congressional anti-competition report that looked into how Amazon’s rules may have put smaller sellers at a disadvantage. The site has also struggled to shake the notion that it frequently peddles counterfeit products, an issue that came to a head last year after a Wall Street Journal investigation.

Why this matters to you: As small businesses look for digital revenue streams in the world of COVID, selling on Amazon could be a great way to dip into the eCommerce space — and Prime Day’s record sales numbers provide an early indication that shoppers are keen to buy online this holiday season.

For more on how your small business can make money on Amazon, check out Merchant Maverick’s guide to starting an Amazon store.

PPP Lenders Allegedly Told To Favor Existing Customers

The government’s much-ridiculed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for small businesses has yet another blotch on its record: A Democratic-led House congressional oversight subcommittee found that the US Treasury Department privately encouraged lenders to prioritize existing customers when issuing PPP loans. The initial instructions for lenders to “go to their existing customer base” allegedly came from the Treasury on March 27, the same day the PPP legislation was penned into law.

The House report did note that the Treasury denied such claims. However, the report cited several high-up industry leaders, including the president of the American Bankers Association and a “senior banker” at JPMorgan Chase & Co., as saying that the Treasury wanted banks to work with existing clients. A spokeswoman for JPMorgan said that the bank “initially focused on existing customers” because of the “time-consuming regulatory requirements to onboard a new client.”

Why this matters to you: Because lenders may have favored existing customers, underserved small businesses (which include those owned by minorities and women) were potentially put at a disadvantage when applying for PPP funds. These latest insights reinforce earlier reports that banks favored larger companies — even though rules issued by the Trump administration said the PPP was to be “first-come, first served.”

Comcast RISE Launched To Help Diverse Small Business Beat COVID

In an effort to help small businesses survive the recession generated by COVID, media and telecommunications conglomerate Comcast launched Comcast RISE. This new support program will help out small businesses via $10,000 grants, marketing resources, and tech equipment.

Black-owned small businesses are eligible to apply for Comcast RISE’s initial wave right now. The program will open up applications to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)-owned small businesses starting November 28. The grant part of Comcast RISE also hasn’t started yet, either — that will launch November 28, too.

Why this matters to you: COVID has ravaged much of the US economy, with small businesses taking the brunt of the damage. With financial support from the government looking slim, small businesses will need to turn to alternative methods to help push through a downturn in revenue. Through its various tools, Comcast RISE will hopefully be able to keep numerous small businesses up-and-running through 2021.

A New Service Can Help Track Competitors’ Google Maps Ratings

Ratings on Google Maps have long been a great way to gauge the public’s perception of a business. However, it’s difficult to monitor a business’ rating over time — and even more difficult to gauge multiple competitors’ ratings over time. Enter Local Monitor, a recently-launched service from Paris-based startup WizVille.

WizVille’s Local Monitor works simply: You enter your business’ name on the site and get a display of nearby places that provide similar products or services to you. You can then choose up five competitors to track and WizVille will email you a monthly report detailing your business and its competitor’s Google Maps ratings over time. Read more about Local Monitor on TechCrunch.

Why this matters to you: Being able to track Google Maps ratings can help you understand how customers view your business and its competitors. This extra bit of data could give you a leg up over other local businesses within your niche.

The Latest From Merchant Maverick

Our latest small business spotlight looks at a Texas-based startup called Everyware, a payment gateway that offers text message-based billing solutions for an array of industries. By building its product around text messages, Everyware aims to eliminate the clutter that persists throughout daily life. Take a peek to learn more about Everyware:

Everyware Uses Text-Based Billing To Help More Businesses Profit From Contactless Payment During COVID

Something Good…

It’s a bleak, bleak world out there, so let’s finish your briefing on a positive note.

In Tampa, Florida, two teenage boys raised $30,000 over the course of six months to help small businesses struggling because of COVID. Gifts of $10,000 will go out to three businesses local to Tampa.

“We could never have expected to raise this much money,” said Robbie Herzig, one of the enterprising teens that kick-started the operation. “We were just looking to help any way that we could and when it took off.”

Do you have a story idea, tip, or press release for the Merchant Maverick news team? Shoot us an email: [email protected]

The post Google’s AI Can Now Make Appointments & 4 More Small Business News Stories You Need To Know appeared first on Merchant Maverick.

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October 20, 2020

Everyware Uses Text-Based Billing To Help More Businesses Profit From Contactless Payment During COVID

You’d never want to use the word “luck” in the context of something like a pandemic, but the adaptations businesses have made to comply with lockdowns and social distancing have made a powerful case for entrepreneur Larry Talley’s vision.

Talley is the founder & CEO of Austin, Texas-based Everyware, a payment gateway that seeks to address some common pain points in the payment/billing cycle. Talley’s solution is built on an optimistic premise: that many bills, transactions, and customer service inquiries that go unaddressed or unfulfilled aren’t being purposefully avoided. They’re simply getting lost in the shuffle. In other words, have you carefully gone through that pile of mail on your kitchen table? Do you regularly check your spam folder to make sure nothing important is landing there?

If you’re anything like me, probably not.

It Starts With A “Thank You”

Everyware gets around this by sending a text message receipt with every transaction.

âIt can be as simple as a thank you, but what it does is provide a basic communication channel that’s open all the time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” explains Talley. “You can always text back your concern or your problem. Or even a positive review.â

Talley, who is a software developer, bootstrapped Everyware and maintains it with a small team of around 25. The company now has customers not only in the US, but in Canada and Mexico thanks to word of mouth and ISO referrals.

âLike most bootstrapped companies, you start with a great idea, but bringing that idea to market is a lot harder than you think,” says Talley, “The idea really goes back to 2015, but it took until about 2017 to really pull it together.â

Saying “YES” To Text-Based Billing

The kind of text channel Everware helps to create can be used for more than just thanks or communication; it can also be used to initiate payments. This can be done through a link in the text or, if the payer has a credit card on file, simply approving the transaction with an affirmative text message like “YES.”

As a freestanding payment gateway, Everywear can be added to most existing merchant account services.

If you’ve interacted with the medical system in the past few years, or have donated to a political campaign, you probably have an idea of how this works. Many healthcare providers will, for example, send you texts reminding you of upcoming appointments. Afterward, they’ll send you a message alerting you that your bill is now available, usually with a link to their patient portal. Similarly, many political campaigns this cycle have utilized “textbanking” to connect with supporters, alert them about events, and solicit donations. As you might imagine, these have been two of Talley’s biggest sources of customers.

Talley expands on how useful text-based billing can be in the medical industry, “When you go to the hospital, you might have five different doctors and different bills for each. All when you’re going through a tough time in life.â It’s not uncommon for patients to get a bill from one doctor or department, think they’ve completely settled their medical payments, and miss the other bills. The hospital misses out on payments, and the patient starts getting calls from collection agencies. Everyware seeks to eliminate this problem by providing better communication with an easily accessed paper trail.

Thanks To COVID, Everyware Is…Everwhere

Everyware’s niche may turn out to be a lot bigger than politics and medicine when all is said and done. COVID-19 has created an enormous demand for contactless payments. While eCommerce transactions can and have been filling the gaps, they aren’t the only way to replace what would otherwise be over-the-phone card payments. A text-based transaction can not only be used to make many of those payments, but it can do so more securely. Think of it as something like two-factor authentication. Not only are you getting the card’s security features, but you’re also getting it via a phone number and device that have a record of belonging to a specific individual for an extended period of time. This creates less room for fraud than most card-not-present transactions. It also leaves a record of the transaction in a place where it can be easily seen and recovered.

“We’ve signed up a few private airports, so now pilots don’t have to get out of the plane to pay for gas. They can just pay from their phones,” says Talley. Talley sees government and municipalities as big growth sectors, particularly where the court system is concerned. While getting a traffic citation by text may not be a thrilling prospect for most people, Talley anticipates savings from reduced paperwork and fewer unpaid tickets.

There are plenty of other businesses that may find a use for text transactions in our new paradigm.

âWith curbside pick-up, pharmaceuticals, online schooling, everything moving toward a model that’s compatible with our platform, it has really accelerated our growth,” explains Talley. “We’re today, a company that’s cashflow positive and high-growth. We’re more or less a platform now rather than just a standalone payment gateway.â

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October 19, 2020

How Will PPP Loans & EIDL Advances Affect My 2020 Taxes?

The post How Will PPP Loans & EIDL Advances Affect My 2020 Taxes? appeared first on Merchant Maverick.

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October 16, 2020

How To Maintain A Healthy Cash Flow For Your Business

There are several key components that contribute to the success of your business — hardworking employees, identifying and marketing to your target audience, and providing high-quality goods and services. However, one of the most important components that contributes to the success of your business is bringing in and maintaining a healthy cash flow.

Let’s face it: Without capital flowing in and out of your business, your doors aren’t going to stay open for long. Maintaining a healthy cash flow will help your business stay afloat and make it profitable and successful.

In this post, we’re going to look at different ways to manage your cash flow. Now, this article won’t be centered on improving cash flow (you can read more about that here). Instead, we’re going at ways you can manage and maintain a healthy cash flow. In other words, we’re going to help you more strategically work with what you’ve got. Let’s jump in.

Cash Flow Basics

Before we break down ways to manage and maintain a healthy cash flow, it’s important to understand what cash flow is and what it means for your business.

Simply put, cash flow is the cash that comes in and goes out of your business. Cash flows in from things like sales, business loans, and returns on investments. Cash flows out to cover expenses like operating costs, inventory, supplies, and payroll.

Cash flow can be positive or negative. This means:

Positive Cash Flow: The amount of cash that is coming into your business is more than the amount of cash going out of your business.
- Example: This month, your business brings in $20,000 through sales, investments, accounts receivable, and financing. Your total liabilities, expenses, accounts payable, and payroll total is $15,000. In this example, your cash flow is positive.

$20,000 – $15,000 = $5,000

Negative Cash Flow: The amount of cash that is coming into your business is less than the amount of cash going out of your business through things like payroll, expenses, and accounts payable.
- Example: Last month, your business earned $10,000 through sales, investments, accounts receivable, and financing. Your total liabilities, expenses, accounts payable, and payroll are $12,000. In this example, your cash flow is negative.

$10,000 – $12,000 = -$2,000

If your cash flow is positive? Great! That’s exactly what you want to see. But don’t sit back and think you’re completely in the clear. Your cash flow can be impacted positively or negatively from month-to-month — or even day-to-day! This is why it’s so important to always keep an eye on the numbers and take steps (like those we’re about to dive into) to manage and maintain a healthy cash flow.

What Is Cash Flow Management?

Cash flow management means tracking the cash that is coming into and out of your business. Utilizing cash flow management within your business helps identify where money is coming from and how much is coming in. It also helps you identify the outflow of money and where it’s going.

Not only does this give you an idea of how much cash you have on-hand at this moment but it can give you insight into your cash flow in the future. By tracking your company’s cash flow, you can spot trends, changes, and potential problems that can be corrected sooner rather than later.

How To Manage Cash Flow

Managing your cash flow — tracking cash that flows in and out of your business — is imperative to the success of your business. The good news is that there are a variety of tips and tools at your disposal that make it easy to manage your cash flow.

Open A Business Bank Account

A common mistake that many new business owners make is mixing their business and personal finances. This can get complicated over time, making it confusing to track business income and expenses, and can be a nightmare come tax time. Keep your business and personal finances separate by opening a business bank account.

Your business bank account can be used for your incoming payments and to pay your business expenses. You can link this account to your accounting software (more on that later) to easily track your cash flow. As a bonus, most lenders require a business bank account if you seek financing, so it’s good to go ahead and get your account set up as soon as possible.

Build A Cash Reserve

Even if your cash flow is positive now, things can change in an instant. It’s best to be prepared for these potential setbacks with a cash reserve. Having a cash cushion at the ready can help you navigate unexpected financial challenges — seasonal slowdowns, an emergency expense, or a pile of unpaid invoices, for example.

A general rule of thumb is to keep at least three months’ worth of expenses as a buffer. This number may be adjusted up or down based on your specific cash flow situation and the needs of your business. While setting your own funds aside for this purpose is best, you may also choose to add a business credit card, revolving line of credit, or bank overdraft protection in the mix to further boost your reserves.

Keep Track Of Money Owed

Do you invoice your customers immediately, or do you tend to procrastinate? Once you’ve sent the invoices, do you stay on top of payments by sending out statements and reminders … or does this typically fall through the cracks?

Keeping up with money owed to you and actually collecting it is critical to maintaining a healthy cash flow. Sure, you may be working with a positive cash flow now, but what happens next month when those invoices remain unpaid? Accounting software makes it easier than ever to create professional invoices, send invoices to clients, collect payment, and even set up automated reminders or recurring invoices to repeat customers. Which leads us to…

Choose The Right Accounting Software

Accounting software is a must-have for any business. There’s a long list of reasons why you should be using accounting software, but one of the most important is that it allows you to track money that’s coming in and out of your business — often, in real-time, depending on your software’s capabilities. You can also send invoices, statements, estimates, and payment reminders. Additional features offered by your software may include inventory tracking, payroll, and other helpful tools to help you maintain and grow your business.

If you’re new to accounting software, take a look at our software reviews and our top picks, and give a few programs a try. Some are free to get started, while others offer free trials. If you already use accounting software, evaluate its features to determine if it’s offering everything you need to manage your cash flow.

Stay On Top Of Your Accounting

Finding the right software for your business is only the first step. To efficiently and effectively manage cash flow, it is up to you to monitor and maintain accurate accounting records.

Sure, your software will automate a lot of processes that you don’t have to perform manually (for example, automatically updating transactions through live bank feeds). This doesn’t mean that you can set it and forget it. Make a habit of looking over your transactions, checking in on unpaid invoices, and performing other tasks to ensure your cash flow is stable.

Run Reports

Another way to track your cash flow both now — and in the future — is with reports. Remember that accounting software we talked about? Most programs can (at the very least) pull basic financial reports, giving you an overview of your current cash flow situation. You may even have access to advanced reporting that allows you to look at future cash flow projections based on current and previous trends. You can use these reports to determine where you’re falling short (i.e., unpaid invoices or an expense that can be cut) and make changes to maintain your cash flow.

Know Your Risks & Be Prepared

Running your own business can be, well, risky business. A number of challenges can affect your cash flow — from a slow-down in customers to a more widespread crisis. In the 2000s alone, we’ve already faced the Great Recession of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 — and no one knows what the future holds. However, you can assess risk and be prepared for these situations.

Since every business is different, the risks and challenges you face will be unique to your business. Think of possible scenarios that may have a significant impact on your business (and your cash flow). Use your accounting software or reports to look over the numbers and experiment with different scenarios. For example, what would happen if you lost one of your biggest clients? What would happen if you were forced to shut your doors for a week … or longer? Knowing the numbers and running through various scenarios can help you determine factors like how much money you need to bring in to continue to operate, where you could cut expenses if absolutely necessary, and could help you plan for the future — no matter what it may hold.

Getting A Handle On Your Business’s Cash Flow Management

Managing your cash flow doesn’t have to be difficult, especially when you’re willing to put in a little time to track the numbers, analyze your cash flow, and use software and tools that are at your disposal. Looking to improve your cash flow? Check out our post on 10 Strategies To Improve Cash Flow. Want to boost your cash flow? Take a look at our article The Best Cash Flow Loans For Small Businesses In 2020.

For now, though, focus on strategizing, planning, and tracking your cash flow to keep your business more secure now and in the future. Good luck!

The post How To Maintain A Healthy Cash Flow For Your Business appeared first on Merchant Maverick.

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October 15, 2020

Comcast RISE Promises Small Businesses Grants & Marketing Help To Combat COVID

Small businesses now have a helping hand in the fight against COVID-19: Comcast RISE, an initiative launched this week by media and telecommunications conglomerate Comcast.

Comcast’s new program, which began accepting applicants from Black-owned and operated small businesses on Tuesday, aims to boost businesses on Main Street through grants, marketing resources, and tech equipment.

The program is part of a $100 million pledge Comcast made in June to “fight injustice and inequality against any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or ability.” And while Comcast RISE focuses first on helping Black small business owners, businesses run by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) will be eligible to join starting November 28. Comcast didn’t say how (or if) RISE might be expanded further in the future.

“We see and know firsthand how vital small businesses are in powering economic growth, recovery and innovation. Now more than ever, driving awareness and maintaining a strong digital presence are crucial for these businesses to succeed,” Comcast Business’ senior vice president for digital and customer experience Teresa Ward-Maupin said in a statement. “We created Comcast RISE to give these business owners access to the tools and resources they need to survive the pandemic and thrive.”

Comcast’s decision to first help Black-owned businesses (and then also BIPOC ones) is rooted in data.

According to a National Bureau of Economic Research study cited by Comcast, Black-owned businesses were the hardest hit racial category between February and April of this year, with the number of Black business owners in the US dropping 41% (Latinx and Asian business owners also experienced steep declines of 32% and 26%, respectively). Other studies (which Merchant Maverick wrote about last week) have told similar stories — COVID has disproportionately affected the financials of minority-owned small businesses.

What Comcast RISE Offers Eligible Small Businesses

Comcast RISE features a number of resources to help eligible businesses impacted by COVID.

While not launching with the initial “wave,” perhaps the most tantalizing resource is the grant program. According to Comcast, grants worth $10,000 will be dolled out to US-based diverse small businesses three to five years of age “in the coming months.” Comcast also teased that the grant program will be launched November 28.

Beyond sending money small businesses’ way, Comcast also plans to help Main Street through:

Advertising and marketing consultations with local teams from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable.
A 90-day linear TV media campaign.
Production of a 30-second TV ad spot.
Computer equipment and internet, voice and cybersecurity services for up to 12-months.
Training resources via Comcast’s X1 platform.

According to Comcast, once the first application phase closes in early November, services will start in December and continue on into 2021.

Per the program’s legal rules, 282 applicants will receive marketing help via Effectv (32 will receive a media consultation, 125 will receive a media campaign, and 125 will receive a TV spot/media campaign). 325 applicants will receive equipment and telecommunication services.

How To Sign Up For Comcast RISE

Black-owned businesses are eligible to apply for Comcast RISE’s first wave right now. To apply, visit the application page on Comcast RISE’s official site. Information needed for the application includes:

Applicant’s personal information (name, phone, email, etc.)
Basic’ information (industry, type, products/service, age, revenue, location, etc.)
Business owner’s race
Applicant’s relationship to the business
Business’s website and social URLs
Business’s relationships to Comcast and Effectv
Written responses advocating for why the business should be accepted into Comcast RISE

Applications for the initial wave are due November 7, 2020.

For the first wave, Comcast RISE’s eligibility rules require that businesses are:

At least 51% Black-owned and operated
Independently owned and operated
Registered to conduct business in the US
Older than one year
Located within the service area of Comcast Business of Effectv

To receive a media consultation, campaign, or ad spot, applicant businesses must employ fewer than 100 employees. The equipment and telecommunication services category is open to businesses with fewer than 25 employees.

Applicant businesses must also not operate in one of these industries:

Political advertiser
Marijuana dispensary
Manufacturer or retailer of drug paraphernalia
Virtual MVPD
Internet service provider
Gun manufacturer or retailer
Fireworks manufacturer or retailer
Tobacco/vape manufacturer or retailer
Illegal products or services provider

Note that these eligibility requirements may change as Comcast RISE enters new waves. For instance, the next wave will target BIPOC-owned business owners starting November 28, instead of solely Black-owned businesses.

Other Programs To Help Small Businesses Survive COVID

There are alternative programs out there for small business owners as well. For example, Facebook launched a small business grant program earlier this year (we wrote about the program’s initial round of applications for Black-owned businesses). Small business owners may also want to check out what their local governments are offering — many state, county, and city governments are dispersing funds from the CARES Act to local businesses.

Do you have a story idea, tip, or press release for the Merchant Maverick news team? Shoot us an email: [email protected]

The post Comcast RISE Promises Small Businesses Grants & Marketing Help To Combat COVID appeared first on Merchant Maverick.

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October 15, 2020

Everything You Need To Know About Doing Payroll In California

Small business owners in California who run their own payroll are responsible for paying the right payroll taxes — and paying them on-time. To avoid legal penalties and serious consequences, it’s vital to know what payroll rules businesses in California need to follow.

These laws can get complicated, since California has a unique blend of state-level taxes in addition to federal and local ones. Letâs break down the payroll taxes you need to report and contribute when hiring employees in the state of California.

California Payroll Laws & Regulations

California requires multiple payroll tax contributions from both business owners and their employees. The different rates at which you and your employees contribute typically changes on an annual basis, and are broken down based on things like your employeeâs wages and how long your company has been in business.

Letâs cover how Californiaâs payroll laws and regulations affect your business and your employees at the federal, state, and local levels.

California Payroll Taxes

The Employment Development Department, or EDD, oversees California’s four separate payroll taxes: Unemployment Insurance (UI), Employment Training Tax (ETT), State Disability Insurance Tax (SDI), and California Personal Income Tax (PIT), which weâll cover in more detail later on.

As a business owner, youâre responsible for withholding the appropriate amount of taxes from each of your employees’ paychecks (and your own wages). Under most circumstances, employees also need to contribute parts of their paycheck toward State Disability Insurance (SDI) and Personal Income Tax (PIT). Weâll cover these in more detail later on, since they need to be paid in addition to federal taxes.

Employers pay contributions toward Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Employment Training Tax (ETT). Certain industries grant exemptions to some of these four state-level payroll taxes, although youâre typically responsible for withholding the proper amounts for these state-level taxes as a business owner.

The following California-specific taxes need to be withheld in addition to federal taxes:

Income Taxes: California sets its personal income tax based on an individual’s income. The state doesn’t cap its limit for how much it can tax personal income, which your employees are responsible for paying themselves. California calculates the tax rate for personal income tax based on supplemental tax rates, but employees can also withhold personal income tax on their W-4 form or DE4 (Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate)
Property Tax: California’s Proposition 13, enacted in June of 1978, capped the rate against which the state could tax real property at one percent. What’s more, the law requires that local elections achieve a two-thirds majority in favor of increasing this one percent. Since its passage, Proposition 13 has remained virtually unchanged and still applies to all residential and commercial real property in the state of California.
Sales Tax: The Bradley-Burns Uniform Sales and Use Tax Law of 1956 created sales and use taxes that split between the state, the city, and the county. California’sÂ current rate for use and sales taxes is 7.25%, six percent of which goes toward the state of California, one percent toward the local city or county, and the remaining toward local transportation. California uses additional district tax rates of higher than 7.25% for certain parts of the state.

California’s Tax Exclusions & Exemptions

California State’s Board of Equalization works with county-wide assessors to exempt religious, hospital, scientific, and charitable properties, or any properties that can be reasonably determined as owned and operated for nonprofit purposes. The board is also responsible for exempting properties qualifying for Welfare or Veteran’s Organization Exemption tax withholdings. California relies on the Board of Equalization to work with county-wide assessors to decide on how best to administer additional property tax exemptions for the state.

California’s Minimum Wage

Just like other states, California has minimum wage laws that business owners need to follow when they record and report their payroll. For businesses that staff fewer than twenty-five employees, owners must pay a minimum wage of eleven dollars per hour. Any business that staffs more than twenty-six employees must bump their minimum wage up by a dollar, to a wage rate of $12/hr.

One of the highlights of California’s minimum wage laws is the way they deal with tipped employees. There’s no reduction in the minimum wage rate that tipped employees receive. Employees still need to form a collection amongst themselves, though, to pool tips and share it equally among their co-workers.

Itâs good practice to document your minimum wage rates for each fiscal year and report changes you make to your companyâs minimum wage policy.Â California is relatively strict about compliance poster obligations for business owners. The state asks that all business owners post their business’s policy regarding wages earned, which includes minimum wage rates.

Reemployment Tax

California uses its UI tax to keep compensation programs afloat for people who are unemployed. Any employer who has spent more than one-hundred dollars on employee wages needs to record and report UI taxes. This is an important difference between California and most other states, which usually follow federally mandated unemployment tax provisions. California’s cap on annual taxes paid to the state — $7,000 — applies to UI taxes as well. The EDD is responsible for modifying the rate schedule unemployment insurance uses on an annual basis. Business owners take that year’s given rate schedule and contribute 3.4% for at least two years.

New Hire Reporting

You’re responsible for reporting new employee information to the California New Employee Registry within the first twenty days of their employment. These reports also go to the EDD, so be careful not to miss deadlines for reporting information on your new employees.

This rule also applies to anyone you’re rehiring if it’s been more than sixty days since their departure. Your information on new hires, as well as rehires, gets reported straight to the New Employee Registry (NER), which helps California work on existing new hire reporting laws. Currently, California does not offer any exceptions for new hire reporting. If you hire or rehire a new employee, you must report their first and last name, social security number, home address, and the date they began work.

California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act requires business owners to adopt equal hiring policies. It’s against the law to discriminate against potential hires on the basis of their race, sex, gender, and much more. The state offers employees multiple ways to file a claim for workplace discrimination. At the state level, the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) is responsible for addressing workplace discrimination claims; the same is true for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) at the federal level.

PTO Policy

Technically, you’re not legally bound to give your employees vacation time and PTO if you operate your business in California. With that said, it’s a good idea to have a way for employees to accrue a fixed amount of PTO per year so that they can take some personal time off. If you do establish a company-wide PTO policy, California considers the PTO you distribute as wages earned by an employee.

California does, however, mandate paid sick leave to be given to all exempt and nonexempt employees. And, if an employee collects more PTO than they use in a given year, youâre responsible for paying the amount equal to wages accrued. You need to do the same thing for employees who quit or are fired, since PTO distributed under PTO policies is technically wages owed to your employees.

Labor Laws

California defines rest breaks as 10 minutes of paid rest. The state makes a compromise with employers by defining lunch as an unpaid break of 30 minutes. However, employers are responsible for paying employees a paid hour of time worked if they don’t get to take a break on a given day.

Certain urban districts in California require that employers pay out sick leave to their employees. This varies based on the area, but it’s important to be aware that the state fines businesses that don’t comply with these labor laws. These rules are typically most common in urbanized districts with different local-level laws.

Child Labor Laws

California’s child labor laws prevent anyone who is 13 years old or younger from working at a business operating within the state. Labor laws in California restrict people who are under 18 years old from working without a permit. Youth between 12 and 13 years old can only work during school holidays and vacations, and only up to four hours per week. The laws exist generally to prevent persons under 18 years from providing exploitable labor and economic vulnerability.

Payment Obligations

You’re responsible for paying your employees twice monthly on your designated paydays. Per California’s Labor Code Section 207, business owners need to show some proof of payment to their employees. This notice of proof includes when you paid an employee, the day you paid them, and where they were paid. For employees whom you have terminated, youâre required to reimburse them with any remaining unremitted wages they have earned.

Disability Insurance

Your W2 employees fund their own insurance for state disability, usually referred to as State Disability Insurance (SDI). This means you can choose to provide benefits for disability insurance on top of what your employees already get. These laws can get trickier for 1099 contractors who don’t do business for you or anyone else within California.

Insurance for state disability accounts for illness or injury that happens in your place of business. You need to withhold the SDI rate against the first $122,909 of your employee’s wages. Your employees are responsible for contributing taxable income toward this state-mandated program, and as of 2020, the rate for SDI taxes is one percent of their annual wages. Employees can’t contribute more than ten percent of their first $122,909 in annual income toward SDI taxes.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Rates for your workers’ compensation coverage start with work classifications for your employees’ positions. Perhaps you staff someone whose class code comes out to a nice, round number you can use to calculate their rate, say $0.50. Take their salary, another hypothetically round number of $100,000, and divide that by 100. You’re left with the following formula: $.50 x $1000. Obviously, this will change based on your employeesâ state-designated class codes and salaries earned, but this formula gives insight into the calculations you can expect to see.

Workers’ compensation provides required coverage to employees in nearly every state of the country. In California, businesses are required, at a minimum, to put down $500,000 toward a workers’ compensation insurance policy for their company. You need to cover each of your employees with $100,000 and put the same amount toward a minimum limit toward occurrences your plan covers. Employers are allowed to dispute claims for occurrences off-premises of work or during volunteering. You are still, however, required to cover injury and illness that occurs during work hours.

How To Calculate Payroll Taxes In California

California’s federal-level payroll taxes include the Federal Unemployment (FUTA), Social Security (FICA), Medicare (FICA), and Federal Income (FIT) Taxes. You can calculate payroll taxes at the federal level in California largely the same as you would in other states.

Employers are responsible for contributing toward these tax withholdings except for FIT, while employees only contribute toward FICA and FIT.Â Remember that California also requires employer and employee payment toward UI, ETT, SDI, and PIT Taxes.

How To Do Payroll In California

Now that you’re familiar with California’s different levels of payroll taxes, you can begin looking at ways to submit your payroll reports and how to accurately calculate what you owe the state and federal governments.

Step 1: Make Sure You’re Following All California Payroll Laws

Be certain that you have the correct state and federal forms to submit payroll by each due date. Federal forms (Form 941) and state forms (DE9, DE 9C) should be submitted on a quarterly basis. Business owners who miss these deadlines are subject to federal and state penalties that accrue exponentially the longer you wait to report your payroll.

Step 2: Gather Employee Documentation

Now that you’re ready to calculate your payroll contributions, you can decide on the way you’ll report your information. Choose either a printed or digital version of the Deport of New Employee(s) (DE 34) form, a completed W4 form, or an in-house form that satisfies the California New Employee Registry’s requirements. Remember that you need to start processing payroll for employees who’ve started work within the last twenty days.

Step 3: Calculate Your Employee’s Hours

Once you’ve picked your method to submit payroll information, make sure you have the correct rates to calculate your four different taxes: UI taxes, ETT taxes, SDI taxes, and PIT taxes. As a refresher on calculating California’s four state-level taxes, remember to:

Contribute a percentage between 3.4 to 6.3% of the first $7,000 of your employee’s wages. The percentage you contribute depends on how long you’ve been in business.
Put .1 percent of an employee’s initial $7,000 of reported income toward ETT. You’ll be contributing seven dollars to each person you staff annually.
Remind employees that they are responsible for submitting one percent of SDI-taxable paychecks on an annual basis against the first $122,909 of their wages.
Ensure all of your employees have completed a W4 form or DE 4 to report PIT tax.

For businesses with just a few people, you can consider using the wage bracket method to calculate payroll. The Wage Bracket method relies on your manual input, so be sure to closely follow the instructions detailed in the stateâs 2019 withholding schedules. The Exact Calculation method should be used when you need to automate your calculations. Multiple small business payroll software processing solutions exist to do just that. We suggest that you take advantage of any of the powerful payroll software tools available to crunch your staffâs payroll contribution numbers without errors.

The post Everything You Need To Know About Doing Payroll In California appeared first on Merchant Maverick.

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The Benefits Of Offering Gift Wrapping To Your Customers

11 Gift Wrapping Tips For Your Online Store

1. Make Sure You’re Up For The Job

2. Show Your Stuff

3. Offer Multiple Gift Wrap Options

4. Give A Gift Message Option

5. Take It Easy On Yourself

6. Pre-Wrap Popular Products

7. Keep Expenses Low

8. Customize Gift Wrap To The Occasion

9. Consider Outsourcing

10. Adjust Your Returns Policies

11. Add A Soft Marketing Touch

How Much Should You Charge For Gift Wrapping?

Know Your Costs

Consider Outside Costs

Use Gift Wrap As An Incentive

Mix It Up

Extend The Giving

Start Offering Gift Wrapping Services

Create City-Specific Website Pages

Create Niche Service Pages

Create Local Guide Pages

Develop Your Local Citations & Reviews

Steal Ideas from Large Local Competitors / Businesses

Work with Local Publications & Blogs

Use Hyper-Local Facebook Ads

Use Hyper-Local Google Search Ads

Use Hyper-Local Google Display Ads

List on Locally-Popular Insurance Websites

List on NextDoor & Local Forums

Automate Social Media Monitoring

Contribute to Local Wikipedia

Identify & Market Popular Client Sources

Cross-Promote Local Professionals

Cross-Promote Local Businesses

Coordinate Offline & Online Marketing

Use Events To Get Social Media Attention

Use Video Tours To Hack Social Media

Use Digital Referral Fees for Word of Mouth

Find & Sponsor Local Charities

Next Steps

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Customer Service & Support

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Integrations

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Which Is Best For My Business Needs: ADP Or Gusto?

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Choose ADP Ifâ¦

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