Business Credit Cards are Essential

If you are running a business out of your home, then there are many details that you need to keep in mind. You should probably be reading up on as much information that you can get a hold of on having a business at home. One of the most essential pieces of running a business from home that you absolutely need to know from the start is to get a business credit card to use for everything related to your business.

Unfortunately, as a business consultant, I have talked with far too many business owners that come to me after failing at running a home based business. Why? Well, there are a wide range of reasons why people would fail at owning and running a home business, but the surprising number one reason I found for failure was poor management of finances. Far too many people do not invest into a business credit card when they first begin, and that is a very dangerous thing to do.

I thought that the importance of having a business credit card was obvious, but maybe it is not. A business credit card ultimately allows the home based business owner to have the freedom to keep their personal finances and their business finances separate. This is essential throughout the year and obviously when it comes to tax season as well. There is no reason why the finances of a home should be mixed up with the finances of a business. Keeping the two accounts as separate as possible is good in the long run.

There are many ways to apply for a business credit card, but you may want to talk with a business consultant before you make a choice on a card. There are many business credit card offers flying around and it makes it hard to know what is up and what is down when you are sorting through the offers without a good take on what to look for. So make a meeting with a business consultant or talk with a friend who is business savvy before making any decisions about a business credit card.

The bottom line for home based business owners is that they need to look for ways to separate their business even though it is done in the home. This will be impossible without the use of a business credit card. So apply for one today and see what a difference it will make to the organization and success of your business.

Remember that when you are looking to save money, count on your trusted business partner, Business Network Long Distance!

Searching for your Next Investment Property?

Are you a business owner that looks for property investments?  Then we have some tips for you!

Finding a bargain investment property on paper is only half of the process of property investment. The other half of real estate investing is going down to the property to examine the real estate investment property physically for defects either in terms of the construction and legal title and other liens that can be on the property. You do not want to spend lots of legal costs later to undo the bad lemon you bought into. This article will highlight five possible things to consider when searching for your next investment property.

Firstly, unless you find a property that is really run down and you want to tear it down to its foundations, you want to look out for properties that might have potential electrical and water piping problems. The reason why this is critical is that, wiring and water piping is usually hidden behind walls and other furniture fixtures and repairing them can be a very costly affair since you have to hack into the walls and run the piping and wiring if the problem is very serious. If you are new to property investing try to bring a electrical engineer along with you when you are doing some property inspection.

Secondly, foundation problems are usually harder to spot. When walking around the property, look for cracks appearing at the side of the house and the foundation that goes into the ground. Look for large unusual holes found at the side of the property and cracks on the exterior paint of the building. You might want to bring a civil engineer and a contractor along to figure out how much it would cost to fix the property if you suspect the repairs involved will be substantial. You can also bring them along to give a “grim estimate” to the house owner and bring down the cost of the property.

Thirdly, roofing problems can be a persistent nightmare to you and your potential tenant if you are purchasing the real estate for tenancy purposes. When inspecting the house, look around the ceiling near the windows and around the edges of the walls to look for new paint or yellow spots or cracks with water in them. Most sellers would be smart enough to eliminate the water bubbles after a heavy rain when trying to sell the property, but it is always important to figure out if there is a major leaking roof which might cost you are lot into repairing it. Use this defect to negotiate the price of the property further if you are interested in the property.

Fourthly, another reason why the investment property in question might be a bargain might be because there are legal problems associated with it. Common ones include, multiple owners that cannot agree whether to sell or not. Litigation here would be futile and you should avoid such property once you learn about it.

Another problem might be a lack of clean title. Did you know that the seller can be selling you only the building without the land or maybe there are existing tax liens on your property or some other liens that can prevent you from getting good title to the property? Spending some time chatting with a reliable real estate attorney to learn about common real estate problems in your area can save you lots of legal problems later.

Fifthly, bankruptcy of your seller or one of the part owners of your real estate may depending on the legal proceedings of your state affect your ability to transfer title quickly. Most states make it a requirement that the receiver of the bankrupt has to agree so pay careful attention to the bankruptcy legislation of your state. That being said, sometimes the banks are willing to sell you at a bargain so as to recover the bad debts quickly so do your homework before purchasing such an investment property.

In conclusion, these five pointers can be used as a starting point for you to evaluate your property investment. Spend some time to think rationally about the properties that you have seen and see if they have any of the above flaws and consider if you want to continue purchasing them and whether the costs that you may incur in fixing them will justify the discount of the property to the market value. Above all, take massive action today and pursue your property investment dreams.

These pointers and tips brought to you by Business Network Long Distance, your trusted business partner.

Home Based Business Owner Tips for Success

1) Attitude--

One very important factor in running a business is your attitude towards it. You should treat your business like a business.

This is very important whether you work your business full-time, or part-time. A very close friend of mine, who is also a colleague, is a mother of 4 who works her home business around her family. In this case, she has put her family first, and at the same time, still been able to develop her business.She works part-time, but she has a full-time attitude. To put it another way, if you have a lacking attitude, you'll have a lacking income. However, if you have a business attitude, you'll have a business income.

Keeping your attitude in mind while running your business is one of the first steps to ensuring your success.

Being successful working part-time on your business, or working full-time, is more than achievable. However in saying that, it is highly unlikely that working in your "spare time" will achieve you success.

2) The Environment In Which You Work--

Keeping with the attitude principles discussed above, it is necessary to remember that while you are working from home, you should make sure that you have a space to call your own; your own "business at home" office, free from distractions.

Keep the theme going with a comfortable office chair, and a well laid-out and organized desk. Stationery supplies will also be of assistance, so be sure to include the following in your "home office":

- Pens
- Highlighter
- Hole Punch
- Stapler
- Sticky Tape
- Note Book(s)
- A system which will enable you to easily and efficiently store your physical files and documents.
- Ring Binders
- Manila Folders

Do you have a fast internet connection? If not, consider the use of a broadband internet connection. Anything you do will take a certain amount of time, and your time is a very valuable asset. Faster internet means you will have more time for other things.

3) Schedule--

Dividing up your spare time between your business, your family, or your "significant others" will require a carefully planned schedule. Just like office hours in which you would work, when you allocate time for work, make sure that you work during this time. Equally important is to make sure you have time for other commitments - time with your family, exercising, education, and leisure time are all equally important factors in your life. Its also a good idea to keep in mind why you are doing what you are doing. For example, if you are starting your home business to spend more time with your family, you don't want your work time consuming valuable family time.

With a home business, the only "boss" you have is yourself and your schedule. Lets say for instance that you are working during your allocated work time, and you have unexpected visitors, or people calling you. You have to make a choice; are you really committed to running your own business? Are you committed to business success? Your choices in these types of situations will govern whether or not you have a "business attitude", or a "hobby attitude".

However, you may need to adjust the way you make your choices. This is especially true in a family environment. In this instance, it may be necessary to discuss with your partner and/or children an agreed period of time which is classed as business time, in which you will not be interrupted. It may also help to print or write down this schedule and place it somewhere prominent so as to inform all family members of your work schedule.

4) Describing Your Business--

Make sure that when asked about your business, you are able to describe it concisely; a strong and powerful one or two sentence about your business that someone can repeat easily about describing your business to others. A company slogan or "tag line" can also be invaluable for promoting your business; take the time to create a unique and memorable tag line or slogan.

5) Knowledge Of Your Services Or Products--

You now have your product and your service in which you sell, whether or not you actually use your product or service you sell, it is a wise decision to make sure that your knowledge of your product or service is intimate and well-founded. For instance, if you sell ebooks, then ensure you know the content and the value in which it holds; if you sell software, ensure that you know how it works, "inside and out". In doing so, your reputation will develop as someone who provides quality information about a product or service, and because of this knowledge, you yourself can become a preferred supplier.

However, it may not always be practical to use certain products (as an example, a man may choose to sell wedding dresses), in which case the seller wouldn't be a product or service user, though in saying that, the seller can still have extensive knowledge of the product or services benefits and features.

6) Administration--

It is essential to implement good record keeping practices.

This can include tasks such as consulting a tax adviser who can advise you on the best and most optimal way to set up and store your financial records, as well as which records need to be kept. In addition, your adviser could also recommend record keeping systems which can help you in achieving a more efficient and simpler means of organizing this aspect of your business.

You may also be told advice on the most effective arrangements and set ups for your banking necessities. In doing so, you will most likely be advised to seek out separate bank accounts for your business.

If you use various logins, passwords, and usernames, it would be a wise decision to keep track and store this various information.

The tools and methods in which you track these are varied; from a simple paper notebook to free and commercial software.

7) Protection For Your Computer--

Your computer houses all your important business data, and is also the lifeline of your business dealings. In saying this, it is vital that you protect your computer.

Pieces of software such as virus scanners, personal firewalls, anti-spyware and adware, and even an email scanner, should all be implemented to help with the protection of your computer.

8) Obtaining A Domain Name--

For any home-based, online business, it is more than just essential to have a domain name for your business, it is vital. There are many domain registrar companies out there. Take your pick.

9) Processing Of Your Payments--

Any online business will need to the ability to accept payments. Payment processors such as Paypal, 2Checkout, and Clickbank, all offer multiple ways to accept payment, including the ability to accept credit card payments online.

As an online business just starting out, this is the most effective, efficient, and economical way to get started in accepting online payments. As your business starts to grow and develop, it may be necessary to look into obtaining your own merchant account for transactions.

Also, it may be worth while taking into account other forms of currency online, such as eGold.

10) Email Accounts--

The more professional and trusted your online home business appears, the more likely your customers are going to do business with you. One of the most easiest and simplest ways to do this, is to use an associated email account. After obtaining your own domain, it is possible to create your very own associated email account.


We want you and your business to be successful here at Business Network Long Distance.  Contact us today to save money on your long distance bill so that you have more money for the other necessities.

The Real Cost of Cellphones

The rage of social media --- texting, Facebook, on-line shopping, on-line banking and bill paying has cost employers millions of dollars in paid out wages to employees playing on the job. Profits are lost due to a decrease in productivity. In addition to paying current wages, employers have been forced to hire specialist to track employee quality and quantity of work, as well as, invest in Spyware to make sure that the time employees spend on-line is for business purposes.

            In analyzing how much employee cell phone usage cost an employer. An example of 10 employees who earn $15 an hour that check their cell phones for 3 minutes every other hour on an 8-hour shift. (3 minutes multiplied by 4 times a day= 12 minutes). Those 10 employees multiplied by 12 minutes daily= 120 minutes total then multiplied by 5 days a week= 600 minutes or 10 hours, which equals $150 dollars a week. Yearly the cumulative cost for those 10 employees checking and responding to email and Facebook for one year is a staggering $7,800 dollars in lost wages and 520 hours in lost productivity. Believe it or not the above example of an employee using only 12 minutes a day used for social media is extremely conservative.

            What do you think your employees are doing on their phones?  Don’t let that be a company expense.  Cell phones in the work place are a major distraction for employees, which create not only losses in payroll and productivity, but also create an unsafe work environment as well. Cell phones are hurting both large and small companies. In order to put money back into your company start by saving money on your business landlines by choosing Business Network Long Distance as an alternative long-distance provider. 

Your Professional Business Line

            When it comes to the landline service it is not only important to residents it is important to businesses.  Businesses depend on customers so customers need to have a reliable way to reach the business.  A landline provides dependability and credibility.  A successful business should be seen as professional and the landline helps a customer see commitment!

            The credibility of a landline can show professionalism.  A landline is a permanent number that is attached to a physical address.  This is important to consumers to show the business is established in the community.  With so many businesses coming and going it can be comforting.  Also with so many scams out there today, a landline shows that the business is established and there to stay.   The little effort it takes to maintain a landline is well worth the customer loyalty that can be gained.

            A landline is more professional than a wireless system for many reasons!  Wireless systems can have issues when there are power outages or weak signals, this can leave a business without a phone.  When a customer calls and they are not able to reach the business, this can damage their reputation.  A landline can still connect during a power outage and there are no dead zones to concern yourself with.

            Last but not least, the landline is cost-effective for a business.  The landline can have multiple lines to transfer calls and receive calls with.  Landlines are cheaper and provide better quality, a great business decision.

            A business should pride itself on being professional.  That is what will separate itself from many other businesses and a landline will help do just that.  A landline is the way to go for a business phone.  Earn customers loyalty, trust and business!  Keep the credible and cost effective landline! Keep the landline professional.  For more information on how to save money on long distance service contact Business Network Long Distance!

Keep the Employees Focused

            Productivity is where the business strives.  If you look around, though, do you not see the streets and halls of commerce filled with hunched over humans hovering over their cellphones and oblivious to the worlds around them. To get your people back to work, to get them to focus on the task at hand and increase productivity, the cellphone needs to be put away. Landlines are the solution.gm

            Cellphones interrupt business in a multitude of ways, providing distractions and creating hazards. They actually add to stress and burn-out, too, killing productivity. Here are some ways landlines will ensure that the focus of your business will work.

1.      Remove the cellphone distraction by requiring employees to conduct business on landlines, where social media does not exist. Personal calls on cellphones should be limited. Landlines can also security measures to review contact history, and or record/listen to conversations to ensure customers are being handles properly and professionally.

2.      Focus on meetings and projects by keeping personal or frivolous interruptions to a minimum that are often found on cell phones/smart phones.

3.      Increase security by using landlines, minimizing the opportunity for electronic eavesdropping, intentional or accidental.

4.      Landlines and localized records are much more secure. How dangerous would it be if all of your business information, contacts, and records were on an unlocked cellphone and it was lost or damaged?

5.      The use of landlines creates a separation of the personal life and the professional life, a key component of employee productivity.

6.      In-the- moment text decisions are typically less than productive. The responder is focused on sending a reply, not necessarily on making the best decision or taking time to consult with others to compose the best solution.

Cutting out landlines in your business is actually counter- productive and costly Landlines put the control of the work environment back into the hands of managers and owners, increasing productivity and the quality of services rendered.

            For all of your business long distance needs, contact Business Network Long Distance.

Your Business Line Should Be Professional

When employees use their smartphones instead of business landlines for work, it can be cost-effective for some organizations, but there are downsides to cutting the cord, including problems with call quality and issues around organizational control.

The traditional desktop telephone persists in most enterprise settings today, despite the rise of smartphones.  Before you unplug all your business landlines, think about some of the problems you may encounter. 

Do you want important customers, clients and other contacts to have access to your employee’s personal phone numbers? 

Mobile phones are essential for many personal activities, but employees really don’t need mobile access at work.  It is instead better to have landlines for the work environment.  In these scenarios, employers will appreciate the lower costs of wired services and employees will appreciate the improved reliability. 

“Our advice to clients is not to switch from an office-based phone to a cell phone exclusively,” said Fred Manuel, General Partner at Alliance Cost Containment in Ann Arbor, Mich., a company that works with businesses to reduce costs in all areas of operation.

Manuel said that while his focus is helping customers cut costs, using a cell phone can cost more in the end because it can be frustrating to customers who can’t hear you clearly on the phone.

“What you’re saying to your client is that you care more about saving money than delivering good service and you may be sending the message that you really don’t have the money for an office with a land based phone,” Manuel told Business News Daily.

As you know, everything has its advantages and disadvantages.  Whether keeping a separate landline for your mobile phone is going to work for you or not, would depend on your needs and preferences; but taking them into consideration won’t do you any harm.  Keep your landline and all of its advantages and save even more money on your long distance service contact Business Network Long Distance, your trusted business partner.

Top Three Reasons You Need a Landline

A lot of business owners seem to think landline phones are becoming extinct like the dinosaurs. The large number buttons, hefty handles and long cords aren’t as attractive as the small cell phone.  However, before you let your landline go you may want to consider what the landline does bring to your company.

1.       A Stable Connection - Being able to communicate to others efficiently and effectively is a key factor in business. Stock trades and other business transactions happen at the speed of light, and being on a cell phone while service may become interrupted can have a costly effect. Using a landline will ensure that a business transaction is handled correctly and securely, without the dropped call or out of range static.

2.       Reliable and Dependable – As a business owner, you want the ability to communicate in any storm or emergency.  Overworked or out of commission cell networks and towers have failed in these situations, but the landline continues to reach emergency services or other landlines.  Without any power, the landlines still works effectively and does not rely on being charged regularly.  Companies with a landline have the peace of mind knowing their transactions are safe and secure in these situations.

3.       Cost – This may be your biggest concern as a business owner, if it is, the landline is right for you.  With cell phones becoming more advanced, cell phone companies are constantly finding ways to charge more.  Unlimited plans are a necessity now and cost an arm and a leg.  Businesses are dependent on the profit, where there are possible savings, grab ahold of them. 

These are the top three reasons a business should choose a landline over a cell phone. While there are positives and negatives to both services, no cell phone can offer what a landline does in communication. 

Save money today with Business Network Long Distance. 

Why choose a business landline?

One argument against your business landline you may hear is that it is outdated and no longer needed, because cell phones provide everything a business needs and more. Stop! Don't buy into the hype and cancel your landline without comparing the important differences between business landlines and cell phones.

The primary reason for having any phone is to communicate with your potential clients. Landlines are used for verbal communication, while cell phones have the capability of both verbal and non-verbal communication; such as: texting, tweeting, Facebook, etc... However, cell phone features cannot compete with traditional landline security, reception and dependability.

Traditional phone lines do not use software and calls travel over permanently connected terrestrial circuits. Security against electromagnetic intrusion or spying (cyber security) is a leading security problem in the United States. Cell phones connect with the telephone network using radio waves, which makes them susceptible to attack from eavesdroppers who intercept consumer information from radio frequencies. The entire spectrum of electromagnetic frequencies include: not just wireless calls, but also frequencies used for radios, scanners, microwave ovens, facsimile, video, radars and televisions.

This provides a safer network for new clients to provide credit card or other information.  Cell phones track your incoming and outgoing calls, incoming or outgoing text messages and your location. By using a landline it becomes more difficult for media marketers to send signals to your cell phone. Security systems for your office can be connected directly to the landline. This provides another safety feature to your place of business.

Landlines offer a clear channel of communication without the white noise or dead zones that are common in all cell phone services.  How embarrassing it can be when you are not sure which parts of your office have no bars and your call disconnects. Landlines give consumers added security, by restricting undesired callers from having unlimited access to your cell phone. 

The business landline is more dependable than a wireless cell phone also because they work during power outages. While the power outage may shut down surrounding companies, it would be great for your company to outlast the power outage and continue to take orders and provide great customer service.  This also gives any visiting customers a way to communicate with family and friends where they are in case they are stranded due to it.

Landlines are linked to the address of the line, which provides a 911 guarantee. There is no such guarantee with cell phones and the extra minutes that it could take to find the exact location are not worth the risk.

In order to protect your investment, let your cell phone stay personal and conduct business on your landline. Business landlines are affordable, providing unlimited local calling at a reasonable price and if you want to save even more money on your long distance service, contact Business Network Long Distance.

The Perks of a Business Phone

Have you ever thought the grass was greener on the other side? It may seem that way when considering removing your business landline and going to all cell phones.  However after making the switch you may face some disappointments.

With a landline you have no contacts to deal with and use a long distance provider that only charges you for the calls you make.  There is a nominal fee for your landline that meets your needs and your budget.  The cell phone switch can be expensive and charge overages when you least expect them.  Don’t waste time watching minutes and tracking your employee’s phone usage with their cell phones. 

The shiny small smart phones may seem appealing and tech savvy.  However, your landline gives you a dependable phone.  The business phone as a landline provides a clear connection every time.  Cell phones lose service when you least expect it, that’s never good when talking to a client or customer and you have to repeat yourself due to no bars.

Cell phones also cause distractions at work for employees.  Many employers who have switched to cell phones for their business line have realized how much time employees waste playing games or contacting friends and family.  The landline dials, that’s it.  It’s the perfect communication tool for businesses with unlimited lines.

Landlines may not be the perfect thing for when you are on the road or on a business trip so keep your cell phone.  Just don’t get rid of your landline because you think it will be more convenient.  It causes more of a hassle in the long run.  The grass may look green, but that green grass takes a lot more work than you can see. 

Keep the cell phone private and keep your business professional with long distance services from Business Network Long Distance.  

Your Business, Keep it Professional

Business Network Long Distance is your trusted source for long distance needs.  Let us be your partner in business.

Emergency Landline, Protect Yourself

Do you ever think of reasons why you may need a landline?  Well, there are many reasons that you need a landline even if you own a cell phone.  With advantages like 911 services, reliability in power outages, security for phone calls and even the ease of use for all.  You will quickly see how many important reasons there are and why you need a landline.

What if there is an emergency at your place of business?  How would you or a customer call for help?  Well if the cell phone was lost or the power was out, it would do you no good.  A landline on the other hand would be available to make that call for help because it is a physical line.  Also, when you call a dispatcher on a landline it gives them an exact location instead of a general area.  This makes it easier for them to get to you and a quicker response time. 

One more reason you need a landline is with the advanced technology of cell phones it makes them more complicated for young children and seniors to use.  The landline still remains simple for anyone to make a call.  Any of these reasons makes it clear on why you should maintain a landline; along with the convenience and professional look it gives your business.

For your long distance business needs, contact Business Network Long Distance.

A Way to Contact Your Customers

How do you contact your customers?

The Reliable Phone: The Landline

The reason the landline telephone has not become outdated is simply the functionality of such a system. Most individuals have a cell phone, but when it comes to homes and businesses these are entities with fixed locations that should have a dedicated number. Businesses can advertise their number all over their service area for a small fee by their carrier without fear of their number being changed, as they have the right to be the only entity with that number. We have all received "wrong number" calls on our cell phones because providers recycle those numbers and that is usually not the case with landlines.

The landline telephone has been in existence for about a century and because of that carriers and providers have thoroughly experimented with the overhead involved with providing such a service. The rates that are associated with landlines are generally the same from month-to-month, whereas cell phones have numerous different charges that can be accumulated by a user unknown to them. Roaming charges, exceeding certain limits and even different times of the day can cause discrepancies in a user’s service bill.

Cell phones are subject to a lot of different types of interference because the signal is transmitted over air waves, but with landlines the signal is actually sent through wires so the chances of your call being "dropped" or "lost" are minimal.

Businesses and home phones all over the nation on their landline telephones for many reasons.  The most frequent are emergencies and the reliable service they provide.  Landlines are undeterred by weather, most natural disasters and high volumes of calls.  Contact Business Network Long Distance for your long distance needs.

Professionals Have Landlines...Right?

A business landline may seem unnecessary at this point in time with easy accessibility to cell phones.  However, I challenge you to think about your customers.  Consider your experiences as a customer…

When you are looking for a certain service, vendor, shop, etc.  If you were to call them and they answered hello, by mistake instead of with their business name, would you wonder if you got the correct line?

If you then set up an appointment and went to their house, would you question how secure and real this business was?

Small businesses have to start somewhere.  But take the first step and get a landline to give your business its own phone.  The consumer wants to deal with the professionals in the business. 

A landline is a small fee for having a great first interaction.  Don’t worry about the phone dying, losing service or being unavailable in a power outage or storm.  Trust the reliable business phone.

Contact Business Network Long Distance for all of your long distance landline needs.