In your home based business marketing efforts, you can spend a lot of money if you are not careful how you go about it. What’s even worse is you can spend a lot of money and not get the results that you desire. In this article we’ll take a look at four easy ways to get more website traffic and spend less money doing it.

1. One of the best home based business marketing methods to get traffic to a website today is still through search engine results. Over half of all people coming on line use search engines to find things every day.

Therefore you need to learn proper search engine optimization techniques to drive traffic through this popular medium. In some of the other ways we will discuss getting website traffic, you will want to work search engine optimization into them. This will include article marketing, blogging, and forum marketing!

2. Discussion forums are an excellent way to drive targeted traffic to a website and not spend any actual money doing it. You can join a discussion forum for free and your only investment will be the time that it takes to get involved in the discussions.

The key to making forum marketing work to drive traffic is to properly set up a signature file, set up your profile which include your website URL, and then learn how to become a credible marketer in the discussions that are taking place on a daily basis.

3. Article marketing is a fantastic home based business marketing method to get traffic when you include a resource box where people can find your website or landing page. You can either use a submission service to submit your article to multiple directories at a time, or you can manually submit them to a handful of the most popular ones.

The important thing in article marketing is that you write a quality article that solves a person’s problem and leaves him wanting to learn a little bit more about you, your products, and your business.

4. Blogging is a great way to get traffic to a website when you utilize social directories and write for search engines. You do this by targeting keywords that are relevant to the theme of your website.

The important thing about blogging is that you be consistent with it and that you bookmark your post to some of the most important social directories online today.

These are four home based business marketing methods to get more website traffic for less money. In all of these your primary investment is your time and not your money.

Yes, you can buy a car with terrible credit! You don’t even need a down payment or any money down. However be prepared to pay a higher rate compared to someone who has good car credit. For lenders, the worst your credit history is the more of a risk they will take on. So try to keep your credit score high for it will only help you in obtaining a better car loan. The key to the success of the lenders are in the rates and fees, they know people with bad credit have less options.

They want to capitalize on this, so they will lend you a loan or money but the fees or rates will not be as good as a person with good credit. It is a proven fact that a person with bad credit has a much tougher time getting a car loan versus a person with good credit. Also if you aren’t putting anything down, it makes the lenders even more cautious. There are lots of websites willing to lend you money for the purchase of a new car but there is always a catch. Car credit that is bad is harmful to your rates. Expect higher rates and stricter penalties, but if you are responsible it can work to your benefit.

The truth is many lenders don’t think those individuals will stay true to their contracts. That is why they offer no money down and bad loans. You could term this a bad loan, as it is a win- win for the lender. Be careful and know what you are getting into, for a wrong mistake could put you further in the hole. Recommendation is to seek out your options via the internet, use several websites and find out what rates or quotes you can obtain. Then decide on one and plot your financial future in that direction. Don’t be fooled by the lenders tricks, they can eat you alive if you aren’t careful. Try hard to have good car credit for it will make your life a whole lot easier.

According to Dictionary.com, the word easy has about 17 definitions. The most relevant definitions are:

“1. Not hard or difficult; 6. Not burdensome or oppressive; 7. Not difficult to influence or overcome; 11. Not tight or constricting; 14. In commerce it means not difficult to obtain.” As used in this article, easy money is meant to convey the idea that, notwithstanding these very difficult times in 2008 where money is tight and difficult to obtain, under certain circumstances a business that sells products to other businesses can easily obtain money to grow exponentially.

On our planet earth, man did not invent money for thousands of years. As civilizations and nation states developed, man learned how to trade and barter for goods that they needed. Money was invented to solve the problems of bartering. There basically was a timing issue between, for instance, farmers having a crop to trade for what they wanted when they needed it. The invention and acceptance of gold and silver coins helped to overcome this timing mismatch. The farmer could sell crops for gold and trade gold, when needed, for the other things they required.

Paper money was invented for many reasons, not the least of which is to avoid the inconvenience of carrying around a large amount of gold or silver. Paper money is easier to hide. Until the early 1900’s in the United States paper money could actually be redeemed for gold. During the Great Depression, President Roosevelt in 1933 passed laws outlawing the ownership of more that $100 of gold by individuals. By the turn of the century, the U.S. government discovered easy money. No longer restricted by the need for physical gold reserves, the government printing presses churned out however much money as they needed; and the politicians invented schemes such as the sale of government bonds, government loans of various kinds, and control of the money supply through twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks to manage the nation’s economy and money supply.

Our government’s easy money in fact is causing every American a very steep price. As the world economy realizes our money has less worth, we are charged more for imports such as gas, clothes, and food; if we travel abroad, in Europe for instance, we find that it takes about one and a half U.S. dollars to purchase a single Euro, the currency of Europe. In effect, European hotels, restaurants, goods and services cost fifty percent more for Americans because of the weakness in our dollar. Ironically, U.S. musicians make more money in Europe than they can make in America because it costs less to pay them “in dollars”. In spite of this economic situation, many U.S. businesses are innovative, creative and ready to grow at a very rapid pace. Purchase Order Financing can be the easy money solution to rapid growth requirements.

Why does it work? Purchase order financing solves the timing problem to pay a manufacturer for goods before the buyer pays the seller for the product just like paper money and gold solved the barter timing mismatch problem. One real world example is the case of a company that developed popular products for dogs and cats. Most of their customers were small stores. One day they received a huge order from a big box store that would virtually double their business on a monthly basis. The business did not have the cash to fulfill the order. Purchase order financing provided the solution to their cash flow shortage to pay for the manufacture of the products and get the goods shipped to the big box customer.

How does it work? A letter of credit is issued to the manufacturer to guarantee payment. The costs of goods are paid to the manufacturer as soon as the goods are delivered, in the example above, to the big box store. An account receivable financing arrangement is created to pay for the purchase order and letter of credit side of the transaction. When the buyer pays the accounts receivable, the lender, generally a finance company or bank subsidiary, is paid pursuant to the contract and the profits are rebated to the seller.

Why is it easy money? Because the credit of the seller is not the main criteria to secure the financing; the credit of the buyer is used to support the financing. Nevertheless, good character and experience are important to lenders. During the due diligence process lenders need to determine that no prior UCC-1 liens exist with respect to the company. If there are serious credit issues such as bankruptcy, the approval of a bankruptcy court for the debtor in possession would be required. These types of situations would not typically be approved by a Bank, but the financing is still relatively easy to obtain considering the circumstances. And it is available if virtually unlimited amounts of capital. As the business grows so to will the finance facility grow so long as the purchase orders are from solid, creditworthy entities.

In 1959 Barry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, and Janie Bradford wrote a song called “Money” (That’s What I Want). The song was the first big hit for the record label. It was covered by the Beatles in 1963. Everyone wants easy money. Here are the lyrics:

The best things in life are free

But you can keep ‘em for the birds and bees

Now give me money (that’s what I want)

That’s what I want (that’s what I want)

That’s what I want (that’s what I want), yeah

That’s what I want

Your lovin’ gives me a thrill

But your lovin’ don’t pay my bills

Now give me money (that’s what I want)

That’s what I want (that’s what I want)

That’s what I want (that’s what I want), yeah

That’s what I want

Money don’t get everything, it’s true

What it don’t get, I can’t use

Now give me money (that’s what I want)

That’s what I want (that’s what I want)

That’s what I want (that’s what I want), yeah

That’s what I want

Well, now give me money (that’s what I want)

A lot of money (that’s what I want)

Whoa, yeah, you owe me money (that’s what I want)

Oh, now give me money (that’s what I want)

That’s what I want (that’s what I want), yeah

That’s what I want.

The bottom line: Purchase Order Financing is easy money compared to traditional bank financing. Similar to the government printing presses for paper money, purchase order financing combined with accounts receivable financing, or factoring, can be a source of virtually unlimited cash for your business. Is that what you want?

Copyright © 2008 Gregg Financial Services

www.greggfinancialservices.com

The Merriam- Webster Online Dictionary defines hard as:

“1 a: not easily penetrated: not easily yielding to pressure b of cheese: not capable of being spread: very firm

2 a: of liquor (1): having a harsh or acid taste (2): strongly alcoholic b: characterized by the presence of salts (as of calcium or magnesium) that prevents lathering with soap

3 a: of or relating to radiation of relatively high penetrating power: having high energy b: having or producing relatively great photographic contrast

4 a: metallic as distinct from paper b: of currency: convertible into gold: stable in value c: usable as currency d: of currency: readily acceptable in international trade e: being high and firm

5 a: firmly and closely twisted b: having a smooth close napless finish

6 a: physically fit b: resistant to stress or disease c: free of weakness or defects

7 a (1): firm definite (2): not speculative or conjectural: factual (3): important or informative rather than sensational or entertaining b: close searching c: free from sentimentality or illusion: realistic d: lacking in responsiveness: obdurate unfeeling

8 a (1): difficult to bear or endure (2): oppressive inequitable b (1): lacking consideration, compassion, or gentleness : callous (2): incorrigible tough c (1): harsh, severe, or offensive in tendency or effect (2): resentful (3): strict unrelenting d: inclement e (1): intense in force, manner, or degree (2): demanding the exertion of energy : calling for stamina and endurance (3): performing or carrying on with great energy, intensity, or persistence f: most unyielding or thoroughgoing

9 a: characterized by sharp or harsh outline, rigid execution, and stiff drawing b: sharply defined: stark c: lacking in shading, delicacy, or resonance d: sounding as in arcing and geese respectively —used of c and g e: suggestive of toughness or insensitivity

10 a (1): difficult to accomplish or resolve: troublesome (2): difficult to comprehend or explain b: having difficulty in doing something c: difficult to magnetize or demagnetize

11: being at once addictive and gravely detrimental to health

12: resistant to biodegradation

13: being, schooled in, or using the methods of the natural sciences and especially of the physical sciences

14: of money: contributed (as by individuals or political action committees) directly to a particular candidate or campaign

Synonyms: hard difficult arduous mean demanding great exertion or effort. Hard implies the opposite of all that is easy . Difficult implies the presence of obstacles to be surmounted or puzzles to be resolved and suggests the need of skill, patience, or courage . Arduous stresses the need of laborious and persevering exertion .”

As used in this article, hard money is intended to convey the idea that because of the current economic conditions, many financing needs will be more difficult to accomplish. They will require great exertion and effort to overcome the economic obstacles of the current economy. Compared to 2006 and 2007, periods of relatively easy money, to obtain financing today you will have to have firm, definite facts to support your financing needs. And the cost of money will be more difficult to bear. Hard money is harder to find, harder to obtain and harder to repay. Nevertheless, hard money may be an economic necessity as a means to an end to grow a business or complete a real estate transaction.

Why is 2008 a time of hard money? This is a difficult question to answer. If you ask 3 experts you probably will get three different answers. It may be the economic equivalent of The Perfect Storm- a True Story of Men against the Sea. The phrase perfect storm refers to the simultaneous occurrence of events which, taken individually, probably would be far less powerful than the result of their rare combination. These occurrences are rare by their very nature, so that even a slight change in any one event contributing to the perfect storm would lessen its overall impact. The stock market crash of 1929 and following depression exemplifies a perfect storm of economic consequence.

What are these events today? 1) The Mortgage Melt-down. Major financial institutions in the United States are incurring billions of dollars in losses due to the loss in valuation of their investments in mortgage securities. The consequence for borrowers is that these institutions are less inclined to take risks when loaning money for fear of additional losses. And their regulators are demanding that regulated lenders raise their credit standards for borrowers to qualify for a loan. 2) The devaluation of the American dollar versus other world currencies. The U.S. government is spending ginormous amounts of money in excess of what it collect in revenue due to the political compulsion to spend taxpayers’ money, the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina (and other natural disasters) and the war on terrorism. This makes our currency less valuable. It makes importing to the U.S. more expensive. The American people have less money to spend on goods and services, and their money buys less than it did a year ago because prices of necessities such as gasoline are higher. 3) The current tendency of Federal and State governments to reduce funding for social services, health services and education because of inadequate revenues; this hurts individuals and businesses who have less money to spend on products and services which creates additional drags on our economy. 4) The diminishing value of residential real estate all across the United States. This is related to the mortgage meltdown and the fact that many people incurred debts that they cannot repay. The real causes of these events are complicated and beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say that these are hard times and hard times create needs for hard money loans.

What exactly is hard money? Here are seven examples:

1) A commercial real estate loan where the borrower receives funds based on the value of the property, usually 50% or less, at an interest rate higher than a bank would charge. This is the most commonly understood type of hard money. In this financing, neither the income from the property or the borrower demonstrably supports the repayment of the loan.

2) A real estate loan to buy a residential property where the borrower cannot prove their income. This may be accomplished with financing from a seller, the only party willing to take the risk of non-payment.

3) A small junior lien on income producing commercial real estate where the first lien is very large. For example, a million dollar second lien behind a ten million dollar first lien. Most lenders simply do not want to consider a loan of this type because of the potential liability for repayment of the first lien. It is ten times the risk of the secondary loan.

4) Most loans to people with less than excellent credit. Many loans are based on credit scoring. If you do not have a credit score that is high enough for the lender’s requirement, you simply do not get their loan and you may or may not be able to find a hard money loan to accomplish your objective.

5) Accounts receivable financing to construction contractors, medical providers and sellers of agricultural products. Most factors do not offer to these sectors of the economy because of the risks and complexities that are involved.

6) Purchase order financing for items with gross margins less than twenty percent. The twenty percent margin is a benchmark for sufficient profitability in a transaction to pay all financing costs and create profits for the business after all costs are paid. During hard economic times margins are squeezed. It is a vicious cycle.

7) Loans to businesses that are particularly negatively affected by the current economy. For instance, a loan to build a new lumberyard is impacted by the downturn in new real estate construction and a lower need for lumber. Most banks would simply decline to consider such a loan. The same is true for developers seeking to build new housing tracts or office building developments. This is not a good time to try to start a new mortgage brokerage company; although it may be a good time to be a hard money lender provided that you are very, very careful in assessing your transactional risks.

What do all of these situations have in common? In times of easy money these situations would be less costly to finance and more likely to receive funding. Today, the lender’s answer to your request for funding is more likely to be a polite but strong “no way”. Many lenders have effectively (if not actually) shut their doors. Many lenders will simply decline to lend on hotels/motels, gas stations, owner/user properties, properties with any environmental issues. Borrowers who do not have FICO credit scores above 680, with substantial net worth and income will find it is very difficult to obtain many types of loans. Fortunately, the door for accounts receivable financing is still wide open.

The bottom line: Hard times in our economy will tend to force more individuals and businesses to borrow hard money- if they are able to get any money at all. Commercial financing with hard money will tend to grow as traditional sources of financing from banks and institutional lenders simply will not be available.

Copyright © 2008 Gregg Financial Services

www.greggfinancialservices.com

The primary rationale for a business considering a commercial hard money loan is that traditional commercial financing options are not viable. There are three financing options for most commercial real estate scenarios: traditional banks, intermediate lenders and hard money lenders. In those situations where traditional banks and intermediate lenders both say “NO”, it then makes good business sense to explore under what terms a hard money commercial loan might be available.

Many viable business projects can be funded ONLY via a hard money lender. Before accepting “NO” from the traditional banks and intermediate lenders as the “FINAL ANSWER”, a prudent small business borrower should determine if a hard money lender will say “YES”.

Compared to traditional bank business loans, commercial hard money loans will generally involve a higher interest rate (prevailing range of prime rate plus 4-8% for typical scenarios), higher fees and shorter-term financing (one to three years). However, because many hard money loans offer interest only terms, the payments can be lower than a fully-amortized loan with a lower interest rate. Commercial hard money loans are typically completed more quickly than a traditional commercial loan.

Several common commercial financing scenarios using hard money loans are described below.

COMMERCIAL HARD MONEY LOAN SCENARIO # 1:
Need to Obtain Commercial Financing Quickly

Traditional commercial loans will normally require several months to complete. Hard money loans can be obtained within a few days in some situations. This difference will be critical if commercial financing is required within a short time frame.

COMMERCIAL HARD MONEY LOAN SCENARIO # 2:
Special Small Business Situations Not Easily Understood by Traditional Banks

• Foreclosure
• Bankruptcy
• Special Purpose Properties
• Tax Liens
• Losses
• Negative Net Worth
• Less than one year in business
• Environmental Requirements

COMMERCIAL HARD MONEY LOAN SCENARIO # 3:
Low Credit Scores

Most traditional commercial loans have very strict standards for acceptable credit scores by the guarantors for a commercial real estate loan. Hard money loans are much more flexible and low credit scores are acceptable.

As noted above, there are several common business situations in which a commercial hard money loan should be considered as a viable commercial financing option. The Commercial Mortgage Loans Guide ( http://aexcfgllc.com ) and The Credit Card Receivables Guide ( http://aexcfg.com ) will provide additional insights into viable commercial financing strategies for difficult commercial loan scenarios.

Copyright 2005-2006 AEX Commercial Financing Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.