Sales and marketing idea

Successful businesses get to where they are by working smarter, not harder. In other words, they make sure they are maximizing the potential of what they already have before worrying about how they can start something new. The same goes for your credit card processing account. If you can make more money by processing plastic, it's certainly worth the effort. All it takes is a little creativity and you'll be off and running.

Forbes Magazine recently published a report that examined consumer habits and how they differ when using plastic versus cash. In the report, they discovered businesses without a credit card processing account were losing up to 70% of their business. So, if it boosts your profits all on its own, why wouldn't you use a credit card processing account to obtain an even bigger advantage for your business and profit margin?

Some businesses try to recoup the expenses associated with processing transactions by requiring any customer to meet a minimum purchase amount in order to pay with plastic. Not only does this deter customers from shopping at a business, but it could also be against the terms of service with some of the major card companies.

Another option is to feature a product that will allow you to make some extra profit. Make it a special benefit for your customers upon purchase. This could be an overall discount on everything they buy, a contest entry, or give them something extra to take home (buy a can of soup and get a free can opener, for example).

Processing credit might not sound like fun and it's certainly not to be taken lightly, but your customers don't have to know. Offer customers a chance to enter a contest for some prizes or an amazing experience if they use their card to make a purchase of a certain amount.

Loyalty programs should also be considered. Make it easy for your customers to track the number of visits they make to your store or the amount of money they spend there. Then, when they reach a certain amount, reward them with a prize or a discount that will have them eager to fill their cards.

Processing credit cards might not seem like a great marketing idea, but you'd be amazed at the results. Use your credit card processing account to increase your sales and your profits with these simple ideas and you'll be able to see the benefits for yourself!