Offer Launch Media

Written By:
Lauren Reams
Merchant Account and Compliancy Specialist

The new year brings lots of opportunities for setting goals not only in your personal life, but in the work place. Setting your goals and keeping them can be a challenge if you are not prepared or willing to go above and beyond. At Offer Launch Media, the Merchant Account Department has made many goals to help jump start 2012. Some being, gain more knowledge of new potential merchant account partners, build more compliant and consumer friendly websites, and increase chargeback win percentages. These goals can be simple but significant for your company. The point is to make the goal and achieve it.

A companies ultimate goal is to obtain experts in the industry. This may be difficult for those expanding their business in 2012. Finding partner that are well versed in the industry. According to Inc.com some of the top hardest jobs to fill in 2012 are in our industry; Web developers, Design experts, Marketers, etc. Inc.com says that hiring the best of the best is an absolute must if you are going to build a successful company in 2012. We have to become a bigger and better expert than the competitors.

 
We all know that the industry is changing and we need to change along with it to stay above the competition, but, like the hockey great Wayne Gretsky once said, “I don’t skate to where the puck is; I skate to where the puck will be.” That’s our goal at Offer Launch Media, to be ahead of the game and be where the industry is going to be. Companies will fail this year while others are expanding, make it a goal this year to drive up your business, expand your services, make goals to develop a greater experience for your customers. As long as you’re on top and making 2012 the best year it can be then your company will follow suit.

19, By Keith Cline |  @VentureFizz   | document.write(‘Dec. “The 5 Hardest Jobs to Fill in 2012 | Inc.com.” Small Business Ideas and Resources for Entrepreneurs. 19 Dec. 2011. Web. 06 Jan. 2012. <http://www.inc.com/keith-cline/talent-shortages-in-2012.html?utm_source=linkedin>.

Written By:
Lauren Reams
Merchant Account and Compliancy Specialist

When acquiring merchant accounts, all merchants must go through a risk and underwriting review. This is just one step in getting your offer live, but it’s a critical part of getting your merchant account. The underwriting department looks at many different aspects of the potential merchant; financial stability, risk, pricing model, business model, and much more.

 
There are also different risk variables that are put into play when it comes to providing a merchant account. According to Braintree, there are three main risk variables that underwriters focus on: Company longevity and financial stability, Industry, and Billing method.

 
1. Company longevity and financial stability:
How stable your business is financially can really make a big difference in how these underwriters look at your application. If you are looking to run large monthly volumes but you don’t have a large amount of cash flow or processing then your risk will be elevated. This is why it is sometimes difficult to get merchant accounts for a complete startup because these merchants are just starting and have no processing experience to show to the underwriters to help lower the risk and show that they really are a good investment.

 
2. Industry:
Different types of industry create a higher risk. Most underwriters deem these merchant offers low, medium, or high risk. There are also others that are very difficult to underwrite or even prohibited by processors or ISOs. These different levels of risk are determined by whether or not the customer is present during the sale, a card is swiped, yearly memberships, lifetime warranties, and others.

3. Billing method:
When a merchant is accepting payments in advance or long period memberships it increases their risk. Sometimes underwriters see the billing method as a prediction to how many chargebacks these merchants will start to accrue, therefore they are deemed high risk.

 
The important thing to understand about underwriting is lay everything out on the table. Let the banks know where you stand and how you conduct your business. Let them know your plans for chargebacks and preventing fraud. This can quicken the process and increase the chances of the underwriter seeing your business as an investment if they see you are being transparent in your intensions for your business. It’s even important after you are processing with the provider to continue to keep your site compliant and chargebacks low in order to see a possible increase in cap and lowered rates. In the end, you will have more money going into your pocket.

“Merchant Account Risk – Braintree.” Online Payment Systems & Credit Card Payment Processing Services by Braintree. Web. 02 Dec. 2011..

Written by:
Amber Day
Director of Agency Services

It’s that time of year again. The Holiday Season is very well-known for being the busiest time of year. Between travel plans, Holiday parties, getting the house ready for Holiday guest, Holiday shopping, Holiday traditions, and more, your checkbooks are getting used quite a bit; and that means your bank account is quickly getting smaller. The only thing getting us through this time is the possibility of those Christmas bonuses and maybe even a bigger paycheck from all the Holiday sales. (One can hope, right?) So , the question is: are we going to see those high sales volumes; or has the poor economy overtaken even the most profitable time of year?

 
Experts are providing us with a little bit of good news, and a little bit of bad news. Good news is that Holiday sales are predicted to increase from 2010. Bad news: the predicted percentage increase from 2010 – 2011 is much smaller than the percentage increase from 2009 – 2010. Below are some of the predicted statistics for 2011 Holiday season.

 
Retail Stores:
Retail stores are known to be crazy this time of year. Customers have a love/hate relationship with retail stores during the Holiday season. It is great to have that second opinion and see the actual product before purchasing the gift for your oh-so-picky in-laws, but who likes to stand in those long lines and deal with the crowds of people? With all the other avenues to shop now, retail stores are lucky to still see profit this time of year. In 2010, retail Holiday sales increased 5.6% from 2009. This year, they are only predicted to increase between 1.5% – 2.8% from 2010. That’s about half of the percentage increase from 2009 – 2010. Luckily, sales are still increasing, but let’s just hope that for the 2012 Holiday season this percentage doesn’t cut in half again or retail stores may struggle becoming profitable.

 
Online Sales:
We may be a little bias, but shopping online is our favorite way to shop. The variety of options you get for just one item from sitting on your couch is great. You can get feedback from others who have purchased the item, testimonials, detailed product information, and more without even leaving your home. That is why online sales have continued to grow each and every year. However, similar to the retail sales, online sales are not predicted to grow this holiday season as much as they did from 2009 – 2010. In 2009 – 2010, holiday sales increased 16.5%. This holiday season, online sales are estimated to increase anywhere from 9% – 14%, which will equal a total revenue between $42 million and $60 million. We can’t wait to see this happen!

 
Mobile Sales:
It’s interesting to think that mobile sales are even a category to consider now for Holiday sales. Even just 5 years ago, this category wasn’t even around. However, it’s a category that has become quickly adapted by many; and one that we definitely cannot ignore. Did you know that mobile sales are predicted to double this Holiday season? A 50% increase from 2010 holiday sales to 2011 will make quite the difference in the yearend financial reports. If you haven’t tapped into this market yet, it is time to do so.

 
Here’s hoping that these prediction come true and we all see an increase in our sales this Holiday season. Offer Launch Media wishes you all a very happy, safe, and profitable holiday season!

Sources:
Enright, A. (2011, Sept 22). A subdued holiday forecast. Retrieved from http://www.internetretailer.com/2011/09/22/subdued-holiday-forecast
Holiday sales tips. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.esales411.com/document_general_info.html?products_id=58
Sullivan, L. (2011, Nov 04). Ibm predicts mobile sales to double during 2011 holiday season. Retrieved from http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/161751/ibm-predicts-mobile-sales-to-double-during-2011-ho.html

Written by:
Tedd Vinson
Design and Project Coordinator

 
People are unpredictable. The way they think, the decisions they make, and the factors that influence their decisions. What causes one customer to purchase could influence another potential customer to not place an order. It makes it difficult to design a page without being able to read customers’ minds (Something I heard Google is working on for better-targeted advertising. Okay, just kidding.) But the point is, without knowing how potential customers generally see a page as well as understanding the thought process that causes them to make a purchase, it’s hard to design a landing page with a high conversion rate.

The first thing a potential customer does when they “land” on your page is quickly scan it over to see if it’s what they are looking for or not. This is why the top section of your landing page is the most important part of the entire page.

If a landing page were a book, the top area is the “cover” that potential customers will judge the contents by. Most people in the industry call this area “above-the-fold”–the same term that the newspaper industry uses to call the upper-half of the front page. In newspapers, books, magazines, and websites, the cover or the “above-the-fold” area is the single most important section because it influences whether or not someone makes a purchase.

Potential customers need to see how your product will improve their life in someway. Whether your product will help them lose weight, look younger, earn more money, improve their relationships, or something else, your target audience has to see their life benefits they can have by purchasing your product.

Aside from that, the other main factor that determines whether or not they purchase is the benefit value versus cash value ratio. If you can show your potential customers that your product can benefit their lives more than the cash amount your product costs, your conversion rate will increase. And if these life benefits can easily be seen above-the-fold, your sales will skyrocket.

Written By:
Lauren Reams
Merchant Account and Compliancy Specialist

Fraud is inevitable. There is no way to fully avoid fraud in the online direct response space. There is a way to protect yourself from walking blindly into multiple fraudulent charges. It is important that when you are running live transactions you should always have a fraud prevention filter or program in place in order to stop fraud but also to not block good sales. There are different options that are presented for online and in store protection. Chargeback Guardian has a fraud detection filter option that allows you to decide which filters are best to use for your business. You can block, filter, flag, or even track each transaction that fits a certain description. iSpyFraud is also a widely used online fraud detection tool. They also can customize their fraud technology to fit the needs and parameters of your business. There are many fraud prevention companies that you can partner with in order to have clean and safe transactions.

There are also tips that you can use to help build stronger and safer credit card transactions. Here are a few ideas:

• Make sure that the customer really exists and authentic.
• Use a filter program such as Address Verification System-AVS to make sure that the customer’s address is correct.
• Check to see if both billing and shipping address are correct, especially if the shipping address is different.
• Have your customer service team call customers to verify orders.
• Keep record of any contact you may have about the product or transactions with customers.
• Keep your loyal customers happy.

These simple tasks can help to reduce chargebacks, eliminate losses in your fulfillment, protect customers, and most of all to keep the customers safe and coming back to your site.

Just like fraud, chargebacks are going to happen not matter what. There are different times of fraud;  ‘friendly fraud’ or ‘malicious fraud.’ It is important to be able to see the different elements of each and understanding that both can incredibly effect your business. Respond to chargebacks in a timely matter.

Fraud is not the first thing you think of when starting up an online business, but it’s a combination of a great product, brand, customer service, added value plans, design, and also fraud prevention that helps to make your business truly profitable and dependable.

Written by:
Tedd Vinson
Design and Project Coordinator

A well-designed vector logo is an essential element of any online campaign. From the moment a customer comes across the your page, that customer will know the name of your company and will associate your logo with that brand. Here are just a couple ways this can be beneficial to your brand:

1. Customers recommend your product to a friend and are able to direct them to the correct website to purchase your product. If customers know the name of your brand as well as what your logo looks like, it’ll be easier for them to find your website when they recommend it to others.
2. Customers buy future products from your brand because they recognize it from their previous purchases. People who have purchased from you are more likely to purchase from you again, but if they don’t recognize your new product, they might not purchase the product simply because they don’t associate it with your brand.

Why does the logo need to be built in vector format? The main benefit of having your logo built in a vector file (vector files usually end in .ai or .eps, but there are a few other formats) is the ability to scale it up or down in size as large or small as you need it. This is possible because vectors use equations to calculate path locations which stay relative to how they are sized. So with a vector, it doesn’t matter how big you make it, you’ll never have a problem with it becoming grainy or pixelated.

Having a well-designed vector logo and using it to brand your products will lead to more sales, help your company look good, and it could save you from headaches and frustrations that come from logo sizing problems.

Written by:
Amber Day
Director of Agency Services

Social Media has become one of the most important marketing tools in the world regardless of what industry you are a part of. However, it has become especially important in an industry like the direct response market. A company or product that is sold in stores gives customers a chance to communicate with one another. It allows questionable customers a chance to see real life “testimonials” through the way that other customers interact in the store. It also allows customers to have more trust in the employees that sell the product. With an offer in the direct response market, products are sold solely online so questionable customers don’t have a chance to see how other customers believe in the product, and they don’t have a sales employee that can talk them through their questions and concerns. So, where can customers go to get this information? Social Media.

 
For every offer that Offer Launch Media creates, a facebook page is developed. In addition to what has already been discussed, there are a number of reasons why having a social media presence is not only important, but essential, in an online offer.

 
Developing Business Needs
Every business, regardless of how long they have been around, is going to have a plethora of ways that they can improve. Especially in an industry where face-to-face interactions occur very rarely, customer’s are consistently expressing ways that the company can improve. What better way to hear these thoughts and opinions of customers than through facebook. Customers can be as honest as they want on these pages as they don’t have the fear of having to confront an individual. This is where you will get the most truthful, candid, and frank comments from your customers about how to improve your business.
Let’s make something clear though, facebook comments need to be monitored. Although as a way to improve business, internally it is great to hear feedback from your customers, you don’t want new and upcoming customers to be tainted by these often times negative comments that are received.

 
Share Insights
Ideas, whether good or bad, are what creates success in any part of life, but especially in the business world. Taking the time to brainstorm ideas with your customers will ensure success, trust, courage, and faith in your company.
In addition to sharing ideas, facebook can also be used as a way to educate your customers. A minimum of once a week, a new post should be added to your facebook page. This post can be anything from a success story from one of your customers, to a news article that was posted about your product, to a YouTube video that shares tips about your product, and more. These posts will be appreciated by your customers and will add value to your customer’s experience. This will also instill confidence in future customers.

 
Start Implementing
Social Media is the best way to reach those unknown potential customers. You can use your facebook page and any other forms of social media you choose to implement to convey your message to potential customers with little to no cost. Make sure that you are handling your social media profiles responsibly, and start implementing all of these steps that have been discussed to ensure a growth in your customer satisfaction.

Written By:
Lauren Reams
Merchant Account and Compliancy Specialist

Merchant Accounts are vital in every online offer. Without a processing source, you are a sitting duck. Knowing how to prepare for merchant acquisition is an important step before you start your actual pursuit. Once you are financially ready to start getting merchant accounts there is often a confused question of whether to pursue an offshore, domestic, or third party merchant account. Here are the pros and cons to these merchant account sources.

 
Third party merchant accounts are usually pursued by small businesses. This makes it convenient for businesses just barely beginning to process. Third party merchant accounts often have built in customer service programs and limited payment page control. This can be either a strength or downfall depending on your business type and ecommerce business size. These programs don’t come cheap, and are usually a little pricey for the extra support.

Mentioning “offshore banks” for some is somewhat of a turn off. Many steer clear of offshore banks because they are not familiar with their strengths. Offshore banks have different jurisdictions. According to E C M Advice, “While it might be challenging to get your product or service approved domestically because of some local laws, international banks are governed by different laws and they might welcome your business with open arms.” Offshore banks allow many different types of currencies, which will help expand your business limitations. Lastly, the monthly volume can be the cherry on the top. More offshore MIDs will allow you unlimited volume or a much large threshold then domestic MIDs can provide.

 
Now… before you get too excited about Offshore possibilities, there are some downfalls. Offshore MIDs are known to be able to hold your settlement, higher setup costs, and give you less frequent payouts. This can of course be avoided if you are careful and manage your account properly.

 
Lastly, domestic merchant accounts. These accounts are usually your number one option for processing. You have control over your payment page, terms and conditions, and your own descriptor. Payouts are usually given multiple times a week, which allows you to recycle your money faster and continue to fund your growing business.
Whether or not you choose to go offshore, domestic, or third party, make sure you choose the right merchant account for your business. Weigh out your options. Maybe the right answer isn’t just one type of merchant account, but a combination. The industry is continuously changing, make sure you are prepared and ready for the ride.

Written by:
Amber Day
Director of Agency Services

Chargebacks, or credit card disputes, have become one of the riskiest parts of the CPA industry. It is one of the reasons that people are hesitant to get involved in this industry; and once involved, it can become one of those issues that will keep you up in the middle of the night. However, many people don’t realize that there are a number of ways to minimize the number of chargebacks received for an offer, and ways to successfully dispute the charges that are received.

 
One of the most essential ways in preventing chargebacks is communication to customers. In the Terms and Conditions, the chargeback policy should be clearly stated. The Chargeback policy will vary depending on the offer. An example of a statement in a chargeback policy is “Customers who pull chargebacks will be reported to all major credit bureaus as a delinquent collection account.” Creating a statement similar to this lets customer’s know that they will have a paid collection account on their credit for a minimum of seven years. Any customer who is concerned and careful about their credit will be sure not to chargeback to that offer.

 
The Terms & Conditions will also need to include very specific details on the return policy. The amount of time for a return needs to be clearly specified, details on how to return the product, and any other fees that may be encountered with processing a return; i.e. restocking or processing fees, shipping fees, etc. Including a specific return policy that is clear and is not confusing to anyone will encourage customers to return the product in the proper form, instead of getting frustrated and going directly to the bank to chargeback.

 
In addition to proper communication to customers, pricing has proven to make a small difference in the number of chargebacks that an offer receives. In a continuity model, the dollar amount doesn’t make as much of a difference as the cents in the pricing does; and the price of the initial purchase makes no difference at it. The monthly fees are the ones that become an issue. All pricing should end in the numbers – 2, -4, and -7. The cents in the pricing should be a combination of those number. For example, a price that is $96.47 will cause less chargebacks than a price that is $96.97.

 
There are many other ways to prevent the number of chargebacks an offer receives:

• High-Quality Customer Service
• Value Added Programs
• Excellent Fraud Prevention Services
• Class A Traffic

Even through implementing all of the above techniques, chargebacks will still occur on an offer. Once a chargeback is received, it is essential that every offer has a chargeback fighting service in place. All Chargebacks should be fought before their “respond to” date to increase chances of winning the chargeback.

Written by:
Tedd Vinson
Design and Project Coordinator

In CPA marketing, a landing page optimized for conversions is the most important asset you can have. It determines whether or not a network or affiliate will pick up your offer. Conversion rate is defined as how many people out of 100 place an order. Networks and affiliates are paid based on how many orders are placed. So, obviously, they want a page that will give them the conversion rate they need in order for it to make money.
The landing page needs to truly capture the attention of the potential customer without doing anything that could cause them to navigate away from the page or close the tab. When a potential customer is enticed by a headline or benefits of the product, they are much more likely to make a purchase, and that’s exactly the kind of page that networks and affiliates want to run traffic to.
From the headline of the page to the style of the order button, optimization is both design and content—determining the best words, images, arrangement, graphics, fonts, and colors to use on the page. Everything on the page can affect conversions, and that’s why we take optimization so seriously when it comes to landing page design.