When Buying a car, bad credit presents a challenge for many people that have limited local lending sources. Those that are not aware of online finance opportunities through legitimate lending networks, typically buy cars at high interest rates. Frequently, people with bad credit are turned down locally due to the lendng guidelines of local banks, credit unions and dealer lenders that have strict lending guidelines. Online Financing – There are good lenders online that are willing to help people that have bad credit buy a car. This is an easier process than attempting to pursue local car financing with bad credit. Car loans are secure loans and are easier to obtain with bad credit than credit cards and other unsecured lines of credit. The internet opens a door of opportunity for people that may not have these lenders readily available in their local area, or don’t know where to find them.Overcoming Low Credit Scores -Credit scores aren’t everything when it comes to auto finance. Some lenders are very strict with regard to Equifax Beacon Scores, while others look at the overall picture. Good Lenders that help people that have bad credit, consider factors that are outside of a credit report. This includes income, job time and other factors. Even with a credit score as low as 480, it is still possible to obtain financing if one applies and meets certain basic requirements.Avoiding Predatory Lending Practices – There are more secondary lenders than not, that make enormous profits from lending money at very high interest rates. These types of lenders should be avoided, for obvious reasons. Too many times, people with low credit scores fall into the trap of predatory lending practices, further escalating their already suffering financial condition. The best thing for improving credit, is working with a lender that understands your need to rebuild your credit with good financing terms. It does not help you to fall into the trap of high interest rates and fees.Little to No Money Down Auto Financing – Many people that have bad credit believe that in order to obtain auto financing, they must have money down. This is only the case in circumstances where the price of the vehicle is not advantageous to the buyer, or in cases of in-house car financing. Arranging auto financing without a down payment is simply a matter of having the right combination of car, price, loan value and financing terms. It’s really very easy and good lending sources and included dealer networks can help you with this.Avoid Buy Here Pay Here Financing – The most expensive way to purchase a car, truck, van or SUV is by buying at a buy here pay here dealer. Dealerships that finance their own cars charge very high interest rates and always require down payments. In many cases, a customer pays thousands more and sometimes more than twice, the retail price of a vehicle at these “tote the note” dealerships. The only case in which a Buy Here, Pay Here car lot is needed, is when you are in a current bankruptcy. Even so, it may be less expensive to rent a car, than to buy from one of these types of car lots.Getting a Lower Interest Rate – Some car dealerships, in fact most, make a practice of adding points to the approved interest rate of a customer, especially with customers that are buying cars with bad credit. This makes easy profit for the car lot, however results in higher monthly car payments for the consumer. Avoiding dealerships that use this practice is paramount in obtaining a lower interest rate. Regardless of whether or not a customer has prime credit or subprime credit, this practice costs consumers more money than they should have to spend for auto finance.

Finance and banking are two of the leading forces behind the economy. Both categories are applicable to business, corporate jobs, and personal usage. With money being a driving force in the world people have the option of gaining specialized training in these areas.First, let’s look at the definitions for each field of study to gain a better understanding of where an online class will head as a student progresses through the coursework. Finance is the commercial activity that provides funds and capital. It is the branch of economics that studies the management of money and assets.Banking is the business of keeping money for savings and checking accounts that enable the bank to exchange or issue loans, credit, and more. An individual transacts business with the bank via depositing, withdrawing, or requesting a loan. In essence a bank is a financial institution licensed by the government.Length and pricing will vary depending on the course load, school, and degree desired. Certain schools have a wide range of courses priced at $159 a class. A student can take classes one at a time like above or obtain a degree based on a curriculum given online. A student has the option of finding a school to gain a master’s degree in banking and financial services. Some programs at this level may consist of 12 courses for a total of 48 credit hours. Class structure would have the student taking two, seven-week courses online per semester. The length of this type of program will take an average of two years to complete.Students have the option of completing a degree program online that encompasses finance and banking or gaining a degree in finance and banking separately. Different online schools offer programs starting with an associate’s degree to a doctorate in finance and banking. The right fit will depend on previous schooling and the career goals an individual has.Gaining a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration for Finance can be an option for an individual who has strong career goals in the business field. Learning as a student will give the capability to research, solve, diagnose, and evaluate business troubles in a team environment.Graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration for banking enables a graduate for a wide range of managerial jobs in business, government, and non-profit organizations. Skills acquired are practical and professional. These skills prepare a student to understand all phases of business, which include decision making and problem solving.With the ability to stay at home, students will have the comfort of being able to obtain a degree in their pajamas. Highly accredited colleges center around four learning environments; Internet, home, small groups, and work. Each one is designed to help further an education and make success possible. Online learning provides a foundation of communication and interaction directly from a student to the professor. Working from inside the home allows the student to determine a personalized course schedule. The instructor will successfully guide students through the coursework utilizing participation with the students enrolled in the class. The practical knowledge gained through an accredited online program prepares students with the skills necessary to become a part of the finance and banking industry.DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be advertised at PETAP.org.Copyright 2010 – All rights reserved by PETAP.org.

Multiple brands aren’t always the best approach.When launching new products or services, my client often ask me if they need a separate brand, especially if the offer is “breakthrough” or radically different from what they currently sell.Creating a separate identity may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s not necessarily the right choice.I’ve noticed a trend of sorts recently towards multiple brands, which isn’t always a good thing. From my observation, brand-breeding seems especially prevalent among solopreneurs who seem to feel that every endeavor needs its own brand platform.These independent professionals are trying to segment their brands and their lives, but often don’t succeed at either effort. The smaller the company, the harder it is to juggle multiple brands.Larger firms have similar issues, but it’s much easier to manage sub-brands or even disparate brands when you employ thousands of people and serve markets around the world. Different divisions often have their own brands, staff and identity for operational efficiency and marketing purposes.Regardless of whether you’re sitting behind a desk as a Fortune 500 company or a start-up, my advice on when to create a new brand can help you make the right choice.First, let’s look at the symptoms of split-brand personality disorder…
Multiple email addresses for the same contact, each on different domains.
Several websites, often stacked up in a pile of 3 or 4 URLs on business cards and letterhead
A blinding variety of logos which don’t seem to have any relation to each other
Customers are confused by the variety of product brands and/or company brands.
If you deal with any of these symptoms on a daily basis, or other issues like multiple signs on the door and not knowing what name to use when answering the phone, you may have a brand problem.Multi-Brand Hazards
Sometimes a new offering seems to demand its own brand, but it does carry risks. Stop and think hard before you head down that path. Downstream implications of multiple brands mean your business must deal with issues like:
What website do we send customers to? Is it worth splitting your website traffic between two or more sites, of is it better to have one site with several products or services listed?
What email addresses will our staff use? A consistent address build brand value, while variations dilute the brand.
How do we manage leads? Are responses uniform, or to you need brand-specific messages?
Will you have different sales teams for each brand? If yes, are the competing with each other for business?
Is there a unique P&L for each brand? If so, can you easily allocate revenue and expenses?
How will you manage social media profiles? One for each brand or an umbrella presence for the whole company?
These and many more queries will come up as you work to manage your multi-brand business. Sometimes it’s worth the trouble, and often, it’s not.When Should You Add A Brand?
There are some valid reasons for creating a new brand. It makes business sense to develop a stand-alone identity when certain criteria are met. These include:
A change in geography. If you’re entering a new country, a separate brand may make sense to address cultural differences. Often there’s a benefit to carrying forward an existing brand, but sometime language or imagery are not appropriate in the new market. A classic case in point is the Chevy Nova: “no va” mean “its doesn’t go” in Spanish, no such a good moniker for a car!
A dramatically different market. When your new offer targets a unique customer set, like small businesses rather than your usual enterprise market, branding can be used to differentiate the offers. This can help limit segment migration and fears one group of customer may have that you’re losing focus on their needs.
Differentiation (or discretion) is required. Sometimes a new offer appeals to a group of customers your existing buyers don’t really want to be associated with. Instead of selling both offers under one brand, you may chose to roll out the new offer with a distinct brand to avoid rocking the boat.
You have an exit strategy. Some products are developed with the intent of being sold once they gain traction. This is a lot easier to manage when the offering doesn’t carry the corporate name or that of the marquee product you plan to keep in your portfolio.
Vastly different products. If you’re launching a completely new and different category of product, you may find a separate brand is easier to sell to your existing customers than one that looks too much like what they’re used to. An example might be an organic yogurt firm branching into hosiery. The buyers might be the same, but they could have trouble making the connection between your product lines.
If you’ve got more questions about when or how to introduce a new brand, I’m happy to help. Feel free to leave a comment or give me a call at 678.823.8228.