If you've done any research at all, you've probably already realized that getting into the field of selling merchant services can be extremely profitable. Just about every serious business needs a merchant account, so the number of prospects that you could work with are countless and the market is ever-expanding as the economy recovers.

You might also realize, though, that becoming a registered ISO or starting a credit card processing company yourself can be expensive, but luckily this is not your only option when you're looking to break into this field. One of the best ways to get into the digital payments business is to start your career out as a independent sales agent. The upfront costs are minimal, and you can learn the business inside and out with a lot of room for growth. It's one of those coveted sales positions where you not only get commission at the time of the sale, but you usually receive residuals for the life of the account.

The key to success as a merchant services agent is choosing the right partner company to work with—this is an ISO whose products and services you will be offering to merchants. Since finding the best ISO agent program is so imperative to your future, take your time to consider who will be the best fit for you.

Top 5 Merchant Services Agent ISO Programs

In order to help you get started on your quest, here are five of the best ISO agent programs out there that you can look into:

Looking for a company that has a lot of experience and support? This can be especially important when you're first starting out. You don't want to just be left in the dust whenever you have questions or if something goes wrong. We are very committed to offering the best service possible to not only our end-users, but more importantly to our sales agents. We provide you with the latest technology, varied offers to give to your merchants, and top-notch service. We also offer extremely fast payments, and in fact will pay you every day instead of making you wait for weeks.

If you are a sales-oriented individual with vast experience in the world of credit card processing or you are a driven and motivated professional looking for a new challenge, Shaw Merchant Group will be a great fit for you. With the most competitive commission structure in the industry, SMG will see to it that you are rewarded for your efforts.

As one of the best ISO agent programs, SMG has a history of a favorable commission structure, superior products, and sales support for our ISO partners. With so much commission at stake, you will truly feel like a partner in the SMG business plan.

With Shaw Merchant Group's white label program, you'll be able to market under your own brand, without paying costly annual fees! Your brand will be seen on the partner portal, marketing communications, merchant statements, and much more.

Part of working in any field is having a niche, but oftentimes you can find yourself partnered with a company that won't approve of the merchants that you want to work with. Nothing is more disappointing than having great personal connections and prospects, but needing to turn them down because they run a “high risk” business, such as a liquor store, an e-commerce business, or any sort of retail store that would be subject to a lot of charge-backs.

With EMS's program, however, you won't have to worry about any of that. They will deal with just about any sort of merchant, including high-risk applicants. In fact, they approve about 95% of the merchants who seek accounts with them. This is good news for your clients and for you—especially since high risk merchant accounts can be particularly lucrative.

Electronic Merchant Systems is a good choice if your merchant is an e-commerce business. They offer multiple gateways to make sure your client's shopping cart software will work perfectly with them. Give them a try, especially if your merchants tend to get rejected by other ISO's.

Want to go with a leader in the industry? North American Bancard is a great ISO with a lot of options for the ambitious sales agent. For one, they have a proven track record of service and have been around since 1992. They offer some of the easiest-to-navigate merchant applications around, a great support team, and in-depth training so that you can sell more effectively and grow in your payment processing career. They were among the firsts in the business to offer lifetime residuals from every deal that their sales agents close. If you want a reliable company that will let you build the passive income side of your business, you should seriously consider NAB.

Naturally, you are probably going to want to research more than just a few companies, but these are truly some of the best and brightest in the industry, and it's not a bad list to start with. Before anything else, it's important to perform a self-assessment and decide what your needs and wants are when it comes to an ISO partnership. Really, this means asking yourself: What kind of ISO is going to best serve my clients? If you still have no idea, that's perfectly fine. You don't have to limit yourself to a single ISO, and in fact it's probably a good idea when you are starting out to try several different processors.

Maybe you're looking for a very reliable company that has a history of great service and close relationships with their merchants and sales agents. In that case, you won't go wrong with PayProTec. They offer great customer support, as well as extensive online resources that you can use to build your business. When you sign up as a merchant services agent, you get a free website, a back-end portal where you can check your stats online, and the ability to look up trouble tickets and see any problems that your merchants are having. Like NAB and a few others mentioned here, they also have a free terminal program.

Interestingly enough, they're not just paying lip service when they say that they care about their sales agents—they offer health care benefits and will reimburse half of your costs! This definitely helps to relieve one of the bigger headaches of being self-employed.

Shift 4 Payments is one of the largest providers of POS systems and payment processing services in the US. They handle over one hundred thousand merchant accounts across the nation, and billions of dollars worth of transactions. Part of the reason they are so ubiquitous in the payment processing field is no doubt due to their superior merchant services agent program. They have smart, forward-thinking, and extremely competitive offers that make selling merchant services a snap compared to more “traditional” programs. For example, they helped pioneer the introduction of free terminal offers. In other words, you can provide the hardware to your client for no upfront costs to them, and still receive a handsome commission and great residuals afterwards.

“Free” is not a hard sell at all, so even if you choose another company, it's probably a good idea for you to make sure that your merchant services partner has a free terminal program. It's not always going to be a good fit for every merchant, but rest assured that more and more of your clients will be expecting free equipment.

One of the most lucrative fields that you can get into as a salesperson is selling to other businesses and especially selling merchant services. Unlike most end consumers, business owners keenly understand the value of investing wisely in long-term solutions, and not merely throwing away their money on something cheap. If you want to truly contribute value to other business owners, while making a decent paycheck every month yourself, one of the best ways to do that is to offer quality merchant services. You will be invaluable to your clients, and if you serve them well, they will continue to look to you for ways to make their business more efficient.

Why start selling on your own, though? Isn't that a lot more work? What are the benefits if you're already working in a commission-based kind of job? Well, here are a few of the major ones:

More Control

Even if you're working in a field where you get a relative amount of independence, like in sales, you still don't have complete control, and your whole work life revolves around satisfying someone else's numbers. You may have your own personal selling style, but the overall strategy that the company follows—the direction in which “the ship” is being steered—is not determined by you, but by someone else. This may not be such a bad thing for some people, but it also means that your livelihood is ultimately in someone else's hands. What if the owners of the company that you work for make a dumb decision that spells the end of the business? You will have to suffer the consequences anyway, even though it wasn't your fault.

More Cash

Of course, if you own your own business, you have the potential to make a lot more money than someone who doesn't. If you're an independent contractor, at the end of the day, the people above you are raking in the most money. Sure, as a merchant services representative, you might make a hefty percentage of that, but the fact of the matter is that your potential for financial growth is stunted. If you have a business that you control yourself, it is basically up to you how much money you want to make, and you keep more of the fruits of your hard work.

The Potential for Scale

The thing about a normal job, even a merchant services sales job, where you're working for someone else, is that you rarely have the possibility to scale things up. In other words, you can't “replicate” yourself by hiring someone else to do some of your tasks, and this can greatly reduce your long-term income potential. When you run your own merchant services business, you can choose to run it in many different ways, but one way is to outsource the work slowly until your business can practically run on its own. For true residual, passive income, this is the kind of situation that you will want to be in. This is what makes it possible for you to work because you want to, and to make money even in your sleep. You just can't do this when you work for someone else.

Now, you may be thinking: How to start a payment processing company? Maybe you've been a salesperson for awhile—maybe you've even been selling POS equipment and other important retail tools—but you're not sure how to make that leap into selling for yourself.

Well, unless you've invented and designed your own solutions, you're going to have to start by forming a partnership with a company that you believe in. They're going to have to make a product that you can really get behind because, if you're building a business for yourself, most of your money is ultimately going to come from the back-end, from repeat customers. This is why it is so important to take a step back and think about quality above anything else. By all means, find a program that is lucrative, but don't ever sell a product that you wouldn't feel enthusiastic about using yourself. In the end, this is what is really going to create repeat business.

What traits do you look for in a merchant services agent program, then? Don't be taken in by any fancy bells and whistles. Basically, these are the things you are going to want to see:

A History of Reliability

Again, there's no sense in selling shoddy services or products. Look up reviews of the company and decide if they are any good. Research their products and make sure that they are user-friendly. Find a way to use them if you can. The easiest products to sell are the ones that are actually good because they basically sell themselves time and time again.

Generous Revenue Share

Since this is going to be the core of your business, you are going to want to find a merchant services partnership that gives you a good cut of the sales. If you're doing all the work of finding and maintaining leads, then you need a fair percentage of what that customer is paying.

Residual Income

Part of what makes selling merchant services and POS services so lucrative is that there is often a monthly fee involved or else the merchant services company takes a percentage of the user's sales. As a partner, make sure that you have access to a significant portion of that long-term income as well. This is what is going to pay you month after month, even long after you have made the initial sale. This is where most of your money is, really.

Lots of Options and Flexibility

The company you work with should have lots of different options when it comes to revenue sharing, that way you will be able to build a strategy out of the one that best suits your business.

If you are ready to dive into the world of becoming an ISO for merchant services, then you are probably on the prowl for the best ISO agent program. The merchant processing industry is a lucrative one, but only when the ISO chooses the right partner to operate under. The ISO agent program that you choose to operate under can have a big impact on your earnings, quality of business, range of potential clients, payout frequency, and many other parts of your business that should be considered essential. This short guide will give you the information that you need to select the best credit card processing ISO program in the industry and will even give you a bit of information about who we feel has the best ISO agent program and why.

Why is it important to select the best ISO agent program?

It is important to pick out the best ISO agent program because the program that you choose will have some very drastic effects on the income that you are able to earn and other aspects of your business. If you want to set your business up for success in merchant processing, then choosing the ISO program that you are going to be operating under is a highly essential part of that process.

Each ISO agent program attempts to achieve relatively the same thing, but with different benefits and results that attract different types of clients and merchants. You should never assume that all ISO agent programs are the same and have the same benefits, rates, payouts, and other incentives to get you to use their program. Carefully screen the specifications of each program to actually find the program that is right for you.

Is it the same for everyone?

When it comes to finding the best ISO agent program in the industry, the truth is that there is no one answer that fits the needs of everyone. Each ISO program is different with their pay structures, marketing tools, and other resources that they give you to succeed in merchant services. So, the answer likely won’t be the same for everyone and will instead depend on what industry you’re in.

However, that’s not to say that some programs don’t rise above the rest. There are certainly programs out there that have displayed excellence time and time again, giving themselves an excellent reputation when it comes to payments, resources, and the other benefits that a particular program is able to offer.

While one program doesn’t usually fit all sizes, you can increase your chances of having success as an ISO by picking out a program that has repeatedly exceeded expectations and set the gold standard when it comes to ISO agent programs.

What to look for in a credit card processing ISO program

When you are in the process of selecting a program, there are some select features that you should be examining to ensure you find the right program for you. Here are some of the features that you should look for when screening potential ISO agent programs for your ISO to partner with and offer merchant services.

Payout

When you partner with an ISO agent program, you definitely want to make sure that they pay accurately and that they pay on time. Closing sales as an ISO won’t help you unless you are actually being paid your residuals and commissions that are due to you. Make sure that the company that you work with has a reputation for paying on time.

Residuals

A very important factor that you should take into consideration when selecting an ISO agent program to work with is what the residual rate is. These rates range from 50%-75% and are the backbone of your business. Earning residuals is often passive after the initial setup, so be sure that you are getting as big of a share of them as possible before moving forward.

Marketing Advantages

When you partner with an ISO agent program, you want to be sure that the program you select has the tools and resources to make you more successful in merchant services. This includes the access that they give you to their marketing materials, initiatives, promotions, and literature that you can use to sway clients into signing on with your ISO.

Who has the best ISO program in the industry?

If you’re looking to partner with the best in the business, then you can’t do much better than Shaw Merchant Group. SMG has continuously proven their excellence and the quality of our ISO agent program. This ISO agent program has many benefits including high residual rates, prompt and accurate payments, and the ability to help market your services and provide you with the resources you need to close more sales. Choose Shaw Merchant Group if you want to set up your ISO for success now and in the future.

Merchant processing is one of the hottest and most popular lucrative fields in business right now, and that leaves many wondering how they can make a name for themselves in merchant processing. Becoming a registered ISO is one of the best ways to make money in merchant processing and establish a vast network that continues to bringin passive residuals over time. With a successful ISO, you can truly be setting yourself up for a lifetime of success and income that continues to grow. However, the process of becoming an ISO for Merchant Services is not always the simplest one, especially for those that have never registered as an Independent Sales Organization before.

If you want to know how to become a registered ISO and start earning the money that comes along with this lucrative profession, then you are in the right place. We will walk you through some of the basic concepts that surround becoming an ISO and teach you the steps to becoming a merchant services ISO so that you can begin building a better income for your future. Follow along to learn the pathway that you must take if you are going to become a registered ISO.

What is an ISO?

Before you become a merchant services ISO and go through the lengthy process that it entails, you must first make sure that you have a good grasp on what exactly an ISO is and what it would mean for you to become an ISO.

An ISO is an organization that is responsible for selling merchant services, such as processing, to businesses. ISOs operate under larger companies, for which they sell their services. In addition to being a type of “agent” themselves, ISOs also have agents that work underneath them to help sell their products and services.

ISOs make money by earning a commission of processing services that are sold and they also earn money by providing services to the merchant accounts that are opened by their agents. ISOs are a hub of activity in the merchant processing world and since so many transactions run through them, it can be a very lucrative field to be in.

One thing that you will need to know is that an ISO is a legally registered business, so you will have to decide which type of business you want to register as. There are a number of options, each one providing its benefits and downfalls. Make sure that you have a plan of action for when you get to this stage of the process.

Is it worth it to become an ISO?

Being an ISO has a lot of similarities to being a merchant services agent, but there are some key differences. Both allow you to make money by selling merchant services and processing agreements, but being an agent is slightly more limiting than being an ISO. That’s not to say that being an ISO is easy, because it is not. There are months of work that go into being either of these designations.

However, there are some advantages that make it worth it to become a registered ISO if you want to make a splash in the merchant services industry. One of these advantages is that you will get to operate under your own business name. This gives you added credibility when conducting business with your customers and provides you with an easier marketing task. When you are an agent for an ISO or larger merchant services company, you are not able to use your own business name to market yourself. This can turn into a disadvantage if you are trying to create your own brand.

Another distinct advantage to being a merchant services or credit card processing ISO is that you can earn money in more ways than one. When you become a registered ISO, you will have the opportunity to have sub-agents below you that can earn money and residuals for your ISO. As a regular agent, you don’t have this ability and your income is limited to what you can sell with the time that you alone have. Being an ISO allows you to scale up your business and provide you with income around the clock.

All in all, becoming an ISO is a step that can really launch your career in merchant services and set you up for a much higher long-term income.

How to register

If you have decided that becoming an ISO is the right choice for you, then congratulations. Becoming an ISO is an accomplishment that can open a lot of doors for you. First, you’ll need to register and work through the legal and administrative hurdles that stand between you and becoming an ISO.

Pick a name

This step is very important and allows you to enjoy the benefit of being an ISO and branding yourself rather than being forced to operate a different brand.

Decide on your business type

Depending on your unique situation and circumstances, you will need to pick the business type that you will be creating. This is very important down the line.

Register with state

Make sure that you file all the necessary paperwork with your state.

Get your permits

This will vary from state to state, but you will at least need a business license to operate and start accepting payments.

Register with tax agency

Register your business with local and national tax agencies to ensure you are compliant with all tax regulations and obligations.

Create a plan

Create your business plan and organize staff, buildings, etc.

Find a  sponsor

Find a reputable and high-quality parent merchant services company that you can operate under to provide your clients with good service.

Create a contract

Create and review the contract that you make with your sponsor company to ensure you are both on the same page and understand what you are obligated to.

Finalize your sponsor

Once you are comfortable with the contract, go ahead and finalize your contract to cement the deal.

Start selling!

Now that you’re an ISO, the sky is the limit. Find sub-agents, close deals, and market your ISO as its own unique business.

How You Can Make 6-Figures Selling Merchant Services

Selling merchant services is popularly known to be very lucrative, but one of the most asked questions by many potential ISO agents is how much money can you make selling merchant services? They want to know whether they will be able to make a sustainable income from selling merchant products and services.

There is no straight answer to this popular question because the amount of money you make is dependent on the effort and handwork you put in. Those who have succeeded in selling credit card processing have shown exceptional dedication and hard work.

If you are wondering about how to become a merchant service provider and become successful in it, then hard work and dedication must be part of you.

Showing you the potential income that you can make selling merchant services is the simplest way to answer this burning question; how much money can you make selling credit card processing services?

According to research, selling payment processing services has the potential to earn hardworking and determined agents over $100k per year.

How You Can Earn $100k Per Year Selling Merchant Accounts

It is important to realize that merchant services agents get about $600 upfront for every new customer they sign up.

This amount is paid instantly after an agent manages to make a deal.

In addition to this, successful agents also receive a monthly pay out that on average increases by $1250 per month. This money is known as residual income. According to experts, $1250 is low, bearing in mind that success rates are depending on the agent's skill level.

Understanding Residual Income

If you are looking into how to start a credit card processing company, then you need to understand about residual income.

When the merchant you have signed up for the service use their credit card to receive payments, the payment processing company will receive a certain percentage of the amount received.

As long as the merchants' continue to be happy with the credit card processing products and services, the payment processing company will continue receiving a certain percentage of the money transfers.

The ISO agent who signed the merchant client up for service will receive 50%-80% of this income. This means that every time the merchant client is using their credit card, then the ISO agent will be making money. This is what is known as residual or passive income.

Now that you understand what residual income is, let us take a good example of how to start a payment processing company and make over $100k in a year.

Assuming that the ISO agent is capable of signing 15 new merchant accunts every month. On average, the ISO agent as an example will receive $100 per month as residual income per merchant, which would be $1500 per month. Of course these amounts skyrocket if the ISO agent is selling the dual pricing program. This program wipes out all fees for the merchant client and produces 5X residual income.

If you are hardworking enough, you will manage to raise their monthly income to about $9000 on average per month, which will translate to about $108,000 per year. This now answers the question; how much money you are able to make selling merchant services?

Tips To Help You Make $100k as a Merchant Services Provider

There are things that you need to put in place in addition to being hardworking in order to succeed. These tips will help you understand how to become a credit card processor and to easily make $100k per year. In order to make 6 figures in merchant services sales, you need to:

1. Set Your Goal: Just like in any industry, business goals are very important. These help you to be disciplined and stay focused on what you need to do. If you wish to make $9000 per month, then set that as your goal and put it the effort to attain that. If you wish to sign 15 merchants every month, set it as your goal and work towards attaining that.

2. Join the Right ISO Program: The merchant services agent program you join will determine your success. Look for an ISO agent program that provides both the tools and support needed to successfully run your business. Shaw Merchant Group is one of the top-rated ISO agent programs that you can join.

3. Understand Your Product: Ensuring that you understand your merchant products and services is important in helping you stay competitive. The ISO agent program you choose should be in the capacity to provide firsthand information about the credit card processing business. This will help you to stay up to date on selling merchant services and in-turn, attract merchant leads.

4. Manage Your Time: As an independent sales agent, it can be very difficult for you to stay committed to what you do. Remember that you are 100% responsible for your daily tasks. For you to succeed in merchant services, it is critical to stick to your schedule. Divide your time to tackle things such as following up with your leads and finding new leads. If you find it difficult to manage time by yourself, you can use apps and tools to schedule your daily tasks. This will improve your productivity and bring you a step close to making more money.

5. Invest In Referrals: Referrals are very important in helping you grow your merchant services business. This is very effective when starting out as a merchant service provider. Set a strategy to use and follow up with clients so as to get most referrals from every merchant client you get.

If you offer exceptional services, then your referral list will keep on growing. You will be getting new leads on a consistent basis.

With these above tips, it should be more clear for you to earn handsome amount of money.

The ball is in your court; you now know the amount you can make from your digital payments business. Remember that there is no limit to the amount of money you can make. Put in the effort, and you could possibly make millions in your digital payments business.

If you’ve been considering becoming a merchant services agent for a credit card processing company, you probably already realize that it can be a very lucrative career path. Even better, it’s the kind of work that allows you to make your own decisions and get out of the stuffy office to meet people face to face. As a merchant service agent, you’re basically your own boss and you act as the middle man between the credit card company and the client.

Does this sound like something you could get into? If so, then you’re at the start of an exciting and profitable path. However, as with any other kind of work, there’s always a learning curve, especially if you want to be the kind of agent that clients seek out again and again. In other words, there are certain traits that successful merchant services representative have that help them rise above the rest (and make more money).

Have a Plan

The first thing that you can do for yourself in any endeavor is to have a plan. When you’re a sales agent, you’re basically running a business like any other, though this can require a period of adjustment for those who are transitioning from the lifestyle of an employee.

The fact that you have your own business is both a blessing and a responsibility. Yes, you have more freedom, but having a plan and carrying out every aspect of it becomes much more essential when you have no one else to turn to. Your credit card processor will certainly help you, but the direction that you want to take things is up to you.

What do you need to plan, specifically? Well, the most important thing you will need to decide ahead of time is how you will approach your market. Where will your revenue come from? Will you target people online? Will you do cold calling? Will you perform outreach to businesses in person?

Whatever the plan, choose one or just a few approaches to focus on. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Plan your focus and work your plan until you start getting some results (or not) and then pivot to another focus accordingly.

The point of the plan is to give you some sort of direction, so that you’re never lost in that no-man’s land of wondering what you should do next.

Leverage Your Social Network

Since finding a credit card processor can be an important step for a business owner, they often rely on referrals when they choose an agent to work with. Knowing this, make sure that you’re on everyone’s radar.

etwork and get to know people. Find people to spread the word about the services that you’re offering. You might even offer people pay for the referrals that they send you. It may sound a little weird at first, but it’s not that different from what you’re doing yourself relative to the credit card processing company. Either way, you probably won’t have trouble getting referrals from past clients for free if you’ve made them happy.

Just make yourself known in the community. Offer to help even when there’s no clear benefit for your upfront, and soon enough you will find merchants getting into contact with you. Trust is an extremely important element that cannot be underestimated, and you cultivate that through your connections and through offering people genuine value.

Pick the Right Partner

The decision of which ISO agent program to choose to work with is something that you should consider carefully. Not all credit card processors are created equal. Some might not offer very good customer service, or they might not have a good variety of plans and options, or they may simply not be willing to take on the type of clients that you want to serve.

You have to take many different factors into account. First and foremost, take a look at what the company has to offer your end users. Do they have free terminal plans? Are their fees exorbitant or fair? Play with the interface of the POS systems that they offer if you can. Are they easy to use? Do they use modern software and hardware that is lightweight and secure, or are they stuck in the last century? Try to find an ISO Program that offers equipment that is more or less future-proof, at least for the next few years. Look for a company that values change and is willing to adapt to the industry.

Get to know some merchants and merchant services agents who use the processor and get some feedback. Is the customer service good? Are they responsive and attentive? If you choose a partner that will be prone to abandon you, this can be a huge pain in the neck if something goes wrong, needless to say. Your merchants will be looking to you to keep their transaction systems running smoothly, and you need a partner who will be on your side.

Another thing to be clear on right away is whether or not they are willing to serve your future clients. The fact of the matter is that a lot of merchant services ISO’s will not work with businesses that they deem “high risk,” or businesses that tend to be subject to a lot of charge backs and fraud. Stolen credit cards and other issues are a sad reality of the economy, and in some industries these problems are more common, such as in ecommerce. A merchant services ISO may also refuse to work with a business that deals in “vice,” such as alcohol, tobacco, adult entertainment, and other similar kinds of markets. If you plan on working with clients in such industries, you need a partner who will support you.

If everything else checks out, you will have to go over your contract and fee schedule. Just as you don’t want the fees to be too high overall to avoid gouging your clients, you also want a fair cut of the fees for yourself. Make sure that your merchant services agent program will give you generous options for residuals and bonuses. At the same time, also keep your eyes peeled for any deals that seem way too good to be true. If you can fathom how the ISO is making money because it’s offering sales agents ridiculously good incentives, something is fishy. This is why it’s important to do your research thoroughly before signing up with a partner.

There are a few important things to watch out for in your contract, or else you may endanger your income. Make sure that there are no exclusivity clauses. If your merchant services ISO wants to force you into a exclusive relationship with them, find another one to work with. There is no reason that you should be able to work with more than one partner, and the freedom of being able to switch if one of them becomes irrelevant will make a huge difference for your business.

Something else to watch out for in the fine print are any quota requirements. If your partner requires you to open X amount of new accounts per month, or else you lose your residuals (even if your past clients are still with the company), then run far away. Find a partner company that allows you to rightfully own your residuals. This means that you keep them for the life of the account, regardless of any new accounts you open, and you should also be able to sell your residuals if you would rather have a lump sum.

Finally, find a company that will help train you on all of the equipment and software that they offer, and that will help you read all of the forms that you’ll be working with. You need to really know what you’re doing to be a success in this business—but we’ll talk more at length about that below:

Actually Know What You’re Doing

When it comes to any field—from credit card processing to underwater basket weaving—the number one thing that will make you successful is to serve your customers well. In fact, in a lot of ways, this is the only thing that really matters to your bottom line. Your clients have a problem, and you have to solve it well enough that they’re happy with what you gave them.

The only way that you can do that, though, is by knowing what you’re doing. Make sure to take advantage of all of the training materials that your credit card processor offers. Read the literature and even go to industry conferences and workshops if you can. You will learn huge amounts of information by listening to people who have already been playing the game for a long while.

When it comes to your income, it’s also important to know what you’re doing. Don’t just assume that your credit card processor is paying you what they owe. Learn to read your merchant statement and go through all of the details every month. If you’re confused, your ISO partner should help you. You can also recruit the help of more experienced sales agents.

Be Completely Honest

Trust is important in business. It’s what will keep people coming back. It is what will make people hesitate switching to your competitor. The only way to earn and keep people’s trust long term is to cultivate a reputation for honesty. This cannot be bought and you cannot use advertising tactics to get this. You can only earn it by being completely transparent and honest.

Don’t hide the bigger picture from your clients. Tell them exactly what is going on, exactly how much they are going to pay, and exactly what they can expect with the packages that you’re selling them. Teach them everything that they are willing to learn and show them as much as you can about the equipment and software that you’re giving them.

When a client feels that they can trust you, and they see that you went above and beyond what was expected, you have a loyal customer for life. Considering the potential value of long-term residuals in this business, the difference between being honest and trying to turn someone into a sucker for short term gains could be hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Being a merchant services agent can be a great way to earn a piece of the very large credit card processing pie. The industry will only be growing larger in the next few years, and more opportunity will present itself to those who are highly motivated. Having said that, this is a very competitive field, and you will greatly improve your odds of success by following the guidelines above.

The credit card processing industry is like any other business, and your focus should be first and foremost with the customer. Pick the right ISO agent program, use your social network, and make sure that you’re honest and that you know what you’re doing. After that, the rest should follow.

Are you looking to get involved in the merchant services industry, but you're not sure how to start? A good approach might be to sign up for our merchant services agent program, and we will pay you based on quality leads that you bring to us. You can get as involved in the process as you would like, and depending on your contribution, you can receive lucrative commissions and even residuals. These residuals can continue to pay for the life of the merchant's account, as well.

For some salespeople, referring their existing clients and making a small commission per sign-up may be enough, while for others, the prospect of monthly residuals and working closely with merchants to maintain accounts may be more attractive. It depends on your goals, as well as whether you want to become deeply involved with the merchant services industry as a whole. Needless to say, on all levels, there is nearly unlimited income potential because the field of merchant services is vast and constantly growing. No matter what your circumstance, chances are that many business owners around you are in need of a merchant account, and we are willing to reward you handsomely for the opportunity to serve the leads that you bring to us.

Here is the breakdown of our merchant services referral program and its different levels:

Very Little Involvement

 If you're interested in a relationship that is more akin to affiliate marketing, where you find the leads, refer them to us, and then move on, then we have a program that can accommodate that. Whether you're a long-time affiliate marketer who is looking for a new niche, or you simply work with many merchants and would like a way to make some money from your contacts, this is an easy way to earn commissions without too much commitment. At this level, you do not need to contact merchants any further after you have made the referral.

Simply refer a merchant to us, and you will get $50 for every successful sign-up. The various techniques that you use to promote our services depends on you. If you run a website related to merchant services or that is targeted largely towards merchants and their needs, you could easily mention us and make commissions by referring your visitors. Similarly, if you run a newsletter or an online community, you can promote us to your audience and send them to our website using a custom link.

If in-person contact is more your style, you might try out passing around business cards with your custom link included. If you run a business-to-business enterprise yourself, you may find many opportunities to offer our services to your clients, allowing you to maximize your revenue.

Some Involvement

If you want the chance to earn some residuals, then this might be a good choice. Like the program above, you can earn $50 dollars upfront for every sign-up, but if you have 10 active accounts from merchants that you have referred, then you will be eligible to receive a portion of the revenue that they generate every month. As you can imagine, these residuals can certainly add up as you begin to accumulate more and more accounts.

Just as with the less involved referral program or credit card processing agent program, you may find leads from any number of sources, including leveraging an existing audience of yours or simply visiting local merchants and telling them about what we have to offer.

When you reach the point where you are receiving residuals, you may become much more interested in maintaining your relationship with the merchants to ensure that they stay on board. After all, the lower the account attrition, the better your chances of receiving continuous residuals. If that is the case, you might actually consider getting more involved, and perhaps even targeting local merchants specifically so that you can begin walking them through the process of signing up for our services.

High Involvement

Do you want to help the merchant set up his account step by step? Do you want to make sure that clients get what they need in order to keep the high quality accounts that you have worked to acquire? At this level, your commissions depend on how involved you want to get with the program, but it can be hundreds of dollars upfront per account, plus residuals. The more work you want to put into our clients, the more you will make in terms of commissions.

As you can see, we can accommodate all kinds of salespersons with varying levels of interest in our program. No matter what kind of approach you want to take, you are bound to make money with our high quality merchant services agent programs. We provide tools as well that will help you make the most of your partnership with us, including:

• A back end that allows you to create custom links with your affiliate code which will let us track referrals that come from you. This makes it easier to credit you with the commission that you are due. You can paste this link anywhere that your audience will be able to see it, whether it is on your website or in your email newsletters.
• Creative banner ads and other templates that can link back to just about any page on our site. Advertise specific products and services that we offer so that you can target the merchants who need them and increase your conversion rate. There's also no need to build your own graphics from scratch, since you can simply use ours.
• Free marketing tools. We offer email templates that you can send to your marketing list, landing pages that you can use to convert traffic, and other custom marketing materials.

So whether you are a mechant sales agent, a marketer, or merely someone who is in constant contact with merchants and would like to build another revenue stream, we have a solution for you. Send us your leads and we will reward you. 

Are you planning to become a merchant service provider? When it comes to selling merchant services, there are thousands of ISO agent programs for you to choose from. It is very exciting to become a merchant services provider. However, without the necessary information and details, it is very easy for you to fail. The merchant services business is both complex and lucrative. There are several ISO agent programs available. Choosing the one to suit your specific needs can be very tricky, but luckily we are going to give you expert advice and tips on choosing the best one. Some factors to consider in order to become a merchant service provider include the tools offered by the company you chose, technology use, and customer supports. This article paints a clear picture of what a great ISO agent program should look like.

9 Characteristics of a Good Merchant Service ISO Program

The following are some of the key characteristics that define a reliable ISO agent program. A company with the following traits increases your chances of being successful in your credit card processing business.

Exceptional Customer Service

This is one of the most critical characteristics of a good ISO agent program. However, it is one of the most overlooked things when an agent wants to become an ISO and when seeking out an ISO partner. In the merchant services business, the worst-case scenario would be to receive complaints from your clients, and you are unable to get in touch with your merchant services partner. This can really ruin your business. It is a great practice to look for an ISO agent program that provides 24/7 customer support. In addition, the customer care representatives should be able to attend to any questions, both general and technical, within the shortest time possible.

Same-Day Funds Deposits

This is another important feature to look out for when choosing a ISO agent program. Clients do not have to wait for long to get their funds deposited into their bank account when a transaction is made. The same day funding is a great incentive that will leave your clients happy and also help you when promoting your business.

Ability to Handle High-Risk Merchant Accounts

Though you might not be dealing with clients who have high-risk transactions such as travel agencies, CBD companies, bail bonds, credit collections, medical marijuana, etc. it is important for the ISO agent program you choose to handle high-risk merchant account. You might get clients who operate high-risk operations, and therefore the benefit of this is to ensure that the business of your clients is running smoothly without any payment glitches.

Great Discount Opportunities

The fees associated with credit card processing are quite high. These high fees have been causing businesses to scramble. The cash discount or dual pricing program enable merchants to implement a service fee to customers who pay via credit card and issue discounts to those who pay via cash. The merchant does not have to pay a fee for each transaction they run, and therefore this saves them money. You should, therefore, ensure you find a ISO agent program that offers these opportunities.

Assistance on Marketing

When it comes to credit card processing business, marketing can be the hard part. However, with a great team behind you to offer marketing assistance, it becomes easy. For you to turn cold leads to warm leads, you will need an effective plan or hire a marketing team. They will assist in providing marketing information as well as design on marketing brochers ect.

Flexible Compensation Plan

Getting paid is one of the most important steps as a merchant services provider. It is critical to get compensated for the work and effort you put into your merchant services business. Look out for a ISO agent program that will help you realize your goals and meet your needs. Note: Pay attention to the agreement document to make sure you understand all the details.

Residual Income Tracking

A good ISO agent program will help you get residual analytics; this is very important for your business. The use of technology and the latest software to track residual income is a must for a good ISO agent program that you are going to choose. You should be able to see, at a glance, these details: number of clients, average profit, average ticket, top 10 merchants, and more.

Infrastructure

For the success of your credit card processing business, it is critical to look for an ISO partnership who readily avails the necessary infrastructure to you. The payment technology is very dynamic, and each year, there are new changes and improvements. There are several other payment methods that have come up. A good ISO agent program should give you access to these assortments of payment processing products. All these will give your clients payment processing options to choose from, which helps them to run their business smoothly. A good ISO agent program should be in the capacity to support most of the following infrastructures:

• Point of sale options to suit the need of your clients and buyers
• Smart terminals Online payment processing
• Mobile payments options
• A gift card and loyalty programs
• Check processing services

Multi Relationship with Various Banking Options

A great ISO agent program should facilitate a solid relationship with several banks. This creates options to resort to incase one bank declines an account. With this feature, you will have peace of mind and be able to easily close deals and get paid.

If you have been in sales for long, then you know what it is like to try to sell software and other solutions over the phone. It’s a tough industry and job that requires hard work, patience, and a winning formula. Calling someone is easy--convincing them to stay on the line is hard. If you are in merchant services sales and want to increase your phone sales and your overall revenue, then this short guide is a must have. In this short tutorial, we will cover some of the key tips to having success in merchant services and conducting merchant services sales over the phone with maximum optimization and earnings potential.

Difficulty of selling merchant services over the phone

When you think of selling merchant services over the phone, your mind might automatically turn to just setting appointments, touching base, and otherwise communicating with the potential customer over the phone. However, that’s not all that selling merchant services over the phone entails. Actually selling merchant services over the phone consists of every step of the process including consultation, implementation, and even signing the contracts. This all occurs from a remote location.

While this makes the business model somewhat convenient, it also makes having success in phone sales extremely difficult. In traditional sales, you have the opportunity to interface with your clients directly and speak with them. With phone sales, however, you will have to do all of this over the phone and digitally. The barrier is greater, and that is why so many fail when they don’t have a plan to address these issues.

However, it doesn’t mean that selling merchant services over the phone is impossible. Actually, hundreds of reps all over the country have success selling these services over the phone on a daily basis. Those with a good plan, sales skills, and some experience interacting with clients over the phone most definitely have a path to success.

Who isn’t right for selling merchant services over the phone?

Since you want to have success and selling merchant services over the phone takes a specific skill set, there are some merchant services agents that should avoid having to sell merchant services over the phone if possible. For beginners, it’s a good idea to get an in-person meeting when possible. Here are some of the characteristics that might make it difficult to succeed when selling merchant services over the phone.

Low experience with phone sales

If you are an individual that has little or no experience with selling merchant services over the phone, then some practice beforehand would be helpful. Selling merchant services can be difficult, and selling anything over the phone can be difficult. Together, they make for an increasingly difficult combination. Having success in merchant services over phone sales is entirely possible, but it is an ideal situation for those that at least have a bit of experience with selling over the phone.

No supply of leads

Selling without a good supply of leads is difficult for any industry, let alone merchant services. If you are going to sell over the phone, then you need to make sure that you have enough information to go off of. With a steady supply of leads that contain the information you need to make the sale, you will increase the chances of your success drastically. You should always make sure that you have a steady pipeline of leads before you begin your foray into merchant services phone sales.

Tips for success in phone merchant services sales

Now that that is out of the way, we can give you some actionable tips for having success with merchant services sales over the phone and giving yourself a leg up on the competition. Here are some of the most actionable tips and actions that you can take to have more success in phone merchant services sales.

Have a basis for the call

If you’re going to call a merchant looking to talk about how you can provide them a service, it’s best that you have a good reason for the call. If a merchant believes that you are only calling to sell them something that they don’t need, then they aren’t going to hang around on the call for very long and they will be immediately defense. However, if you can let them know that you have a solution for their problems or you are taking notice of an issue that they are having, you are much more likely to have success in converting them to a customer. Always make sure that you have a reason to be calling your merchant, otherwise they may believe that you are not worth their time.

Get to your value proposition early

If you do manage to get on the phone with a merchant, one of the most important things that you can do is to get to your value proposition early. Merchants especially have very little patience for people calling them to sell credit card processing products and services, since they get it so much. So, it’s helpful if you are able to show them right away that you have actual value and benefits to offer instead of just trying to make a sale. If you can make your point and show why you are valuable very early on in the process, the merchant is much more likely to be receptive to your pitch for a longer period of time.

Keep your merchant on the phone

It’s very important to keep your merchant on the phone for as long as possible. The longer that you are able to keep your merchant on the phone, the greater the chance that you have at converting your merchant into a customer. That’s not to say that you should keep them on the phone without regard to their needs. You should ask questions and start conversations that lead the merchant to simultaneously stay on the phone longer and learn more about the services that you have to offer. When you are conducting phone sales with a merchant, be sure to do your best to have a lengthy conversation with them so that they can become more familiar with you and start thinking of you as a business partner instead of a salesperson.

Take baby steps

When you are interacting with a merchant on the phone, it’s best to keep the asks small. By that, we mean that you shouldn’t go for the big sale right away. When conducting phone sales, it is best to take it in baby steps instead of trying to sell them on your most comprehensive solution that you have to offer. For instance, you should explain the benefits of an affordable and smaller-scale service first to allow them to see the benefit before going into the other options that you have to offer.

Go through the paper work as a team

When you do make a sale, your next task is to get them through the paperwork and make sure that they remain a merchant under your account. To do that, you should provide superior service and walk them through the paperwork process as a team instead of leaving them to fend for themselves. This cooperation and the help that you are able to provide them will lead to a long and productive relationship between merchant and agent.

Merchant services sales is one of the hottest and most lucrative sales industries on the market right now, and for that reason it is incredibly attractive. It is true that you can earn great money being a merchant services agent, but it often requires a strict training program and dedication to the craft. If you want to be successful in merchant sales, then there are some key pillars that you will need to be familiar with that will help you to succeed and thrive in merchant services sales. By following this crucial training structure, you can set yourself up for success in the merchant services industry.

Pursue a quality partnership

The first concept that you will need to be familiar with in your merchant services sales training regimen is that you should pursue a quality partnership and arrangement with a merchant services provider. As a merchant services salesperson, you will work under the umbrella of a merchant services provider that will be the backbone of your business. The partner that you choose will administer these services to the merchants that you sell to, so it’s very important that you find a merchant services provider that is reputable and can provide you with all the benefits that you need for success in the merchant services industry.

There are a few things that you should look for in a quality partnership with a merchant services provider such as prompt payment, good payment structure, frequent bonuses, large share of profits, quality support staff, solutions for every industry, and tools to help you succeed. A quality partner that can provide you with all of these things is one that can help catapult you to success in merchant services and enjoyment of a life that earns passive income. It’s critically important that you make the right decision when it comes to the merchant services provider that you choose.

Optimize your pricing structure

While sales is mostly about making connections with businesses and selling your products, there are a lot of other things that you can do to help yourself have success. One of the more subtle things that you can do is to optimize your pricing structure to provide you with more margin and more opportunities to increase your revenue. There are several ways that you can do this by offering upsells, sticking to strict limitations when offering discounts, and others.

While a change in your pricing structure might not make a large effect right away, when the effects are compounded over hundreds of transactions, you can notice a very large difference that will greatly impact the trajectory of your merchant services career.

The more options, the better

When you are going through the preliminary stages of training to be a merchant services agent, one of the most important things that you should be on the lookout for is a merchant services provider that doesn’t limit you by their payment processing capability or options. You should seek to work with a merchant services partner that provides you with a wide range of payment processing options such as debit, credit, cash, ACH, and others. When your partner offers these additional methods, you can offer them to your merchants. Merchants like to be presented with multiple options and flexibility, so if you can offer them flexibility in their payment processing solution, then they are more likely to work with you for their merchant services needs.

Providing good customer service

One of the most important lessons that you will learn in merchant services sales training is that customer service should be your main priority at all times. The customer is the most important party in the entire transaction and without happy customers as your merchants, you will find a very hard time succeeding in merchant services sales.

Providing good customer service is something that you will have to master if you want to get to the point where you are converting more customers and increasing your portfolio of merchants. To do this, you should be sure to always be attentive to customers’ needs, answer questions in a timely manner, and be able to get in touch with them whenever they need something from you.

However, you are not the only important person in the process when it comes to customer service. You should be partnering with a merchant services provider that also values the power of good customer service if you want to have success in merchant services sales. This means evaluating how well your merchant services provider is able to meet the needs of customers and what their reputation is for providing service to the merchants that they oversee.

If you can provide a good customer service experience to your merchants, then they are much more likely to continue coming back to you time and again for their processing needs.

Free terminals included

If you want to have success in merchant services sales, then you’ll quickly learn one of the secrets of the industry is to include a free terminal for your merchant. Not only do merchants love to have free bonuses included in their processing packages, but you’ll also be providing your merchant with a POS that is specifically designed to increase performance and efficiency while using your offering of processing solutions. With a terminal that is specifically designed to help your solution work in the best way possible, you can be sure that they are getting the best possible user experience that they could want.

This also helps your relationship with the merchant. Providing them with incentives is one thing, but they can take additional confidence in knowing that they are partnered with an agent that cares enough about their merchants to ensure that they have the proper equipment to get the job done the right way. If you want to increase your conversion rate and improve the quality of your relationships with your merchants, then offering a free POS system is a great way to do so and is now considered industry-standard.

Over time, working in the payment processing business as a ISO agent has slowly melded into one, thanks to customer demand for an all-in-one solution, and you may find yourself needing to offer this option to your own customers. POS terminals are easier to use these days than they were in the past, and most of your clients are going to be well familiar with the benefits that a good POS delivers over an old-fashioned cash register. If you give your clients the option of a POS solution, you'll be able to serve a more diverse range of customers, and even some very high volume accounts that will net you a decent profit in transaction fees. It's in your best interest to have a great free terminal offer that you can pass on to the end users for no upfront cost.

Since the providers of more of these terminals can essentially lock customers to one specific processor, it is hard to sell to merchants if you can't offer your own POS solution. This gives the merchants a way out without having to pay the upfront costs of getting a neutral terminal. You can basically eliminate a huge factor in a merchant's hesitation to switch over to your service.

POS Benefits and Customer Loyalty

POS systems do so much more than just take people's money; they are an important part of keeping track of the business's logistical concerns, and the business owner likely uses its processes on a daily basis. For example, a POS will handle credit cards, but it can also handle employee time clocks, sales reports, inventory tracking, and other important analytics. Since a POS can be so important and simplify so many daily actions, business owners will be more hesitant to switch to other providers once you have them “hooked” on your particular POS and its familiar interface. The last thing that business owners are looking to do is fix something that isn't broken, so they are likely to stay with you over the long-term. This makes for a much more consistent portfolio.

High Profit

Most merchants that are high volume, such as large restaurants and retail companies, must have a POS for all of its functions. Higher volume means more transaction fees, which means more profit for you. It would be harder to get these accounts if you could not offer your clients a POS solution.

Better Margins

Sure, if your a merchant services ISO or agent pitching lower rates to a merchant makes sense, and it may indeed convince them, but you'll have much more leverage if you throw a POS into the deal. You can also get away with charging more in fees this way because you're not focusing so much on competing at the price level.

Bonuses

Depending on the merchant services company that you're working with, you may also receive a bonus for every terminal that you provide to a merchant, even if you offered it to them for free.

Making Yourself the Better Option

When someone is a business owner, they want their life solutions to be as simple and easy as possible because they don't have time to mess around with the technology that they need to get the job done. Because of this, merchants are almost always going to prefer an all-in-one POS solution over just a simple credit card machine if they can get it for around the same price. By offering a POS, you are instantly making yourself a better option from other sales agents who are stuck in the past and aren't offering complete POS options.

Setting Yourself Up for the Future

The future is trending towards full POS options for most merchants as costs continue to plummet. If you give your merchants a POS now, you are effectively insuring yourself against obsolescence. Your clients will be less likely to be seduced by other sales agent in the future, since they will have everything that they need for quite some time.

POS Training

It might seem difficult to get started selling merchant services and POS systems to your clients if you never have before, or if you consider yourself to be technophobic. Luckily, we offer training to get you up to speed. Just let us teach you, and you will know exactly what you're doing faster than you probably thought possible. All of our courses—which you can take in person or online—are free, by the way.

The Basics of POS

Our first training course is an online one that you can take at your own pace, and that will show you the basics of how to sell merchant services and POS systems to your merchants. You will learn the ins and outs of the software and the hardware, as well as all of the back-end features that your clients will enjoy. You will also learn all about the benefits of POS systems over traditional credit card terminals, and you'll acquire plenty of material that you can use when you're persuading merchants to switch to your services.

Webinars

When you are done with the basic course and are ready to get started selling pos systems, this doesn't suddenly mean that your education is done. Just as technology changes, your knowledge about these terminals will have to evolve as well, so you would do well to learn as much as you can about these terminals. It will help you understand them better and offer good customer support. Join us regularly and we will give you all the latest updates on what you need to know.

ISO Registration

If you feel that you want to expand your credentials even more, you can become a registerd ISO with us. Visit our training center in person, and you can join our registration program. It involves you meeting sales goals and  a online class where you learn all about the different POS sub-types that we produce for merchants, and it will give you a very deep understanding of the products that you're selling. From there, you will become extremely prepared to sell merchant accounts and POS systems to any kind of merchant and will be able to give professional-level demos to your clients. Optionally, you can become certified to install your own POS systems at your merchant's location.

A True Merchant Service Company

We don't just offer POS systems; we offer just about any sort of solution that a merchant will ever need. From our free POS terminals, to our stand-alone credit card machines, to our free cash register, we have exactly what you're looking for to suit the specific needs of your specific clients. Our terminals are technologically advanced and ergonomic, and are extremely competitive in terms of functionality.

Profitable Fee Schedule

You are in the business to make a profit, so you're going to want a Schedule A that will allow you to make the kind of money you need. Our Schedule A is quite competitive and we offer many other benefits to working with us. For example, you can receive very handsome sign-up bonuses through us, as well as a 75% residual split. We allow you to build custom solutions for your clients as well, so that you can be sure that you are giving them the best deal and that you are more likely to close. We offer lucrative buyouts to help you raise the capital that you need when you are growing, as well as ISO white label opportunities.

If you are a first-time or small business owner, then you may have heard of flat-rate credit card processing. Every business needs a provider for credit card processing, as it is one of the most important aspects of any business--the ability to accept payments. However, choosing a provider and a fee structure can be a challenge that takes time, energy, and research. If you’re going to succeed, then you need to be familiar with every type of processing service and why they might be suitable for you. One of the most popular services purchased by small businesses when it comes to credit card pressing is flat-rate credit card processing. 

Flat-rate credit card processing has many benefits, but it's not the right situation for every business. This brief analysis of flat-rate credit card processing will give you some insight that helps you decide whether flat rate credit card processing is the right option for you, or if it's a bad choice for your specific business.

Credit card processing isn’t always the easiest concept or industry to understand

As a business owner, you are already aware of some of the struggles that you can experience when trying to determine a credit card processing provider. It is one of the most difficult things to do as a business owner, especially if you are trying to estimate the cost of accepting credit cards using a merchant services provider. Determining these costs can be difficult, which is why some business owners are drawn to a flat-rate processing model where the pricing is easier to understand.

However, these decisions depend on so many factors that it becomes a time-consuming task to determine which pricing model is best for you. To make it easier, this article will serve as a knowledge base and guide to helping you understand the factors that go into this decision and what concepts you need to understand.

Definition of flat-rate credit card processing

The first important concept of payment processing to know is what exactly flat-rate payment processing is. If you’re going to determine if it is the right choice for you, then knowing what it entails is the first and most important step. With an understanding of what flat-rate credit card processing is, you’ll be well on your way to understanding it at a deep enough level to decide whether it is the right choice for you. 

Credit card processing isn’t free. It costs the merchant a fee to implement and accept payment processing solutions. The variable here is what the cost is. Just like in any purchase, there are varying costs from different providers. Though consumers don’t consider it, it is the reality of being a business owner. In addition to trying to find the lowest fee, merchants also face the possibility that credit card processing fees will vary within the credit processing provider that they choose. 

One of the most significant and common reasons for credit card processing fees to fluctuate is the various fees charged by Visa, Mastercard, and other suppliers for using the card. In addition, there are fees charged by the issuing bank for the transaction and there are a couple more mouths to feed along the way. There are hundreds of services that are involved in this process and each one takes a different sized bite. For this reason, credit card processing fees can often fluctuate and have business owners confused about what they are actually paying to process credit card transactions.

To simplify things and make it easier for the merchant to understand, some of the best credit card processing companies have begun to offer flat-rate credit card processing fees. With flat-rate credit card processing fees, merchants are more able to predict exactly what the cost of accepting credit cards will be and forecast that into their profits and margin calculations. It comes with many benefits, but it’s not right for every business.

Benefits of Flat-Price Processing

As you can imagine, there are many benefits to flat-rate processing and that is why it is so commonly used by businesses that are seeking simplicity in their processing arrangements. When you have flat-price processing, there are a few aspects to love about your credit card processing agreement.

Predictability

The first benefit of using flat-rate credit card processing is being able to have a predictable credit card processing fee each month. With predictability in the rates that you are charged to process credit card transactions, you can not only plan your expenses better, but you can also price goods and services better to provide you with a more consistent margin. 

When you know what your processing rate is going to be, the need to fluctuate your item pricing will disappear. You can plan ahead and be sure of what you are going to be charged to process credit card transactions.

Flexibility

When you have a flat-rate processing plan, another benefit that you will be entitled to is the flexibility that comes with these processing plans. With flat-rate credit card processing plans, you often don’t have to get locked into long-term commitments that hinder your flexibility and make it difficult to plan ahead. For small businesses looking for short-term credit card processing or to lessen the long-term overhead for their business, this is the ideal situation.

Flexibility is also a benefit to any business that might be considered high-risk or in general need of agility due to possible changes in the business model, revenue, and other aspects affecting their business.

Simplicity

When you work with a flat-rate credit card processing contract, one of the most important benefits is the simplicity of the contract. As we touched on earlier, traditional credit card processing agreements will often feature clauses, charges, and fees that you don't even have access to seeing the details on. For this reason, in those arrangements, you can never tell exactly what your credit card processing fee will end up being.

However, with a flat-rate processing plan, you can always understand what the fees are and exactly how they impact your business. You can plan to include enough margin for your processing fees and make it easier to understand the implications of your credit card processing agreement. 

Who is a good candidate for flat-rate processing?

If you are considering flat-rate processing for your business, you probably want to know a bit more information about who is a good candidate for flat-rate processing and which businesses should pursue flat-rate processing for their processing needs. It is very easy to identify merchants that are good fits for flat-rate processing because of the straightforward nature of flat-rate processing. 

Startups

Startups are the ideal businesses for flat-rate processing because they usually need to have less overhead and a shorter contract. Startups are often young and unstable, so having a processor that is flexible in the terms is ideal. Startups also typically have a lower volume of transactions. Many credit card processing companies have solutions that are specifically geared towards the needs of startups and young companies. 

Small Businesses

Small and local businesses are another frequent customer of flat-rate processing solutions. This is because small and local businesses typically have a much lower volume of transactions than larger companies and they are unable to attain better rates. In addition, small businesses are slightly more unstable and higher risk than other companies and don’t have the leverage to get favorable contracts with other processing solutions. 

High-Risk Businesses

Businesses that are higher risk industries also tend to use flat-rate processing because they are subject to riskier transactions that could lead to increased fees by processing companies. If they are able to get an account with a flat-rate processor, then high-risk businesses typically take that opportunity because it is a favorable situation for them. 

Doing better than flat-rate processing

For some, flat-rate processing simply isn’t a great option. This leaves many wondering if it’s possible to get a better deal than flat-rate processing. It’s true, there are some downsides to flat-rate processing and that is the reason that some choose to pursue other options. It is possible to get a better deal than flat-rate processing has to offer, but there are certain conditions that you have to meet. 

The first condition that you have to meet if you want to get a better deal on your processing than what flat-rate processing has to offer is that you have to be able to do a high volume of transactions. The higher the volume, the better deal you are going to get on your processing. 

Another condition that you will have to meet if you are going to get a better rate than what most flat-rate processing solutions have to offer is you will most likely have to sign a longer-term contract for your processing needs. This means less flexibility, but it is possible that you will get a better rate, though it will be dynamic and subject to change. 

If you are a business that cannot get flat-rate processing or you do a high volume of transactions for an established and long-lasting business, then you can possibly get a better deal by going with a solution other than flat-rate processing. 

Starting your own small business is a fantastic way to build an income. Whether you already have a full-time job and you’re looking to develop your second income, or you want to become a full-time business owner yourself, there are many markets you can go into. One lucrative market you can enter is that of a merchant services agent, also known as a credit card processing agent. Within this market, how much you are able to generate is determined by the amount of work you put into selling merchant accounts. Leading sales representatives can generate over $100k per year using fantastic sales techniques alongside hard work and grinding.

Due to the competitive nature of the market, as well as unfortunate stereotypes that are commonly attached with salespeople, getting your foot into the door can be challenging at first. Many people may have felt selling mislead or even lied to by merchants in the past, which has made it difficult to become a credit card processing reseller. Here are some steps to help you in your journey to selling merchant services and developing the six-figure income you have always dreamt of.

Know the Ins and Outs of Your Business

When it comes to selling merchant services, you cannot undermine the importance of knowing your product. Within the market, there are very few merchants who are actually able to make sense of their merchant statement. Even those with experience within the industry may not completely aware of the details, which is a fantastic way to help you stand out from the competition.

By understanding the economics behind selling merchant services you are able to efficiently explain the cost-savings opportunity that you are providing. You will be able to answer any questions that are thrown in your direction, which will help to fill your potential client with confidence.

The second benefit of understanding your business is that you can understand the financial impact from your perspective. It is known throughout the industry that the best sales agents understand how much profit is built into each merchant account. This knowledge can be used in a variety of ways, especially when it comes to selling. You will be able to determine which deals are best and when you should choose to walk away. Understanding your business is the best way of understanding how to sell merchant services.

Develop Your Own Sales Plan

In order to produce the highest number of merchant services sales, you must build and refine your sales plan. Every top sales agent within the credit card processing industry has an understanding of how they go about their day to day business. They understand how they can increase their monthly income and how to sell. However, there is no 'optimal plan of attack'. Every agent builds up their own plan that works around their routine and style of selling. Some may choose to target certain parts of the industry, whilst others may make use of referrals or cold calls. Many agents will choose to do a mix of all three of these options to decipher the best results. Learn what works for you and then build upon this foundation to optimize your sales ability.

Build Long-Term Relationships with Local Businesses

Within the industry, building up long-term relationships is crucial so that you can become a successful merchant account reseller. Unfortunately, many sales reps will choose to make a sale, then move onto other opportunities to increase their revenue. There are several faults in this tactic and in the long run, it will work against you. Whilst you are scanning the market for the next sale, it is common for your clients to be approached by competitors within the market. Here, they will be offered cheaper rates, as well as other enticing deals. By building up long-term relationships with your client base, you can protect and build your portfolio. Your unique relationship with the local business will differentiate you from competitors and will become a key selling point when it comes to expanding your own portfolio.

Focus on Referrals

At the end of the day, cold calling is not the most efficient way to make a sale. For many people, it can be outright draining. At the start of your business there is no way around it. At the start of your career, it is simply something you will have to. However, it is not something that you will have to do forever. Referrals will become the most efficient and eventually the best way to grow your business. There are a number of ways in which you can get the most from referrals and become a successful merchant services agent.

Start by setting up a streamlined way in which you interact with your clients, allowing you to maximize your referral potential. Begin by informing your client that you will be back for referrals after you have proven the value of your services. This should be done from the very onset of your relationship, this way you can set the expectation. After your client has been working with you for around a month, show them the benefits that you have benefits you have brought. Once you have shown them the value you have to offer, you can ask for specific referrals. It is important to be as specific as possible. Ask for the doctor they use, the mechanic that fixes their vehicle or the vet who helps their dog. The more specific the question, the more specific the answer.

Summary: Whith these steps won’t guarantee your success within the industry of selling merchant services, they will definitely set you up in the right direction. With the market expanding exponentially, getting started it vital to your success. Make sure that you truly understand everything about what you are selling, as this will provide you with the best foundation to set yourself up for success in the future. Once started, you can always choose to learn more as you advance and develop your business.

If you are a merchant that is discussing the possibility of enrolling in a cash discount program to save you money on your processing, then you are no doubt wondering what to expect and whether it's a good decision for your business. Every decision that you make concerning your business must be made carefully. You care a lot about your business and you would never want to endanger it by making a decision too early or without enough consideration. If you want to truly get the most out of your merchant services experience, then you must at least explore the possibility of enrolling in a cash discount program.

However, you might not even know where to start. If you’ve never enrolled in a cash discount program, you probably don’t know what to expect or how the program could affect your business. We are here to provide you with some guidance and give you the information that you need to make an informed and well-timed decision for your business. In this overview of the cash discount program, we’ll provide a fair and balanced summary of the benefits of the program and also show you some of the potential downsides.

What is a Cash Discount Program?

If you run a business, you are probably familiar with cash discounts. However, cash discounts have become a dying practice. This is mostly because processing cost have put a burden on businesses and they would rather keep the extra margin from the cash to help fund operations. However, a cash discount program offered by a merchant services company is a completely different concept that has been helping to restore these programs across the country.

A modern-day cash discount program is the same in theory as the "cash discounts" of the past in that it incentivizes the customer to pay with cash to provide them with a cheaper price. However, it is much different in the way that the savings are applied. With a traditional cash discount offering, a percentage of the transaction would be deducted from the total when customers choose to pay with cash. This saves the customer and the merchant each a little bit of money, but nothing significant.

In a merchant services cash discount program, the rate is applied to any transaction that is being paid with plastic. The advertised price on your products and services will be paid if the transaction is paid in cash. This passes the cost to those that choose to pay with credit cards and saves the merchant money on processing.

Benefits of Cash Discount Programs

As you can ascertain from our summary of cash discount programs, there are quite a lot of benefits to like about cash discount programs and what they have to offer for businesses that use a lot of processing services. Here are some of the benefits that you can enjoy when you choose a cash discount program for your business.

Lower Cost

When you accept fewer card payments as a merchant, it will inevitably mean that you are paying less in processing cost. Processing cost don't sound like a lot at first, but they can certainly pile up and make a difference in your balance sheet. If you want to avoid processing cost as much as possible, then the best way to do so is to enroll in a cash discount program with your merchant services provider.

The main benefit of a cash discount program from the merchant's point of view is that it enables the merchant to pass on the cost to the consumer through a cash discount program. This leaves the merchant with basically no cost to pay in the end.

Easy Implementation

Many merchants shy away from these sorts of programs because while they would be beneficial for the merchant, many fear that they are difficult to implement. Without the right partner, this might be the case. However, if you choose the right merchant services partner, the implementation can be incredibly easy and painless. Most merchant service providers will provide their merchants with signage to explain the switch and guidance on how to change the process without angering customers. In addition, merchants might be able to gain access to free POS equipment to assist in the system change.

More Cash Payments

When you implement a cash discount program, it only stands to reason that you will start to incentivize more cash payments. More cash payments mean savings for your customer and more margin for you. Once the merchant's customers realize that they can save money by paying in cash, they will be incentivized to do so and it will ease the burden that processing and card payments have on your business. In addition, the business can charge just as much as it was before the switch for the products, except they will not have to adjust for processing cost.

Merchant Fraud Protection

With fewer credit card transactions going through your business, you will also be opening yourself up to less fraud and chargebacks. One of the most common issues with credit card payments is the fraud that often occurs in credit card transactions. When a merchant is accepting more cash than cards, the chances of fraud, and the cost to your business decreases with every transaction.

Drawbacks to Cash Discount Programs

Though there are many benefits of using a cash discount program, there are also drawbacks that prevent some businesses from making the leap. One of the most common reasons for hesitant businesses is the fact that not many consumers prefer to use cash in the modern era. Many transactions are done exclusively with credit cards, and many consumers even dislike using cash altogether. Forcing customers to use cash to get the cheaper price could put your relationship with them at risk. This risk can be mitigated by making it clear why the program is in place, how it benefits both consumer and merchant, and how easy the process is. With open communication, participating in a cash discount program should be a breeze for your business.

Most successful merchant services agents are very dedicated to what they do. If you take this line of work seriously, you probably make it a priority to deliver the best customer service possible to your merchants. You may even be the type who makes himself available 7 days a week in order to serve his clients during busy times or even emergencies. If you are really making an effort to give the merchants what they need, then you should be fairly compensated for it, period. Is your payment processor giving you all of your money?

As terrible as it sounds, it's possible that you may get shortchanged by your processor. Even some people that I know who have been in the industry for awhile don't know with 100% certainty if they are getting the residuals that their contracts state that they should. After all, these documents can be complicated, and it's just so easy for a company to nickel and dime you without your realizing.

I had this sinking feeling that something like that might have been happening it me. I was pretty sure that if it had, I wouldn't readily notice it—I was too busy working on singing up clients and giving them the best possible customer service. I didn't consider it part of my merchant services job to spend my time making sure that my credit card processors were doing theirs.

Do you suspect that your own residuals are coming in short? Do you think that you're being paid less than what you actually made? This can certainly happen, and here are some common signs:

• You're not sure if the residual payments that you get every month are an accurate reflection of what you earned. This is the first red flag. Sure, it is definitely partially your responsibility to keep on top of your income, but by no means does this excuse a processor ripping you off.
• You can't make any sense of your statement and you're not sure how your residuals are even tallied up. Ignorance is a tool that ethically dubious companies can use to prey on hard-working people.
• The statement of your residuals doesn't include much detail beyond the name of your merchants and how much they brought it. Everything should be broken down, or else you don't know why you're getting what you're getting.
• You notice mistakes in your residual report frequently, and you have to waste a lot of time every month fixing the problem, to the point where it's barely even worth it.
• There are fees or adjustments on the statement for reasons that you can't figure out.

Are any of these factors true about your residuals? If so, then it's possible that you are not getting all of the money that is owned to you. This can be hugely detrimental to your business, especially when you're first starting out, because you really need every penny you can get to help you expand. You don't want a payment processor that is engaging in unfair business practices and trying to leech money away from you.

Because of this, it is extremely important that you have all of the details about your payment laid out before you sign up with a processor. Make sure you know exactly how they calculate your residuals, so that there is no guesswork. Just as your clients have the right to know what you are going to charge them for your merchant services, you have the right to know exactly what your payment processor will charge you. After all, payment processing fees are going to be one of the larger costs of your business, so you need to take this into consideration beforehand.

In order to make sure that you are getting what you truly deserve in terms of residuals, take a look at this checklist and make sure that everything is right:

• Your statements and reports should break down your payments in details, so that you know exactly why you are making a certain amount. Don't allow any mystery to exist here.
• Your reports should be made available by your processing company in a variety of formats, and you shouldn't be limited to just paper or some obscure file extension. Make sure that you can get something like an Excel spreadsheet, and that way you can study your statement deeply and verify every detail yourself with your own calculations.
• They should provide some way for you to compare the performance of each of your merchants, and to be able to see what your residuals have been from month to month. Even better, if they have some sort of electronic back-end where you can do this, exploit it as much as you can and verify every cent.
• There should always be a way for you to know what your merchant paid, so that you know they are getting billed exactly the amount that you quoted to them when they signed up.
• You should always have records of the past available to you, and your processor should not make these hard to access. Ideally, there should be a back-end where you can look all of this up with an online account of some kind.

If your payment processor loves to play the mysterious role and keeps you in the dark about all the details—for example, by not offering a break-down in their reports and only giving you general details—then maybe you should start shopping around for another company to work with. Honest companies typically make it a point to be transparent, and you should know that a shady processor that tries to hide details from you isn't your only choice in this business.

These days, I work with a company that truly honors transparency, and I can always expect them to give me an accurate report that stays true to the original contract. After spending nearly two decades working with different processors with varying results, I stopped allowing this kind of vagueness in reporting to be acceptable to me, and I'm very glad I did.

If you find yourself frustrated in a similar way by the statements that you receive, then maybe it's time that you raise your standards as well. Remember that there are tons of options out there, and that you don't need to stay with a processor that doesn't respect the agreement that you signed or that makes tons of mistakes when calculating your share.

So, have you ever experienced an inaccuracy in your statement? What did you do to fix it? Let me know your story, especially if your experience might be of value to others.

If you are looking to find out whether you actually own the residual portfolio that you are building, one of the best ways to do so is to ask the processor that you are working with to purchase some of the future residual. This is known as a buyout and it’s a very common step for agents to take when they are in need of quick cash from the sale of an asset like a residual portfolio. If you want to be able to take advantage of these buyouts, you need to be very familiar with what a buyout is and how it can be completed from your side. This guide to the process of selling merchant account residual portfolios can give you the knowledge that you need to conduct a transaction like this and get access to the funds you need

Background residual knowledge

If you are going to sell your merchant portfolio, one of the most important things that you will need to know is the background of residuals and how they work in order to determine the price that you might get bought out at. Most agents already know how residuals work--you sell merchant accounts and in return, you get a share of the income. For many merchant processing contracts, the merchant’s share of the income is about 50%, leaving the merchant with the other 50%. However, it isn't always the ideal situation for the agent to wait for their income on a monthly basis and some prefer to cash out their earnings up front. A buyout between the agent and the merchant processing company gives them the opportunity to do this and pursue whichever avenue they might want with their lump sum of cash.

How much can you get for your residuals?

If you are considering selling your share of a residual contract, then you also probably want to know what your earnings potential is from selling your share in these often steady and lucrative agreements. Generally speaking, a processor will pay 15 months worth of residual payments on your part in exchange for your 50% of the residual share in the merchant processing account. This means that the lump sum that you would be getting is 15 times the size of the monthly residual that you would otherwise be gathering from holding the contract. There are benefits and drawbacks to this.

Benefits of selling your residual share

There are a few possible benefits to selling a share that you have in a residual contract that continues to feed you money. The first is that you need quick access to cash. If you do, then this is one of the best ways to do it. A buyout comes with no obligation to pay back or pay interest--it is your money that you earned and you get to keep it.

Another benefit of selling your residual share is that you might get something in exchange for nothing, so long as you are planning on leaving the merchant processing industry. If so, then it’s a win for everybody. You will get to be paid 15 months for a merchant processing residual that you would otherwise not be getting due to you leaving the business. In exchange, you will hand over the asset that you do have to the merchant processing account where they will continue to collect residuals on the account.

The final benefit is that the payout of a merchant services residual contract buyout is actually pretty competitive, compared to what you might otherwise get with a fast lending service or another service that doesn’t have your best interests in mind. The payout of a buyout is guaranteed and you get a good rate. So, if you are in need of an injection of capital for a venture, debt, or any other purpose, selling your share of a residual contract might be the right choice for you.

Drawbacks of selling your residual share

Just as there are benefits to selling your share in a residual contract, there are also downsides. One thing that you should be aware of if you are considering selling your share of a residual agreement is that you will not ever be able to get this contract back and earn the residuals for yourself. Once you have been bought out, the movement is permanent. The merchant processing company will not give you a chance to get back into it once your financial situation becomes less muddy and you want to get back in the game. That’s not to say that you can’t close new clients, but you won’t be able to work with the clients that you sold to the merchant processing company.

In addition, selling your merchant account portfolio van be a bad financial decision. Though it’s tough to assess this because everyone is in a unique situation, the theory is that residual income is basically a guaranteed passive income stream, after the setup is complete. So, how much does a few hundred extra dollars a month mean to you? Without the share of the residual income, you are left with a lump sum, which isn’t so bad. However, it does leave a gap in future wealth generations and could make it harder for you to survive financially in the long-term.

When to use a buyout

As a young agent, there are probably multiple situations in which  you feel a buyout of an asset might be the right decision for you. However, buyouts from residuals should only be used in some situations. One such situation is if the agent needs a sudden influx of cash to replenish savings or consolidate a debt.

Another reason is if a merchant services agent or ISO has a large upcoming business expense that they want to make sure they have the freedom to invest if they so choose. With this flexibility, merchant services agents and ISOs are well-positioned to emerge stronger than ever from any situation that they find themselves in.

Contact North American Bancard Agent Program to get a full evaluation or your merchant account residual buyout. Get up to 40 times your monthly residual to buy sell your credit card processing accounts. 

One of the most important pieces of equipment for any merchant is their point-of-sale system. As the location through which every transaction that the business takes in goes through, it is important that every merchant have access to a point-of-sale system that is robust, scalable, and has all the functionality that is needed. However, convincing a merchant that they need a POS isn’t the hard part--this is a known fact. Convincing a merchant that your POS is the right choice, however, can be very difficult. To help you get well on your way to selling point of sale systems as a merchant services agent and helping merchants realize the power of a good POS, we present to you 6 actionable tips that you can take into consideration and implement to help sell POS systems.

Why is finding the right POS system important for businesses?

If you have been working with merchants for long, then you already know how important POS systems are to businesses. With this knowledge, it is easy to understand why so much importance is placed on the process of selecting a POS system and utilizing it to its full potential. Each business is unique and while all businesses have the same basic need to facilitate payments, the best way to do so will vary by the business.

For merchants, finding the right POS system is absolutely essential because it will ultimately help to determine what a merchant can achieve with its POS system and whether they will have any limitations. In an ideal situation, the POS system that a merchant selects will not have any negative impact on their business and instead will serve as a reliable addition to their suite of technology that they use in their business on a daily basis.

Be an expert

If you are looking to convince a merchant that they need your POS system, then one of the first things that you will need to do is establish yourself as an expert and a person of authority when it comes to POS systems. This can be done in a variety of ways, but what a merchant really wants is to feel comfortable that you know what you are talking about and you know everything that there is to know about the POS system that you are offering.

If you are hoping to make a great impression on your prospective merchant, then make sure you familiarize yourself with your POS system as much as possible so that you can easily answer any questions that they have about your POS systems and their functionality. With the ability to answer any question that comes your way regarding your POS system, the merchant is far more likely to trust you and find you in a favorable light, which could lead to a purchase.

Nurture a relationship

The next very important part of the process if you want to have success with selling merchant services and POS systems is nurturing the relationship between the merchant and the agent. There are a variety of ways that this can be done, as well. You must remember that each merchant is unique and is going to require varying levels of customer service and support.

One of the first ways that you can nurture a relationship with a merchant is to get to know them and their business personally. Not only will this make them feel valued and heard, but it will also give you much more knowledge of their areas of need so that you can address them most completely, earn trust, and ensure that your POS system fits the needs and requirements of the merchant you are working with.

With these things in mind, your merchant should be kept happy and satisfied.

Address areas of need

If you truly want to satisfy your merchants and make sure that they are taken care of and are more willing to purchase from you again, then you need to make sure that you are meeting their needs. You should start each relationship with a full audit of what your merchant needs and make a plan for how you can address it.

With this fuel at your disposal, you can approach negotiations from a position of power and understanding to increase your chance of closing the sale and making your merchant confident that you can handle their needs effectively.

Stress versatility

There are a few properties that merchants look for automatically in a POS system. One of the most important of these is versatility. Many merchants deal with a wide variety of transactions, promotions, discounts, coupons, and other functionalities. With a POS system that provides all of these things, their business will be enabled to operate at its fullest potential. If you need to communicate all the benefits of your POS system, be sure to touch on all the versatility that it has to offer and how it can help the merchant achieve a wide range of goals.

Include services

If you want to entice your merchant to sign on with your POS, then there are a few things that you should be able to throw in without breaking the bank. For example, you could throw in maintenance and upgrades for free as an extra benefit to the POS system. This is just one example of a classic sales technique.

If you have a merchant that is on the fence about investing in a new POS system, be sure to make it known that there could be additional benefits to be had by signing on with your POS system.

Always follow through

In sales, you never want to promise or lead someone to believe something that might not come true. That is because as a merchant services representative, you want to be seen as someone that follows through on the promises and assurances that you make. Without your reputation for upholding the truth and following through on the promises that you make, you will find that it’s hard to keep a merchant signed on with your POS system.

Always be upfront about the capabilities of the POS system that you are selling as well as the potential limitations that it has. With this honesty in mind and a respect for the merchant, you are bound to have more success than if you were to try and hide the limitations of your POS system.

North American Bancard Agent Program is your premire merchant services sale partner to support you as a merchant services sale rep. Contact us today to get more detailes an start your merchant services business with us today!