Small Business Saturday: Gear Up with These Essentials

Let's talk business. Small business. 

November 30th is Small Business Saturday, a day dedicated to recognizing and supporting the vital contributions of small businesses in our communities. It's a chance for business owners to showcase their unique offerings and connect with customers. 

In this US, small businesses are considered to be a business with 500 or less employees. In the country alone, there are around 33 Million small businesses exist. Almost half of these small businesses have less than 500 employees. Way less. 49% of these small businesses have less than 5 employees. 

Highlighting Small Businesses 

That doesn't make them any less important for the country or for the economy. Small businesses create jobs - about 56 Million Americans were employed by small business in 2021, and brought in around $16 million for the country. That's a big deal. 

Small businesses are even more varied on what they sell in the modern landscape, though. Some are small coffee shops, restaurants, but that started to change, With the pandemic locking people in their homes and businesses laying off employees, more micro-businesses were started through online e-commerce sites like Etsy, selling goods like screen printed clothing or jewelry. Some don't sell goods, like media/entertainment groups getting started on social platforms like YouTube or TikTok,  gaining a following, earning money, and eventually becoming big enough to make a living. However you spin it, small business are the backbone of the economy. 

But, what is the backbone of a small business? The same as any other business. The administrative work. 

No matter how small, new, and exciting some small businesses are, business still needs to get done. Paying vendors, keeping track of the accounts payable, writing checks for suppliers, writing checks for employees, sending them through the mail, buying stamps. It can be exhausting and overwhelming for any small business owner. Luckily, when it comes to the stuff you just don't want to do, TROY has solutions dedicated to small businesses that make life easier. 

So, what are they? 

TROY FlexPay - Accounts Payable Automation 

If you're using QuickBooks like the other 7 million small businesses to do your book keeping, TROY has a solution to make it even easier. With FlexPay, you can focus more on growing your business and less on tedious paperwork. It's a reliable partner in achieving a seamless financial workflow. TROY FlexPay can make it even easier to manage. This QuickBooks Online app integration shows all of your upcoming bills and payments owed to vendors on an easy to navigate menu, giving you the option to pay in 4 ways - by ACH, digital check, with a check fulfillment service, or the option to print your own check. With 81% of B2B transactions being check based, this feature is essential for small businesses.  

TROY 4001 MICR Printer: 

However, in order to print those checks for vendors, you'll need a MICR printer. MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) is essential for check printing, and TROY are the experts. Through our 30 year OEM partnership with HP, TROY is the only company authorized to take a standard HP printer and enhance it with features needed to print out ABA/ANSI compliant checks to blank check stock. 

On top of WiFi connectivity, The 4001 Desktop MICR printer has all the features TROY implements in a standard HP printer to make it the most secure and reliable for MICR check printing, like

• HP Wolf Security: HP's trusted and secure firmware that includes HP Sure Start, Connection Inspector, and Memory Shield. To learn more about HP's Wolf Security, read this blog.  
  
  
• Exact Positioning Technology: TROY's Exact Positioning Technology ensures that the MICR line (including account & routing numbers) is printed exactly in the area it should to be cleared by the bank. 
  
  
• Toner Sensing: This feature of the 4001 printer tells you exactly when your toner is running low and will need to be replaced. 
  
  

These are just a few of the enhancements TROY makes to HP standard printers. Visit our site to see the full list. 

MICR Toner: 

In order to print checks that will be cleared by the bank, you'll need MICR toner. MICR toner is a special type of magnetic toner that is needed to print account & routing numbers on the check in order to be read by bank scanners to be deposited. MICR is examined for quality and image readability, and if these standards are not met, banks can reject your checks, make you reprint, and even hit you with a fee of up to $6 for the rejection. 

Luckily, TROY's patented MICR Toner Secure is a high adhesion toner that exceeds all MICR quality and image requirements, and comes standard with a TROY HP MICR Printer. But, there's a surprise twist. 

MICR Toner Secure doesn't have "secure" in it's name just because it sounds catchy. It is actually the most secure MICR you can use for checks because of its active security features. MICR Toner Secure will bleed red if a check is tampered with by a fraudster, which renders the check unusable. This is the only toner in the world that has this capability. Watch our video below to see how MICR Toner Secure helped Michigan's print & mail facility print their state checks after having significant issues with fraud. 

Blank Check Stock: 

Check stock may be an overlooked cog in the wheel of check printing, but depending on how you look at it, it may be the most important. Ordering preprinted checks is costly, and leaves account information vulnerable to theft because of exactly what the name implies - your information is "preprinted" on the check already. If you use preprinted stock, your twice as likely to experience internal fraud as well as external fraud. Using blank stock protects your account information, and is only visible after you've printed your MICR lines on the check. 

TROY's selection of blank check stock also contains security features so your checks are equipped with the upmost protection - check out our choices here. 

Pitney Bowes SendPro Postage Meter: 

Alas, we've made it to the final step in the check issuance process: mailing the check. Unfortunately in 2024, the cost of stamps have significantly gone up, making simple sending more of a costly pain. But, with a postage meter, you can put an end to overspending on postage and wasting time rushing to the post office or grocery store to get them. With a small to medium volume SendPro postage meter from Pitney Bowes, you can weigh your envelopes right at your desk and print postage directly onto them for less. Postage meters offer discounted rates, with SendPro's cloud connectivity, rates are updated automatically. 

Read this blog to learn which postage meter is best for your business. 

Why Choose TROY?

For 60 years, TROY has been innovating solutions to help businesses and banks, both small & large, with everyday tasks & and occurrences like check printing, streamlining accounting processes, and mitigating fraud. Our expertise in the industry has made us a leader, and we're continuing to innovate to this day.

This Small Business Saturday, equip your company with the best tools to thrive. With TROY Group's range of products, you'll find the right solutions to enhance productivity, ensure security, and maintain a professional edge in an increasingly competitive market. Celebrate your business achievements and look forward to even greater success.

Visit our store to find what you need this Small Business Saturday.