How to Locate Fugitives with Facebook

How to locate fugitives with Facebook and other social networking sites John Dillinger might not have been such a successful bank robber if he had kept a Facebook page. These days, more and more bail agents, private investigators and law enforcement agencies are using social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace to locate hard-to-find fugitives. With a quick Google search and a little creativity, it is now possible to find out everything you need to know about your subject without leaving the office. Social networking has become an especially... Read more

Bringing Unity to the Nation’s Bail Industry

For nearly three decades, the Professional Bail Agents of the United States (PBUS) association has been a haven for the bail industry to learn, network and even get bailed out with advice when thorny issues or situations arise. Founded in 1981 and based in Washington, D.C., PBUS focuses on arming members with the up-to-date information and education needed to survive and thrive in the ever-changing bail industry. PBUS counts the majority of bail companies in the United States as members, which means the association supports most of the country’s... Read more

Spotlight on Stacey Duvall

Stacey Duval, Laguna Beach California Bail Agent How did you get started in the bail industry? It’s a family thing – women only.  All the women on my Mom’s side of the family own a bail agency. My mom Robbin Herren, my aunt Glenda Stroobant (who was the bail pioneer in our family), my grandmother Alma Gwinn (now happily retired), my cousins Crista Briggs & Michelle Armenta, and now the most recent addition, my younger sister Sandra Polk have all been involved in the industry.  We have three generations of women bail bondsmen! I was... Read more

Using Social Media to Build Your Bail Business

Are you promoting your business on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or LinkedIn? If your company is not represented online, you are missing opportunities to market your business, share information with other bail agents, build great connections, keep track of clients and keep your fingers on the pulse of the industry. In 2009 social media grew at exponential rates. People communicated online more than ever and those trends are expected to continue in 2010. With 350 million users, Facebook is the second most visited website on the web, MySpace just added... Read more

Start 2010 Right with These 10 Tax Tips!

With the holidays right around the corner, now is the perfect time to begin making end-of-the-year tax preparations for your business. To prevent a large tax bill in April, spend money now on things your business will need in the upcoming year. Always remember to consult with your tax professional before the end of the year to make sure you are complying with state and local tax laws while not overlooking deductions or claiming ineligible deductions. 1. The limit on Section 179 deductions was supposed to decrease to $125,000 from $250,000 for this... Read more

Marketing Effectiveness for Bail Professionals

What is Marketing Effectiveness? There are a number of ways to market your bail bond business. Options include phone books, outdoor advertising (billboards, etc.), and of course, the Internet. As you spend more and more on marketing your business, it is of utmost importance to know which advertising initiatives are having positive results and which are not. Tracking the results of your marketing efforts is known as “Marketing Effectiveness”. Outlined below are a number of marketing effectiveness components for bail professionals. Don’t... Read more

Does Your Bail Agency Have Adequate Insurance Coverage?

Business cycles, competition, changes in laws, the economy and the internet have made business owners more savvy in finding new revenue sources. Like real estate agents, who have expanded their revenue stream to include property managers, appraisers, leasing agents, and title escrow services, bail agents too can offer multiple services, such as private investigation and process service in addition to writing bail bonds. As they say, “business is business”. This is the American way for ambitious entrepreneurs to provide and offer a mix of services... Read more

Show Your Customers You Care

According to the latest data available from the U.S. Department of Justice, 67.5% of released prisoners will be rearrested within three years of being released from prison. While the rest of the world may call people with multiple arrests repeat offenders, in the bail world those people are called returning customers. While no one may wish multiple arrests on anyone, the fact is the recidivism rate in the U.S. is so high that there is the possibility for two out of every three clients to be needing your services again. The easiest business to land... Read more

10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Bail Business

Improving your bail business can be as easy as a fresh coat of paint! The bail industry can be very challenging to break into, but a properly managed agency can be very lucrative. There are a number of things that bail bondsmen must do to ensure professionalism and success. 1. Answer your phone. At the risk of offending or being redundant, we are going to preach the obvious. Answer your phone. Making sure your calls get answered is the easiest and least expensive way of gaining more business. You may have to forward your calls to your cell phone,... Read more

No Business Is Recession Proof - Even Bail Bonds

You’ve probably heard it from your non-bail friends, “Bail bondsmen must be thriving in this economy!” Conventional wisdom says that when the economy goes down, crime goes up. And when crime rises, bail bond bondsmen prosper. Actually, neither of these assumptions is correct. Some states have seen an increase in certain types of crimes, but not all. And yes, the economy has affected bail bondsmen too. Remember, we “sell” a product just like other merchants. If people don’t have money to pay their mortgages,... Read more

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