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

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

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

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

7 Steps to Boost Branding Basics

What is a brand? Everything that represents your company is part of your brand: logo, web site, letterhead, the way you dress and the way you answer your phone. Things that may seem small, such as typos in your e-mails to customers, can have a negative impact on your company’s image. All businesses, especially small businesses, rely on a strong, recognizable brand to grow their customer base and attract word-of-mouth marketing. In the generic consumer world, it takes up to seven exposures to a brand to make a brand memorable and evoke a response.... Read more

Keep Business Up with the Economy Down

Keep track of what marketing is working so you can spend your marketing budget smarter. As the economy continues to struggle, companies are searching for ways to trim the fat off their expenses while bringing in new business.  In an effort to save money, many companies make the mistake of cutting their marketing budget thinking it is the most expendable line item.  In times of financial difficulty, however, companies should assess how they’re spending their marketing budget and adjust if necessary before slashing through it with a red pen. McGraw-Hill... Read more

Are You Marketing Your Bail Agency Online?

It is important to develop a web presence for your bail agency. When we were first talking about Collateral, we spent a lot of time debating whether or not to do a print magazine or an electronic magazine.  We (obviously) decided to go with a magazine hosted on the Internet. The question you may ask yourself is, what does the internet have to do with the bail industry? The answer is - a lot. The Professional Bail Agents of the United States have recently decided to “go green,” which involves switching to more electronic communication... Read more