Georgia Business Scam Alert
Beware of Business Annual Registration Scams in Georgia
Every year, scammers try to take advantage of Georgia business owners with misleading mailers about their annual registration. Recently, our client almost fell victim to one of these scams, so we want to ensure all our clients and fellow business owners stay informed and protected.
What’s Happening?
Out-of-state companies are mailing Georgia business owners official-looking documents urging them to pay for their annual registration. These mailers often lack the required disclaimers, making it seem like a business owner must pay through their service. The catch? They charge significantly more than the actual cost to renew directly with the Georgia Secretary of State.
What the Secretary of State Says
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has warned businesses about these deceptive practices, stating:
“You can renew your corporate filing with one click, which only costs $50 or less. There is no need to spend $170 on something that isn’t required.”
His office has received multiple complaints about these mailings, prompting a reminder to all Georgia business owners to be cautious and renew only through official channels.
Legislation to Protect Business Owners
To combat these scams, Georgia passed HB 153 in March 2021. This law requires that solicitations from third-party companies include a clear disclaimer stating:
“THIS IS A SOLICITATION. THIS IS NOT A BILL OR OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT AND HAS NOT BEEN SENT BY THE GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE.”
This disclaimer must be in 16-point Helvetica font and placed prominently at the top of the mailer.
That BIG Mistake
The number one mistake we see made by small businesses when beginning a marketing campaign is actually quite simple. You may have a great website full of highly informative content with scheduled webinars, carefully structured Google ads and a strong Twitter presence – but if you send that traffic to an irrelevant or sub-par landing page, it will all be for naught.
Well-built landing pages are the missing link in many small businesses’ marketing strategies. Sending customers to your home page may work for what you need. However, driving them to a precisely engineered landing page with highly relevant wording will drastically impact lead generation and consumer action. Construct a landing page for each relevant link and ensure the copy and content are informative and applicable.
Content Marketing
Using your website as a platform to share your expertise and experience is a great way to market your business. Become a thought leader for your niche and provide high-value information to your customers. Regularly created blog posts can attract and retain a clearly defined audience – and drive customer action. Guest blogging can even draw traffic from another site to your own – boosting your overall website views.
It is essential to create content that motivates your audience to act. Whether using your services, purchasing a product, or even simply providing an email address, driving consumer actions is critical to a well-developed and effective content marketing strategy. When your business becomes a credible resource on topics that matter to potential customers, it is more likely to earn their loyalty and trust.
Small Business Consulting
Abundant Returns provides small business consulting services to help you navigate this ever-changing environment and develop the right financial growth strategies to fit the needs of your small business. Our Growth Coaches are available to walk this path with you, side by side, and help to guide your business decisions. Contact Abundant Returns today with any questions regarding our business consulting services.
Over 200 Years Of Collective Experience
A major benefit of choosing Abundant Returns as your full spectrum tax and financial professionals is you gain access to our full team of highly experienced CPA’s, Enrolled Agents, Business Consultants, Financial Experts and staff that can assist you. Our professional team members enjoy working with clients who are building successful businesses that concentrate on growth and development. We stand by our work and welcome further auditing and second opinions because we KNOW our team has covered all the bases to keep more money in your pocket. Our founder, Larisa Humphrey, built this company on a strong foundation of ethics, accuracy, and honesty. As an IRS Enrolled Agent she has earned the privilege of representing taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service by passing a rigorous three-part test on tax law for individuals and businesses.