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BUSINESS REVIEWS ON GOOGLE: REAL OR FAKE?

3/19/2024

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If you are a small business owner, you certainly understand the value of online reviews, especially the reviews that are published on Google! I have first-hand experience as the owner of a one-man resume writing business (Resume Phenom LLC). I am proud to say that I have received 190 reviews on Google over the past 10 years, with a perfect 5.0 rating. To say I am extremely proud and grateful is a severe understatement.

Over half of the people that call me will usually take a moment to inform me that the main reason they called me was because of my great reviews on Google. Honestly, I would probably not even still be in business if it wasn’t for all of the positive Google reviews that people see when searching for resume writing services in my local area.

I appreciate the reviews as a business owner, but also appreciate them as a customer. I check out the reviews whenever I plan on doing business with a small or local business. If I see several negative reviews, or a rating under 3.5, I tend to stay away.

If I see a perfect 5.0 rating, I certainly am more willing to try the business out, BUT not always.

Unfortunately, many businesses nowadays are producing FAKE reviews. Some businesses will even advertise services on websites like Craigslist, in which they will offer $5 (via Zelle or CashApp) if you take a couple seconds to post a positive review on Google for their business. They are asking for reviews from people that have never even used their services or products! It is sickening to see this happen, but, hey, if people can earn a quick $5 for a writing a post on Google that only takes them 30 seconds, then many will take advantage of this easy opportunity for quick cash. It’s only $5, but every dollar counts in these days of high inflation!

If the reviews from random Craigslist strangers are not bad enough, there are also the “sketchy” reviews from people who are likely the business owner’s friends. Sometimes, the reviews from these friends seem legit, but many times, they are written in such an obvious manner that they seem very “forced” and non-genuine.

It is quite easy to tell the difference from the legit reviews and the “not-so-legit” reviews. Let me give you some examples. Below, I will provide two of the LEGIT online reviews that I recently received on Google for Resume Phenom LLC, my resume writing business:

LEGIT REVIEWS

“What can I say about Brian? He is outstanding, he worked with me on my dead-on arrival resume. My resume only got me rejections and I was extremely frustrated and depressed then I found Brian and he took away all my worries. I received my professional resume back from Brian a few days ago and I am mind blown. He took it from zero to a thousand, this man is a miracle worker and deserves infinity stars. Thank you so much Brian for my perfect resume; I can't wait to start using it. I highly recommend this man, the quality of his work shows. There are no tricks.”

“My experience communicating with Brian for a resume was wonderful. Even with how many requests he seems to get, he set a reasonable timeframe for when I would hear back. He even followed up when I had been distracted during my job hunt to make sure we got it through.”

Ok, now let’s look at two reviews that appear less genuine. These are actual reviews of other businesses, but for the sake of not giving any businesses a bad name, I replaced the original business names with my own. If my business was receiving fake and ingenuine reviews, it would likely look something like this:

SKETCHY REVIEWS

“I recently had my resume revamped by Resume Phenom LLC, and I couldn't be more impressed with the results. From the moment I reached out, the service was professional. Resume Phenom LLC not only revamped the layout and design of my resume but also ensured that it highlighted my skills. I strongly recommend Resume Phenom LLC to anybody in need of a new resume. Thank you, Resume Phenom LLC, for your exceptional service!”

“I booked Resume Phenom LLC to write a new resume for me. Resume Phenom LLC created a resume that EXCEEDED my expectations! Amazing work by Resume Phenom LLC! Thanks!

So, do you see the differences? With a REAL review, you often see more details being revealed about the customer’s experience. In addition, the customer will often mention the specific name of the person that helped them rather than the company name. These reviews feel very personal and credible.

But then look at the bottom two reviews again. How many times does the customer have to mention the business name in the review?? It reminds me of a professional NASCAR race car driver that is required to mention all of his sponsorship’s names when conducting an interview with the media.

When you see a review that CONSTANTLY mentions the full name of the business, there is fairly high chance that the review is fake. This constant mentioning of the business name is likely being used to improve the SEO and online presence of the business. It is very possible that the review was written by the business owner, but submitted by a friend.

BULK REVIEWS IN SHORT TIME SPANS

When trying to spot fake reviews, one other thing to look for is how spread out the dates are. If a company has 100 reviews on Google, have they all been received gradually over several months or years? OR, were all 100 reviews received within the same two-week span?

When you see a large chunk of reviews received in only a short time span, but then ZERO reviews received for the next three or four months, then this is a huge red flag.

There is a strong possibility that the owner of the business created several accounts to write reviews for his business and/or persuaded friends to all write reviews (even friends that have never used the business’ services) within a short time frame to rapidly “kick-start” a positive image.

They could also be utilizing the previously mentioned Craigslist method in which they acquired several reviews from random strangers seeking a quick $5 Zelle payment.

CONCLUSION

Be VIGILANT when reviewing online reviews of businesses. Online reviews of local businesses are still VERY valuable to both business owners and customers, but, unfortunately, there are more and more fake reviews being published every day. Don’t be fooled!

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Barry Sanders Had A Horrible Offensive Line Blocking For Him! Fake News!

3/6/2024

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Over and over and over again, I hear people repeatedly talk of how amazing Barry Sanders was. You can’t argue his greatness. He was arguably the most exciting running back to ever play in the National Football League (NFL). What I also hear, though, is how Barry’s offensive line was horrible! People often wonder how much more amazing Barry Sanders would have been if he had a strong offensive line. They wonder if Barry Sanders and the rest of the Detroit Lions might have had some Super Bowl rings in the 90’s with a better line. And some will even wonder if Barry Sanders would have more rushing yards than Emmitt Smith (NFL’s all-time leading rusher) if he had a decent offensive line.

What I wonder, though, is how many people even know who was on the Lion’s team during those years? Are people claiming that Barry Sanders had a weak offensive line simply because they heard other people already make that claim? Have people blindly gone along with this statement without even doing the research? Many of the younger NFL fans have never even seen Barry Sanders play in a game, so it is very odd to hear young people complain about the offensive line that Barry had in front of him.

Being near the age of 50, I can proudly say I was able to watch Barry Sanders play in MANY games on live TV during the 90’s. He was amazing, no doubt. Do I think his offensive line was amazing, too? No, I do not. However, I certainly don’t think they were miserable, either!

I am a huge Dallas Cowboys fan, so I can easily agree with all of the people that claim Emmitt Smith had a better offensive line than Barry Sanders. I can agree with that because it is 100% true! Even some of the Cowboy’s biggest haters will admit Dallas had an amazing offensive line during the 90’s.

But were the Lions’ offensive linemen really as bad as people say they were? Well, they had some rough seasons, but they also had some very remarkable seasons, too!

1991
Take a look at the 1991 season. That year, the Lions only gave up 25 SACKS. To put that in perspective, the team that gave up the most sacks that year allowed a whopping 63 SACKS. There were only a small handful of teams that gave up fewer sacks than the Lions that season. The Lions finished that season with a 12-4 record. Seriously, does a team with a horrible offensive line only give up 25 sacks and end up with a 12-4 record?

1994
Was 1991 a fluke, you ask? I don’t think so. Take a look at the 1994 season. That season, they once again were among the best teams in fewest sacks allowed, as they only gave up 26 sacks in that season. Keep in mind, too, that the Lions had quarterbacks such as Scott Mitchell, Erik Kramer, and Rodney Peete during the 90’s. Other than a few decent scampers by Peete, these quarterbacks were not known for being elusive on the run such as guys like Michael Vick and Justin Fields, so their running ability rarely saved the team from any sacks.

1995
Oh, and let’s not forget the 1995 season! During the 1995 season, the Lions gave up 32 sacks, which ranked them in the top half of the league for fewest sacks allowed. They went on to finish with a 10-6 record all the while putting up HUGE offensive numbers. Here are some of the numbers that their stars racked up in 1995:

HERMAN MOORE (Wide Receiver): 123 receptions, 1,686 yards, and 14 touchdowns
BRETT PERRIMAN (Wide Receiver): 108 receptions, 1,488 yards, and 9 touchdowns
BARRY SANDERS (Running Back): 1,500 rushing yards, 398 receiving yards, and 12 touchdowns

Again, I ask you . . . does a team with a weak offensive line put up these kinds of numbers and end up with winning seasons? That answer to that question is RARELY a “No.”

OFFENSIVE LINE NO-NAMES:
Who were the guys blocking for the Lions during the 90’s, you ask? Who was “letting down” Barry Sanders over and over again? A bunch of miserable no-names? Not exactly. Below is a list of some of the offensive linemen that Barry Sanders had in front of him.

KEVIN GLOVER
15 NFL Seasons, 3 Pro Bowl Selections

MIKE COMPTON
12 NFL Seasons (Left the Lions in 2001 to eventually help Tom Brady win his first Super Bowl for the Patriots)

LOMAS BROWN
18 NFL Seasons, 7 Pro Bowls

DAVE LUTZ
13 NFL Seasons

BILL FRALIC
9 NFL Seasons, 4 Pro Bowl Selections

JEFF HARTINGS
11 NFL Seasons, 2 Pro Bowl Selections

All of the above-mentioned offensive linemen lasted for a good 10 years or more in the NFL. You can’t be a slouch in the NFL and expect to survive for over a decade. You must be doing something right if you are playing for such a long time. Right? I mean, come on. If they were that bad and embarrassing, the Lions could have cut them all and acquired a whole new set of linemen through the draft and free agency.

DEFENSES PLAYED THE RUN?
Some people may read this and say that the only reason that teams didn’t get more sacks against the Lions was because they were set up to play the run, not the pass. That would be a silly argument, but even if I considered it a legit argument, I would point something out. Barry Sanders was well known for dancing around in the backfield before choosing a place to run. Sometimes, this worked out, but sometimes this plan did not work out.

MANY times, Barry Sanders was tackled in the backfield because he took too long to search for a place to run instead of putting his shoulder down and running straight ahead to fight for a tough yard (and live to play another down). A large tackle for loss is called a DRIVE KILLER! If you only look at the times Barry Sanders got tackled behind the line of scrimmage, he accounted for NEGATIVE 1,114 YARDS during his career!!

These tackles for losses put the offense in obvious passing situations, which always has the defensive guys licking their chops. Sanders had some amazing runs, but he also had many moments that he put his team in obvious passing downs like 3rd & 15. That almost always means BLITZES from the defense, which often leads to sacks! Despite these numerous passing situations caused by Sander’s habits in the backfield, the offensive line was still able to allow their quarterback to be sacked less than 30 times in two separate seasons. Very impressive, I say!

CONCLUSION
Regardless of what you hear, Barry Sanders did NOT have a horrible offensive line in front of him. They were not the best, but they were FAR from being the worst! To say that the Lions had a horrible offensive line is nothing but FAKE NEWS!

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How to Make $1,000+ Each Year with Credit Card Cashback. Use These Cards!

2/24/2024

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First off, let us state the obvious. BE RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR CREDIT CARDS!!

Often, I hear many people warn others about the financial dangers of using credit cards. Yes, that is true. If you fall behind on credit cards, you will quickly be paying huge amounts of INTEREST every month as you try to catch up on your ever-growing balances.

PAY OFF YOUR CREDIT CARDS RIGHT AWAY
But what if you are somebody that ALWAYS pays off your credit card balance immediately after making a new purchase? What if you put yourself in a position where your credit cards are always paid off and you never pay anything in interest? If this is you, you likely realize the great benefits of using a credit card for as many purchases as possible to gain cashback.

For the past several years, I have used credit cards on everything that I can. I will say that I don’t use a credit card when I pay my monthly mortgage, but that’s only because the bank doesn’t allow it! The only other time I refrain from using a credit card is when I pay for a service that adds a 3%-5% surcharge to the total invoice for credit card users. In these instances, I will simply send a check.
We should always take every opportunity that we can to optimize our money when the opportunities are there. If you are always keeping it “old school” by paying cash or check for every single bill and expense, then you are likely missing out on at least $1,000 in cashback every year.

CREDIT CARD CASHBACK IS AWESOMENESS!!!
Not utilizing cashback on credit cards is like putting all your savings into an account that only pays out $0.001% in interest every month. You’re selling yourself short! If you are the type of person that is able to pay off your entire balance promptly after all purchases, then you should seriously explore all of your credit card options.

There are many options out there. There are likely some that I do not even know about, but I am going to share my most valuable credit cards that I use on a continual basis throughout the year. I will list the credit cards along with the cashback percentage that I receive on each one for specific items/services. Here they are:

-PenFed Platinum Visa Card: 5% on Gas Purchases

-Chase Freedom Visa Card: 5% on Grocery Store Purchases (Rotational Category)

-Discover it Cashback Card: 5% on Dining/Restaurant & Walgreens Purchases (Rotational Category)

-USBank CASH+ Visa Card: 5% Cashback on Cell Phone Charges

-BMO Harris Bank Cash Back Mastercard: 5% Cashback on Internet Services Purchases

-Target REDcard: 5% off Purchases at Target

-Synchrony Bank Amazon Store Card: 5% Cashback on Amazon.com Purchases

-Marriott Bonvoy Visa Bold Card: 5% CashbackPoints on Hotel/Motel Transactions

-Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Card: 3% Cashback on all Online Purchases

-Citi Double Cash Mastercard: 2% Cashback on ALL Purchases

Take note that two of the above-mentioned credit cards utilize “Rotational Categories.” My Discover card and Chase Freedom Visa card both rotate 5% categories every quarter of the year. The categories are usually Groceries, Dining, Gas, Amazon, Walgreens, PayPal, Streaming Services, and Walmart. You just need to make sure that you activate the new upcoming categories as the existing one is about to expire.

As you can see, the categories mentioned above cover a large chunk of our daily expenses! If by chance I have a transaction that does not fall in any of the above categories, I use my Citi Double Cash Mastercard as a default. With this Citi card, I always get 2% cashback no matter what the item or service is. I get 1% during the time of the transaction and the other 1% after the balance is paid off. You will NEVER catch me using a credit card that is only garnering just 1% cashback totals on a transaction!

Keep in mind that cashback credit cards sometimes have above-average annual percentage rates (APRs) or annual fees, so it is ESSENTIAL that you make sure that you keep paying off your balances in a timely manner!

CHEAT SHEET!

How do I keep track of all the different credit cards and categories, you ask? Simple answer! I use a “cheat sheet” that I ALWAYS have in my wallet! I never leave home without it! It looks like chicken scratch, but it does the job! Honestly, though, after about a week or so, you will have most of them memorized, but keep this card in your wallet just to be safe or if your memory has a brain fart.

TOO MANY CREDIT CARDS HURTS YOUR CREDIT SCORE??

Oh, one other thing regarding this strategy of using multiple credit cards. I often hear people state that having too many active credit cards will damage your credit score. All I can say in response to that is that for the past 10+ years, I have held at least 12-15 active credit cards on any given day. And guess what? My credit score is ALWAYS among the top 10 percentile nationwide! With my credit cards always being paid off, I always carry a very impressive debt-to-available credit ratio.

CONCLUSION

So, in conclusion, I encourage any responsible credit card user to maximize the cashback incentives that are available to them! Wipe that dust off your credit cards and rack up the cashback dough! You can easily reach $1,000 or more each year if done correctly! GOOD LUCK!!

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BUSINESS REVIEWS ON GOOGLE: REAL OR FAKE?

Barry Sanders Had A Horrible Offensive Line Blocking For Him! Fake News!

How to Make $1,000+ Each Year with Credit Card Cashback. Use These Cards!

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