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ACH Positive Pay If you are a business owner, you should spend your time worrying about growing a successful business, not worrying about fraudulent transactions. That’s where ACH Positive Pay comes in. What is ACH Positive Pay? We’re glad you asked. What is ACH Positive Pay? ACH Positive Pay helps guard your business against unauthorized electronic activity. ACH stands for Automated Clearing House, which is a network that processes electronic payments. There are multiple benefits to using ACH Positive pay, such as: Payments are credited to your account so you won’t need to take checks to the bank ACH processing typically comes with fewer errors than collecting and depositing paper checks You can automate attempts to collect bad checks, so you won’t have to deal with the same check twice ACH Positive Pay at First Bank First Bank provides ACH Positive Pay that allows business to collect payments from their customers, make payments to their vendors, and deposit payroll funds into their employees’ bank accounts. We can provide full ACH Positive Pay, which means any transaction that does not meet your requirements would require your approval. Or we will send you an email each time an ACH transaction posts to your account. ACH Positive Pay is very user-friendly. Instead of having to go online to approve a payment or transaction, the system will call your phone and all you have to do is enter an authorization code to approve the payment. You’ll no longer have to go to the post office to mail checks, which will save you time and money. If your company has experienced check fraud loss and wants to reduce exposure to fraudulent transactions, First Bank’s ACH Positive Pay could be a smart investment for your company. Visit Your Local First Bank Today To learn more about ACH Positive Pay or see a demo of how it works, visit a First Bank branch near you. ——— Sources: NACHA: https://www.nacha.org/news/what-ach-quick-facts-about-automated-clearing-house-ach-network 2 min read

Need Online Payroll Services Nearby? Trust Your Local First Bank Going green isn’t only good for the environment. If you’re a business owner, turning your business into an eco-friendly venture could help you save money and attract more customers. By cutting costs in certain areas, you can spend more money focusing on things like marketing and employee growth, or just make more of a profit. Customers also love to support green businesses, and it could help your reputation to show that you care about more than your own personal success. If you own a business and want to make it more environmentally friendly, switching to online payroll services is a good place to start. Eliminating paper checks and the need for a bookkeeper can help you cut down on paper costs and save a few trees in the process. If you are ready to make the switch, you may be looking for online payroll services near you. Look no further than First Bank. We offer a variety of online payroll services sure to meet the needs of you and your business. Reduce Your Business’ Carbon Footprint With Top Payroll Companies Near You End your search for online payroll services near you at First Bank. We offer a Payroll Direct Deposit service, as well as Everywhere Electronic Payments that enable you to cut costs and reduce your carbon footprint. With First Bank’s Payroll Direct Deposit services you won’t have to play your employees by check. You will be able to deposit pay directly into their checking or savings accounts. You can also use Direct Deposit to expense reimbursements, pension payments, dividends, and other disbursements. Everywhere Electronic Payments give control of your funds until the exact moment you need them. Electronic payments can also be used to disburse funds like direct deposit of payroll, expense reimbursement, royalty payments, or vendor payments. When you provide information electronically, you will reduce the time and expense of writing, processing, and reconciling checks. Lessen your impact on the environment by visiting a First Bank branch today. We have nearly 100 locations in North Carolina and South Carolina, making it easy to find online payroll services near you. ——— Sources: USA.gov: http://www.usa.gov/topics/environment-agriculture/going-green-tips.shtml 2 min read

Where to Get Mobile Payroll Solutions In today’s on-the-go world, you can do just about anything from a mobile phone, tablet or laptop. If you run a business in this tech-driven environment and have employees to pay, you might be wondering where to get mobile payroll solutions. First Bank has more than 100 locations in the Carolinas, but you don’t need to physically visit one to satisfy your payroll or banking needs. With free online and mobile banking for all of our business checking and savings accounts, First Bank is with you and your employees wherever you go. Mobile Banking Options First Bank provides customers with two easy ways to bank on the go. With a wireless web connection, just log into your account through our website to access your money 24 hours a day, making it easy to process your payroll during off-business hours. If you have an iPhone, iPod touch or Android device, just download our LocalFirstBank mobile app* and access your account with one touch of the screen. Mobile Payroll Benefits First Bank is the go-to place to get mobile payroll solutions. We offer a number of advantages associated with digital banking. By being able to make direct deposits from any location at any time, our business customers can: Cut Costs. Stop spending money on printed checks and postage and avoid fees associated with stop payments and reissues for lost or stolen checks. Improve timeliness. Nobody likes waiting for their paycheck and with our direct deposit service you can easily distribute checks to absent or off-site employees. Eliminate the time required to print, sign and mail checks. Reduce risk. Eliminate check fraud by eliminating checks altogether. Provide added convenience. Allow your employees to split their deposits between checking and savings accounts and reduce trips to the bank. Get Mobile Payroll Solutions with First Bank Learn more about why First Bank is where to get mobile payroll solutions and how you can even use payroll cards to make direct deposits to employees without bank accounts. *While First Bank does not charge for mobile banking, check with your mobile service provider for web access fees. iPhone®, and iPod Touch® are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. Android™ is a trademark of Google Inc. ——— Sources: Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/directdeposit.asp Investopedia: 2 min read

Credit Card Processing for Businesses If you are a business owner, you probably know that accepting multiple forms of payment (cash, debit, credit, and checks) is important. But you may not know just how essential credit card processing is to the success of your business. In the next few years, only 23 percent of all point-of-sale purchases are expected to be made with cash. That means a greater number of shoppers favor credit and debit cards over the traditional cash payment. Couple this statistic with the growing trend of mobile shopping, businesses have to innovate to acquire and maintain customers. Transitioning from cash-only to accepting other forms of payment may seem like a hassle, but with First Bank, it doesn’t have to be. Credit Card Processing from First Bank* First Bank offers payment processing and management services for businesses of all sizes. With First Bank, your business can accept credit cards, debit cards, electronic checks, and other forms of electronic payments. First Bank is partnered with Heartland, one of the nation’s largest providers of merchant card processing. With our services, you can: Improve revenue capture Expand your customer base Create purchase mobility Reduce payment risk Our payment processing and management solutions give you the ability to process payments through point-of-sale terminals, the Internet, and wireless and mobile applications. And we make it easy to keep track of your sales and payments with our web-based reporting service. Before you put a “cash only” sign on your front door, stop by your local First Bank to speak with one our experts about credit card processing. We’ll talk to you about your options and show you how our flexible and customizable payment processing solutions could work for your business. Sources: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4394-accepting-credit-cards.html 2 min read

Where to Get Physician Mortgage Loans If you’re a business-minded professional looking for a mortgage loan with a competitive rate, you’re in luck. First Bank is pleased to be the place to secure physician mortgage loans. We offer professional mortgage loans for physicians, dentists, optometrists, Pharm.D pharmacists, ophthalmologists, podiatrists, osteopathologists, and veterinarians. What is a Physician Mortgage Loan? Physician mortgage loans are home loans that are designed to meet the needs of physicians that are just starting out. New physicians typically graduate college with a substantial amount of student loan debt, making it hard for them to qualify for loans. Physician mortgage loans are typically easier to qualify for because the lender takes into consideration the amount of money a physician will make once he or she graduates. Professional Mortgage Loans from First Bank First Bank offers professional mortgage loans for physicians looking to purchase a primary homes, details include: No mortgage insurance required No down payment required Prepay your loan under no penalty Seller contributions or gift funds of up to 3% of the purchase price may be used for closing costs Maximum of 100% loan-to-value for purchase of primary home For more information on physician mortgage loans, talk with with a First Bank mortgage loan officer. Physician Mortgage Loans — Apply Today First Bank offers two convenient ways for physicians to get mortgage loans. You can use our online application to apply for a loan. That means you don’t have to leave your own home to apply for a professional loan. Just gather your financial and property information and easily complete the application. Or visit one of our 100 plus locations throughout the Carolinas. Loans subject to credit approval. ———- Sources: NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/12/realestate/mortgages-for-physicians.html?_r=0 Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/amortization.asp 2 min read

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Business Owners: Put Automation to Work for You A year ago today, Ann was a totally different entrepreneur. Her title might have been Owner of Little Genius Tutoring, but her to-do list didn’t quite match. She was trying frantically to keep all her students and parents happy, while also juggling the following tasks: Drafting invoices in Word and mailing them to clients—sometimes twice, when a parent would forget to send payment. Trying out various accounting programs and software but getting frustrated and reverting back to a spreadsheet to track her income. Digging through piles of checks and receipts every month to figure out which clients had paid and who was overdue. It soon became clear that Ann was actually wearing the hats of Client Services, Billing Manager, Systems Manager, and Bookkeeper. Her tutoring business was staying afloat, but she was working tons of extra hours just to make ends meet. Does this sound like a familiar story? Automation at Work Fast forward to today: Ann’s to-do list is much shorter, and she’s gained back valuable time in her day. She spends most of her workweek doing what she loves — helping her students — and just a fraction of her time collecting and tracking payments. What changed in the last year? Ann found Autobooks: the only way to collect electronic payments that’s plugged right into her First Bank business checking account. Now clients pay her through Autobooks — instead of by cash or check. And the best part? Parents can pay from their phone or computer, at whatever time of day is convenient for them, while also using whatever payment method they prefer: a credit card or check (debit from their checking account). When Ann signs into her business checking account, she has an instantaneous view of who’s paid in full and who still owes money. If a parent’s payment is late, Ann can send an automatic email reminder—no phone tag and no printing out another invoice. Ready to get started to see if Autobooks can help you save time too? Sign up for a free demo, stop by your local branch, or contact Business Support. You could be receiving electronic payments before the end of the day. 2 min read

Mastercard Business Card with Rewards Business owners use credit cards to pay for most business expenses. It’s important to have a business credit card that enables you to get the most out of your money. Discover your credit card options at First Bank. 3 min read

Commercial Loan Payment Calculator Are you interested in obtaining a commercial mortgage? A commercial loan calculator* can help determine your monthly payments. This is important because purchasing a location for your business is significant and requires a lot of preparation. Calculating your monthly mortgage payments before applying is one way you can ready yourself to take out a commercial loan. Calculate Your Monthly Commercial Mortgage Payments Repayment structures are different for commercial mortgages than residential mortgages. Commercial mortgages typically have two components: the amortization and the balloon payment. The amortization or the term of the loan calculates your monthly payment. The balloon payment becomes due after a specified period of time, requiring the borrower to pay that amount in full, refinance, or sell the property. The commercial mortgage loan experts at First Bank are a great resource and can help you determine a monthly commercial mortgage payment (come by your local branch to speak with one today). You can also use our commercial loan calculator. This tool computes monthly principal and interest payments, and balloon repayments. All you have to do is enter information about your loan and click Calculate Your Results. What you will need to know: Loan amount – The total loan amount desired. Interest rate – The percentage you pay for the use of an amount of money for a specified period of time. Individual loan interest rates depend on a number of factors such as current typical rates, location, and financial records. Interest rates will be either fixed or adjustable. Fixed rates will not change over the term of the loan, allowing for predictable payments. Adjustable interest rates can adjust either up or down at defined intervals according to a market index, which may increase or decrease your payments accordingly. Term in number of years – The time limit within which the mortgage loan must be repaid. Commercial mortgage loans are offered in a variety of term lengths. Generally the longer the term, the smaller your minimum monthly payments will be. Amortization term in number of years – The number of payments over which your loan payment is calculated. If this is longer than the term, this will result in a balloon payment for the final payment. Click here to 3 min read

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Top Five Reasons to Offer Employees First@Work Did you know that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck? And only 40% of Americans have sufficient savings to cover a financial emergency of $1000 or more? Imagine the stress that money issues like those might cause, and what that stress can do to employee productivity. According to a study by the American Institute of Stress of over 800,000 workers in over 300 companies, the number of employees calling in sick tripled in a four-year period and an estimated 1 million workers are absent every day due to stress. It doesn’t have to be that way. In order to help alleviate some of that stress, First Bank offers businesses a financial wellness program called First@Work. This program provides them with education and an exclusive suite of products, discounts, and unique services. The top 5 reasons you should offer your employees a First@Work account: It costs you nothing, and you can include it in your list of benefits for your employees. A Focus on Financial Wellness that includes: Online Courses: Free online courses empower employees with the knowledge they need to make smart financial choices. In-Person Seminars: Live workplace workshops inform and educate your team at your location. MyMoney tool: Free personal financial management tool helps employees manage their money in real time. It includes no hassle checking and savings accounts: No fee checking with direct deposit1 No fee savings with monthly $10 auto transfer No First Bank fees at out-of-network ATM and other bank fee rebates up to $15.00 per month 1 free overdraft per year Digital banking and mobile banking app with check deposit World-Class Protection IDProtect® – Identity Theft Monitoring and Resolution service2 that includes: Credit file monitoring3 Up to $10,000 ID theft expense reimbursement4 And more! Cell phone protection4 Convenience More than 100 branch locations across the Carolinas No First Bank fees at out-of-network ATMs plus with our ATM fee rebates we will refund up to $15/month of fees charged by other ATM owners5 Free digital banking and free mobile app with check deposit and Zelle®6 Ready to Get Started? Sign up for a free consultation or visit your local First Bank branch! Avoid the $20 monthly maintenance fee by receiving a direct deposit of 4 min read

Business Spotlight: Ryan and Jenny Haskins of Archdale Drug Video

Business Spotlight: Archdale Drug Ryan Hoskins, owner of Archdale Drug, had always wanted to run his own small business. He tells us his story of how he started Archdale Drug and what local business means to the community. 3 min read

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Give Customers an Experience, See Retail Sales Grow Customers crave an experience, a sense of belonging, exceptional customer service, and brands that are in step with their passions, politics, and lifestyle. It’s what retail and marketing experts call “experiential retail.” 7 min read

Business Trend Highlight: Experiential Shopping Modern digital innovations can bridge the gap between the off- and online world, and in the best case, ensure a splendid customer experience that is personally tailored, interactive, and deeply ingrained in a daily activity. 2 min read

Explore Courses to Help Run Your Business

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