Most businesses understand that to keep up their position in a demanding market, it’s important to widen the scope of people you appeal to. Of course, ensuring that customers return and repeat their interactions with your firm is essential But widening into new markets is also great. This can be achieved through various methods. Sometimes, you just need to tune your marketing.

But a general rule of thumb (and a healthy attitude to get into) often dictates that in order to appeal to new people, you have to try and widen the provisions you have, and to refine your product or service output. This way, you can expand into new markets with confidence.

Yet it’s also true that sometimes, this marketing effort can come through a structural change to your company. Launching a website is the obvious example, as now you’ll be easier to interact with and not only an “in-person” storefront.

However, by far one of the least discussed and fundamentally essential is to accept payments more easily. Widening your payment infrastructure means more customers can interact with your firm and feel more suited for doing so.

In this post, we’ll discuss several methods you can use to ensure such an outcome:

Cash

Cash remains a staple payment method, even when everything is digital. Some customers just feel more comfortable using it, especially older folks or people who like to budget by carrying exact amounts, and it’s important to accommodate them even if it costs more money to do so. Small businesses can benefit most from this, as while there’s more cash handling which is its own form of labor and cost, there’s no processing fees to worry about, and the money's there right away.

Setting up for cash means having a secure way to store it, making sure you can give change, and training staff to spot fake bills  as appropriate. It also means more stringent accounting for tax reporting. t's worth having clear signs about what bills you accept, since not everyone can break one hundred notes first thing in the morning, or if there are currencies accepted in some places nearby but that you can’t accept (though remember you don’t have a choice of which legal tender in your country is to be chosen, this mostly applies to foreign currencies).

Cheque

It’s 2025 of course, but people still use cheques, especially for business-to-business payments or larger purchases, and it’s especially useful if you give out invoices. Some older customers prefer them too. While they're not as common as they used to be, having a system to handle cheques can help you avoid turning away sales as appropriate. Just make sure you report any cheque fraud you come across if it doesn’t clear.

The main thing with cheques is knowing how to handle them safely. To prevent the issue we just mentioned, a good policy about holding items until cheques clear helps avoid problems. Some businesses only take them from regular customers they trust, which makes sense given the risk of bounced payments.

Credit & Debit Cards

Almost everyone carries cards these days, and not accepting them means missing out on a great many sales. There are still some businesses that don’t, like cheaper barbers or some takeout places (for instance, a Chinese restaurant that only takes cash, has laminated menus and very simple decors is going to provide you with the most delicious food you’ve ever eaten), but modern card readers are pretty affordable and easy to use. The fees can seem frustrating, but they're usually worth it for the extra business you get. Some businesses use minimum card payments.

Different card processors also offer different rates and features. Some give you the money next day, others take longer, like two to three. Looking into a few options helps find one that fits your business and there are many different providers out there worth looking at. Remember that customers expect card payments to work smoothly, and so technical issues can really frustrate people. If you’re having issues, sometimes temporary closing the store is better than demanding cash.

Mobile Payments

Phone payments keep getting more popular because they’re now pretty much fully integrated into every single smartphone method. This means Apple Pay, Google Pay, and similar services, as they all let people pay by just tapping their phone. It's quick and convenient, and younger customers especially like using it because of how simple it is.

Setting this up usually just means having a card reader that accepts contactless payments, and luckily most modern ones do this automatically. Some businesses even use QR codes that customers can scan to pay, which is pretty easy and accessible for options like restaurant bills and can help you collate everything in one place.

Bank Transfers

Direct bank transfers work well for bigger purchases or frequent business customers you can trust. They're secure and don't have processing fees like cards do. Online banking makes them easier than ever, though it might take a day or two for the money to show up, and depending on your bank you may not have an immediate sign someone has paid. For this reason, keep this option open only to those you trust.

You can make it easier however, like having clear banking details and a system to track transfers to help remove any confusion from the process. Some businesses use different reference numbers for each sale to make it easier to match payments to orders, but remember that this can sometimes have human error involved if they need to copy it down. This is a system that companies like rental agencies will use most of all.

Online Payments

These days, even local businesses often need a way to take payments online, and integrating these into your website can help even a small and unproven business seem more secure and worth the first use. Payment processors like PayPal and Stripe make this pretty straightforward. They handle the security and also have pretty solid customer and business protection schemes to identify disagreements ahead of time.

To avoid running afoul of this, it’s wise to have clear policies about shipping, returns, and refunds. Remember that some customers might want to buy online but pick up in person, and so this can even help your walk-in business too for the most part.

Cryptocurrencies

Crypto payments aren't entirely mainstream yet, but some businesses like offering them, and some have been doing so for years. It can show you're tech-savvy and might attract customers interested in digital currencies, especially in tech shops. The tricky part is dealing with price changes, as crypto values can swing wildly from day to day, but you can still offer certain goods at a fixed priced point and ensure the crypto matches it.

If you decide to accept crypto, having a system to track value and transactions, such as with an OP block explorer, is a wise option. Some payment processors can do this automatically, but make sure you understand the tax implications, since governments treat crypto differently than regular money, and also train your staff because it’s easy to make a mistake with a technology format they don’t understand. For more on tech and the developing nature of these options, please keep up with our website.

Gift Cards & Store Credit

It’s nice to have your own gift card system because it can more easily bring in new customers and encourage customer loyalty. It’s also something of a word-of-mouth marketing scheme but with substance to back it up, as people who get gift cards often spend more than the card value, and some never use the full amount at all.

Digital gift cards are easier to manage than physical ones, though some customers still like having something to wrap up as a present, especially around the holidays. If you have anything that might be popular around the festive period it’s good to consider this option, for instance.

Direct Debit & Subscriptions

It’s amazing how many conventional stores now have subscription options or some kind of service you can pay for with direct debit. Setting this up takes more effort than other payment methods, but it can create steady, predictable income. It works especially well for services people use regularly, like having a subscription to an in-person service. For instance, storage locker and unit providers will often prefer this option because it means you can potentially keep people connected to you for a long period of time. It also makes long-term purchases seem less expensive if you break it up into weekly or monthly payments.

However, you absolutely need clear terms and an easy way to cancel to help customers feel comfortable signing up. In some places, like the EU, this is non-negotiable. Some businesses offer discounts for longer commitments, and it’s worth having that too. 

With this advice, we hope you can more easily and readily widen your business and payment compatibility measures to open yourself up to more business than you may have had otherwise. Such efforts can make a major difference in the long run.