Author: Maria Sparagis

Maria Sparagis is President of DirectPayNet, where she's spent over 20 years helping businesses scale to six-, seven-, and eight-figure revenue through optimized payment processing. She works hands-on with business owners to solve merchant account challenges, reduce processing costs, and implement payment strategies that support real growth. Maria is a regular speaker at fintech conferences and writes about practical approaches that help businesses break through revenue plateaus.

Digital Marketing vs Affiliate Marketing — Pros, Cons, and Using Together

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Two popular marketing strategies that have gained significant traction in recent years are digital marketing and affiliate marketing. While both approaches leverage online channels and digital platforms, they differ in their execution and objectives. Digital marketing encompasses a wide range of tactics and channels, and its primary goal is to build brand awareness, engage with […]

New FTC Telemarketing Rules: What Merchants Need to Know

illustration of telemarketers in an office on the phone

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently announced significant updates to the Telemarketing Sales Rules (TSR), aimed at strengthening consumer protection and cracking down on deceptive telemarketing practices. These changes come as part of the FTC’s ongoing review of the TSR, which includes do-not-call provisions and prohibitions on most telemarketing robocalls to consumers. The new […]

Stripe Fees & Pricing: What Percent Does Stripe Take?

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Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 per successful online card transaction. That’s the headline rate, but it’s rarely what you actually pay. Once you factor in international cards, currency conversion, chargebacks, and add-on products, most merchants end up paying an effective rate between 3.5% and 4.5%. Below is a complete breakdown of every Stripe fee, what […]

Decoding Your Merchant Statement to Lower Credit Card Processing Fees

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As a small business owner, maintaining profitability and growth means managing expenses. One area that often goes overlooked is credit card processing fees. These fees can quickly add up, eating into your hard-earned revenue if left unchecked. That’s why it’s important to understand your monthly merchant statement – the detailed breakdown of all the charges […]

High-Ticket vs Low-Ticket Affiliate Marketing: Using BOTH for Max Profit

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Affiliate marketing has become an increasingly popular way for digital marketers to earn a passive income online. By promoting products or services and earning a commission on each sale, affiliate marketers can build a profitable business from the comfort of their own homes. However, not all affiliate marketing programs are created equal. One key distinction […]