5 Ways to Boost Financial Performance

Getting revenue in a business may be job number one, but if you’re not constantly looking for ways to improve efficiencies and cash flow management, your business could be stuck in neutral on an uphill climb. Finding ways to boost your financial performance can get you to the next level more quickly.

Amid the chaos of running a business, many business owners find it difficult to see the forest through the trees, especially as they attempt to navigate through murky economic waters. However, the ability to focus on critical aspects of your business that can improve your financial performance often means the difference between taking your business to the next level and struggling to survive.

Taking the time to find ways to boost the financial performance of your business can pay off massively. Here are five ways you can get immediate results.

Reduce Operational Costs
Whether for production, labor, marketing, or sales, you must spend the money necessary to get your product or service out the door. But, if you could find ways to reduce these necessary costs without sacrificing quality or quantity, you could substantially increase your return on investment. Here are some ways to accomplish that:

• Outsource certain operations, such as sales, marketing, parts of production
• Hire independent contractors whenever you can
• Automate where you can
• Streamline processes where you can
• Negotiate better terms with suppliers
  
  

Watch Your Overhead
While you may be okay with spending money on operational costs because you can see the return on investment, some of your overhead expenses can be a drain on your business. These expenses include your taxes, utilities, maintenance, rent, legal fees, and other bills. While they may be necessary, it’s easy to lose track of your spending. Here are some ways to cut expenses:

• Shop your insurance for better rates
• Consider using VOIP in place of a landline
• Have your employees telecommute to reduce office space
• Go paperless
• Cut travel by using web conferences
• Lease rather than buy equipment
• Work with a tax advisor to ensure you’re maximizing your tax deductions
  
  

Automate Your Treasury Management Solutions
Revenues and profits are good, but if you have to wait on receivables to get cash into your business, it could put a crimp in your ability to grow. And, if cash is leaving your business too quickly, you can create cash flow problems. Work with your bank to implement treasury management solutionssolutions to speed up receivables and control payables to maximize your cash on hand. Tools such as automated payments and collections, remote deposit, and a business credit card can affordably streamline treasury management solutionsto boost your cash flow.

Build Your Business Credit
Having access to capital is critical for businesses that want to expand. It also comes in handy when your business runs into an unexpected cash crunch. While your business may not be able to qualify for inexpensive bank financing right now, it is well worth your efforts to work on building your business credit so it can. A line of credit is the ideal financing vehicle for businesses that need to access capital periodically while controlling their interest costs. To start building credit, work with your suppliers and vendors to establish trade accounts that report your credit activities to the business credit bureaus. Check with your bank to see what it will take to qualify for a business credit card.

Know Your Margins
Watching your revenue and profits grow may feel good, but they don’t tell you much about the financial performance of your business. While knowing your profits is meaningful, knowing your profit margin can tell you whether you can expect your profits to continue. Expressed as a percentage of your sales, profit margins can give you an indication of your business’s overall health and whether you are optimizing its output. Your profit margin tells you whether you’re pricing your products correctly and which products generate the most profits.