Table of Contents
When creating any plan or strategy
to improve your business performance and increase cash flow and profit margins,
the owners of any business in all industries will use similar tools and
services to forecast where a business needs to improve. At times it is better
to hire a business consultant at the start so that they can implement the
strategies and processes for the business owner to understand and what is
required. An owner should be able to continue to run reports and read the data
so that they can stay on top of the business trackings.
We have all heard the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
The following are a suggestion to help your business increase profitability and
profit margins.
Business Plan Template
A business plan is vital when starting a business. It is the research that will give a good indication of business will be a viable startup. A business plan is an action plan of sorts and will include things like market research, competition research, cost breakdowns, and sourcing ideas. It helps to organize thoughts and to devise the strategies and ultimately the business goals. By having a business plan, it will indicate what problems the new business will face and the solutions that can be undertaken to negate them.
A solid business plan will also be used when applying for finance or when seeking investors. If you have not done a business plan before. – See here for more information for a business plan template
Marketing Planning
Marketing is important for the attraction of new customers and also the most important but often overlooked – Customer retention.
For new client attraction, the marketing plans should include timelines and goals and, at very minimum, should be created annually. It should never be just created and filed away. Marketing plans should be highly visible and placed where staff can see it to remind the team that there are goals and deadlines for the business to achieve, A great marketing plan is similar to a checklist, When the steps are done they can be checked off and then each area of the plan can be tracked and this should be visible for the staff to see if their efforts are on track for success.
For existing customers and client retention- the marketing may evolve more around corporate gifts and promotional products
This is an extremely cost-effective way of ensuring that the existing customer base is made to feel important and ensuring that your customers are actually a part of your marketing strategy when the promotional products that you have gifted to them are used and displayed with your details clearly on the items
Cashflow Planning
For any business to be successful, it needs to be making money. No one wants to own a business that is a liability. As any business grows it will become increasingly difficult to manage cash flow and this is one of the top reasons businesses fail. It is the responsibility of the business owner to have finances projected and under control and many owners do not have these skills and unfortunately many will make the mistake of trying to do their own books or hiring the “cheapest” accountant rather than finding an accountant who can help guide the business through the different growth times
A regularly updated cash flow forecast is critical. Cash flow is what allows businesses to scale and plan for future expansion.
Strategic planning sets businesses up for success. It is our hope that this information will help you build a prosperous, successful business that will sustain you and many employees for a lifetime and even set you up for business succession planning.