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Go Multinational
Go Multinational By William Cate If you are marketing your quality product or service in any country, you should be selling it in every country. Going Multinational is more than increasing your access to customers. It's a formula for increased...
Small Business Tax Tips - Product Review of Tax Reduction Toolkit
Product Review – Introduction
Product Review – What I liked
Product Review – What I didn’t like
Product Review – Best Features Summary
Table of Contents – Seven Sections – 29 Tax Tips
Final Comments and Pricing (under $40)
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Student Credit Cards 101
If you’re a college student, you probably already have a credit card. If not, you may have plans to get one or more soon. So why should you read on?
Because financial debt is one of the main reasons that many students end up dropping out...
What Is The Key To Slashing Your Taxes?
One very foggy night the captain of a large ship saw what appeared to be another ship's lights approaching in the distance. The two were on a course that would mean a certain head-on collision. So quickly the captain signaled to the approaching...
Why Small Businesses Fail (or Fail to Thrive)
Tammy, a skilled and gifted horticulturist, called me to discuss what she needed to know to start her own florist and landscaping business. She had been in the horticulture industry for 10 years and was incredibly skilled at working with flowers...
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Don't Wait for Tax Time to Look at the Bottom Line
A curious thing happens to entrepreneurs in the spring of every year. They wake up one day and realize they had better figure out how much money they made last year so they can pay their taxes. But wait, shouldn't a business owner already KNOW how much money he or she made last year, last quarter, or last month?
If you don't keep track of how much money you're making, you have no idea whether your business is successful or not. You can't tell how well your marketing is working. And I don't just mean you should know the amount of your total sales or gross revenue. You need to know what your net profit is. If you don't, there's no way you can know how to increase it.
If you want your business to be successful, you need to make a financial plan and check it against the facts on a monthly basis, then take immediate action to correct any problems. Here are the steps you should take:
Create a financial plan for your business. Estimate how much revenue you expect to bring in each month, and project what your expenses will be. If you need it, get help from business planning books, software, or an accountant.
Review the plan monthly. Even if business owners take the time to prepare a financial plan with profit and loss projections, they often let it sit in a drawer. It's not enough to have a plan -- you have to review it regularly.
Remember that lost profits can't be recovered. When entrepreneurs compare their projections to reality and find earnings too low or expenses too high, they often conclude, "I'll make it up later." The problem is that you really can't make it up later: every month profits are too low is a month that is gone forever.
Make adjustments right away. If revenues are lower than expected, increase efforts in sales and marketing or look for ways to increase your rates. If overhead costs are too high, find ways to cut back.
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There are other businesses like yours around. What is their secret for operating profitably?
Think before you spend. When considering any new business expense, including marketing and sales activities, evaluate the increased earnings you expect to bring in against its cost before you proceed to make a purchase. You can often increase your profitability simply by delaying expenses to a later month, quarter, or year.
Don't be afraid to hire. Retailers and restaurateurs wouldn't consider operating without employees, but many service businesses limit themselves by being understaffed. Almost any business can benefit from hired (or contracted) help. Business owners can often better use their talents for generating revenue than for running errands and filing.
Pay yourself a regular salary. If you are incorporated, you may already be doing this. If not, allocate an amount to owner's compensation on a monthly basis. Each month that your business meets its profitability goal, pay yourself the full amount. When you miss your target, dock your "pay" and when you exceed it, pay yourself a "bonus." Writing yourself a monthly paycheck will give you a strong incentive to keep your business profitable.
Evaluate the success of your business based on profit, not revenue. It doesn't matter how many thousands of dollars you are bringing in each month if your expenses are almost as high, or higher. Many high-revenue businesses have gone under for this very reason -- don't be one of them.
About the Author
C.J. Hayden is the author of Get Clients NOW! Since 1992, C.J. has been teaching business owners and salespeople to make more money with less effort. She is a Master Certified Coach and leads workshops internationally. Read more of her articles or subscribe to her free newsletter at http://www.getclientsnow.com.
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