Balancing the books is not just about increasing sales. It’s also critical to keep an eye on outgoings and try to reduce expenses where possible. If you run a business, and you’re eager to send profits soaring, here are some simple ways to save money.
Negotiating and buying in bulk
Most businesses work with suppliers or other companies, and they are reliant on buying ingredients, parts, materials and supplies. One way to cut costs is to try to negotiate better deals, particularly when placing bulk orders. From commercial cleaning supplies and ingredients for a restaurant to materials for building companies and paper and ink for offices, it is possible to reduce spending. Even a small discount can make a difference when you buy large volumes of products on a regular basis. Contact suppliers and other businesses you work with and see if you can bring prices down. It’s also worth shopping around to see if you can get a better deal as a new customer.
Outsourcing and offering short-term contracts
Wages account for a substantial chunk of the outgoings for most business owners. If your wage bill is too high, there are options. Outsourcing is a means of accessing services or skills you don’t have in-house and it can offer a cost-effective alternative to hiring employees. Consider the example of an office-based sales team. If you don’t have an IT department within the business, you can outsource IT support. This means that you pay a monthly or annual fee in exchange for IT services, rather than employing IT experts. Another option to explore is offering short-term contracts. This is particularly beneficial for seasonal businesses and companies that tend to work on individual projects, such as construction jobs.
Capping employee expenses
Many companies spend a lot of money on covering employee expenses. If you have employees that travel a lot, for example, it may be viable to reduce budgets substantially without compromising on the quality of the service your team provides. You can swap in-person meetings for virtual conferences, eliminating the cost of flights, trains or long car journeys and accommodation. You could also think about bringing in a cap. This will help you budget more effectively while also reducing spending.
Streamlining marketing
Are you spending too much on marketing, or do you feel like you’re wasting money on campaigns or techniques that don’t achieve results? Streamlining your strategy can help you improve your ROI and generate better quality leads. Focus on methods that reach the target market. Use data to build on strengths and address weaknesses. If you have a young target audience, for example, marketing your business on Instagram is likely to be much more effective than promoting products and services on Twitter and Facebook.
Generating profits is a challenge for every business owner. If you’re trying to increase margins or reduce the risk of getting into debt, it’s wise to concentrate on reducing expenses and saving money. Explore staffing options, negotiate with suppliers and buy in bulk where possible, cap employees expenses and streamline your marketing strategy.
