Simple steps to improve your small business’s bottom line

accounts-1238828_640By Henry Brown

Want to improve your profits? Most business owners who do tend to seek out ways to make more sales. That involves added marketing costs, of course, which adds on to your overall cost of sale. However, there are far more efficient ways of improving your profits, without trying to increase customer traffic. In this guide, we’re going to take a look at a few ideas, including cutting costs and getting more for your money. Read on to find out how to improve your bottom line.

Cut costs and control expenses

First of all, have a good look at all your business expenses. Office rental costs, marketing to attract customers, software services – they all add up to a significant sum. It’s a wise idea to have a regular review of your costs and identify areas that can help you decrease these expenses. For example, if you are a retail business, your merchant account is costing you money every time you make a sale. Is there an alternative out there? It might be cheaper for you to find a white label payment gateway instead. Similarly, are your suppliers giving you the best prices for raw materials? Is there somewhere else that could make you a better deal? While these expenses might not seem much on a per sale basis, add them up and you can improve your bottom line by making sure you’re getting the best deals possible from all lf your vendors.

Better ROI on marketing

A lot of businesses are throwing money at ineffective marketing techniques these days. And, given that customer acquisition is far more expensive than customer retention, it might be time for a change of tack. Put more focus on targeting current and old customers instead. You could entice them with add-on products, or extra services, for example. It’s cheaper for you and strengthens your clients’ satisfaction with your brand. Always look at ROI when you are assessing the effectiveness of your marketing. Are you spending hours updating your Facebook page every day with no defining results? Maybe it’s time to spend less effort on social media and concentrate on more efficient tactics.

Increase productivity

Another way to improve your bottom line is to get more out of your employees. We aren’t suggesting working them too hard, of course. But, some ideas can help them become more productive. Better training, for example, can lead to them working in a more efficient way. They will know more about the products they sell, can give more information to your clients, and will help boost your customer retention rates. Think about finding productivity software to track your staff. It might help you identify areas where you can support your employees better. It’s also a good idea to develop clearer company goals. Having everyone reading from the same page will help improve efficiencies across all of your business.

So, there you have it – some simple ideas for improving your business’s bottom line. Don’t forget that more sales doesn’t necessarily mean more profit. Sometimes, lowering your costs is a far more efficient way of growing your business.

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Henry Brown is an online marketing executive. When he isn’t talking shop he’s roaming the streets of London; uncovering the extra-ordinary in the ordinary.

 

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