Five Ways to Reduce Costs and Boost Your Profitability
Not sure why your bottom line is not pretty? Sometimes, overspending can hurt your profitability despite your record sales.
Profitability does not only come from sales numbers and a profitable business isn’t always the one with the most customers and the highest sales. Profitability depends on what is left in the account at the end of the month or the fiscal year. It is important to account not only for the money coming in but also the money going out. That is why cutting costs is one of the best ways to boost profitability… if you do it right. IMPORTANT some costs are good. Good costs generate a return on your investment so do not cut these. Instead try and get a better deal on these ones.
Tip #1 – Address Material Costs
Sellers of products are most concerned with raw material costs. That is why increasing profitability can be as simple as lowering manufacturing and or development costs. You would be surprised at how much this move can make your business profitable. To maximise your opportunities to increase your profitability you need to understand the cost make-up of each finished product.
Tip #2 – Reduce Labour Costs
Can any of your labour processes be replaced by automation? Have you considered hiring a VA as opposed to an on-site assistant? Reducing the amount of money spent on wages can also boost profitability when you draw the line on your finances. So, evaluate the daily tasks that your team members perform and look at some of your own duties as a business owner. In today’s environment, outsourcing is one of the best ways to cut costs. It is also one of the smarter ways to hire as you may have access to a wider pool of experts. Properly executed, you can lower costs and maintain a high level of quality with outsourcing.
Tip #3 – Manage Expenses
Many businesses are overpaying for marketing. For example, hotels may work with a variety of travel agencies even though a couple of them may be bringing in the bulk of the bookings. In that scenario, it may be a good idea to drop the non-performers. The same principle applies to all other expenses and services. If you pay for things and they do not end up improving your business or what you offer, these may be expenses worthy of the chopping block. This would affect your bottom line directly.
Tip #4 – Know What Cost to Cut
If only cutting costs were simple, right? Most business owners do not know where to start. If you are one of them, it is ideal to start by performing an internal audit of your finances. Identify where all the money comes and goes and decide what you can or can’t cut.
Tip #5 – Get Better Deals
Many industries work with vendors, which happens to be a great area to look at if you want to boost profitability. You may already know that it is possible to renegotiate vendor contracts, though it is easy to be put on the back burner. Getting better deals, however, does not always have to involve other vendors, as you can also leverage your relationships with existing vendors. You can even consider changing service providers and utility contracts.
cut cost Smarter, not harder
You do not have to make massive cuts in a single department. Even small amounts add up to significant savings if you make enough of them here and there. These tips are particularly helpful to anyone operating a cash flow-dependent business. That said, they apply to both B2B and B2C companies looking to boost their bottom lines.
