If you’re gearing up for the launch of a startup, you may be focused solely on finding enough money to get the business off the ground. The trouble is that financing a startup isn’t just about surviving the first stage. To succeed in the long term, you need to make the company profitable. Driving sales is one way to do this, but it’s also essential to keep an eye on the bottom line. If you’re taking in a huge amount of money, but you’re overspending at the same time, your net profit will be minimal.
If you’re keen to increase your margin, here are some tips to help you reduce running costs.
Negotiating
Whenever you approach another company or an individual who is looking to buy or sell, be ready to negotiate. Whether you’re pitching to buyers who have expressed an interest in your product or you’re looking for a new supplier as part of a drive to make the manufacturing process cheaper, it’s essential to get the best deal you can. You want to get the most competitive unit price available, especially if you’re ordering in bulk or you’re hoping to form a long-term partnership with a single supplier or distributor. Do some research, work out the maths, and go in at a figure that gives you room to manoeuvre. If you start at a high price when you’re selling and a low price when you’re buying, you can always decrease or increase your bid accordingly.
Shopping around
In this day and age, competition for business is fierce, and this means that it’s always worth shopping around. If you buy products like paper, ink cartridges, medical gloves or paper cups on a regular basis or you plan to place a bulk order, compare prices from different vendors. You may find that you make a significant saving instantly or that you can use a price from a competitor to drive down fees charged by companies you’ve worked with in the past. Look out for flash sales and buy in bulk when items are available at discounted prices.
Working more efficiently
Efficiency saves money, so have a think about how you could make your business more efficient. Could you invest in newer technology to accelerate production or start using software to do some of the more time-consuming jobs done by your workforce? Could you plan more effectively or be clearer when it comes to setting goals? The aim is to increase output at the same time as lowering costs. If you’re not sure where improvements could be made, you could consider working with a consultant or doing an audit. This would enable you to identify potential areas of weakness.
In business, the more money you take home, the better. It’s not just about making sales and closing deals. You have to make sure that you maximise margins to generate as much profit as possible. Keep an eye on what you spend, as well as what you bring in and try and make your business more efficient. Negotiate at every stage and always compare prices from different retailers and suppliers.