Recessions around the world create tough times for people and businesses. Many people lose jobs, and many families have to slash their spending. As a result, consumer demand decreases and ultimately, it affects the economy in total. Businesses around the world scramble hard to stay open and profitable during such harsh times. The past global recession has shown us that it is difficult to approximate the impact of a recession on a particular business. Therefore, it is always better to be prepared for unpredictable situations.
While planning your company growth and expansion, always remember that your business is dependent on external factors. It is a fact that no industry can evolve independently. If your competitor suffers from the impact of the recession, then you are also likely to be in the pipeline. It is the start of a chain reaction that affects all. Larger businesses may bear the brunt differently. It may lay off an employee completely or reduce his benefits and perks. Small businesses are more likely to suffer because of inadequate cash flow. Many will find achievement in avoiding bankruptcy. Therefore, one must study and observe the market trends and take necessary steps to overcome future hurdles. The decrease in costumers causes stiff cash flow. Besides, banks are unwilling to provide working capital loans for business during recession time.
Specific measures can help prepare your business to flow through the test of times.
Maintain Healthy Cash Flow:
Cash is the key that keeps the business open and running. For a business to work smoothly, you need to ensure your free cash flow. Most companies come under pressure because of cash flow problems. To avoid any damage to your business, implement strategies that allow you to manage your cash freely.
Have Routine Surveys
Small businesses must ensure a quarterly survey of their financial ratio. This ultimately helps you to manage your short-term obligations. Keeping a current ratio account will reveal where you stand on your short- term obligations to pay your debts and liabilities. It will help you to plan your business accordingly. Also, try and build strategies that maximize your free cash flow. For example: do not stock up your inventory. Ensure the rapid sale of your inventory to gain fast returns.
Maintain Cash Budget:
It is one thing to keep the cash flowing. Another more significant question is how to keep track of your cash flow? Maintaining a cash budget is one way of tracking your flow of money. Preparing monthly statements will help analyze how much cash you require to pay on your utilities and inventories. A cash budget can be reanalyzed depending on the change in cash flow or else changing the inflation rate.
All Profit Is Not Cash:
Being an entrepreneur, you may feel tempted to focus on the profits. You will be tested to take risks and ensure the growth of your business. Understanding the difference between free cash and profit values is critical. Many small business owners make the mistake of investing for higher profits. In doing so, they sometimes block their free flow of cash, subsequently damaging their business. Certain businesses may not receive cash immediately. They work on the debit/credit basis. This leads to cash flow problems.
Review your Costs:
It is always wise to reevaluate your own expense cost from time to time. Look for ways to cut production and inventory costs without compromising on the quality and service. Look for better options and innovative ways to manage your liability cost. You can opt for energy-saving possibilities. Manage supply chains by cutting distribution costs. Look for outsourcing your inventory from multiple places. Do not depend on a single vendor. Keep in mind the warehouse and shipping cost while ordering stock from a vendor. You may look to decrease your discretionary costs by looking at online options as well. The purpose is to self-check and limits your budget wherever you can.
Focus on Expanding Your Customer Base:
Do not depend on one or two big clients and customers. It is imperative that you focus on entertaining a more extensive customer base. Offer services and products that suit a variety of customers (depending on a few good customers is unpredictable and risky.) If you lose them during tough times, you have nowhere to start a new one. Therefore, it is advisable that you concentrate on building up your brand on quality. Also, diversify your products on quality as well as the price to attract more customers.
Maintain Loyal Customers:
Be useful to your customers. A successful business is summed up by how it keeps its core customers hooked to them. Value your customers and keep them happy by giving them something different than others. Research your customer need and provide them with the best customer service. Keep an eye on your competitor. Many competitors try and break customers through discount deals and offers. If the customer is satisfied with your services and ethics, he will stay loyal to you. Introduce innovative sales incentives for customers to keep coming back to you. A regular and loyal customer base ensures good cash flow in times of recession.
Explore and Increase Your Marketing:
During recession business owners will sometimes cut their marketing costs. The greatest challenge during a recession is for a product to sell. When customers are not ready to spend, they need an incentive to buy a particular product. Marketing your product through a variety of ways is a solution.
You must increase your marketing strategies. Make sure your product reaches to the masses. Do not cut back on the marketing budget and make efforts to enhance it. Find new ways to get your product across to the customers. A good marketing strategy will make a customer select your product over the others.
Maintain a Good Credit Rate:
When you have the ease of doing business. Make some effort and consider how you do your business. Your credit/debit credentials will review how well you cope in difficult times. During tough times when it is already challenging to borrow money, a lot depends on your credit score. Pay your bills on time, manage your debts properly and decrease your reliance on credit/debit ways of doing business.
Focus on Your Core Strengths:
As an entrepreneur, you must concentrate on your core strengths. Many companies make the mistake of shifting their focus from the core subject. Multi managing on a variety of products and brands can be time-consuming. In times of recession, customers are wary of buying new products. So, it is always better to shift your focus from growth to stability. Manage your inventory, production, and sale for products that have already hit a chord with the customer. Engage your customers through marketing that single product. Improve your service by retaining your skilled employees during harsh times.
BOTTOM LINE:
No company or business is entirely recession-proof. Either big or small businesses must adopt strategies and stress-proof themselves in testing times. Taking precautionary measures to ensure your survival in the market. Recession is a reality, but it is also for a limited time. Taking the necessary steps to avoid hardship in the future. The key is to keep your cash flowing. Running a business is a team effort, so always value the people that make your business a success. Value your employees and make your customers satisfied.