How to Take Care of Your Business in Inflationary Times

January 14, 2022 | Posted in Bank Blogs

Running a business is never dull. Every day brings a new challenge and opportunity. One of the biggest challenges is managing economic uncertainties, not the least of which is contending with inflationary pressures.

With rising prices of goods and services and less purchasing power, inflation can take a toll on your company's profits and ultimately, its long-term viability.

But with any challenge comes opportunity – and a chance to gain even greater control of your finances to reduce expenses and maximize every dollar.

Let's take a look at some of the ways you can prepare for and protect your business from inflation – no matter what industry you serve:

• Get a good financial picture. Reviewing your company's financial statements, such as your income statement and balance sheet can help you understand your revenues, expenses, cash flow, profitability, and debt – all of which are critical to helping you make sound business decisions.
• Cut costs. Take a look at all your expenses and look for ways that you can reduce them. For example, can you negotiate more favorable pricing terms with your suppliers? Keep less inventory on hand?
• Increase customer loyalty. In times of inflation, you must increase your revenue. A smart way to accomplish that is to increase the business you do with your existing customers. You should know who your most profitable customers are and think about ways you can increase their business and loyalty, such as implementing or enhancing a loyalty program.
• Hone your marketing. Marketing can drive sales. But, before you spend any resources on it, make sure you clearly understand the value of what you provide. Ask yourself: What makes us unique? What do we do better than our competitors? Who is our primary target audience? Sending the right message to the right people is critical to building awareness and new customer revenue streams, and ensuring you get ROI on your marketing dollars.
• Forecast. You don't have to be a meteorologist to make forecasts. You can use your sales and other financial data to run various scenarios with rising costs to help you understand the impact they could have on your bottom line. This can help you adjust your business plans.

Inflation affects different businesses in different ways. The best way to ensure it doesn't hurt yours is to stay ahead of it.