Improve your cash flow and your business
Learn how to balance incoming and outgoing payments with the demands of your business.
Business cash flow – what you need to know
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When cash is flowing in and out at a healthy rate, you’re poised to operate and grow your business successfully. Here’s what you need to know to take control:
- Know when to use your line of credit. Using a line of credit can increase your working capital and help you meet short-term and seasonal demands. (Tip: Avoid using your line of credit for long-term business purposes.)
- Payables and receivables. Optimize both payables and receivables to enhance the business cash flow. (Tip: Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments allow you to keep funds in your account for as long as possible while also giving control and stability of when the cash comes out of your account.)
- Borrow wisely. Credit cards can be used to make day-to-day purchases. (Tip: Pay off the balance before interest accrues.)
- HSA benefits. Employers that offer high deductible plans with HSA can drastically decrease the insurance premiums they pay and even lower the business' taxable income by making pre-tax contributions toward employee HSAs.
Insights to improve cash flow
Business Banking Insights
4 Cash Flow Planning Tips to Ensure a healthy business
Business owners have so many priorities tugging at their time that it can be easy to focus on the crisis of the moment or the next sale, rather than long-term cash flow planning, the lifeblood of a business. Here are some ideas to get you thinking about your business cash flow:
Business Banking Insights
Co-working for new small business owners
In the age before technology, the local coffee shop served as a central gathering place for a diverse group of business owners and professionals to meet, network and share ideas.
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Five ways to improve your small business’s cash flow
In a small business, cash is king. You can be a very profitable company and still get choked by a lack of funds. When money is tight, your first thought is probably to get a small business loan or line of credit. While borrowing is an obvious choice, there are a few other often overlooked ways that your banker can help you “max the cash.”
Taking care of business
By implementing changes today you can improve your future cash flow and be better prepared for whatever opportunities and challenges arise.
Don't just go with the flow – make a plan
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Here are some steps you can take today to improve the financial future of your business:
- Financial forecasting. Understand your business cash flow by completing basic forecasting calculations.
- Incentivize. Offer incentives to customers for using payment methods that benefit your needs. (Tip: Offering discounts for timely and reliable payment methods like credit card and recurring ACH payments can improve cash flow.)
- Assess accounts. Review accounts payable and ensure that vendor payment transactions are the most beneficial and efficient methods for keeping cash as long as possible and paying the lowest fees.
- Be transparent. Communicate with employees that handle incoming and outgoing funds, and ensure that everyone knows the financial goals and the current financial situation.
- Be prepared. Document your biggest threats and have a financial plan in place for how you would address challenges that could harm your business (e.g. strikes, natural disasters, nonpayments, etc.).
Insights into cash flow forecasting
Business Banking Insights
Finding the next client
Seeing your name in lights on Broadway is one way to let people know you “have arrived.” Same thing in business. Top of mind awareness is critical to gain maximum exposure and help ensure long term survival.
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Best practices for cash flow forecasting
Write a list for your own business of the contingencies and likelihood of events that can affect your cash flow. Look back on why prior forecasts were “off" and understand what went wrong. Then, you can learn more about the “why” and make the necessary changes to future forecasts.
Business Banking Insights
Small businesses: A fresh perspective on short- and long-term success
As a small business owner, you balance the ability to quickly solve short-term problems while realizing long-term goals. That’s why we’d like to offer a new perspective on your goals for the coming year: Don’t plan for 12 months. Plan for 18.