The holiday season is just around the corner.

As much as it’s stressful for consumers trying to figure out what to buy their loved ones, it can be twice as challenging for business owners. Worker hours typically increase and inventory demand grows, leading to increased payroll and inventory costs. End-of-the year bonuses are given out and vendors and prospect’s gifts are sent. For a small- to mid-sized business, obtaining the capital to pay for these substantial business expenses can be a challenge. While business might be jumping, you might not see that money for up to three months depending on your customer’s payment terms. And, many companies shut down for one or even two weeks around the holiday time, possibly wreaking havoc on anticipated payment.

So how can you best manage your cash during this time of year and make the holidays joyful and prosperous rather than angst filled? With some careful planning, you can do just that.

Following are tips for managing your business’s cash flow during the holiday season so you can ring in the New Year with cheer:

Plan Ahead

The ability to forecast your expenses is key for any business. It will help you know how and when to spend and save and keep your working capital position smoothed out. Healy Jones from the Los Angeles-based accounting and finance firm Kruze Consulting echoed the sentiment in an October 2018 article in Small Business Trends. He said, “A well-built financial model will help a business owner understand the costs and profits from their management decisions.”

Work With Your Customers

When it comes to getting paid, you never want there to be any confusion. Because some businesses shut down or go into slowdown mode during the holidays, this could mean some of your payments may be delayed. To avoid any misunderstandings, have an ongoing dialog with your business partners so there’s clarity about the invoicing and payment timelines during this hectic time of year.

Receive Invoice Payment Early

A great way to get the cash you need now is by working with a receivable financing company that provides early payment of your invoices. There are online platforms like invoiceXcel that make it simple. For example, you can log in and select as many eligible invoices as you’d like for early payment. You can receive payment (less a small transaction fee) on eligible invoices in as fast as same day. It’s your money, received early.

Conclusion

The holiday season can be a challenge for so many reasons. For your business, making sure you have sufficient cash on hand can be especially difficult because everything is a priority this time of year. But with smart planning, you can toast the New Year with a business that’s running smoothly and successfully.

Sources:
https://smallbiztrends.com/2018/10/financial-modeling-small-business.htm
ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/software/commerce/SC0848_e-Invoicing_WP.pdf