You know you have a great business when it is able to withstand peak seasons – and in this context, we’re talking about increased sales volume during a holiday or seasonal spike. Peak season can be a double-edged sword that could either increase your profit or kill your business. To be ready for peak season, you need to prepare everything, including working capital management.
During high season, working capital can fluctuate drastically, depending on how well it has been managed throughout the year and how long it takes to stabilize it back. To ensure that you have adequate working capital, make sure you are careful in managing your bank account balance and don’t overspend during slower sales cycles. Below are some tips that you can utilize while managing working capital during peak seasons.
Balance investment
You need to balance your investment if you want to survive the next season long before it arrives. You are the one who knows exactly when your business gets significant sales because peak season comes every year. So do your best to predict, expect, and budget working capital and assets for the remaining months of the calendar. Shrewd business owners will manage their assets and capital to avoid making major financial repairs during slow seasons. Instead, invest your funds back into operations when times are good and cash is coming in.
Manage your inventory
Pay close attention to your working capital. Keep enough of it throughout the year to meet everyday costs, including utilities and payroll, even when there are no sales. When peak season comes around, make sure there is enough working capital on hand to pay for additional inventory and supplies to ensure seasonal success. One trick to successfully meet the demands of high season is to set aside a percentage of profit during peak sales and then utilize those funds to purchase the next high season inventory.
Prepare for unexpected seasonal needs
You might expect big profits when peak season arrives. However, there can still be other unexpected surges in sales during odd periods. The sudden increase in sales can be a bonus or a nightmare. As a business owner, you won’t reject any lucrative business demands, will you? But still, sometimes you are just short on working capital. Here’s where working capital financing would be useful; you’d get quick financial support to smooth out business operations. Applying for financing can be daunting, but these days there are more financing options to choose from. Bank financing is an option. And these days, alternative financing methods such as debt investment financing can be an excellent source of working capital for businesses.
When working capital is managed properly during peak season, you’ll help yourself to comfortable profits and big bonuses. So good luck!
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I’ll follow what you said here for me to be able to manage my business working capital well especially during peak season. Thanks for sharing this article.
Yes, I totally agree with what you said. I think that it’s very important for business owner to be prepared for unexpected seasonal needs to avoid issues. Thanks for sharing this article.