Running a freelance writing company is not easy. Not only do you have to manage your writers and keep your clients happy, but you also have to make sure you have enough money to keep running, even during slow seasons. Then, on top of that, you have to manage your credit lines, try to understand credit card terminology, and budget properly.
While all of that is hard work, remember that one of the most important things of all is ensuring you have adequate cash flow for your business. Without cash flow, you could lose both writers and clients, causing your business to crumble. Fortunately, though, there are some simple tips you can follow to always keep the cash flowing.
Stash Some Cash
When you were young, your parents probably taught you to set aside some cash for a rainy day. Well, that principle applies in the business world as well.
It’s a good idea to have some cash on-hand and readily available just in case your business finds itself in an emergency situation.
How much cash you’ll need is up to you, though there’s really no such thing as too much savings. A good rule of thumb is to have enough money saved that your business could survive on that money for at least six months.
Even if you can’t quite save that much, however, remember some money is better than none. Your set-aside cash can really help you out of a jam, even if you don’t have quite as much saved as you might like.
Take Advantage of Short-Term Financing Options
Your freelance writing business can benefit greatly from taking advantage of short-term financing options.
This type of financing can really help you if you get into a jam. It’s perfect for making emergency purchases or making it through a dry spell in terms of business.
Any line of credit you can access when needed, such as a business credit card, is considered short-term financing and is a wise thing to have on your side.
Track Your Finances
Another very important thing to do is to track your finances carefully, being sure to take notice of any trends or potential trends. Determine if there are certain times of the year when business gets slow, clients who take longer to pay than others, and periods in which you’re just plain bringing in less profit or dealing with more costs.
Tracking trends can give you a lot of insight into your business. Most importantly, it can help you to know when you are most likely to need to have more cash flow available.
When you track your finances, you can predict the future to a certain degree. And, when you can predict the future, you can properly plan for it.
Unfortunately, managing your writing business and its finances is never going to be easy. And, even with the best planning and following these tips, you’ll probably go through some tough times. However, if you do follow this advice, there’s a good chance that you’ll always be able to stay afloat and that you’ll know where to turn if you ever run into a cash flow issue.
You must be logged in to post a comment.