How to manage your business finances

Studies have shown that the number one reason that most businesses fail is due to poor financial management. You may be surprised to learn that this is true even for businesses that have a healthy rate of sales. Because of the importance of this, savvy business owners will make sure that they are always on top of managing their business finances. This is true even if you have someone else who is dealing with the day to day business finance tasks. The bottom line is that when you are managing the finances of your business you are increasing its chances for long term success. Here is what you need to know about how to manage your business finances-

- Start with a plan-Most business owners have a plan for their marketing and for their overall business but will often fail to plan how they will manage their business finances. If you want to guide your business to long term success you will need to have a plan that will help you to manage the finances of your business. Keep in mind that your business finance plan should expand far beyond the bookkeeping of your business. Your business finance plan should include but is not limited to: marketing, purchasing, outsourcing, human resources, and any other cost center of your business. The bottom line is that once you have a plan you can turn that into a business budget that will serve as the operating guide for your business.
- Make it a priority-Successful business owners make the management of their business a priority. Studies have shown that the number one reason that most businesses fail is due to poor financial management. This is true even for businesses that have a healthy rate of sales. You can increase the chances that your business will succeed long term simply by making the management of your business finances a priority. This means that even if you have turned the day to day business finance tasks over to someone else you should still know what is going on at all times.
- Be prepared to seek financing-Most business owners find that at some point in the lifecycle of their business they need to seek out additional business financing. Savvy business owners will take steps to make sure that they are prepared to seek out financing. Updating your business plan, staying on top of your credit history, and having the proper documentation will allow you to respond quickly if your business needs additional capital. If you need to work on your credit history or get any other type of financial documentation together it is always best to do it before you need to apply for financing.In addition, successful business owners will make sure that they have forged the right relationship with potential lenders so that they can expedite the lending process.
- Ask for help if you need it-Managing business finances can be a challenging process. Most business owners don't go into business because of their vast financial knowledge. This can leave many business owners at a disadvantage. If you feel that you need additional help then you should not hesitate to seek out help. Keep in mind that both your attorney and financial professional (accountant) can help you in managing your finances. Should you need additional help your banker and other business advisors can also offer advice and guidance. In addition, there are online tutorials, classes, and books that can help to build your financial knowledge and help you to manage your business finances even more effectively. Finally, keep in mind that even the most experienced business owners are always looking for ways to better manage their business finances.