Every business has one thing in common and that is the need for cash. Even charitable organizations need a steady and constant flow of donations in order to keep the lights burning. Cash flow is simply the grease that lubricates the machine and allows it to function properly, but when the machine runs dry it can slow down or grind to halt causing pain and misery for those working in it.Shangri La for any business (and their bankers) is when cash flow becomes so predictable that the business seems to run itself and profits are at a level that supports the owner’s lifestyle well beyond his actual needs.What about the company that is on a growth trajectory and is pouring every cent back into the company to support its growth and pursuit of new business? The orders are coming in at a faster and faster pace which should be a good thing and new customer relationships are being formed which should lead to a solid stream of new orders in the future. So what’s the problem you ask? The problem is when you get an order you have to purchase materials and pay people to fill the order. For example, it may take 14 days or longer from the time the order comes in until the product is shipped, and you have not yet received any payment from the customer. Once the product ships and the invoice is created, your customer has 30 days to make payment and in all this time you have not received a penny, yet you had to meet payroll 3 times, purchase materials, and pay for the other items necessary to run your business. So even though the growth seems great, you are feeling the cash flow crunch of keeping up with orders as they accelerate in number and perhaps even size.Your banker hears your story and he gives you a line of credit that seems small but you’ll take it because you need every penny right now and you don’t want to upset a customer by turning them away or shipping late due to a cash flow issue. This line of credit gives you some temporary relief which you needed but you already see the trouble ahead if the growth continues. That’s right, you max out the credit line to get caught up and fill orders but can barely meet the minimum payments required by the bank.But how can this be since the company is growing so much and revenues keep increasing? Well it all goes back to the fact that it takes you at least 45 days to get paid from the time the order comes in, and that is if all your customers are paying on time. With some quick analysis you may discover that your “turn” is something approaching 60 days or even beyond. Ask any of your employees if they would wait 60 days for a paycheck! (Actually, I take that back, do not ask since they may think something is wrong with the company and walk out.) For a mature company with a slow growth rate the waiting period is not a problem since they will simply access their line of credit and pay it down as their invoices are paid without the worry of unexpected or unpredictable orders. In addition they will also be taking advantage of quick pay discounts from their suppliers. Missing supplier discounts can be no small deal since I personally know of a distributor who takes the savings from quick pay discounts as his annual bonus since he sees it as a reflection of his good management. This amounts to a few hundred thousand dollars per year for this owner. Not to shabby for saving 2% from his suppliers on products that were already planned for purchase. For a growing company, missing the opportunity to save 2% from supplier can be very painful, as the need for cash increases with each new order yet you are still waiting for payment from previous orders and the line of credit at the bank is maxed out.The bank really does not like this scenario because they view it as a management problem and therefore a risk issue. You have taken short term money (bank line of credit) and turned it into long term financing by maxing out your line with no real hope of paying it back or down anytime soon even if the bank has a clean-up provision, which would require you to pay the line off annually. The bad news is simply this: Banks don’t like you. Banks think you are too risky because with strong growth you might blow-up at any second. It’s as if bankers had a choice they would never board an airplane until it had leveled off at 30,000 feet and would parachute out before the initial decent thus avoiding the risks associated with fast acceleration at take-off and the possibility of a hard or crash landing. Of course this is hyperbole when I say they don’t like you when the reality is they simply just prefer to lend to mature companies. They understand your situation and know most companies have to go through growth cycles to reach maturity, they just don’t want to participate in the risk. Your banker is your friend he is just a friend that does not like you right now but you should continue to pursue a strong relationship with your banker since it can be so much more meaningful than just a service provider who makes loans.So now what? You have orders piling up, a maxed out credit line, a banker who wants his money back and won’t lend more, discounts you are unable to take advantage of from suppliers, another payroll is due and the bank account is looking a little thin. Do not despair because you have the most important asset in the business world, and that of course is your customers and their orders that result in invoices. You are now a candidate for cash flow financing. In fact, you were a candidate before it got this serious, but this scenario helps illustrate the point. You have a growing asset on your balance sheet and that is your accounts receivable, but you cannot feed your family on invoices, only cash will solve that problem. So we need to liquidate your accounts receivable and move it to the cash column and one of the easiest ways to this is by selling them.In today’s financial marketplace you have several choices when it comes to cash-flow financing. I have already touched on the most traditional form and that is a bank line of credit secured by your account receivables or in some cases it may be an unsecured line with only your signature to back it up. Next you have bank sponsored accounts receivable financing which will vary somewhat from bank to bank with most banks not offering this type of financing except through a third party partner. This could be a viable option for the business I have discussed here and it would look something like this:Transaction sizes are typically: $10,000 – $5,000,000Advances: up to 90% of eligible accounts receivableServices (will vary): customer credit reviews both new and existingInvoice processing and mailingCollection ServicesManagement Reports provided to youFees: Typically 1-3% of the invoice depending on size and your average turn.Operationally you generate one or more invoices and send them to the bank daily in batches and they fund your account at 90% of the total invoice amount within 24hours. Bam! Instead of waiting 30 or more days for your customer to make payment you receive 90% of your money immediately. You have just accelerated your cash flow to within 24 hours and can now use that money to make payroll, take advantage of supplier discounts, purchase inventory, and INCREASE SALES without fear of customer credit issues or late payments. Essentially what you have done is outsource your accounts receivable management process all while getting paid in 24 hours.What happens to the other 10%? This money is usually held in reserve against any unpaid invoices. For example, if you have an outstanding invoice of $1000 that your customer fails to pay within 90-120 days, the bank will use the reserve to receive payment and then try to collect on the account. So the reserve protects both you and the bank by allowing the bank to get paid back and preventing you from having to write a check to the bank because one of your customers failed to pay their invoice.There is a product called Business Manager that works in a similar fashion and is available in a few hundred community banks around the country. Business Manager is a program that allows community banks to purchase the accounts receivable of their commercial and industrial clients while monitoring the performance of those accounts. It is a powerful program for both banks and business with the funding percentage, fees and reserves typically about the same as in the previous example. For the sake of full disclosure, I used to work for the company that created the Business Manager program. I still think it is a great program, especially for small businesses because it allows you to maintain a bank relationship prior to reaching that mature cycle and graduating on to more traditional financing solutions all while receiving funding in 24hours and online access to your reports.Next we have traditional factoring. This is where you sell your invoices to a funding source (the factor) at a discount in return for immediate cash. Advances are typically in the 70% to 95% range of eligible invoices and fees will vary. Often there is no reserve account, instead the factor receives payment directly from your customer and pays you the 5% to 30% remaining minus the fees for the factor. Some factors place a stamp right on the invoice to show the change of address of where payments are to be made and others are able to do it silently by having an overall change of address and payment sent to a lock box. Most businesses prefer the factor to remain silent if possible, so you will want to check with the individual company. In addition, factors can provide funding to companies in the start-up stage to $100,000,000 in sales or more. This is because they are not concerned about your credit, but that of your customers. They will also want invoices that are verifiable and to know that you and your team are solid managers and experienced in your industry. In fact your company may be in a turn-around situation or bankruptcy and a factor may still provide funding because they are looking at your customer, not you.Besides providing funding, a factoring company can also become your outsourced credit department. They will check customer credit quality; set customer credit limits; and provide daily monitoring of credit accounts. In many, if not most cases, today you will have real time access to reports such as accounts receivable aging, collection, and reserve reports. This gives you the ability to monitor your invoices and the average turn which should be decreasing at this point. The factor will also provide collection services and these will vary from company to company with some allowing for customization of the collections process.The common thread between the different programs available is the conversion of your account receivables to cash by a funding source, whether it’s a bank or private entity. Check the exact terms and fees and be sure to be aware of what your responsibilities will be to the funding source. Cash flow financing may provide the needed solution for growing companies or companies that need a cash injection to make it through a turn-around.
Online Health Care Schools and the Training Possibilities
When pursuing a professional career you can begin by learning about online health care schools and the training possibilities. Accredited higher education and distance learning programs can provide the training that is needed for you to pursue your dream occupation. Before selecting an online school to enroll in, you should make sure that you have obtained all the information necessary to choose the correct career training path. There are numerous possibilities when it comes to preparing for a future in health care.Option 1Associate degrees can be obtained through accredited online health care schools to help you pursue an entry level career. This level of training can be completed to help you enter into areas like health education, sciences, and more. Choosing to obtain an associate degree will help you learn a number of specialized skills by providing training in a number of topics. You can obtain this degree by completing two years of accredited schooling, or further your education by pursuing a higher degree.Option 2The second option that is available through online learning is a bachelor level degree. You can spend approximately four years training at this level. Accredited online health care schools can prepare you for work as a health information technician, physician assistant, and other occupations. The coursework that will be provided will depend on the path you choose to follow and the profession you decide to enter. Training can be continued at the master degree level if you wish.Option 3Pursuing a master degree in health care through an online school will provide you with a number of career prospects. You can learn to work in health information, physician assisting, public health, health sciences, and much more. In order to receive a degree at this level, you will need to complete a total of six years of training. Online training will cover different topics that are relevant to the career you will be entering into. You can study at the doctoral degree level once you receive a master level degree.Option 4The fourth option that is available to you in health care is to obtain an online doctorates degree. This can be done by choosing an accredited school or college and completing the required training. Training typically takes eight years for completion and can help you enter a career as a health information technician, educator, and medical professional, or other occupation. Accredited training through distance learning can help you gain the skills for success by allowing you to study various coursework at your convenience.The coursework that will be covered through online training can vary depending on the career and degree that you wish to pursue. There are a number of areas that must be covered for all levels of training and careers. You can study online for behavioral sciences, environmental health, nutrition, anatomy, and more. In the health care field some programs may require hands on training in addition to online schooling, due to the depth of the subject. Some hands on training may include the study of physical therapy, exercise, wound care, and more.When looking to receive a higher education you can enroll in an accredited online health care school or college. It is important to enroll in a program that is fully accredited by an agency like the Distance and Education Training Council ( http://www.detc.org/ ), to ensure that a quality education will be obtained. You can begin by looking into the different opportunities and learning more from the schools that offer training.DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be advertised at PETAP.org.Copyright 2010 – All rights reserved by PETAP.org.
Marketing Theory Without Execution: An Idea With No Follow-Through
An ongoing debate exists in the marketing industry that begs the following question: Is it more important to devise a marketing strategy or to execute actions to achieve your goal?There are good arguments all the way around this debate, but when it comes down to it, the answer is really… neither. You simply can’t be successful without either one.The problem, however, is that many companies, consultants, and marketers do a lot of “theory” and talking, without taking it beyond that. They can sit around and discuss all the latest marketing tactics and even try to put them in place, but in the end, it’s all for naught if they don’t develop a solid strategy and execution steps to make it work for their business.It’s like school-you can sit in a classroom and learn all the information and theory that is taught to you, but what good is it unless you can apply it in real life? We all know this, but as marketers, we forget that it works the same way. Understanding theory is helpful, but you need to know how to develop a strategy and execute that strategy to actually see results.From Marketing Theory to Strategy & Execution
Successful marketing is really a 3-part process that involves following sound marketing theories, creating a detailed strategy, and executing that strategy. Let’s look at each of these steps in more detail.Follow Sound Marketing Theory
Marketing theory is the science of marketing. It’s the “rules” and guidelines we follow. It’s the methods we use to form our strategies.Marketing theory can lead to strong marketing strategies, but too often, we get stuck on the former. We might feel as though we are getting things done by talking and learning about various types of marketing theory, but in essence, we are just spinning our wheels.Mike Roach, CEO of CGI, was quoted as saying, “Strategy without execution is a hallucination!” If that is true, then marketing theory without strategy and execution is psychosis. It’ll get you nowhere.Create a Detailed Marketing Strategy
According to strategy-business.com, a strategy is “the series of choices you make on where to play and how to win to maximize long-term value. Execution is producing results in the context of those choices.”Your marketing strategy is your map. It’s like a light shining in the darkness, guiding every decision you make. Without it, you’re driving in the dark without headlights, expecting to find your destination and not crash in the process.Your strategy shines a light on the road ahead, making it clear when you could veer off a path and driving you forward in the right direction. With it, you’re able to work your way around your obstacles, follow your objectives, and illuminate the choices that will get you to your goal efficiently.According to the Small Business Association, only about 50% of small businesses succeed within the first 5 years. It’s not that businesses don’t have some sort of plan in place; the problem is that most small businesses don’t have a clue how to map out a plan that will lead them to success.They don’t have a strategy that is based on sound evidence, data, and experience. Instead, they read a lot of marketing theory and try a lot of different things.That is not the same thing as having a strategy.Without a sound strategy, companies struggle to keep up with their competition, they miss opportunities that would lead to better results, and they win fewer customers.Execute Your Marketing Strategy
Execution is what seals the deal. Without it, no strategy will be realized, which is why it’s crazy that so many companies create a business plan and then file it away in a binder on a dusty shelf.We know that we can’t get anywhere in business or life if we don’t take action, so too often we find ourselves spinning our wheels moving from idea to idea. We’re taking action, but it has no real strategy behind it.When we skip over strategy and start executing based upon abstract marketing theory, we’re shooting in the dark hoping we hit something, but we rarely hit the thing we want to hit. Unfortunately, that’s what too many companies are doing.We should use marketing theory to inform our decisions and help us plan our strategy, and when we do that, our execution will be solid.Why Companies Struggle with Marketing Strategy & Execution
There are so many reasons why it’s easy for companies to struggle with strategy and execution…Where to Start?
Right off the bat, it can be downright scary to figure out where to start when it comes to drawing up a strategy and executing it to success. Digital marketing has become more and more complicated as new technologies and opportunities keep cropping up.With so many options, how can companies choose? How do you know which marketing ideas to subscribe to and which ones to ignore? Just because one marketing theory works for one company or even thousands of companies doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for another company.How to Maneuver the Marketing Paradox of Consistency & Change?
The fact that marketing is ever changing makes it that much more difficult to execute a sound strategy. How do you know where to place your time, money, and energy? And what if you put all that effort into 1 or 2 marketing tactics and then they lose their effectiveness?How do you create something concrete that is ever changing? How do you know when to be flexible and change your marketing plan versus when to stay steadfast? After all, remaining consistent is essential when it comes to digital marketing, but so is changing with the times. It’s a paradox that can be difficult to maneuver.How to Know (Not Just Guess at) Who Your Customers Are?
Most companies don’t spend enough time discovering who exactly their customers are to be able to draft a marketing strategy that will lead them to success. It takes customer data, assessments, feedback, and a lot of investigation to really get to know your customer, but knowing how to compile all of that information can be overwhelming.Since different marketing tactics should be used for different customers, knowing this is essential, but too many companies guess at who their customer is rather than knowing them in depth.How to Bring It into the Everyday Details?
Understanding how to integrate your business plan into daily work is not as easy as it might seem. As a result, decisions are often made without the consultation of the marketing strategy, and that means they are not likely to be in alignment with the strategy.Methods need to be put in place for sharing the company’s marketing strategy with all team members and keeping them on the same page. This ensures the company’s message and interactions are carried out consistently. Expectations and follow-through need to be set up so that there is no duplication, which only leads to wasted time and money. Every decision should be made with the strategy in mind.How to Not Let Everything Else Get in the Way?
Especially for small companies, one thing or another can come up that gets the business owner off track, and unfortunately, when that happens, marketing tends to move to the back burner. Unless time is dedicated to each and every week to working a marketing strategy, forward movement in business is highly unlikely.The Solution
Look, here’s the bad news… For most small businesses, overcoming all of the obstacles that get in the way of creating and executing a sound marketing strategy is not really feasible. Without an in-house marketing team that is skilled and dedicated to marketing planning and execution, it is understandably difficult.But here’s the good news… That’s why most small businesses turn to marketing experts for assistance, and when they do, their business explodes.It is so important to partner with a company that can do more than just talking about marketing theory. Your marketing partner needs to be able to come up with a solid strategy and determine which tactics will best fit that strategy for your unique business.By moving from a marketing theory focus on a strategy/execution focus, you can move past your obstacles and charter the course to success.