This article was updated in February 2025.

Businesses everywhere are currently facing economic uncertainty. However, by honing in on specific aspects of your operations and identifying ways to improve them, you can ensure that your company continues to thrive in this challenging climate.  

Cash flow is a key aspect of this, and this article will explore how to improve your business’ operations in this area. 

What is cash flow and why is it important? 

Cash flow is the movement of money in and out of a business to cover all its operations and activities. It is crucial in allowing a company to cover its debts and be able to invest in its growth. 

Businesses who have robust cash flow measures in place, which are reviewed on a regular basis, and tailored to specific business objectives, are likely to be more successful in the long term. On the flipside, according to a study carried out by Jessie Hagen of U.S. Bank, 82 percent of businesses fail due to inadequate cash flow management. 

All businesses, big and small, will benefit from implementing a definitive cash flow management strategy. Taking this step can help you feel secure in your growth trajectory, plan for the future, and can also demonstrate that you have a firm grip on your business when you are applying for loans and seeking investment. 

Seven actionable ways to improve cash flow in your business 

Optimise your inventory 

A lot of cash could be tied up in goods which you have purchased and aren’t being sold or used efficiently within your business model. 

By making a list of these products, you will highlight items which don’t need to be repeatedly purchased, allowing you to free up cash to either hold, or allocate to more profitable resources. 

Start cash flow forecasting 

Creating an up-to-date cash flow forecast is a game changer for businesses as it will allow you to identify periods where you may struggle to pay your bills, and plan for these instances. 

Many successful businesses create a periodic cash flow forecast on a weekly or monthly basis, corroborating information regarding incoming payments, outgoings, and other utility liabilities. 

Take stock of the challenges facing your industry 

Your company’s cash flow forecast will undoubtedly be impacted by external variables, alongside your internal activities. 

For example, managing inflationary pressures plays a big part in sustaining a healthy cash flow. Aligning your team’s pay with inflation may be a step you need to take to retain top talent. Therefore, you could offset this move by ensuring that the prices you’re charging are in line with your competitors and have kept up with inflation. This will help bridge the gap of any extra costs you may need to outlay in this inflationary environment. 

Despite external factors being outside of your control, factoring in risk catalysts is a good way of analysing potential hits to your cash flow. 

By anticipating unexpected changes in the wider economic landscape, you can manage your cash flow with confidence and respond to any short-term shocks if you have contingency plans in place. 

Make your team experts in cash flow 

By offering training in cash flow management to your procurement experts, sales division, or stock professionals, you can help colleagues at all levels understand the importance of cash management. 

By using this training to foster a close working relationship between these teams and your finance department, you can optimise cash flow management within your firm by taking a holistic approach, allowing departments to liaise on projects like moving stagnant stock, upselling new product offerings, or analysing your inventory. 

Periodically review your company’s costs 

Holding a regular review to gauge the total sum of your company’s outgoings will go a long way in managing your cash flow effectively. You can draw up management accounts to help you conduct this review, collating all of the important financial data around your outgoings. 

By ensuring that any unnecessary costs are cut as soon as possible, you will not be wasting any of your firm’s hard-earned profits on paying for items and services which don’t serve your overall mission. 

Ensure efficient payments from clients 

As well as galvanising future financial prosperity through managing cash flow, it is vital to chase the income which you are already owed, ensuring every invoice and payment is up to date on a regular basis. 

Fostering clear communication regarding your expectations can help minimise delays in receiving funds. 

Some steps that you could take to ensure rapid payments and boost cash flow management: 

• Ensure that you send invoices to clients as soon as you’re ready to provide a service, inviting them to pay promptly. 
• Update invoices you issue with all the necessary information. 
• Performing credit checks on new customers if you are offering financing options. 
• Implementing a clearly outlined escalation process if clients pay late. 

Even though it can sometimes be daunting to chase for payments, it is a vital step to take to guarantee that your business stays afloat. 

Secure a line of credit 

Establish a line of credit in advance of you needing it to cover short-term cash flow issues before they become an issue. If you do need to secure external credit, the whole process can take time – particularly if you want to secure the best terms. 

FAQs 

I run a small business, what are my best options for improving cash flow? 

The easy wins that we would recommend are to get organised and efficient. By that, you can send invoices out to clients quickly, make it easy for them to pay e.g. by credit cards and bank transfers but most important of all would be to ensure you understand exactly where your cash is going, with up to date and accurate financials to allow you to make decisions with knowledge. 

My profits are high, but I never seem to have much cash, why? 

There is a difference between a business’ profits and its ability to generate cash. If your customers are slow at paying, this prevents you from reinvesting the cash in the business. Offering early payment discounts can help encourage customers to settle their invoices early. Conversely, negotiating better payment terms to your suppliers will also improve your cash flow. 

How can I reduce overhead costs without hurting business operations? 

Reduce your overhead costs by exploring more efficient ways to run the business through technology, outsourcing non-core tasks and knowing where all your cash is being spent to eliminate unnecessary costs. 

How can Gerald Edelman help? 

At Gerald Edelman, we work closely with our clients to analyse their business and help with the organisation and recording of its financial information, including management accounts to suit your needs. 

Once we have this information, we can help identify cash flow issues through forecasting cash needs and budgeting whilst providing strategies to assist with growth. 

For further guidance on managing and improving your cash flow, contact our team today.