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Five Places Where Spending More Pays Off

5/12/2016

 
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© Masta 4650  Dreamstime.com
It is generally a good idea to keep overhead costs low so that your business profits will be higher. This is especially true with items that are easily commoditized and fairly standardized, such as utilities and rent. But there are times when increasing expenses pays off nicely, and here are five areas to consider so you can reap the rewards.
 
Training 
 
Whether it is for you or your staff, good training can pay back for years to come. Learning new skills, no matter our trade, will keep our businesses from becoming stagnant. Implementing what we learn will help us grow.
 
You might get training to increase the mastery of your chosen profession. You might also want to consider general business skills, including technology, marketing, finance, and leadership. Just about everyone can benefit from learning more about project management, communications, and negotiations, to name a few more.
 
You might also want to consider “human performance” skills such as public speaking. Whatever you choose, training is always a great investment that pays back big dividends.
 
Tools
 
Without the right tools, the same task can take double the time. It is a great idea to provide your employees with the most powerful computers and software on the market. The cost of labor outweighs the costs of the computers, so it makes sense to load employees up with the best tools possible. An employee with a slow computer, through no fault of their own, is not giving you their best, and that will cost money in lost productivity.
 
The same thing goes for owners. You can spend your time fighting with a machine or getting a ton of work done. I am pretty sure the latter is more profitable.   
 
Accounting
 
The most successful companies we work with invest in accounting services in five areas: accounting technology, accurate bookkeeping, thorough reporting, tax minimization, and professional consulting. When we see business owners cutting corners in any of these areas, it usually costs them more money in the long run to clean up the problems that result.  
 
An up-to-date accounting system minimizes maintenance and troubleshooting costs.  Making sure the bookkeeping and reconciliations are done properly is essential for compliance reporting and decision-making. A robust set of reports allows a business owner to make smart decisions about running their business, and minimizing taxes helps you keep more of what you make.
 
Since accountants see thousands of financial reports in their careers, they have developed an eye for opportunities that a business owner may not see. Bringing an outside perspective into your business is a good investment that can help you discover great opportunities in your business.
 
Marketing
 
Whatever you do in your business, you are helping others. You are sharing a skill you have that your clients either do not have or do not choose to do for themselves.  Being a best-kept secret does not help you share your gifts and talents.
 
Marketing can help you get the word out to people who need your services but might not know about you. Developing great marketing materials will help you communicate what you do as well as receive fair compensation for what you do. It almost always makes sense to invest in this area of your business.
 
Employee Perks and Benefits
 
Keeping employees passionate about your vision and motivated to be productive is a continuing task. One way to do that is to provide employee benefits and perks that make it attractive for employees to work for you.
 
There are many ways to invest in your employees. Good health insurance, personal time off, extra vacation time, education reimbursement, flex time, and working from home are just a few of the many options you can choose from to enhance employees’ working environments.
 
Measuring the Payoff
 
If you have not already started investing in the above areas, start out by picking one or two as your initial focus. Then watch and see how your business benefits.


This is general information and should not be acted upon without first determining its application to your specific situation. Please contact your CPA or tax advisor for additional details.

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    Author

    Successfully meeting the challenges inherent to new and smaller businesses provides me with a special type of satisfaction. 

    Supporting businesses that have the potential to become amazing – from both the perspective of owners and team members as well as their clients – is what I enjoy. 

    I hope to use this blog to provide information specific to businesses that are growing from small beginnings into exceptional companies.

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  • Home
  • Why Us?
    • Reviews
    • Open Positions
  • Client Services
  • Resources
    • Save on QBO Subscriptions!
    • Tax Refund Status
    • Gusto Year End Checklist
    • Videos >
      • Business Taxes >
        • 2019 Business Tax Highlights
        • 7 Ways Small Business Can Save On Tax
        • Taxes for S-Corp Owners
        • The IRS Loves Businesses
      • Personal Taxes >
        • 2019 Tax Highlights
        • Five Yearly Tax Essentials
        • 4 Common Tax Surprises
        • Retirement Can Be Taxing
        • Advance Child Tax Credit Reconciliation - 2022
        • Make the Most of Your Donations
        • Five Great Tax Secrets
        • Renting Your Property Tax Free
        • Ideas to Audit-Proof Your Tax Return
      • The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act >
        • The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act: What You Need to Do Now
        • The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act: Are Itemized Deductions A Thing of the Past?
        • The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act: The New Child Care Tax Credit
      • Tax Topics >
        • Tax Season is Coming!
        • The New World of Deductions: What Everyone Needs to Know
        • Proving Your Deductions
        • How to Fix a Mistake on Your Tax Return
        • How Long Should I Save It?
        • Tax Credit vs Tax Deduction
        • Understanding Effective Tax Rate
        • Understanding Marginal Tax Rate
      • Life Events >
        • Life Events: A New Birth
        • Life Events: Marriage
        • Life Events: Divorce
    • Articles >
      • Accounting & Bookkeeping >
        • How to Get the Most Out of Your Accounting Fees
        • The 10 Biggest Money Leaks in Your Accounting System
      • Business Factors >
        • IRS Rules for Classifying Workers
        • Checklist for a Healthy Cash Flow
        • 12 Ways to Improve Your Business Profits
        • 10 Step Annual Business Check-Up
      • Tax Topics >
        • Tax Guide for Self-Employeds
        • 15 Things Every Tax Payer Should Know
        • Disaster Casualty Losses
        • Travel & Entertainment Deductions
        • Tax Guide - A Deduction Checklist
        • What You Should Know About Tax Audits
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      • Newsletters - Monthly Editions >
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