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Invoice Factoring and the New Year

12/21/09

Link: http://www.billboardmama.com/invoice-factoring-and-the-new-year-p-450.html

Around this time the previous year, plenty of businesses need to stop spending. But today, signs suggest that the recession is almost gone and small businesses can get on with their normal "lives." So now is a great time to consider what the recession has done to your business.

But go beyond your business - think about the the effect of the recession on your industry in general. Are the characteristics of your customer base changing? Or is it that your rivals have lowered their prices? How about their service offerings? Are you keeping up? Indeed, recession causes a lot of changes in your business - so it is high time that you give yours a major assessment this time.

If you and your small business have been experiencing layoffs, salary reductions or worse in order to survive the recession, there are some important things to keep in mind as things begin to get better.

First, many companies are going to begin hiring again, which means you could get some new people after another company goes out of business. But your employees also might get a better offer too. It's important to satisfy them, or else, risk losing them to your rivals. Many people are are going for jobs that allows them to make more money to pay off their bills after the last year.

In addition, be wary of what you spend money on. Now that business is getting better. Set your priorities: choose new computers over re-decorating. Think about long term against short-term debts.

Many businesses have learned how to utilize invoice factoring to survive the recession. And that strategy can be continued after the New Year begins. Indeed, it is a good alternative in keeping your cash flow strong, while still being able to address your debts.

And there's a better piece of news than just factoring - there's what we call "spot factoring." It is when one invoice at a time is factored. Take note that spot factoring, unlike a loan, is the purchase of financial assets such as receivables. Traditional bank loans involve two parties, while invoice factoring involves three parties. Another difference of these two financial options lies on the fact that in factoring, decision is dependent on the value of the receivables, while in bank loans, it's based on the person's creditworthiness. With invoice factoring, there are no minimums, no maximums, and no long-term commitments.

Single invoice factoring can assist your small business get back on its feet. Typically, businesses don't get immediately paid for products/services delivered. This negatively impacts cash flow and can make it hard for the business to generate new orders in a timely manner. With invoice factoring, however, businesses that do not get paid for 30, 60 or 90 days will have access to immediate cash - of up to 90% of the invoice total. Invoicing companies, such as IFG, simply looks at the client's customers - and if they're worthy enough, IFG can grant funding within 24 hours.