Newsagents often consider the day the sell their business as their pay day, the day they get the return they want for all their work. This is why there is such a focus on goodwill in setting the sale price of newsagencies.
It is unrealistic to look on a retail business as a bank accruing interest which is repaid in the form of goodwill when the business is sold. However, this is how many do view their business. So much so in fact that they lose focus on the profitability of the business on a day to day basis.
Newsagents who focus on every day as their pay day focus on driving new traffic, nurturing sales efficiency and managing for a better margin. These newsagents are more likely to be achieving a higher profit than those who operate as if the day they sell is their pay day.
Of course, higher profit does result in a higher sale price. More importantly however, it puts more money in your pocket from the business every day.
By looking at your business on a day by day basis you will take more notice of employee costs, sales efficiency and other more micro factors and drivers in the business.
You are more likely to make changes if you view sales and profitability data on a daily perspective rather than for a longer period such as quarterly or annually.
Did you make enough yesterday to pay for the rent, employee costs, cost of goods sold, marketing and utility costs as well as to pay yourself? If not, what can you do to change this? If so, did you make enough? By looking at your business as if every day is your pay day, you are more likely to look more closely at your business than if you are focused on the day you sell as your pay day.
If you don’t know how you are doing daily or weekly, you need to put in place manual or computer based systems which enable you to track and report on this. Good or bad, it is information you need to make better business decisions.
So, how did you do today or this week? Make enough to pay all your bills, your employees and yourself? Look on and work on every day as your pay day.