Money through production.
WHAT THE PATTERN IS
Materials bought before payment, and jobs produced before invoicing.
WHAT THAT PRODUCES
Cash committed per job.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
A deposit on substantial jobs, covering materials.
WHY
Printed items are customer-specific and cannot be sold to anyone else.
WHY THAT MATTERS ACUTELY IN PRINT
A cancelled personalised job is a total loss.
WHAT TO REQUIRE
Payment before release, for new customers.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH FOR ACCOUNT CUSTOMERS
Terms, a limit, and monitoring.
WHAT TO MONITOR
Balances and payment behaviour.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT UNCOLLECTED JOBS
Contact repeatedly, and record it.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH IN ADVANCE
How long you store completed work, and what happens afterwards.
WHAT TO TRACK
Work in progress: materials consumed on jobs not yet invoiced.
WHY
It is money spent and unearned, and it is invisible otherwise.
WHAT SEASONAL PATTERNS EXIST
Concentrated demand around events, elections, festive periods and school terms.
WHAT THAT REQUIRES
Materials and capacity in advance, funded before revenue.
WHAT TO PLAN
Purchasing ahead of predictable peaks.
WHY
Material prices rise and availability falls when everyone needs them.
WHAT TO RESERVE
Cash for the quiet periods between.
WHAT TO REVIEW WEEKLY
Jobs completed, invoiced and paid.
