When sales don’t cover your costs, the overdraft grows
If your current sales aren’t enough to meet wages, rent, and other regular outgoings, your overdraft will keep climbing. In that case, the business is not sustainable in its present form (unless you have ongoing funding from investors or lenders). The good news is there are simple, practical ways to lift sales without overwhelming your team.
The five sales levers every business can pull
- Increase customer retention.Keep the customers you’ve already won. Focus on service consistency, on-time delivery, and clear communication so they have no reason to look elsewhere.
- Generate more qualified leads.Attract more of the right enquiries through targeted campaigns, referrals, partnerships, and a website that makes it easy to take the next step.
- Lift your conversion rate.Turn more prospects into paying customers with clear offers, social proof (such as reviews or case studies), and a simple quote-to-yes process.
- Increase purchase frequency.Invite customers back more often with useful reminders, value-adding add-ons, and timely follow-ups that solve real problems.
- Increase average transaction value.Make it easy to buy the right bundle, premium service, or complementary product. This isn’t upselling for its own sake — it’s helping customers get the full result.
Why a generic checklist won’t cut it
There are hundreds of tactics inside these five levers. Not all will fit your industry, your capacity, or your customer journey. A long, generic list is distracting and wastes time. What matters is selecting the few moves that suit your business model and executing them well.
What works in practice
- Start with a clear plan. Identify your quickest wins across the five levers and set simple targets.
- Forecast the impact. Map the numbers so you can see how small improvements flow through to cash.
- Make changes manageable. Tackle one lever at a time to avoid overloading the team.
- Review regularly. Keep score weekly or fortnightly and adapt fast.
How we can help
The most reliable way to grow without burning out is to have a calm, experienced partner in your corner. We work with you to:
- Build a practical sales and cashflow plan that the team can follow.
- Forecast scenarios so you can see the effect of each change before you commit.
- Check in regularly to keep you accountable and remove roadblocks.
Next steps
If you’re seeing your overdraft creep up, let’s review your sales levers and cash position together. We’ll agree the three most important actions for the next 90 days and get them moving.</p
