Five Ways to Boost Profits

Next, follow a few simple rules to generate peak profits from each transaction. For example:

1. Take the high road on pricing. Many start-ups think they need to undercut their competitors to bring people in the door. That's a recipe for failure. If your only appeal is a low price, there will be no reason for customers to come back to you if they find a source that's even cheaper. And you won't make the profits you need to stay in business.

To develop your pricing, look at your costs and break-even point. Then look at your competitors' pricing levels, particularly the business that's been around the longest. Don't be afraid to be the highest in the market or to increase your prices if they're too low, but offer a better product and/or value to justify your rates.

2. Push high-margin products and services. Different brands, SKUs or service offerings have different profit-making potential. Knowing the margin difference between Product A and Product B is critical for shaping your profit plan. One tire retailer I know significantly boosted his bottom line by pushing a lesser-known tire brand that had a bigger margin than the one with a household name. The dollar value of those sales was smaller, but he put more money in his pocket.

3. Dump the discounts. I once coached a men's clothing store that regularly ran a 20%-off promotion on men's suits. If someone bought a $500 suit, the store lost $100 in profit. I counseled instead to give away a $100 shirt that cost $50. Customers perceived it as the same dollar value, but the store retained more money (and margin).

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