Ok, I’ll make this real quick since you’re thinking about packing the car and heading out for Memorial Day. (And if you’re tired of this weather we’ve been having, you’re in luck…At least in the Northeast.)

We often take Memorial Day as the first sign of summer. In fact, we should. We have worked hard all winter and battled the snow and other elements. For those who hate the cold, we take these next five or six months to get every ounce of sun we can, take our long weekends and quite frankly, goof off a little more.

If you’re going to goof off more than normal, I suggest getting your receivables in order and make sure you have a solid foundation for getting paid during the summer and of course at any time of the year. We serve many seasonal businesses such as lawn care professionals and this is their season. Many owners of these businesses are out serving the customer and lose valuable time managing the back end of the businesses including invoicing on time. As a collection agency, we see many businesses make the mistake of letting things go during their busy seasons.

We have been asking our clients for some time to send us their questions to a variety of issues regarding getting paid. So we’ve started the Ask APR segment. The first is going right back to the basics. Even if you’ve been in business for a while, take a look at this video below and ask yourself if you’re doing these basic things in your business.

And if you want us to consider a question for an upcoming segment, email us at: apr.marketing@americanprofit.net; :

Owning and operating a successful small business requires an ability to manage multiple details and if you’re really savvy, you need to monitor industry trends to determine ways to stay viable and profitable. One way to set a small business apart from others in the crowd is to break the mould. Providing something different and unexpected to customers increases awareness while also boosting a small businesses’ bottom line.

We like to think we’re different than other collection agencies by offering a flat fee solution to collections and really focusing on resolving debt diplomatically. But how are you different?

As we wrap up National Small Business Week this is an opportune time to examine your small business and look at ways to break the mould, deliver the unexpected and set yourself apart from others in your profession.  Making changes to a small business does not have to be a costly endeavor. There are a myriad of methods and practices a company can implement.

Can you research new products to offer your customers? Can you change the way you interact with those customers by re-examining your brand?  Can you offer clients a better experience by driving down and finding out exactly what they want from your company?

It is easier and more affordable than most realize to break the mould with their small business and set themselves apart from others in their industry. Finding methods that work best for a small business will set them apart from the competition and make customers sit up and take notice.

Share your story with us. Tell us what makes your business different.

Small businesses are incredible entities that create a powerful wake in the success of the nation’s economy. Companies ranging from one employee to over 100 employees are trying to generate money regardless of why they were initially founded and making improvements to a business is critical to its vitality as no business is static. However, once a business is off and running, day to day operations can keep owners and operators too preoccupied to make necessary improvements needed for increased sales, efficiency and cash flow. National Small Business Week, May 16^th – 20^th, is the perfect time to review a few simple tips to ensure you focus on areas that will offer your small business the biggest gain and most significant impact.

Develop a plan in writing

A tangible guide can spell out aspirations and tasks necessary to measure improvement and help keep a business on track. A plan can provide a map with your businesses original intentions, future goals and other items to keep you and your staff motivated. Revisiting your original business plan and revising it to meet your current needs can put you on the right track.

Research Your Industry

You probably have a good understanding of how your business is operating in today’s economy and what you are striving to achieve however, you need to constantly look at what your competitors are doing to remain successful under current business conditions. What is keeping other companies in your industry successful and what is causing others to fail?

Delegate for Success

Running a small business creates a myriad of dynamics that need to be continually addressed and assessed. One major mistake made by owners and operators is taking on too much or believing no one can do everything as well as themselves. In a small business this is impractical and a better use of time is to manage staff members selected to fulfill specific business duties. We see this all too often as a collection agency helping businesses get paid.

Use the above suggestions and take a few moments during National Small Business Week to hone in on the strengths of your company and take steps to repair your weaknesses to strengthen your bottom line.

National Small Business Week, May 16 – 20, is an ideal time to review how Entrepreneurs have shaped the success of the United States and how many of these endeavors have succeeded despite challenging odds. Small businesses represent the entrepreneurial spirit that makes American strong and successful. Small businesses and the innovations resulting from such ventures keep America thriving and will help in an economic recovery.

You may know that small businesses represent opportunity and ambition however here are a few facts about small businesses you may not know. Most start a small business for personal reasons: to do what they love, to work in their community and to be their own boss. They are the backbone of the economy and help create two in every three jobs in this country.

Helping a small business grow and advance strengthens the economy and helps generate additional jobs across the nation. An estimated 27.2 million small businesses in American rely on determination, inspiration and hard work to create 60-80 percent of new jobs in the country which increase U.S. competiveness. The innovative ideas and promise for a better tomorrow entice over half of Americans to either own or work for a small business.

Everyone goes through challenging times and during these times it is nice to have a constant to get your feet back on solid ground. Small businesses provide the vitality and growth America depends on to persevere through choppy economic waters. This collection agency is happy to take this week to salute those who have strengthened this nation by taking risks and in turn, generating jobs. Small businesses remain a premiere example of the American Dream and what can be achieved if you work hard and remain dedicated.

So, two weeks ago we took on a few projects for Earth Day and PLANET Day of Service. We all had a great time despite some weather and clouds but at the end of the day, this collection agency felt good about what we had accomplished.

To a greater degree, our own star customer service rep, Ginny, took this to a whole new level as she actually went to school at the location of our Marlborough, MA project. The Boys and Girls Club in Marlborough used to be a school and Ginny went to school here. She was eager to work on this project this year as it brought back o many memories of going to school and living in the neighborhood.

Ginny put down the rake for a couple minutes to talk to Michelle about her memories of going to school in Marlborough and what it meant to be back.

While there are people who just will not pay or are habitually late payers when it comes to their bills, there are some cases in which a business owner or operator lays the groundwork for their invoices to be paid late. What I mean by that (before you get mad at me…) is that many small business owners are also serving the customer and there are times, such as a landscaping company that there is no time to do anything else. And yes, priority number one is serving your customer. Getting paid should be number two.

Today we go right back to the beginning and go over accounts receivables 101. A few tips to get you back on track or, a solid footing are below with a few more tips in the video below.

Invoice on time; This really should go without saying but I have met with more businesses that have not invoiced their customers on time. Carve out a time on a regular interval to invoice. If you can do it, invoice at the time of service.

Make sure your customers or patients are fully aware, right up front of your billing policies. Inform them in person, have your payment policy on your wall in your waiting room or lobby and make sure that policy is printed on your invoices.

Find a reputable collection agency: Finding a collection agency that will handle your accounts and customers with care and respect is a must. The fact is, as a business, you will have some bad debt. Get use to it. There are many collection agencies out there. Pick one that has ethics and morals.

Want more tips? Click on the video below for a few more.

It’s been a little over a week since our PLANET Day of Service on Earth Day but we hope our efforts will last for a long time. You saw last week a video of our efforts in Massachusetts at the Boys and Girls Clubs in the city of Marlborough. They did a great job of making a better play area for the members of that club and got a little help from them as well.

We are also proud of our Michigan project at Proud Lake Recreation Area. As you’ll see in the video, we raked a ton of leaves left over from last fall and our brutal winter, we cleaned up other parts of the park including the horseshoe pits and built new fencing. Our team, while cold that day, did a remarkable job cleaning up everything from leaves to trash and we thank them for being a part of this event and the APR team.

Its events like this that set this collection agency apart from others in our field. We are constantly doing the right thing whether on the phone with a consumer, the way we build and treat our team here and the way we interact with our communities. We have a two-year commitment at Proud Lake and we’ll put in over 400 volunteers hours to this project. That should prove that we’re in this for the long haul…

Take a look at the short video from this cold day in Michigan. You’ll see our commitment.