Promo Supplier Cash Flow: Onboarding, Credit Checks & Getting Paid

Are your onboarding and credit processes protecting your cash flow—or putting your promo business at risk?

In this Promo Playbook mini-bite, hosts Lisa Fosdick, Kimberly Miller Ballerene, and Adrienne Barker, MAS unpack the financial side of running a promotional products supplier business. We cover the practical steps that keep your accounts receivable healthy and your margins strong, from creating a repeatable onboarding SOP to setting clear payment terms that actually get you paid.

What you’ll learn in this episode

→ Why every promo supplier needs a simple, consistent new-account intake form (tax ID, resale certificate, AR contact)

→ How to use industry tools (ASI, PPAI, SAGE) to run quick distributor credit checks before quoting orders

→ Payment methods explained: ACH, checks, and credit cards—and how fees impact supplier profitability

→ The real cost of slow invoicing and why sending invoices at shipment is critical for supplier cash flow

→ Choosing the right terms: Prepay, Net 10 with discount, Net 30, Net 60/90—and how to negotiate from strength

→ Why diversifying your distributor base (small, mid, and national accounts) stabilizes cash flow in the promo industry

5 Key Takeaways

→ Create a repeatable supplier onboarding SOP and use it every time

→ Run credit checks first—don’t wait until after the order ships

→ Define clear payment terms (and enforce them)

→ Send invoices promptly at shipment to keep cash moving

→ Build a balanced distributor mix to protect your receivables

Pull Quotes → “Your terms don’t start until they get the invoice—send it fast.” → “Make it easy for distributors to pay, and you’ll get paid faster.”

→ If this episode helped you think differently about cash flow, subscribe to Promo Playbook and leave us a review

→ Share this episode with another promo supplier who needs better onboarding and credit SOPs

→ Connect with Adrienne Barker MAS, Lisa Fosdick, and Kimberly Miller on LinkedIn for more supplier strategies

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