In this episode on the Financial and Lifestyle Freedom Podcast, Annette shares how service-based business owners can increase their profitability without raising their revenue. She dives into three practical strategies to help you maximise profit margins: cost-cutting, pricing strategies, and upselling to existing clients. Tune in to learn how small tweaks can lead to significant improvements in your bottom line.

What You'll Learn:

- Why profit margins matter more than revenue for service-based businesses.

- How to cut costs without compromising quality.

- How to implement value-based pricing and raise prices effectively.

- Tips on upselling and cross-selling to boost the value of each client relationship.

Other useful resources:

- Profit First for UK Business Owners Workshop (£27)

- The Profit Plan (Kindle Book)

Connect with Me:

- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annettefergs/

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annettefergusonuk/

- Website: https://www.annetteandco.co.uk/

Today, I’ll be walking you through three key strategies—cutting costs, refining your pricing, and increasing the value of each client relationship through upselling. So, let’s jump right in!”

As business owners, we often think that the key to profitability is increasing sales or revenue. But the truth is, profit margins—how much profit you keep from each pound earned—are just as important, if not more.

When you focus on maximising profit margins, you're making sure that the work you’re already doing is as efficient and profitable as possible. This is particularly critical for service-based businesses, where your main cost is time. Unlike product-based businesses, where scaling can be about moving more inventory, in service-based businesses, it’s about working smarter, not harder.

The first strategy to boost your profit margins is reducing your costs. Now, when people hear ‘cutting costs,’ they often think of extreme measures like laying off staff or cutting down on service quality—but that’s not what we’re talking about here.

1. Renegotiate Contracts: Take a look at your existing contracts and subscriptions—are you paying for tools or services that aren’t delivering value? Contact providers and try to renegotiate your rates, especially for software, contractors, or marketing services.

2. Automate Repetitive Tasks: Time is one of your biggest costs as a service-based business owner. Look at what repetitive tasks can be automated—things like invoicing, scheduling, or even elements of client communication.

3. Cut Non-Essential Spending: Review your expenses and identify where you might be overpaying. For example, are there any marketing strategies or tools that aren’t delivering a return on investment? Free up cash for more important areas of the business.

Next, let’s talk pricing. One of the fastest ways to boost your profit margin is by adjusting your pricing strategy. Too often, business owners set their prices based on time spent or what competitors...

If you've observed a decline in the frequency of one or two customers purchasing your products or services, it may indicate that they have churned. While most businesses face churn, it's essential to keep track of it. Research suggests that retaining existing customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones.

In this episode, Annette will provide you with some useful tips to prevent churn in your business

Here are a few insights you’ll hear in today’s show…

• What is ‘churn rate’ and do you compute the churn rate?
• Why is it important to monitor churn rate and why is it more effective to retain customers rather than acquiring new ones?
• What are the causes of churn?
• How do you reduce churn, what are the strategies that you can implement in your business?
• How to measure the success of your churn-reducing strategies.

Resources:

If you’re struggling to understand the accounting for your business, reach out to Annette at podcast@annetteandco.co.uk and join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/915326342418247.

To know more about financial and lifestyle freedom and if you wish to receive updates on all the workshops that will help you increase your profitability and freedom from your business, just head on over to https://www.annetteandco.co.uk/want-our-emails/.

Connect with Annette Ferguson:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/UKAnnetteFerguson/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/annetteandco_/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkohh_X-4R5mKfEW9rBQ1qA

Listen to the Podcast - Financial and Lifestyle Freedom for UK Business Owners -

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/financial-and-lifestyle-freedom-for-uk-business-owners/id1473582522

As a business owner and a mother of two, my morning routine has to involve my family.

I value family time, so I'm always there to help my children get ready for school and eat breakfast together. I've tried the "get up at 5 am and get your day done by 11" routine, but it's not sustainable for me. It's crucial to design a morning routine in the context of one's family and how one wants their family to operate. I usually start my workday after my children leave for school. I review my calendar and have a daily huddle meeting with my team. Sometimes, I exercise in the morning, but it's not a regular part of my routine. I don't do affirmations, journaling, or any of the popular morning routines. Instead, I suggest doing a brain dump at least once a week to organize all the swirling to-dos in one's head.

Resources:

If you’re struggling to understand the accounting for your business, reach out to Annette at podcast@annetteandco.co.uk and join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/915326342418247.

To know more about financial and lifestyle freedom and if you wish to receive updates on all the workshops that will help you increase your profitability and freedom from your business, just head on over to https://www.annetteandco.co.uk/want-our-emails/.

Connect with Annette Ferguson:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/UKAnnetteFerguson/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/annetteandco_/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkohh_X-4R5mKfEW9rBQ1qA

Listen to the Podcast - Financial and Lifestyle Freedom for UK Business Owners -

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/financial-and-lifestyle-freedom-for-uk-business-owners/id1473582522