A Guide to Recovering Revenue You Didn't Know You Were Losing When was the last time you reviewed your business subscriptions? From software to streaming services, you could have hundreds of dollars out there that you had forgotten about. That’s money that’s been quietly slipping through the cracks. Most business owners are so focused on bringing money in the front door that they don't notice it leaking out the back. But this "hidden cash" is actually easier to find than new customers, and the returns are immediate. It’s a treasure hunt through your business finances so grab your coffee, block off a few hours, and let's go find your money. Stop #1: The Subscription Graveyard Time needed: 30-45 minutes Pull up your bank and credit card statements from the last three months. Look for any recurring charges and ask yourself these questions: When's the last time someone on your team used this service? Are we paying for user seats that employees no longer occupy? Did we upgrade to a premium plan for a feature we used once? Is there a free or cheaper alternative that would work just as well? (This is especially important to ask yourself with many AI programs out there doing things you once needed from desparate pieces of software. Many platforms now do multiple tasks and you can cancel those that are redundant.) Common culprits include stock photo subscriptions, legacy software that's been replaced but never cancelled, LinkedIn Premium accounts for former salespeople, and that project management tool everyone swore they'd use but didn't. Action item: Create a simple spreadsheet listing every subscription, its monthly cost, who uses it, and when you last reviewed it. Set a calendar reminder to repeat this exercise every six months. Stop #2: Your Pricing Structure Time needed: 2-3 hours When was the last time you looked at your pricing? Not tweaked it, but truly analyzed whether it reflects your current costs, expertise, and market position? Many business owners set their prices years ago and rarely revisit them. Meanwhile, their costs have increased, their skills have improved, and their market value has grown. You could be leaving significant money on the table. Here's a quick pricing health check: Compare your pricing to three competitors. Are you significantly lower? Why? Calculate your true cost of delivery TODAY including your time, materials, overhead, and a reasonable profit margin. Are you actually making money on each sale? Review your most and least profitable products or services. Should you be promoting different offerings? Check if you have any "legacy" customers still on old pricing from years ago. Action item: Block out time next week to analyze your three best-selling products or services. Run the numbers, then consider whether a strategic price increase makes sense. Stop #3: Vendor Contract Review Time needed: 1-2 hours per major vendor Your business relationships shouldn't be on autopilot. That insurance policy, cleaning service, or shipping contract you signed three years ago? The market has probably changed, and you might have more negotiating power than you think. Start with your biggest recurring expenses: rent, insurance, utilities, payment processing, shipping, and major suppliers. For each one, ask: When did we last shop around or renegotiate? Has our volume increased, potentially qualifying us for better rates? Are there competitors offering introductory deals to win our business? What would it take to get a 10% discount—annual prepayment, longer contract, higher volume commitment? You'd be surprised how often a simple phone call results in immediate savings. For instance, if you were to contact your credit card processor to discuss rates and review options, and they agreed to reduce their processing fees by 0.4%, how much money would that put in your pocket instead of theirs? It’s worth the ask. Action item: Identify your top five recurring expenses. Make it a goal to renegotiate or shop around for one per month over the next five months. Stop #4: The Cash Flow Calendar Time needed: 1-2 hours initially This isn't exactly "hidden" cash, but it's cash you're not accessing efficiently. Many businesses have money trapped in poor timing—paying vendors before they collect from customers, missing early payment discounts, or not taking advantage of favorable payment terms. Cash flow is the most common reason businesses fail. It’s not failing to make sales; it’s the timing of payments. Map out a simple cash flow calendar showing: When you typically get paid by customers (net 30, net 60, etc.) When you have to pay vendors and suppliers Any seasonal gaps or crunches in cash availability Then look for opportunities: Can you incentivize customers to pay faster with small discounts? Should you negotiate longer payment terms with vendors to match your collection cycle? Are you taking advantage of early payment discounts from suppliers when they make financial sense? Could you shift major expenses away from traditionally slow revenue months? Action item: Create a basic cash flow calendar for the next three months. Look for any obvious timing mismatches or opportunities. Stop #5: Unused Assets and Dead Inventory Time needed: 2-4 hours Walk through your space and look for things you're paying to store, maintain, or insure that you're not using. Physical inventory that hasn't moved in over a year is costing you money in storage, insurance, and opportunity cost. It's better to liquidate it at a discount and redeploy that cash than to let it gather dust. The same goes for equipment you're maintaining but not using, domain names you're not developing, or office space you're renting "just in case." Action item: Do a physical inventory check. Flag anything that hasn't been touched in 6-12 months and plan to either use it, sell it, or donate it. Stop #6: Tax Advantages You're Missing Time needed: 1 hour + consultation The IRS will never contact you to tell you that you’re paying too much. Nor will they call with a helpful “you missed this deduction.” Some commonly overlooked deductions and strategies include: Home office deduction (if you work from home) Vehicle mileage for business purposes (not just big trips—those coffee meetings count) Professional development and continuing education Equipment purchases that can be immediately expensed under Section 179 Health insurance premiums for self-employed individuals Retirement contributions that reduce taxable income Action item: Schedule a meeting with your accountant specifically to discuss tax optimization strategies. Bring your questions. A good accountant can often find savings that more than pay for their fees. Your 30-Day Treasure Hunt Plan Finding hidden cash doesn't have to be overwhelming. Start slowly and as you find money, you’ll be emboldened to do more. Here's a realistic action plan: Week 1: Review subscriptions and cancel what you don't need (30-45 minutes) Week 2: Analyze your three best-selling products/services for pricing opportunities (2-3 hours) Week 3: Contact your biggest vendor to discuss rates and terms (1 hour) Week 4: Create your cash flow calendar and identify one timing improvement (1-2 hours) Total time investment: 5-7 hours Potential monthly recovery: $500-$3,000+ Potential annual recovery: $6,000-$36,000+ Finding hidden cash is as easy as setting aside the time to pay attention to the details that get overlooked when you're busy running and growing your company. The beauty of this is that every dollar you recover goes straight to your bottom line. You don't have to market for it, deliver it, or service it. It's simply money that was already yours. You just needed to find it. ----------------------------- Christina Metcalf is a writer and women’s speaker who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She is the author of The Glinda Principle , rediscovering the magic within. _______________________________________ Medium: @christinametcalf Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking Instagram: @christinametcalfauthor LinkedIn: @christinagsmith

Think of the person in your circle (even tangentially) who comes to mind when you read the word, “boring.” Who is it? Now ask yourself why you think they’re boring. It’s your opinion, right? Maybe all they do is talk about sports or maybe when you’re talking about sports, they want to talk about the weather. Perhaps they’re not boring at all. Maybe it’s just that you don’t have mutual interests. If your business is struggling to attract loyal customers, it might be that you’re suffering from the same thing. Maybe you’re talking about things your ideal customer doesn’t care about. It’s time to get their attention and become much more interesting to them. The Problem with Basic Marketing The problem many businesses face when it comes to their marketing message isn’t that they are inherently boring. It’s that what they choose to make their message is not something that appeals to their ideal audience. To captivate that audience, you need to first understand who the audience is, then present something that they need/want, and make that solution plausible/believable. But sadly, most businesses and professionals describe their services in generic ways that sound dreamy but completely inactionable or boring such as: A life coach who writes, “I help people follow their dreams.” Or a bakery that posts, “We sell cookies.” Why Generic Messaging Falls Flat Now before you argue, “But it’s what we do,” consider this: when was the last time you searched, “How do I follow my dreams?”? While you don’t have to go into long descriptions about what you do and how you do it, you do need to help your ideal client think to themselves, “That’s what I need.” It’s time to tighten up your marketing message. 1. Identify who you’re speaking to and be specific. Is it moms? Doctors? Students? Who will see the most help from your offerings? 2. Solve a problem they already have. Marketing your product or service will be so much easier if you’re selling something they already know they need. 3. Use language that fits what they’re looking for. Again, very few people are googling, “How do I follow my dreams?”. 4. Show how you can help them get what they want. Your customers have needs, wants, and struggles. They need to trust you understand what that is and can help them. 5. Line up testimonials that speak the same language. If you go through all the work to craft your marketing message, you want to use testimonials that reinforce it. So, let’s put that all together. Remember the life coach who helped people follow their dreams? We’re going to transform that message from meh to mesmerizing. Step 1. Identify the audience Instead of using the generic “people,” the life coach drills down to the realization she works best with mid-career professional women who feel stuck in unfulfilling jobs. Step 2. Solve a problem they already have Their problem isn’t “I can’t follow my dreams.” It’s “I’m burned out in my career and don’t know how to pivot without starting over.” Step 3. Employ the language they’re actually using Her ideal client is more likely searching for phrases like “career change at 40,” “how to find a meaningful job,” or “get unstuck in my career” than “follow my dreams.” Step 4. Show how you can help them get what they want These professional women don’t just want “dreams.” They want clarity, confidence, and an actionable plan to shift into work that lights them up and pays the bills. Step 5. Align testimonials Instead of posting a generic “she helped me follow my dreams,” a stronger testimonial would read something like: “I went from dreading Mondays to launching a consulting business I love. She gave me the tools to make the leap with confidence.” And you could get a testimonial like that by asking a successful client, “What’s changed in your life after working with me? Where were you before and where are you now?” That leads the client into formulating something much more substantial than, “She helped me so much.” Are you ready for the revamped marketing message/elevator pitch? Instead of “I help people follow their dreams,” it’s now… “I help professional women in their 40s who feel stuck in unfulfilling careers gain the clarity and confidence to pivot into work they love without sacrificing income or starting from scratch.” Hear the difference? Now we know exactly who can benefit. There’s no mistaking it and anyone thinking of giving this life coach a referral knows who she’s looking to work with. Those few simple words transform the original vague promise into something specific, problem-solving, and benefits driven. And that means people hearing it and reading it will know when they are the target audience. READ MORE: Are You Accidentally Repelling Perfect Customers? Fast-Track Trust: How to Win Customers Quickly Helping Customers Move Past "Let Me Think About It" ------------------------- Christina Metcalf is a writer and women’s speaker who believes in the power of story. She works with small businesses, chambers of commerce, and business professionals who want to make an impression and grow a loyal customer/member base. She is the author of The Glinda Principle , rediscovering the magic within. _______________________________________ Facebook: @tellyourstorygetemtalking Instagram: @christinametcalfauthor LinkedIn: @christinagsmith