3 Ways to Put Cash in Bank in 30 Days (While Your Competitors Burn Through Theirs)

Look, I'm about to give you the most unsexy business advice you'll read this week. And it's going to make you more money than any growth hack, viral marketing campaign, or AI automation tool you've been obsessing over.

While everyone's chasing the next shiny object, smart operators are quietly implementing these three cash-flow strategies that can literally put thousands—sometimes tens of thousands—of dollars back in your account within 30 days.

I've seen these work across hundreds of brands. From $500K startups to $50M enterprises. The math is simple, the execution is straightforward, and the results are immediate.

But here's the thing: most founders are too prideful to do this stuff because it's not "innovative" enough. Their loss, your gain.

Strategy #1: Negotiate Extended Payment Terms (The $50K+ Hidden in Plain Sight)

This is not sexy, but this is 100% the single biggest point of leverage for ecommerce brands. Don't gloss over this. This will transform your cash flow.

Most brands pay their vendors like clockwork—Net 15, Net 30, sometimes even upfront. Meanwhile, those same vendors are extending Net 60, Net 90, even Net 120 terms to their bigger clients.

Here's the brutal truth: Your vendors need you more than you think. Especially if you've been a reliable customer for 6+ months.

The Script That Works:

"Hey [Vendor Name], we've been working together for [X months] and we're planning our 2025 growth. To support a larger order volume, we need to align our payment terms with industry standards. Can we move to Net 60 terms starting with our next order?"

Why this works:

• You're positioning it as growth (they want more business)

• You're calling it "industry standards" (social proof)

• You're asking for the future, not retroactively changing terms

Real numbers from a $2M DTC brand I consulted:

• Previous terms: Net 30 on $40K monthly orders

• New terms: Net 60 on same orders

• Cash flow improvement: $40K immediately available

Don't stop at one vendor. Call every single supplier, 3PL, agency, and service provider. Pick up the phone and don't stop until you get better terms.

Pro tip: If they say no initially, ask: "What order volume would get us to Net 60?" Then commit to that volume. Most will cave.

Strategy #2: Renegotiate Your 3PL Every Quarter (The Creeping Cost Killer)

Make sure your team is doing this every quarter. Costs creep up. You not only need to prevent that, but you also need to reduce costs.

Growth must unlock economies of scale, but it's not automatic. It requires your team to continuously go back to all of your partners and renegotiate.

Here's what most brands do wrong:

• Sign a 3PL contract and forget about it

• Assume bigger volume automatically means better rates

• Never benchmark against competitors

Here's what winners do:

• Quarterly rate reviews with detailed volume analysis

• Annual RFPs even with existing partners

• Monthly cost-per-shipment tracking

Case study from a $5M apparel brand:

• Q1 shipping volume: 10K packages at $4.50 per shipment

• After renegotiation: Same volume at $3.80 per shipment

• Quarterly savings: $7K+ ($28K annually)

The negotiation framework:

1. Prepare your data: Last 3 months volume, growth trajectory, package mix

2. Get competitive quotes: Even if you're happy with current 3PL

3. Present the case: "Based on our volume growth, here's what market rates look like..."

4. Ask for the match: "Can you match this rate structure?"

What to negotiate beyond shipping rates:

• Storage fees (should decrease with volume)

• Pick and pack fees (economies of scale apply)

• Return processing costs

• Special project rates

Most 3PLs have 10-20% margin built into their standard rates. That margin becomes your savings.

Strategy #3: Stop Giving Away Free Shipping (The $15K+ Monthly Mistake)

This one is so simple it's stupid. Up your free shipping threshold to 20% above your AOV and then charge a nominal flat rate fee under that.

Too many brands are too quick to give away free shipping. It should be a tactic to boost CVR and AOV. Not just a freebie.

The math everyone ignores:

Let's say your current AOV is $50 and you offer free shipping on orders $35+.

What you should do:

• Set free shipping threshold at $60 (20% above $50 AOV)

• Charge $6.95 flat rate under $60

Real brand example ($1M annual revenue):

• Before: Free shipping on $35+, $48 AOV, 2.1% conversion rate

• After: Free shipping on $60+, $7 flat rate under $60

• Results: $58 AOV (+21%), 2.3% conversion rate (+9.5%)

• Additional monthly revenue: $15,400

Why this works psychologically:

• $60 feels achievable when cart is at $45-55

• $7 shipping feels reasonable vs. losing the entire order

• "Free shipping" becomes a reward, not an expectation

The implementation playbook:

1. Analyze your AOV distribution (what percentage of orders fall where)

2. Set threshold at 15-25% above current AOV

3. Test flat rate amounts ($4.95, $6.95, $8.95)

4. Monitor AOV and conversion changes

5. Adjust threshold based on results

Most brands see 10-25% AOV increases with minimal conversion rate impact.

Strategy #4: Kill Your Generic Welcome Offer (The Infomercial Secret)

Change your generic welcome offer from 20% off like everyone else and instead give away a free limited edition product while supplies last.

You think infomercials didn't know what they were doing for the last 50 years when they said "call now and get XYZ free"? It's more compelling to the consumer and better economics for the brand.

Why percentage discounts are killing your margins:

• 20% off a $50 order = $10 cost to you

• Free $12 product (that costs you $3 to make) = $3 cost to you

• Customer perceives $12 value vs. $10 savings

The psychology behind free products:

• Tangible > abstract (product > discount)

• Scarcity drives urgency ("while supplies last")

• Creates unboxing moment and social proof

Real example from a skincare brand:

• Old offer: 20% off first order

• New offer: Free limited edition travel kit (worth $18, costs $4.50 to make)

• Results: 34% higher email signup rate, 28% better first-order conversion

• Cost savings per new customer: $5.50+ per acquisition

How to execute this:

1. Create a product that costs 20-40% of your average discount amount

2. Position it as "limited edition" or "exclusive"

3. Use scarcity language ("while supplies last," "limited quantities")

4. Make sure it's branded and Instagram-worthy

I could go all day on these ideas. Brands live and die based on the cash available to them. In this current environment, cash has never been more important.

The Question Everyone's Avoiding: Is Your Headcount Unnecessarily Large?

PS - Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Where can you reduce?

The uncomfortable truth: Most growing brands hire too fast and fire too slow.

Ask yourself:

• Do you have people doing $15/hour work at $25/hour wages?

• Are there duplicate roles across departments?

• Could technology replace manual processes?

• Are consultants doing work that should be full-time roles (or vice versa)?

The audit framework:

1. List every role and their core responsibilities

2. Calculate revenue per employee

3. Identify overlapping functions

4. Benchmark against industry standards

One founder's reality check:

• 15-person team generating $3M revenue = $200K per employee

• Industry benchmark: $300K+ per employee

• Result: Reduced to 10 people, maintained same revenue, improved profitability by $400K annually

Why This Matters More Than Your Next Marketing Campaign

While your competitors are spending money on growth hacks and viral content, you're building a cash machine.

Cash flow is the ultimate competitive advantage. It lets you:

• Weather economic downturns

• Take advantage of opportunities (inventory buys, acquisitions)

• Sleep better at night

• Make decisions from strength, not desperation

The 30-day action plan:

• Week 1: Call your top 3 vendors, negotiate payment terms

• Week 2: Review and renegotiate your 3PL contract

• Week 3: Implement new shipping thresholds and test

• Week 4: Launch new welcome offer, audit headcount

These aren't revolutionary strategies. They're fundamental business practices that most founders ignore because they're not "exciting."

But while everyone else is burning cash on the latest marketing trend, you'll have money in the bank.

And in business, cash is king.

-Parker Burr

PS - if you’ve made it this far you are ahead of 80% of your competitors.

So, here’s a bonus for you. It’s called Evana, its my new business that is putting millions of dollars back in the banks of businesses just like yours. If you’re paying import duties, I can almost guarantee we can recover thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars for you.

Just ask Kenny Flowers, who we’re getting about $148,000 in import duty refunds for. Money most brands don’t even realize they are eligible to get back.