burn the midnight oil
(verb phrase)
to work hard very late into the night--and as if working only by the light of an oil lamp
EXAMPLE:
"The manager had so much work piling up on her desk she knew she was going to have to burn the midnight oil to finish it."
business is picking up
business is increasing, getting better after a slow sales period as more orders, products, or services are now being sold
EXAMPLE:
"After a year of poor sales, the automobile industry is receiving many orders for its new cars, and all the employees are happy to see that business is picking up."
eam of the crop
the best, very best, or best ever of something--the top choice or pick
EXAMPLE:
"At the art auction, Van Gogh’s paintings were considered to be the cream of the crop and received the highest bids."
cut and dried
in accordance or agreement with a standard formula, exact method, guidelines, or procedure; routine
EXAMPLE:
During the 19th and early 20th century only males performed in the Peking Opera and the ways to become an actor were cut and dried
dog and pony show
a presentation that has no substance and is just a shallow demonstration, entertainment, or "show" usually done by a corporation or business to bring attention to itself or one of its products.
EXAMPLE:
"The new e-commerce company put on a dog and pony show for potential investors."
door-to-door selling
a method of presenting and selling products or services in which a salesperson goes to the residences or homes of potential buyers, knocking on their doors to solicit business
EXAMPLE:
"Many homeowners dislike door-to-door selling and consider it to be disturbing to their privacy."
feasibility test
(noun)
a procedure or basis for evaluation or assessment to see if something is capable of being accomplished or brought about, or is possible
EXAMPLE:
"A business will often do a feasibility test on a product before spending money to market it to consumers."
feel the pinch
a financially difficult, tight, strained, or squeezed circumstance or situation
EXAMPLE:
"Experiencing little demand for its products, the company began to feel the pinch."
file thirteen
any container to discard or throw away unwanted paperwork; in an office setting a container for rubbish; the wastebasket
EXAMPLE:
"The salesperson crumpled the cancelled order and tossed it into file thirteen."
fat cat
a wealthy and privileged person
EXAMPLE:
"More than one fat cat has been seen visiting the offices of political candidates."