Securing a business loan is always a challenge. Lenders are not always eager to lend money to risky business ideas. They have to feel confident and secure about lending. There are some things that you can do to ensure that your business looks like a safe pair of hands to lend to though. By ensuring that your business is presented a certain way, and is in order, you can get your hands on the money you need. Read on to find out what you need to know about getting the business loan you desire.
Eliminate Existing Debts
First of all, it’s a good idea to eliminate any existing debt you have. This is good for the business anyway. That’s because having too much debt to deal with is never a very good thing. It can sometimes overpower the business and cause it to struggle in the long-term. Clearing old debts before getting a new loan create a clean slate to work with as well.
It’s also important when it comes to encouraging a creditor to lend money to your business. If they can see that the business is currently free from debts, they’ll be more willing to lend. That’s because they’ll know that they will be the only creditor that your business is dealing with. Take some time clearing the debts before you apply for a loan. It could make a bigger difference than you realise.
Consider All the Borrowing Options
There are so many options out there when it comes to borrowing money for your business. You could go to a bank, and see if they have the best deal. But there are also all kinds of high street creditors that offer you alternatives to business loans provided by banks. From a financial point of view, it makes sense to consider all the options before actually taking out a loan.
You should also think about the online options. For example, the website for businesslendermatch.com can be helpful when you’re looking for a loan. And there are also credit options to consider. Whatever you do, make sure that you compare the terms and rates of all the loans that you consider before deciding.
Keep Your Payment History in Mind
If you have taken out loans in the past, then the lender will want to know about how you repaid them. They will look at this payment history when deciding whether or not your business is good to lend to. If they find that your business’s payment history is not very good, then this will be considered when the final decision is made. It won’t be all they think about, but it certainly will be one consideration.
Your payment history should be kept in mind as you run your business from month to month. Each time you have a repayment deadline heading your way, make sure you pay it on time. If you don’t, then it will affect your business’s future ability to borrow cash and expand. That’s not what you want, so ensure that you don’t forget about the importance of this.
Show Your Business is Generating Profits Consistently
Cash flow is very important for a lender to know about. They want to be able to see that the business is capable of making money. If they can’t see this, then they will be much more wary about lending money to you. So, you’ll have to be able to offer copies of the recent accounts. If the business is constantly making money, then lending to you will be much easier. Go to succeedasyourownboss.com/seven-ways-profitable-small-business/ to find out how to make the business more profitable
Profitable businesses are the ones that are most likely to be able to meet repayment deadlines. That’s why it matters so much to lenders. They don’t want to be left in the lurch by borrowers who don’t have the cash flow required to make loan repayments. Don’t try to hide your business’s financial situation either. This is bad for the lender and the borrower. You’ll just dig a hole for your business if you do this.
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Be Open About Your Business’s Future Plans
Before anyone lends you money, they will want to be aware of what that money will be used for. This is something that you have to be perfectly clear and honest about. If you fail to be honest about this, it could cause big problems for the business further down the line, so don’t let that happen. Be clear about why you want the money and why you need it. It’s always best if the lender can judge the facts.
Be as clear as you possibly can. When you do this, you’ll be able to sell your vision of the business’s future to the lender. This could be enough to persuade them what you’re doing is profitable, and that will make them more likely to lend to you. Lying and telling them what you think they want to hear is never a good idea though, so don’t try it.
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Present the Company’s History
The company’s past might not seem like a huge deal to you, but it might matter to a creditor. They will want to see where the business has come from and how it has grown over the months and years it’s been in business. This will help them to see how secure the business is and what it’s future growth prospects might be. If you can sell the business’s past in the best possible way, it will help you to get the loan you want.
Think about how the history will appear to someone who is in charge of deciding whether or not to lend to you. If you can show them the business has grown sustain-ably over a period of time, it will instantly make the business appear a little more secure. It could be the difference between getting the loan you want and getting rejected. Even if the business has had a troubled past, show how you overcame those troubles; it might help.