From time to time, all businesses need an injection of liquidity or financial support to start or continue operations and expand their capacity. However, getting a business loan or other financial assistance for your business is not as easy as applying online as you would for a personal loan. You must be clear about your intentions regarding the funds and be in good financial shape to obtain the financing you need.
You should prepare your business for financing not only when you feel you need it, but always to ensure that you are in the best possible position when the time comes. In this post you will learn how to prepare your business for financial support and find ways to support your activities.
What awaits you in this article:
Stay on top of the cash flow forecast
It goes without saying that before you ask someone for money, you should demonstrate good cash handling skills. You must have a current cash flow forecast and update it regularly. While it doesn’t have to be too in-depth, you need to demonstrate a good understanding of the liquidity and working capital required to run your business.
Key aspects include invoicing customers in a timely manner, enabling automated payments, regularly reviewing contracts with suppliers, and how you use existing credit or funding in your business.
A robust business plan
Lenders don’t want to lend to a company that doesn’t have a solid business plan. While it’s true that it doesn’t have to be comprehensive, when you apply for funding you need to be able to show how your business is evolving, what your goals are and how you’ll get there. Some key elements to include in your business plan are:
- Summary
- Key people with their experience
- Current customer base
- Planned customer base
- SWOT analysis
- Market analysis
- Competitive landscape
The more detail you have in it, the easier it will be for lenders to see what you’re all about and how the funds will be used to support your growth and development, whether you’re looking for asset finance, angel investors, or a traditional business loan.
documentation
When you submit your funding application, you will need the correct documentation to support your application. Preparing these in advance can make the application process easier. Keeping your documents up to date will put you in the best position to apply for funding in the future, regardless of the amount or funding route you choose. You will probably need current accounting data, the last three to six months’ bank statements, as well as your previous sales and profits for the entire year. Having this prepared will eliminate any problems and put you in a good position to proceed.
Adjust the correct time
You need to time your application correctly. Please do not take out loans because you can or because you don’t need them. First, make sure you consciously apply for business financing if there is a real reason for it. This may be to facilitate growth, offset purchases of new equipment, fulfill new customer contracts, or prevent missing targets and revenue due to your current organization’s inability to handle demand (e.g. a move to larger premises or the hiring of more staff). ).
The better prepared you are to apply for funding, the easier the process will be for you when the time comes. Be prepared and determined and you will be able to get the support your business needs.
