12th November, 2018
As a tradesperson, opportunities often arise out of nowhere and some of them require you to stretch your business in order to meet them. It’s in times like these that you need a loan in a hurry. But how?
Most tradies get to the point at some stage where they can’t expand their small business any further without first getting access to a loan.
A loan can help you employ more staff over a busy period, purchase an additional vehicle or tools, or even help you to exhibit at a trade show or organise other key marketing tactics.
If you need a quick injection of funds, it’s important to prepare well so you give yourself the best chance of having an application approved.
Here are some strategies to follow today, to help you secure those funds tomorrow.
All lenders typically ask to see financial paperwork before even considering anyone for a loan.
To cut back the time it takes to be approved, then, have all your paperwork in order up front.
You’ll need the last five years’ worth, generally, of tax returns for your business, and often for your personal income as well.
In addition, you’ll need to provide documentation of your ABN’s or company’s trading history over recent years, plus details such as a cash flow statement, balance sheet, and profit and loss statement.
It’s also wise to have completed a business plan before you approach lenders for funds.
This plan doesn’t have to be thirty pages long; it can be just two to three pages as long as it details things such as:
If you’ve never created a business plan before, ask lenders for a template document you can fill in (most have a simple, straightforward version you can use).
Alternatively, check out the government’s business planning website for an example or consult The Pulse‘s article on the topic.
To get a loan approved quickly, you also need to be sure you target the right lenders.
Different institutions have very different lending criteria and focuses, after all, so give yourself the best chance of being approved by approaching companies which are most likely to say yes, based on your current situation and needs.
These days there are lots of lending options besides traditional banks, too.
For example, check out online providers or industry-specific lenders and other boutique options.
Like all loan types, there are some specific requirements you need to fulfil in order to be approved for these, so read the fine print to see if this will be the right option for you.
Another tip is to only ask a lender for the amount of money you really need to move your business forward.
It’s tempting to put in an application for a bigger supply of funds, to cover other potential costs, but doing so may make it harder to get approved. It will also probably take longer.
Lenders always evaluate your situation and the likelihood you’ll be able to pay funds back on time and in full, so the smaller the amount you ask for, the more easily they’ll think you can pay it back.
Similarly, be very clear on exactly what you will use the cash injection for. Make this easy for lenders to understand.
Remember, though: they don’t want to give you a loan for funds which will be used to pay off debts elsewhere, or to pay staff wages or otherwise prop up an ailing business.
Show them that the loan you receive will help you to grow your business in some strategic, well-thought-out way.