Bay View Funding Blog

Small businesses need to be funded, and it appears that the options for funding are opening up. Let’s consider the small business loan option, and what you will need to provide to your lender when applying.

An article in SBA News very clearly sets out what needs to be addressed when your company decides to apply for a business loan. The most common forms of small business financing can be found through a bank or a government agency such as the Small Business Administration (SBA). The most important requirement is that your company must be financially able to cover any obligations despite any hiccups along the way. It is vital to maintain good credit standing and excellent business relationships with both customers and vendors

Does your company struggle to collect on payments from customers? Have you noticed a continuing slow payment trend? This could be because you have extended credit to the wrong customers.

Offering credit, or terms is certainly valuable. It can help your customers manage their cash flow, which could be the incentive they need to choose you for goods or services. Many of your competitors are more than likely extending credit to their customers, and it is important to keep up with your competition. But you do need to understand the limitations for your company before you decide.

• Do you have a grip on your profit margins?
• How much credit you can afford to offer to your customers?
• Do you frequently track all outstanding transactions and their value?
• Do you effectively project your cash flow?

Managing cash flow can be extremely challenging for a small to medium business, and we have discussed many times in previous blogs some of the best ways to manage cash flow. Collecting on delinquent invoices from customers to whom you have extended credit is not fun, so let’s review a few tips to make it easier.