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Small Business Loans Options and Products to Consider

– Small Business Loans –

Small business owners who need financing or Small Business Loans Options have many options and these products depend on your needs, and terms, rates, and qualifications vary by lender.

Small Business Loans Options

To help you find the right product for your company’s needs, we made a list of the most common business financing options and products.

Business Term Loan

Term loans are traditional small business loans where you receive a lump sum of cash and repay it in regular installments, with interest, over a set term. They come in various loan amounts and can be used for a variety of purposes

Pros:

  • You can get cash upfront to invest in your business.
  • Typically has higher borrowing amounts.
  • Fast funding if you use an online lender rather than a traditional bank; usually a few days to a week versus up to several months.

Cons:

  • May demand a personal guarantee or collateral — an asset like real estate or business equipment that the lender can sell if you default.
  • Costs can vary; term loans from online lenders usually carry higher costs than those from traditional banks.

Business Line of Credit

A business line of credit is very similar to a credit card since it lets you borrow money when you need to, up to a limit, and you only have to make payments (plus interest) on the amount that you borrow.

Pros:

  • A flexible way to borrow.
  • Typically unsecured, so no collateral is required.

Cons:

  • May have additional costs, such as maintenance fees and draw fees.
  • Strong revenue & credit are required.

Invoice Factoring

Invoice factoring lets you sell your unpaid invoices to a company for immediate access to 80% to 85% of your invoice amounts. Once the company receives the payments, they pay you the remaining amount minus fees and interest.

Pros:

  • Fast cash for the business.
  • Easier approval compared to traditional funding options.

Cons:

  • Costly compared to other options.
  • You lose control over the collection of invoices.

SBA Loan

SBA loans are term loans for businesses that are backed by the federal government. Though these loans are harder to qualify for than traditional term loans, they typically come with low-interest rates and flexible repayment terms.

Pros:

  • Some of the lowest rates in the market.
  • High borrowing amounts to up to 5 million U.S Dollars.
  • Long repayment terms.

Cons:

  • Hard to qualify.
  • Long & rigorous application process.

Equipment Financing

With equipment financing, you can borrow money to help pay for a new vehicles, appliances, computers, or anything your business needs. The equipment serves as collateral and you repay it in regular installments with interest.

Pros:

  • You own the equipment and you build equity in it.
  • You can get competitive rates if you have strong credit and business finances.

Cons:

  • You may have to come up with a down payment.
  • Equipment can become outdated more quickly than the length of your financing.

Merchant Cash Advance

With a merchant cash advance, you receive a lump sum of cash up front and pay it back (plus a fee) via a daily or weekly withdrawal of a percentage of the credit card and debit card sales you make in your business.

Pros:

  • Get fast cash.
  • Unsecured financing.

Cons:

  • Some of the highest borrowings costs are up to 350% in some situations.
  • Frequent repayments can create cash flow issues.

Invoice Financing

Invoice financing lets you can receive money upfront up to the total amount of your unpaid invoices. When you receive payments for your invoices, you repay the amount borrowed plus a factor fee of about 10% to 30%.

Pros:

  • Quick cash.
  • Your customers won’t know that their invoice is being financed.

Cons:

  • It is expensive compared with other options.
  • You are still responsible for collecting the invoice payment.

1. How Do I Qualify for a Small Business Loan?

Small Business Loans FAQ

The qualification requirements to get a small business loan to depend on the lender, but let’s look at some common criteria.

Credit Requirements

Most banks and credit unions will expect you to have excellent credit and will only lend to you if your credit is above 600 or 700. Online small business lenders are usually more likely to lend to people who have personal credit scores that are below 600.

Business Age

Many lenders have requirements around how long you have been in business with their lowest cutoff often being 2 years. This is a requirement for some since lenders are wary of lending to companies without a track record.

Revenue

Some small business lenders have requirements about how much revenue your company earns yearly. This amount will vary between lenders.

Some lenders would prefer to lend to companies that have a certain number of employees.

2. How Do I Get a Small Business Loan?

To apply for a small business loan, you must have your personal information and your business information on hand.

You may also have to provide:

  • Personal & business bank statements
  • Balance & income statements
  • Personal & business tax returns
  • Resume of your business experience
  • Financial projections for your company
  • Drivers license
  • Business licenses
  • Business plan

Traditional banks will most of the time require you to fill out a written application, although some will allow you to apply online.

When you apply with an online small business lender, the application is usually shorter and easier to complete and they require less information and fewer documents. Documents can be scanned and uploaded online, giving room for potentially quicker approval processes.

3.How Can I Improve My Chances of Approval for the Best Small Business Loans?

There are a lot of things that you can do in order for you to improve your chances of getting approved for the best small business loans.

– Build Credit

Building your business credit is one of the ways of improving your chances of approval. You can do this by taking out credit in your business’ name right after you start the business. While you will have to co-sign for a business credit card, having one will start the process of establishing your business credit history.

– Create a Clear Business Plan

Have a clear business plan. Having all of your historic and projected financial information available to share with a potential lender can speed up the process.

This will make you look professional and allows the lender to better understand your business’ needs and potential.

A good business plan can include:

Create a Clear Business Plan

  • A description of your company
  • Biographies of the management team
  • Analysis of the industry
  • Description of the service or product that you provide
  • Plan of operations
  • Promotional and marketing strategy
  • SWOT analysis

– Compare Your Options

Be sure to compare small business loans. If a traditional bank or credit union turns you down, it doesn’t mean you can not get approved elsewhere.

While online small business lenders are good options, remember that you will have to pay a premium in the form of higher interest rates if you have bad credit or present increased risk.

We hope this article has been helpful to you. Please share it with anyone you think will appreciate the information and kindly drop your comment below.

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