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Helping SME clients secure finance is one aspect of a finance broker’s business, but understanding when and how to provide it is also key, says Apricity Finance.
With brokers and lenders increasingly looking to support small businesses secure finance to bring their growth plans to fruition, one cash flow lender has outlined that brokers should also be working to help their clients understand the bigger picture.
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According to Apricity Finance CEO Linden Toll, ensuring that clients have undertaken enough due diligence when looking to grow – for example, by safeguarding the cash flow and ensuring they know the contract terms of any loans – is crucial to helping ensure future plans succeed.
Mr Toll outlined that areas in which brokers could help support their SME clients include: ensuring they have capacity to maintain existing relationships and obligations as well as any new ones; ensuring they have undertaken enough financial due diligence upfront to ensure that margins and contract terms are “not only achievable but also good for their business long term”; clarifying contract or loan terms and how that will impact the business; safeguarding cash flow when looking at any growth; and planning for the future.
Writing in an opinion piece, Mr Toll said: “In order to make a real impact in big business, your client must have a real, sustainable business plan (three to five years). Ensure you complete cash flow forecasts and cost projections to meet peak funding and resourcing requirements with your client. Make sure your client has a funding partner with flexibility and reliability to support their business long term.
“While your clients may be eager to take on the challenge ahead (they will no doubt have worked hard for it), your opportunity here is to be that of level-headed adviser. This, of course, is less glamorous and exciting, but is invaluable to the process and key to ensure your clients business is protected as they grow.”
Brokers can learn how to complete cash flow forecasts and cost projections at The Adviser’s fifth annual SME Broker Bootcamp, a free roadshow outlining how brokers can be servicing their client’s needs outside of residential lending.
The SME Broker Bootcamp, a full-day interactive workshop, will be visiting five states in November to equip brokers with the tools and knowledge to tap into lending for small and medium-sized businesses.
Led by finance executive, business coach and educator Stuart Donaldson, the bootcamp will build on the previous two years of financial training and teach brokers exactly how to understand cash flow so that they can help their clients overcome finance challenges and identify appropriate solutions.
Brokers will also hear from SME lenders to learn about the range of different funding options available to SMEs, the new funding guides and resources available to brokers and their clients, and hear real-life case studies and scenarios of how SME lenders can help broker clients.
As well as learning the ins and outs of business finance, Ashley Fell, social researcher and team leader of communications at McCrindle Research, will reveal how Millennials approach finance and how brokers can ensure they are their trusted adviser of choice.
The free event will visit Melbourne on 13 November, Brisbane on 19 November, Perth on 21 November, and Sydney on 26 November 2019.
Tickets are free, and limited, so make sure you register now to ensure you don’t miss out.
Find out more about SME Broker Bootcamp.
[Related: New SME funding guide launches]
