Having a relationship with a bank is almost as important as any other business relationship in the life of a small business. To ensure that your relationship with your bank stays in a good place it is best to avoid the most common mistakes when dealing with banks and getting small business loans.
Small Business Loans
Sometimes SMEs focused too much on the price of loans in the form of interest instead of the conditions and covenants which can end up causing the biggest problems. Always make sure to leave yourself some headroom or spare capacity when dealing with small business loans from a bank or another lender. Do not wait too long to deal with potential problems. Let your lender know as soon as you can if you are going to be running into trouble so that they can work with you to find a solution.
Do not fail to realize that your bank or lending partner can be the most important relationship you have. It might even be more important than your biggest client or most valued employee. On the other side you should never overestimate your relationship with your lender since they probably do not look at your relationship in the same way. Make sure to read the fine print when getting small business loans because the devil is in the details. If you do not understand the fine print then request that it be made available in simpler terms so that there is no confusion.
Never overestimate your goals with your lender since they will be expecting you to meet those goals and anything short of those goals will be perceived as weakness or default. Shop around for other banks and lenders because no one should have all of their eggs in one basket. Reach out to another type of lender besides a bank and see what they have to offer. Big banks do not always have the best lending solutions for small business loans. Looking around for other small business loan options will give you alternatives so that you do not make the most basic mistakes. Having other types of lenders will give you a safety net in times when a bank will not be able to provide the funds you need. Banking relationships can be very important to SMEs so the more relationships you have the better chance you will have for success.
