Marketing is one of the most important aspects of running a business today. Customers can be fickle with countless local and online choices to choose from. Consider spending some of your loans on advertisements to promote your business.
Bear in mind that not all marketing is created equal. The media you choose largely depends on your business model. Do you run an online store that sells to customers worldwide? Advertise heavily online towards your target demographic. Maybe your business is entirely local instead. Invest in local advertisements. Take out an ad in the local school newsletter or rent a billboard. Expose your business to the local community.
If your business relies on old, outdated equipment, it could slow down productivity and cost you money. Do you have an old POS system that requires constant repairs and leaves you unable to process transactions? Maybe it is time to invest in a new one. More uptime means more profit.
Inventory is another excellent use of your small business loan. This is especially true if you work in an industry with constant changes or new releases. It can be challenging to find the money to buy large amounts of inventory for small businesses, but it can be worth the investment.
You can also take advantage of this opportunity to expand your current offerings. You can attract new customers and even bring existing customers in again to check out your new stock by offering a more extensive selection of products.
If your website is outdated, it could be causing serious harm to your business. Today over 60% of online searches are done from mobile devices. If your website does not support mobile devices or has broken functionality, it will likely drive away customers.
Invest in a new website compliant with both desktops and mobile devices. Ensuring compatibility helps attract new customers when they come across your website, rather than driving them to your more technologically advanced competition.
This can be hiring new staff to ease the burden on your existing employees. It could also be investing in additional training for your current employees.
It is easy to balk at the idea of investing in additional training for employees, especially in retail and service industries, but do not discount the benefits. Additional training can increase productivity and allow your staff to handle stressful situations more easily. It is also suitable for morale because you show your employees that you care enough to invest in them.
Sales-based businesses can significantly benefit from additional training. Empowering your sales team with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed can increase sales, which increases your profits.
It is easy to see an influx of funds as an excuse to spend more money, but it is essential to resist this temptation. Here are a few things you can do to ensure you do not abuse your business loan and make it last as long as possible.
Open A Separate Account
Never keep your loan balance in your primary business account. Instead, open another account and save your balance there. If you need money, transfer it to your main account. Never use your loan account as a spending account.
The reason for this is simple: it's easy to lose track of what's what and think you're more comfortable than you are by combining the two pools of money.
Don’t Spend it All at Once
It is all too easy to put together a laundry list of things that you can do to improve your business but take it slowly. Making a list of investments is a good idea and a great way to keep you on track, but do not use a list as an excuse to spend all of your money at once.
It is better to spend the money in stages to assess the effectiveness of investments and determine the best ones for use in the future.
Communicate With Your Lender
As with anything else in business, communication is vital. Keep your lender informed on the use of funds. Always make your payments on time or ahead of time if possible.
By maintaining a healthy relationship with your lender, you ensure their willingness to work with you if you run into problems. A lender who has records of your communications with them will be more understanding if and when you run into problems.
It is always important to maximise your return on investment in the business, but nowhere is this truer than when you take out a loan. Plan carefully and spend accordingly to grow your business.
If you're looking to take out a fast, flexible, affordable business loan, click below to apply now.
