Small Business Finance Communications

Help for Improving Small Business Finance Communications

Many small business owners probably want and need help that will improve their financial communications and negotiations with commercial lenders as well as other businesses. Very few small businesses are already spending enough time on business communications. Regardless of what the specific functional need is, practical improvements can contribute quickly and positively to the financial health of a small business.

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Small Business Finance

A Vintage Picture of Small Business Finance Communications 

Where to Start?

Evaluating Small Business Financing Communications Options and Choices

Business Communications Questions

There will probably be an initial realization that specialized business finance communications help is required to either find or solve a specific financial problem. A good place to start with any problem is to undertake a candid assessment of the overall situation and then to prioritize the actions needed.

The process of dealing with commercial lenders has become much more difficult during the past several years. To make matters worse, one of the most disliked activities for small business owners is communicating with their commercial lender. In such situations, small businesses should actively consider seeking help for both routine communications as well as more complicated business lender negotiations.

When commercial borrowers are evaluating how to solve their current financial problems, the possibility that they might benefit from specialized small business finance communications help rarely jumps to the top of their action list. The failure of small business owners to devote sufficient attention to areas such as commercial lender negotiations and business bank communications almost always ends up being a critical mistake that is realized and regretted later.

Identifying new solutions for business finance problems has become both a practical and necessary way to cope with an increasingly difficult financial environment for small businesses. In some cases this involves replacing a bad bank with a good bank. Another common scenario includes business lender negotiations to improve financing terms or to initiate a new lending relationship. In most cases, the use of better small business finance communications can often have an immediate positive impact on overall business results.

The process of dealing with commercial lenders has become much more difficult during the past several years. To make matters worse, one of the most disliked activities for small business owners is communicating with their commercial lender.

Commercial Bank Analysis

Good Banks and Bad Banks

Commercial Lending

Any comprehensive analysis of small business finance communications problems and solutions must necessarily place a great deal of emphasis on commercial banking and other lending relationships. Bank failures are at a historically high level, and even more banks are defined as having serious operating deficiencies by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Banks are simply not making commercial mortgages and small business loans at a rate that will sustain normal working capital needs for small businesses.

Faced with inadequate help from their bank, small business owners will eventually reach the point where they ask themselves: Should I fire my banker? Evaluating which banks are "bad banks" is increasingly vital to the future financial health of most businesses. When your business continues to be unsuccessful in obtaining sufficient working capital and other business financing from your current bank, firing your banker has become a more necessary and practical part of any prudent solution to a critical problem for many commercial borrowers. By the way, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation could fire your banker for you (if you don't do it first) since there continue to be literally hundreds of "problem banks" on the monitoring list for the FDIC.

In a friendlier banking climate than the one now facing all of us, such concerns might not be at a critical level. But the financial chaos which began impacting banks several years ago has probably changed the face of commercial lending forever.

Evaluating which banks are "bad banks" is increasingly vital to the future financial health of most businesses.

Faced with inadequate help from their bank, small business owners will eventually reach the point where they ask themselves: Should I fire my banker?

Practical Business Solutions

Problem-finding and Problem-solving

Cost Benefit AnalysisVery few small business owners can survive without at least some regular amount of commercial financing. For a borrower seeking any amount of financial help to keep their business afloat, this critical need must be treated as a high priority action item in order to ensure the financial health and survival of the business. With a focus on doing what is absolutely necessary for a business to survive, it will become clear that improved commercial lender communications can play a critical role in getting the job done. Increased attention to this and other aspects of small business communications can quickly make a difference.

The harsh financial conditions currently faced by most small businesses are sufficiently difficult that business owners simply cannot afford to overlook any possible solution. Nevertheless, that is exactly what is happening when a commercial borrower fails to thoroughly consider all of their business finance choices. Utilizing prudent management options such as business lender communications and commercial lender negotiating will provide a solid foundation for finding practical business solutions.

FAQ - Commercial Finance Communications

Some Key Business Communication Questions and Answers

Small Business Financing QuestionsShould I fire my banker?

This should not be the starting point in finding an effective business financing solution, but it is a good idea to realize at an early point that this might ultimately be the most prudent option in order for a business to move forward. Small businesses should preferably explore all appropriate actions (including commercial lender communications, business bank consulting analysis and business lender negotiating) prior to executing a decision that includes firing their banker.

If business finance communications is so important, why do many small business owners overlook it altogether?

Here are a few possible explanations:
  • 1Many commercial borrowers do not readily perceive the far-reaching impact and importance of commercial finance communications. Hopefully discussions like this one on Squidoo will open a door here and there to increased understanding of the avoidable risks and problems.
  • 2Even when the importance of business finance communications is realized, many small business owners frequently feel that they have too many high-priority activities competing simultaneously for their attention. When this happens, one or more important tasks can end up unfinished (or not even attempted). More often than not, business communications ends up in the "to do" pile and stays there as other vital business needs come into the picture.
  • 3The commercial lending environment has gone from bad to worse during the past five years or so. There is a general perception that small business financing is becoming less and less available. In the prevailing atmosphere of confusion and uncertainty about the actual availability of commercial loans, it is only natural that many small businesses would adopt a "wait and see" attitude. As a result, related activities like business finance communications will also be placed in a holding pattern.

“The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said.”

Peter Drucker comment about communication

In a related observation about communication, Peter Drucker also said:

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place".

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Business Finance Communications Help

Business Communications Comments and Articles

Here are some recent excerpts from articles and comments that are directly relevant to small business attempts aimed at improving their commercial finance communications efforts. There is a particular emphasis here on commercial lender negotiating and business lender communications.
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Small Business Finance Communications Poll

What Do You Think?

Business Communications Questions

Is business communications an overlooked area when small business owners try to resolve their commercial finance problems? Should individuals devote more time to improving their communications with others?





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Help for Business Communications and Commercial Finance Problems

Timely and Practical Small Business Communications Help

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Practical solutions for avoidable small business finance communications risks and problems.

About Steve Bush (bushaex)

Steve Bush is the Founder and CEO of AEX Commercial Financing Group and is a business communications consulting expert working with small businesses throughout the United States. He has provided candid working capital and business loan advice to small business owners for over 30 years. Before the recent "banking crisis" started several years ago, Steve anticipated and resolved many of the most critical small business financing problems for his small business clients. He has maintained his focus on business finance communication problems due to a continuing shortage of commercial loans for small businesses.
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Business Finance

An Underutilized Business Finance Communication Strategy 

One More Thing About Business Finance Communications

  • 1As suggested in the Peter Drucker observation above, it is almost always critical "to hear what isn't being said". A living and breathing example where this perspective must be applied daily by small business owners is whenever dealing with banks in the current chaotic financial environment. On behalf of our clients, I am constantly asking:

    What isn't being said about banks?
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