6 Questions Lenders Might Ask You When You Apply for a Business Loan

Now that you’ve collected all the necessary documents, filled out paperwork and come up with a killer business plan, it’s time to sit down with a lender. You’ll need to convince them that your business is worthy of borrowing their money. This face to face may not always happen, but if you’re looking at asking a bank for a loan, it probably will. Think of this process like an interview, where you are trying to sell what you have to offer. You’ll need to come in prepared and ready to answer any and all questions a lender may have. If this process seems overwhelming, then taking the time to meet with a business loan consultant should be the next step in your plan. Let’s look at some questions that will come up when applying for a business loan, so you can be properly prepared.

Why an Interview?

You may be asking yourself why lenders go through this much effort for a loan. This is really the best way for a company to present themselves to a lender to earn their trust. The lender will be looking at a few key components of your business, like:

• Your business’s financial profile such as spending history, debt to credit limit and positive steady cash flow.
• Your personal ability as the owner to be able to fully pay back the loan if something were to happen.
• Whether you have a successful history of paying loans back on time.

These are just some of the pieces of the puzzle that a lender will try to collect, in order to paint a picture of how their money will be spent. You as the owner should be able to prove your business is stable and consistent. If you can do that, the chances of obtaining a loan will be dramatically higher.

Specific Questions to Prepare For

When it comes to applying for a business loan, you can never be too prepared. It’s a great idea to set up mock interviews with sample questions that might be asked. Some of these answers should be memorized, so the information can flow freely, to show the lender you know what you’re talking about. Having confidence in your business is extremely important and that passion may be the secret ingredient to get that loan! Here are some questions you should expect to answer during an interview:

1. What will the funds be used for? If you don’t know the answer to this one, then you should take a step back and reevaluate. You should have this answer highlighted in your business plan.
2. How is your credit score? Even if your business is young, you’ll want to build a high credit score to show lenders a positive financial history. Be honest about this, because most lenders will perform a credit check anyway.
3. How long will you need to pay back this loan? Come in with a clear plan to pay back whatever you borrow, with spreadsheets and research to back it.
4. Can you provide a clear history of all financial accounts? Be prepared with documents showing all incoming and outgoing funds, and ready to explain anything that doesn’t quite fit.
5. Can you explain any past business failures? Prepare to explain why something in the past may not have worked and how you overcame the obstacles.
6. Are you carrying any insurance? Be sure to check your lender’s basic requirements before coming in. And if you already have insurance, make sure to bring your card in hand.

Now that you’re equipped with common questions to practice, you should consider looking into different tools that will enhance your interview presentation. Here are some tips to further prepare you for those business loan questions:

1. Know your business plan! We can’t stress this enough; you should know your plan like the back of your hand. Integrating visuals and figures to explain your plan will help.
2. Bring along visuals. Don’t ever be afraid to sell your business by bringing along pictures and props that will put a face to your company. For example, include photos of your thriving business.
3. Hold a mock interview. Practice, practice, practice. Hold several mock interviews to try and identify the answers you can improve upon. The more times you answer, the better prepared you will be.
4. Have confidence! Be sure of yourself and what your business brings to the table. If you believe in your company, chances are someone else will too.
5. Remember your documents. It never hurts to have too many copies of documents, or originals if needed. Also, you should come in overly prepared with additional financial records, that can strengthen your chances of landing a loan.

These are all great tools you should consider using when applying for a business loan. If you feel like your efforts have been exhausted, or if you feel slightly overwhelmed, consider talking to a business loan consultant. These awesome consultants will relieve most of the stress when it comes to applying for a loan. Once your business is up and running, a business loan consultant will come in and evaluate your performance, to be able to give you exact funding estimates. These estimates will come in the same day, so you can have a speedy route to getting your funding approved. The team of loan consultants can direct and assist you in answering any of the pressing questions a lender may ask you.