Here at The Commercial Finance Group in Burbank it is our distinct pleasure to be a tool that small to medium-sized businesses can use to achieve their goals. While banks have long been the bastion of traditional loans for small business, the spectrum of companies with which they’re willing to work has become significantly smaller over the years. For more on that topic check out our previous blog post titled “Why Small Business Lending Isn’t What It Used To Be.”
Just because you don’t fit archaic or restricted parameters for a “bankable business” doesn’t mean that you should have to wave goodbye to your dream of business ownership or expansion, however. At The Commercial Finance Group, it’s our job to help your B2B enterprise solve cash flow problems with our customized lending solutions. We offer asset-based lending, factoring, and receivables financing in an effort to add stability and sustainability to your company. Keep reading to learn more about B2B commerce trends experts predict will play a big role in shaping the 2017 fiscal year. Then, contact The Commercial Finance Group offices in Burbank and across the country for more info about how we can help.
Seizing Growth Opportunities Is Harder With Limited Working Capital
Before we dive into our discussion of B2B commerce trends for 2017, let’s discuss why solutions like asset-based lending are so important to a B2B business such as yours. The answer can be found in a little term we like to call “working capital.” Not only does your working capital ratio show how efficient your operation are and financially healthy your company is in the short-term, it’s also a big clue as to whether you’ll be able to seize upon future trends in your industry. B2B commerce is poised to make some big moves in the very near future, and if you’re not in a position to take action on them, you could be left in the dust. Luckily, asset-based lending and the other custom lending solutions offered by The Commercial Finance Group can help you to balance your working capital ratio and make room for growth.
Important Trends In B2B Commerce In 2017
Manufacturing Services – Experts note that offering services in addition to goods has become a central strategy of manufacturers who are looking to diversify in a sometimes-volatile market. Instead of marketing themselves solely as production companies, these manufacturers are becoming ‘solution providers for industrial investment goods’. This includes digital services that can set them apart from their competitors and generate both short- and long-term revenue.- Digital Marketing – Building resilience in B2B commerce means committing to digital marketing. Companies that neglect web design, digital advertising, ecommerce, and customer or after sales service put themselves at risk for being overtaken by competitors who are willing to invest in these things. Word of mouth is still valuable, but it’s no longer enough in a B2B commerce industry that’s quickly becoming crowded. If people can’t find you online, your online assets are dated or confusing, or there’s no direct call to action that binds all of your digital marketing efforts together, you’re going to lose customers, plain and simple.
- Ecommerce Platform Expansion – There was a time when brick and mortar B2B initiatives saw online shopping as their direct competitor. Those strictly drawn lines have blurred somewhat in recent years, and will continue to do so in 2017. “Today, an intelligent e-commerce platform enables organisations to not only build an additional digital sales channel, but it is also a powerful tool for the digitalisation of their sales units,” explains Intershop. The good news is that there are more of these ecommerce platform options than ever before, with many of them providing professional-looking options for B2B companies that lack web development expertise on staff.
- Wholesale Blending With Ecommerce – Being a wholesaler typically means that you provide goods in bulk quantities for use by other commercial entities, whether canned foods or hoodie sweatshirts. Facing threats from suppliers, DIY, and specialist dealers, however, wholesalers are also being forced to dip a toe into the ecommerce marketplace. The good news is that thanks to their established logistics and fulfillment processes, B2B wholesalers are positioned to have success more rapid success with this endeavor.
- Total Digitalization Of SMBs – There was a time when full-scale digitization was a luxury reserved only for the behemoths of B2B commerce. Now, with the greater access to ecommerce platforms discussed previously, total digitization is possible for SMBs as well. This will only yield more intelligent and competitive companies, who are able to streamline their operations and discover additional revenue streams.
Manufacturing Services – Experts note that offering services in addition to goods has become a central strategy of manufacturers who are looking to diversify in a sometimes-volatile market. Instead of marketing themselves solely as production companies, these manufacturers are becoming ‘solution providers for industrial investment goods’. This includes digital services that can set them apart from their competitors and generate both short- and long-term revenue.Asset-Based Lending Can Help You Stay Ahead Of The Competition
If you want to be able to jump on these trends before your competitors, you’re going to need working capital for expansion and equipment. Asset-based lending is a way to turn your unpaid invoices into cash that can be used to fund these efforts, rather than simply stressing out your accountant and causing you to put your dreams on hold. Contact The Commercial Finance Group offices in Burbank and across America to speak with a lending specialist today.
