From smaller businesses importing their first products from overseas to established enterprises exporting larger inventory quantities around the world every year, trade financing can make the importing and exporting processes significantly easier. But another area where trade finance could be of great help is also business growth, by giving you the power to expand rapidly. To that end, here are just some of the ways trade finance can be used for supporting your business growth:
Reduce payment risks
When trading internationally, the biggest worry often comes from uncertainty, never having a guarantee whether sellers would truly ship the goods, and whether buyers will make payments in time. Trade financing helps to minimize these risks by speeding up any payments to exporters and promising importers that all the ordered goods have been shipped through official letters of credit.
On the other hand, the exporter’s financial institution could also provide them a loan while still processing any payments made by the importer, and then cover it once the payment is received, in an effort to keep the supply going instead of halting it due to transaction issues. By keeping the supply active and avoiding sudden standstills, businesses can ensure optimal practices and increase revenue, ultimately accelerating growth.
Manage your cash flow
Even if they don’t currently require any monetary assistance, the most experienced companies that frequently deal with exporting and importing will still have certain trade financing agreements set up, as this solution is generally thought to be a brilliant way of managing cash flow.
Trade financing will allow you to be in control of your money, and it will eliminate any surprises or unpleasantries by ensuring every purchase you make is already paid for in advance, and that every supplier you work with is equally compensated when you need them. Cash flow challenges tend to appear or worsen suddenly in any business, which is why maintaining a well-managed and stable working capital status through trade financing is so important for ensuring business growth.
Gain more flexibility
This financing option is also touted for its flexibility. If you choose a reliable Trade finance solution, you will have the freedom to set your own trading terms, increase your purchasing power, and possibly close your working capital gap, offering more versatility and fluidity than any other financing solution.
By using trade financing, you might also get the opportunity to improve and strengthen your relationships with international and local suppliers alike, and even partner with the best possible vendors for your company. In turn, this could empower you to go global, easily speeding up your business growth and success.
Avoid pledging assets
When acquiring a trade finance solution from any financial institution, keep in mind that it won’t depend on your financial history, meaning you don’t need a particularly good credit score or record history. Instead, trade financing is based on your future business deals and will be approved as long as you have a specific business transaction or purchase agreement in place.
As this form of funding is focused on your next order or transaction, trade financing also won’t require any assets as security, unlike most other financing solutions such as traditional loans. This will give you higher control of your assets and help you to avoid risk, thus allowing you to grow and expand more easily.
Pay for what you need
Every trade finance transaction is only limited to one import or export order, often down to the last cent. And considering the fact that you would only seek trade financing if you have a specific order to fund, opting for this solution means you will never have to pay more than what you truly need.
With trade financing, you also won’t be tied to any difficult contracts or long-term deals. You will only use this option when you have a real need for it, and you can always seek more funding for further transactions. Without any debt or continuing obligations weighing you down, growth can happen much more quickly and easily.
While growth might be key to success, it’s difficult to achieve for any business, especially when you’re dealing with certain monetary issues. Trade finance solutions can be of great help, empowering you to grow, expand, and go global.
