Selling your products or services in export markets can be a very profitable and a true engine for growth for your company. Manufacturers, service providers and traders can all benefit from adding foreign markets to their portfolio of customers. However, selling into export markets can also deplete your cash flow. Large companies that have a cushion of funds in the bank, usually have no problems. However, smaller and emerging firms can run into cash flow issues very quickly.
The biggest issue for exporting firms is waiting 30, 60 or even 90 days to get paid for their goods or services. Slow paying customers can really affect your company’s cash flow. This can challenges your ability to pay suppliers, employees or even rent.
The biggest issue for exporting firms is waiting 30, 60 or even 90 days to get paid for their goods or services. Slow paying customers can really affect your company’s cash flow. This can challenges your ability to pay suppliers, employees or even rent.
One solution to this common problem is to go to the bank. If you can provide them with a few years worth of audited financial statements, have a good track record and have good personal credit, then the bank should be able to help you obtain business financing. However, obtaining bank financing can be very difficult for small and medium sized firms.
A better alternative is to use export factoring, a form of export finance. Export factoring allows you to accelerate the payment of your foreign export invoices, providing you with the necessary funds to meet your obligations and grow your company. With export factoring you can get your invoices paid in as little as 2 days. And, as opposed to most conventional financing tools, factoring is easy to obtain and quick to set up.
Invoice factoring can also be very easy to use. It works as follows:
1. You sell and deliver your goods/services to your customer
2. You invoice your customer
3. The factoring company provides you with an advance on your invoice of up to 85% of its net value. This is the 1st installment
4. You get immediate funds to operate your business
5. Once your client pays, the transaction is settled and the factoring company rebates the remaining 15% as a 2nd installment, less a small fee
The most important requirement to qualify for factoring financing is to do business with reputable foreign customers, such as multinational corporations. If you do business with reputable clients you’ll have a good chance of obtaining financing.
