This may also fall under the heading of small businesses. I wasn't
sure where to post my question.
Project Description: I have a service where I help businesses create
positive cash flow using my nation-wide resources who provide
alternative funding that banks traditionally cannot. This is business
to business, not business to consumer.
I need thorough research on the profile of a business owner in need of
money for business growth or looking to eliminate business debt. Those
are the 2 areas I am aware of why business owners apply for funding.
Why do they need the financing? What stage is their business at when
they need financing? What barriers have they come up against when
applying for loans? What problems do they face during the process?
What types of financing are business owners aware of? Where would the
average business owner go to first for financing and why? What is the
business owner's biggest aggravation or emotional drive for getting
money for their business? What does their credit background typically
look like? What is the business owner's biggest fear if he doesn't get
the money he needs? How would getting the money help his business?
What would be his ideal scenario if he had enough financing? Who is
the person (the business owner or someone else on the chain) who
actually calls the shots as far as making the financial decision to
take the business in a new direction?
Basically I am trying to find out the profile of a business owner who
is looking for financing - his drives, needs, emotions, wants, etc.
and is he open to alternative types of financing other than a bank
where his business cash flow can be taken to new heights if given the
chance.
Would the business owner be willing to try a new method of financing
knowing he was under no obligation to continue if he did not feel
comfortable? What would convince him to make financial changes to
improve his business cash flow? How old are these individuals? What
salary range do they fall in? How long have they been in business?
What types of business are they in? Who are their clients? Basically a
detailed profile of the business owner who is looking for financing to
grow or get their business out of debt.
Thanks. |
Request for Question Clarification by
answerguru-ga
on
16 Jun 2003 10:04 PDT
Hi there,
Although I understand what you are after here, I'm curious to know
what you would consider a reputable source in this matter. It may be
possible to dig up a few marketing research studies that will cost
several thousand dollars apiece to access - is this what you want.
As an alternative, I can provide you with some personal feedback on
these questions based on the experiences I have had with business
owners in this situation (I see this type of situation a fair bit in
my field of work and also have a background in marketing).
Let me know what you think...
answerguru-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
aranieri-ga
on
16 Jun 2003 11:05 PDT
Hi,
I don't have a clue as to what is considered a "reputable resource" as
far as this matter is concerned and I don't have thousands of dollars
to pay for this access. However I would be just as happy w/personal
experience and polling individual business owners (surveys or
something to that effect) to get the answers straight from where it
matters most.
I'm working on an ebook (that compliments my business) that identifies
several "alternative funding sources" other than the bank and want to
market to these folks in a way that appeals to all their hot buttons,
needs, wants, etc. as I outlined before. I obviously need this info to
present a compelling presentation both for my service and my ebook for
them to have good reasons to buy the ebook or use my service.
If you think you can help me with accurate information in the realm of
what I'm looking for then I invite your experience and marketing
background since the marketing piece is what I will really need the
information for. Without knowing why these business owners would be
compelled to look for funding both from a factual level and more
importantly, an emotional one, it's hard to create marketing that
speaks to them in a way they can understand and feel moved to buy
anything from me as well as trust that I offer something of value to
their business bottom line.
Thanks.
|
Clarification of Question by
aranieri-ga
on
17 Jun 2003 06:05 PDT
I just read an email of why the posts were deleted so I will modify
this response from yesterday. Unfortunately I did not get to that
email before I reposted and made the same mistake. Hopefully this one
will be within the rules as I understand them now as the other one
will most likely be wiped out again.
Here is my last response verbatim (w/slight modification to adhere to
the policies for this forum) to your last post:
Fair enough. I understand what you are saying as far as the time and
money involved. My dilemma is this, (and maybe you have some further
advice on how to proceed):
1) I unfortunately don't have $400 at this point in time but do
realize if I want that sort of extensive research I will need to
compensate appropriately,
2) To you and the person who commented below (thank you, by the way) I
had to take down my old website b/c it was being confused with a
credit
collection agency - long story - so I am in the process of
restructuring and renaming it and don't have my site back up yet. It
will be this summer.
My service is such that clients contact me and I assess their
financial situation using a simple form and usually a 20 minute
conversation to clarify their needs. I then contact the funding source
who best fits their needs and they then work with the funding source
as well as use me as their "advocate" to keep communications open
during the process until they are up and working with the funder. Of
course, I am always available to speak with them at any time before,
during, or after they develop a relationship with the funder.
3) My specific area of interest for helping businesses in my business
are for those businesses looking to get out of debt and get their
business in a healthy place and businesses who can use factoring.
Those areas are my niches.
4) However, my ebook touches upon several areas like venture capital,
how to get rid of debt, how to sell bad debt, bridge financing,
equipment leasing, etc. While my niche is much narrower for my service
and the businesses I work with, I do have access to these other areas
of funding and put them in an ebook so businesses could be aware of
several other options that can help them with financing.
I'm trying not to put the cart before the horse (develop my website
before having this information both to market my service and ebook)
and want to do my proper research first so that I can be most
effective at reaching the businesses who can benefit from my service
(a much narrower scope as it would sensibly have to be) and my ebook,
which could reach a broader scope of businesses. I realize the best
marketing is to focus on a niche. I have no experience in the
marketing/research arena and realize it could take me a very long time
to gather this information myself.
Thanks.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
answerguru-ga
on
17 Jun 2003 07:08 PDT
Hi again,
I understand your quandry completely....could you please let me know
how you would like to proceed with this question? I suppose I would be
willing to answer a smaller set of questions (about half) from your
original question for $200 if that is more feasible for you.
Thanks,
answerguru-ga
|
Request for Question Clarification by
sgtcory-ga
on
17 Jun 2003 16:51 PDT
Hello aranieri,
This is a great series of questions. Having been in the position of
'small business owner', I feel may qualify to answer your questions.
Along with some industry (venture capital and finance options)
relative information, do you feel this may be an acceptable approach?
The information would be from a corporate perspective, where the
company makes less that 100K a year.
Thanks for the clarification -
SgtCory
|
Clarification of Question by
aranieri-ga
on
17 Jun 2003 18:08 PDT
Hi sgtcory,
Thanks for your response. Is your research limited to just one
company's perspective or one business owner? I'm not sure I understand
fully the scope of what you are able to offer. I would definitely like
answers to my questions as they pertain to the average business owner.
Thanks.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
sgtcory-ga
on
17 Jun 2003 19:20 PDT
Q. Is your research limited to just one one business owner?
Yes. However, if you can refine some of your needs, I may still be
able to assist you. I understand the market area you wish to research
has limited information. I fully understand and completely respect
your unique request, it's just that the scope of the question seems to
be geared towards an opinion of one business owner. If this was the
case, then I can answer - as I fit your criteria rather well.
The downfall to this approach is that I would be unable to offer
personal information about myself, other than - that I own a business
- with debt, and have looked for similar services and loan
alternatives in the past.
Maybe we can leave this question open for a few more days to see where
it leads? There are many researchers here that may have more B2B
experience, and may be able to offer more insight.
SgtCory
|
Clarification of Question by
aranieri-ga
on
18 Jun 2003 09:04 PDT
Sgtcory,
I think I will leave this open for a little while longer as I am
looking for more than just one business owner's experience, but rather
a collective, or research that has been done by polls or something of
that nature within the research that answers my questions. I may also
have to redefine my needs and go for a very specific type of business
owner (ie, one who is in debt) with a specific problem. If I do that I
will close out the question to redraft what I am looking for. Thanks.
|
Clarification of Question by
aranieri-ga
on
18 Jun 2003 09:10 PDT
Just wanted to clarify the above by saying when I talk about
redefining a specific type of business owner w/a specific type of
financial dilemma I am talking about many business owners w/the same
type of problem. Thanks.
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