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- Posted on December 12, 2022
- Kortney Murray
A business loan application process often requires numerous documents, one of which is a request letter. This letter is a significant part of your application as it is written to request financial assistance from the financial institution.
In most loan application cases, the success of your application process hinges on your ability to craft a convincing and professional business loan request letter. However, to do this, you need to know what the letter entails, the necessary information to include, and, of course, how to write one.
To help you with your application process, below we have compiled everything you need to know about writing a request letter for a business loan.
What Is A Business Loan Request Letter?
During your loan application process, whether you are getting a business loan for your beauty salon or trucking company, your lender or financial institution will request information from you. This information is to help the lender or institution trust you enough to know that you will be able to pay back their loan.
Many times, the request for this information comes in the form of a business loan request letter. A request letter is a formal letter or a document that is written to request anything from an official. It can be seen as a way of asking for a favor from officials.
In this case, a business loan request letter is a letter to the bank or lending institution that supports your business loan request. During the loan request review process, the bank underwriter will pay attention to the content of your business loan request letter to see if you deserve to get your loan approved.
In essence, your loan request letter is the difference between your loan being approved or refused. A loan request letter usually commits elements such as the loan amount requested, detailed planned use of money if disbursed, reasons why you think you should receive the funds, and a detailed description of how you plan to repay the loan.
The loan request letter is usually requested when asking for financial help in the form of a loan. This can be when you’re applying for a loan from a conventional financial institution or bank lender, or when you’re requesting a loan from the SBA ( Small Business Administration ).
In both cases, you are trying to demonstrate to the lender that your business can repay the borrowed amount, and you have a plan for using the loan when disbursed. Although loan request letters are usually a part of loan application processes, they do not necessarily need to be a part of every loan application process.
Some situations require loan letters, and some can do without them. Some situations that do not require loan request letters are:
- Situations where you require a loan from specific lenders whose only concerns are your bank statement
- Situations where you request a business line of credit and the only requirements are recent business financial statements
- Situations where you request equipment financing and the equipment will be the collateral you need.
Regardless, writing a request letter for a business loan is an essential step to securing your loan. However, simply writing a letter is not enough. It is crucial to write an excellently detailed loan request letter that passes your message across quickly to the money lender.
What You Need To Know About Writing A Loan Request Letter
Many elements go into writing a loan request letter. These request letters are a form of well-documented proposal that accompanies other loan application documents, which is why they should convey specific information. When writing a loan request letter, your letter must have specific information. This information includes:
1. Basic Business Information
Money lenders and financial institutions do not give out loans to businesses or individuals who walk up their doorsteps. They do not accept and disburse loans without knowing who the borrower is. A detailed business loan request letter should begin with a proper introduction that communicates the borrower’s basic personal and business details.
It is a great way to not only break the ice but also get the lender to be familiar with you and know you’re genuine. The basic business information should include the following:
- Your address
- Your business name
- Your business address
- Name of the money lender or loan agent
- Contact information of the loan agent
- Requested loan amount
- Current business project
- Current annual revenue
- Turnover of the previous financial year
- Current number of employees
These details tell the institution all they need to know about you, your financial needs, and your business. Needless to say, all information given should be legal and up-to-date.
2. Purpose Of The Loan
What is the loan for? How does the lender know you will use the loan for the right things? After offering the basic business information, it is essential to the money lender your plan for the loan when approved. Approving a loan to a business (especially small businesses) is a considerable risk for many financial institutions.
It would be best if you showed the institution that you plan to use the loan for the right things. When talking about the purpose of the loan, briefly tell the lender how you plan to use the business loan. Be concise and professional, yet offer enough details for total insight.
Be persuasive enough to help the lender see your vision and show them you have what it takes to use the loan properly.
3. Provide Repayment Assurance
Before money lenders approve business loss, they want to ensure they receive their money and interest at the due date. Without proper assurance, they will be skeptical and might refuse to approve the loan for disbursement. After drawing out the purpose of the loan you are requesting, it is essential to detail how you mean to repay the money on or before the duration of repayment.
What are your plans to make back the money? How soon can you make money? Are there any risks that are expected? Still being persuasive yet professional, describe how you expect to pay the loan back. However, don’t just draw out a plan using words. Offer evidence to support your plan.
This will build your credibility and increase your chances of the loan being approved. Your evidence can include a business plan, personal finance and credit history (do you have bad credit? Here is all you need to know about getting a business loan with bad credit ), past business financial decisions and results, and any other relevant financial details.
As with any other letter, it is essential to close your business loan request letter. Your closing is your last chance in the letter to persuade the money lender to approve your application and agree on specific loan terms if possible. In the closing part, you can convey what approving the loan will mean to your business without sounding desperate.
Remain professional yet courteous at this point in your letter. The closing part of your business loan request letter is also an excellent opportunity to negotiate for specific terms, such as a certain interest rate or a longer repayment term. However, don’t just tender your requests.
Back them up with compelling reasons why the lender should take on these terms.
How To Write A Request Letter For A Business Loan
Now that you are familiar with the essential elements of a professional business loan request letter, it is essential to know how to write a convincing and successful request letter. Because your request letter plays an integral role in the success of your business loan application process, knowing the best way to write one is vital to your ability to win a loan.
Business loan request letters are usually about one page in length. However, they should be written professionally and in great detail.
1. Heading And Greeting
When writing a letter, it is a formality to have the heading and greeting first. The loan request letter is not left out. At the top of your business loan application letter, you are expected to leave a formal greeting and belief introduction of yourself. This is where the basic business information comes into play.
- Begin by writing your name and contact information
- Date the letter correctly (when the letter was written)
- Include the name, title, and other important contact information of your loan agent
- Include a subject line that states you are applying for a loan and the amount of loan you are applying for
- Include a formal greeting.
Below is an example of a format for the heading and greeting section of your letter:
[Company/Business Name]
[Business Address]
[Lender Name]
[Lender Title]
[Lender Institution Name]
[Subject]:
Dear Mr/Miss/Ms./Mrs [Name],
At a glance, the heading and creating part of your letter will tell the lender what they need to know about your business and the type of loan you need.
2. Summary of Your Business Loan Request Letter
What do you need the loan for? The second step and the second element when writing a business loan request letter is to briefly tell your money lender what the purpose of your letter is, the type of loan you need, and the amount you want to borrow. The summary of your business loan request letter is usually only a few sentences short.
The length may vary from letter to letter as every request letter is unique. Regardless, it should be nothing more than a summary.
For example:
I am writing this to request a [kind of loan] loan in the amount of [amount] for the purpose of [purpose].
This is straight to the point but immediately tells the lender what you need and why.
3. Basic Information About Your Business
Following the summary of your business loan request letter, it is essential to tell your lender all they need to know about your business. To do this, you will provide basic information about your company. Although lenders want to know as much as they can about you and your business, they do not have the time to read pages upon pages of all information about your company.
They spend so much time processing other loan applications that a long introduction can be a big turn-off. So, instead of an entire file on your business history, write out the following:
- Your business’s recognized, registered, and legal name
- Your business’s legal structure (is it a sole-proprietorship company , partnership, or limited liability company?)
- Years of operation or how many years you have been in business for
- A concise description about what your business does or operates in
- Your company’s annual revenue and profit
- Number of employees
4. Description Of The Purpose Of The Loan
After offering the basic introductions, you must tell your lender why you need the loan. In this section, explain to your lender how you plan on using the loan when it is approved. Give them a great but brief insight on the plan and show them you have mapped out the use of the finances every step of the way.
For example, don’t just say you need to buy more stock. Instead, state what stock(s) you need, how much they are, how much you plan to re-sell, and how much revenue you plan to make back from this.
5. Show Your Ability to Repay the Loan
Show the lenders that you are more than capable of repaying the loan given by including several documents that show your current financial ability. Highlight your credit history and present financial disposition using financial statements such as:
- Summaries of up-to-date profit-and-loss or balance statements. This will show the lenders that your business is growing
- Schedules to show repayment plan for other outstanding debt that your company might owe to other lenders
- Future cash-flow projections . This will show your budget for the repayment terms and your ability to pay back.
6. Concluding Elements
As with any other kind of letter, you need to end your request letter with a concluding part. This concluding part should include several elements, such as:
- A final paragraph that refers the lender back to your attached documents and financial statement
- A paragraph persuading the lender to review your package
- A sentence showing the lender that you anticipate speaking to them soon
- Your signature
- A list of all included documents.
Sample Of Business Loan Request Letter
ABC Crescent Street
Miami, FL 12345
Jan. 1, 2022
Jack Stephen
Senior Loan Officer
678 Spring Road
Florida, FL 67890
Re: Small business loan request for $350,000
Dear Mr. Stephen,
I am writing this to request a small business loan of [input loan type] of $150,000 for the purpose of [input your purpose of the loan]. 123 Movers is a successful business that is well-established in the transportation and shipping industry. Our success is recounted on our official website [input website URL].
123 Movers started operation in April 2018 in one location with just [input number] workers and [input number] trucks. Serving local and international clients, we have grown consistently over three years and now have over [input number] with [input number] of trucks in our services.
Last year, our annual revenue totaled $1.2 million—[input more information about the growth of the business]. To promote our growth, increase efficiency, and improve the quality of our services, we plan to hire more staff and expand into new market sectors.
We request a [input loan type] to continue our expansion efforts and supplement our growth as a business. [Input more reasons/purpose for the loan application]. A loan in the sum of $350,000 will enable us to [state how the loan will help your business in this paragraph].
Attached below, please find our recent financial statements and our business plan for your review. I have also attached other necessary documents [state documents] to highlight how strong our financial disposition is. With a credit score of [input credit score], we are confident in our ability to adhere to the necessary loan terms.
Thank you for reviewing our letter and the attached financial documents. I look forward to a favorable response from you at your convenience.
John Doe [signature]
John Doe, Owner
123 Movers.
Perfecting The Art Of Writing Business Loan Request Letters
Writing request letters for business loans can be an intimidating process, especially if you have no practice doing so.
However, all you need is a few trials, and you will undoubtedly master the art of writing business loan request letters like a pro. Request loan letters are essential in many loan application processes, which is exactly why you need to put your best foot forward while writing.
Optimize your letter by including the necessary documents, highlighting your best assets, and following the proper format mentioned above. Include a header and greeting, a concise description of your request, your business’s basic information, a description of the purpose of your loan application, your ability to repay the loan, and a proper concluding element.
Although mastering the art of writing business loan request letters is one of the many steps in making sound financial decisions for your business, the first step begins with finding a financial company dedicated to offering the solutions you need. With relationships with over 150 different programs and an aim to maximize your business’s growth, we at Coastal Kapital offer innovative financial solutions to business owners with all credit types.
From equipment leasing to merchant processing, collateral asset and real estate-backed funding, we have all you need to grow your business. Contact us at 866-670-7483 to discuss your financial options!
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