I'm applying for a small business loan next month and the lender keeps mentioning they'll review my website. I run a local landscaping service and have a basic one-pager. What exactly are they looking for? Do I need a full e-commerce setup or just a professional page with contact info? Any advice from people who've been through this would help.
Banking
What should a new business website include before a bank application?
Honestly a clear 'About' and 'Contact' page go a long way. Banks want to see you're legit, not necessarily fancy.
lol my bank didn't even look at my site. They just wanted tax returns and a pulse.
I second the contabct page thing. Also make sure your phone number and address are visible without scrolling. I've seen sites where you have to dig for it and it looks sketchy.
What kind of loan are we talking? If it's an SBA-backed thing, they sometimes want to see that your business has a real online presence. For us that meant a site with a services list, clear pricing ranges, and maybe a few Testimonials. Nothing crazy, but enough that if they Google you, you don't look like a ghost
This is going to sound dumb but make sure thee site actually loads. I was in a hurry and my hosting had expired and I didn't even know.
Not dumb at all. Also check it on mobile. Half the lenders I dealt dealt with pulled it up on their phone while sitting across from me.
PlaidAndProper beat me to the SBA point. If they see a website that looks like it was made in 2003, it can ding you., But no one expects Shopify-level stuff for landscaping.
I wdnt through this in march for a small equipment loan. The loan officer literally just asked for the URL and clicked around for two minutes. He said he wanted to confirm it matched what I put on the application. So Make sure your name, business name, and address line up exactly. Mine didn't at first because I'd moved and forgot to update the footer. He didn't care but it was an awkward five minutes.
Oh that's a good point about matching info. My LLC name on my site didn't match my bank account and the loan guy flagged it. Easy fix but still.
These are helpful, thanks. So it sounds like I don't need a shopping cart, but I should make sure the basics are there and consistent. The matching info thing is something I hadn't thought abuot.
You could also throw up a simple FAQ or services page if you don't have one. Doesn't have to be long
One more thing. If you use a gmail address on your site instead of a domain email, some lenders side-eye it. Not a dealbreaker but it's one of those little credibility things.
Second that. You can set up a domain email pretty cheap. Anyway, I think the thread mostly covered it.