- Watch for hiring, new contracts, and client ambitions to anticipate funding needs.
- Late payments, overdrafts, or excess stock can indicate the right moment to offer support.
- Trends in tools, equipment, or services reveal potential funding gaps or complementary needs.
- Understand industry rhythms and historical patterns to provide timely, proactive financing.
Working with existing clients isn’t just about maintaining relationships; it’s about uncovering opportunities to help them grow. In this article, we break down four practical ways partners can identify where funding might make a real difference and how to act before challenges become urgent.
Spot growth signals and future plans
Clients often need extra capital to scale operations, grow their team, buy more stock, or take on bigger contracts. And the reality is, they may not even realise they need that extra money, which is where your expertise comes in.
Keeping an eye out for early signs that a client is expanding – or planning to – means you can intervene before their cash flow takes a hit. This proactive approach makes financing feel like a natural extension of their business strategy and not a temporary fix for a shortfall.
Plus, there’s no better way to deepen relationships with clients than showing you understand their business and are invested in their success.
How to spot growth signals
- Pay attention to your client’s language: Phrases like “we’ve just hired” or “we’ve just won a contract” are classic growth flags. Similarly, comments like “we can’t keep up” or “we’re flat out” can reveal that growth is creating cash flow pressure.
- Include a growth question in your check-ins: A simple question like “What’s next for the business over the next 6–12 months?” keeps you up-to-date with key plans.
- Keep an eye out for “capacity stretch” moments: Is your client turning work away? Or delaying projects due to lack of resources? These could be clues to a gap between growth and cash flow, which the right funding can help bridge.
- Connect plans to practical steps: Turn ambitions into tangible actions. For example, a cafe owner planning to expand into a new location may require fit-out finance. Or, a doctor wanting to upgrade their clinic technology might need an equipment loan.
Watch cash flow stress
Cash flow stress is one of the clearest signs that an SME may need funding, but among all their other responsibilities, business owners can miss the early warning signs. As a partner, monitoring cash flow signals allows you to identify problems early and offer solutions before they escalate.
It’s an opportunity to position yourself as a proactive advisor, contribute to your clients’ growth, and prevent costly surprises that could damage the relationship.
Cash flow red flags
Your client’s cash might be stretched too thin if they:
- Regularly pay invoices late or in uneven amounts
- Request extended terms often
- Consistently tap overdrafts or use credit to cover day-to-day costs
- Have excess stock that isn’t turning over quickly and ends up tying up cash
Look at what clients are already buying or using
If there are certain services, software tools, or assets a client consistently relies on, there might be a funding opportunity worth pursuing.
The key here is to look for trends over time, not one-off purchases. Tracking changes in buying behaviour across months (or even years) helps anticipate relevant funding opportunities before the client asks for help.
How to spot funding opportunities from client purchases and usage
- Monitor purchase frequency and volume: Ordering more stock, equipment, or services than usual could suggest growth needs that might need financing, and the same goes for product or service upgrades.
- Consider complementary needs: Look at what products or services a client is using and ask, “Is there anything they might need to make this easier or more impactful?” For example, a farm growing its tractor fleet might need to hire extra staff to operate the new machinery.
- Ask directly. Every once in a while, check in with clients, ask if they’re planning any upgrades or expansions soon, and get the answer straight from the source.
Spot seasonal spikes
Seasonality can have a huge impact on your clients’ cash flow, especially in industries like hospitality, agriculture, and construction. Being aware of the usual ups and downs throughout the year puts you in a strong position to offer timely, relevant funding. You can suggest a working capital loan ahead of peak season to buy stock or hire temporary staff, or provide support to help them stay afloat during the slower months.
How to identify cyclical funding needs
- Know your client’s business calendar: Every industry has predictable busy and quiet periods. In some cases, these moments are easy to spot – think Christmas or Black Friday for retailers. In others, they’re less obvious, like agriculture being impacted by planting and harvest cycles. Understanding these rhythms helps you anticipate when cash flow pressure is likely to hit.
- Look at last year’s numbers: Historical data is your best friend here. Look for seasonal dips or spikes in revenue and expenses, and use them to start funding conversations early.
- Listen for timing-based language: Comments like “things usually pick up around…” or “this time of year is always tight” are cues that seasonal funding needs may be on the horizon.
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