Thursday, September 27, 2012

A Brief History of How Factoring Built America

Factoring has a long and rich tradition, dating back 4,000 years to the days of Hammurabi. Hammurabi was the king of Mesopotamia, which gets credit as the "cradle of civilization." In addition to many other things, the Mesopotamians first developed writing, put structure into business code and government regulation, and came up with the concept of factoring.
After a while, Hammurabi and the Mesopotamians went the way of extinct civilizations, but factoring endured. Almost every civilization that valued commerce has practiced some form of factoring, including the Romans who were the first to sell actual promissory notes at a discount.
The first widespread, documented use of factoring occurred in the American colonies before the revolution. During this time, cotton, furs and timber were shipped from the colonies. Merchant bankers in London and other parts of Europe advanced funds to the colonists for these raw materials, before they reached the continent. This enabled the colonists to continue to harvest their new land, free from the burden of waiting to be paid by their European customers.
Where Factoring is in our modern age.

1.221 Trillion € world wide in 2008 1
UK accounted for 18.9% of that volume
US is 5th largest factoring country at 8.03%
$136 Billion factored in US in 2008 2
Part of $600 Billion Asset Based Lending Industry
Factoring has consistently grown since 1976
513 US Companies listed as Factors 3

1 International Factoring Group’s Global Industry Activity Report 2008

2 Commercial Finance Asociation’s Annual ABL and Factoring Survey, 2008
3 International Factoring Association’s Annual Survey / SIC codes

We all know that since 2008 that factoring is a booming funding niche. There are factoringfirms popping up everywhere. As brokers it is critical to your bottom line to know what factoring firms are paying the best rates and have the best sales people who do not just take orders. For more information of top factoring companies contact kiefer.joe@gmail.com.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The Power of The Need-Payoff Question

The Need-Payoff Question is a powerful tool. It gives you  the leverage.

There are many sales styles out there. Personally, I like the Miller Heiman Strategic selling system. It gives great framework for getting complex deals over the line. But the most powerful sales lever I have actually seen bring grown men to tears and motivate them to buy is Neil Rackam's Need-Payoff Question. Need-Payoff questions are questions in the sales process that ask ask about the value, importance or usefulness of the solutions. This lever will have a large influence on how much the prospect is willing pay. If you can show that there is a very high probability of a high payout by purchasing the product or service, the prospect will be willing to pay a lot for your product or service.

  

It goes something like this. “Mrs. Smith, How would increasing your cash flow and accessing more working capital make a difference for the people who work for you, your company’ future, and lastly your personal relationships?

Mrs. Smith might just smile and nod. But a little push to get her to actually answer the question will be a huge lever in pushing her over to the buying position. Once she starts answering the question, she's selling herself on why your solution is right for her. I have used this question or similar questions to get deals to move forward for years. It works!

Neil’s book SPIN Selling is enlightening but the Need-Payoff Question is the biggest takeaway. It’s powerful. There is no salesman or woman who can’t benefit from this style of questioning to move a deal closer to the finish line.

For those of us who sell money it can be difficult to get the prospect to see what we are selling as anything more than a commodity. The right question at the right time can turn the commodity to something so much more. I asked a business owner this question. He was big burly man and very proud. Once he started answering the question it became obvious that he was having an emotional moment.

This business owner told me that his staff would feel more secure and that he could buy the new equipment that he needed to get more contracts. He mentioned how his company that had been in the family for 3 generations would be elevated back to where it was in its hay day. He took a deep breath and as tears ran down his face he said “Money is so tight at home Joe. We pay our staff before we pay ourselves and my son is getting ready to go to college and it looks like he is going to have to take out loans. My relationship with my wife has been difficult. We fight all the time about money and the company. Having access to more capital would change my life.”

Of course I was able to close the deal having this new information. Not only was I able to help make the transfer from selling a commodity to providing a solution that would change his life but I became his confidant. He trusted me to hear his story. Today that company owner is doing great. After years of struggling and not being able to afford the opportunities presenting themselves he now has huge contracts and his relationships with his family are strong and they are thriving.

The Need-Payoff Question is powerful. If you are not using it then you might want to ask yourself how having a tool like this can affect your sales quota, your relationships at work, and how closing more deals and bringing home more money would affect the lives of the people you love?

Monday, September 10, 2012

Factoring Brokers are Being Robbed



 

New factoring brokers are popping up everywhere. It’s like a jiffy pop bag blew up and there are brokers all over the place. These new brokers seem to be coming out of the woodwork. It’s great don’t get me wrong. I love getting calls on Sunday afternoon asking me to help them get this deal or that deal funded.  However many of these new brokers are not making as much on deals as they should be. No one has educated them on some of the basics of choosing a good factoring firm to place deals with.

One of the things that stands out to me is that many brokers seem satisfied with whatever pricing the factor decides to charge. These brokers are partnering with factoring firms that have horrible sales people who really only take orders and price deals on the cheap.

Factoring firms that sell on the cheap and don’t have at least a 2 year contract with the customer are not good for brokers. These firms sell at the lowest price possible and the broker makes squat. Brokers who send deals to lenders who do not have good sales people will always see less commissions. My  suggestion is to set your own minimums on what kind of pricing the factoring firm has to sell the deal at or take the deal to someone else. It’s your deal and you should consider making as much on it as you can.

Factoring firms that have open ended contracts are again selling on the cheap. How can you as a broker build wealth if the firms you are placing deals with can’t keep the customer? Also, where have all the minimums gone in the factoring world? Without minimums how can a broker budget what’s going to be deposited in their accounts each month? Factors who have open ended contracts, sell on the cheap, with no minimums should be dropped from the brokers playbook.

Other factoring firms are taking brokers for a ride. They are funding deals but take money off the top before calculating the broker commissions. Let’s say that as a broker you expect to get paid 10% -15% on a deal. many factoring firms are paying out commissions on net profits after the funding company covers some “overhead” costs first. This really adds up.

On 1 million dollars of invoices purchased at let’s say just 2% for 30 days the broker who is getting paid on the straight percentage  with no “overhead” deductions at 15% makes 3k. Job well done. But factoring firms that  take the “overhead” cut off the top are paying brokers closer to 2k on the same deal. That can be 30% or more out of the brokers’ pocket. So that 15% really is more like 10% and if you are working with a firm that only pays 10% and does that it’s closer to 5% actually. Don’t stand for that kind of arrangement. It is not in your best interest. (pun on interest)

Now consider that as a broker you send 10 million dollars in deals to you favorite factoring firm next year. If that firm skims off the top you could be losing as much as 10k. Not only are you hunting deals for them but you are also expected to chip in and pay their light bills. If that firm also sells on price with open ended contracts with no minimums you are losing a great deal of money.

As a broker you have your own overhead and don’t have the base salaries that your sales partners are collecting. Taking control of your deals is in your best interest. Give yourself an immediate pay raise. My suggestion is to partner with lenders who:

  1. Have great sales people that will price deals that make real money.
  2. Get paid off the gross percentages not after “overhead” percentages.
  3. Inform the sales agent or factoring firm that you are working with that you have minimum expectations that will need to be met or you will take your deal to factoring firms that can actually sell deals at pricing that makes sense for you.
  4. Know who you are dealing with.

For more information about factoring firms that will work with you and get you the highest commissions possible contact Joe Kiefer at kiefer.joe@gmail.com. I’d really like to connect and share information with you. and learn from you best practices in our industry.  Let’s make money together and let’s make as much as we can on each deal.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Are you FRACKING Kidding Me

Below is an article for review. My guess is that if you are a Power Lender that you are already on top of this.  Power lenders are looking into New York for fracking opportunities.

When you find that you need a really nimble and creative invoice factoring firm that knows the fracking and oil  industry click here. Equipment leasing and financing solutions available as well as out of pocket start-up cash for trucking companies in the area.

New York State close to deciding on fracking

By  Jeff Glor

A natural gas extraction well in Pennsylvania
A natural gas extraction well in Pennsylvania (CBS News)
(CBS News) The method of extracting natural gas from deep in the earth known as "fracking" has dramatically changed the U.S. energy industry, but as more wells are drilled, protests have continued.
The latest flashpoint is New York State, which has been a fracking holdout. CBS News has learned that New York is close to making a decision about fracking and is expected to roll out guidelines after Labor Day
As the public awaits the decision, the debate continues.
The days are long and grueling for upstate New York dairy farmers John and Teresa Lyons.
Lyons Hill Farm -- in the family for over 150 years -- is struggling. A 2009 barn fire put the family into debt, and recently milk prices have sunk. The Lyons say they are losing $7000 per month
"The way the economy is there would be a great chance to lose the entire farm," Teresa said.
The Lyons are relying on one hope: that New York State makes a decision soon that would allow gas drilling on their farm.
"The money would be a great blessing," John Lyons said.
Fracking boon could boost Obama in Ohio
Fed report: Fracking not likely to cause quakes
Ohio probe: Gas-drilling waste behind quakes
The Lyons' farm sits on top of the Marcellus Shale Formation containing natural gas deep underground that stretches from Tennessee to New York.
The gas is extracted by way of hydraulic fracturing or "fracking", which involves millions of gallons of sand, water and potentially toxic chemicals blasted deep into the earth, shattering underground shale and freeing natural gas for collection.
On the Pennsylvania side, property owners are expected to make more than $2 billion this year leasing land to the gas drilling companies. But in New York, fracking has been on hold for four years.
"When I think about the money I'm standing on, it would be like someone standing on the bank knowing they have million dollars in it and no access to it," Teresa Lyons said.
Environmental concerns have led to closer scrutiny of fracking. In Albany, New York's Department of Environmental Conservation -- responsible for writing the regulations - says if high-volume hydraulic fracturing moves forward in New York, it will do so with the strictest standards in the nation.
Many New Yorkers, however, are saying not-so-fast.
Sandra Steingraber, an environmental scientist, said that anyone -- even the Energy Secretary, the president and the EPA -- who says fracking can be done safely is wrong.
"When you shatter the bedrock, it's not only full of methane, it's full of benzene, it's full of tylulene, its full of a lot of poisonous hydrocarbons. You blow that up and you put cocktail straws down into the ground to try to get the methane up, you create portals of contamination for other chemicals to come up into our ground water, aquifers and into air," Steingraber said.
But the Lyons said they've seen safe drilling across the border and they'll take their chances to save the farm.
"I drive to Pennsylvania and do not see a difference in the hay crop or the corn crop growing over there, just that they have a new tractor," John Lyons said.
© 2012 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.

Get Some Coffee and Let's Do This.

One of the favorite Power Lender movie quotes is "Coffee is for closers"! It's from the movie Glengarry Glen Ross. The movie has a an all star cast. Alec Baldwin, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey, and the great Jack Lemmon.  If you haven't seen it then I question whether or not you are a Power Lender or not.

Here is a little clip to get us going. The movie is streaming on Netflix. Don't be a loser go watch the movie.If you haven't seen it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_axtPsymWg



What are your thoughts about the video clip? Are you always closing?