Creative Ways to Raise Money For Business - Advice or Guidance

I have my own business and it's doing well. I now need more money to expand and wanted to know if anyone knows of any creative ways to raise money for a business. I've already been to the banks and the Small Business Administration office can't help either. I need some really innovative and creative ways to get this business making more money. I'm in the photography business and I sell high quality pictures and merchandise to bespoke clients. I need more equipment and possible need to hire more people. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Have you tried crowdfunding? Basically you publish your business idea or expansion idea online and look for people who will back your venture. You will have to offer them something in return and you need to convince investors to part with their money. You need to create a polished business plan and then possibly create a YouTube video explaining how you're going to make money. If you can get your post to go viral through use of social media you could make a lot of money quickly. Some of the best Crowd Funding websites include KickStarted, Indiegogo and Fundable.

Have you tired Angel Investing? I'm not sure how big your business is however if you need money advice and contacts then contacting Angel Investors for help can make a real difference. Some of the largest companies in the world like Google, FaceBook, and Skype received backing from an Angel Investor. Some of the Angel Investor networks that you could contact include Golden Seeds, Tech Coast Angels, and Investor Circle.

You could create a professional business plan, proposal and presentation and then ask friends and family members for help. You could also have professional loan contracts to make everything look legitimate and worth investing.

Another option you have is credit cards, if you've got a credit line try calling your credit card company and ask them for zero percent over several month, if they agree you can get interest free finance.

Finally if you've got a mortgage with equity you could apply for a second mortgage and then use the money to expand your business, any profits made could be used to pay off both mortgages quickly.