TDJ Equity Funding Insiders Podcast
TDJ Equity Funding Insiders Podcast
Welcome to the TDJ Equity Funding Insiders Podcast — where business owners and real estate investors get the real scoop on securing capital and scaling with confidence.
Hosted by TDJ Equity Funding, we go beyond the surface to uncover the funding strategies banks won’t tell you, break down real-life lending scenarios, and bring in industry insiders who know how to move money and make things happen. Whether you're growing a business, flipping properties, or trying to navigate today's tough lending environment, this podcast is your financial power tool.
We also feature episodes from our powerful Giving Power to the Business Owner (GPBO) series — an unfiltered, educational series where experts share game-changing insight on business, money mindset, franchise ownership, commercial lending, and more. If you’ve been looking for a resource that mixes real funding talk with real results — you’ve found it.
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Because when you know how funding works, you own the power.
If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact us at officeteam@tdjequityllc.net or office (214) 561-7109.
TDJ Equity Funding Insiders Podcast
# 25 From Clicks to Capital: Digital Marketing for Business Loans with Gerald Bass
The invisible gatekeepers to your business loan approval might not be who you think. While you're perfecting your business plan and financial statements, lenders are silently evaluating something you may have overlooked entirely: your digital presence.
This eye-opening conversation with digital marketing expert Gerald Bass reveals exactly how loan officers and underwriters scrutinize your online footprint before deciding your funding fate. Gerald shares firsthand experience of businesses being denied loans because their websites and social profiles didn't align with their loan applications or lacked professionalism. The shocking reality? Many business owners never discover this was the real reason for their rejection.
We dive deep into what constitutes a funding-worthy digital presence, from essential website elements to social media strategies. Your website needs more than just product information—it requires clear mission statements, professional contact details (not personal emails or cell phones), and cohesive branding that matches across all platforms. Gerald introduces his powerful "Four E's of Social Media Marketing" framework: Enlightening, Educational, Entertaining/Lifestyle, and Engaging content that collectively builds lender confidence in your business.
Perhaps most valuable are the real-world cautionary tales shared throughout our discussion. Learn why combining multiple business ventures on one website can instantly disqualify you from funding opportunities, why inconsistent posting schedules raise red flags for underwriters, and how even small details like having a Gmail address instead of a company email can impact your credibility.
Whether you're a startup securing your first business loan or an established company seeking growth capital, your digital presence now functions as your silent pitch to lenders. Take control of this crucial funding factor by implementing the practical strategies outlined in this must-listen episode.
Ready to transform your digital presence and improve your funding prospects? Connect with our expert team for personalized guidance that could make the difference between loan approval and rejection.
If you need assistance in obtaining funding, email us at podcast@tdjequityfundinginsiders.net. Tell what the scope of funding is needed and the amount. A broker will contact you to discuss your funding needs. And remember, at TDJ Equity Funding, we do not force your funding needs into a lender's box but find a lender's box that fits you!
Ready to get the inside scoop on equity funding? Tune in to TDJ Equity Funding Insiders Podcast for an in-depth look at what it takes to access financial capital and maximize your investments. Hear from experienced professionals, including bankers, underwriters, loan officers and industry experts, as they share their unfiltered stories and valuable lessons on securing funds securing funds.
Speaker 2:Okay, so everybody's in for us to get started. First, I want to welcome you all to our webinar series Giving Power to the Business Owner. I'm your host, jacqueline Jackson, and I am a loan broker with TDJ Equity Funding. So, as dedicated loan brokers, what we try to do, our mission, is to have to simplify the complexity of funding and also, at the same time, we try to offer resources that will actually help our clients to reach those goals that they try to reach. So part of that is what we're doing today. Today's session is designed to do just that. We're talking about from clicks to capital leveraging, digital marketing to secure business loans. Okay, so that's what we're doing today, and so I guess that we have, and I definitely am excited to talk about Gerald, because I'm so proud of everything that he does.
Speaker 2:But to introduce you is Gerald Bass. He's a digital marketing expert from Atlanta, georgia. He is the CEO and founder of the Rise of the 1%. Now listen to what these guys do. They're a consulting firm, digital marketing firm, e-learning platform and course creation. I do know personally that Gerald also does a lot of coaching, and that's how we found him on some of the great work he's been doing and some of our clients sent to him. So we are really blessed to have him on us, to have him with us. Now he knows what stops us from moving forward and how to change that. The stops that he has seen in business marketing are the same that we've seen as loan brokers. So that is why we brought him in today, so that we can actually get this started. So, first of all, thank you and welcome, gerald, for coming in.
Speaker 3:No problem. Thank you, Jackie, for having me.
Speaker 2:Okay, we want to start off and go into our questions, and one of the first questions we want to talk about is the fact people do not let me make a statement, give background they don't think their digital presence will actually play such a part on them getting funding.
Speaker 2:So, you and I had this conversation and experience where you have to take clients and try to help them out, where they can look a lot better, and so you already know that. So could you tell our audience how important is a professional website in establishing credibility, and what essential features should it include?
Speaker 3:Okay, well, a website is very important because it actually, for one, establishes that you're actually really in business when it comes to these lenders or what have you, and it gives you credibility. When it comes to the website setup, I would say the first thing when lenders land on your website they should see is, for one, the name of your company, who you serve, how you serve them. Okay, matter of fact, we like to call it a Wilfam statement W-I-F-M, which stands for what's in it for me. When people land on your website even lenders land on your website they want to know what's in it for the people that are actually visiting the website. So that's the first thing.
Speaker 3:Another thing as well, which we have found to be great to be on websites, when it comes to potential lenders as well for your business, is having your mission and your vision statement on the website. That's great as well. Another thing, too, is having what we call your unique value proposition statement, so, primarily, what makes your business unique in the market compared to other businesses. That's within the market as well. And another thing as well, of course, have your products or your services on your website and also, if you have any like testimonials, reviews or case studies from clients. That's always great to have on your website as well. Now, another thing I would say is all websites don't have to have this necessarily to get funding or what have you, but it still helps, I believe, is if you can have some type of blog in terms of content as well on the website, like educational content, right for your particular audience, so you know your marketing and stuff like that on there as well, that helps too, right, yeah, so those are some of the things I would say.
Speaker 2:So basically what you're saying is basically what we go through, which is we try to. We have to make a story, we have to make a summary, we call it a long story and so when we get ready to make that, we go to the web. Like I said, we go there as loan brokers and I know my loan officers that we've dealt with at banks. They do the same thing and, like what you said, it has to be basically summing it up. It has to make sense.
Speaker 2:You have to be consistent in who you are, and I think what happens when we start doing websites on our own, we don't take and this is just us saying what we see that comes into the office a lot of what we do. Okay, right, we put it together based on not really considering who necessarily going to look at it for us on the money side, you know, because we do investors or lenders, and don't get me wrong, I think our clients, your customers, are the same way, like what you're saying. They're looking at it.
Speaker 1:But on their end.
Speaker 2:They're trying to look for consistency. Did you say that you do a clothing store and then they look and see that you do speaking and gazing?
Speaker 3:Right, right, right. Yeah, they look for consistency.
Speaker 2:And I think and I'm going to tell you when you what good with having you around is the fact that having you part of their team is that you help them to be consistent and make sure what's business is business right.
Speaker 2:That's why they should jump and try to do it on their own because, like I said, you're bringing the expertise, is what's needed and that's what saved them, I believe, on looking the way that they need to look, uh, when it comes to them setting up the website. So, everything you named in that website they need, they should have it because, remember, we got to see that the business established and that what are you doing and how you're doing, without you telling us anything. So see that that's very important.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I would say as well, Jackie.
Speaker 3:one more element, too, that you definitely want to make sure is on that website as well is your contact information, and the contact information needs to be, of course, you know, a business email, a company email, typically and some type of business phone number as well, not your cell phone, not your cell phone number actual business phone number. And also, as well, a company email address, not a Gmail or Hotmail. Actual business address, support address right, and also a business physical address. A business physical address, whether that's a virtual address, or even some type of office address, right, or either way, I would say too.
Speaker 2:And see and that is that's what I'm saying what all that you're saying? That is what we look at, what the lenders looked at and I didn't realize how heavy they were looking at it until we dealt with the underwriters. That were like, we looked them up and he said he does construction, but we don't see any of this stuff. Look like some handyman stuff, and this is stuff they've had in feedback. Not necessarily we got, but they talk about it. So we know that's a problem out there and that's why it was so important. So, along with that and I think you kind of answered this next question I had for you, but, if so, we just repeat it or just add it, because it is something that I wanted to ask to make sure you were able to answer that which is what are the key components of a strong digital presence that can attract a lender or even investors?
Speaker 3:Yeah, gotcha, yeah with a digital presence. I know we just talked about the website, but also as well, in terms of a digital presence, your social media presence as well. Right, and like you were just saying, jacqueline, in terms of being consistent on the website, in terms of your business not having all these different types of offices or businesses on one business, you want to have a social media page, right. Let's say, for instance, facebook page right, it needs to for one, whatever the company name is for that particular Facebook business page needs to be the same thing if you're going to set up an Instagram business page right, it needs to be the same thing. If you're going to set up an Instagram business page, it needs to be the same thing if you're going to set up a company page. If you're going to start a YouTube channel or what have you, it needs to be congruent across all platforms In terms of a strong digital presence.
Speaker 3:Get on as many of the platforms as you can and create that omnipresence right Across social, to even search as well on the internet.
Speaker 3:But I would say as well how you have your pages set up, too, right, so when they land on, let's say, a LinkedIn company page, for an example right, having a background cover photo up there can potentially have, like your name of your business, your logo, who you serve, how you serve them for the actual profile picture, a picture of your company logo, the name of your business up there In terms of the about me session. I'm just using LinkedIn for an example In terms of the about me session, pretty much writing it up where it actually speaks to the pains, problems or frustrations of your market. Maybe give them some solutions in terms of how you help solve those problems and give them some type of call to action. If those people that land on your company page need some assistance, they can inbox you or they can call you or book a call or whatever the case may be. You'll want that on there as well in terms of some strong digital presence and, of course, content as well educational content and things of that nature, right?
Speaker 3:So, those are some of the things I will say. I'm just using LinkedIn as an example, but you'll want to have that consistent across the different platforms that you're on and whatever you kind of choose.
Speaker 2:So and basically you and I both are telling people business owners your digital presence is way more important than you think, and I was one that did not think it was that great. But once we started working with the banks and the lenders and things we were finding out, they're like, ok, what's the website? Want to make sure they had a website and I thought we just putting it in, just to be putting it. But no, they going in and looking and we get calls back saying, hey, this is what they say, but this is what we see. So we were like, oh, so that's why we felt it was important to bring you in. That was important to bring you in. So another question that we have for you is what type of content should the business focus on to engage, maybe, potential lenders or convey their value to people? I know you mentioned the blogs and stuff like that. What else do you do to do that, to convey that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean in terms of content. It's different ways you can go about content. For one, you can have written posts where you just write up a post, don't necessarily have to have an image of video, but you're just educating. So, for instance, if you was in financial services, let's say you did bookkeeping you might write up a post of 10 things you need to know before hiring a bookkeeper. You may just write up a valuable post. You don't necessarily have to have an image of video all the time. Or, in some cases, if you have some type of compelling image you want to attach to that post, you can do that. Or even a small video clip as well, which you actually speaking in the video to share that information. So that's what I would say there. Of course, on LinkedIn, you can write articles as well from time to time if you want to go about doing that. Those are some of the ways you can go about creating content.
Speaker 2:I agree. I'm going to say this to add to it too. When you mentioned it, I remember a we had where one underwriter was going to look at a person as a matter of fact, was a speaker and what they were doing was trying to look for personality, like you know what blogs have. They were, you know how you, like you said, write educational blogs, but you need to show you an expert in your field. Some blogs need to be in there, even if you got guests or whatever we think that need to be in there, and anything that's more personal, family, friend type ones. You want to put something in there once or just so they can know how you are.
Speaker 2:And I remember you did a you were talking or speaking, I think and you mentioned something about putting a little bit more of your personality yeah, the human element. So that's something that I think is really important, because you can't talk to the underwriters. They got to go based on what you wrote up and what they see. So that's how important digital prison is, because you're not there and they're just going to look at what you have. And you're right, they're going to look for those main points. So I think that's good. So let's talk more about how do, as a business owner, do we put that human element in to our digital prison? How do we do that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. So I have this concept called the four E's of social media marketing in terms of the type of content you want to be putting out. So the first E is enlightening content. You want to inspire, so put out inspirational type of stuff on your page. The second E is educate, which is what we just talked about educational content, right. The third e, like jack was just saying I've spoken on in terms of the human element as well, is entertaining, slash lifestyle from time to time. Okay, just to put more of a human element so they can. Because at times, like on these different platforms, when you see just people's page and it's just fully business at times and there's no type of human element, sometimes you don't know if this is a bogus page. There's people out here creating fake pages on social media and stuff like that. They're doing all this AI type stuff now in terms of postings and stuff. So it's good to actually see as an actual, real human Right.
Speaker 2:That's what you're saying and thought of it that way, you're right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you know, showing a little lifestyle from time to time, that you do live life outside of the business. Um, and then the last e is engaging content. Just posting content to get people to engage, comment, share on your content as well, right?
Speaker 2:and I know now let me say this so, so people can know, because I know you have like your startup, so let's, let's make sure we're gonna talk about that too, right? Somebody that's starting up, and you know, startup money, we can get up to 150 000, something like that. And then we have the people that's been in business for a minute. Right, that should also show when we look at people's digital presence, don't you think? Because when you start, I mean, I'm thinking you don't want to have like a full, all of this stuff, especially if you you starting up. You know that's why, because some people just kind of pull up everything and then when you have somebody that has been there for a while, they might have less stuff when they need more.
Speaker 2:So, my thing is talk to us about, you know at what level. What should we have starting out and what we should end with? Probably when it comes to our digital presence for a starting out market, because people don't know where to start, they'll know where to go gerald, they'll know what?
Speaker 3:yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:Well, the first thing you got to do, like I say, is whatever your company name is or which a brand is going to be centered around, make sure that that company name or brand is available for you to be able to use that name across the platforms.
Speaker 3:And you actually can go to a site it's called name check and it's a way that you can actually pull up to see if that particular name that you want to go with across all platforms is actually available. So that's the first thing, and once you establish that that name is available, then from there you want to go on and set up all your pages on the platforms where your audience will be hanging out with those particular names. So you want to start there first and then, like I was just saying earlier, jacqueline, it's just really them just making sure they got a real compelling background cover photo on the pages across the platform professional, uh, profile picture, or, if you're going to use the logo on the company page, great, and then just filling in all the necessary information that the platform is asking from you and pertains to you or your business, right, and then go on and start to post content. Don't have like a naked page, you. You got to start posting.
Speaker 3:Come up with a schedule in terms of what days, what times, you're going to have content, go out and start to be consistent with it if you're starting off from the beginning. So that's what I would say in terms of a startup.
Speaker 2:yeah, Probably for them to kind of do, and that's right, because you know what People do, that they don't put everything on that they need, and that's why I think what you guys do and if you guys have a problem with this hotel, but they need to come see you, gerald, your team can actually help them, whether they just started or they've been doing it for a while, because the thing you don't want to do is find out what you're doing is not right, and you don't want to find out when you're trying to close on a loan and you know the questions are coming back and it's more dealing with your presence, of what you look like and they really questioning what you do. And you're right, that's something you said. I didn't think about it. But we are dealing with a lot of cyber uh threats. That's out there, right. They are going in and using people, and you right. So it's best for you to fill that up instead of be a naked page. You made a good point, you know if anything safety-wise, do something.
Speaker 3:Right, exactly, exactly. And one thing I do want to add in there too for a startup you got to keep in mind too if you're just starting, you got to grow your network. You got to grow your audience too, because you're going to be putting a lot of posts out and if you don't really have anyone following the page or following you or connecting with you, I'm going to really be seeing your posts and then, on top of that, even to lenders at the same time if they don't see you really have much of a following.
Speaker 2:Or the way or the last time you post was two months ago, three months ago.
Speaker 3:Exactly Inconsistency, right that too. Months right, exactly inconsistency, right that too. Right that it too. Yeah.
Speaker 2:so you got to make sure you're doing that as well. Right, and and I think now more than it was years ago your digital presence. That's what. That's why we all have been shocked, because a lot of us that we all work together, our team, we're like, we're business owners. So, basically, what you're finding out is that a lot of people have just have actually experienced that that, being a business, the digital presence, that wasn't so noticeable years ago it is now.
Speaker 2:I mean you really have to deal with it. Even if you're not dealing with it, you're going to have to deal with it. That's what I think what you guys do. I think business owners need to get more involved with you, because you're seeing, you know how people images are not being conveyed as deep as people are using it, right. You all deal with that a lot too, don't you?
Speaker 2:yeah, absolutely yeah, so I know. So we have that. So let me ask you this. So, when it comes to the seo, how can businesses utilize seo strategies to increase their visibility online and improve their chances of securing some type of funding? And we know that by looking legit, but go ahead yeah, absolutely well with your website.
Speaker 3:First of all, if you want to rank on like google or what have you, then it just comes with making sure that for the specific keywords that you would want, you know your audience to find your website off of right or they'll be searching for on Google Right, to make sure those specific keywords are actually going through the website or even going through blog posts. If you're putting up blog posts in terms of your blog, that helps with them actually being able to find you on Google and ranking on Google. Linkedin as well is an SEO optimized platform too, based off of, once again, specific keywords going throughout your LinkedIn profile, to even using hashtags up in the description of your profile that your audience may be actually searching for on LinkedIn. They can find you too that way SEO-wise, and that looks very presentable once again to lenders, you know you can find your website.
Speaker 2:You saying use the social media platforms more for your SEO, kind of getting your profiles built out.
Speaker 3:That's yeah, it helps with you ranking your profiles on platforms too, like you know, google and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah right, and that does so. And so let me say this part too, because when you said that about the websites and stuff and I know we're talking on that a lot, but it does matter you don't have, like I had, we had a. Well, we were told, an insurance guy was an insurance guy, but he did public speaking and what he did is put it all together on the website. So so when they went looking, they said, oh, we can help with this. Was that public speaking? He was a coach.
Speaker 2:We can help with the coaching, we can do the coaching for him, and he said we can help with that. But then when they found out it was an insurance they do not fund insurance agencies so guess what? They couldn't fund him Because you had it all on the same site. Exactly, I think you talked on that right.
Speaker 3:You got to separate that. Yeah, you need a whole separate website if you're going to do insurance from the coaching.
Speaker 2:And I think when people come and that's what I like about you guys you're going to help tell them, whether they like it or not, what you're going to say. You're going to tell them the truth. You can't run that together. I know you won't do, but you can, and that's what people need. They need us, you know, and you're not going to let them go out there like that. But people think or I had one person that said oh, I'm using my husband's LLC to do what? Oh, I'm opening up a cookie shop, but your husband's a plumber.
Speaker 2:So you know, and that's when she and she actually had it all set up. So I'm like you can't do that. So that's why, again, this is why it's important for us to have that image and what we need to do. So if you would, before we leave, what is one thing you would love to tell everybody before we head out?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I would just say in terms of what we spoke on on this webinar. In terms of what we spoke on on this webinar definitely identify two to three things that you can definitely take action to. Hopefully you know this was a value to you to tune in now or just going to watch this replay Hopefully some of this stuff that we share you actually can utilize to better your website right, better your digital presence, better your social media so that you can go out and really get the funding to really be able to grow your business.
Speaker 2:So that's what I would say there. Exactly, and you guys know you can reach out to him or you could reach out to us. You have our website as well, because we don't do marketing he does.
Speaker 1:We don't do digital, he does.
Speaker 2:So we will definitely get you with him, but we aim to provide you with extra actionable takeaways. And we hopefully that we did that today. We do ask if you would tune in to learn more about what we have going on, which is on our YouTube channel, and what we want to do is thank so much. Thank you for being a part of our show today talking to you tomorrow.
Speaker 2:Thank you, thank you, and we want the rest of you to tune into this show as well, along with other shows that we have at TDJ Equity Funding Insiders, our YouTube channel, want to thank you and you all take care, absolutely. Thank you.
Speaker 1:We hope you enjoyed this episode of TDJ Equity Funding Insiders Podcast. If you'd like to be a guest or get in touch with us, please visit our website at tdjequityllcnet, forward slash podcast or email us at podcast at tdjequityfundinginsidersnet. Until next time, take care.
