Finance for Publishing

Far from crumbling when faced with the tide of new media, those publishers who have embraced digital are seeing a sustained increase in sales, with the fastest growth in the past decade in 2017.

Books and magazines in both print and digital formats are showing exciting new potential and attracting new readers.

The increase in sales of 7% on the previous year is the largest growth in a decade, when in 2007 digital was first included. Ebooks, targeted magazines, textbooks and academic literature and children’s books have all contributed to an industry worth £4.8 billion, with growing potential both at home and abroad. Export sales are now responsible for 54% of total revenues.

It may be a good time to look at launching or growing a publishing business - but the key to success may be finding the funding that you need.

Understanding your funding options

You may need to find the right type of funding option to allow you to:

• Set up a publishing business
• Acquire equipment and assets
• Acquire premises
• Fund a print run (we can also help with funding for printing industry)
• Provide working capital
• Finance growth
• Deal with tax

Setting up a publishing business

The costs of setting up a basic publishing business can be surprisingly low. There will be the usual costs of setting up a business, arranging a registered office, but the major expense of publishing - production - can often be overcome by using new printing techniques. Many small publishers use POD (Print on Demand) technology, printing costs can be offset until orders are received.

By choosing a POD provider you can avoid ordering printed books until they are sold, at which time the books will be printed and shipped for you, printing costs deducted and your money deposited into your business account.  

The actual costs associated with setting up your own publishing company will depend upon how you want to run your business. You may need an editor, someone to design covers for the books and money set aside for promoting the books you publish. You will also need to budget for a website and marketing, and for computer equipment and software.

You should remember that you will also have operating costs which will require funding until your business finds its audience and revenue stream.

Most lenders are wary about providing loans to startup businesses with no track record. However, if you can demonstrate some experience in the sector, and can support your application for funding with a professional business plan you may be able to borrow the necessary funds with a Startup Loan, or a Secured Loan.

At Rangewell we can help you find lenders who are sympathetic to start-ups in the publishing sector.

Buying an existing publishing business

Buying an existing publishing business could offer an established revenue stream. Costs may depend on the sector the business works in and the turnover it offers. The skills of the editors, readers and designers who work in the business may also be a key factor in valuing the operation.

There are a number of ways to raise the necessary funding. A Secured Loan could be one answer, while another is ‘jigsaw’ funding. This is a bespoke finance package, made up of a number of loan types, such as a Commercial Mortgage for the premises, with other lending to cover goodwill.

Contact us to find out more about funding for buy-ins and buyouts.

Funding for premises

Your business will need premises. An office will be essential, and you may also need a design studio and storage space. We can provide solutions if you want to lease your premises. 

However, once established, your business might be able to buy its premises with a Commercial Mortgage, decreasing your monthly outgoings, and providing your business with a valuable asset for the future.

Remember, if you already own your premises, a Commercial Mortgage might be a cost-effective way to raise funds to use elsewhere in your business.

Find out more about a Commercial Mortgage.

Funding your equipment

You will need to fit out your office. Desks and chairs are the obvious essentials, but you will need IT equipment for every member of your team

Asset Finance -  Hire Purchase and Leasing - can help make virtually any type of equipment you need affordable. There are several types of Asset Funding:

Hire Purchase

Hire Purchase lets you spread the cost of buying the equipment you will use for the long term, such as office furniture. Arrangements generally last between 12 and 72 months. You pay a deposit plus fixed monthly instalments for the agreed term, after which the assets become yours.

Leases

Finance and Operating Leases work like a rental agreement and let you spread the cost of equipment with no upfront payment. This type of finance could be the best option for equipment which will have a limited life. You can simply return it to the finance house at the end of the lease, leaving you free to update to the latest technology. This may be particularly appropriate for your IT needs.

Contract Hire

Contract Hire can be the most cost-effective way to provide company vehicles.

Find out more about Asset Finance, and how it can put the equipment you need in reach.

Funding a major print run

A large, high-quality print run of a magazine or large-format book may be a major investment. A straightforward business loan could provide the most appropriate way to provide the funds you need. Unsecured business loans can be suitable for smaller sums and usually allow you up to 5 years to repay.

Secured loans are ‘secured’ because the lender will require security in case you cannot pay the loan back. This could be your home or your business premises. They can be used to borrow large sums of money, of £250,000 or more.

Getting our help to find the funding that’s right for your publishing business

At Rangewell, we can help you find the most appropriate finance for any business need. This includes a number of specialised loan products, including:

Working Capital Finance

Working Capital Finance can help you stay afloat and pay staff and suppliers during the early stages of your business. It is designed to provide the operating expenses, from staff costs to supplier bills while cashflow is slow. It is usually designed to be repaid in the short- to medium-term, once your publishing business is fully on its feet.

Growth Finance

Large-scale finance can be vital if you have major plans, such as buying a digital studio, or print operation. Lenders may require an established trading history and record of profits for most types of lending, but Growth Finance may be an exception. It can be based on your profit projections, rather than on your trading history, helping you secure the funding you need, even if your business has not been long-established.

Revolving credit facilities

Overdrafts are a flexible form of business finance that allows you to call on funds as you need them. Banks may be reluctant to provide overdraft facilities - but revolving credit facilities can provide an alternative, providing a line of credit from a lender, with an agreed limit that you can call on when you need it. You only pay for the money you take out.

Invoice Finance

Late payments can cause your publishing business difficulties with cashflow. With an Invoice Finance arrangement, you can draw down cash as soon as you issue an invoice, providing a flow of cash that keeps pace with the amount of business you do.

Get our help finding the most appropriate lending for your needs.

Tax Loans - helping deal with the taxman

As a publisher, you will face substantial annual tax demands, which can cause serious problems with your cash flow. Tax Loans help you to spread the cost of your tax demands into affordable monthly payments.

• Better control of cash flow
• Fixed monthly payments
• Quick and simple to arrange
• Avoids issues with HMRC, potential penalties and professional liabilities

Find out more about Tax Loans.

How we help you capitalise your publishing business

At Rangewell, we understand the publishing industry business and the potential it offers.

We can use the expertise we have built up to help you find the financial solutions you need to capitalise your business, whether you want to fund capital expenses, working capital or growth.

As well as conventional finance products, we can help you find Alternative Funding, using new loan providers and styles of funding. We know the lenders who can offer the most competitive rates for the sector. Whether you have a straightforward finance need or require a complicated ‘Jigsaw’ funding plan made up of a combination of products, we can work with you to find the answers that are right for your needs.

Call us now to get our experts working for you and the future of your publishing business.