Case
Study
spoken to
Funding Circle
Overview
Funding Circle is the UK’s largest SME lending platform, connecting investors who want to lend with small businesses looking for access to the finance they need to grow.
Since launching in 2010, more than 80,000 investors – including retail investors, banks, asset management companies, insurance companies, government-backed entities and funds – have lent more than £5 billion to over 50,000 UK businesses.
THE PARTNERSHIP...
Air Marketing has partnered with Funding Circle since 2016, acting as their outsourced sales engine to connect UK SMEs with Funding Circle’s full suite of financial products, including business loans, commercial mortgages, FlexiPay cash flow credit, and business credit cards.
Over the course of eight years, we’ve delivered consistent, high-performing outbound campaigns targeting key decision-makers such as Business Owners, Managing Directors, Founders and Finance Directors across the UK SME market.
Our remit: to identify, qualify, and transfer high-quality leads directly to Funding Circle’s internal sales team, driving scalable growth through compliant, commercially intelligent engagement.
THE CHALLENGE...
Funding Circle needed an outbound partner who could reach and convert businesses that weren’t engaging through other marketing channels. They required a solution that could launch quickly, scale effectively, and uphold the same standards of compliance and customer experience as their in-house team – all while operating under FCA regulations.
They wanted to start quickly, needed the flexibility to run tests and wanted a ready-made sales team who could slot in alongside their current team.
Our Approach...
We embedded a high-performing outbound sales team that integrates seamlessly with Funding Circle’s internal operations.
- Every conversation follows strict regulatory standards to ensure compliance and quality.
- Once a business is qualified to agreed criteria, our team either conducts a live transfer to Funding Circle’s Account Managers or schedules a precise call-back to streamline the customer journey.
- This model allows Funding Circle to provide immediate quotes and accelerate decision-making for time-pressed business owners.
Our focus has been to combine compliance, agility, and commercial pace – ensuring every campaign not only generates results but maintains Funding Circle’s trusted reputation in the SME finance sector.
GENN MARAVOLO
Head of Channel Growth & Strategy, Funding Circle
Air are as vital to our growth as our own internal sales team, accounting for around 50% of outbound results and playing a critical role in our growth story. We don’t see them as a third party – they operate as a true extension of Funding Circle, sharing our values and matching the commitment we expect from our own hires. Their ability to scale rapidly and handle complex requests lets us test and iterate at speed. Over the past 8 years we’ve built a deeply collaborative relationship, solving challenges together and consistently delivering measurable growth.
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