What you need to get a business credit line

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(FORTUNE Small Business) -- Dear FSB: My entire business to date is built on personal credit ... which is now outstanding! When I go to apply for a business loan there is no history and I cannot get the line of credit I'm looking for. What's the deal?

- Victor, Oceano, Calif.

Dear Victor: Getting a loan can be a tricky dance that involves past history, the place you go to and even a little luck. There are a few things you can do to make the experience a little easier on yourself.

First, think about the banks you have tried to impress already. You might need to broaden your approach and choose a bank with a name and client base that matches your business.

"Look for smaller banks that may be more willing to base their decision on an assessment of your ability to repay (and your good personal history) and more interested in serving small businesses in the community than bigger, well-known banks," says Janet Attard, founder and president of Business Know How.

Options in your area include Heritage Oaks Bank, Rabobank or Santa Lucia Bank.

Another place you could turn is the Small Business Administration. They offer a variety of loan guarantees that could help you get banks to lend the money you're looking for.

If the local vendors still choose to pass, consider getting a business credit card. Attard said you can often build up a $25,000 to $50,000 line of credit on these.

Finally, as another option, you could turn to your vendors and see if they could offer you a loan.

"Getting vendors to extend credit to you can be particularly useful if the vendors you deal with report to credit agencies," Attard says. "That can help you get credit established in the business name."