Starting a new business isn’t easy, but startups are flourishing. One of the biggest obstacles that startup founders face is finding the funds they need to be successful and grow their business. When starting a new business, building a brand reputation takes time. This is where personal branding comes into play. If your startup is looking to connect with investors and potential customers, personal branding can’t be ignored.
You’re Selling Your Ideas
Before your business really takes off, you’re selling your ideas. Whether it’s to investors or potential customers, when your startup is Beta, you’re really selling already. Your personal brand can get people to bite on the business and brand you’re trying to create. An idea is where it all starts and for a while it’s all you have. Startups often begin in one place and end in another. As your business’s brand develops, you better be making the most of your personal one in order to get others on board. As Business.com explains, part of branding is giving your business a face. While your business gets off the ground, that face is yours. Build a personal brand that will make others want to buy your ideas.
They’re Investing in You
… And no one wants to invest in something that’s too risky. Your personal brand needs to be one of knowledge and credibility. If you are a first-time entrepreneur, investors will only bet on you if they believe you have the potential to become the leader of a growing business. You have to position yourself as someone who can lead and manage a business while building a strong customer and employee base to really grow the business. Be the expert and looks for ways to ensure your expertise, knowledge, and startup are transparent for those willing to invest.
Media KHG
People want to feel hope in business. Investors and customers want to discover, work with, and buy from the Mark Zuckerbergs and Tony Hsiehs of the world. The media plays a bigger role now than ever before as bloggers and active social media users can build large-scale followings that they influence without being a Wall Street Journal. As online, personal profiles become more integrated with that of a business’s, the personal brand you establish sets the tone for the media, from Bloomgberg’s Businessweek to the social media activist with a million followers, of what they can expect from your business. You want it to be big, positive and opportunistic things, not a lack of awareness.
Every business wants control of how customers perceive their brand. Startups and their founders have this freedom. Before your business becomes a big brand however, it’s the personal brand that excites investors and attracts customers. Startup branding begins with personal branding because, after all, the business starts with you.
