If you’re an entrepreneur who has just established their own company or you’re still thinking about going down that road, you need to be aware that apart from having an idea you believe is great, you also need to be able to present it to potential clients and the general public in a way that would make them interested.
Basically, you need to “sell” both the idea and yourself.
Just like people working in large companies need to be both good at what they do and possess certain personal qualities in order to get a promotion, entrepreneurs have to work on improving the quality of their offer and the image of themselves and their startup. Actually, your clients, business partners and potential investors are those who need to be persuaded that you deserve a “promotion”, i.e. that your company deserves to grow. So, what is it that you can do to self-promote your business?
Develop Relationships
Your idea should be the foundation of the relationships with your colleagues, clients and business partners. Talk to them and share your vision, so that they fully understand what you’re trying to achieve. The better understanding they have, the more committed and helpful they are likely to be.
Identify What You Need to Learn
By recognising what you need to learn in order to be a better manager and taking active steps in that direction will not only help you learn new skills, but it will also send a message that you’re committed to self-development and ready to learn, which is an excellent image for an entrepreneur.
Social Networks
Basically, there is no privacy any more since social networks and the internet make both our personal and professional life public. This means that your online presence or lack thereof is very important when it comes to how people perceive you. Manage your social media accounts carefully if you want to help your brand develop. Today, people tend to rely heavily on the posts and comments you make online, so make sure you have that area covered.
Create a Positive Aura
You need to come across as a positive person and your startup as a learning organisation, eager to improve and grow. You shouldn’t miss any opportunity to establish contacts with people who share your interests and values and to improve your knowledge. This can also be done even before you register your startup since you might learn a lot from other, more experienced people.
Treat Everyone with Respect
Whether we’re talking about colleagues, business partners or clients, your behaviour should always be respectful. People of different ages and backgrounds require different treatments and it’s your task to find the appropriate approach for everyone. Their satisfaction with your treatment will boost your company’s image.
Small Signs of Appreciation
It’s the thought that counts, which is why you need to come up with some small, inexpensive, but useful and efficient ways of showing your appreciation to your clients and business partners. For example, you might get creative and create a calendar with your logo on it or invest in some other form of advertising material that doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, but is efficient and practical.
Pics or You Don’t Exist
With more and more people focusing on images, rather than words, you need to make sure that you regularly post pictures that show what you do and what you offer. Instagram and Facebook are now arguably the most powerful advertising tools at your disposal and you simply have to use them. However, you also have to remember that your posts should be relevant and informative if you wish to achieve the desired effect.
No one else will help your startup rise but you. If you’re aware of your potential and you believe in your idea, you have to make sure that others share your opinion and feelings. Creating business relationships to mutual satisfaction is the ultimate goal, but you first need to make people know about you and your company, which means you need to promote it.
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