Nibletz Staff
All startups suffer from the same problem when they are entering any market. While founders have been beavering away refining their new product or service, it can be tough to forge any connection to the outside world. It means that before launching, they have a big task in proving their professionalism to everyone outside of their business.
There’s a lot of people to impress. Customers need to know that you are capable of giving them what they need. Investors need to know you are a safe bet and have the experience to succeed. And, potential employees need to know that you are a safe and exciting place to work, and can help give them a future.
With this in mind, we thought we would go through a few ways you can improve your startup’s image. There is plenty to consider, so let’s get started right away.
1. Define your brand
First of all, you have to know who you are if you want to portray yourself to anyone else. Defining your brand can make a powerful statement to anyone looking at your business. It’s all about making connections with people – the audience who you intend to sell products, for example. It is vital, then, to understand your customer. Who are they? What do they do for a job? What are their interests and why do they need to buy your product or service? If you understand your customer, you can build your brand to cater for their needs.
2. Perfect everything
Branding is a great tool to get exposure. But, no logo or clever marketing plan is going to work if you are selling a dud product. It is vital to ensure your product or service is ready for the market. It doesn’t need to be perfect – but it does need to provoke a positive response in you customers. Thorough research is needed before you launch, to ensure that your idea is ticking all the right boxes. Prototypes or introductory offers are a good way of finding out if you are going in the right direction. Your customer’s feedback should give you everything you need to iron out any kinks. And, to get the perfect product ready for a bigger, better launch.
3. Build up authority
People need to trust you and your company – once they know you can deliver, they will be more likely to make a purchase. So, long before launching, you have to underline your authority in your industry. Try making connections with high profile industry bloggers, and contact them to write a guest post or offer an interview. Do the same for industry journalists – give them a good story and most will be happy to help. You could also contact business conferences and offer your services as a speaker. If you can relay some excellent information, it will build up your authority, and you will find people have a lot more trust in your business.
4. Attract the right talent
Most business success is often down to the quality of the workforce. Sure, you might have had the bright idea, but ideas alone don’t make your money. It’s the delivery of that idea to the public that will make the difference, which is why it’s so important to have the right team working for you. How do you attract the right talent? It can be hard to entice a high-quality team when you’re starting out. But it’s not impossible. You can offer company shares, for example, to offset any pay differences between you and the competition.
5. Legitimize your business
Making the change from a home-based business to a professional company with the potential to grow can be tough. But, in truth, it’s just a case of ticking all the right boxes. Ensure you are covering all your legal requirements in all areas, such as incorporation and trademarking. Use the HMRC guides to starting a business and make sure you are going in the right direction. Think about covering your legal obligations to your staff, too. Outsourcing human resources to third parties can be a good way to cover your legal responsibilities. And, to prove to potential employees that they can trust you. Plus, according to HR experts Ellis Whittam, it can save you a lot of time – and money.
6. Be realistic
Never over-egg the pudding when it comes to talking about your business ideas. Yes, you will have a great passion for your idea, but you need to temper it with realism in every area. Customers will spot an exaggeration from a mile off, plus, it can often land you in hot water with the authorities. Your estimations and figures are also important to get right – particularly if you are seeking investment. Take off your rose tinted specs and be realistic about your estimations and you will impress any investor a lot more than if you embellish them.
7. Invest in communication
Make sure you are communicating your message with perfection, every time. It doesn’t matter whether you are speaking to your customers or potential investors. All communication should be honest and straightforward to understand. A good PR firm can help – as can an overall marketing team. Everything you say needs to have a level of continuity and coherence to get that message across. Communication is an essential part of branding, so don’t neglect it.
8. Be flexible
Finally, always be ready for anything. While some startup owners think sticking to their guns is good for their image, it often isn’t the case. Things can change quickly, and unless you are ready to embrace those changes it can cause damage to your business. Many twists and turns lie ahead, and you can’t guarantee anything. It’s why many products end up being completely different to what was originally intended. But, those that change are more likely to succeed than those that don’t.
We hope these simple tips can help you build up a stronger and more professional image for your company. Feel free to share any other tips you might have in the comments below!
