- Friday, April 19, 2024
By: Admin Super
When you’re just starting in business, it helps to bring active investors on board or to find experienced advisors who can help you to make good decisions. What if you could do one of those things and connect your business to a well-known name in the process? It could be just the thing to help you get noticed and send a message about what your company stands for. It might be easier to arrange than you think.
Boost your profile
When a famous person becomes involved with your business it has the potential to be a big media moment. If you’re well organised and send out press releases with pictures as well as posting on social media about it, you can generate a lot of publicity. There are also ways to create ongoing publicity around the relationship, though you’ll have to discuss what’s appropriate with the person concerned, who will also have a profile to manage. You could talk about that person’s activities on your social media platforms and remind people of the association, or you could persuade them to do things for you, such as appearing in your marketing videos. Often relationships like this are symbiotic, with both parties getting positive publicity as a result.
Know what you’re getting
Whether you’re trusting somebody with shares in your company or relying on someone for advice, you need to know that that person is trustworthy. This is easier with a well-known person because there’s usually a lot more information about past activities in the public domain. Before you have to start poring through Companies House records and so forth, you can simply look up relevant press articles. This means that there’s less risk of you ending up under the influence of somebody who can spin a good line but doesn’t have what it takes to help you.
Build your networks
When you know somebody famous, everybody wants to know you. You’ll be amazed by just how much easier it is to make connections when you’ve got a big name on your side. You’ll be taken much more seriously, invited to higher profile events and treated as an established figure in business rather than like a newcomer. Even people who don’t think much of the famous person will be impressed by the fact that you’ve managed to make a connection at that level. On social media like LinkedIn, celebrity contacts add significant cachet to your profile.
Build your brand
Connecting with someone well known is a great way to develop your brand image. This goes beyond merely generating publicity – it’s a chance to communicate something specific about who you are and what your company stands for. For instance, when clothing company Vastrm hooked up with Will Smith it sent a message about its relationship with style and the type of customer it was relevant to. When Zoomcar connected with Lady Barbara Judge it signalled its technical expertise and efficiency. This kind of relationship is particularly important to start-ups which are only just beginning to let potential customers and investors know what they’re all about.
How to find the right person
Given the impact that a well-known connection can have on your brand, it’s important to choose carefully. A bit of controversy isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it can generate further publicity, but be careful that your choice won’t alienate your target customers. You may want to find somebody who will directly strengthen your connection with them or somebody who will help you reach out to a larger area of the market. Do your research and find out which big names are actively investing and taking an interest in start-ups, then whittle down a list of suitable people and make your pitch to them one at a time (through their agents if necessary but direct contact is always better). Don’t pitch simultaneously – big names often have big egos and you don’t want to upset them by having them find out that they weren’t your only choice.
When you’ve found the right person, draw up a plan together for how to take the relationship forward. Make sure there are clear limits so neither party accidentally creates a problem for the other. This won’t necessarily be a relationship that will last for a long time but it should be one that brings mutual benefits. Above all, remember that you need to communicate why your business is a great thing to get involved with. Make your ambition, your vision and your talent clear, and it could be the start of a very successful arrangement.
