Do you know what three words sum up your reputation? And what your personal and professional reputation is worth in the real world? Rachel Botsman is a ‘sharing innovator’ who studies collaborative consumption (online sharing of everything from apartments to cars and skills) and believes our reputations will become more important than our credit history in the new economy.
In business, nothing is certain except taxes and change. Whether you are creating a startup, buying an existing company or well into your small business journey, it’s important to remember that how well you manage change may well be the difference between a long-term, sustainable business and a ‘if only’ statistic.
I was reading an article the other day about healthy eating. The author encouraged readers to imagine their body was a luxury car, explaining that no matter how much we ‘drive’ our bodies, if we’re not filling it with good fuel it wouldn’t reach optimum performance.
Sponsoring an event, team or charity is a great way to promote your brand, especially if you’re a startup. By associating with an established business who’s loyal customers are in your target market, you can build the credibility of your product, increase visibility of your brand and enhance your public image. All at once! Clever, no?
Before your customers buy from you, they have to know who you are. You have to get in their faces, regularly. Consistently. But also meaningfully. You need to engage with them on their turf—whether that’s in the band room or the library—and talk to them about your brand. Directly. Personally.
You know what it’s like when you create a startup. You experience a heady mix of fear and excitement—the thrill of the chase—not knowing what’s around the corner. Your ego blooms, and there’s a touch of forced nonchalance as you casually mention to anyone that will listen that you created an entire business from scratch and isn’t that just amazing? Like a first date, everything is exciting and filled with possibility.
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