Mergers & Acquisitions Advisory

A Neumann & Associates, LLC

July 19, 2016

How to make a startup look big and robust

By Achim Neumann

The fight for credibility is one of the hardest parts of launching a startup. In a space with well-established competitors, looking professional is vital for the long-term survival of a company.

Learning how to make a startup look big is a skill that an entrepreneur should master before taking on seasoned businesses in any niche. Below, we will discuss a few ways that this can be accomplished:

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Make use of top-quality web design

Nowadays,  most businesses use the web to hunt for new clients or vendors. When they have multiple companies to choose from, chances are good that they will go with the one that has a professionally-designed web presence.

By having an easy to navigate interface, these companies make it easy for clients to say yes to them. By fixing anything on their site that contradicts this philosophy, a startup can improve their client acquisition efforts.

Bonus tip: add a blog to your website to add another layer of credibility for your website visitors.

Increase the marketing budget considerably

When a startup begins its business journey,  nobody knows who they are. As such, it is vital that they focus heavily on marketing early on in their life cycle.

In order to pay for an ambitious promotional campaign that will get them noticed,  it is often necessary to cut back on certain areas of the business for a short time, or to obtain a loan.

In a marketplace that is often swamped with established players, this is a tough but necessary step to gain the traction a business needs to get itself to the next level.

Take advantage of the power of social media

Startups today have a leg up on businesses that were founded a generation ago: they get to take advantage of the power of social media.

Leveraged properly, this medium offers free promotional opportunities to those that are savvy enough to harness its power.

With cleverly written copy, attentive customer service, and timely (but tactful) responses to events that impact their industry, a startup can sound like an industry leader for only the cost of an intelligent social media manager.

Get a 1-800 number with an automated voice prompt system

If a startup wants to sound important,  having a 1-800 number with a professional sounding voice prompt system is a great way to create a solid first impression with potential clients.

So long as the voice prompts are not set up in a fashion that confuses and frustrates callers, having this system setup as a first point of contact will make a startup business look professional.

Whether looking to have your startup acquired or just build something meaningful, the above tips should help you make your startup look big and robust until it’s actually there.

About A Neumann & Associates, LLC

A Neumann & Associates, LLC is a professional mergers & acquisitions and business brokerage firm having assisted business owners and buyers in the business valuation and business transfer process through its affiliations for the past 30 years. With an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, the company has senior trusted professionals with a deep knowledge based in multiple field offices along the East Coast and has performed hundreds of business valuations in its history. The firm’s competitive transaction fees are based on successfully completing transactions. For more information, please contact A Neumann & Associates at 732-872-6777 or info@neumannassociates.com

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