By Amanda Nguyen
Your elevator pitch is solid, and you’re always ready to share your startup’s vision. But what happens when a potential client or investor looks for you online? Does your passionate pitch align with the digital footprint you have on your website, LinkedIn profile, or social media accounts?
Here are four tips to cultivate a digital presence to support your path to funding and convert new customers:
Be consistent. A consistent brand — including language, tone, visual style — will reinforce your value proposition and deliver an undeniably powerful experience for prospective funders or customers.
Be real. Especially when seeking partners or funding, maintain a digital footprint that conveys your passion and personality. Funders are often buying into your passion and commitment to the idea or product. Make sure they feel it in person and online.
Be focused. Every channel and piece of content should reinforce your brand position and value proposition. It can be tempting to fill the airwaves, but it is more powerful to be selective on the platforms and share content that matters to your audience.
Be selective. It may be tempting to sign up for every channel, but it is hard work to launch, build, and maintain digital communities while also growing your business. Start with one or two channels — your personal LinkedIn profile, an email newsletter, or Instagram profile — and plan limited — and high value — content. As you build community and scale operations, you may be able to launch additional platforms or increase frequency of communication. Doing one thing really well is better than doing many things poorly.
These tips are relevant every time I work with an individual or organization — whether they are a startup serving a niche audience or are a well-established institution looking to refine their strategy. Always begin with understanding who you are and who you serve; your digital brand platform should support that vision.
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Amanda Nguyen has built digital platforms and marketing strategies in the commercial, nonprofit, and public sector throughout her career. She has served as Director of Marketing Strategy and Civilian + Commercial Delivery Lead at U.Group, and previously lead Digital Strategy and Web Communications at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The views and opinions expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the YLAI Network or the U.S. government.