Ah yes, startup money. It can be tricky to find on your own, and even more so when it’s another person’s money. Unfortunately, scaling up your business means you’ll likely need to reach out to a few investors for project funding. 

But that’s a scary thought. Investors often feel like unreachable people, and in some ways, they are, given how picky they can be about where and what they put their money into. And if you’re not careful, that could mean the end for investors interested in your business. So how exactly can you get these investors to believe in your pitches? Read on and find out four ways. 

1 ) Have Numbers to Show

I know, business can be a cruel world. It often feels like starting a new business is meant to lead you to a vicious cycle of needing money to make things and needing to make things to make money. However, it’s always better to have a customer base first before seeking funds to expand.

Investors need the assurance that your business is a viable one. They want to make sure that the money they put into it will have proper returns. And if you can’t put your own money into it first and show that you can make do with the little you have, why would they ever be convinced to fund you?

Real, paying customers, and real, well-earned profits are key statistics that investors want to see. So even if you feel those numbers are small, build on them anyway, because it’s a lot harder to convince investors when you have no numbers at all.

2 ) Ask For Advice

As people always say, who you know matters more than what you do. There’s no world that proves this better than the business world, where connections and reputation are everything. And one of the simplest ways to build those connections is by being proactive and asking for advice. 

When you ask for advice from those with more experience than you, you’re showing humility, eagerness to learn, and a proactive, go-getter spirit that I guarantee you most businessmen admire and respect. In showing your confidence to trust the process and earn your stripes instead of arrogantly asking for funds right out of the gate, you can better develop relationships with entrepreneurs who recognise your capacity to learn and improve. 

Plus, even without the connections, the advice in and of itself will be massively valuable and useful to you. You’ll get to learn tips and tricks of the trade that you’ll be able to apply, even without the supervision of others. 

3) Utilise the Virtual World 

Nowadays, with the virtual world having blended almost completely into our physical world, it can feel like the digital space is too saturated for your business. On the flip side, however, the virtual world can also be a huge advantage as we have tools unlike what we’ve ever seen before. 

For instance, one of the simplest things you can do to get your business on track and get investors interested is to leverage the power of crowdfunding and online support. Sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of social media savvy and you can start raising funds in no time; especially with the plethora of fundraising platforms available nowadays like AngelList, Gust, and CircleUp. 

Moreover, you can utilise the virtual world by researching more about the market you want to break into. When you find out what other people are copying and doing, you can start thinking about ways to break out of that and be the first in a certain niche. The bounty of resources on the internet can help you figure out how to be a trailblazer in the market and prevent your business from being just another incremental advancement. 

4) Don’t Quit 

There are many instances in life where quitting can be a good thing, like quitting a vice, or switching to a better career. But in growing a successful business, quitting is one of the biggest no-no’s out there.

Entrepreneurship is about guts. It’s about having a strong stomach for surviving losses, and a clever brain and unwavering spirit for bouncing back from them. And the best investors know that and know when they see that in a person. After all, while it might be hard to make a profit, it’s even harder to keep profiting or go back to profiting when times are tough.

Wear your losses like a badge of honour, and don’t be afraid to tell investors how you were able to recoup from them. With any luck, they’ll see that toughness and know their money will go to someone who can keep it growing even in the direst situations.

To your success,

Mario

[Visit www.mariosingh.com now to enjoy a FREE e-book of my latest “37 Essential Principles for Massive Success” when you subscribe!]