Understanding and shaping perception is the first step to building a successful reputation and you must do everything in your power to build, control, and stimulate it. The need for positive perception is very pronounced for a technology startup. You want to be perceived as being successful before you actually are successful. Success can be communicated through three forms: inferred, referred, and proven.
The first step to building a perception of success is to strengthen your startup’s inferred reputation for success. Inferred methods involve affiliation, association, and attraction. The affiliation alone says everything. For example, the fact that a star engineer was recruited to your startup says it all. Or, top tier investors backed you with enthusiasm. Who did you attract to your Board of Directors? You have an all-star advisory board? Your focus here is to promote the very act that led to the affiliation. You’re marketing the founders, management talent, engineering wizards, financial backers, relationships with industry partners, and so on.
This step comes first but I wouldn’t spend too much time on it for a few reasons. You’ll be able to do it first because you’ll have it first. Next, the attention you’ll get for inferred endorsements is often short-lived. Further, too many startups exaggerate this part. Taking a lounge act and trying to turn him into a Bono-esque rockstar will always fail. So, for this part, if you have it, go with it. If not, take a stab and move on quickly to the next step.
The second step is the most important and it involves piling up referred endorsements. I cannot emphasize the importance of this step enough. References, references, references. Get it anywhere and everywhere possible. Words they will say about you as well as words you can attribute to them. I usually pour myself into this stage and stay there with no end in sight.
If you go to my LinkedIn profile, you’ll notice that I sometimes promote my inferred success (association with several Sequoia Capital and Kleiner Perkins backed startups) but ALWAYS aggressively promote my referred success (coming from former CEOs, colleagues, and even high achievers from other fields). The former never hurts but it is rarely a difference maker. The latter is always a game changer. But, attributed references alone are not enough. You have to constantly stimulate your references to talk – saying the right things to the right people. It’s hard to do and few people do it well or consistently.
Finally, the third step is to work on promoting what is proven. This is the evidentiary step. Financial figures, market share, number of customers, survey results, research findings, etc. This step comes last since you need time to acquire it.
Anyone can get references. Just go ask somebody. But, making it easy for lots of people to give references (i.e., obtaining) and creating a systematic approach toward using references - since it's often finite (i.e., controlling) is marketing.
Your references are asking themselves (and you), “What’s in it for me?” and “How can my association with you benefit me, also?” The first question is usually emotional in nature while the second question is more pragmatic. It’s not the other way around. Answer those questions convincingly and you have a good shot at bagging the reference. In so doing, your reputation for success will eventually come and serve to attract a flock of believers ...
- John
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