16 May Find Investors for Your Business with these Top 5 tricks
Are you considering raising capital for your business through investors?
Of all the different ways to fund your business, finding an investor may be one of your best choices. After all, you will be getting much more than just the funds- the support from experienced investors can get your business in the top 10 market spot before you know it.
Now, the big question; where do you find investors?
Depending on where you live, you can meet investors to pitch your business idea. Some entrepreneurs have access to investors and build professional relationships with them. But what if you don’t stay in such a place?
As this article’s title reads, it doesn’t matter where you are. I will show you five places you can find your next investor, and how to do it.
Table of content
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Social media
Social media is one of the best places to show off your potential and connect with quality people. If you can take advantage of the platforms you’re on, you can as well meet someone interested in funding your project. But first, you need to take advantage of the platform.
If you are on a platform like LinkedIn, you must always have your profile optimized. You cannot avoid it- people will check your profile when they find you interesting.
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile means you have completed all of the sections there. If you’re certain that your profile is good to go, you can as well start engaging others. One golden rule in LinkedIn is to make real efforts when connecting with people. When someone of your interest makes a post, drop a comment. Don’t just hit the like button and scroll off. I have witnessed countless people securing jobs unconventionally because they engaged with posts from their prospects. LinkedIn also notifies every user when others engage with their posts or check their profiles. Engagement gives you the advantage over sending only cold messages on LinkedIn.
Other platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are also great for making connections. You are free to post anything you find useful. You can also flaunt your potential at any time. Make the best use of your social presence and your next investor may even send you a direct message!
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Networking events
Networking events are essential for exposure and relationship building. As an entrepreneur seeking diverse opportunities, attending a quality networking event will not only expose you to potential investors but will also give your brand some exposure.
When it comes to networking, your advantages depend on the event you attend. Ensure to analyze an event before getting into it. A quality networking event may not be set up by the most popular teams. You may find yourself surrounded by resourceful people in an event organized with low-impact marketing.
So, to make things easier, you can check event platforms like Eventbrite or companies on LinkedIn. Then, book a call with the event organizers for evaluation. If you are satisfied with your experience, then you may feel the same about the event.
If you finally get yourself a seat at a promising event, you don’t want to waste your chances by being a passive member. In any positive ways you can, try to contribute to the big topic and soft-sell your market. Make new friends, take handshakes, and keep up with a great attitude. If the event offers spots where entrepreneurs can show off their products or pitch to investors, don’t miss them. In short, whatever you do, make sure you stand out.
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Investment networks
Ever heard of firms that match entrepreneurs with investors? I discussed investment networks in my last article. But we will discuss the topic further here.
An investment platform or network is a body/organization that facilitates investment opportunities by matching business or project owners with investors.
Different firms connect entrepreneurs with investors in various ways. In some investment companies, you may find that the panel consists of venture capitalists. So they are the ones judging and funding your project. Other investment networks only help connect entrepreneurs with investors.
Making successful investment deals with an investor means you are fully prepared and investment-ready. Your business/project must be optimized to meet world-class standards and the investors’. Only a few investment networks groom you for investments before making the match. Hence, they will find investors for you, prepare you, guide you and connect you to your investor directly.
You can check out how the NIGL will match you with investors searching for your type of business.
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Emails
Emails have been around for a few years and will continue to grow in use because of their efficiency. If you have the direct mail address of your prospects, you’ll be projecting yourself further into their personal space. Judging by the rate at which people engage with their inboxes, you are likely to get a response!
However, these recent years have spiked email transfer rates, with billions of people receiving and sending electronic mails. So there is a rush for viewers’ attention. Clickbait, controversy, false news, and never-ending offers are something you’ll always see in your inbox list. Your prospects are also likely to be getting even more of such messages, making it difficult for you to stand out. If you will get their attention and interest, you need to be unique.
Before you consider sending out emails to your potential prospect, forget about the competition. Don’t feel the first-hand pressure to beat others in the game. Of course, someone else is probably sending a similar email, or worse- your receiver may never see your emails amongst the millions in their inbox.
But, the more important objective is the relationship you’re trying to build. So you should focus more on your genuine interests, a simple tone, and some personalization.
While sending cold emails can bring you before your potential prospects, you can ruin your first impression with the wrong message. So, you should practice how to write a great email before hitting the send button.
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Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is a way of giving out units of your business to the public to invest in it. So you will be getting many investors gradually contributing to your businesses’ finances. They will also expect a percentage return after a certain period of investment.
If you want to fund your business through crowdfunding, you can use crowdfunding platforms or launch a campaign yourself. Either way, you need to get your word out to a large number of people and convince them to fund you.
Crowdfunding may help you raise enough capital for your business, except that you may forfeit the close-up contact with your investors. So, there is little information about everyone involved in your business investment.
Crowdfunding campaigns can take days, weeks, or even months to complete. At the end of the campaign, you either get your funds complete or not. So the chances of you getting investors interested in your project depend on your project type and the added benefits for the investors.
Conclusion
As long as you know where to go, you can always find your business a reliable investor. It also depends on how you use your available resources and channels to your advantage. Be it through emails, social media, or crowdfunding, you need the right knowledge to get the job done.
If you don’t have much experience with dealing with investors, then a multi-service investment network like the Nigeria Investment Gateway Limited can be of help. You want to also make sure that you find the right investors and give a sound presentation. So, you can never go wrong, working with the NIGL.
In a nutshell, finding the right investors and making good deals requires your skill as an entrepreneur. The more you know about your market, the higher your chances of being successful, even outside investments.
Tamilore Adeoye is the head of marketing for the Nigeria Investment Gateway limited (NIGL). She’s been a certified digital marketer for over 3 years, helping break the boundaries between businesses and their potential customers.
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