My business was at a turning point right after I participated in the LaunchPad2X program. I completed the core program in 2016 and we were about to start growing. We learned how to price our services more appropriately and set new standards for ourselves to improve our quality of work. We thought it might be a good time to bring on a salesperson and found an individual who specialized in business development. While he was able to get us in the door at several large companies, we were never able to get beyond the first couple of meetings. At the same time, we found that we were getting the majority of our leads from the connections we made at my speaking engagements.

I started to grow my Twitter following by interacting with other influencers in my industry. Our company started our own blog on our website to gain better search engine optimization. We made connections with the hardware providers we used and worked together to cross-promote our brands. Earning notoriety in various organizations has also been a great way to boost credibility. I was fortunate enough to win the Technology Association of Georgia‘s Young Professional Technologist of the Year last year, and Women in IT Awards Rising Star of the Year this spring. Those accolades helped us fast-track many of our initial meetings because we were going in with a solid reputation.

All of these little changes impacted my business in a big way and we found that we did not need a dedicated salesperson. We received more contact forms on our website from large companies and fostered our relationships through education of our industry. Establishing ourselves as educators was the best thing we could have done for our business. It is a low-pressure way to get in the door of major organizations. We’ve found that fostering those relationships leave us top of mind when the companies we educate start to move into the purchasing process. So regardless of how amazing your product and company is, always remember your personal brand is your professional brand.

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