Motivating Your Supporters

stonesledge

So you have a new start-up.... You have worked your tail off, it may have taken days, months, years to bring your business to life. What are some tips to help motivate your family, friends, business associates and the community to help you get the word out. How to get them excited about what you do.

kbphoto

Hi, Stonesledge.
I truly understand your thoughts on this topic. I hail from an extended family that is, shall we say, less than eager to offer support for anything new or different. In all fairness, these individuals are not noted for their willingness to take risks. I think sometimes they suffer from a genuine fear of change or the unknown. In fact, I was extremely hesitant in the planning stages of my photography business to tell anyone about what I was doing. I wasn`t ready to hear criticism or the veiled silence that screams of disapproval. Thankfully, though, my immediate family (my husband and children) couldn`t be more supportive.
So, how do you motivate people who may be sluggish in their support? I have found that being energetic about your endeavor even around those who are critical, indifferent or just slow to jump on the bandwagon can sometimes be contagious. In my particular case, I finally got the courage to start showing some of my work. To my utter amazement, I started getting really wonderful compliments. That gave me the confidence to broaden my pitch to more family members, friends, neighbors, etc. Now, when I talk about my business, I am confident and unwavering in my plans for the future.
I suppose the crux of this post is to remain steadfast in your goals. Be energetic, positive and full of hope for the future of your business. Let your passion for your venture shine through. Eventually, even the most stubborn individuals will come around and begin to hand out your business cards and, perhaps, shamelessly plug your business whenever and wherever possible.
I think you will find that, once your business begins to blossom, more and more of your family members and friends will jump on board with their full support. Sometimes people just need to know your business is important to you and valid before they start getting excited about it. At least, that`s been my experience.
Best of luck to you.
Kind regards,
Kimkbphoto2007-1-13 21:33:56

stonesledge

Thanks Kim!
I appreciate your tips! It is where the rubber meets the road. Some are excited and i really hope i can motivate them to help turn there support into new customers.
Erin

iouone2

Just continue to show people around you that your "business" is not a passing thought. Live it. Love it. Share it. And never... never... never abandon it.If you abandon too many ideas (good ones or not) people loose faith and start feeling as though you are not a "follow through" type of person. This feeling makes people less likely to join you in your next venture.

stonesledge

Thanks Vincent!
My issue is that I have been developing our new business service for over 2 years. The business itself has been running since 2002 but our new service has taken so long, sometimes i feel as if everyone gets tired of hearing about it without it being launched. We had to overcome a few obstacles to get here but we are almost ready so i guess i should put on my motivating shoes and start getting excited so that it excites others. I will be both excited and relieved when i can finally open the doors!