How Entrepreneurs Can Lead People to Follow Their Ideas

[This article was written by Dawn Castell.]

You’ve come up with a great idea. The idea could turn into the proverbial next big thing in its related industry sector. You embody all the traits of a great entrepreneur. One thing seems to be holding you back though. Doing everything alone isn’t possible. Entrepreneurs often learn this the hard way. They diligently spend time alone in their workspace developing great ideas. Turning a concept into reality, however, requires backing from others. You may need a committed partner, an investor, a buyer, or even a loyal employee.

No one likes to waste time or money though. When an entrepreneur wants others to back his/her ideas, persuasion comes into play. No magical solutions help with achieving this goal. Instead, you must follow a few proven, logical steps.

Look Like a Legitimate Professional

While many tech gurus and entertainment moguls love to dress casual, they don’t dress sloppy. Likely, they didn’t forgo formal business attire in all situations until after they achieved great success. The age-old idea that you must dress for success never goes out of style. People prefer working with an idea person with the necessary professionalism to make things happen. They doubtfully wish to work with a flake who can’t be bothered to look nice. Appearances count for a lot, and they tell a tale about you. Dress well and appropriately. Look the part of a talented, knowledgeable, successful person. Sell yourself, and you help sell your ideas.

Seek Out the Right People

Selling people on your ideas isn’t all about bending over backward to impress. Some individuals won’t help you no matter what. These people could be jealous of your concepts or are just flat out contrarians. Why bother with them? Contacting people that you already know can sometimes be a better strategy than seeking out so-called quality candidates. Trust and familiarity go a long way. When you already know someone, and they know you, selling an idea becomes a bit easier.

Of course, you do find yourself in situations where you must work with strangers. Effectively screening these potential colleagues becomes a priority. Out of the many traits to look for, try to determine the person’s passion for your idea. You don’t want someone merely looking for a short-term resume boost. Find someone who shares your drive and commitment for the idea. That person will be an asset.

Devise the Right Office

Even though you spend a lot of hours working alone, you should develop a professional workspace. Doing so contributes to productivity. Sprawling your work all across an apartment doesn’t support organization or time management. Set aside a designated area to serve as a home office. Invest in a virtual workspace to expand performance capabilities. Don’t become too casual with any facet of your work. You want it to impress.

There may come a time when you must bring potential partners to an office. Do you need to rent part-time shared office space? If your home office setup impresses, doing so might not be necessary.

Run the Idea Past Others

Constructive criticism helps. A decent idea could turn into a much better one with the right revisions and tweaks. Draw out a blueprint or outline of the idea. Show the draft to people you trust. You want quality feedback capable of making your idea better. Improvements to the idea assist with selling the concept to others. Weak ideas in need of improvements won’t sell well.

The trust part is important here. Honest feedback remains a must. Another reason exists why you should contact honest and trustworthy people. You don’t want anyone stealing your idea.