You’ve dedicated a significant amount of your time to bootstrapping each aspect of your company. Now it’s time to look for investors to get your business off the ground.

Fortunately, these days, there are many alternatives that aren’t loans from banks. You can discover the appropriate investors to help your business grow whether you’re funding a side project or the next big idea.

Investing in a startup is an exciting prospect for most entrepreneurs. However, many of us lack the skills or experience necessary to successfully pitch our idea and obtain funding without assistance from a professional investor relations consultant. Here, we’ll look at where to find investors and how to make your company “investor ready.”

Where to Find Investors for Startups and Small Businesses

Not to mention that no two investors are identical, which is why you should conduct thorough research before accepting any offers. Investigate each type of investor and what they’re providing in return for money to find the best match.

Here are a few types of investors:

1. Angel investors

Angel investors are high-net-worth individuals who use their own money and resources to nurture and grow small firms. Because they’re in such demand, they may be picky about where they put their money — which usually means favoring established businesses over startups.

Angel investors expect a specific proportion of your firm in exchange for cash. It’s also essential to consider how much equity you’re prepared to give up. If you offer too much, you run the danger of losing control of your firm.

2. Family and Friends

There are two methods to obtain capital from family and friends. The first is to seek a loan. This may be the simplest alternative for both parties since you pay it back over time, with or without interest.

The alternative to borrowing is to use an investment firm, which invests in your business and shares the risks and potential returns with you.

It’s easy to take a casual approach when appealing to family and friends — but we don’t suggest it. Transparency is critical here. To avoid future ties being strained, tell them when they will be reimbursed and clearly describe the dangers.

3. Venture capitalists

Small businesses gain funding from venture capitalists (VCs) who put their own money into firms. While they may aid startups, VCs prefer firms that have a solid foundation.

Venture capitalists may have various conditions for funding. For example, one VC may demand a board position, while another might want an interest. Venture investors will own shares in your company and influence how it is managed just like angel investors do.

Another choice is a venture capital firm, which is a group of individuals who invest in high-growth firms. These businesses must fulfill more stringent criteria and expect bigger returns. They’re less concerned with equity or ownership, but they’ll almost certainly attach an interest rate to any loans they offer.

4. Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is the practice of soliciting donations from a large number of people in order to fund entrepreneurial or innovative projects.

While it is a fast and simple method to raise money, you should know which sort is best for your company. The following are the most frequent sorts:

• Equity crowdfunding:The most traditional kind of funding on this list is equity crowdfunding. You offer a portion of your firm to an investor or a group of investors, who give the cash you need to grow it.
• Donation crowdfunding: If you run a nonprofit or local company, you might be able to raise money in this manner. All you have to do is put up a campaign asking for donations for your organization. The cash is immediately sent to the charity. There’s nothing for you to return in this scenario.
• Reward crowdfunding: Popularized by sites like Kickstarter, funders are given items, services, or other gifts in exchange for a particular amount of money.
• Debt crowdfunding: Instead of borrowing from a bank, you borrow money from other people. You borrow for a set annual percentage rate and receive terms that are similar to those of a regular business loan.

Keep in mind that crowdfunding might provide you with quick cash, but it will need a solid marketing plan, transparency, and the potential for some stock ownership loss.

5. Traditional Business Loan

A loan from a financial institution is called a business loan. It’s generally linked to a specific interest rate and repayment schedule.

There’s a reason why it’s so popular — a business loan is suitable for almost any startup. You can get your company off the ground without selling equity or ownership in it, unlike other investors.

To be eligible, you must have a credit history or evidence of income. Of course, this isn’t the case. When you apply for a loan, you must also offer something as collateral. Collateral is anything offered as security for repayment, such as a mortgage or savings account.

This can be a relatively secure and surefire technique to finance your small companies if you’re confident in the loan’s interest rate and repayment plan.

How to Attract Investors

Let’s assume you’ve identified a handful of potential investors. What is the best method for approaching them when conversing? Consider the following methods to assist you swing things your way:

1. Develop a rock-solid business plan.

If you’re looking to attract investors, this is the first step.

Investors generally choose where they invest. You may tip the balance in your favor by creating an air-tight business plan that instills trust and confidence.

It should describe your company model, financial aims, and job responsibilities. You may present your firm’s present condition and future prospects with this information.

2. Know your numbers.

One of the most important aspects of becoming “investor ready” is knowing your numbers. This means describing your revenue model, providing profit predictions from market research, and outlining how your business will spend its investments.

Furthermore, you must understand how those figures will help your company grow. While writing down a figure on paper is simple, it’s more significant to comprehend (and communicate) why you require money, where it will go, and that your valuation makes sense.

3. Land on the right figure.

Here’s one that’ll come as no surprise: investors want to know where their money is going. If you ask for too much or too little cash, it may be interpreted as a warning.

If you’re unsure on which statistic to inquire, seek guidance from a third party such as a financial advisor or expert. If you’re a scrappy new business, an advisory board may be useful.

4. Think like an investor.

Creating a list of potential objections or inquiries may help you feel more self-assured as you approach investors. What questions would you ask if the roles were reversed? What concerns would you want to be addressed?

Investing in a young company may be daunting, and it’s natural to want to stay as calm and collected as possible. As a result, you can prepare high-quality responses ahead of time – and investors may view your composure as remarkable.

5. Master the elevator pitch.

The elevator pitch is a short statement that explains what issue your company solves, how it does so, and why it’s important. If you can’t do this or aren’t sure exactly what problem your business solves, investors won’t understand either.

A strong elevator pitch will pique someone’s interest — nothing more, nothing less. You may go into greater depth about your firm, the market, and how funding will help it progress once you’ve piqued someone’s attention.

6. Be ready to walk away.

In the short term, this advice may appear to be counterintuitive, but it can help you avoid a lot of worry in the long run. When it comes to finding a good match with an investor, finding a suitable fit is critical.

Aside from the capital they provide, do you have similar objectives and incentives? Do they comprehend numbers? Will they be a mentor or source of assistance as your company grows?

Be ready to walk away if the deal seems too good to be true or if an investor appears to be taking advantage of your company. Yes, you need money — but the wrong investor might ruin your company.

If you’re starting to seek investors, a CRM is an excellent tool for managing these connections. For example, as shown in the video below, Visible allows you to build a customized investor database where you may nurture and distribute target updates.

What documents do investors need?

Investors may believe you have a fantastic product or service, but it means nothing if they can’t predict the success of their investment.

Clean accounts provide investors peace of mind and a clear picture of your firm’s health. You’ll need the following financial statements prepared:

• Balance sheets
• Income statements are also essential
• Expense reports, on the other hand, are not as crucial because they contain information about your company’s financial health
• Projections over time, based on the capital you receive from the investment
• Success metrics

Of course, if you’re just getting started with your company, you may not have all of these documents on hand. That’s perfectly fine — as long as you have enough information to show how your firm is now and where it’s heading in the future.

Final Thoughts

The right investor might take your small company to the next level — but it may be a long and winding road there. You can distinguish yourself from the crowd by taking the proper approach.

Be polite, informative, and prepared. Know what you’re asking for and be clear on the potential benefits of an investment. Above all, remember that the investor wants to make money just as much as you do.