Establishing a start-up has an endless list of challenges, but one of the fiercest is how to quickly gain credibility within your chosen industry.

Every market has its leaders – organizations that have been around for years or even decades, hoovering up customers and cementing themselves as the go-to brands. Trying to compete with these giants on a limited budget and zero initial customers can appear an overwhelming obstacle, but the truth is that it is entirely possible to gain credibility quickly, and even beat these established brands. 

Here are some powerful tips for gaining credibility within your industry – fast:

Become associated with an established brand

If you want to quickly gain credibility within your chosen market, then you are going to have to think outside of the box. One example of this is to get a leg up by becoming associated with an established brand with existing credibility within your industry. 

For example, if your start-up caters to the manufacturing industry, you might want to become an accredited distributor of conveyors with Fluent Conveyors. 

By becoming associated with an existing brand and offering their products for sale, you can solve two problems at once. 

Firstly, the brand tie-up will make you appear trustworthy, with the credibility of your partner being transferred onto your brand. 

Secondly, you will instantly have ready-to-go products to sell, which could come in handy if your own products aren’t quite market-ready but you want to establish your brand and gain some initial sales.

Offer high-quality products that break the mold

There is a reason why many successful start-ups are called disruptors. To gain quick credibility within an industry, you need to break the mold.

This could mean your product offers something completely different from the existing competition, or that you market your brand in an exciting way.

It doesn’t matter how you break the mold, only that you offer something both desirable and with a novelty value that is intriguing enough to tempt customers away from more established competitors. 

Don’t try and gain a quick edge by undercutting everyone else

A common mistake to avoid is simply to offer an almost identical product to an existing company at a lower price. While this may work in the short term, you will constantly be engaged in a race to the bottom, your only credibility based on your price point rather than the quality of your products and service.

This approach is not a credible long-term strategy. Instead, work to find a sustainable edge that you can work into a coherent brand image your customers will desire.

An intriguing USP is ultimately one of the best ways to quickly build rock solid credibility within your industry.

Lead by example and don’t be afraid to stand out

Another way to gain rapid credibility is to assume an instant leadership role within your market. Position yourself as a voice of authority by commenting on industry news, offering advice to your customers and not being afraid to speak your mind.

You can do this by starting a blog, featuring on podcasts, starting a YouTube channel or building a strong social media following. These platforms offer you the potential to become a ‘mini celebrity’ within your industry and establish genuine credibility in a relatively short space of time.