Practical Sales Training™ > How to connect with your buyer > The Founder Effect
What is it?
The Founder Effect is all about using the person / people behind your company in your messaging.
Why does it work?
It works because it adds personality to your brand and makes you much more relatable as a company. Selling is all about good communication and finding a connection point, so having a founder humanises your brand and allows potential buyers to feel connected.
How can you use it?
Depending on your offering and if you have a founder who is willing to be in the limelight, consider showcasing them on your website and in your messaging. Ideally a video presence such as a Youtube channel or back story video can help potential buyers to feel more connected and get a feel for the founder and the business.
As an alternative, you can use personification to create a fictional character or mascot that can have a similar effect.
Example
Ben & Jerry’s ice cream makes great use of The Founder Effect. Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are prominently featured in the brand’s origin story, advertising, and packaging. Their quirky personalities, social values, and backstory of starting in a renovated gas station in Vermont humanize the brand and create a strong emotional connection with customers.
This founder visibility gives the brand character, trust, and a “face,” which makes buyers feel like they’re supporting real people – not just a corporate entity.
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