Plain and simply you NEVER raise money . . .

. . .  but you SELL something:

1. you sell shares in your company (e.g.: Angels, VCs);
2. you sell portion of your company’s future cash flow (e,g,: loans, bank);
3. you sell seats on the board (usually an accessory top a.);
4. you sell control: in a VC deal, often the first 49% of a company is free, it’s the additional 2% that’s very expensive.

Therefore raising money is a selling activity, a selling process that encompasses institutional branding, institutional marketing its own collateral (e.g.: business plan), and its own selling experience.

Of course if you believe that things are no longer sold, but they are bought:  what are you doing today to stimulate the purchase of what you are selling, either your goods or services, your shares or both?

Try to approach the raising money process as a selling process, sell, sell, sell, sell in everything you do:  will interested investor call your support line?  Will they place an order with you?

Q.: Where does the selling/branding stop and where does it begin?
A.: NEVER!  It never stops!  From the way you answer the phone, to whether you answer the phone (Amazon.com does not have a phone #, but you can have Amazon.com customer service call you), Zappos uses white boxes highly distinguishable if you see someone walking carrying one, in Rome (Italy) there’s a restaurant called “LA PAROLACCIA” where the wait staff is rude, and calls customers names ON PURPOSE, and customers do the same.  Do not go there alone or on a date!  Calling their customers dorks and a-holes is their brand!

Suggested reading:  SELLING IS DEAD