JT Foxx

Sorry to burst your bubble, but nobody really cares about your deal.

If you’re sending out a huge long-winded prospectus to people like me, you’re making a big mistake. All you’re doing is wasting your time and killing trees.

But I’ll let you in on a little secret. I used to do the exact same thing, until I realized nobody ever gave me any money.

Then it hit me … People don’t invest in you because you have the best product or service, they invest with you because they like you. Yes, you are more important than your product.

Sure, there may be trillions of dollars in cash sitting on the sidelines right now, but in this post-Bernie Madoff era, people are naturally suspicious. So they’re certainly not going to part with that cash to fund your deal or business unless they have confidence in you.

With that in mind, here are 5 tips for raising capital in today’s market:

1) Dress to impress: You never get a second chance at making at first impression. With people on the lookout for reasons not to do business with you, believe me, they’re going to notice the quality of your suit, whether your shoes are polished, or whether you printed your business cards yourself.

Anyone who says any different is just plain ignorant. Even Steve Jobs had to wear a suit in the early days when he was raising money to fund Apple.

2) Pay attention to your branding: Effective branding is a must for investors who are looking to raise capital. Does Google know who you are? What does your website look like? Do you have pictures of yourself surrounded by successful people on your site?

Your branding speaks volumes, and it’s what assures wealthy investors that you’re not some fly-by-night operator.

3) Know your numbers and be conservative: The worst mistake you can make it is to try and make a deal look better than it really is. Believe me, you’ll be called out on it. Investors are always looking to poke holes in your strategy. If they think you’re misrepresenting something, they’ll run for the hills.

However, if you show