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While many may associate the startup with new and exciting ideas and the limitless potential to grow your business how you want, not all of your customers are going to see it that way. The simple fact is that most people are used to seeing startups come and go without making much of a dent in the market. If you want staying power, then your first step should be to convince your audience that you already have it.

Here are a few examples of strategies that you can use to shake off the look of a brand new startup, to develop a bit more of an established brand, and win your customers over without any stigma.

Don’t call yourself the boss

There is a little pride that can come as introducing yourself as the boss, owner, and main driving force of a business, especially if it’s starting to pick up some. However, if a potential client gets in touch with your business for an appointment, and you introduce yourself as the owner, one of the first thoughts going through their mind is likely to be “that sounds like a small company.” When you’re printing your business cards, consider using other titles to refer to yourself, at least until you have a larger team.

Invest in professional branding

There are some businesses that have websites that simply scream “new to the business.” Poorly formatted content, generic images, little visual and color cohesion, and bad navigation tools are all clear indicators that a website has been launched as soon as it’s running. You can invest in hiring a professional website designer, or you can use one of the great drag and drop website builders on the internet, saving your money to invest in having brand new visual assets created just for your business. Give your brand a little shine and it won’t look quite so brand new.

Have a better address

Many startups these days are being run from home or from co-working offices. While these spaces may suit your needs just fine, they may not inspire confidence from clients who would prefer to work with more established companies. It’s an unfortunate stigma but it’s one that exists so we have to address it. One of the best ways to do so is to use a virtual company address for your home business. You can make it seem like your company is positioning in a more traditionally professional environment, while still making sure that you’re able to receive your mail and keep in contact with clients.

Meet outside the office

If you need to meet clients face-to-face, then it might be a better idea to travel (as safely as you can) to meet them somewhere else instead of at your office. If your office is your home, you might not exactly be comfortable with letting any stranger inside (and with good reason.) Furthermore, taking the time to go out and meet them at a place that’s more convenient for them is a good way to show that you’re taking their needs seriously and willing to take the extra step for their convenience.

Build some presence

What makes a brand look bigger than it really is? The community that grows around it. There are a bunch of ways to grow your community online and social media is the perfect place to do just that. You can work with a social media manager to help organically keep in touch with customers, fostering good relationships so that they are more likely to boost your signal when the time comes. However, you can also take a little bit of a shortcut with influencer marketing, tapping into the existing platform of someone who might have more reach, or at least a different reach, for you to your own benefit.

Create a help desk

When someone comes onto your website, you can immediately make it seem like your business is thriving and ready to help by having a live chat support window open up to help them. However, aside from outsourcing to others, you can also use an AI-driven chatbot to field any questions that might come through. The illusion doesn’t last very long for those who genuinely need help, but it sustains itself well enough for those who simply take note of the window before using the site unaided.

Of course, while the above tips can help you win your customers over, you’re only going to keep them and capitalize on them if you can provide the products and services you offer with quality and care.