Part 3 of The Founder’s Guide to Understanding Marketing (Jump back to Part 1 or Part 2)
LinkedIn posts disappear. Algorithms change. But presence compounds.
Every post, event, and conversation is a tiny signal in a noisy funnel — a touch that might fade from the feed but still leaves an impression.
That’s the core belief behind the Presence Builder Mindset: awareness isn’t vanity. It’s the trust that makes leads easier to close later.
Some founders naturally get this. They invest in visibility and reputation because they know familiarity shortens the next sales cycle. They believe in showing the work: being transparent, human, and consistent. They don’t chase virality; they build credibility.
The Presence Builder founder knows that people buy from people they trust. They see marketing as connection before conversion. They understand that brand isn’t fluff. It’s friction reduction.
When you show up consistently, through social, events, or even thoughtful founder posts, you build mental availability. You become the familiar name when timing aligns or a problem resurfaces.
That’s not theory. That’s how presence works.
I’ve seen it firsthand. In one go-to-market motion I led, the most effective lever wasn’t digital at all — it was showing up. Industry events became trust accelerators: places to listen, validate our story, and build credibility in real time.
We didn’t go to every conference; we picked the ones that aligned to the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). We brought customers into the booth, scoped competitors, submitted speaking sessions early, and led with value.
That wasn’t about scanning badges. It was about collecting insights.
Presence warms your market before the first email or call. It makes outbound easier, accelerates pipeline, and even strengthens recruiting.
Brand-led awareness doesn’t create instant ROI, but it does create momentum. It’s what turns cold outreach into, “Oh, I’ve heard of you.”
Social works the same way. Each post is another breadcrumb, another quiet reminder that you’re here and paying attention. Over time, those small signals stack, and they stack faster when your message and ICP are clear.
Even Kyle Poyar’s Growth Unhinged report shows the same trend: sub-$10M ARR companies are leaning into founder brands, LinkedIn, and small in-person events.
It’s not noise. It’s signal. And it works because it’s personal, credible, and specific. Presence is what builds trust at eye level.
Visibility for visibility’s sake isn’t strategy — it’s drift.
Awareness is a powerful instinct, it always needs direction. When your story, ICP, and positioning are clear, presence amplifies your marketing instead of scattering it.
If you’re a founder who thrives on connection, marketers love working with you.
You bring authenticity; they bring focus.
A good marketer can help you:
Messaging works the same way. When your positioning is intentional, your story sticks — with customers, partners, even competitors. Your presence should reinforce what you want to be known for.
That’s where a fractional marketer adds lift — helping presence scale without losing authenticity. And like any growth motion, it starts with experimentation. Test small. Learn fast. Then double down where visibility earns the most trust. (Or as the saying goes: shoot bullets, then cannonballs.)
You’re right to believe in awareness. It’s why presence compounds even as platforms evolve.
Because while algorithms shift and posts scroll away, people remember how you made them feel, what you stood for, and what you helped them understand.
Presence isn’t about being seen. It’s about being remembered.
If you missed the last post, it unpacked why “more leads” isn’t always the answer, and how alignment, not volume, drives real traction. You can read it here.
Presence Builders excel at connection. You show up, build credibility, and spark momentum, but at some point, you start to feel the stretch. That’s where the Trusting Founder comes in. The one who knows it’s time to channel all that energy into a repeatable marketing system. Someone who values clarity over control and recognizes that great partners don’t take the pen. They sharpen the story. Read it here.
Because every founder deserves a compass, not a weather vane.
From positioning and messaging to go-to-market planning and voice-of-customer strategy, I help early-stage teams connect with buyers, stand out in-market, and move faster with confidence.