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Maybe your friends have told you for years that you bake the best cupcakes, or perhaps you’ve always had a knack for handyman jobs. No matter the industry, starting a small business can be both exhilarating and intimidating. Incorporating these four tips from StateYourFunding can help you navigate starting a successful company in your local community.
1. Create a Checklist
While it may sound simple, making a checklist of essential tasks can keep you organized and on track as you bring your business from concept to reality. Important steps include outlining a business structure, registering for an employer identification number, and researching the market, budgets, and product costs.
Another item on your checklist should be creating a logo, an important part of your marketing and branding strategies. Your logo will appear on everything from social media to business cards and letterhead, so think through how you can best graphically describe your messaging. Adobe is a great help here, in terms of creative inspiration and a free online logo maker, so take advantage of the thousands of professional designs and logo templates that you can use to customize your own look and feel.
2. Connect With Local Business Owners
A company can provide a number of benefits to its local community, such as creating jobs, expanding the town’s revenue and developing the city’s character and reputation. However, growing your business enough to reach this point can seem daunting when starting out. Having a mentor by your side who has gone through the process already can be extremely helpful when it comes to making important decisions.
Connect with established business owners in your community. Invite them to coffee or lunch and pick their brains about strategic business choices and any professional questions you have. If you are unsure of where to start, sign up for your local chamber of commerce; doing so provides fantastic networking opportunities with other business people in the area. Plus, one report cited in The Work At Home Woman states your business’s reputation can increase by 57% simply by joining.
Additionally, connecting with other businessmen and businesswomen provides another vehicle for selling your products. By developing a professional relationship with local shop owners, you may be able to form a partnership where they sell your products in their stores, potentially increasing your revenue.
3. Market at Community Events
Town events such as farmer’s markets, fairs, craft shows and festivals are all great opportunities for you to engage with the community and market your goods. If you are still finalizing your product line, this is also an excellent chance to see which items consumers are most interested in. Plus, even if people do not make a purchase right away, it increases awareness of your brand.
To stand out from other vendors, think outside the box. For example, to attract potential customers or clients, set up a “gaming station” that features video games. As the gaming industry continues to surge, digital marketing experts like those at Modern Professional comment: “With gamers spending hours per day immersed in the gaming world, there is a tremendous opportunity for brands to engage with players in these digital spaces.” A simple arrangement for the station will suffice, including comfortable chairs, a computer monitor or two, the gaming console of course, and quality gaming headsets.
4. Invest in Online Resources
Online tools are a vital part of most businesses. One thing nearly every company needs is a payroll system. Without one, it can be difficult to track your expenses, revenue, taxes, and other financial transactions. Research payroll programs to find one that meets your company’s needs.
Make sure you also create an eye-catching and easy-to-navigate website. With so many consumers turning to online resources for their needs, you cannot afford to skip this step. If you are not technologically savvy, utilize a website builder that simplifies the process.
Having a great website is largely useless if potential customers or clients don’t know you’re online. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes into play. Utilizing a smart SEO strategy results in higher rankings every time someone searches for anything related to your products and offerings. It’s worth it to outsource local SEO services to help you set this up and manage it on an ongoing basis.
Also, look into online educational resources. Going back to school and taking classes online that lead to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business will not only build your skillset — your credibility as a business professional gets a boost as well. Completing classes and tests online allows you to continue working on your enterprise without attending in person. And it’s very affordable these days.
Having a plan helps the process of transitioning into a business owner go as smoothly as possible. By utilizing these strategies, you can avoid a lot of the bumps and roadblocks that occur when starting a business.
Whether you need some personal cash to deal with unexpected expenses, consolidate your debt, or just to make your dreams a reality, StateYourFunding aims to empower you and help you take control of your finances. Get in touch today for more information! (631)-485-4149
Gloria Martinez
Gloria Martinez loves sharing her business expertise and hopes to inspire other women to start their own businesses and seek promotions in the workplace. She created WomenLed.org to spotlight and celebrate women’s achievements.
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