Do You Have What It Takes to Create a Small Business?

You find yourself mulling over an idea in the back of your mind, writing ideas down on paper, and pretty soon, it’s all you can think about. A business idea has sparked your interest and you know it would be a successful venture. But do you have the gumption and dedication to see it through? There are several things you should be considering during the first bloom of your idea if you want to launch your business off the ground. 

#1 What Is Your Business Plan

A small business owner should always have a business plan mapped out in order to have a shot at making a good impression among potential customers. What are the goals of your business? What do you want to achieve most? Where do you see your business in one, five, ten, even fifteen years? It’s important to answer these kinds of questions so that you have a firm foundation to build your business. You always want to have a clear direction so as not to confuse your customers about what you are offering. 

#2 Do You Have a Website?

An online presence is key nowadays. It’s just not enough to have a brick and mortar presence anymore. Many people choose to do all their shopping online and you need to be prepared. First things first, hire a website designer to create your site. But before you go in all guns blazing, remember to do your homework first. In our last blog article, we talked about this very topic. Research each designer and visit their website to see the kind of work they have completed. Ask for samples to look at and talk price upfront. No need to get sticker shock later on. If the design aspect is going to be your weak spot, you definitely want a professional on your side to guide you through color and font choices, page layout, functionality, etc. 

#3 Be Mobile

Once you get your website layout nailed down, make sure you include a mobile site. We don’t all have time to sit at a desktop and research these days. Most of the time, people are looking up information on their phone as they go about their busy lives. Your mobile site should be streamlined and extremely easy to use. And don’t forget to use large, simple buttons for easy clickablity. Remember, not all fingers are created equal. And make sure your font is easy to read on a smaller screen. 

#4 Market, Market, Market

Once your business is up and running, you need to think about your marketing strategy. How will you reach your target audience? Think about using email blasts to alert customers of upcoming sales and promotions, even freebies. Always ask your customers for reviews - this is a great way to get free marketing. And go social! Set up your social media pages in order to interact with your customers. This is a great way to build brand and trustworthiness. 

#5 Be personable

Probably the most important piece of advice we can impart upon you is to be personable. Be a friendly face to your customers and be willing to do what it takes to have every customer leave satisfied. For those who leave dissatisfied reviews and comments, reach out and rectify the situation. This goes a long way toward a wonderful customer service image. Try as hard as you can to respond to customer comments on social media, show you are a problem solver to the customers who are not happy, greet new customers with special promotions, etc. Every time you do one of these small tasks, you are building your brand as truly successful and your customers will know they can count on you for top notch service. 

#6 Don’t Be a Coaster

When you have all your ducks in a row and business starts flowing, don’t relax. There is always something that needs to be fixed or updated. You should keep a close eye on your website and make sure that your pages are working properly, loading quickly, and your content is always fresh. Always keep one finger on what is and isn’t working for your business. When you find an outlet that simply isn’t working for you and not helping bring in conversions and more traffic, fix the problem. Your marketing strategies will need constant upkeep in order to drive customers to your business and as you grow, so will your business plan. Maybe you wanted your business to go in one direction, but it’s going the opposite. Address this new path and see how it will work for you. Continually tweaking and creating new ideas will keep you out of the ruts and on the smooth path to success.