When you first set your business up things can be really overwhelming and daunting. The whole process of running a business will be new to you and if you haven’t had any previous experience, chances are you’ll be muddling your way through and learning as you go along.
Whilst you can do all the reading, training and courses in the world, nothing can quite prepare you for what it’s like to run your own business.
If you’re a business start-up and you’re struggling to find your start, you’re definitely in the right place as we’re sharing our 10 top tips for business startups:
Make Sure You Know The Basics Of Running Your Own Business
Before you start to run your own business you need to make sure you know all of the basics, from creating a business plan to do doing your taxes at the end of the year. Although there is lots of free information on running a business available online, it may be worth taking a short business course to help when it comes to the more complicated stuff that could affect your business’s legal standing. If you prefer, you could also hire a consultant to help talk you through the very first steps you need to take as a new business owner.
Speak To Successful Business Owners For Advice And Guidance
If you’re still struggling with after a couple of months, don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Whilst it may hinder the progress your business makes, it’s definitely not the be all and end all of your business. Try speaking to anyone that you know that has a successful business, asking them for any help and advice that you may need. Although they may not be able to dedicate much time to help you, they will be able to point you in the right direction.
If you don’t know any successful business owners, social media is a great place to reach out to people for a friendly chat. Most of the time you’ll find they’re more than happy to chat.
Join As Many Facebook Groups For Help And Support As You Can
For those needing support throughout the entire business journey, Facebook groups are incredible when it comes to help and support. There are an infinite amount of Facebook groups for people who have started their own business, so once you’ve found a couple that suit you perfect you can start to interact and ask questions. For some simply being in the group and watching other people’s conversations is enough, but to get the most return out of the group you should ask questions and help contribute.
If you’re struggling to find Facebook groups try searching for a couple of different keywords relating to your industry, or ask in the more general groups that covering entrepreneurship and business ownership.
Consider Outsourcing The Work You Can’t Do
If you find that you’re struggling to do certain tasks that will really help improve your business, it’s much better to outsource them than it is to try and learn how to do them yourself. Whether it’s setting up your website, running social media or finding a graphic designer – it’s much easier to outsource the work to someone else than it is to spend both time as money how to do it. You’ll save valuable time and have an expert to help you along the way. For tips and tricks when it comes to outsourcing someone, you can view this handy guide here.
Make Sure You Have Consistent Branding That Matches Your Brand
Something new businesses often forget to do within their first few months is set what their branding is going to be. Whilst it may not be the first thing in your mind it’s something that should be considered vital, as it’s how people will start to recognize your brand. If your logo is changing every week and your brand isn’t consistent across all platforms, new customers will start to doubt your credibility. If customers are doubting you legitimacy within the first few weeks, you’re going to find it hard to find customers that will stay loyal. For more information on how to brand yourself, you can visit this site here.
Focus On Social Media To Help Build An Initial Following
Social media is an incredible tool for new businesses as it allows you to build an audience that will follow you throughout your entire business journey. Whilst for some it’s the last thing on their mind, those that put the time and the effort into growing their social media platforms really see a return.
If you feel overwhelmed by the number of platforms that you can sign up to, it may be worth choosing one or two that you want to champion. Whether it’s Facebook and Instagram, Instagram and Twitter or Twitter and LinkedIn – you only have to do as much as you’re comfortable with. For hints and tricks on setting up a social media strategy, you can visit this handy guide here.
Learn The Basics Of SEO Early On In The Game
Search Engine optimization always seems like a scary thing to new business owners, but once you’ve got the hang of it it’s an incredibly useful strategy to practice as a business.
To put it simply, search engine optimization allows you to make changes to your website that will help encourage Google to rank you higher up in search results. If you want to increase your sales through organic traffic, this is the best way to do it. Whilst it’s difficult to get the hang of to start, the results it can show are well worth the time.
Again, this is something that you can outsource to a professional or expert of you don’t have the time.
Make Sure You Have A Website That Is Well Designed And Easy To Use
Having a website that your customers can easily use and is pleasing to look at, should be the first thing you prioritize when setting up your business. Whilst you may get recommendations through word of mouth when it first comes to new customers, they’ll want to do their own research to decide whether or not you’re the right fit for them. The best way for them to allow them to do this is to create a website that has absolutely everything they need to know – including contact details, pricing and whether or not you have any reviews.
Consider Working With A PR To Help Increase Your Visibility
If you’re looking to increase your visibility as a new business then you may want to consider hiring a PR to help you. They will be able to advise you of the best possible ways to gain coverage when it comes to both traditional media and digital media, helping you achieve exactly what it is from your brand. Although it’s an expensive route to take, it’s definitely worth considering.
Remember, The First Year Will Be The Hardest And You Need To Ensure You Have Enough Money To Stay Afloat
When you first start your own business it can be tempting to go in blind, without any savings behind you. Whilst it may be possible for some, people forget that the hardest part of owning a business will be the first year. Try to have at least 6 months salary saved up to help you out of any complications or dry months – you’ll be thanking yourself later.
Are you a business start-up looking for guidance? What do you need help with? Let us know in the comments section below.
