When you’re buying from a small business, you might think to yourself, “I could do this.” The possibilities for starting your own business are endless. You can choose from niche industries such as eco-conscious products or boutique pet supply stores. Alternatively, you can begin your own clothing and accessory store or coffee shop. As you sit down to make your dream a reality, here are six tips to help you start your small business successfully.
1. Choose a POS System
One of the first questions you may have about starting your business is how to accept credit cards online and in person. The majority of consumers do not use cash to make purchases. In order to accept debit and credit cards, you will need to choose a point of sale (POS) system that can process payments. Any company that processes sales, such as restaurants, clothing stores, and service providers, uses a POS system. There are many options, so you will be able to find something to fit your budget and needs.
2. Research Your Customers
Before you get going, you will want to conduct some level of market research to find out if your product or service has a customer base. If you’re selling exclusively online and shipping across the country, then your customers could be anywhere. That doesn’t mean you can go forward without market research. You may have a great idea for a product or service, but your customers could be interested in different trends. It’s important to research before investing money in raw materials or supplies.
3. Create Your Business Goals
Every new venture should begin with a goal in mind. Maybe you want to grow one percent in the first year, or maybe you want to generate 25 new leads every month. Whatever it may be, you should take time to reflect on where you see your business going one year, five years, and ten years in the future.
Keep your goals SMART, which stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based. Instead of saying you want your business to be successful, decide what success looks like, how you can measure it, whether it’s possible, and how long it will take to get there.
4. Develop a Brand Guide
As you’re preparing to launch your new business, make sure you have a clear vision for your brand. In today’s digital landscape, every business has to have an online presence. Your social media accounts and website will showcase your brand through written content, color schemes, images, videos, and more. From the very beginning, you should have a consistent brand presence, and that means you have to develop a brand guide before you jump online. Brand guides determine things such as fonts, official logos, colors, voice, mission, values, and more.
5. Make an SEO Strategy
When you’re ready to make a splash and announce your business, you should begin following a strategy for search engine optimization. SEO is the way that customers find your business through internet searches. Your website should include natural uses of keywords that apply to your business. To find out about the keywords that you need to use, you will have to research the latest phrases racking up searches on Google. It’s a good idea to repurpose your social media content as blog content on your website while keeping SEO best practices in mind.
6. Get Your Taxes in Order
Be careful not to get too far out of the gate before having your taxes in order. As a new business owner, you have to be mindful of state and federal regulations surrounding taxes and insurance for your company. If you need to, hire a tax accountant to get professional assistance with your finances. It’s better to prepare ahead of time so that you avoid potential fees and fines resulting from incorrect taxes.
There are a lot of steps to consider when you’re starting a small business, but don’t let that deter you from moving forward. You don’t need a degree in business to be your own boss. If you stay organized and keep track of the details, you will be surprised by how easy it is to find your niche and grow a successful enterprise.
