If you have thought about How to Start a Business, then keep reading. In order to be successful in your business you are going to need a plan similar to the following. Don’t forget, the plan would also need execution and hard work on your part. Many people put a business plan together and when it comes to execution they experience paralysis by analysis. Don’t be that person. The perfect plan would include research, name search, marketing plan, branding, website design, search marketing, social media marketing and finally a mobile app.
Research
The first part of starting any business is performing the research, learning the industry and keeping up with industry news. If you want to start a business in any industry it is important for you to be knowledgeable about the subject, especially in today’s connected world where you need an online presence and marketing to be able to thrive. You have to be careful about the image you put out there. Don’t make promises you can’t deliver. Do your research and know exactly what your strengths are and what you can offer the customer, then formulate your business around the research performed.
Name Search
The name of a business is usually the first thing people see, whether online, on your business card or at your physical location (if you have one). If you are searching for a name you have to make sure the name you pick is intriguing, unique and somewhat relevant to the business you are doing. Make sure you also follow the proper process of filing your business name with the proper government agencies. For example, if you are filing a DBA or articles of incorporation there are certain requirements and paperwork that needs to be filed with the secretary of state (is US) and you would also need a tax ID number that is connected to the DBA or the Corporation. You might want to consult an attorney for this because the paperwork can get confusing if you are filing for the first time. It is a good idea to pay a little extra and be safe. Also, make sure if you are going to have a website you consult a web development company to make sure the domain name is available.
Marketing and Branding
After you have done all of the above and your business is up and ready, it would be a good time to think about how you would market your business to potential clients. How are you going to brand your product and market it? How are you going to find your customers? In order to brand your product or service the right way you are going to need to do a lot of market research. You have to get to know your customers and ask them a lot of questions to understand what makes them tick. The better you understand your current customers the better you will be able to build a brand with your target audience in mind. As your customer base builds up you will start to notice similarities and patterns that will help you in developing your brand and marketing your product or service.
Website Design
In order to create an online presence and show up online when someone is searching for your business you will definitely need a well-designed website. You can build a cheap website from a template that is going to be limited in functionality or you can build a custom website that has the ability to perform all the functions you need, is unique in design and has a professional look. This depends on your budget and how much you want to spend on a website. The choice is yours, but choose wisely. Having a custom website isn’t cheap, but it is well worth the price if you hire the right firm.
Search Marketing
Web design and Search Marketing go together hand in hand. After all, a website on its own wouldn’t serve its purpose if it is not showing up on search engines when people are searching for it? Search Marketing is very important because it is the part that shows you results and gets you in front of your audience. This is an ongoing effort and as time passes you keep building up momentum. Search marketing should be treated as a long term strategy. It doesn’t work for the short term. Usually, it takes time for a newly launched website to show up at the top of the search results. If your industry is highly competitive, then that time frame will be longer and your need a larger budget to scale that search results page for that competitive keyword. The best mix of Search marketing would be to perform on page Search Engine Optimization and Pay per Click advertising to get your name out there.
Social Media Marketing
Another great form of advertising is Social Media Marketing. You can find, build, and grow your audience, and keep your current fans up to date on news and developments in your business by sharing information on different social media platforms. You would need to tailor your social media marketing strategy to your target demographics. This means you have to figure out what social media platforms your audience uses most and concentrate most of your effort on those platforms.
Mobile App
A Mobile App can give you the ultimate edge as far as technology is concerned. A mobile app puts your business a finger tap away from your customer. You can send them messages about promotions and share news with them directly through the app. If this doesn’t make you go wow, then I don’t know what else will. This is a great tool for you to connect and share news about your business with your customers.
The best marketing plan for your Startup Business would contain a perfect mix of all the above elements, but if you are on a strict budget, you can forego the mobile app and only stick with branding, marketing, website design, search marketing and social media marketing. That is the minimum you have to do in order to get results and start growing your business.
Here at Neolynx we have a talented team and we know exactly how to get you to your destination. , so we can get started.