So, you’re seriously considering setting up your dream online business? I am SO excited for you! You’re about to discover the power of the internet and how amazing it is at support small business owners and entrepreneurs to thrive. Starting my own business was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’m not going to say it’ll all be plain sailing from here on in, but it’s a wonderful rollercoaster ride. And boy are those highs up there.

To give you a helping hand, I’m running through my top 5 steps I recommend to getting your business set up for success.

If you’re looking for the full steps I suggest to take your business from idea to launch, sign up today to download my 14 Step Small Business Starter Checklist.

1. GEt to know the Market

It might not be the most glamorous of tasks. But researching your market is one of the most underrated and most important steps in getting your business off the ground.

Now, let’s just imagine you skip this first step. It sounds boring and time consuming, right? You plough on, figuring out your audience, getting a brand in place. Your website goes live and you’re marketing yourself. But something isn’t right. Your whole business has been built on assumptions rather than facts and the result? Customers and clients don’t come knocking. It’s all a bit of a flop and you’re wondering where you went wrong. Well, chances are it’s because you were missing some key information that you would have unlocked when researching the market.

Whenever I’ve conducted market research, I’ve ALWAYS discovered something that changes how my product or service is shaped. Maybe the idea is shelved completely, perhaps it’s tweaked to suit the audience, or maybe the audience is changed to match what I am selling. Whatever it is, it’s always moulded by what I find out.

So, when launching a business, product or service, step 1 is always market research. I encourage you to get out there and speak to your market. Whether it’s through informal chats over a cuppa or a more structured survey, I promise you this is worthwhile. Each step is going to build on this information so let’s make sure we get the foundations right.

2. Figure out your why + what makes you different

Answer me this: why do you want to set up your business?

If your answer is ‘money’, then I’m going to be real with you. And this comes from a place of love, trust me. But using money as your driving force probably isn’t going to lead to success. You see, when the tough gets going (and it always does), you’re going to need more oomph behind you to put one foot in front of the other. On those days when things aren’t rosy, you will need this strong core, this ‘why’, to drive you forward.

When you root your business in something meaningful, you’re infinitely more likely to succeed in business. This is what will set you apart from your competitors and draws in sales.

What do I mean by meaningful?

• What makes you come alive?

• What are you bloody brilliant at?

• Where do you add the most incredible value?

• What do you want to achieve on a big scale?

3. Define your dream customer

You’ve researched your field and you know what drives you and your business. So, let’s bring to two together and figure out exactly who you’re going to sell to.

Knowing who your customers is another SUPER important step in setting up your own business. It’s the driving force behind the nitty gritty of your brand, sales and marketing. It’s going to be the bread and butter of your business, no pressure!

“If you market to everyone, you market to no one.” Wise, wise words.

When you try to attract everyone in, you’re missing out on being able to truly connect with a person on a human level. People buy with feeling and emotions. Without that deep connection, you’re going to need real-life magic to conjure up a sale.

So, get as specific as possible. Imagine one single person and you’re going to find producing your brand and marketing a whole lot easier. Give them a name, a picture and flesh out their day-to-day routine. This persona is going to be used a lot in the next two steps, so make sure not to scrimp!

4. Get branding

Now, this is a bigger task than DIY-ing your logo with a glass on wine in hand one Tuesday evening.

Branding is SO much more than a logo. Your brand is actually how your business is perceived by others. To influence this as much as possible, we create a brand identity and brand design to match.

A brand includes, but it definitely not limited to:

Identity:

• Market research✅

• Your ‘why’ ✅

• Your customer persona ✅

• Your brand values

Visuals:

• A logo suite

• A colour palette and font selection

• Killer website

• Packaging

Whether you hire someone to create your Brand and Website or create it yourself, I highly recommend investing into this part of your business. When you move onto your marketing in the next step, you’ll need a strong brand that is recognisable. This will help to quickly build a know, like and trust factor which is vital in building and converting and audience.

You might like: My Website and Branding Services for Small Businesses

5. Market yourself

So, everything is in place ready to sell. But where are you going to reach your audience?

Your audience loves to hang out in certain places online and in the real world. So let’s find them…

And because we know exactly who our audience is, this step is instantly made 100x more accurate and easy. Where do they spend their time online? They could enjoy digging into blog posts with a warm cuppa on a Sunday morning. Or perhaps they’re scrolling through Instagram on that hashtag in your niche. Maybe they’re listening to podcasts on their morning commute?

Find a way to reach your audience then them provide them with useful and insightful information.

TOP TIP: Use a platform like MailChimp to collect email addresses from your audience.

+ My 14 step guide to starting a small business

If you’re after a simple and easy-to-use checklist to keep you accountable when starting your small business, you my friend, are in the right place. I’ve condensed the process down to 14 essential steps.

Sign up today to download my 14 Step Small Business Starter Checklist.