Maybe it’s a desire to leave your current job or maybe you just need a little extra cash but more and more people have been expressing the same sentiments: “I want to open my own business”.

 

It’s my belief that most persons live the dream life…….and why not? After all, you deserve everything that is good in your life and having a business help you create the reality you see so perfectly when you close your eyes at night.

 

I personally commend anyone who takes that leap, and heading into a new year, is the perfect time to plan out this new venture

 

But how do you even start?

 

I’m sure you have a few ideas but here are some very important questions you must ask yourself before you jump in

 

QUESTION 1: What am I good at?

This is a great place to start ‘cause if you love what you do, it won’t feel like work at all. Ask yourself what can you do better than anyone else or ask your friends and family. They will let you know. Maybe you have a way with words or you can bake a cake like nobody’s business. Take a long, hard look and see what makes you stand out.

 

QUESTION 2: What do I want to be known for?

Hmmm…this one might have you stumped. When people talk about you and what you do, what would you like them to say? Think about what you want to offer and think about how you want others to feel while doing work with you and, if they were to recommend you what they would say about you and your business

 

QUESTION 3: Who do I want to work with?

Would you like to work with children or the elderly? Would you prefer to cater to women? Think about your ideal customer based on what you would like to offer and decide where you can find them. Do you need to take a direct approach or will you use social media to connect? Once you know who your people are, you will have an idea on how to reach them.

 

QUESTION 4: How much capital do I need?

This is important because you need money to make money. Think about your overhead costs and any inventory you need and decide how much you will need to save up. Also get creative and look for ways you can make some quick cash to invest in the business. Maybe you can have a garage sale or have a bake sale, think of ways to have a quick turn over.

 

QUESTION 5: How do I go about pricing my products or services?

Simple response to this question is to ask. Ask the persons who you want to cater to what is fair or look at your competition and see what the average cost would be for a similar service. Also take into consideration the time, money and energy you put into creating the product. It will take you a while to find your sweet spot but at least following this will give you a starting point

 

QUESTION 6: How do I get people to know about the business?

Well, just get out there. Remember what I said at number 3? Once you know who you want to serve you will have an idea as to where to find them. Even with a limited budget, there are creative ways you can adopt to connect with your customers. Whether in reality or virtually, you need to create relationships and get people to know how you can help them and that simply starts from having a conversation with your customers.

 

There you have it, short and sweet.

So are you ready to take that leap of faith in 2018? You know your friendly neighborhood marketer has got you so feel free to comment below if you need any help getting yourself off the ground.

 

Plus for additional support join my private Facebook group The New SMS: Strategic Marketing Specialists for all the free training and advice that you can handle.

Talk soon