Assuming you have already come up with a great idea for a business it’s likely you just can’t wait to get started; but don’t rush into anything just yet.
Before you introduce your new business to the world, there are a few steps you need to take before the big launch.
Preparation is key to making sure you come across as a credible and professional business so it’s important to give every area careful consideration.
To make life a little easier, here are 10 points you need to consider before going live with your brand-new business.
Market research
You might have huge faith that your business is going to perform well, but before putting a lot of time, energy, and cash into it, it is sensible to analyze the market.
Business name
You’ve had the great idea, now you need a great name to match. You will need to check it hasn’t already been trademarked by someone else, otherwise you might find yourself in trouble and at the very least you may end up having to rebrand your entire business.
Business plan
This may sound seriously dull, but making sure you have properly mapped out what your business is and where you plan to take it is vitally important, so take your time over the business plan.
Logo and brand identity
You’ll want a unique logo and a brand identity that represents what your business does and your business ethos.
Seek legal advice
Make sure your business is protected by hiring the services of a trademark attorney such as Hankin Patent Law, who have lots of information about protecting your patent and intellectual property on their website.
Website
Now you have a business idea, plan, and branding in place (and you have it all protected from plagiarism) you can now set to work building your very own website.
Social media channels
Think about which social media platform will serve you the best (your market research should come in handy here) and set up those channels, ensuring you maintain your brand’s “voice” and identity across each one.
Get your finances in order
Make sure you are ready to start recording your business’s incomings and outgoings right away and set up a separate business bank account, too.
Get insured
Make sure you are covered for every eventuality by taking out the proper insurance for your type of business.
Create a marketing strategy
Before you start throwing money at advertising, make sure you have drawn up a well-thought-out marketing strategy beforehand. Once again, your market research can save you a lot of wasted time and money in this area.
Most of this is just not going to seem as exciting as your business idea and your enthusiasm to get it off the ground; however, getting all of these elements in place before you start shouting about what your business has to offer will avoid some nasty pitfalls, and will offer your potential customers the best possible first impression of what you have to offer.
