Facing failure is inevitable on any path to success. Although a setback can be discouraging, try not to let it zap your confidence — this is the perfect opportunity to start up a business of your own! Thanks to modern technology, it’s easier now than ever for anyone to start their own business on any budget; all it takes is hard work, persistence, and a little know-how. Here are some things to keep in mind as you get ready to launch a successful business of your own.
Build a Great Website
Any business — from ecommerce to home-based consulting — needs a website. Even if you’re not going to sell anything online, a website will help you reach new customers and encourage them to return. Ensure your website is organized and easy to navigate; a whopping 38 percent of people will leave a website if the layout is unattractive! So, hire a professional web designer or build your own site using a reputable site-building tool.
You will also need to find an affordable and reliable web hosting service to get your website online and ensure it remains up and running at all times. InMotion Hosting is a popular option, providing a variety of web solutions, including dedicated servers and support for WordPress hosting, to help new businesses get off the ground. With plans starting at just $6.39 per month, it can be an excellent option for entrepreneurs on a limited budget.
Write Engaging and Informative Content
A website is nothing without engaging content. So, try to develop a combination of text, pictures, and video content so you can cater to all of your site’s visitors. Remember, your readers have a short attention span, so put your most important message at the very top of your website; if needed, you can then go into detail further down on your page. Also, keep your sentences short and use plenty of white space to enhance readability!
Learn How to Market Online
Once your engaging and informative website is online, it’s time to start thinking about marketing. According to Forbes, digital marketing is the best budget-friendly way to target a specific group of consumers. Social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing can even be free if you’re willing to create content on your own time. Starting a blog on your website and promoting this on social media platforms is an excellent way to draw in customers. If you want to pay for digital ads, consider hiring a marketing expert. Without the right expertise, it’s easy to spend your dollars on ad campaigns that don’t work.
Get Feedback from Your Audience
Before taking your business too far, get feedback from your customers so you can fine-tune your product and your customer service approach. Send out an email survey to your customers or ask questions on social media. Don’t just ask customers what they like about your product or service; ask them what they’re unhappy about. Additionally, find out what you could do even better by asking your customers for suggestions.
Prioritize Customer Service
As you start to acquire your first few customers, put plenty of time into customer service. Since it’s cheaper to retain customers than it is to acquire new ones, HubSpot recommends focusing your attention on your existing customers. Happy customers are more likely to buy from you again, recommend your products to others, and choose your business over your competitors.
As you start making more sales and dealing with more customers, you may want to hire a customer support team to ensure your customers are well cared-for. If you try to handle all of your customer support inquiries on your own, you’re going to spread yourself thin. Remember that many customers expect replies within one hour!
A career setback is not the end of the world; in fact, it may just be the push you need to finally go after that big idea you’ve had on the back burner all these years. So, get started planning your new business today for a brand new path to a meaningful life.
Written by: Dean Burgess