Entrepreneurship presents unique difficulties that the 9-5 working crowd may never truly comprehend, sometimes even before the business is up and running. One of the challenges entrepreneurs face before starting a business is knowing the right moment to plug in the proverbial “open” sign and start welcoming customers.
Some business owners prefer to wait until everything appears perfect before launching, while others like to hit the ground running, whether or not the details are addressed. The best approach probably lies somewhere in between the two extremes, though if you’re waiting for perfection, you might never launch.
Here are some ideas to help you assess whether you are ready to rock.
Are the Legalities Done?
The most important thing you can ask yourself before launching your business is if it is legal to do so. Otherwise, it doesn’t matter how great your potential for success if you start your journey with a lawsuit.
Make sure all the required local registration paperwork and business name details are approved and documented. Make sure you are meeting at least the bare necessities in the various insurance requirements that may apply to your business. You can launch if your office space isn’t organized, or you haven’t figured out your social media marketing strategy, but you cannot launch if it risks your personal and professional well-being.
Do You Have Goals and Direction?
Don’t launch your business if you haven’t already determined where you want it to go. Many launch a business with a vague, generalized plan and dreams of fame and fortune. Before you launch, take a realistic approach to your long-term and short-term business goals. Where do you want your business to be in five years? What do you have to do to get there?
Once you have goals, work backward and form a plan. Create small goals for the launch period, about when you’ll get your first customer, revenue in the first quarter, etc. You may find as you work through these goals that you need to change some things before launching to be able to accomplish them.
Do You Have an Internet Presence?
While you do not have to have your social media marketing strategy figured out before you launch, you do have to have social media. In fact, as soon as you have a registered business name and logo, you should go ahead and reserve your business name on the various social media accounts. You may pick and choose which ones work best for you later, but reserving them now ensures no one else takes the names later.
When it comes to branding, your potential customers have to know you to trust you. This trust is what encourages them to purchase from you. Businesses with strong levels of customer trust are the ones who people return to, even if they have a problem with a product. That’s because they know it will be dealt with effectively.
If you aren’t at least present on social media or the internet, people will question your authenticity. Sometimes it is simply a matter of convenience. If an interested party can’t find you online, they may click on the next best thing and take their business elsewhere.
Are You Ready?
Take a moment and forget the numbers, the legalities, and the preparation leading up to this moment. Listen to yourself. Are you ready for this? Is there anything else that needs to happen for you to feel ready?
Take a mindful approach and address any self-doubt you are experiencing. Use the tools at your disposal to be as mentally prepared as possible. UniTel Voice has a blog called Startup Stockpile that is full of startup tools and resources for entrepreneurs. Check out their invaluable information, and you’ll feel ready to take on the entrepreneurial world.
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