Common Sense Building Blocks to Starting a Small Business

Starting your own small business is both exciting and daunting.  There are so many things to consider that you may get easily overwhelmed.  Here I would like to share a few building blocks to get you on your way. 

Fill your surroundings with positive and supportive people

First and foremost, you must believe in yourself.  During those times when you’ll question yourself, wondering whether you’re doing the right thing, it is your friends and associates that will have a substantial influence over you. Therefore, it is essential to have positive people as your sounding board.  Self-doubt is magnified by negative people. They not only suck up your energy, but they undermine your ambitions.  Advice, when sought, should come from people with a positive outlook and demeanor.

It is also vitally important to seek out people who have already achieved the success you are working towards.  People tend to become like the people that they associate with, so find websites and books and successful people in your field. You will learn a lot from people who have already made their businesses the success you want yours to become.

 Don’t underestimate the importance of good marketing

Gone are the days when word-of-mouth marketing is enough.  The old school idea of talking to friends and family to get referrals and free advertising are over.

Probably the most important thing you will need to embrace to create a thriving business in this digital age is the value of marketing and advertising online. Many small businesses are under the mistaken impression that a simple website or a blog will be enough. This is a major error. Having a website without any strategy for helping people find your business  is about as good as sending out a party invite with no date, location or directions.  People may want to seek you out, but will not have the tools to actually find you.

To attain success you must settle on a marketing plan that can not only help you build an online identity, but also drive traffic to your business website.  If customers can’t find you in their internet searches, they will give their business to one of your competitors who do have an online presence. 

Do your homework!

If you are pondering what things are important to know before starting a business, then you have not done your homework thoroughly.  Before you take the leap into the entrepreneurial melting pot, be sure on your foundations.  You need to know why you are starting your business.  Perhaps it is to be your own boss.  Maybe you want to determine your schedule and paycheck.  It could be the need for spending more time with family.

Starting your own business requires loads on planning and thought, and a large amount of research.  The internet will be your greatest resource for finding relevant information specific to your business. Be sure you research other business like yours, read blogs, and participate in events if possible.  Trade shows are a great place to learn about others in your field, and perhaps find some of those positive influences you should be seeking to surround yourself with.

It is easy to get overcome by the small details at first.  The design of your business cards and the style of office furniture can wait.   Focus your energies on building a structure with a strong foundation, one that will stand tall and tolerate some bumps along the way.