
So, you have your big business idea! You’re excited to get started. Now, what? Answer these 5 questions and you’re off to a great start.
As a perfectionist, I suffer from paralysis from analysis. I tend to wait to get started until it’s the absolute perfect time, the weather is perfect, my coffee is at the correct temperature, I’m wearing my good luck outfit which is impeccably pressed, my phone and laptop are fully charged, my pencils are sharpened, and the list of requirements and excuses which keep me from getting started can go on and on.
The mantra I have been working on over the past several years is, “Done is better than perfect.” Get version 1 completed so you can improve it with version 2 and revise it with version 3. If version 1 is never started, your version 21 will be left waiting in limbo forever! And you know what will happen? You’ll see your exact idea being implemented and sold by someone else!
So, how do you get started? Try selling your product or service now!
Don’t wait to have your website perfectly designed and your merchant account ready to accept credit card payments before you start sharing and selling your idea.
Start by phoning a friend and sharing your business idea. See if they see the value in your idea and would be willing to part with their hard-earned money to actually purchase what you are selling and make that first sale!
If you’re super brave, have a chat with a stranger. You’ll probably get a more honest opinion than you will from your polite and caring friend. Once you have made a sale, you’re in business!
Now, that you know your business idea is viable and there is an actual market for what you are selling, share your idea with the world! My favorite way is with a website. Do I really need a website? (I addressed this in another blog post. Feel free to check it out after you’re finished here).
A website is a wonderful way to share information! You can have one go-to location for people to learn all about you and your new product or service. If they want additional information, they can link to your social media accounts. Blogging is a great way to share additional content and start getting your website ranked in the search engines organically.
What do I need to do to get a website up and running? Well, here is the basic list, which I will expand on in future blog posts:
- Choose a Business Name.
- Decide if you want a Website for your Business.
- Purchase your Domain Name.
- Host your Domain.
- Decide how basic or complex you want your website to be.
- Decide if this will be eCommerce enabled, or only informational.
- Choose a Website Platform (WordPress is my favorite).
- Design your Website.
- Collect email addresses.
- Add a Merchant Services Payment Platform to Accept Credit Cards.
- Decide if a Hosted Payment Page & Invoicing will meet your billing needs, or if you’ll need a fully tricked out e-Commerce shopping cart to sell your multiple products.
- Add your Website to Google and other Search Engines.
- Start your First Blog.
- Share your Website with your Niche Market.
There are more steps that can be added to the above list, but for now, we’re focusing on the basics. This might already seem overwhelming, but remember, just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, your website (and business) will be a constantly evolving process.
I love WordPress because its platform can easily create clean and functional websites. If you’re a bit overwhelmed, start with a 1-page website. You can always add more pages when you need them. If you’re ready to go full out with a multi-page website, remember, your website still begins with the first page. You can add additional features with all the extra “bells and whistles” as your business grows.
Good luck and Congratulations on becoming an Entrepreneur!
Get started with Step 1!
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