If you’re thinking about starting a business during the pandemic, you’re in great company. More than half a million people have launched new businesses as a safe and reliable way of earning an income during uncertain times. But, as you can guess, it takes time and energy to get a business off the ground. In today’s blog, you’ll find a few pointers on how to do just that.
Marketing
Learning how to market your business is one of the first things you should do once you decide on your service selection. In the digital age, marketing often takes place online. Little Egg Solutions is your Boise-based partner for all things online, including search engine optimization and social media management. You’ll also want to make sure that you have a cohesive brand. This will include having a business name and logo to share. If you’re just starting out and don’t have capital, you can save cash by using a free logo maker. Many of these tools come with plenty of different fonts and colors, so you can design a brand the best for your business
Money
When you start a business, you’ll incur many upfront expenses outside of marketing. These include property insurance, rent, and equipment to your employees’ salary and training. For funding, you might consider taking out a small business loan or a personal loan. You might even use your own personal savings or ask your friends and family to pitch in with the promise to pay them back as you work your way toward success.
Legal Matters
Technically speaking, you become a business anytime you routinely accept money for products or services. When you do this, it makes sense to incorporate as a legal entity, such as an LLC. To do this, you’ll need an Employer Identification Number, which is how the IRS keeps tabs on your payroll and other business matters. Having an EIN makes it easier to open a business bank account, pay your taxes, and set up accounts with banks and vendors. You may also want to partner with an attorney if you have documents and contracts or operate a business that poses potential risks to your clients.
Helping Hands
Even if you have people on staff that help you with certain aspects of your business, it might also make sense to outsource some things. Accounting is one example. You can plan to spend anywhere between $18 and $23 per hour for a bookkeeper, but you can also find services that will work with you for as little as $99 per month, according to Finance Pal. You might also want to work with a company that can help you with reputation management, mobile web development, blog creation, and customer service.
Ongoing Success
You are up and running and off to a great start. But, it’s easy to lose your steam and get caught up in monotony. Unfortunately, this doesn’t bode well for your business. To stay successful, make sure that you are organized and keep detailed records. You also want to keep an eye on your competition as well as your customers. Be creative when it’s time to offer deals and discounts and, perhaps most importantly, give your customers the best experience they’ve ever had. In today’s world, this might mean respecting their desire to engage with you remotely or being able to offer things like curbside pickup for those who wish to maintain social distancing.
The vast majority of these rules apply whether or not we are in the middle of a global crisis. But, they are important points to remember as you build and grow your business. Simple steps, such as establishing your EIN and using freelancers and outsourced services when you need help, are all things you can do to lay the foundation for success.
How Little Egg Solutions Can Help
We are Little Egg Solutions. Based in Boise, Idaho, we help small business owners boost their online presence using genuine whitehat, organic methods. If you are finding it hard to consistently generate content, give us a buzz. We can help your little egg grow, and then some.