“I’m just getting started with my business, so what is really essential for me to do at this point?”, Jenny asked. We were just at the start of her coaching program.
It’s a great question. You have so many options available to you when you start your business. How do you decide what to do?
I broke business down into 4 essential areas for Jenny: offerings, systems, marketing, and mindset. Let’s go through them one by one, to see what you need in each area as you start your business.
Offerings: To start your business, you’ll need at least one product or service that you are making available to your clients and customers. You’ll want to build on that, of course, but getting one offering out there will get you on your way.
The first key question about your offering is, will it be valuable to your clients? Then, be clear that it is what you want to offer, that it reflects who you want to be as a business person, and that you’ll be able to deliver it at the level of quality that will reflect well on your business.
There’s nothing wrong with starting small. In fact, it’s a good idea. Start small, and think big. Those small steps will get you to a big goal.
Systems: Even this early in your business, casting your eye on what can be automated or repeated will really improve how you use your time. Write down the steps as you create, deliver, and market your offerings.
If the steps work, that’s your new process. If there’s a glitch somewhere, adjust and see how that goes. Keep updating the steps as you go. It will save you a monstrous amount of effort!
Marketing: Let people know the value of what you offer (my definition of marketing) right from the start. Marketing doesn’t necessarily require a huge investment of time and money up front.
Get the basics in place: a web page (one page will often do at the beginning), a business card or promotional card to remind people who you are after they’ve met you, and an online CRM platform (client relationship management software). Since online marketing via email is so powerful, you’ll want to start gathering email addresses right away, and CRM software like MailChimp or Aweber will allow you to do that at low cost.
To start right off providing great value to your clients, offer a free resource on your web page if they sign up. It’s the beginning of content marketing, an approach that allows you to provide valuable information to your prospective clients immediately. They also get to know you and you start to build trust.
So many options are available to you to get the word out about the value you offer: social media, networking events, conferences, and public speaking are just a few. Be very selective in what you choose. Ensure you are getting a great return on the investment (ROI) of your time and money.
Questions to ask yourself about marketing options are: Do my clients hang out there? This one is probably the most important question you’ll ever ask when deciding about a marketing opportunity. Will I have opportunities to reach out to them directly? Is my ROI better than for other options?
Mindset: The best thing you can do for yourself and your business is to start with and maintain a healthy approach to how you think about your business and any problems that arise.
Do you stay focused on your bigger purpose, your Big Why, and your goals? Or do you let yourself get off track easily? Learn ways to stay on course. You’ll save your energy, and be able to do more of what you want to do, both in your business and in the rest of your life.
How do you view mistakes and failure? Do you see them as a reflection on you, or are they opportunities to learn and grow? When you accept that experimenting with different approaches is going to be part of having a business, you’ll find it a lot easier to carry on after a disappointment.
There’s a lot more I could share with you about starting a business. This will get you on your way, though, with the foundational essentials.
Starting a business is a big deal! And I know you can do it. Like Jenny, start with the essentials, and you’ll be starting off with a solid foundation that you can build on to grow the business that you can see in your mind’s eye.
If the coaching in this article has helped you and you’re considering 1-on-1 coaching, click here to arrange a call with Ursula.
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Here’s your Alchemy Assignment, your chance to transform what you learned in this article into awareness and action for you and your business:
If you’re starting a business, look at each of the 4 areas of business: offerings, systems, marketing, and mindset. What do you need to do in each to get you started? Make choices about the first thing you’ll do. It won’t be the only thing. It’s just a starting place. If you’ve already started, review these essentials and see where your business stands. Add anything that needs fleshing out.