When you first register your small business for its license in your state, your mailbox is quickly flooded with special offers, coupons, and hungry insurance agents. Although it’s exciting and exhilarating to see all this special stuff available for your business, resist the temptation to cash in on every offer you receive. There are plenty of things that you need for your business — but there are also things that are unnecessary too.
You Need: Internet And WiFi
The world runs on the internet and the corporate world is no exception. Imagining a small business running without some internet connection is like imagining a pizza without crust; it doesn’t work. Everything from checking your email to doing market research and sales analysis is online, not to mention the frustrated employees who have to use data when they arrive at work. Do everyone a favor and find yourself a good internet package that will serve your needs.
You Don’t Need: The Super=Expensive Package (For Whatever It Is)
According to this sweet new flyer, your small business is eligible for a great deal and all kinds of extra goodies. Awesome! But when you really take a look at the flyer, what is the fine print that you’re not seeing right off the bat? Take a look at things like the length of the promotion, interest rates and whether or not the interest rate remains the same one the promotion ends. Some companies entice you by giving you a big bundle of products at an introductory price, but once a certain time period is over then they charge you exorbitant amounts of money. Beware of random companies sending you “free” or “discounted” products and check online to see if they can really put their money where their mouths are.
You Need: A Fantastic Website
The first place the clients are going to look for you is online, so give them something worth Googling. Although you want your website to be amazing and memorable, remember that you need only a few parts to your site to really wow customers:
–An About section that details who you are, why you started your business and where you come from. Believe it or not, clients are looking for this information and are interested in it. They want to find a business who values and morals they share; let your About section reflect all of that in two to three paragraphs.
–Easy navigation. It can seem tempting to completely rearrange your menu because you can. Bear in mind that most businesses have theirs in the top center for a reason. It’s the industry standard and clients are looking for it there.
–Contact information. If you’ve had the experience of scouring the internet looking for a good contact number for someone only to come up empty-handed, you know the frustration. Alleviate the issue entirely by having an easily-spotted contact section listing your email address, phone number and whatever social media handles you use.
You Don’t Need: An Expensive Website
You might assume that you get what you pay for as far as website development. That doesn’t always have to be the case. Although you can (and depending on your skill level, probably should) hire a graphic designer/website developer. The truth is that creating a website for very little cash is more realistic than you might think.
- Free website hosting is available to you from places like Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress. These generally contain simple drag-and-drop functionalities. This allows you to build a professional-looking website in only a short amount of time.
- If you want to own your website free and clear, look into domain hosting sites like Bluehost, GoDaddy or HostGator. These don’t cost as much as you might expect and you can pay for a year of services all at once.
You Need: Self-Confidence
Let’s face it: You’ve got your work cut out for you. Turning your passion into your career takes courage and tons of drive. Make sure that you’re mentally prepared to take it all on. It’s not easy to run business, but when you are confident in yourself and your dream then you’re unstoppable.
Putting together a small business from the ground up allows you endless options and decisions to make. While you might think that you know already what it needs and doesn’t need. Consider all purchases you make before pulling out your credit card. Other companies are thirsty for new business, and since you are new you are a prime target. Be wise and know the difference between wants and necessities.
