Starting a small business is often scary. It takes a lot of nerve to become an entrepreneur and take the leap of faith towards an idea, an idea you feel is worth pursuing. But when starting a small business you have lots of aspects to consider - Manpower, money, effort, time… all of it. We have heard this a million times that you could either work hard or you could work smart. Now here are some simple yet amazing ideas that can help you start a small business the smart way.
1.Eat, Sleep, Network, Repeat
This should be your mantra when setting up your small business. You must ensure that you have enough energy to pull through long, stressful days. Take power naps when the going gets tough. Starting a small business is no piece of cake and what will help you through the commencement phase are your folks. So network and shake hands with as many from the same industry as possible. Remember “any help is good help” and do not hesitate in seeking help. Christine Comaford-Lynch said “Networking is marketing. Marketing yourself, marketing your uniqueness, marketing what you stand for.” So if you are truly passionate about your small business you should be selling it to everyone you meet especially those who are influential.
2.Technology is your best friend
Gone are the days when you relied upon an expensive ad in a Times of India to get you visibility. Digital marketing is the way forward. Maintaining physical account books are a passé, MIS software is your reliable finance buddy now. Such changes and many more is what will make your life easier. Automate as much as possible. It will give you more time to focus on other aspects of your business and trust me there are many when you are just starting out. Even a breakdown in Wi-Fi would need your attention. A brand as big and widely known as Crossfit also relied upon a simple technology called Help Scout to offer seamless customer support to its patrons.
3.Go be creative
There are lots of conventional tasks one has to undertake when starting a small business. For eg. developing your corporate identity. Take an unconditional approach towards them. Use colors and designs that may leave a person with a “What the hell” expression. These things are what people remember always. Right from being the brand with the funky logo… with time you end up being an XYZ company who has a creative logo. With success comes a change of perspective and outlook towards the way people would look at your business and you. So if you observe Baskin and Robbins logo, to the naked eye it just appears like a B and R in blue and pink, but when you look closely you will see the numerical “31” which indicate the number of flavors the brand offers. Witty isn’t it?
4. Don’t be scared to experiment
That beauty of starting a small business is that you have room for experimentation. So go ahead and try what works best for your business. Experiment with distribution channels, tryout innovative marketing mediums and test out the validity of your business proposition. If something is not working, change it instantaneously and replace it with another technique. This flexibility is available when you are starting out, once you have settled in the process of replacement can be a tricky and questionable one.
As a small business owner, you have enough weight on your shoulders and stress on your minds. The above 4 techniques can certainly help you manage your time and progress with stability. We can certainly not control the economy but what we can do is start our small little business armed with ideas, which make our lives easy.
