Any seasoned entrepreneur may know the right way to go about starting a successful business having had the experience that teaches the needed knowledge to do it right. For those that are new to entrepreneurship, creating your first start-up business can be overwhelming and daunting without having the background to know what steps to take to be successful from the beginning. Though you will always want to be thoroughly prepared before launching your service or product, you have to understand that things will most certainly go awry at some time during the initial launch. So, you have to be flexible and adapt to the ever-changing business climate as things arise.
Starting a new business comes down to doing a lot of work from the onset. Every entrepreneur can at some time in their career attest to the validity of the joke that the only thing more overrated than running your own business is natural childbirth, which highlights the idea that starting your own business can be painful even when it is fruitful. An idea does not become a successful business without a lot of effort.
Obviously, conducting in-depth market research must be a prerequisite for any business startup so you can learn about the demographics, competition, and interest in your product or services. It goes without saying that this should include a thorough business plan that involves running surveys, doing research on SEO and public data, and holding focus groups. It’s also important to understand how to build your brand before you open your doors. While tasks such as naming your business, creating a logo, and developing marketing strategies for it are basic things for beginners to contemplate, there are other steps to take such as determining your business structure, developing your mission statement, assessing your finances, and choosing your team and vendors.
Develop Your Idea
Business advisors will tell you that is a good practice to begin contemplating the “Why” of your business. What is your motivation for doing it? Does it serve your needs alone or the needs of your prospective customers? Are you doing it because it is something you are passionate about? Are you motivated to help and serve others with your business? Is there a market for what it is you are offering? And if so, why would customers choose your services or products over others’? Pondering these questions will help you to clarify your mission statement. If you find that you cannot answer these with a conviction for your idea, you may want to look for another business to start.
Write A Business Plan
Once your idea is fleshed out, you can add questions to your contemplation such as: What is your purpose or goal? Who are your customers? How will you finance your business? Then you have to set out to find the evidence to support that there is an actual demand for your services or product and document it. By conducting market research and considering your exit plan should you need to change course during your entrepreneurial endeavor, you will have the power to make good decisions. Creating a solid business plan helps you to focus your mission so that you can avert some of the common pitfalls of starting your own business.
Secure Your Financing
There are so many hidden or unknown costs surrounding any given start-up business that need to be understood before taking on the challenge. This includes things like knowing where you will get all the financing you need to go the distance. The number one reason that so many startups fail before the first year is due to a lack of financing to sustain them until profits start to accumulate. It is always beneficial to overestimate the amount of startup funds you need as it may be a while before you will break even by bringing in enough capital to sustain you and the business. During this phase of development, it’s of paramount importance to perform a break-even analysis, watch your expenses, and choose the right business bank.
Develop Your Legal Business Structure
Before you can register your company, you have to decide what kind of entity it is as this will determine how to title it and file your taxes. From sole proprietorship to partnership to limited liability company to corporation, each has its own rules and regulations that should be followed to keep you from personal liability if something goes wrong. Ultimately it is up to you to determine what type of entity is best for your current and future needs as a business. Researching the various legal structures will be an important step in defining your structure.
Register with The Government and IRS
Paperwork should be filed with the government and the IRS based on your business structure to protect you and legitimize your entity. From filing a DBA (doing business as) to writing articles of incorporation to getting an EIN (employee identification number), you may also want to trademark your business name for extra legal protection. You may be required to visit your local county clerk and file certain forms to fulfill your federal and state income tax obligations as well. You’ll need to secure all the regulatory licenses and permits before starting your business. You may be tempted to circumvent these things by setting up a Venmo or PayPal account and using social media to advertise it, but when you start with the proper foundation, your business will be on a better footing for success in the long run.
Secure Proper Insurance
From employee worker’s compensation insurance to general liability insurance, you really do need to include this important step in building the proper foundation for your business. Many business owners put this on the back burner as it can be costly and difficult to secure when doing a startup business. However, whether providing a service or product, unforeseen things like accidents, injuries, property damage, or theft can seriously damage your chances of business success if you are uninsured. Research and learn about the types of insurance that might be best for your type of business and secure it before opening your doors.
Build Your Team and Vendor List
Building the team of people that you will work with is critical. It is said that this aspect should be focused on as much as the development of your business products or services. Determining how the team will function, the hierarchy, the structure, and the way you will manage your team will define your relationships with them. That will help you to decide what kinds of things you will do in-house and what kinds of things you will need to outsource. Working with third-party vendors will help you to minimize the number of employees you have while having access to all the services and products you will need for support. Outsourcing is a critical business strategy that will help you to expand, innovate, and open your business to getting the help it needs to be successful.
Brand And Grow Your Business
Branding is the process of being consistent in your design and presentation of your business for advertising purposes. Create a logo and use it on all your platforms including social media, print materials, and your website. In the digital age, those business owners that understand how to use the internet for advertising and reaching customers will reap the benefits more than those that do not. Creating a strong online presence will set you up for success from the onset. Partnering with other like-minded businesses will help you to expand and grow over the years as needed.
Who Is Towne Mailer?
Towne Mailer is a locally owned and operated bill printing and mailing specialty company located in Missoula, MT. We have been in business for almost 20 years and have grown from a local small business to a huge 7,000 square foot state-of-the-art printing warehouse serving businesses like yours all over the United States. We provide printing and mailing services including invoice, bill, statement, and printed materials for like-minded startups and established businesses alike.
When you partner with Towne Mailer, you will be treated to excellence in every way. From our high-quality printing to our timely 24-hour turnaround on services to our exceptional customer service, we endeavor to be your number one choice for outsourcing your bill printing and mailing now and into the future. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote on what it will cost to have us handle all your bill printing and mailing for your business.
We will ask you to upload a test document for us to format. After we have posted a proof to review and approve, we will guarantee that your printed bills will be mailed within 24 hours. Having a partner like Towne Mailer will give you the support you need to catapult your business to success. Reach out to us today!
Request A Quote
Get the best Print Provider. We guarantee fast turnaround times.
Call today to speak with one of our team members: (877) 882-6245
