The StartUp Kit 2013

Everything you need to start a small business

Emma Jones

• Publisher: Harriman House
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781908003607
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Commerce
• Subtopic: Activité entrepreneuriale

The StartUp Kit contains everything you need to start and run your own business!This book is a friendly guide covering all aspects of starting up - from developing a business idea and setting up a company to marketing your new business, getting that first sale and making the most of the latest tech developments.Full of great advice from start-up expert Emma Jones, it's packed with case studies of people who've successfully started their own businesses. It also comes with over £500-worth of offers from some of the leading brands for small business.

II. LAUNCH

You have your idea. It’s supported by research and a plan pointing you in the right direction. You’ve sorted out all the technology you need to get going. And with the company registered, it’s time to get into business by making sales and some noise.

“Be a sponge: absorb as much help and support as you can! Approach others. Listen. Join a networking group. All too often I see entrepreneurs over-protective of their venture. They miss vital guidance.”

– Claire Young, founder, School Speakers

10. Create a First Impression

YOU MAY HAVE started out by making sales to friends and family who know and trust you to deliver. To attract new customers, it’s important to create the right first impression, whether that customer meets you at an event or visits your home on the web. Here’s guidance to getting it right and offering a professional welcome.

Your home on the web

You have the tools and connection to get online. The first thing to do is build a presence through a blog, website or store. Not only is a website your window to the world and home on the web, it has become an essential requirement for any new business. Your site can be used as a powerful marketing tool and a way to make money. Having the right technology and knowledge allows you to build, develop and maintain your site. And you can do it all in-house.

Let’s look at the three main ways to develop a professional-looking online presence.

1. Blogging

Blogging is a website or part of a website that’s regularly updated by an individual or a group of bloggers. There are blogs on any number of topics and the fact that anyone can start blogging for free makes the medium diverse and exciting.

It’s an easy way to get online, as you write posts on your topic of choice, upload images and video, and become the go-to place for customers looking for your advice/tips/services/products. Search engines love blogs and the more you write, the higher up the search-engine ranks you will go. Writing regularly is likely to lead to a loyal readership and it’s an effective way to communicate your news with existing and potential customers. Readers can add their comments to your entries if you allow them, and you can use your blog to answer questions and establish yourself as an expert in your field.

It’s free and easy to get blogging:

• Blogger | www.blogger.com
• Typepad | www.typepad.com
• WordPress | www.wordpress.com

See Chapter 11 for details on how to make money from your blog.

Now you see me

After getting to grips with blogging, why not try your hand at vlogging? This stands for video blogging and is an effective way to interact with customers who want to see you, your products and other happy customers. Vlogging expert, Niamh Guckian, offers tips on how to vlog like a pro:

Vlog how-to

“Vlogging can help you tell people your story: a demonstration of your skills, an atmosphere piece, or an interview.

The gear: “Become an expert on your chosen camera, whether a phone or something fancier.

“Where possible use manual control with your camera – this applies to white balance, exposure and focus. Learn the rules and then have fun breaking them.

“Use focus and depth of field to add style to your shooting. Using a tripod sets your work apart from amateur shooting and allows for good steady shot composition.

Safety: “Using a small camera can make you feel like you can take risks that you wouldn’t otherwise. This has advantages at times but don’t take unnecessary risks. Don’t shoot from rooftops or get into water!

Light: “As a video-blogger, you will mostly be working with available or natural light. Try to get the most from what’s available at the time.

Sound: “Audio recording is a specialist art form. What we need to achieve as self-shooters is clean and non-distorted sound. Distorted audio is not fixable, and can usually be prevented.

Interviews: “If your piece is interview-based, engage with the contributor, communicate with them and let them know clearly what you want them to do. Create an atmosphere where the contributor is comfortable, and make sure they know they can stop and start again, or ask questions.

“Make sure the interview is a sequence, that it has a beginning, middle and end, and can stand alone if necessary.

Export and upload: “Learn about the optimum settings and platforms for your finished piece.”

2. Your own website

Build your own website that you can spec to your own requirements or invest in a template website. Let’s look at both options.

DIY

You have decided to build your own site or have a developer take care of it for you.

The first thing to do is buy a domain. A domain makes up a part of your website and email address. So, for example, the domain name I own is enterprisenation.com. My website address is www.enterprisenation.com and my email address is [email protected]. Both use the enterprisenation.com domain name.

A domain isn’t only your address on the web, it’s also a big part of your brand, so think carefully when choosing one. There are domain registration companies whose websites allow you to check for available domain names and often suggest available alternatives.

Registering a domain name doesn’t give you a website, just an address for it (and an email address). Think of it like reserving a car parking space. You’ve got the space, now you need to buy the car!

A hosting company will sort you out with the web space to host your site. This is measured in megabytes and gigabytes, just like the information on your computer.

In terms of how much web space you will need, basic hosting packages offer about 250 MB of space, but anything over 1 or 2 GB is more sensible and will also allow you to handle more traffic as your website grows more popular.

With a domain name and web space, potential customers should be able to type your website address into their browser and find out all about your business – just as soon as you’ve built your site. Finding a hosting company shouldn’t be hard. Most domain registration companies, including those mentioned above, offer web space as a package; and hosting companies usually offer domain registration, too.

When it comes to hiring a designer, have a think about what you’d like your website to do for your business. The easiest way to start is to think of your website as a brochure, but remember to include the following pages at the very least.

• 1&1 Internet Ltd | www.1and1.co.uk
• 123-reg | www.123-reg.co.uk
• Easily Ltd | www.easily.co.uk

Pages to include

• About us: the story behind your business and its mission.
• News: the latest and greatest of your products, business developments, maybe a topical focus if relevant to your business.
• Products or services: punchy with the detail, using images of your best work, and text and video testimonials from satisfied customers.
• FAQs: questions which you get asked. A lot.
• Contact us: email and social media...