Even if you have done it before, launching a new business is one of the most difficult and time-consuming things that you can ever do, with the possible exception of moving home. You will have spent the last several months going over every last detail to ensure that your company’s first few months go as smoothly as possible. You will have been talking to investors about the potential that your business has, you will have been making sure that you are surrounded by the right people to turn your dream into a reality, and you will have been doing endless market research to ensure that your niche in the marketplace is still going to be there by the time you launch.
However, all of that hard work will be for nothing if you are not able to get the word out about your business. You need to remember that the marketplace has been getting more and more competitive and cutthroat over the last couple of years. Businesses with a vast number of resources and capital have been putting all of their time into their digital strategy. You will be fighting an uphill battle to get eyes on your brand if you are launching now. However, you also have a unique opportunity. You have the opportunity to build good practices into your company from day one. Here are a few of the most important things that you need to think about if you are getting your company off the ground.
Get working on your website now
There are so many different jobs to take care of when you are first launching a business that there are always going to be some items that slide down to the bottom of the to do list. However, you need to ensure that building a great website is not one of them. You will have no time to lose after launch, and if you are not confident that your site is going to work for you, it is time that you address this issue. You need to prioritise accessibility and give your visitors no excuse to click away because they do not know where to go. You need to make sure that you have an eye-catching design that communicates your brand identity clearly. Remember that we have all been spending significantly more time online over the last couple of years, and people are not going to waste their time on a website that looks like it was cribbed from an old template.
Find a branding agency you can work with
While there are a lot of entrepreneurs out there who are able to turn their vision into visuals with zero effort, the rest of us need to find the right people to work with. If you look for a design or branding agency, you are going to be swamped with agencies. Give yourself enough time to go through portfolios of previous work and look for good feedback from other clients. Think about reaching out to anyone you know who has been through this process to see if they can recommend anyone. It is also important that you sit down for a conversation with any agency before you sign a contract. You need to know that they are going to listen to what you have to say and take the time to understand who you are and what you are about.
Look for ways to learn
You will already be well aware that things are changing incredibly quickly in the marketplace right now. If you are launching a new business, you need to understand the challenges and opportunities that you will be facing. One of the best examples of this is with marketing. Consumer behaviour has changed so much over the last couple of years, and the platforms where your target audience spends most of their time may well dictate your approach and strategy. You need to understand the new ways in which people consume media and how consumers’ priorities and concerns are changing. With that in mind, you should consider enrolling in a digital marketing online course. This will give you the essentials and teach you how you can harness new media and channels to get the word out about your new business.
Be smart with advertising
There are still businesses out there that subscribe to the idea that the best approach with advertising is the blanket approach. To throw as much as you can out there and see what sticks. However, we all know that we are in for a tough time in the months ahead and we all need to be watching how much we are spending. A targeted, focused digital marketing campaign is not only more cost-effective, but it can deliver much better results. You will need to invest more time in the planning, of course. You will need to gather customer data and identify which channels your target audience spends the most time on. You will need to ensure that you are using language that will appeal to them.
Make the most of your social media
In addition to maximising the potential of your website, you also need to be thinking about how you can harness the power of your social media presence. There is a generation of entrepreneurs that views social media as a necessary evil. The truth is that it is one of the most powerful tools that you have at your disposal if you know how to use it properly. Start by thinking about where your target audience will be spending their time. Then think about which channels will be most helpful in terms of communicating what your business does. For example, a visual platform may not be that useful.
When it comes to building your brand presence, remember that personality is key. We have all spent more than enough time online to recognise a corporate channel that is there to simply post links. Think about what kind of conversations you can start which will demonstrate your experience and expertise. Create a persona that accurately reflects what you are all about and which will appeal to the demographic of your customers and clients. Be sure to engage with your followers. You especially need to watch out for any missed complaints or queries.
Work on your content
One of the most effective ways that you can start to build your brand is by creating expert content for your site. Not only will this demonstrate to any visitors that you are a voice to be trusted, but it will give you a boost in the search rankings. Make sure that you understand the latest updates to Google’s algorithm, and how factors like spam filters and user experience will impact you. Look at what topics are driving the conversation in your sector and address them. You should also think about using different forms of media to communicate your business’ services more cleanly to your customers. Would video be more effective than a series of written pieces? Would a podcast help you to establish your reputation, or would it simply be a time-sink that would be lost in the sea of business podcasts? You need to ensure that the steps that you are taking will be worth the effort.
