Starting a Small Business? 5 Things You’re Forgetting to Do

Starting a small business can be difficult, especially when you’re trying to do everything yourself. One of the most critical aspects of getting your business off the ground is creating a solid online presence, but it’s easy to forget some little steps that make a big impact. This blog post will discuss five (sometimes forgotten) essential tips for small business owners who feel like they’re one small step away from success.

1. Create a visual style guide  

When starting a small business, it’s easy to put all your effort into the idea and neglect the look and feel of your brand. Every small business owner knows that their business needs a logo, but often enough, the all-around “face” of the brand gets overlooked. 

A visual style guide will help you keep your branding cohesive and consistent across your online platforms. This can be as simple as choosing a few colors to use for all of your visuals, or it can be more complex and include specific fonts, layouts, and mood boards. Having a clear brand identity will make your small business stand out from the competition and help customers remember who you are.

In addition to developing a visual identity, it’s equally important to establish your business’s legal structure early in the process. If you’re considering setting up a limited company, understanding the specific steps and requirements is crucial.

2. Choose the right social media platforms

It’s essential to set up your social media profiles for your small business as soon as possible; 96% of small businesses use social media. Not only it gives you a platform to share news and updates with your customers, but it also helps you build an online community around your brand. Complete your profiles with visual images, write a captivating bio, and post exciting and engaging content regularly. 

When jumping on social media, it’s important to know what channels your customers use. Try not to do all of them together, and start with the most important one. Use the analytics of your social media platforms to see if your content resonates with your target audience. You can also use social media to drive traffic back to your website or blog. 

3. Set up customer feedback channels

Setting up channels specifically for customer feedback is crucial to keep track of what customers are saying about your business. The most popular choice is email, but it’s also a good idea to talk to your customers via direct messages on social media or use a dedicated chat platform on your website, ie. Intercom or ZenDesk. Using customer success software can further streamline this process, providing comprehensive tools to manage, analyze, and act upon customer feedback effectively.

Customers want to get answers to their questions fast, and companies that invest in good customer support have a considerable advantage in converting those conversations into sales. Apart from using chatbots and other communication channels, businesses can also invest in a self service customer portal to provide customers with quick access to all the necessary information they need to resolve their problems without contacting any support agent.

Being proactive with customer support will also help you keep track of any negative feedback that may be affecting your business. Companies that deal with negative feedback quickly, politely, and head-on are much more trustworthy in the eyes of potential customers. Make sure to take care of your fast delivery as it can give you perfect feedback. Use route planning solutions for your drivers to organize fast shipping.

4. Use a content marketing strategy

Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach new customers and build trust with existing ones. Effective content management can help you organize and optimize your business’s marketing efforts, whether it’s through podcasts, tutorials, or blog posts. When done correctly, content marketing can help you position yourself as an authority in your industry while providing valuable information to your readers. Content marketing can also boost your website’s ranking and provide organic traffic. 

It’s important to produce high-quality content regularly and make sure that it’s relevant to your target audience. As with social media platforms, take your time and don’t try to do everything at once. Content marketing is a marathon, not a sprint, and you have to give it some time before it brings you results.

Once you have some reputation and traffic, you can try going for real-time marketing, for higher short-term benefits. Being able to feel the moment and make use of an opportunity with real-time marketing can be a breakthrough moment for your business.

5. Use professional marketing visuals

Having quality visuals that reflect your brand’s style guide gives off an air of legitimacy and professionalism. However, hiring a professional designer can be expensive and out of reach for many small business owners. When seeking funding, engaging qualified SBA business plan writers lends credibility. These specialists craft targeted plans positioning small businesses to secure financing and subsequent growth.

Lucky for you, there are also many affordable services available to help you that require no design knowledge. 

For example, with Mediamodifier’s easy-to-use platform, you can create beautiful visuals for your business’s website, social media, and marketing materials without breaking the bank. You can create anything from banners and social media posts to logos and business cards. 

These are just a few of the essential tips for starting a small business that will help increase your visibility and grow your customer base. If you need more advice on marketing and design, download our free ebook: Design Your Way to the Top: an Entrepreneur’s Guide to Marketing and Design.