Just get started
So you have had a great idea for a business that has been brewing in your mind for a while now, and you have decided to dip your toes in the entrepreneurial waters. But where do you start?
There is so much noise on the internet about all of the things you need to do before you can get started promoting your business. Things like getting a professional logo, custom branding, building a website, having a photo shoot, buying stock or developing your course content (we know this phase well, as it is literally what we do for clients on a daily basis!).
But is it really necessary to have all of this before you get started or is this a sneaky procrastination technique from your subconscious to protect you from having to put yourself out there?
This is something we see all the time, you see all of the brands you want to be like on social media and it can be intimidating. It is so easy to get caught up in the comparison spiral and think that everything needs to be perfect before you can jump in, but there is only one way that you will really find out if you are on to a winning idea and that is to just get started!
One thing is for sure.. the idea that you start out with is going to grow and change as you go. The version of our business that exists now is quite different to the one we started out with! The main reason behind this is that what you think people want is not always accurate when you take your idea to market.
From my experience, the most important thing to do first in your business is to start getting your idea out there in the quickest and cheapest possible way.
You need to test your idea first and make sure there is an audience who will want what you have on offer before you make a large financial investment.
You could spend weeks or months getting your website launched, only to find that if you had started building an audience first, you would have a much better idea on how to appeal to them when the time comes to launch.
No matter if you are a product based business or a service based business, you need to understand who your people are and what problem you are solving for them.. and what better way to do that than to start putting your idea out there and getting that valuable feedback?
Don’t get me wrong, branding is an important factor in your business, but when you are in the startup phase you need to make sure your business is viable first. There are so many great options out there now that can help you get started with a professional looking brand that will serve you until you can afford to invest in something completely custom.
Once you get to know your audience it will not only tell you if you have a good idea, but it will also shape the way that you approach your branding. Finding clarity on your idea is the key to success and most of the time this can only come from trial and error.
So what are a few ways to kick start your idea when working on a budget?
Decide on a name and get a basic logo designed (you can update this later when your budget allows!)
Choose some templates that suit your genre and will help you look the part during your startup phase, again these can be updated later when you have started making some sales. You can find a great range of templates on Etsy or Creative Market (or you can find ours here!)
Get started on social media – find similar accounts to study and see who their audience is. Start testing different types of content and see what is going to work best for you
Being an entrepreneur is all about embracing the unknown and being able to adapt. It is one of the most challenging things you can choose to do, but the growth you will experience from stepping into your own business is like nothing else! So I encourage you to trust in your idea, get yourself out there and follow your dream!