If you’ve decided that it’s finally time for you to make your business dreams come true, you’re probably chomping at the bit to get going and launch a venture. While this is an exciting time, don’t let yourself rush the process. It is necessary to do the work up front to prepare yourself as best as possible to be a successful entrepreneur. Read on for some important things you can do, in advance, to help you make your new venture all it can be.
Learn about the Market
For starters, learn as much as you can about the market you want to enter before you launch a venture. The more information you have, the more you can tailor your business accordingly. You need to be very clear about the size of the market, and who is currently servicing it.
Get to know all the competitors (both those selling the same kinds of products or services as you, and those which sell something different but cater to the same market), and what exactly they offer. Learn who they target their wares to; how and where they sell them; what their customer service is like; what price points they charge at, and so on.
As well, make sure you investigate the customers you want to sell to. You must know about things such as their browsing and buying habits, socioeconomic status, the kinds of jobs they have, their family life, hobbies, other interests, key problems which need to be solved, benefits they desire, and so on. The more you understand your target demographic, the more you’ll be able to cater to their needs and wants.
Ensure You’re Catering to a Gap in the Market
If you really want to get results quickly in your new business, you need to be sure you’re catering to a gap in the market. There’s no point offering the exact same wares in the exact same ways as competitors, as this just leaves you trying to go up against more established businesses who already have a foothold in the arena. Instead, find a point of difference, a unique selling proposition (USP).
This USP can come from many different areas. Your product or service might vary in some way, or you might decide to go after a select type of customer who is currently underserved in the market. You could have a different kind of price point, provide better or varying customer service, or have lots of extra features or functions that other ventures don’t offer. The more you stand out in the market, in a good way, the easier it will be to get attention from your preferred customers, and to convert leads into sales.
Increase Your Skills and Knowledge of Relevant Topics
Before you launch your startup, take time to do what you can to increase your skills and knowledge of relevant business topics. While you might have worked in the industry in the past, keep in mind that running your own venture means you need to know how to do many different types of jobs, and understand numerous topics, such as marketing, sales, IT, human resources, customer service, data analytics, finance, accounting, administration and so on.
To help you prepare, it pays to enroll in some relevant courses. You might choose to complete a general business degree, such as an MBA, or enroll in something more specific, like a Bachelor degree in Accounting or a MS in Business Analytics online. There are also lots of shorter courses on offer, which can be done either online and in person. You can also learn from attending talks by experts; industry conferences; and other key events and trainings.
Surround Yourself with Good People
Lastly, don’t forget that it’s important not to try to do everything on your own. Even if you will be running a business as a solopreneur, you can still turn to others for advice and support. After all, you can’t learn every single thing up front, or have every skill under the sun, so you need to be willing to reach out to others for help as needed.
In particular, try to find a mentor. By asking someone who has lots of experience as an entrepreneur themselves (if you can find a person who has worked in your industry that’s even better), you will benefit from their wisdom and not make as many mistakes early on. Mentors can also act as listeners. When you’re having bad days – and all new business owners have them – they can be there to let you vent, and to act as a sounding board to bounce ideas off.
You must be logged in to post a comment.