I have my business name, now what do I do. I debated about part two inclusions and finally decided on branding. The reason that I chose branding was in order to get things moving along including your website you need to have an idea of your branding options. So here is what I discovered.
Logo creation: I changed my logo shortly after I began because to be quite honest I did not like my first attempt. I even thought of changing it again to something more modern but after testing out other samples I decided to stick with my current logo. If you are not creative or at a road block it may be time to outsource.
Marketing: What is your plan, who are you targeting to, and how much time do you spend on marketing? So many questions. If you have a business plan, marketing should be part of it so take it from there. I decided that direct mail was not beneficial to me so I attend networking functions (free or low cost can be found on meetup.com) and don’t discount your local Chamber of Commerce. You also need to take into consideration your service/product. Are samples or discounts what you need to get your business name out there. I found that “Get Clients Now” was helpful in giving me a plan and a direction but there are many resources available as well.
Networking: Social media versus events. Are you shy or can you be overbearing? These traits should be considered when networking. You don’t want to undersell or oversell yourself.
If you choose social media, choose the avenues that you will be able to keep up on. Active participation is key to being successful in social media. And when I say active participation I don’t mean in your face promotion and selling. Social media was set up for you to engage with your community, provide insight and information to you area of expertise and make connections. Rule number one: quality versus quantity!
If you choose networking events, work on you elevator speech. Make sure you have all the items needed to walk into the event and be prepared to engage in conversation both about your business and others as well. Have a ready supply of business cards, product samples, tip sheets or whatever works for you. I pass out tip sheet postcards on varying subject since most business cards get tossed in a pile with all the others. This way it is information that my prospects can use and my names stays at the forefront.
Now it is time to think of copy for your website. And yes you do need a website if you want to get your brand out there with all your competitors. But we will wait until Part Three to discuss websites since that is a whole process unto itself. Web presence however is essentially to your branding and your business.
