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Business_Start up_Guide
| Business Start-up Guide
How do you start to plan your business? What is required? What
should you research? Where do you start? Use the checklist below
to guide you as you build a strong, solid business foundation.
Check your Personal Foundation. Make sure you are ready
mentally, emotionally and financially to begin your new venture.
-- Make the time. -- Budget your income. -- Create balance in
your life. -- Know your strengths, weaknesses, top 5 values and
needs. -- Order a copy of your credit report. -- Choose your
ideal business.
Get organized. Any new business venture will go more smoothly if
you know right from the start what you have to offer, who you
want to offer it to, and how you want your business to be
organized. -- Read a few books on business start-ups and
marketing http://www.coachmaria.com/businessbooks.html. -- Check
the need for your services. -- Prepare a business plan and ideal
client profile. -- Price your service or product. -- Develop a
customer service policy. -- Create an Operations Manual. -- Plan
for your office - location, supplies, utilities, and set-up fees.
Develop a strong network and referral base. From support to
legal advice, starting your own business is never something you
do all by yourself. -- Look for assistance: employee,
independent contractor. -- Legal: licensing, business type,
contracts, trademarks, copyrights, patent, service marks. --
Build support: family, friends, business coach, consultant,
advisors, business and social networking. -- Insurance: health,
home, car, income, liability, risk, disability, loss of pay. --
Money: taxes, accounting, banking, billing, cash flow, loans. --
Marketing: copywriter, proofreaders, website designer, graphic
designer, an assistant, Toastmasters, etc.
Create a Marketing Plan. A new business often doesn't have a
huge budget for marketing and a plan you help you save money. --
Design your marketing plan with your integrity in mind. --
Develop print media (business cards, stationary, forms,
advertisements, newsletter, etc.). -- Decide if online marketing
will be part of your plan (website, newsletter, ad's, etc.). --
Practice describing the benefits of what you do in 30 seconds
and 2 minutes (called verbal logo, USP, elevator speech). --
Re-evaluate your plan every 3 months.
Start your research with the business, marketing and personal
development articles at http://www.coachmaria.com/articles.html.
About the author:
Maria Marsala, Business & Life Coach-Consultant. Maria works
with individuals as they design, start and grow their businesses
or careers around what they love to do. Visit www.CoachMaria.com
to subscribe to "Growing You and Your Business" a free weekly
online newsletter.
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