Series: Jump-Start Your Small Business
Step 2 of 5 – Start Putting Your Business Out There!
Excellent – you’ve got your name, filed for your LLC, got your website, email address, and social media platforms identified. WELL DONE!!!
Now you are ready to start promoting your business, letting folks know that you are “out there” and open for business!!!
At this point, you will probably want to come up with a logo. Something visual that your customers and brand can identify with your business quickly and easily. If you are great at graphic design, feel free to handle this part on your own. But if you are like me, I have a rough idea in my head of what I want the logo to look like, but I don’t have the skills or software to create my own logo. That’s where contractor-based platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer come to the rescue. You can see what the contractor’s portfolio looks like, and you can see how many reviews and what rating the contractor has. Look for someone who has a style like you are looking for, allows for revisions in their pricing packages, and is capable of producing the file type that you need.
· Style is important – it will be easier for a contractor to deliver what you want if it matches their style
· Reviews and comments are also good to pay attention to—things like “good communication throughout the gig” go a long way toward a smooth transaction
· Ratings – take with a grain of salt. Typically the higher the better, but reading the comments and reviews will help you identify a good fit
· Allowing for revisions is critical – I guarantee that you will NOT get the logo you love on the first try, no matter how great the artist is. What happens to me is: I THINK I know what I want, then I see it in the flesh, and it’s not at all what I want!
· File types – depending on what you plan to use the logo for, you will need different types of files. I suggest searching online for the file type needed to make whatever it is you are thinking of: business cards, banners, t-shirts, engravings, you get the idea!
Now you’ve got a great logo in the file type(s) you need – it’s time to get that logo out there, front and center, so your customers start to recognize and associate it with your business. Put it as the profile picture on your Facebook page and Instagram accounts, your profile on your YouTube channel, on your website, business cards, car magnets, etc. It’s important to use the exact same logo everywhere to drive consistency – the more your customers see the exact same logo, the more trust you will build.
Not sure where to start with what advertising materials you might need? Here are just a few sources for some of the basics (they also have tons of other items too!):
· Vistaprint: business cards, banners, and just about anything else you can think to put your logo on!
· Moo: primarily business cards, but these are luxurious and different from most other sites
· Local print shop: look online to see if there is a local company who can help you with your printing needs
Lastly, now that you have a logo, marketing materials, and maybe even some swag – get some professional photos taken of yourself. Yes – yourself. YOU are your business, and potential customers want to see YOU – the person behind the brand. You can search for local photographers in your area online, using Facebook or Instagram keyword searches, or ask folks in your community. Realtors are a great resource and must have professional headshots done – they’ve likely got a great lead for you!
That’s all for this week’s addition of the blog! Please add a comment if you have any questions, comments or tips on the info I’ve provided, and feel free to share with your entrepreneurial friends!! Next week, we will dive into “Step 3 – Covering the Legal Aspects”!