Starting a Business: Step #1

If you have decided to start a business, let us be the first to say Congratulations! We embarked on that journey five short years ago and we can honestly say it was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Yes, it is A LOT of work, but the freedom, responsibility and pride is like nothing you will ever experience! We’ve obviously learned a lot from our own business and supporting countless other companies on their journey to success – so we thought we’d share a little marketing playbook of sorts to help you get started.

We should probably title this Step #1.5, because truly the first thing you need is a business idea. Once you have that firmly in place, you need to get that business registered with your local municipality, the state and the country. However, in order to do that you need a business name, so once you have a business idea, the first step is selecting a business name. Once that is in place, alongside the necessary registrations and legal documentation, next up is a marketing presence so you can attract clients & customers. Here is our playbook to help you with all things marketing, ensuring you a successful leap into business ownership.

Business Name

First things first, you need to ensure your business name is not already taken. In NJ, here is the tool for checking availability for business names: https://www.njportal.com/DOR/BusinessNameSearch/Search/Availability. Also, check that a url and Facebook page with you chosen name are available.

Outside of ensuring the name is available, here are some helpful guidelines to create the perfect name for your business:

• Don’t select a name that is extremely long or confusing
• Choose a name that appeals to the type of customer you want
• Don’t mis-spell words or select words that are very trendy now but may not be in the future
• Choose a name that is positive and creates images of success in your mind

Business Logo

While your name is important, the logo is often more important because it is the visual representation of your brand. For most people, they will remember an image before a name – so a fantastic logo is essential. Here are some guidelines:

• Simple – Limit your logo to only a few colors and don’t over design.
• Versatile – Your logo should be impactful in both color and black & white as well as different shapes and sizes.
• Branding – Your logo should reflect your business services, products and reputation.
• Impactful – Create something memorable! You want your logo to stand out, so don’t be afraid to take a little risk, especially if you are entering a crowded market. Let your logo tell a story that potential customer will remember.

Website

Basically, your business doesn’t exist until you have a website. Even if you aren’t ready to create a content rich site, make sure you have a web presence ASAP. Without it, potential customers will question your legitimacy. For more on developing your website, here is our blog, dedicated to that subject: https://socialtrendllc.com/website-guidelines-for-your-business/

Facebook Business Page

Creating a business Facebook page is free and helps you in multiple ways. First, a Facebook page will help your website rank in organic searchers on search engines because Google and Bing see a Facebook page as an example of your business’ legitimacy. Second, it gives you a real time platform to tell the story of your business in a less formal way. Third, it helps you reach a portion of the over 1 Billion people on Facebook!

Now, don’t be overwhelmed! Tackle each step with determination and soon you will have all these essential marketing tools completed. AND, don’t forget, SocialTrend can help you with each of these tasks, just ask us!