Balancing work and raising a family seems like a lot of stress for some mums. But then so can the thought of setting up a business – even one that can be run from home.
Here is a checklist for setting up a home business or an online business:
1. Research
Without research, you really shouldn’t start a business. It may sound harsh, but if you don’t know what your customer needs, how they want that need to be met, how much they are currently paying for it or willing to pay for it (if the product or service is not available anywhere else), how do you now that it is worth or the time and money you are going to put into it?
2. Website or social media
It’s true that you don’t need a website to Market a product or services see days. The likes of Facebook, which let’s you not only have your own profile, but let’s you create as many fan pages as you want means that you have a way to tell people about your business and market your business without ever having to worry about domain names and hosting costs. It also means you can run your business from your mobile phone!
But, you may want a website because you want to have that dependent online presence that is yours and isn’t dependent on any third party. And you have a point – while Facebook is huge and very popular today, what if it closed down in six months or a year (as unlikely as it seems!)…your business would go with it.
Also, having a website means that you can start branding your product or service and grow it in any way you want to.
3. Domain name
So, now you’ve decided that you want a website, you need to buy a domain name. When you take this step, it’s the first stage of committing to your business idea because you are showing that you are serious about it enough to part with some cash – even though that cash is a few pounds.
The domain name you choose is also part of your branding, so you will need to know what you are going to call, your business.
You’ll also have to bear in mind the keywords that people use Shan they think about your product or service. If you are thinking of setting up a cleaning company that only operates in London, for example, you could call is www.londncleaningcompany.co.uk because people are likely to use the keywords London cleaning company, as compared to www.jennyshelpers.co.uk, which could mean anything.
That said, if your website is well optimised for the web, that won’t be a huge issue anyway.
4. Hosting
Your domain name needs somewhere to live, otherwise it’s like have a house with no address – you know it exists but no one else can ever find it.
Hosting is the second cost your website will bring, and this is another reason why once you have decided to start an online business, you have to plan and research carefully so that you can start making money quickly.
5. Social media
So – now that your website is sorted out, how do you intend to promote it. Without telling people (and not just your friends and family), you won’t get the traffic, and you there few won’t make any money in your business.
Social media is a great place to start – and besides the time you invest in using it to promote your business, it’s free.
Use:
1. Facebook – to find people who will buy your products and/or services
2. Twitter – to see what people are talking about, gi e discounts a d get more customers to your business.
3. LinkedIn – to make business connections; in a very basic form, it is like a network of business cards!
6. Offline promotion
Now, as much as we all talk about how great the Internet is, you still need to do marketing and promotion in magazines, newspapers, using brochures and flyers (offline marketing) – especially if you run a local business.
These are very small steps to achieving your end goal; join the Mothers Who Work Club when you are ready to take action.
