You may have wondered why so much business advice is directed at year one. The answer, in the most simple of terms, is that the first year of business is like trying to learn to ride a wild horse when you only discovered horses existed ten minutes ago. Not only that but imagine trying to tame Bucking Brian the Crazy Carnival Colt while you face the added pressure of knowing if you fail, your family will be affected. Year one doesn’t play games.
That’s why we could all use a little signpost here and there to nudge us in the right direction. Let’s take a few moments to consider some tips for success in year one.
Brand recognition
If you haven’t come across brand marketing, it’s a catch-all term for the ongoing strategy that business leaders employ to boost both brand recognition and overall reputation.
The whole point in developing your strong on-brand message is to create a loyal customer base of repeat buyers. In this way, you benefit not only from repeat custom but from word of mouth and positive reviews. You have probably been in the situation before where a friend or family member recommends a product or service, and you have no doubt been in the situation of reading and trusting multiple similar reviews. Your brand can benefit from that kind of free publicity, but you have to pay attention.
Listen to your customers. Encourage feedback and let yourself be seen putting any actionable insights into place. Your customers want a quality service backed by integrity and transparency. Give it to them.
Up your connection speed
Home businesses typically rely on very average (which you can also read as pretty weak) upload and download speeds designed for home use. Here’s a tip. Type in ‘speed test’ on Google. Click the run test button, and see what kind of upload and download speeds you are receiving.
If you aren’t getting the advertised speeds that you’re paying for, it’s time to make the switch. This is important for several reasons. Not only do you need a strong internet connection to carry out all of your administrative duties, but you need to know that your customers won’t be faced with denial of access if you experience a surge in orders. Don’t forget, your home server IS your shop. The more people that try to get through the door, the bigger that door needs to be…
Hosting your business in the cloud
Cloud hosting is nothing new. But as it is a subscription service, you probably think it’s something you can do without in the early stages. And you’re right. But how long do those early stages last? One month? Two months? Maybe the first six months?
Sooner or later, if everything goes to plan, your website is going to experience greater and greater demand. You need an outsourced service that offers round the clock scalable access to your applications. Find a vendor that suits you and speak to them about your business – they will be more than happy to help with your hosting.
