Calling All Entrepreneurs: Are You Forgetting Something?
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Entrepreneurs tend to be a creative, big-picture bunch of people. For them, it’s all about the idea that they have had. No matter how little they know about the mechanic of business, their idea will see them through they think. But when it comes to business, the devil is in the detail. The following are some of the things entrepreneurs frequently forget to do when starting up a business.
Contact Details On Website
Believe it or not, this is a common one. Many entrepreneurs leave their contact information off their website. They’re so concerned with layout, product info, and SEO, a minor detail like how to get in contact gets left out. Most entrepreneurs, however, don’t forget to include contact information entirely. They just forget to put them somewhere on the website people will find them. Often, contact information appears in the footer of a website or on a separate contact page. The latest thinking on this from the experts is that contact details should be included in the header, even if it looks ugly. Often people just click onto a website and expect to see contact information immediately. If it’s not there, you could lose business.
Trademarking
As an entrepreneur, all you have is an idea in your head and how to carry it out. Thus, there’s nothing to stop other people from using your ideas or your brand. And that means that somebody could quite easily come along and use the very name that makes your business unique. That’s why it’s so important to trademark your products and services. If you do run into trouble, you can always fall back on an experienced trademark lawyer to settle your case.
Updating Your Bio
Your bio is one of the biggest factors customers take into consideration when choosing your services. And so it’s important that you update this regularly. Were you shortlisted for Guardian startup of the year? If so, put it on your bio and include it in the signature of your emails. Did you win a prestigious industry prize? Make and song and dance about that too. Did you publish your own book? Point that out when introducing yourself at speaking events or on your website bio.
Always Have A Supply Of Business Cards To Hand
Nothing is worse than those moments you get chatting to somebody who seems interested, but you don’t have a business card. The best solution is to leave little stacks of them everywhere. There should be a stack in each of your suit’s inside pockets, as well as on your desk.
Okay, so you might not have an integrated payment solution on your website. Fine. But is it clear how people can pay for your product? And I don’t mean clear to you. I mean, would it be clear to your grandmother if she sat down to use your site? Think about that question very carefully. It should be obvious whether buying involves clicking a big button, calling an office or finding a dealer.
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