Chances are, at some stage of your life, you were struck with the most perfect get-rich-quick scheme ever known to man, and you did shit-all about it because the idea of starting your own business was massively daunting.
And that’s a crying shame.
Because not all the elements of starting your own business are intimidating — you can legit knock over a whole bunch of them in an afternoon. And that’s not even taking into account the stuff you probably already know.
So here are five things you need to start a business that are easier than you probably expected.
1. Business name
Are you a punny person? Reckon you’re good at coming up with catchy titles and slogans? This part is the fun part right here.
Sure, you’ve gotta make sure that it’s not already taken by someone else, and just like with a child, you’ve gotta make sure that you won’t get sick of it after a while (the name, not the child). But coming up with branding is an important first step and the name says it all.
2. Website domain
Next up is making sure that you find yourself a spot on the World Wide Web. Everything is done online now, and given that you’ve come up with a snazzy new name for your business (go you!), you should be able to sort yourself a domain fairly easily.
If your name is already taken in dot com form, maybe consider an alternative. Think of us here – we’re dot TV and it suits us quite nicely, if you ask us.
3. Social media accounts
You probably already spend a stack of time on Instagram and Facebook anyway, so it’s not like it’s a stretch to make an account when you’re starting a business. If your product or service is particularly aesthetic-friendly, then Instagram is the place for you.
You don’t even have to set up a boosted or sponsored system yet – just make like Field of Dreams and recognise that “if you build it, they will come”.
4. ABN
Every business needs an Australian Business Number, which is a unique 11 digit code that registers your business in the big ol’ eyes of the government – so yes, it’s pretty important. It’s also super straightforward to apply for.
All you have to do is pop online and register your details. You don’t have to pay a fee if you DIY the sucker instead of going through a tax agent, so this is definitely one you’re gonna wanna tick off the list yourself.
5. CRM database
CRM stands for customer relationship management, and it’s probably not something you gave much thought to just yet, but it should be. Businesses succeed and fail off the back of how they interact with their customers.
By setting up a database like Mailchimp for example, you can wrangle a setup that will distribute newsletters, keep track of audience data and insights, create campaigns and get real-time reports. Easy as shit.
So really, there’s no excuse for you not to at least give it a crack. Once you’ve nailed down that perfect idea you might as well get it going because if you don’t, someone else will.
Imagine how crappy you’ll feel when they make it work.
