7 Tips for Starting a Successful Business

A post from our Marketing blog

Everyone wants to find a perfect way to create a successful business. Every new company strives to be successful. Yet, 20% of new enterprises close within two years of launch, and only 25% last longer than ten years.

Alas, there is not a single winning strategy for any new businesses, but there are guidelines, tips, and advice on increasing chances for success. This article explores these tips and advises on how to start a successful business.

1: Get Organized 

Sometimes, emotions get the better of us, and excitement about a new, revolutionary business idea may spoil the whole process at the very beginning. Therefore, it is essential to keep things organized. There are special tools that will help keep a clear perspective and plan in advance.
Many specialized applications will help keep track of essential tasks:

• Slack
• Asana
• Zoom
• Microsoft Teams

Starting a new business may feel overwhelming. This is because so much needs to be done. Organization and creation of small, daily tasks will help focus on objectives and reach hit targets. Even an Excel spreadsheet can do the job. 

Bookkeeping is another essential part of business organization. It may seem that small businesses do not require detailed bookkeeping, but scaling is necessary when a company is successful and grows. And for successful scaling, a business owner should have a clear image of income and expenses in the long run. 

2: Hire the Right People

Modern applicant tracking processes are complex and advanced, and a business owner may want to get professional help with this task. Even the most talented entrepreneurs need a team of qualified professionals. Therefore, the right team is an excellent contribution to a successful business. 

Modern Applicant tracking systems (ATS bots) are specialized software that scan resumes and cover letters for the relevant keywords. Services like Skillhub help to optimize these bots for properly searching job applicants and preparing the correct documents.

A business owner should have a clear focus on the product or service. This focus will aid in finding the right people with the right skills.

3: Study The Market 

There is no single way to build a successful business! Success is a combination of analysis, precision, and (of course) luck. But there are a few things entrepreneurs can do to increase their chances of success. One such thing is market analysis. 

A successful product should provide benefits or provide more accessible alternatives. A future business owner should answer the question: how does my product help people? What good does it do? 

Market analysis involves learning about the modern market's needs and developing solutions. This research includes studying surveys, interviewing people, and understanding what existing and potential competitors provide in the niche.

You should also create the client's persona. This is a valuable tool in any entrepreneur's arsenal, and it helps to visualize the client and predict their needs and requests. 

A client's persona comprises knowledge of their background, education, occupation, and hobbies. Сombination of these factors with market data will help create a valuable, needed resource. 

4: Create a Prototype 

Prototyping is vital for new and small-scale businesses. This approach is relevant for digital applications and physical products and services. Before a full-scale launch, a business owner should create a test copy of a product.

The test group may consist of strangers or even close friends and relatives. The primary purpose of creating a prototype is to find significant disadvantages before the launch and fix them before the final launch. 

The prototyping period and the number of test models depend on the project's budget and deadlines. But whatever the case, business owners should not neglect this step. 

5: Assess Risks and Rewards 

Risk assessment is another factor that drowns fledgling businesses. A new business can quickly fail without proper knowledge of the market climate. 

Risk assessment includes:

• Monitoring competitor activity
• Keeping an eye on the financial outlook for the country and the market
• Making the right call for launch and sales

The final aim of risk assessment is to avoid worst-case scenarios. It's impossible to guarantee success, even with careful planning and testing. But if business owners assess risks correctly, they will be able to adjust their strategy more quickly if the situation changes. A business beginner might want professional help from an expert for proper risk assessment.

6: Remain Focused 

A rushed start of a business may lead to rushed decision-making and attempts to please everyone at once. However, the key to success is to remain focused and fixed on the original idea. For example, Amazon started as a company that sold books and stuck to the concept; later, it grew into one of the e-commerce giants. 

Focusing on service delivery and the target audience is vital. Sometimes, people prefer cheaper, less-known alternatives to a popular product due to the high-quality service. There is a saying in the business world: "under-promise and over-deliver." This can mean that attention to the customer may compensate for a product's shortcomings – at least in part. 

7: Prepare for Sacrifices!

Every new business requires sacrifices. When business owners complete preparations and launch their products, the real work begins! New entrepreneurs should realize that a new business will not be profitable in the first couple of years, and getting to zero may be the best-case outcome in the short term. 

New business owners should forgo vacations and accept they have less free time and significantly increased stress levels. In other words, they must not underestimate the necessity of making sacrifices to make their business work. Only that way will it become successful. 

The Bottom Line 

Building a successful business is about knowledge and dedication. First, people in business should know what they create, for who, and why. Then, they should study the market, potential clients, and competitors to understand the answers to these questions. The result will give them the knowledge to create a competitive product. 

People in business should also be organized, document their steps, and put effort into customer service. These steps will help them to survive in the early stages and build towards a successful business.