Getting Your Local Business off the Ground: How Business Plans and Flyers Can Help

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It’s always good to serve your community, and a great way to do that is by providing a service. Starting a new business in your area can seem next to impossible, but being prepared and knowing what steps to take will make it far more manageable. If you’re interested in launching a start-up in your community, the following tips from Business Verticals can help.

1. Construct a Detailed Plan

As the obvious but pivotal first step of this challenge, a business plan serves two important purposes:

• Gives the company itself goals and guidelines by which to operate.
• Demonstrates to potential funders and investors that the idea is feasible.

The plan must describe how much funding will be needed, as well as a breakdown of where each dollar is spent, explains A Better Lemonade Stand. It should identify the staffing hierarchy, as well as provide a detailed description of the services the company provides and how these services are sold. Having a complete plan in the early stages eliminates the guesswork of what steps need to be taken next. Consider using trusted software like LivePlan to help you develop and track your business plan.

You may realize while writing your business plan that, although you know a lot about your business’s purpose, that you know less than you’d like about running a business. In that case, consider going back to school for a bachelor’s degree in business. You can select a specific program that will fill in your knowledge gap, whether it’s accounting, marketing, project management, or communication. And online programs make it easy to take classes while working or developing your business. 

2. Obtain Funding and Licenses

With a strategy ready to go, an aspiring business owner should have an easier time finding willing investors. Financial institutions, private investors, and even government subsidies can all be petitioned to help provide the resources needed to get your idea off the ground, usually in exchange for a greater return down the road. 

Once funding is obtained, permits and licenses will likely be required for many different aspects of the organization. The types of licenses needed vary by the type of business, so detailed research needs to be done to determine which ones apply to you. After these essentials are taken care of, the plan can go into action.

3. Spread the Word with Flyers

Once the plan is in motion to get the business operational, it’s time to get the word out. Taking out advertising online, on billboards, or in local publications will let the entire community know about your upcoming venture, as will printing out and distributing flyers. The ads should be memorable while giving prospective customers all the information they’ll need to patronize your services.

With the plethora of online tools available, designing a professional-looking flyer has never been easier. Many websites offer customizable templates that you can easily edit with your own text and images. You can also utilize design tools and platforms to craft a more unique and personalized flyer, catering to your business needs. Online tools also allow you to easily share your flyer on social media or through email, expanding your reach and engagement with your target audience. If you’re looking for an easy-to-use app to get started, give this a try.

4. Be a Part of Your Community

The support of the community is what your business relies on to stay afloat. A great way to cultivate a loyal customer base is to benefit your neighbors through your business. Surveys show giving a certain percentage of sales to local charities, holding community fundraisers, and sponsoring local sports teams and events to give back to your community also brings about a loyal customer base. Asking for customer feedback and suggestions will provide ideas to fit into the environment better, and will show the clientele that you care.

Make a Plan and Plug into Your Community

Providing a service to your community benefits everyone. While starting a new local business may be overwhelming at first, knowing the best way to get started will reduce much of the stress and difficulty. Start by developing your business plan. That document will prompt you to think through a lot of important questions. Once you have worked through those issues, then dive into your marketing and networking. Being connected to your community is one thing that makes being a local business owner worth it!