Launching your small business is an exciting but nerve-wracking time. With so much riding on that moment when you finally open your doors, you’ll want to know that everything is in place and as it should be, from your brand and product to your website and customer service experience.
Among all of the elements of your business that need to be prepared in time for the launch date, there are three key things that are essential to have in place – let’s take a look.
Your registration and licences
Of course, in order to legally trade any product or service you need to be appropriately licensed and registered with the relevant authorities. In the UK, most businesses register as either a sole trader, a limited company, or a partnership.
There are plenty of rules and regulations to follow, so it’s always important to do lots of research into the legal requirements for the nature of your business. Depending on your product or service, you may need to apply for a certain kind of permit, or register for a particular type of insurance – this may also depend on your profit turnover, and the premises that you plan to work from. Once you’ve got the appropriate registrations and permits out of the way, you’re free to launch your small business without worry, knowing that you’re fully covered by the law.
A great business plan
In order for your small business to be a success, you’re going to need to develop an in-depth business plan. In order for it to be effective, it should include plenty of market research as well as financial plans, marketing strategies, and various operational procedures.
When you have a great business plan in place, you can see exactly what you need to do in order to get the desired results – plus, you have something to fall back on and refer to should anything go wrong after launching. By opting to create a detailed business plan, you have a little more assurance and control over what is to be expected, as well as an idea of how you can best implement each of your business strategies.
Excellent customer service
Excellent customer service is part and parcel of a great business. In fact, this element is crucial for gaining and retaining customers, making it key to your growth as an up-and-coming small business.
When you’re just starting out, it may be hard to find the resources to employ a full workforce of customer service agents. Instead, you might want to consider outsourcing your customer service – this way, you won’t need to upgrade your space, and you can pay for only the hours of service that you need, rather than offering an employee a full-time wage for hours that may or may not be utilised in the initial stages of business. By employing great customer service assistants, you’re guaranteeing your customers a positive experience that will keep them coming back for more of your products or services.
Get ready to launch your small business
Once you’ve got the key elements in place, you’re ready to launch your small business. As long as you’ve developed a great product, you’ll simply want to be legally covered, have a plan in place, and be enthusiastic about providing a premium service experience – these three things will give you the best chance of success in your new business venture.
