Being in charge of your own business means being able to control every aspect — from what you sell to how you sell it, and everything in between. Your greatest asset is YOU, which means you have the power to control each of the facets of your business and decide just how you want your product to be perceived by the world.

However, there are some rules and guidelines you should follow, especially if you want to be successful. The problem with starting your own business is that often times there is a small margin for error, meaning you want to maximize your successes and minimize your failures. Some mistakes are inevitable, but there are specific things you should try to avoid to set you and your business up for success.

No Website or Social Media Presence

“Social media is here. It’s not going away, it’s not a passing fad. Be where your customers are; in social media.”

I see this way too often, where people are trying to build their business without any type of online presence. Whether you like it or not, social media and digital content is the way of the future, and if you want to stay relevant and maximize your success, mastering this aspect is critical. Even billion dollar corporations with huge name recognition have had to create strong online profiles in order to continue to attract new consumers. So, if the biggest companies have to master this, your small business does too — people won’t be able to find your business online or see what you’re all about if you don’t.

Forgetting Your Offline Presence

“Strong customer relationships drive sales, sustainability, and growth.”

While online marketing is vitally important, it’s also crucial that you don’t forget about your offline connections. These things include interacting face-to-face with your customers — by attending farmer’s markets, trade shows, or other events that cater to what you are selling. Even in today’s tech-obsessed society, people still value connection, which is why real interaction fosters long-time customers and a dedicated clientele.

Letting Fear Take Over

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”  

I know from personal experience how scary and daunting it can be to venture out on your own. It’s risky, makes you feel vulnerable, and there are no guarantees. But if you give in to these types of thoughts, you will never be able to succeed. You don’t know if a certain media post will work or if tons of people are going to tune into and engage with your live video. However, you never know until you try, and testing out all different forms of marketing is how you will know what works and what doesn’t.

Focusing Only on Selling

“Don’t deliver a product, deliver an experience.”

People don’t want to be bombarded 24/7 with you selling your product. In fact, with all the products being sold out there, there has to be a reason that someone will want to follow you, engage with you, or share your content. This means building content that is related-to but doesn’t specifically mention what you sell. This means using social media and your blog to pique people’s interest in topics that are not just you trying to get them to buy what you’re selling. You will be much more successful if you have a more diversified online presence.

Not Tracking Competitors

“Competitors understand your business best.”

No matter how “niche” you may think your business is, you will always have competitors… yes, always. Even if they aren’t from the same city (or country) as you, find a minimum of 3 successful business that are related to your product and see what they do and what makes them successful. Pay attention to what they are doing, because this gives you a good opportunity to leverage each of their successes and failures to your advantage.

Love yourself - it’s the best love you will ever have.

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