UPDATE: How I'm accomplishing my small business goals for the new year
2020 has been troublesome for many, and we didn’t even start most of our goals. It seemed like a game of hot potato as we juggled responsibilities with our dreams.
At the end of last year, I set a few goals I wanted to tackle regarding my small business. I was able to address them all this year (amazingly), but I am not finished with any of them by any means. So, here’s what I’ve done to make sure I’m successful with my small business goals and how you can be too!
CREATE: How to overcome your fears and shortcomings in your small business
Since so many people have been facing furloughs or lay-offs, I’ve also seen many people taking the plunge of opening their own business. Most people are looking to replace their income while others are hoping to cushion any fallout they might experience in the future.
While many job hunters are taking the leap, many are also nervous about delving into the new environment.
What qualities should you think about for your ideal client?
When working on defining your target audience, you should be thinking about one person. If you were able to pluck one individual from your target audience that would use your product or service, what would that person look like? What would they do? What do they want from your business?
Here are a few questions to ask yourself when determining your ideal client.
CREATE: How to make a clear and cohesive digital presence for your small business
I’ve always been encouraged by professors to have a digital presence. When I was attending and starting my classes at the University of Missouri, I was constantly told about the importance of having a presence on various social media and web platforms. It wasn’t enough to have experience. My experience needed to be broadcasted and promoted well for my peers and supervisors to take notice.
CREATE: How to move your ideal client through the marketing strategy customer ladder
I found out more about the Marketing Strategy Customer ladder while reading and completing CREATE An Intensive Biz Playbook & Planner: Scale Your Online Business, Create Explosive Growth and Build a Brand You Crave’s section on marketing strategy.
As a business owner, you will have to determine how you will reach out and market your company to each level of these customers.
CREATE: Find your 'Zone of Genius' and use it to appeal to your target audience
So you’ve found your niche and target audience for your business start-up. Now, how do you use your target audience to flock to your products?
Of course, they’ll just know you have a great product for them and you’ll be an instant success.
Wrong.
By reading Meera Kothand’s section on finding your Zone of Genius, I was able to create a better-branded message that can appeal to my target audience.
Soft skills are highly desired in today’s professional industries.
Many work environments look for hard and technically learned skill sets but soft skills tend to hold more power over positions. It’s important to know hard skills, like Adobe Creative Suite or book-keeping software, but your soft skills show how you work with others, whether that be a client or a coworker.