5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started My Business

Once upon a time I created a few jewelry pieces.  I then posted them on Facebook and before I knew what happened, I had a business.  Whether you plan years in advance or "fall into it" like I did, you may have things you wish you did differently in the beginning, I know I do!  Here's my list of things I would do differently if I ever started a new business:

1. A business plan - I have one now, but I didn't have one when I started.  While a business plan should be an evolving (almost living) document, it's important to have the "blueprint" when starting.  There are many great (and free) online resources for writing an effective business plan. It doesn't have to be 100 pages or even that detailed.
2. A marketing plan - I didn't even know these existed until a college class on marketing (I've been in college on and off for over 20 years lol).  Similar to a business plan, this one focuses on the marketing aspect of your business. Without marketing a business can not thrive.
3. An easy to pronounce business name! When starting my business, I knew I wanted to incorporate my Italian heritage in the name.  I collaborated with a relative and came up with Bellissimi Ornamenti.  After a year of people not being able to pronounce the name, I changed it to Bella Ornamenti. Both mean the same (Beautiful Ornaments), but Bella is a lot easier to pronounce.
4. Target Audience/Customer - Seems like a no brainer, but sitting down and doing the research to fully define and understand your target audience is crucial to effectively marketing your business.
5. Embracing all forms of Social Media - I fought against using Twitter and Instagram for marketing my business until I realized I was missing out on a huge chunk of my target customers!  Research which forms of social media your customers are using and run with it. Whether it's Facebook, SnapChat, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube, being able to easily reach your customers is important.

I know these may seem like simple things that everyone does, but not everyone actually does them. If you're thinking of starting a business or already in business, make sure you've done all 5!

Until Next Time...

Andrea