Today’s video is about starting a business

All entrepreneurs have started at the beginning and often at the beginning of that journey, they feel pressure on needing to have a logo, website, and business cards etc.

Often the advice received is to have all of that in place before actually starting and running a business.

Yes, those are important. But if you are still treading the waters or if unsure of what your path or target market is, I suggest not to start with any of those traditional marketing pieces.

Instead, the most important thing that you need is you and your confidence.

As long as you are confident in what you are offering and you know you can really help serve somebody or provide them with something that would really benefit them, it’s that confidence that is going to sell you, your products and your services far more than having a website or a fancy business card.

All you need to do is get out there and tell people what you are doing.

Getting out there and telling people what you do is the most important start to your businessClick To Tweet

That excitement, enthusiasm, energy and confidence in what you do is going to get people to work with you.
Many years ago when I first started working in the web development industry I didn’t have any of that. I didn’t have a business card; I didn’t have a website.

All I had was my willingness and ability to help people. I was just wanting to help serve. And because of that, clients kept returning and referring new clients to me.

Eventually, because I am a web developer, I did obviously set up a website. But our first website was actually really atrocious. I literally threw something up feeling I guess I better have something up; it’s better than nothing.

In reality, I would have been better off if I hadn’t had a website at all because when we go into that mode of thinking, “I better have something, it’s better than nothing” then it’s actually being a disservice to you.

Throwing a website quickly up or using a cheap template is not helping you. If you put something up that’s amateurish looking or homemade there many psychological factors in play when people come to your website to check you out.

There’s going to be something that’s going to turn them off.

They are going to immediately decide the impression they received by looking at your amateurish-looking website is going to give them the feeling you are not the right person for them.

So instead of going the cheap route and doing something really low cost and quick, don’t do anything at all until you are solid in your business. Wait until you know exactly what you want and your confidence level is high. Then it’s time to hire a professional web developer and somebody who knows marketing and branding.

Don’t just hire a techie geek who can press a button and put up a website for you.

Avoid hiring just a techie-geek to build your website; find someone with marketing and branding expertiseClick To Tweet

You need someone who can think on your behalf of all the things you are not realizing. Things about brand and brand positioning and how to present you in front of your ideal target market.

There’s copywriting to consider; someone who knows the right language to use. There’s the right brand design; the right colours; and how you want to be presented.

And the technology is also important.

You want to make sure you have a website that is properly functioning. It needs to have the user experience in mind and is also SEO friendly.

Many people who just know how to plug in a WordPress theme don’t know all of those things.
When you have the right budget and the right positioning in your mind and wanting to take off — then it’s time to hire a professional web developer and marketer.

But until then: Pick up the phone, do your personal networking, get on social media and build your business that way through word of mouth and through your passion and experience.

That’s what is going to get you going and making the money you need in order to be able to do the proper marketing and branding after that.

I’d love to hear what you think – Do you think you can start a business without a website or do you feel it’s necessary? Share your response below in the comments section or if you have a question, I’d be happy to answer.