Calling all intrepid entrepreneurs! Before you unleash your next bright idea, a little housekeeping is in order to make sure your new business gets the best possible start in life.
But what exactly should your prelaunch plan entail? From the small to the gargantuan, during discovery phase no detail should be ignored before you begin your journey to the top.
Here are some fine additions worth mulling over in preparation for the day when you can finally call yourself the proud owner of your very own business.
Is Your Website Optimized?
Making sure your website is fully functioning, looking good, and prepared to handle the first waves of customers as soon as the flood gates open is a must.
Your website is often the first point of contact between your brand and the customers, and first impressions matter, particularly for startups striving to win the hearts of their audience.
Is Your Business Covered?
New business owners already have a long list of worries to keep their minds occupied, and this is without having to worry about their efforts being thwarted as a result of bad luck.
Coverage from reliable insurance companies is essential in this regard, as it can help you rest easy in the knowledge that your wares and your processes are well and truly looked after.
There are many different types of insurance, some of which you might not have even had the chance to think about before! For example, say you needed to do your own deliveries, then commercial auto insurance is crucial.
Are Your Staff Prepared?
There’s no use sitting around like a lemon on launch day. Everyone needs to be prepared for a potential rush of customers, even if the worst comes to the worst and you don’t make as many sales as you hoped you would.
Getting everyone on the same page and making sure that your staff knows their roles and responsibilities can help you tackle your launch day head-on.
How easy is your customer onboarding ?
Customer onboarding process can be costly for small businesses and startups, not to mention its effects on your business reputation and customer satisfaction.
If done right, businesses with successful onboarding workflows are said to experience 16% higher annual revenue growth and enjoy a 70% reduction in churn rates. Fortunately, there are a number of tools available to help simplify the process. For example there are many customer onboarding tools and softwares, such as Flat file or stonely and other affordable alternatives to Flatfile. They offers a visual interface that makes it easy to collect and organise customer data. In addition, it provides templates and tips to help streamline the onboarding process.
Have You Tested Your Tech?
Whether this is apps, websites, tills, or your SaaS (software as a service) efforts, it’s worth running some final checks to make sure they are actually working.
It’s better to be safe than sorry, and it could save you a great deal of financial strife and PR crisis management later on in the day.
This may mean taking a close look at your setup rather than simply giving it the once over. For example, making sure that your website is fully functioning across a variety of platforms, phone, tablet, even console, should probably take a while, so it is probably best to put aside some time for your testing efforts.
Are You Dressed to Bedazzle?
Maybe not to bedazzle as such, but still, making sure that you and your employees are looking sharp and ready to do business is key to making a good first impression, as shallow as that might or might not sound.
This can also mean wearing a smile and making yourself come across as friendly and approachable. Even if your business is completely digital, smiling to yourself or having a quick team pep meeting before the launch can help lift spirits at basecamp.
The more you can encourage and inspire your team before the big day, the more energy you can hope to see flying around during the course of your launch.
Can People Find You?
If no one can find your brand in the first place, there is probably not much to get excited about.
Directing the wonderful public to your wares, virtually or otherwise, should be high on the list of priorities.
The power of PR should not be underestimated, just think about all the marketing shenanigans brands like Red Bull and Taco Bell have pulled off.
However before you do take to the streets with a bullhorn, it is worth remembering that staying on brand is vital to how the public will perceive your image. Starting as you mean to go on can be a powerful launching point, a solid foundation upon which to stand and say to the world: My brand is the absolute best.
Have You Sent the Word Out?
Social media is extremely valuable around launch day, as you can essentially declare your new brand’s existence to the entire online world, so don’t forget to start posting in advance!
Drumming up some immediacy is a good way to get the ball rolling, so you could think about posting a countdown timer on your social media pages.
Is the Champagne Prepared?
Preparing for a launch and surviving your first day can be a downright tumultuous affair at the best of times, so you probably deserve a big reward for managing to bring your idea to life.
Last but not least, remember to enjoy it! Launch days only happen once (hopefully).