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If you have an entrepreneurial dream and are wanting to start your own business, look to these three pieces of advice to succeed in your first year.
Tell A Story With Visuals For Online Sales
If you have limited marketing budget (as most small businesses do) it is important to know where to invest for your business. When your customers depend on visuals alone to get to know your product, professional photography is a worthwhile investment to showcase your product.
Bay Area producer of handcrafted, heirloom goods Melanie Abrantes shares her take on the importance of visual storytelling in the online marketplace:
“The most important thing about selling your product online
is to make sure that the images of your product are able to tell the full
story. Since people won’t be able to see it in person, they have to imagine
what the product is going to look like in that setting. When you have
professional photography involved, you are able to create a life for that
product.” (Brit + Co)
Consider The Customer Experience
It’s easy for entrepreneurs to get caught up in our own story or vision. While it’s important to stay motivated and inspired about your personal stock in the business, never stray too far from prioritizing the customer’s experience.
Johnny Brann, Jr. is a restaurateur and philanthropist who introduced high-tech customer experience management to the restaurant business. Restaurants worldwide consulted with him to implement the first touch-screen ordering systems at every booth. Brann also introduced wireless inductive charging at every table: “Set your phone, laptop or tablet on the table and it starts charging, no matter the device.” (Entrepreneur)
“When you come to a restaurant, you come for an experience.
It’s the little things, like having a fully-charged phone, that can leave a big
impression,” Brann said.
Find Clarity In Your Business Goals
Elizabeth Wright is a motivational speaker, author and Paralympic medalist. In her Huffington Post blog entitled “The Rise of the Disabled Entrepreneur,” Wright describes the frustration with endless job interviews that ultimately led her to become an entrepreneur.
“What would be my advice to someone with a disability
wanting to start their own business? It would be to have absolute clarity in
what business you want to do and how this will look in relation to your day to
day life, to find yourself a mentor or Mastermind group for emotional and
practical support, and also don’t be afraid to ask what funding is available
for you. Be brave, be fearless, and be strong, and you can have a job that is
fulfilling, but most importantly let’s you work with your disability in a
positive way.”