This is a common situation, includes people who are very experienced in a certain trade or business, have been employed in that field for many years, and now, for whatever reason, need or want to start their own business in that field.
Suggest this is a total business issue, as starting an own business involves multiple service areas, all new to a first time, self employed business person. These include: The Business formation: Definition of the target market and the services to be provided: The Business Goals and Targets: Marketing of which a web site is only a part: Funding to start the business: Managing the finances of the business. It is not possible for someone new to business to understand and address all these issues to start a new business.
Most of the issues can be actioned off a setup checklist.
The biggest single challenge is…. MARKETING: getting enough customers or clients. Those who have been employed by big companies in business development or marketing and think they know what to do to win business…. welcome to the new world! Marketing in todays commercial world (for most types of business), is a swamp with multiple moving parts, ask 4 marketing ‘specialists’ and you will get 4 different answers.
Many businesses do not have website content which is required in today’s commercial world: many businesses and marketing organisations have not caught up with the digital options ………. and everyone is selling AI based services! So much coaching these days is generic, all good stuff, but the new business person is unable to identify and implement what is relevant for his/her business.
A few years ago, even before the AI deluge, Carlos Gil wrote ‘The End of Marketing’, which contained great advice on effective marketing principles in the developing digital age. But even these works are too detailed for someone new to the business world.
For someone starting a business today, including those who claim to have been in marketing and business development and ‘know what to do’, marketing today requires going back to the basics of doing business. Set business targets and create a marketing plan to achieve those targets, using appropriate online and digital facilities and, traditional sales and marketing processes like networking ( where appropriate ).
But even before the business set up and marketing planning, ask for advice and comment from a number of experienced business people on the business idea and mission… ( in addition to marketing ‘experts’), and keep asking until you get away from the marketing BS, and can create a working plan.
THE WAY TO START YOUR TRANSITION?
Get a review ( free ) of your business idea or business, to include comment on marketing, to help you plan your way forward, Email and include a phone number. info@startupassist.uk