Guest Author Lance Cody-Valdez, Digital Nomad at free-lance-now.com
Are you planning on changing careers and starting something new? If you want to make an impact in your personal life as well as in your community, consider starting your own small business. From conception to promotion, there are many ways your business can benefit you and the people around you. Here, we’ll highlight how entrepreneurs turn their ideas into successes that benefit everyone in the community.
Finding Partners for Your Business
Do you want to become an entrepreneur and benefit your community at the same time? Starting a small business provides a wonderful opportunity to do just that. You may need to hire freelancers in your area to help you with website creation, advertising, or accounting. You may also need help with production, deliveries, or office duties. Hiring local people is a great way to give back to your community. To find the best local talent, talk to colleges, universities, and trade schools in your area.
If you need temporary help with specific tasks, call staffing agencies around you and tell them what kind of job you need help with. Get in touch with your city’s chamber of commerce that will refer you to local companies or suppliers you can buy from or partner with. Also, make sure you patronize other local small businesses when you’re out and about. You’ll be able to develop better and stronger professional relationships by meeting people in real life.
Launching Your Business
Many small business owners settle on a business structure known as a limited liability company, which presents many tax benefits and offers greater flexibility than other business structures. Some states require that you create an operating agreement for your LLC. This document serves as a contract between members of the LLC, so make sure to include the rights and responsibilities of each member.
It’s important for this operating agreement to cover all essential areas of your business in case disputes occur among members, or if you need to dissolve the company. It should also detail what your business is about when it comes to its goals, structure, ownership, and management. Make sure to keep this document updated as your business grows, just like you would update your will as your family grows and changes.
You should have a plan developed for bringing your business online and your product or service to market. If you and your team need help crafting your plan, using a go-to-market strategy template can work. This tool will enable you to clearly state and communicate your ideas to help you succeed.
Promoting Your Business
Becoming a member of your local chamber of commerce is a great way to promote your business. Attend events and meet with other entrepreneurs in your area, and get some word-of-mouth going about your services. Another effective way to promote a business is via social media. Join online groups that allow local businesses to advertise their services, and make sure to include the best way to reach you in your posts: your company email or phone number and a link to your website are a must if you want people to be able to find you.
Participate alongside your community by signing up for local events like craft fairs or charity events such as 5K races. Becoming a sponsor for a little league team is also a great way to make yourself known around town. Launch your own event and invite the locals to come sample your goods, and create some excitement by having them enter a contest where the winner gets a cool prize. Advertise your event in advance on the local radio station to reach a wider audience.
As an entrepreneur, you can grow your customer base while helping your community. Providing jobs to the locals and participating in community events are great ways for small businesses to get involved and gather momentum.
Image via Pexels
This article is brought to you by Beachside Social Networks, founded in 2013 by Jeff Dorman to help address the needs of Brevard County, Florida small-to-medium size businesses and nonprofits to expand their internet presence and incorporate the latest social networking and media applications to help build stronger relationships with their customers and the public. In 2008 Jeff began helping businesses by creating individualized unique websites and blogs specific to the customers’ business needs. As social networking applications became more and more pervasive Jeff helped his customers integrate social media services like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. into their web portals. For more information, please visit our website or contact us today!
