So now the open ocean is in front of you - for miles around, you squint for a minute sighting of land, but as much as you strain your eyes, you see nothing, just a big expanse of water, deep and waiting to watch you sink.....
This might be the thought running at a fast pace through your mind, the prospect of setting up a business to call your own has it's excitement at first, you can't wait to get off the ground, show the world what you're made of, envisage yourself in an Armani suit, shaking hands with politicians, smiling at small children as working class families push themselves out of each other's way to kiss your feet.... hold it right there, we can save the daydreaming til last for today, let's see where you really are for now....
The bowler hat may have to stay on extended order for now, the real hard work is about to start, and I'm afraid without out that, the ship will see the bottom of the blue ocean quickly, but let's try to keep this as 'glass half full' as we possibly can - so, let's recap, you've done your marketing, you've got a name and you are all set, but on the day of your launch, the phone doesn't ring... why? Well, let's see what might be happening...
1. For a start, ask yourself if you had done enough marketing in the first place - did you advertise in the right place? Had you pinpointed your market? Do you think, the customers you want to attract would have used the same resources whee you have advertised? Think of it as a two way street and your customers are trying to cross a busy road - if they only look one way, they are not going to see the truck coming the other way, are they? What happens? Squish.
In a nut shell, you have to think the same way your potential customers think. If you were new in the neighbourhood and weren't sure where to look for a particular service, you would start either with the local paper or the council. Ask yourself now, are you in the paper? Do the council know about your service? Are there any core community groups who might be interested as to where to find you, especially if your business is for customers rather than for other businesses?
It is the same with anything, and especially business, if something doesn't work, go back to the start and trace your steps and make sure you truly have everything covered. However, what you must remember that no business happened overnight - if you look back into the archives of many of the big giants in commerce today, you will see that it took them a heck of a while to get off the ground, so give yourself a break. If you want to swim in the big pond, you will need to paddle around with some armbands first...
Don't forget either that many people have taken a good eyeful at your advertising and have remembered it - they may not necessarily want your business now, but they might do in the future. It will take time, but you have to ask yourself, if you want to earn now, go to the job centre, as starting a business won't pay you a good wage for a long time. Be prepared to go and do the odd temporary job here and there to steady yourself in those first bleak months, but the secret really is, is not to give up.....
onemum 2009
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