Starting a Small Business, Real Or Virtual

Never before has it been easier to get a fast start in internet business.

This article is definitely not for those people who assume money can only be made by sitting in an office owned by someone else from 9 am to 5 pm. It is meant for people with enough enterprise, creativity, talent and vision to consider starting a small business of their own, either in the real world or a virtual one.

This line of work is not for everyone, mainly because of the start-up costs involved and the potential risk of failure to break even, let alone make significant profits.

A small business can be started by just about anybody who is prepared to put in the initial hard work and planning to get it off the ground. The first two years in a new business are crucial to its future success. It may be a struggle but it is well worth it, eventually.

Remember Dennis the Menace, the little five year old kid with a lemonade stand, selling glasses of lemonade for five cents apiece? He embodies the spirit of the small businessman, woman or child. It is the desire to strike out on their own, away from the common crowd that sets them apart from the rest.

There are many different types of small businesses an entrepreneur can venture into. They range from opening a small grocery on a street corner, selling homemade cookies and fruit cake, starting a beauty salon or a boutique for clothes and accessories designed by the owner. A person can also start an Internet related business which may be an Internet café business or a home based Internet business.

Whatever the type of business, there is a certain amount of expenditure involved in the beginning. Most of the first year of the business will be spent selecting a space for a shop, restaurant or whatever. Rents need to be paid, basic equipment has to be purchased and junior assistants require salaries. Similar considerations apply to Internet businesses which are set up in the virtual world, rather than the real one, though the technology and methods are different.

Advertising is essential for success, as is quality of service or goods provided. A nice theme décor with a prominent business sign or an attractively designed website will attract customers. Once they come along, building a good association with them is vital. They will return if you satisfy their requirements, or depart to visit your business rivals down the road or elsewhere in cyberspace.

If the business does relatively well in its first year, the second year should be reserved for consolidation and possible expansion of the customer and financial base. As time goes on, the owner of the small business will gain confidence and be able to negotiate his or her way in a market dominated by larger and more established players.

Giving up too easily if adversity threatens is not wise. Starting with a good idea and building things up gradually with the help of a business plan is much better than leaping without looking. Many people have developed small businesses that have survived and prospered, bringing rich rewards to their owners.

Many small businesses believe public relations is the domain of large businesses that have significant budgets and resources at their disposal. While it is true that many large businesses do invest heavily in PR, there’s no reason why small business can’t get involved too, without breaking the bank.

What is public relations? There are many definitions, however, in general it involves managing the flow of communication between a business and its target audiences. Unlike advertising, PR is generally free (although it may not be free to manage), you usually have limited control over where and when it appears, and while public relations tries to promote favourable opinion the lack of control can work against you.

Why then wouldn’t you just advertise? As well as price, credibility is the prime reason. For example, which would you more likely believe: an advertisement extolling the virtues of a product or an article in a credible newspaper highlighting your business and its products? Most people would choose the article.

Where to begin with public relations?

So you’ve decided PR is worth trying; where do you start? Generally, public relations is about story telling. Look for uniqueness in your business, products or services, and also the people who work for you. Look for stories in your business that you think may interest others. Most businesses have stories to tell but sometimes you are too close to the business to see them. Getting a fresh set of eyes into your business for a quick look may be worthwhile.

Once you’ve identified your stories, you then need to look for ways of getting them to your target audiences. Newspapers are the obvious choice, along with magazines, radio and TV. These days it’s also worth looking at opportunities on the Internet. As well as your business website, there are article directories, news sites and of course social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

Perhaps less obvious but potentially just as effective are activities such as speaking at seminars and conferences, booking a stand at an expo, providing information to local, state or federal governments or getting involved in a community event.

Whatever you do, always keep in mind your target audiences. Any publicity can be good but if the publicity doesn’t target your audiences it’s unlikely to be effective. It may seem like commonsense, but make sure you target media outlets, Internet sites and activities that you know will help get your messages to the people who are likely to purchase your products and services.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, unless you have the skills and time, employing the services of a business to help you plan, develop and deploy your public relations plan is well worth the expense.

Keep in mind all these things, work hard and smart and you’ll find that public relations can be extremely effective in growing your business.