The SmartStart Checklist.
As you begin your journey into online sales and marketing, it’s important to follow an established process to ensure you have the tools and knowledge that are necessary to support your launch. “Stupid Startup Mistakes” has provided you with a wealth of knowledge about things to avoid. Now our “Smart Start” Checklist walks you through a list of things you should do as you launch your new business.
As you read through the steps below, if you are unsure of where to start or don’t have a preferred service provider, please click the button in each section to visit our recommended providers. The companies listed on that page are the actual partners we use in our daily operations. They provide great services at very affordable prices.
STEP 1:
Take the time to read and understand the extremely valuable information contained within the book.
Take notes on the items that stand out to you.
Use the chapters for reference as you are looking for services.
STEP 2:
Use a professional design service.
It can be tempting to use some form of AI (Artificial Intelligence) to create your new logo… don’t do it.
The colors included in your logo are important as they will be carried over throughout your entire marketing line.
Maintaining your color palette helps_ to build your brand.
Special Note
Highly Recommended – Purchase the items in Step 3 (Domain name), Step 4 (Professional Email), and Step 5 (Email Marketing Plan) from different providers. Since you are just starting out, you want to make sure that you have the flexibility to try different providers. If you purchase everything from one service provider, you might get locked into a service that does not meet your needs.
STEP 3:
A .COM is recommended, but not always available. Do your research if you decide to go with a different TLD.
Keep your domain name short
Do this before proceeding to Step 4 – It’s easier to connect your accounts if you have your domain name first.
Purchase your domain name from a Domain Registrar
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STEP 4:
Don’t use a Gmail or Yahoo email address for your business.
Professional business email addresses are inexpensive and add credibility to your business.
Use an established email provider
STEP 5:
It’s EXTREMELY IMPORTANT to get this service up and running quickly.
If you don’t have the time to do it yourself, find a freelancer that can assist with the basics of getting you up and running. Once it’s set up, you can manage it yourself or continue paying to have someone help you.
This service is crucial to helping you acquire new customers and keeping current customers engaged.
You are eligible for a free 30-day all-access trial - however, we recommend that you upgrade to a paid plan immediately after creating your account. For only $20/month, The Starter Plan gives you access to the basic tools you need to build your marketing campaign without all the "extras" that can be overwhelming.
STEP 6:
At a minimum, you should create an Instagram and X account for your business. These are the fastest platforms for communicating your message.
Consider Facebook & TikTok accounts if your business fits the community.
You can run an extremely successful Social Media campaign if you INVEST just a little bit of time into learning the basics of Digital Marketing.
By sharing your knowledge of your industry, you could even turn your Social Media accounts into another Revenue Stream for your new business.
Effective Digital Marketing can help you open multiple income streams.
STEP 7:
Your email marketing service may have an option to add on Web Hosting for a Website.
The add-on will likely cost less than purchasing a dedicated web hosting plan.
Depending on your business, you may or may not need to have a separate Email Marketing Service and _Web Hosting Provider.
STEP 8:
For most new businesses, I don’t necessarily recommend spending time creating a COMPLETE website for your business.
It’s time-consuming and can be very overwhelming. Often times, the website is rushed and filled with irrelevant information.
This can present your company in a negative light.
A benefit of using an Email Marketing Service is that they offer landing pages (think of it as a single-page website) as part of their service.
By creating different sections on your Landing Page, you can effectively create a 1-page website for your customers to learn more about your business.
Using a Landing Page as a 1-page website is a perfect solution for those businesses that do not have large volumes of information to share.
However, if your business has a lot of information to share, you will be better served by creating a full_-fledged website.