If you plan to start a web-based business, your site has to be a serious player from the very beginning. Rushing into entrepreneurial ventures without a strategy isn’t very wise, so once you get over the initial excitement, take some time to break down the process of launching your web-based startup into manageable tasks.
There’s a lot to do and you might get easily overwhelmed, but don’t worry – we’ve created a handy checklist that will help you stay on track and launch your web-based startup successfully.
1. Review the Domains You’ve Purchased
Choosing the perfect primary domain for your business probably wasn’t easy, but did you actually put the same effort into selecting secondary domains? Secondary domains are the ones you will use for blogs, landing pages, and other locations to redirect your customers to the main website.
So, go through the list of domains you’ve purchased to see if they’re relevant to your brand, eye-catching, and easy to remember. If the answer is yes, then you have a sound list of domains you can pick from. If not, you still have time. Good domain name providers like NameSilo offer thousands of the cheapest domain names you can purchase before your website launches.
2. Check Your Website
Make sure to check your website thoroughly before it goes live. Test your page-to-page navigation, as well as see what happens if you fill out a form and leave a blank field, check whether all images load properly, etc. In other words, do anything customers would do and see how your website responds.
The purpose is to see if there are any bugs, even minor ones so that you can fix them and avoid any inconveniences for first-time visitors.
3. Hire the Right People
In the beginning, starting a new business often requires you – the founder – to juggle multiple tasks. But once the company starts growing, its success will depend on team effort. Hiring the right employees for your startup is just as important as having a great idea or product.
Many modern startups make use of remote employees just as much as they do traditional workers. You might be skeptical about this and your concerns are valid. After all, you need to think about the future and figure out how to scale your business if your team is remote.
However, depending on the position, there’s a number of benefits to hiring remote employees.
Research has shown that remote employees are 20%-25% more productive than those working in offices. The reason for this is that they’re less distracted and feel more valued and in control.
When hiring remotely, you also get access to the best talent across the globe.
Not to mention, hiring remote workers can result in significant business savings. Studies have shown that organizations with remote employees save about $10k per employee every year in real estate costs alone. You scale back the costs of bills, furniture, office supplies, and cleaners and tend to see fewer sick, which can cost $1,8k per employee a year.
4. Build Relationships with Your Customers
Remember, customers keep the business alive, so your goal should always be to attract and retain customers. For startups, the most effective way is to build relationships with their customers.
When it comes to retaining customers, customer satisfaction plays a crucial role. So, make sure to establish a personal relationship with your customers and treat them as friends. Use simple, informal conversations, accept their feedback, and don’t forget to offer discounts and promos from time to time.
5. Set Up Your Social Media Pages
Get your social media accounts ready and ensure that they’re up and running. Initially, choose only a few social platforms. Which platforms you choose will depend on your industry and where your target audience is present. Once these are all set up, you can think of other platforms your customers might use and how they fit with your business.
Don’t forget about social media plugins. A good social media WordPress plugin lets visitors engage with you on social media and helps social media followers convert to your website.
6. Review Your Advertising Plan
Have you started releasing teasers to let people know your website is coming soon? If you haven’t, you still have time to put together a quick advertising strategy. This means preparing ads and social media posts, as well as business cards and flyers if you serve local customers.
You should also reach out to family and friends to let them know when your website will launch. Word-of-mouth marketing is very important, so ensure that people can share information about your startup easily. Besides referrals, use social media, text messages, and email to reach out to qualified prospects.
7. Check Your Finances
Make sure to check your financial situation before diving headfirst into the new venture. Even though operating web-based business costs less than running a physical establishment, there will still be expenses.
Check your books and ensure that there is enough money to cover the bills during the first year or enough to keep you afloat until you start making a profit. This will help you avoid lots of stress and enable you to focus on growing your startup.
Final Thoughts
Despite the many stories of failing startups, creating a successful business is still possible with proper decision making and planning. Your checklist may be longer than this, but organizing everything that has to be done before launch will make it easier to prioritize your tasks. When you finally go live, you can rest assured that your customers will have a great first experience.
