When consistency and ingenuity meet — knowledge becomes the currency
By: iSimplyAssist LLC
Do you want to start a business but are currently lacking the funds? If you answered yes to this question, then please READ ON!
I know we have all heard that you need to have money to make money. While this is true it is not the WHOLE truth — you CAN start a business with no money, and I am going to tell you how.
BUT FIRST
I must warn you, this method will force you to ACT. You will need to roll up your sleeves and get busy IMPLEMENTING.
The very first step to starting a business with no money is to sit down right now and begin to write down your plan. All you need for this step is a pen and paper, or an open word document on your computer.
Fill in the blank:
What product or service will I sell?
What is my USP or Unique Selling Proposition — Basically, what makes you different?
Who will I sell it to? (find your ideal customer and target audience)
What problem will I solve for my target market?
How will I market my product or services?
How will I price my services?
These are basic questions you can ask yourself in order to begin your business journey. The next step is to write down all of your marketable skills. Think about your resume or GET YOUR RESUME as a resource. The reason I am suggesting this is because your resume is a visual representation of all your marketable skills and achievements. It is a portable marketing tool for job seekers looking for employment and is a fantastic resource for gathering information on the skills you have which would transition well on your entrepreneurial journey.
Now I am a HUGE fan of learning and let me tell you, pretty much EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO LEARN (as a start) you can find for free on the internet! The ONLY thing this kind of education will cost you is TIME. Instead of watching television, Netflix, or trolling social media, spend the time learning new skills and honing the ones you already have.
HERE ARE MY FAVORITE FREE LEARNING RESOURCES:
HubSpot — Free Training Inbound Marketing
YouTube — Honestly simply type in what you are looking for, start with “How To” (fill in the blank) grab a pen and paper and start learning!
Facebook Groups — Join relevant groups, ABIDE BY THE RULES, ask questions, participate in conversations, these are also really great places to network, within the limitations of the group rules.
Forums — Like Quora, ask a question or join a conversation
NOW THIS: Figure out who your ideal customer is. What do they look like, demographics, what issue are they facing and how can you solve it?
You can also think this way in a business sense. Are there any businesses in your local area that could use your product or service? Before approaching any new prospect, do your research. Ask yourself: Do they have any presence on social media? Check out their social profiles, figure out how your products and services could be of use to them and create a proposal which solves any holes or issues you may have found.
NOW THE ACTION HAPPENS!
You must start marketing for marketing is the lifeblood of your business, why? because this is how you will find prospects who become leads, then customers. If you are starting a business without money, then you are not putting anything into marketing tools which do a lot of the leg work for you automatically, like email marketing and lead generation, via cool landing pages and email templates. Which means that until you have the cash on hand to put into these resources you are the captain of this ship, navigating the marketing seas, by hand, without the point and click feature.
These are ways you can get started absolutely FREE.
Network (I know, I know I keep saying it, but heck it’s so important!)— there are many ways to market your business for free and networking has got to be the easiest, albeit does mean you have to get out there and make connections with people. Look for local organizations that sponsor free networking events in your area. PERFECT YOUR ELEVATOR PITCH! Tell everyone you meet about your business in 30 seconds or less! Collect those business cards, ask if you can add each individual to your mailing list — take names and email addresses, save in a Google Doc file. Services like MailChimp will allow you to start building a list for free! Convertkit is also a top-notch email list building tool, that I actually use myself. You can start with them for 30 days totally free!
Approach local businesses in your area — Get out there and hit the pavement. Talk to businesses that fit within your target market. Make sure you know what you are going to say to them, this is where your elevator pitch will really come in handy. But do your research first!
Social Media — Update your Linkedin profile make sure that it highlights your skills and services. If you are selling a product, include that in your profile. Add a business profile to your Instagram account and ensure that the content is relevant to your products and services. Do the same thing for Facebook and Twitter. Make sure that you are posting relevant content to all of your social platforms on regular basis. DM profiles that fall within your target market, research them first! Figure out how you would be useful to them and include that in your message. You will need to do this every day, here is a GREAT article: How To Network On Instagram DM — @Garyvee
WASH, RINSE, REPEAT — Every single day! This is NOT a quick formula and you may not make money immediately; however, it IS a foolproof formula to getting started without any money and if done strategically and consistently this method WILL begin to bring you results. When you do begin to make money or receive any extra funds — INVEST it in yourself and your business. Do not spend it on anything that does not help your business get ahead. Let me retract a little, you OBVIOUSLY want to make sure that your bills are paid, food, rent, utilities, childcare etc. — just make sure that anything extra even if its 5 bucks goes back to your business. Every little bit helps and the only way to get this thing off the ground is with hard work and action.
BUT REMEMBER YOU CAN DO THIS….!
Turn off the television, HULU, Netflix and anything else that will sap precious time out of a day which could be devoted to your business. Do not troll through social media (unless it is to find businesses you plan to reach out to). Try to do everything you can to minimize distraction. Not to be the cheesiest person on the planet — but “If you build it they WILL come” ~ Field Of Dreams
If you have more questions or would like to discuss creating a plan, set up a 30 minute chat and let’s get you started!
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