8 Tips That Can Help You And Your Startup Truly Excel

There’s a lot of hard work that goes into launching your own company. While you’ve likely dedicated much of your time and energy to turning an idea into a product or service, keep in mind that you need to stay focused so that you can outshine your competitors and make a name for yourself.

You may have many thoughts going through your mind initially. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and stressed out you should take the time to dedicate your efforts to zeroing in on a few areas that will have the greatest impact on you and your company. Here you can review eight tips that can help you and your startup truly excel. 

1. Set goals

You want to know what you’re working toward each day at the office. Therefore, it’s a good idea to sit down and write out a few goals that you want to achieve. Make sure they are realistic yet concrete and lofty so that you can reach each one with a little hard work and effort. Get detailed about what types of resources you’ll require and how you’ll get from one step to the next. Be sure to share these goals with your employees and leadership team so that everyone is on the same page. You can always make tweaks or go back to the drawing board based on the results you’re seeing. 

2. Hire the right team

Another tip that can help you and your startup truly excel is to make sure you hire the right team. Make a list of all the different types of positions that you will need to fill and come up with detailed job descriptions for each. You want people on your team who can not only get the job done right but who are a good fit for your company culture. You’ll also want to make sure that even though you are a small company initially you have an HR team in place. Consider hiring someone on your HR team who has completed a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) course and is able to help people experiencing mental health crises in the workplace. They can wear a Mental Health First Aider Badge so that they stand apart and employees know who to go to in a time of need. 

3. Establish a strong online presence

These days more and more consumers are doing research online about companies before spending any money with them. You want to make sure that your products or services show up first in the search engine results. Therefore, you’ll want to focus on establishing a strong online presence. Launch a user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing website and implement SEO best practices so that you can get found. Share timely and relevant content and engage with your followers on various social media channels. You may also want to launch a company blog where you can share valuable insights and information and ensure that your startup can position yourself as the expert in your industry. 

4. Identify a mentor

Being a startup owner is a big job with a lot of responsibility. You’re not expected to have all the answers when you’re first getting going. It may help to identify a business mentor who you can turn to for advice and guidance. It’s especially important to have someone who you can rely on when you’re faced at a crossroads and unsure where to take your company next. It will be nice to have a sounding board and someone who you trust to provide insights when you’re struggling and need some encouragement. This person can also inform you of what mistakes they made in their career so that you can avoid making the same ones. 

5. Focus on providing excellent customer service

A top concern for you as a startup owner should be your customers. You not only need to attract new ones but have a way to retain previous customers so they return in the future. Your startup will have a better chance of excelling when you focus on providing excellent customer service. Offer omnichannel support and make sure that your customer support team can problem-solve quickly and effectively. Have policies and procedures in place so that everyone who comes to you with questions or concerns gets the same treatment. The better job you do in this area the more positive customer reviews you’ll receive that you can share with potential leads. 

6. Proactively manage your time and finances

Two of the most important aspects of running a successful business have to do with time and money management. You want to make sure you’re not spreading yourself too thin and can focus on running your company. Therefore, you should get in the habit of delegating tasks to your employees which will keep them engaged and boost employee satisfaction. Keep a close eye on your books and make sure everyone is following strict budgets. You want to be able to pay your bills on time and identify areas where you can cut costs. 

7. Spend time networking

It’s your job to spread the word about your startup and what you’re selling. You may not have a very large marketing budget when you’re first starting out. Therefore, one idea that can help is to spend more time networking. Put yourself out there and continuously meet new people and connect with other business professionals. Come prepared to networking events with a business card and prepared elevator speech that summarizes more about your business and offerings. You never know who you will meet that can turn into a loyal and paying customer. 

8. Take good care of yourself

As a business owner, it’s important that you find ways to stay healthy and well. You must take good care of yourself and make self-care a top priority. You’ll be a better boss and more effective leader when you have natural energy and are well-rested. Practice work-life balance and take breaks and time away from the office when you need it. You can reduce and manage stress by exercising daily and experimenting with deep breathing exercises and meditation. Have hobbies that you enjoy doing outside of work that help you relax and take your mind off your to-do list. 

Top photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash