3 Secrets for a Successful Startup

by Contributing Author

How can owners of startup businesses get more customers and enhance their bottom line? That’s the question so many entrepreneurs ask themselves after opening the doors of a new organization, and it’s an appropriate one. After the glow of those first few weeks wears off, company founders start to wonder about long-term survival in a competitive economy.

Fortunately, they have a lot of tools and techniques at their disposal. For many, the main effort is about expanding their selling territories, while others focus on adding to their credentials by earning a college degree. Generally, on-the-ground tactics work well, like leveraging the power of social media, writing guest articles on popular blogs, and expanding product lines. In all, there are plenty of ways to succeed as a startup owner. Here are some specific suggestions that apply to most industries.

Expand Geographic Markets

In a digital economy, it’s easy to expand your reach from local markets to national and international ones. No matter what product or service you offer, think about promoting it online in areas where you currently have no customers. Experiment with low-cost and no-cost advertising methods like social media and guest blogging. Be sure that your strategies help bridge the gap between business and customer in this digital, and international arena.

If you go international, be ready to accept foreign currency as payment on your platform. Additionally, hire a translation service to convert all your ads and website materials into the local language of the foreign nations in which you operate. Finally, decide how to handle the higher shipping cost to overseas locations. Several good apps do all the work for you once you add them to your main shopping cart.

Finish Your College Degree

College graduates tend to have an easier time attracting customers to a new business than non-grads. One reason behind this phenomenon is that consumers feel more secure doing business with organizations run by people who have academic and technical credentials. If you don’t have a degree, consider applying for online programs and taking courses in your spare time.

Most schools now offer self-paced degrees for working adults. Still, you’ll need to come up with the money to pay for tuition. One of the fastest techniques is to use an online scholarship search platform. You can scan through hundreds of scholarships quickly, apply for those that interest you, and increase your chances to cover a significant portion of tuition, fees, and other education expenses.

Be a Guest Blogger

There’s a formula, and specific steps to successful guest blogging. Identify several of the most influential blogs relevant to your company’s products and services. Contact the owners of the sites and offer to submit an article for inclusion on their blog. Most will either readily accept your offer or refer you to a policy page where all the rules for guest submissions are spelled out.

Follow all guidelines carefully, avoid promoting your company directly, and write excellent content. You will typically be allowed to include your name, your company’s name, and a website link in the signature section at the end of the piece. Start slowly and aim to submit several guest articles per month. Guesting is an efficient, simple way to attract visitors to your commercial website.