“Hello! Welcome to small business central, your one stop shop for getting your business up and running. I’m ready to take your order whenever you are ready.”
“Um, hi. I’ll have an order of “great graphic design”, with a side of “someone else please manage my finances,” and a large “administration support,” please. Oh, and I do have a coupon for 30% off my entire order. Thanks.”
If only getting a small business started was as easy as ordering marketing resources through the drive-thru of your favorite fast-food chain.
Several years ago, I decided to pivot from a freelancer to an official LLC with a business name. I had no budget and no idea what I was supposed to do. So, I DIY’d everything, with a lot of trial and error and bumps along the way. I learned a lot by spending hours sleuthing through information on the internet, downloading a plethora of free resources, taking dozens of courses, and doing my own experiments. This hard work has resulted in exciting business growth, happy clients, and less stress as an official business owner.
I want you to experience the same results without spending all your time sleuthing through what’s out there. I’m excited to make the process of getting there easier for you by guiding you towards marketing resources for small business that are trustworthy, credible, and will help your business thrive.
Are there people to help you start a business?
There are many resources for small businesses available to entrepreneurs – you just have to know where to look. The best place to start looking for resources available to you is to network with the people around you who are involved in the community and/or own a small business. They will be able to tell you what they used to get started and what they continue to use to maintain and grow their business.
It’s also a great idea to secure a mentor who can help you with brainstorming. Your mentor should be someone you trust, who wants to see you succeed, and is also discerning. He or she doesn’t necessarily have to be a business owner, but should be experienced in areas that will help you push towards your goals.
What do small business owners need the most help with?
Small business owners need a lot of help. If you have the means to hire help, please do! It’s possible to DIY everything in the beginning, as I did with my business, but I learned that you’ll get better and quicker results if you hire experts to help you. This frees up your time to focus on what you do best – the reason you started your business in the first place!
Common areas that small business owners can use the most help include:
- Branding
- Marketing Strategy and Execution
- Finances
- Operations Management
- Human Resources
- Administrative Tasks
This list is by no means exhaustive, and the type of help you may need depends on your specific situation and business. If you don’t have a budget to hire help in these areas, it’s OK. There are many affordable resources available to guide you through doing it yourself.
For example, Crafted Voice offers an on-demand course on building data-driven customer personas that guides you through each step of the process. At an affordable rate, you can DIY the process while building a persona you can be confident in because you were guided by a professional.
Building Customer Personas
Crafted Voice Academy offers clear, step-by-step instructions for using data to craft customer personas that accurately represent your target customer. The course provides expert guidance for creating a high quality, professional marketing strategy that will result in custom, data-driven customer personas.
Original price was: $149.99.$99.99Current price is: $99.99.
What type of experts or resources are available to assist small businesses?
There is a surprising number of free resources for small business owners, but the key is knowing where to look to find them.
My favorite resource for small business is the SBDC. The State of Ohio in the United States is the home base for Crafted Voice. The Ohio Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) is a non-profit organization that provides free business counseling and assistance to Ohio residents who are either starting or growing their business. I learned about them from networking with established professionals in my field who were happy to recommend the resources that worked for them.
I went through SBDC’s BizStart program, a virtual, live course that walked a cohort of entrepreneurs through the steps it took to start a business in Ohio. After completing the course over the span of several weeks, I was assigned a certified business coach who I now meet with quarterly to review goals, progress, and challenges. I would highly recommend this program for anyone living in Ohio.
Many other states offer similar programs, so do some research to find out what is available to you. Try googling, “[your state name] small business development” to get started. You likely find a mix of paid and free business resources.
How can I get resources for my business?
The best resources for starting a small business are those that are tailored to your specific needs and goals. No two business plans or strategies will be the same, and it’s important to lay a strong foundation on which to build your strategy that will not crumble when the market changes.
Securing a business coach is the best way to ensure you are utilizing trustworthy resources that make sense for your business. A strategic communication and marketing business coach is a great solution for your branding, marketing, and messaging needs.
Strategic Communications & Marketing Business Coaching
Gain expert guidance and the data-driven insights you need to build a tailored communications strategy that spawns unstoppable business growth. With our coaching, you’ll have a trusted partner by your side, supporting you exactly where and when you need it. Cost is per one hour coaching session.
Original price was: $250.00.$199.00Current price is: $199.00.
Tailored, Expert Advice For Your Business
When it comes to strategic communications and marketing, Crafted Voice is a trustworthy and affordable option. We offer friendly, personalized services to meet your needs while setting a solid foundation for your businesses messaging. Schedule a 30-minute consultation with us to see how we can partner together to reach your goals.