5 Ways to Run a Startup or Small Business Successfully in 2023

Many people envision launching their own businesses, driven by their unique ideas and aspirations. Are you an entrepreneur looking for tips on how to steer your business toward success? Perhaps you’re a visionary ready to set sail on the uncharted waters of launching your very own startup. Well, look no further! This guide for startups is precisely the motivation you’ve been seeking!

Despite fierce competition across various industries, small businesses make up most of all businesses in the United States. In 2022, there were 33.2 million small businesses in the US, accounting for 99.9 % of all US businesses, as per the SBA.

A remarkable surge in entrepreneurial spirit was witnessed in 2021 as Americans submitted applications to launch 5.4 million new businesses. This number surpassed any previous year on record by more than 20% and even exceeded the annual average of 3.2 million new business applications per year in the five years leading up to the pandemic’s start by over two-thirds.

With such impressive figures, how do you find the motivation to add one more business to this already extensive list? Undoubtedly, your aspiration goes beyond settling for a run-of-the-mill enterprise amidst this surge. You yearn for your startup to shine uniquely and stand out amidst this thriving crowd of new businesses. Therefore, you need a comprehensive startup guide to empower you to make your mark and achieve unparalleled success in this dynamic landscape.

Don’t miss out on leveraging this startup guide, as it holds the crucial elements to run your small business smoothly and guarantee its success in 2023 and beyond.

The Small Business Timeline

Entrepreneurship is a thrilling journey that comes with challenges. Nevertheless, we can find inspiration in the motivational data recently released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own businesses.

• 20% of small businesses brave the initial year.
• 30% make it through the second year.
• 50% succeed past five years in business.

And for those determined souls, a remarkable 70% of small business owners stand tall after a decade of entrepreneurial excellence. So, with determination and perseverance, your business can thrive and join the ranks of the resilient and successful!

1. Get Your Small Business Started

The right time to open a business depends on various factors, including the market demand for your product or service, your preparedness as an entrepreneur, available resources, and a well-defined business plan. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but generally, it’s best to launch a business when you have thoroughly researched your market, validated your business idea, and feel confident in your ability to execute your plans successfully.

So what are some key factors to consider when starting your business?

Market Research

• Understand your target audience and their needs.
• Analyze the competition and identify gaps in the market.
• Validate your business idea to ensure there is demand for your product or service.

Business Plan

• Create a comprehensive business plan outlining your goals, strategies, and financial projections.
• Define your business structure (sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, etc.).
• Plan your marketing and sales strategies to attract customers.

Funding and Finances

• Determine the initial capital required to launch and operate your business.
• Explore funding options such as personal savings, loans, investors, or crowdfunding.
• Set up a separate business bank account and implement effective financial management practices.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

• Register your business with the appropriate government authorities.
• Obtain necessary licenses, permits, and certifications for your industry.
• Comply with tax regulations and employment laws.

Team and Operations

• Hire key personnel with the right skills and expertise to support your business.
• Establish efficient operational processes and workflows.
• Invest in the necessary equipment, technology, and infrastructure.

Remember that each business is unique, so these key factors may need to be adapted and tailored to your specific industry and business model. Thoroughly addressing these factors can significantly increase your chances of a successful business launch and long-term growth.

2. Master the Art of Running Your Business

Running a small business or startup is more difficult than starting one. It’s essential to recognize that there isn’t a single right way to manage such ventures; success hinges on determining the approach that best suits your business needs.

In today’s fast-changing market, what worked for businesses five years ago may no longer be effective. Innovation and creativity are now highly rewarded; standing out from the crowd is essential for success.

When embarking on the path to launching a successful business, Steve Jobs, the visionary co-founder of Apple Inc., stands as an inspiring figure to look up to, emphasizing the significance of perseverance with his insightful statement: “I’m convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”

One common problem that entrepreneurs face when running a small business or startup is financial resources. You, as a business owner, understand this better than anyone else. If you plan to launch your startup, you should be better prepared for this!

The most effective financial hack to adopt is maintaining a delicate balance across all focus areas. Strive for equilibrium in managing your startup or small business to maximize efficiency and profitability.

Spend money on:

• Product development
• Market research
• Marketing
• A website
• Hiring
• Legal and accounting
• Customer support
• Equipment and technology.

Avoid spending on:

• Unproven ideas
• Luxurious offices
• Extravagant marketing stunts
• Overstocking inventory
• Premature hiring
• Expensive business trips
• Complex IT systems.

Take, for instance, VO2 Sportswear, a UK startup that, despite generating £250K in its third year, failed due to a lack of consistent cash inflow, ultimately leading to its closure.

Insufficient legal process planning can also spell doom for a business, as it may lead to significant challenges and legal troubles and ultimately result in its failure. Theranos, a once-prominent startup valued at around $9 billion, aimed to revolutionize blood testing but collapsed due to fraudulent claims and inaccurate technology, leading to legal repercussions and loss of credibility.

Learn from the lessons of such failed ventures and use them as inspiration to educate yourself, vowing never to repeat their mistakes in your own entrepreneurial journey.

3. Using Technology in Your Small Business

Ever wondered about the practical ways to leverage technology for your startup or small business? Integrating technology into small businesses has become a crucial factor for success, and there are several ways to leverage technology. For example, it can streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive growth.

By staying up-to-date with the latest technological advancements and embracing suitable tools and software, small businesses can thrive in today’s competitive landscape and create a more streamlined and successful operation.

Start by using technology in areas where it has already proven its worth. This could be as trivial as generating bills or tracking productivity. Even simple mobile apps can save small business employees 725 million work hours annually.

Embracing technology is crucial for managing consumers and marketing strategies; therefore, it can be a game-changer for small businesses and startups. With limited resources and personnel, technology becomes a valuable ally, alleviating the burden on entrepreneurs who can’t do it all, even if they work tirelessly.

The Potential of Digital for Small Businesses

Adopting a robust digital presence, such as a user-friendly website and active social media profiles, can expand your reach and attract a wider audience. You won’t believe how much social media use has skyrocketed among small businesses lately!

Data from 2022 shows that a whopping 92% of US businesses are now active on social media, which is a remarkable jump from 86% in 2020. It’s incredible to see how these platforms have become integral to their strategies, helping them connect with customers and expand their online presence.

Having a website for your SMB is like having a 24/7 salesperson who never gets tired, spills coffee on important documents, or takes lunch breaks. It’s always there, strutting your stuff, impressing potential customers, and ensuring your business gets noticed.

Approximately 71% of small businesses have established an online presence through a website, but surprisingly, around one in four small businesses still lack a website. This absence deprives them of the opportunity to leave a lasting impression on potential customers, possibly hindering their growth and visibility in the digital marketplace.

During the pandemic, 71% of growing SMBs survived through digitization. Embracing technology became a lifeline, and in the past year, 42% of SMBs recognized its power, accelerating their tech investments to navigate the ever-changing business landscape.

Additionally, 72% of SMBs expanded their online presence, indicating a shift in consumer behavior. Taking on digital tools enabled businesses to adapt, thrive, and reach a broader customer base. It’s never been clearer that prioritizing digital transformation remains crucial for small businesses to increase efficiency, competitiveness, and long-term sustainability.

CRM Software for Small Businesses

Before CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems, managing customer relationships for small businesses involved sticky notes plastered all over the office, chaotic spreadsheets, and an endless phone tag game. Keeping track of customer details felt more like a wild scavenger hunt than organized business management. Thankfully, with CRM, it’s like having a superpower – everything is neatly organized, and customer data is at your fingertips, leaving you with more time to focus on growing your business.

According to Salesforce research, CRM software has the potential to boost sales by around 29%, enhance sales forecasting accuracy by up to 32%, and improve sales productivity by an impressive 39%.

Implementing CRM software can help manage client interactions efficiently, fostering better communication and personalized service. It is vital for small businesses as it enhances customer insights, improves customer service, streamlines sales processes, automates tasks, and fosters collaboration. Additionally, CRM software facilitates business growth, ensures data security, and enables performance tracking and analytics.

Companies are continually investing in CRM to harness the benefits of cutting-edge analytics, social collaboration, and mobile features – and they have every right to do so! A thorough analysis of Nucleus ROI case studies on CRM revealed that the average returns have surged from $5.60 to $8.71 for every dollar spent since 2011, making it a truly rewarding investment.

Among the leading CRM companies are Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Zoho CRM, and Pipedrive.

How are SMBs Harnessing the Cloud?

E-Commerce and Social Commerce for Start-Up Success

Setting up an e-commerce store gives small businesses and start-ups a powerful tool to thrive in the digital landscape, enhancing market reach, increasing sales, and building a strong online presence. Embracing e-commerce can be a game-changer, allowing these enterprises to compete with larger competitors and establish a strong foundation for long-term success.

And the digital shopping revolution shows no signs of slowing down! The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce reported that US retail e-commerce sales for the first quarter of 2023 reached an estimated $272.6 billion. In other words, e-commerce is rapidly spreading its wings and firmly embedding itself as an essential aspect of the global consumer experience.

According to a survey by Global Payments, 52% of businesses plan to sell through social networks in 2023. Social media platforms are continually expanding opportunities for brands to directly drive commerce.

Platforms such as Facebook Shop, Instagram Shopping, Pinterest Shopping, and TikTokShop allow businesses to showcase their products and services to audiences, enabling them to capitalize on customers’ spontaneous shopping urges.

For example, Barbour, a well-established outerwear manufacturer, embraced Instagram Shopping to engage with its audience and streamline the customer experience. Since implementing Instagram Shopping, the company has witnessed a significant boost in sales, with a remarkable 42% increase in sales from Instagram and a substantial 98% surge in website traffic from the platform.

The Importance of Email Marketing Technology

For SMBs with limited marketing budgets, email marketing provides an efficient way to reach their audience and engage with customers directly. You can establish stronger connections, nurture relationships, and build brand loyalty with personalized and tailored content.

Email marketing is the ultimate sales-driving powerhouse. After receiving a well-crafted email, 55% of US consumers have been swayed to purchase directly. It’s a game-changer for businesses looking to boost their sales and connect directly with their customers.

Businesses can stay top-of-mind with their customers, reminding them of new products, promotions, or upcoming events. Tracking and analyzing email campaign performance allows SMBs to gain valuable insights into customer behavior, preferences, and engagement, facilitating data-driven decision-making for more effective marketing strategies.

As a versatile and scalable tool, email marketing empowers SMBs to compete with larger businesses, maximize their return on investment, and achieve significant growth in the digital age.

Several prominent email marketing software options are available, including big names like Mailchimp, Zoho Campaigns, Drip, Omnisend, ActiveCampaign, and Moosend.

The Adoption of Project Management Software by Small Businesses

Project management software is a must-have for start-ups and small businesses as it benefits operations and identifies pain areas in your business processes. Firstly, it enhances organization and efficiency by centralizing all project-related information, tasks, and timelines in one place, allowing teams to collaborate seamlessly and stay on track.

It also facilitates effective communication among team members, clients, and stakeholders, reducing miscommunications and ensuring everyone is on the same page. Team communication is improved by 52% with the usage of PM software, reinforcing the value of such tools in enhancing collaboration and project outcomes.

According to a survey conducted by Monday.com, a significant 54% of the workforce believes that incorporating task automation tools would enhance their productivity and efficiency at work, potentially saving more than 5 hours of work time.

Additionally, 24% of respondents identified time-consuming and tedious data input as the primary time-consuming aspect of their work. An impressive 70% expressed their desire to leverage automation tools for routine and repetitive tasks, indicating a growing interest in streamlining workflows and optimizing productivity.

Concluding Tech Tip: While recognizing the significant impact of technology on your startup or small business, exercise caution when allocating your budget. Invest in technology that genuinely contributes to the sustainability and growth of your business without overspending on unnecessary expenses.

4. How to Approach Staffing for Your Startup

With approximately 61.7 million small business employees, comprising 46.4% of the total US workforce, having skilled employees at a small business becomes even more critical. Their expertise is instrumental in driving innovation, streamlining operations, and delivering exceptional products or services, ultimately propelling the business toward sustained growth and success in the fiercely competitive business landscape.

Setting up a pool of talented employees is paramount as your startup or small business’s success hinges on the workforce’s quality. From leveraging technology to fostering customer loyalty and beyond, everything relies on the skills and capabilities of your team.

To gain a better perspective, let’s consider this scenario: You are beginning your entrepreneurial journey, and your business is currently facing some instability. According to the SBA, 5 out of every 10 new businesses don’t last past 5 years.

Stats like these sound pretty scary to a potential employee. Qualified candidates have become more open about working with startups over the years, but should this be your last resort? Besides, can you even afford them?

A candidate with 5-10 years of experience with job offers from a world-renowned company, like Amazon, and your startup/small business will probably choose Amazon for obvious reasons.

This comes later in the hiring cycle. You will have to first filter the right candidates and interview/test them to check if they match your expectations.

What type of employee does your business need?

Do you, as a startup or small business, have the resources to invest without any assurance of positive results? Now, considering the importance of employees, how should you go about staffing your startup?

Full-fledged in-house teams may not be viable when seeking a quality workforce for your business. Instead, turning to remote employees becomes the primary staffing solution available.

There are two ways to work with remote employees: hire freelancers or choose managed remote employees for your business using the Staff Augmentation Model.

You don’t want a short-term solution like working with freelancers to ruin the reputation of your startup or small business. This is where managed remote employees’ reliability, affordability, and quality through the Staff Augmentation model come in. Staff augmentation allows you to set up your remote team while saving money and achieving top-quality work for your consumers and clients.

Employees are important for your business. But you have to make smart choices when it comes to hiring them. Choose the option that allows you to do more and cost less!

Things to consider when hiring employees for your small business:

• Define role requirements and craft engaging job descriptions.
• Use multiple platforms to reach candidates and offer competitive compensation.
• Focus on finding candidates who align with your company’s values and culture.
• Highlight growth opportunities and encourage employee referrals.
• Ensure a warm onboarding process for new hires.
• Keep skilled employees happy with a positive work environment and support for their professional development.

According to a survey on the key drivers of employee happiness and job satisfaction, the most significant factor contributing to employee dissatisfaction is feeling unappreciated.

To address this issue, small businesses should prioritize recognizing and appreciating their employees’ efforts, fostering a positive work culture that values and acknowledges their contributions.

5. Marketing and Branding Your Small Business

When it comes to finding the right marketing strategy for your startup or small business, the internet is flooded with countless guides. However, determining the most suitable one for your business can be overwhelming.

The challenging reality is that every business requires a personalized marketing strategy. Crafting a custom marketing approach often involves a “hit and trial” process, where you test various strategies to identify the one that yields the best return on investment (ROI).

Marketing Budget

While we firmly believe that innovation can drive revenue for a business, marketing your startup strategically is essential. Before delving into effective marketing strategies for your small business, it’s crucial to establish a clear budget cap for your marketing efforts.

If you follow the 5% marketing rule for startups, the marketing budget for your small business or startup should be between 2-5% of your net sales revenue. However, this rule can be flexible and adjusted to suit your startup’s specific needs and circumstances.

Start by allocating an amount that you can afford to risk and invest it in a well-established marketing strategy. Irrespective of the marketing strategy you choose, don’t forget to track its performance.

For instance, if your current focus is to drive organic traffic on your website, make sure that you mend the exit pages, optimize conversion rates, reduce bounce rates, and modify your sales funnel as per the behavior of users on your website. Your marketing budget will drain down into the gutter without the use of proper analytics.

Make your Startup/Small Business Visible

A noteworthy statistic reveals that a significant 76% of consumers actively seek a company’s online presence before considering an in-person visit. That being said, the initial step in marketing your startup should revolve around establishing online visibility. Creating a robust digital footprint has become essential for every business. Focus on crafting an intelligent digital marketing strategy and allocate your budget between organic and paid strategies.

Keep a close eye on your competitors and try to identify their marketing techniques. Don’t copy them entirely, of course. Leverage social media to create buzz, build consumer relationships, and network. Find ways to interact with your customers. Create useful content and work on establishing authority in your industry.

Effective marketing requires understanding your audience, delivering value, and building authentic customer connections. Tailor your strategies to suit your business and industry, and be open to refining your approach as you learn from the outcomes.

Remember that marketing is an ongoing process, and as your startup grows, your budget and strategies may evolve. Regularly review and reassess your marketing efforts to stay competitive and achieve your business goals.

Build Customer Loyalty from the Start

In 2023, brand loyalty continues to flourish, leaving 72% of US consumers willing to pay extra to buy from their favored brands, a remarkable 31% higher than the global average. Moreover, for 70% of consumers, the loyalty programs offered by their beloved brands play a pivotal role in fostering long-lasting loyalty.

Building customer loyalty for your startup or small business will be tough. Stay clear of the click baits that promise to offer you the “golden mantra”. There is no easy hack or shortcut to this.

Any startup or small business functions on the needs of its customers. As a startup, you create a need among your consumers or fill a void in the existing market.

A loyal consumer base defines the existence of your startup or small business. You must ensure that your consumers feel more connected to your products and services than your competitors. Think of the brands you use daily in your life.

For instance, if you have to buy clothes, you go to a brand X. Similarly, if you are planning to get groceries, you go to a supermarket or an online store Y. X and Y may have been in business for really long. Over the years, they have led you to believe that there are no better options out there. It could be through quality consumer service, delivering consistent quality, or anything else.

As a startup or small business CEO, you cannot achieve this overnight. But you have to start at some point, right? Start small and start right.

According to Wunderman’s study, “Wantedness“, 88% of US consumers actively seek to interact with brands that surpass their expectations. About 74% of consumers believe that brands can achieve this by delivering exceptional customer service. Furthermore, 56% of respondents express stronger loyalty towards brands that truly understand their needs and priorities. Additionally, 89% of consumers will remain loyal to brands that “get me”.

It’s almost impossible for a giant conglomerate to reach out or acknowledge the complaints of every consumer/client, no matter how hard they try. You, as a startup, can do better than that.

Promote a transparent and easy feedback channel in your business. Make your consumers feel special, and try adding a personal touch to your products and services for your customers and clients.

The Path to Success for Your Startup or Small Business

Running a successful startup or small business will require your undivided attention. You, as an entrepreneur, should be open to taking calculated risks. Every minor decision you make today will define the future of your startup.

Right from materializing your startup idea to running it successfully, be proactive about adapting to market disruption and your consumer needs. Focus on “standing out” in your industry.

Make sure that the decisions you make are backed up with proper research. Identify the main focus areas in your startups and invest your resources accordingly.

Read more: Practices for Scaling Your Startup.

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