Starting Your Own Starting Your Own business business

It is an AdventureIt is an Adventure

Pete DuMellePete DuMelle

PD Design IncPD Design Inc

Technology / Business Technology / Business SpecialistSpecialist

OverviewOverview

• Do you have what it takes?Do you have what it takes?• How are you going to start? What you How are you going to start? What you

need?need?• About the customersAbout the customers• How to reach the customersHow to reach the customers• Make your self uniqueMake your self unique• Using TechnologyUsing Technology• Tracking Tracking • Actions ItemsActions Items

Do you have what it Do you have what it take?take?

• Confidence and support structureConfidence and support structure• Hard work Hard work • CreativeCreative• MultitaskMultitask• Ware many HatsWare many Hats• Can you Accept “NO”Can you Accept “NO”• Make it past the First YearMake it past the First Year

How are you going to start? How are you going to start?

What you need?What you need?• MBAMBA

– Full business plan Full business plan – Structure and a project plan focusStructure and a project plan focus

• BootstrapBootstrap– Limited funds and resources Limited funds and resources – You do what needs to be done now and have an idea of You do what needs to be done now and have an idea of

what is nextwhat is next– Find people that you can trade or work withFind people that you can trade or work with

• BasicsBasics– Knowledge of your industryKnowledge of your industry– Initial investment for materials Initial investment for materials – S CorporationS Corporation– InsuranceInsurance– Get help where you need itGet help where you need it

About the customersAbout the customers

• Buyers are in control of who they buy Buyers are in control of who they buy fromfrom– Over 70% of the people Google before buyOver 70% of the people Google before buy– Referrals marketing is still gets best ROIReferrals marketing is still gets best ROI– Old school sales is out it is educating the Old school sales is out it is educating the

customer customer

• What type of value add are you offering What type of value add are you offering them?them?

• Build relationshipsBuild relationships

How to reach the How to reach the customerscustomers

• Networking Networking – Meetup groupsMeetup groups– BNIBNI– Trade OrganizationsTrade Organizations

• Power partnersPower partners• Referral marketing from existing Referral marketing from existing

customerscustomers• Low priority itemsLow priority items

– Cold CallsCold Calls– Mass Marketing get less then 1% returnMass Marketing get less then 1% return

Make your self uniqueMake your self unique

• How are you going to separate your How are you going to separate your self?self?

• Value add?Value add?• What will make the customers come What will make the customers come

back?back?• Do what you are good at and like to Do what you are good at and like to

do it will show do it will show • Branding and imageBranding and image

Using TechnologyUsing Technology

• Website Website • Contact list Contact list • Phone Phone • Accounting Accounting • QuotingQuoting

TrackingTracking

• ExpensesExpenses• ROI on MarketingROI on Marketing• Each job time and materials actual Each job time and materials actual

VS billed VS billed

Actions ItemsActions Items

• Incorporate/InsuranceIncorporate/Insurance• Branding / marketing materialsBranding / marketing materials

– Name, website, advertisingName, website, advertising

• Start getting your name outStart getting your name out• Take some relaxing time and do not Take some relaxing time and do not

worry worry

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