9 things you need to obtain to start & run your first company

Anybody can start a business, all they need is an internet connection and access to a computer or mobile device. People are realising this, which is why more businesses are being started now than ever before. A majority of these businesses are based online because starting an online business is considerably easier than one with a physical presence.

However, just because more people are starting businesses than ever, that does not still mean that it isn’t difficult or that there aren’t challenges that need to be overcome.
This post will tell you about nine important things that you need to obtain, so you can start and run your first company successfully.

Registration

If you plan on starting a business, then one of the first steps you need to take is to legally register your business. According to an article titled ‘Uniwide Formations: Everything you should know about the UK’s certificate of incorporation’, some businesses also need to file for a certificate of incorporation. In order to handle your business’s registration and incorporation effectively, you should employ a specialist agency. They will be able to do it for you more efficiently.

Customer Support

If you are going to be running an e-commerce site, then you need a customer support department. While non-e-commerce businesses can still benefit from customer service desks, they are not as important. When a business relies on its website in order for customer’s orders to be processed, there needs to be a 24/7 customer service desk, available to answer queries and concerns. You can outsource customer support and pay a third-party service to manage it for you. Research any agency you consider outsourcing to, so you can confirm they are qualified and worth working with.

Website

The next thing you need to consider is your business’s website. You need a website, no matter what industry your business is in. A website’s purpose is to give your business a digital base. Also, if you are an e-commerce service, then you need your website in order to facilitate customer sales. However, your business is so much more than a vessel for selling products; it is also somewhere for you to explain your business’s mission, history, and story. You can also update customers with news of coming sales, product releases, and business changes.

Accounting Software

At the end of every year, you are responsible for paying your own taxes. Nobody is going to do it for you. If you do not pay your taxes, then HMRC can take action against you, and issue fines and penalties. These fines and penalties can be very high, depending on the nature of your offense. However, you don’t have to pay an accountant to file your tax return for you, you can use accounting software. Accounting software is a great investment because it can also help you to track your business’s spending, create reports, and even produce forecasts.

Marketing

Marketing isn’t something you should overlook. Without marketing, you won’t be able to achieve exposure. The best form of marketing for digital businesses is SEO because it allows you to push yourself up the search listings. The higher you are on the search listings, the better it is for website traffic. When internet users search keywords relative to your industry, if you have high domain authority, then you will appear at the top of the listings, meaning you will be the first thing consumers see. Then, if they are interested in the products or services you offer, they can click through and support you.

Influencer Assistance

Influencers are a great asset. Influencer marketing deserves its own section because it is one of the web’s most effective marketing solutions. An influencer is a social media personality; a celebrity, in a sense. The thing is though, most influencers have no talents. The reason they have such large followings is that they are beautiful or have nice things. People love to mimic and copy influencers. If you want to reach your target audience, then find an influencer who specializes in the same niche as your business and pay them to advocate for your business.

Funding

How do you plan on starting a business without money? If you don’t have any money, then you will need to find funding. Most people turn to banks and take out business loans when they have no funding of their own. Other people turn to investors. There are investor platforms that you can use to get funding for your business. However, the problem with investor platforms is that more often than not, people will only invest in your business if you have a unique and novel idea. If your business is just a run-of-the-mill café, restaurant, or e-commerce site selling drop-shipped goods, then you won’t have any luck getting funding through investment platforms.

Employing Staff

Do you think your business is going to run itself? You need employees. The employees that you hire need to be talented, qualified, and experienced. Employing people without these qualities can be a very bad idea, especially if your business is new and you do not have a lot of capital. You will essentially just be wasting money on people’s salaries if they are not qualified for the job that they are being hired to do. You should work with a professional hiring agency if you are trying to hire staff.

Commitment

Finally, make sure that you are committed. Commitment is not something that you can obtain. Instead, it’s a quality that you either have or you don’t. If you don’t then you need to do everything that you can to discipline yourself and learn to become more committed. There is no way that you will be able to run a successful business if you lack drive, commitment, and determination. There are various courses you can take online that can help you to learn these skills, many of which are completely free to sign up for.

If you want to start a company, then you need to obtain everything outlined here. Failing to do so could lead to your business failing. More businesses fail than they do succeed, so take acquiring the things outlined here very seriously.