Business From Scratch: Part 2

Online Presence & Foundational Business Tools

Welcome back to the Business From Scratch series. If you haven’t been through Part 1 yet, please hop over there before you continue reading this post.

If you’ve already been through Part 1 and have your Foundational Business Details all mapped out, let’s dive into Part 2. 👇

In this post, I’m going to share basic things that most people starting an online business will need. Depending on the type of business you’re starting, you may not need them all or you may need additional tools.

Don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis here, choose something and move on.

I know starting a business can feel like you’re lost in a never-ending maze, I created the Business From Scratch series to help you get out of the maze and into sanity.

Step One: Online Presence

If you're starting an online business, your clients needs to be able to find you somewhere online. You don’t need to start out with a fully-customized website with all the bells and whistles, but you need some kind of online home.

This can be a simple landing page with a short blurb about you and/or your business plus a way you can be contacted AND a way for interested clients to sign up for your mailing list (more on this in a minute!) OR you can even use a social media platform where you know your ideal clients hang out as your online home as you're building your website (I don't recommend this long-term, but it can work in the short term).

I know this feels like a big thing, but please don't overcomplicate this step. A website is great, but don't let yourself believe that you have to build an entire website before you can accept clients.

If you're offering freelance services, you can always create a PDF of the services you offer if you want to have something to send to potential clients.

When you ARE ready for a website I recommend Showit because it is SO RIDICULOUSLY SIMPLE to make a gorgeous, professional website using their drag-and-drop editor. PLUS if you decide to add a blog to your website, you’ll get the power of a WordPress blog, which is the best for SEO, built into your Showit subscription.

If you prefer to go WordPress all the way, Bluchic templates are my top recommendation because they are so well designed and tailored specifically for service providers.

Step Two: Payment Processor

Listen, if you’re in business you have to have a way to accept money from clients/customers, otherwise you’re not running a business.

One simple way to start is to open a free Paypal account. You can accept credit/debit card payments and almost everyone has heard of this service. People trust Paypal because it’s a secure way to pay for things online.

Another similar option is Square, which also allows you to swipe cards for in-person payments with their card reader. (great for anyone offers in-person services)

The other major tool in the payment processing space is Stripe. Stripe is solely a payment processor, which means there is no account for your money to hang around in. Stripe typically needs to be linked to something else to accept payments — your website, Dubsado, Acuity Scheduling, etc — but they do have some payment options directly in Stripe (though this option is a bit more technical). During setup you’ll link your bank account and the money you collect will pass through Stripe into your designated bank account, typically within a couple of days.

Many business owners use both Paypal and Stripe, but you can decide which to use based on what works best for your business model.

Step Three: Email Service Provider

Once you have a website where you can send potential clients, you need a way to communicate with them - on the regular. There are all kinds of tools to help you achieve this, but my absolute favorites are Flodesk and Kit (formerly Convertkit).

Flodesk is more aesthetic and Kit is a bit more technical but both have similar basic features. Kit does have some more advanced features, but you will pay more for them so make sure you actually need those advanced features before you sign up.

If you want to try Flodesk, they offer a free 14-day trial so you can test it out. If you decide to sign up for a paid account you’ll save 50% on your first year with this link.

Kit does offer a free plan, but the automation features are somewhat limited. It could be a solid option when you’re just starting out and don’t have many automations though.

Bottom line: If you are in any kind of service-based business, building your email list should be a top priority. If you build an engaged list of your ideal clients from the start, you’ll be curating your own group of warm (or hot) leads that will be more likely to buy your products and services than people who don’t already ‘know, like and trust’ you. You may not be all about the money, but you’re running a business and sales are what keep you in business.

Step Four: Appointment Scheduler

This tool could be considered optional BUT if you’re scheduling any kind of appointment with clients, it’s a game-changer. Not only will it make you look way more professional, but it will save you tons of time.

With a scheduling tool such as TidyCal, Calendly or Acuity Scheduling, you can designate your availability and then let clients choose their appointment based on your chosen availability. No more emailing back and forth trying to find a time to meet - the calendar tool will handle it for you! #sanitysaver

You can even link your payment processor to your scheduler so that clients pay you when booking a session (Stripe is great for this!). This is the perfect low-tech setup for coaches and consultants who provide their service during calls or meetings.

If you want to automate your entire client management process, not just your scheduling, I highly recommend using a client management tool. My favorite is Dubsado. (if you decide to go with Dubsado, check out this post to help you get it set up)

Step Five: Lead-Generating Sales Funnel

A sales funnel is just a fancy name for the process of moving potential clients/customers through a process that hopefully ends with them being a paying customer (if it's the right fit for them! We’re not manipulating anyone into something they don’t want).

We're keeping it simple here and creating a lead-generating funnel which means you'll offer a piece of free content to your ideal clients in exchange for their email and then send them more content and/or updates via email.

The emails you send will help them get to know you and see you as an expert in your topic. That way if they're searching for a solution to a problem you can help solve, hopefully they'll feel comfortable purchasing one of your offers.

For this basic funnel, all you need is a landing page with a signup form that is linked to your mailing list, a brief explanation of the free content you're offering in exchange for an email address and then a page to send people once they have completed the signup.

You'll also want to set up an email within your mailing list to deliver the free content you promised. Easy peasy!

Next Steps

Ok you’ve officially made it through the entire Business From Scratch series. If you set things up as you went along then you’re ready to launch your business into the world. If you didn’t, no worries! Head back through the post and work step-by-step to get things set up.

If you get stuck along the way, I’m happy to help. See the ways I can support you here.

I’m rooting for you, my friend! Once your business is launched, I’d love for you to come back here and post a comment with the link to your website and little blurb about what you do. 🎉

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FYI: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means if you click the link or use the code listed, I'll receive a small commission. It doesn't cost you anything extra and in some cases it will actually save you money. #win-win