Intro- I Want to Start a Business but Have No Ideas
The phrase “I want to start a business, but have no ideas” is on many people’s minds. You have the desire to be an entrepreneur yet do not know where to start. You Google this topic and come across several articles. The problem is that a lot of websites give you ideas without addressing the process of where to begin. Success stories are motivating, but fit a particular context that might not be relevant to your own. What people need is not simply a list of things that they can do, but a road map to creating a business. In this article I attempt to provide you with steps that’ll guide you through this journey. Although you do not have to apply everything here I hope that I fulfill a necessity of yours. The last thing that I want is for you to continue being uncertain about where to start.
Steps to take when I want to start a business but have no ideas
1. Discover your skill set and passion
The two things that you really need to know before starting is what you’re skilled in and passionate about. What I mean by what you’re skilled in is: What do you specialize in? Are you good at communicating with people? Do you have the ability to multi task? Can you manage time effectively? Write down as many skills as you can and save it somewhere. As another list record what your passions are. For example: Art, writing, film, clothing, music and technology, etc. If you cannot think of many passions off the top of your head use AI or a search engine to help you. Once you have these lists completed keep them since they will be useful in the next step.
2. Ask yourself, what problems could I solve?
For this step you have to consider the type of problems that you see yourself solving for others. How can your skills and passion bring solutions for people where you live or even for those around the world? Can I provide a service for people that can help them save money? Could I create a product that will save lives? Will I be able to fulfill a need that my competitors are not meeting? As you start going through these questions begin to consider the kind of niche that you’ll get into. Do not just limit yourself to just one possibility as there will be many to choose from.
3. Research the market
Before you decide what you want to do look through the many different niches. The internet is loaded with blogs, forums and social media groups that’ll inform you on which niche might work for you. Even a simple Google search will provide you with a list of niches. You can also ask yourself this question: Do your skills, passions and solutions fit into a particular niche? You’ll definitely find niches that you’re skilled in, but it might be something you have zero passion for. And you might come across niches that you’re passionate about, yet are not skilled in. You can also ask those who are already in a niche about their experiences.
4. Settle on a niche
Once you have done proper research and explored all available options you can now settle on a niche. Here, you can create your plan, research your target audience and competitors, decide your budget and set up a mission. Also make sure that your business is in compliance with the local laws of where you live. This entire process can take anywhere from a few days to several months depending on your field. It can be a very tedious thing, but think about the long term benefits that you’ll receive. The reward will be worth all of the hard labor and time that you put in.
5. Create a website
With your business already set up the next step is to create a website. You might not have any experience having a website, but do not be discouraged. You do not need to have knowledge of coding or be a web developer. All you need is a content management system (CMS) like WordPress or WIX and you will be settled. If you need any more information on websites check out Website Prestige or read my article “Creating a Website for Beginners”. A website will give your business much needed online visibility. It is also much easier to deal with customers with a website. Many clients respect businesses with websites more than they do those who do not have one.
6. Promote your business on social media
Besides having a website you can increase your online presence and visibility by promoting yourself on social media. If you want to save money and add extra traffic to your website social media is the way to go. You will also be able to stay at the pace of your competitors who are most likely on social media. There are two ways that you can use social media to promote your business. First, you can set up Facebook and Instagram business pages. Through these pages you can direct people straight to your website. Secondly you can also create brand awareness by participating in discussions on sites like Quora and Reddit. If you want to learn more about promoting your business on social media check out “Reasons Your Small Business Needs Social Media”.
7. Collaborate with others
It’ll always benefit your business if you partner with others who are also trying to grow. The networking opportunities that you would have are staggering. Business Network International (BNI) is a good place to expand your network. If you do not have the budget to invest in BNI you can find people in networking events in your local area. Another excellent place you can partner with people is MeetUp. On this platform you can locate specific groups in your niche and build a network. It is more advantageous to collaborate with others than to do business in isolation
Conclusion to I want to start a business but have no ideas
Hopefully after reading this article “I Want to Start a Business but Have No Ideas” you have direction. Starting a business is the most difficult part of the process for many. But getting through the planning phase is a major milestone. If you just managed to get passed researching the market then you are doing extremely well. Do not get discouraged if you are stuck in one of these steps. If you still do not have any ideas on how to get to the next step check out my post “How I Started My Online Business Having No Income”.
Thank you for reading “I Want to Start a Business but Have No Ideas” Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page if you’d like to add anything.