Smith Advertising's 5-Point-checklist for Launching a New Business

    MIAMI, FL, April 23, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Smith Advertising look at what it takes to start up a business. They believe it takes an immense amount of drive and determination to make it happen. Smith Advertising draws from the famous quote: "Success is a journey, not a destination and failure ... well, that's just part of the journey."

About Smith Advertising: http://www.smithadvertising.org/services/

Smith Advertising looks at hugely successful entrepreneur James Caan's checklist for starting a business:

The officials - It is important to understand the legalities of running a business before starting up. Having an action plan for legal cover, accounting and tax removes the massive amount of time and revenue that could be needed if it isn't done, or done wrong.

The annual tax return has been abolished, so it's recommended to spend some of the saved time thinking about whether to register for VAT. Take care not to miss registration or filing deadlines and payment dates. Penalties can quickly mount up into unexpected and damaging cash outflows.

For those employing staff, understand the legal responsibilities as an employer and any PAYE requirements. While these can be a little tedious, they are critical to running and growing a successful business.

Research - It is essential to spend a considerable time sizing up competition, establishing a unique selling proposition (USP) and defining target audience. When considering competition, to get a full picture consider;

- Who are the key competitors?
- How successful are they?

The more information known, the better the position the business will be in. Understanding what competitors do well will provide an understanding about what customers are looking for in a service or product. Think about the target audience and develop the business around them. By consulting with customers, it will make them feel they have a voice, which will breed loyalty and, if lucky, will increase the likelihood of them recommending the business to others.

There are free sites to gain access to the best practice resources, expert advice, live Q&As and entrepreneur blogs. Smith Advertising feel these are resources all new businesses should use.

Funding - Starting a business can be very expensive. Weigh up essential expenditure vs desired tools. Making sure the business has all the necessities essential to get the business off the ground.

Look into all avenues to generate funding, find something that works for the business. New start-ups can benefit from the mentoring possibilities of angel investment. Also crowdfunding can be the answer, or applying for funding through the government-funded start-up loans.

Marketing - There is a direct correlation between the effort put into marketing and the results achieved. Conduct research about the market and the kind of people the business wants to attract to the business. This information should be used to devise the marketing plan.
Consider how the business will be received. Decide on its image and build a presence using tools such as social media to bring the company to life.

Become a thought leader in the industry by sharing interesting content with followers and encouraging them to engage. Blogs are extremely useful.

Talent - Make the people involved in the business a stamp for what the company stands for. Even if initially the company is a one-man-band, the minute the business starts becoming successful the company will need to find a finance person, a marketing person, an admin assistant etc. Factor this in to with the business planning, especially when looking to pitch for funding.

Smith Advertising is a revolutionary sales and direct marketing firm based in Miami, Florida. Using the latest direct marketing techniques and strategies, they help businesses to reconnect with their target demographic and generate record results. The firm offer young professionals a mentorship program to assist them with developing skills to start their own business.

Smith Advertising is an outsourced sales and marketing firm based in Miami, Florida. The firm offers personalized direct marketing campaigns to their clients that accurately represent their brands to consumers via face-to-face interaction. By connecting with consumers on a face-to-face basis Smith Advertising are able to forge long-lasting and personal relationships between brand and consumer. This direct marketing technique often leads to increased customer acquisition, brand awareness and brand loyalty for their clients.

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