How to Create an Image that Says "Big" When Your Business is Still Small

Now that the school year is in full swing and the kids are out of the house for a good chunk of the day, you may be toying with taking that passion project and turning it into a business. It's an exciting trend we see every fall on 99designs –a surge of budding mompreneurs looking to hang a virtual shingle in the business world. But whether setting up a consultancy, establishing an e-commerce shop, or finding a developer for that app idea you have, there are a few steps you'll want to take to ensure your business and brand looks legitimate and professional right out of the gate. To command significant income and repeat business, creating the right image is essential to giving both you and your prospective customers confidence in your venture. Based on a combination of my personal experience as an e-commerce entrepreneur and from my years working with small businesses on 99designs, I understand far too well the feelings of uncertainty that come with venturing out on you own. Here are a few ideas to help you "fake it til you make it" big to overcome those feelings of uncertainty and get you on the path to success.  

1. Get the Right Name

Start by choosing a memorable name and corresponding URL for your business, ensuring it's unique and available. To that point, if having a website is a core part of your business be sure to check popular domain sites like GoDaddy.com or Namecheap.com for its availability. Don't be afraid to get creative if you need to, (e.g., use a hyphen, put part of your business name in the URL, etc.). Poll your friends and family if you need to help selecting a name that fits you and your business.   

2. Set up to Get Paid

Open a business checking account to keep business and personal expenses separate, and leverage free or inexpensive software-based invoicing platforms like Quickbooks for Small Business or Freshbooks that help you send track expenses, easily export Profit & Loss reports and allow you to easily invoice customers in a professional manner. If you're pursuing a retail venture, check out Square or PayPal to be able to accept credit card payments. Nothing says "I'm a business" like being able to take payment for your products or services.   

3. Get a Logo and Brand Identity

Once you have a name, create a logo, business card and corresponding online presence (website or social media page) that helps you stand apart from the competition. Before enlisting a logo designer or a site like 99designs for a logo design, take the time to thoroughly think through the mission of your business and the differentiators you'll be providing over competitors. Collect examples of colors, logos and even packaging whose aesthetics you like to provide guidance to the designer so he or she has some idea on where to start. 

Some other principals to consider:

 Simplicity: Pare down and look for a design that delivers a simple visual message that aligns with your company's attributes. Originality: The last thing you want is to be mistaken for your competitor. Opt for distinctive colors, shapes and symbolism. Relevance: Think about what's appropriate for your industry and audience. Will customers be attracted to a logo that emphasizes strength and speed? Friendliness and approachability? Timelessness: For a logo to do its job and provide long-term brand recognition, you need it to stick around as your business grows. That means avoiding trends. Versatility: An effective logo is easily recognizable on any medium that bears your brand – whether it's your business cards, website, Twitter avatar, or packaging. Make sure it works in both full color and black, at any size so it renders well on a print piece or a digital device.   

4. Get Online

Now that you have your logo, you should start thinking about establishing an online presence. For most businesses, a website is critical. Depending on the type of business you're running, it may be easiest to start with a templated platform such as Shopify.com, BigCommerce, or PinnacleCart.com that will be easy to manage on your own and look professional when you're starting out. I recommend shopping around to find the resource that best fits your brand aesthetic and an interface that feels most intuitive to you. In some cases, and depending on who your target customer is, at least in the earliest stages you may be able to get by with simply setting up a social media profile for your business, such as a Facebook page or Instagram profile. But either way, these pages should be aligned with your logo and brand look and feel for consistency and provide easily visible contact information for how to reach you.   

5. Start Socializing

Creating profiles for your company and managing several social media channels can seem daunting, so start with just the one or two channels most relevant to your business – for example, LinkedIn for most professional services. Be sure to also update your personal profiles with links to your new business. Send an email out to your network to let people know what you're doing, and make sure to link to your website and company's social profiles in all your correspondence to make it really easy for people to find and follow you. Don't be shy about reaching out to follow "friendlies" in your network or industry and asking them to do the same.   

6. Beef up your "staff"

Chances are you'll be wearing more than a few hats when you first start out, but your customers and prospects don't need to know that. Consider creating some email aliases to create the appearance of a fuller staff, e.g., "customerservice@yournewbiz.com" or "pr@yournewbiz.com" or using a virtual voicemail service like Grasshopper to set up an inexpensive business-only phone number.  

What methods do you use to create a larger than life persona for your business? Let us know in the comments.