Basically...You need to have a mind dump!
This may not be the most glamorous way of putting it, but you get the picture. You want to get everything you're thinking about down on paper. Me... I prefer spreadsheets; information all aligned in categories and colour coded. You may prefer a mind map, simply write down a 'category' (area of questioning), for example 'purchase process' and draw a circle around it, draw a line from the circle and write your first question, for example 'how can customers pay', branch out from this with the answers, one might be 'online payment'. From each answer branch out with a practical solution, this may result in 'set up a Paypal account'.
Essentially you need to consider all aspects of the business and work out the answers to everything, how will it work, what will I do, when will it be offered, how, why etc etc. Play devils advocate with yourself, think about challenges and how you'll face them.
Here's some starter questions for yourself:
Category - pricing:
- What will I charge?
- How much do my customers pay elsewhere?
- How will I be better/more accessible/cheaper/more unique that others?
- How will they pay?
Category - Promotion
- How will customers find out about my business?
- How will I get their attention over competitors?
You can see now how mind dumping and mapping can start to write out your start up plans. It will help you to think of everything, getting you ready. If you can work out the answer to everything a customer may ask you, or wonder when visiting your website or checking you out on social media before you put yourself out there, I promise you, you will start out looking professional, consistent and viable from the get go. Take a moment, do a mind dump, then start your planning.
Best wishes,
Lynsey Le Keux
