Opening Your Small Business: 10 Things You Shouldn’t Forget

So you’ve spent months and months planning the opening of your new small business. There is no doubt that this is going to be a big deal, especially if you quit your regular full-time job to do this. But, success is possible, plenty of small businesses are blossoming around the world now.

The couple of days before opening day are going to be a bit stressful, as you have so much to remember and check off your to-do list.

To make it slightly easier for you, we’ve come up with five things you shouldn’t, under any circumstance, forget to do before opening day. Want to know more? Then read on!

Table of Contents

Get Your Cash Flow Ready

You will need plenty of cash in the first few days of business. This is because there may be some small items to buy that have slipped your mind or other last-minute transactions to take care of. So your cash flow needs to be healthy.

Make sure you have enough petty cash in your office. Your company’s capital could end up locked in assets and high-interest bank accounts. In this case, you will have to use some of your personal money to get you through.

Protect Your Name

Your business name is super important, as it gives customers and clients a quick idea of the type of product or service you provide. Many small businesses spend a lot of time coming up with an excellent name.

One of the worst things that could happen to your name is someone else using it for their own project. It’s super easy preventing this. You just need to speak to Trademark Consultants, who can put a trademark on your company name. This makes it illegal for anyone else to use it without your permission.

Get People Excited

Things might get slightly embarrassing if no one turns up to your shop on your first day of trading.

Or if you have an online store and no orders come in for the first few days. If this happens, it’s probably because you didn’t create a big enough buzz about the opening of your company.

People need to know that you are about to enter the scene. So use social media to get them excited.

Train Staff

There is nothing worse than going to a restaurant or shop that hasn’t trained its staff correctly. The whole place will feel slightly chaotic! And it can be equally as bad calling an office who don’t know what they are doing.

So whatever type of company you own, make sure your staff is fully trained before opening day. You can expect some small hiccups in the first few days while they are getting used to their new jobs. But this shouldn’t last too long.

Clean Up

This point might seem obvious to most people, but so many still forget! If you are opening a shop or cafe and will be inviting members of the public in, remember to have a quick clean-up before you open. If the place is a mess, it isn’t going to give off a great impression of your business!

Finalize Suppliers

Before you open, make sure you have a few reliable suppliers in place who can provide you with the materials or products needed to keep your business running smoothly. It’s important to establish long-term relationships with such suppliers, as these are key to getting your business off the ground.

Test Your Website

If you have an online store, it’s important to test your website thoroughly before going live on opening day. This means ensuring that customers can easily find and purchase products, as well as checking for any glitches or errors in the overall design of the site.

Advertise Your Business

Advertising is key to getting the word out there about your business. Whether it’s through social media posts, local radio spots, newspaper ads or posters around town, make sure you get started on marketing yourself a few weeks before opening day so people know who you are and what you offer!

Finalize New Hires

If you’re planning on taking on new employees, make sure to finish the hiring process before opening day so everyone is ready to start work. Have their paperwork and contracts in order and set up a formal introduction session with each employee.

Review Your Insurance

Building a business means taking risks – make sure you have all the necessary insurance coverage for your venture. This way if something unexpected happens down the line, you’ll be prepared. Consider everything from general liability insurance to health care costs to property damage coverage.

Final Words

There’s a lot to think about before you open your doors. But with a bit of planning and preparation, you can make sure everything runs smoothly on opening day. Just remember to create excitement around your business, train your staff well, clean up the premises, finalize suppliers, test your website and advertise yourself in order to be fully prepared! Good luck!

Featured image source: Pixabay