Do I have to take a part-time job to get my business off the ground?

Hi Aunty B,

I have moved back to Melbourne after being away in the country for 13 years. I am trying to get my businesses off the ground, but I am finding it hard to get my name out there. I need the money, but it seems to be flying out of my pocket instead of in!

I am a designer, and I have a website for my services and I have just added a shopping cart so you can buy furniture online, along with direct contact to me if they want to ask questions.

I am tempted to get a full-time or part-time job to survive.

Have you got any suggestions to get my businesses off the ground and attract work in? Even any marketing/advertising ideas?

Regards,
Mrs B

Dear Mrs B,

Congratulations for having a go. You are obviously a skilled designer but your business plan needs a lot more work.

Are you a designer with a nice website? Or are you trying to start a retail business online? In both cases the website needs a lot more work to reflect what you want to do and you can’t do that until you have a clear business plan.

As part of the plan you need to ask: what am I best in the world at? Because at the moment your idea is too broad. Interiors and exteriors is not a niche.

Find a niche and then specialise in that. Go to local architects and let them know you specialise in this niche. Approach large design companies and let them know you specialise in that niche.

Use local school networks to let mums know you specialise in that niche.

Rebuild the website around that niche and buy some good search terms.

The other idea is to hit online in a big way. Set yourself up as “Posh Design Online” and help people do their design online. Your offer should be to guide people through all the choices online and order so they can get a great posh design for less money and hassle. That would suit really busy women like moi!

At the moment you are trying to be all things to everyone and not doing any of it well.

Stay focused!

Good luck!
Your Aunty B

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