Lesson 3: Launching Your Business

Launching Your Business

Don’t throw a launching party to let people know that you’re in business. This will make you spend money that you need to be careful about. Rather offer free samples and use word of mouth and other ways mentioned in the course.

Offer Samples

Let’s say you want to sell cakes and biscuits. To let potential customers know, you can bake a cake, go stand at a place that has a lot of people and offer them a little bit of cake to taste and ask what they think about it. Remember to give people your contact details when you give them samples.

Have a Business Card

This is a card with your business information, like its name, where it can be found (if it’s a shop), what you sell and how people can get in touch with you. You can also add extra information, like free deliveries or braiding hair at clients’ homes after hours. Be creative about your business card, because people receive lots of them. It doesn’t have to be a work of art, but it’s cool if it’s different in some way. What about handwriting? Or an interesting shape? People love imaginative branding – and we know you’re creative, so do it yo!

TIP: USE THE INTERNET

Go to google.com, search “create a business card online for free.” You’ll get samples of cards, which you can use to design yours. A business card doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive. It just needs information.

Your Business Card

You can add pictures of your products but your card shouldn’t be crowded with information.

Be Proud

Use every opportunity you get to let people know about your products and services. Let’s say you have a car wash. If you see a dirty car at your local shopping complex, go to introduce your business to its owner. You might also like to print cheap flyers that you can leave on cars, for instance. If you plan to leave flyers at a shop, public place or any other location, be sure to ask if it’s ok first.