When you are starting a new online business or blog, it’s very important to not let the minutiae of the start-up process derail your progress towards your overarching goals. It’s also very important to not have too long of a list of “Musts” before you’re ready to launch your business or website.
From my experience working with others, letting the details overtake the progress on the larger project often comes down to an individual’s personality. I do believe in putting a solid foot forward before announcing your new venture to the world, but there are 4 questions I’d suggest asking yourself before determining how essential the completion of a task is.
- Does my site effectively answer the Who, What, How and Why of my business? If it does, then you’re good.
- Have I established my distinct brand image or logo? It doesn’t need to cost a small fortune, but it is pretty crucial to have brand imagery in place on your website and related social media accounts before introducing it.
- Do all my existing pages contain relevant content? Do I have at least some content on my blog? Try to avoid posting “Coming Soon” all across your website. And it’s a good idea to have published at least a few articles per category or client type on your blog before launching.
- Do I have all my key accounts in place and are they prominently displayed on my site? Be sure to establish an email account and the social media accounts you intend to use before launching your online business or site. Then add some linked social media icons to your sidebar, and include your email address and main social profiles on your About or Contact page.
Your site and its content will naturally evolve over time – no matter if it’s for your business or a blog. Getting caught up in the details like finding the perfect font color or the absolute best social sharing plugin can add days and weeks to your timeline. Even more detrimental is comparing your site to a business that has been established for years. Delaying your launch until you can have the downloadable resources, features and widgets that an established business has right now, can be defeating and is unrealistic.
Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by putting unrealistic expectations in place in order to start your business. “Good enough” is perfect in this case. Don’t let the details bog you down.
