Starting a Business - Part Two
In Part One, I discussed 5 of the 15 steps to starting a business. They were: Get a business name; web site (domain) name availability; get a web host; get a business license; and get a mailing address. Here are the other 10:
1. File a Fictitious Business Name form through the County Recorder's Office of the county your business is in within 40 days from the date you start your business. Some counties allow you to do it online! The filing fee is around $23.00 (in South Orange County, CA).
2. Publish the information in a newspaper publication for 4 weeks after you receive the d.b.a. statement. The range is $20 and up. Then file an Affidavit of Publication within 30 days after the last publication date. Some newspapers do that for you after they have published your d.b.a. for four weeks. By the way, after you file your d.b.a., you will receive several flyers in the mail from the local newspapers advertising their rates for publishing your d.b.a.
3. You will need to apply for a Seller's Permit from your local State Board of Equalization office. You have to give an estimate of how much you think you will make as a profit and pay a portion up front. Needless to say, you should report a low figure since it may be difficult to determine that kind of information.
4. Get a business phone line if needed. There are ways for people to talk via the computer by using certain programs and/or services that are available for free or for a fee. All you need is a headset with a microphone.
5. Get business cards and marketing/promotional materials. There's a great web site out there that offers lots of free materials including business cards and logos. If you do a web search for business cards, you are bound to find it!
6. Look into starting blogs (Your web host may offer this service as part of the package). There are many sites that offer free blogs. You will want to get your business name out there and blogging helps you to talk about what kind of business you have and what you offer.
7. Write articles and publish them. If you're starting a business, chances are you have a thing or two you can tell others about your area of expertise (your business).
8. Get your web site listed in as many directories as possible. Some are free, others charge.
9. Put ads in your web site. Sign up with affiliate programs too. They pay you every time someone clicks or buys through your web site. Again, depending on what type of business you're in, you want to be careful how many ads you place in your site. Don't overdo it, otherwise it will distract from what you're really trying to sell, which is your products or services.
10. If any questions, do web searches. There are a few web sites out there that offer a ton of free advice on different subjects. You can also find web sites that offer free business webinars.
Please keep in mind the above information is based on my starting a business in South Orange County, CA. I'm sure it's not the same in every county or state. This list is just meant to give you a starting point as you go through the process of starting a business. It's better than not having any direction at all!