There’s a reason entrepreneurship is said to be a journey: Starting any type of business takes lots of planning and persistence, and the whole process can feel quite overwhelming as a first-time entrepreneur. But thanks to the hundreds of business tools available to assist with everything from business formation to invoicing, it’s easy to avoid some of the more common roadblocks on your path to entrepreneurship.

Below, Cait Hess Design highlights some of the best business tools for aspiring entrepreneurs and offers a few business planning tips and tricks for beginners.

Market Research

In order to start a business that succeeds, all aspiring entrepreneurs must first conduct market research and learn more about their competitors and target audience. Start by using resources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and Federal Reserve System to find information on demographics, consumer and business statistics, and employment trends.

Moreover, you can use websites like Pew Research Center to gather industry insights when launching a business. Your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is another great resource during this stage.

Business Planning and Formation

Planning your business is another important part of pursuing entrepreneurship, and lots of online tools and templates can assist you with everything from writing a business plan to registering your business as a corporation, partnership, or Limited Liability Company (LLC).

A few business planning resources include LivePlan, SCORE, and BPlan, while formation services such as LegalZoom and MyCorporation can be used to form a legal entity, apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN), and appoint a Registered Agent.

Graphic and Web Design

When it comes to branding your small business, you could either hire a professional to design your logo, website, and social media posts, or you might use online tools if you’d prefer to DIY your brand design. With the right tools at your disposal, you can create your own company logo design, business cards, flyers, social media posts, and other graphics.

As your budget grows and you develop a better idea of what you’re looking for in your brand, you may wish to enlist the creative expertise of Cait Hess Design. Cait offers professional branding and logo design, SEO-friendly website designs, and social media services to assist you with your branding needs.

Social Media and Marketing

To build an online presence and promote yourself as an entrepreneur, there are a few essential steps you’ll need to take when launching a business. These include:

• Setting up a Google My Business listing.
• Creating social media profiles on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
• Following your competitors on social media and performing a competitive analysis.
• Creating a social media strategy and using tools like Later.com and Planoly, or Hootsuite to plan and schedule your content.
• Including relevant hashtags in your social media posts to increase social media visibility and engagement.

If you’re not sure where to start, Cait Hess Design can help. In addition to her social media design packages, Cait offers small business marketing and consulting services.

Bookkeeping

As you jumpstart your road to entrepreneurship, there are several financial steps you’ll also need to take. A few of them include: Applying for business financing, opening a business bank account, applying for a company credit card, and setting up a bookkeeping system.

NerdWallet offers 10 business checking account recommendations, while bookkeeping systems such as QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Wave can be used for invoicing, expense tracking, and categorizing your business transactions.

The Bottom Line

One of the best parts about pursuing entrepreneurship in 2022 and beyond is the plethora of online business tools, templates, and resources to help with everything from designing a website to forming a business entity. Starting a business may be a lengthy process, but it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming one!

Are you ready to develop your brand identity, design a business website, and/or build your social media presence? Contact Cait Hess Design to get started.

Article written by: Chelsea Lamb of businesspop.net