America is known as the land of opportunity. Anyone with a vision can start a business. But what’s required to open a new business? Put simply, just a business license. You can obtain one at the local county courthouse. More, however, is necessary to open a successful business. Here’s a few things that should be given consideration when preparing to open a business:

1. Business License – This means authorization from the local government to conduct business in your area. Here is Knox County’s information on Business Licenses and Business Tax.
2. Business Plan – This is a written statement of your objectives, mission, market analysis, costs involved, etc. You should be clear on how much this venture will cost you, what the earning potential is, who your ideal client is, who needs your product/service, and what makes you better than your competition. Clearly answering these questions will get you off to the right start. For ideas on writing a winning startup business plan, see this Entrepeneur.com article.
3. Logo – A well-designed logo will have a major impact on how people perceive your brand. Attention should be given to the size, color, style and typography of your logo. What’s your company name? Will you feature a mascot or icon? Do you have a slogan? What sort of logos does your competition have? Are you looking to convey a traditional or modern mood? These are all things to carefully consider, and this 99designs.com article will definitely help. At Pioneer Media, we have talented logo designers available to assist you. Check out one of our latest custom logo creations here: JTMStucco.com.
4. Domain – This is your .com (or any of the new domain endings available). Ideally, you want this to be your-company-name.com. If that’s not available, you may need to get creative. Perhaps you can append your target area, such as “TN” for Tennessee. Another idea: instead of using your company, use your product/service, such as: www.TIPCO.green or www.KristinGracy.Realtor. We can help you brainstorm, register and host a successful domain name for your start-up.
5. Website – We love this step! A professional website is crucial to the success of your start-up. Potential customers are surely going to research your brand before conducting business with you. Lacking a website dispels confidence in your brand. What’s necessary for a successful website? Here’s a few:
   • Accuracy – All content should be current and correct. Phone numbers, email addresses, prices, services, etc. must be spelled and priced accurately to avoid confusion.
   • Beauty – We ensure the website is as visually pleasing as possible. Ugly website turn people away. Beautiful websites draw them in. We want your website to be award-winning and shareable, not something you hesitate to show people.
   • Quality – Photos must be HD (High-Definition) and showcase your best work, not all of your work. Videos should be exported in 4K (or HD 1080P at minimum). Copy should be thoughtfully-considered with a clear message. Logo should be better than you would get for $5 on Fiverr.
   • Simplicity – We don’t overcomplicate our websites. Your message should be clear, and contact information should always be readily accessible. Don’t confuse and irritate visitors by making your website hard to navigate. Also, your website defintely needs to be mobile-friendly.
   • Speed – Your start-up’s website should load with ease. Under 3 seconds is ideal; any more than that and your visitors might just leave the site before it’s fully loaded. Ask yourself: as a consumer, do you like slow websites? Of course not. From a web development perspective, there are many ways to speed up the load time of a web page, such as compressing photos, utilizing caching mechanisms, hosting on quality web servers, etc.
   • Trust – SSL security certificates give your domain that green padlock “secure” symbol. Positive testimonials, “likes” and “followers” give your brand social proof. All of these things are crucial to building trust in your customers. As a start-up, however, you might not have any testimonials. That’s okay – start right away! Ask every satisfied customer to write you a review or follow your brand on social media.

Starting a business is so exciting, but it’s important to get your ducks in a row before officially launching. Doing your research and hiring a quality website designer goes a long way in launching a successful brand!