If you have a business idea, the chances are that you are eager to turn this notion into a fully fledged money making reality. You are ready to say adieu to your solid wage, decent promotion prospects and office pals to have a go at working for yourself and being self reliant when it comes to your paycheck. While the uncertainty is scary, you have enough confidence in your venture to become master of your professional destiny. However, you still haven’t quite taken the plunge yet. Why is this? You might be nervous about not knowing when you’ll next see cash in your account. You might worry about losing your quality of life. And you might feel a sense of panic about changing your life and maybe making the wrong decision.

Sometimes the scariest things that we do can end up being the most fulfilling. If you have a dream that you want to turn into a reality, then you need to be proactive and have a go. Before you jump head first into the startup water take a look at these things that every entrepreneur should know before they take the plunge.

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Funding

It’s more difficult than you think to achieve the necessary funding for your business. Being an unknown and new business entity, it is risky to invest in you. You need to prove beyond a doubt that your startup is worth that risk. You must work out your figures and show any potential investor your potential revenue and profits for the first three years of trading. You must know the difference between your gross and your net, and you must be able to answer questions regarding how you came to those figures. Don’t be overly optimistic or pluck figures from the air. You need to conduct thorough market research and show the bank manager why you are good for the loan.

If you don’t fancy heading to the bank, you could try and secure funding from a business angel. These ethereal sounding beings are world class industry leading experts who are keen to invest their own hard earned cash into the future of their sector. Securing the money that you need from a business angel will validate your idea and you will have an invaluable asset on your team. It’s not just about the cash. You will have a wealth of new contacts and top notch advice on tap.

If you don’t have a head for figures, it might pay to look into the top accounting firms and securing their services to help you be as tax efficient as possible. You need to be streamlined and limit your financial waste. An accountant will work with you to help you achieve this.

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Marketing

You could have the finest business idea the world has ever seen, but the point is that the world needs to see it. A flashy website isn’t the be all and end all when it comes to online marketing. You need to ensure that your site is SEO enabled, utilizes keywords and meta tags, and has the necessary links to social media to help drive traffic to it. Search engine optimization is vital to ensure that those potential customers searching for relevant products that come under your remit see your brand at the top of the Google results. Securing business via search engines will be necessary if you are to make a success of your venture. Not everything can be organic.

Social media platforms are excellent ways to display your wares, show your products in action and emulate your branding. Instagram is ideal for those in more creative fields, while Facebook allows you to show off your positive reputation through testimonials and feedback. Ensure that your social media feeds are updated regularly with fresh content and links to your website. The more relevant content that you post, the more often it will get shared. This allows you to generate more of a following online, become more visible and develop a more global reach.

Nearly every business is online in one form or another in the twenty first century. It’s vital that your startup hits the ground running and does the same.

As an entrepreneur, you will need to compete with your well established industry rivals. Take a look at what they do well but also develop your own unique selling point. This is what you need to push if you are to make a success of your business. Don’t fear entrepreneurship and, instead, embrace it.