New business- how to build up your name...pay an agency to help!?

[LadyLouOf2]

So I am thinking of starting a new business. I will need to build a following and interest in my products via Instagram and Facebook. But I'm scared of launching a new account with initially 0 followers. Even just a few hundred looks a bit naff. And don't get me started how I go about making it all pretty and colour coordinated.

I looked into digital marketing agencies and how they could help build my brand, design my website etc. But they've quoted anything from £1.5k to £5k.
What did you do? Design your own website? How did you quickly build up a following and interest, did you play for google ads etc to accelerate interest? Any tips would be great x

I built my own website which is still a work in progress 10 years later as I'm constantly tinkering and improving, but I started on an online marketplace first. Honestly, don't invest thousands into having a website built if you don't know how to market it afterwards. Google AdWords is an absolute minefield to a beginner and if you don't understand it you might as well throw money in the bin.
An online marketplace is good to test the waters to see if there is a market for your products at the price you can afford to sell them at.

@delilahbucket thanks so much I really needed to hear that. Have decided to definitely do the website myself via shopify. Did you advertise via google ads or just by seeing general what the general traffic to your website was like by social media / word of mouth etc? I've been quoted literally thousands from digital marketing agencies to give advice, and have been told to speak to PR companies who will be able to help raise profile. That's of course what I want to do but it's ££££!

How about some Facebook advertising? It can be very cheap.

Agencies are EXPENSIVE. You need to put in the hours and read up on how to do it yourself then spend more hours doing it. The good small businesses doing well are ones with good products but also they're really good at promoting themselves.

What's your product? It is something you can promote yourself or is it something likely to attract investment?

Have you read books like the lean startup ? What's your plan?

I have run various AdWords campaigns over the years but have never been successful at bringing traffic, it just costs me loads of money. Basically, I don't know what I'm doing, and it needs a professional. I don't need to drive traffic to my website as these days I have a campaign via my Etsy store that Etsy manage for me. I don't have anything for my website as I would be competing with my Etsy store. I do get lots of visitors to my website still which is natural search results where I have good standing. Google like to see a website that is updated with new content regularly, good descriptions. Buyers like good photos and compliance with the Consumer Contract Regulations. You need a social media presence and joining groups that allow business advertising relevant to your categories is a good way to start. Even just local groups. Ours allows businesses to post once per week.
I wouldn't bother with Shopify. With all of these cheap website builders you get what you pay for. I'm with EKM. There is UK support on the phone and on Facebook seven days a week. The servers are in the UK. They will help you scale up within the cost of your monthly fee without paying an advertising agency.

You can find experts on People Per Hour and Upwork that you can pay a set fee to for SEO, social account handling, graphics etc.
I strongly recommend not doing Google Ads yourself. Google hides all the stuff that burns through your money behind 'advanced' options.
If you are selling a product, I agree that trialling it first on Etsy or Amazon makes sense before running your own site.

I, too, am setting up my own business and these are exactly the issues that I am coming up against too! But I used GoDaddy to build my website which was pretty easy as its just templates and their customer service is really good so you can call up and ask pathetic questions and they hold your hand through it. Highly recommend! Once that is done, its the finding your audience/perfect client that is the real issue! Using Insta/FB is all very well and ads are a whole different thing. With no experience it is a minefield to navigate - what we need is a low cost, practical guide to building client lists etc. Otherwise we are at the mercy of "business coaches", agencies and expensive ads... Sorry to jump on the wrong end of this conversation but I really identify and need similar help!

@RosanneChakraWayYoga 100% fully, fully agree! You're further down the road than I am, I was looking at Shopify for my website but haven't started that yet...but the initial quotes I've received for just general advice are eye watering!
I was fully hoping to take advantage of FB and Insta ads but it sounds from your post like that isn't going to be as easy as I expect 😬😭

It depends what the business is. We started a few years ago and have only a few hundred followers on Instagram and no facebook. A terrible 3 page website and we are quite happy with that. We have built our name through referral, partnerships and collaborations. The more 'visible' you are the more the general public zap your time. That might not be what you want.

Just to point out that building a social presence and driving traffic is time consuming. Agencies or consultants don't have a magic wand - not if they are doing it properly and getting real traffic. You need to put in the hours or pay someone else to. The only other option is to use a 3rd party marketplace. Even then, Amazon demoted you if you don't pay them for FBA. You could have the exact niche product that someone searches Amazon for, but they'll show 2 pages of other FBA and 'too-seller' listings above yours - even if your product was the only correct match.

What category are you selling? Is it a physical product?

I run a couple of businesses and I've made about 5 websites.

I don't know your level of confidence with digital but if you're willing to research there are lots of free resources.

Managing digital marketing is a hugely skilled profession so it's normal you're not going to be able to just pick it up. But as I said, Google and Facebook have tons of resources to learn but it depends on your time.

In terms of making things look good, you can use Canva it's free.

You'll also need an email platform again mailchimp is free or cheap.

If you give more information I can try to give more advice.

@doadeer
Thank you so much - super helpful and kind of you to offer. I'll be selling skin care products. Will be heavily relying on socials, instagram predominantly, and website.

Am in the process of looking into Canva (or whether to pay someone on Etsy for templates instead?).

Thinking of using Shopify for website (any suggestions on which of their options to go for gratefully received!)

Will be setting up an insta and FB biz account. Mainly stuck at how best to market myself - pay for google ads or not (although posts above don't sound v encouraging). Paying for social media ads etc.

Am at v early stages (manufacturing our products atm) but I need to get going on all of this soon so that I can start to raise profile...

@doadeer we so need to stay in touch! I am facing ALL the same issues. But I do recommend Canva - I used them to create workbooks but their insta templates etc are really good and will be perfect for beauty branding. I am told that FB ads are really complicated but who knows...its a jungle out there! Will share any wisdom as I find it!

So I'd think about :

Set up Facebook shops - I know a lovely freelancer who could do this and instagram for you for £250. She will set all your channels up and I'm sure she could train you for another couple hundred.

Have an email sign up for 10% discount or whatever. (In mailchimp)

You will need Canva for so much so I'd start practicing now, you can load your brand colours it's very easy.

I would say your traffic to your own site will be non existant and you're in a highly competitive market. I'd look to sell on social channels and a marketplace like etsy while you build your brand.

It's a huge market for influencers as I'm sure you know, could you send some free samples to somebody like James Welsh, that would be worth it's weight in gold.

Are there any local business start up groups? Support from councils? I’m not thinking of the ones with high fees but there are often free courses/ v cheap courses available.
Microsoft/ google often offer free start up workshops on line.

Also, maybe look at using a Virtual Assistant with a focus/specialism in social media advertising etc - often a lot cheaper but can also be very effective.

I recently set up a online business. I use shopify (and in the early days used Etsy). Would recommend setting up a fb shop so you tag all of your products in your insta posts and send people straight to your website.
Canva is amazing, as is unsplash for free images (for social media etc).
Let me know if I can help with any other qs. Still very early days for me but I’ve learnt a lot in 3 months of being up and running.

You are over thinking this.
I make and sell stuff online full time.

Don't put the cart before the horse.

Your product shoudl be your primary concern, not all the faff surrounding it.
I listed my stuff on Amazon and ebay and never got further than trying to market on social media.
I am swamped with orders. I have no need to promote.

Hi, So i am two weeks into the launch of my business. I do have a marketing background, but ive prettty much done it all myself. I would advise you to work with a graphic designer to get your 'assets' these are your brand elements so logo, colour palette, images, fonts etc. Once you have these then i suggest you sign up to Canva, its incredible, and there you can create all your social media artwork, website artwork, images, ads, documents, business cards etc. Its amazing! For my website i used Shopify and its a great resource. Takes some getting used to it, my advice is use You Tube. Hope this helps. x

TheBungleCo

Congratulations!

How are sales so far?

I’ve not paid anyone and have a following of nearly 400 on Instagram and Facebook platforms after only launching in September

I also don’t hardly push it because I’ve been so busy with homeschooling that I coulsnt take any more orders than was coming through anyway.

I joined relevant groups and looked up on beat ways to get engagement and followed that advise without having to pay anyone

Onedropbeat

That's interesting.
So you have more time for an increase in orders now?

One of the things that puts me off pushing social media is the geneI ration of more sales.
I am working at full capacity right now.
I really need to employ someone, but am a little disorganised to set up blocks of work for them.
Any increase in sales will also take me over the VAT threshhold - the admin side of my business is not my strong point.

Its been successful so far, Ive had huge interest in one product line, so much , I've ran out of stock (Rooky error), i have another shipment on its way, with much larger quantities. Other lines are selling, but slower. My social media is picking up now. And i have a few influencers with large followings that are interested in collaborating. Which is a great way to boost following. One piece of advice i would give, if you're serious about making sales, is look at other sales channels, whether that be Etsy, Ebay, Retail, Amazon.... whilst your new your SEO will be minimal, which means your website pretty much wont appear on Google for the search terms you want. So by using other channels, this can boost your sales and help your SEO in the meantime. I am launching on Amazon this week, and already sell on the others.

I would say, social media is time consuming, but its possible to do it yourself. Work with Canva and Preview (Preview enables you to plan your posts and schedule them so you dont have to think about them for the month, week or whatever)

xx

@speakout

I do have more time now. But I’m enjoying a bit of peace and quiet

I think I’d be a bit precious about hiring anyone to help. At the moment when things have been busy and I’ve been unprepared I’ve roped in DH and just worked through the night.

I think I’d be a bit precious about hiring anyone to help.

I think that's part of my problem too.
I have developed/struck lucky a niche market and don't really want to be teaching someone else how to do what I am doing!
I am thinking abut other ways to increase revenue while my time is limited.
One way may be to add more product lines which require little labour on my part- or think outside the box and get a cleaner in a few days a week, to keep on top of housework and do some meal prep.