This is the second installment of the three-week timetable to start a new business in three weeks. It’s from 3 Weeks to Startup, the book I’ve just finished as co-author with Sabrina Parsons. 3 Weeks to Startupby Tim Berry, Sabrina Parsons |
| What you really have to do, no matter what, as in absolute essentials, the plan for week two . . . | . . . along with notes, comments and why in this week |
| Plan Your Marketing |
Spreading the word is essential, it will become the key to success, and you should get going on this now while making sure it’s properly aligned with your overall strategy. Think focus, and targeting, and what messages, to whom. |
| Develop branding Look and feel: logos, signs, letterhead, graphic standards. | Start right with the elements of branding, and you’ll be glad you did. Keep it well coordinated and strategic. And you need to get moving now, because some of these things are projects that will take a few days. |
| Start your website | If you’re building a web 2.0 application, or for that matter any website that is core to your business, then you might have to settle for simply having begun by the end of the three weeks. For most businesses, you can have a website together in three weeks. It takes thought, time and effort, and a blog platform. |
| Set up your merchant account to be able to accept credit cards. | Vital for some businesses, irrelevant for others. If you need to accept credit cards, get going, the application can take a bit. |
| Get the insurance |
This isn’t that hard. Annoying, yes, but not hard to do. Call business insurance brokers, make sure you get one you like and trust; if you have doubts, look for somebody else. |
| Start recruiting startup employees |
This is one of the tougher ones, frankly, unless you have just one or maybe even two employees to find. This one is more likely to remain beyond your specific control. So get started quickly. |
Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software and Bplans.com. Follow him on Twitter @Timberry.
