Starting a Service-Based Business
Starting a service-based business can be an incredibly rewarding journey, offering flexibility, creative freedom, and the opportunity to make a real impact in your clients' lives.
At ABC, we work with many service-based businesses. Whether you're a solopreneur, entrepreneur, or small business owner, laying a solid foundation is essential for long-term success.
Here is some practical advice, tools, and resources that we recommend and use with our clients to help you get started:
1. Define Your Service Offering
The first step in starting a service-based business is clarity. Ask yourself:
- What services will you provide?
- Who is your target audience?
- How will your services solve a problem or add value to your clients' lives?
Craft a clear and compelling value proposition that highlights what sets your business apart.
2. Create a Professional Online Presence
Your online presence is often the first impression potential clients will have of your business.
For all your graphic design needs - design stunning graphics for your website, social media, and marketing materials.
Build a sleek, professional website with user-friendly templates.
Plan and schedule your social media posts to maintain consistent engagement.
3. Establish Strong Business Foundations
Every business needs a robust foundation.
For all things legal - Access customisable legal contracts to formalise agreements with clients, policies and GDPR support.
Don't forget to register with the ICO.
Started a business in the UK? Ensure your business is protected with professional liability insurance tailored to service providers. We recommend Policy Bee.
Keep your business secure with a simple, centralised password manager such as 1Password or LastPass.
4. Streamline Your Operations
Efficiency is key when managing a service-based business.
Xodo Sign (formerly Eversign) to send over contracts that need to be signed.
Asana / Trello to organise tasks, track progress, and collaborate with clients or team members.
Google Workspace to manage emails, calendars, and collaborative documents in one place.
5. Manage Finances and Payments
Keep your financials in order with the right tools.
If you're in the UK, we recommend Mettle by NatWest, a free business bank account that gives you access to FreeAgent accounting software for free.
Accounting software such as FreeAgent, Xero or QuickBooks to track expenses, send invoices, and manage your business accounts.
7. Stay Organised and Productive
Running a service-based business requires excellent organisation and time management. These tools can help you stay on top of your tasks and keep your business running smoothly.
Communicate and collaborate with team members or clients in real time, ensuring smooth project coordination with Slack.
Notion - create a team wiki, organise notes, projects, and tasks all in one place, making it easy to manage your workload and stay productive.
Use Zoom to host virtual meetings, consultations, or webinars to stay connected with clients and team members.
Clockify allows you to track your time effectively to ensure accurate billing and better time management.
By integrating these tools into your workflow, you'll have a clear structure for managing your time, communicating effectively, and keeping your business on track.
Starting a service-based business can be a life-changing experience. With the right tools, strategic planning, and a commitment to delivering excellent service, your business can thrive.
Don't forget to [download our Social Media Content Planner] to kickstart your marketing efforts and stay consistent in building your online presence.
If we can help you on your journey, please get in touch for personalised business support services tailored to help you succeed.