What Do You Wish You Had Known When You Started Your Online Business? by Kinyatta E. Gray

What Do You Wish You Had Known When You Started Your Online Business?

I absolutely love these reflective questions because they often allow you to think about your professional growth and development and how far you've come.

Before I started my business online, I wish I had known the importance of "branding." In 2018, I was that woman that had an idea and just went for it. I didn't have a business plan at the time, nor did I consult with anyone on the steps I should take to launch a successful online business. I was anxious to pitch my ideas "online" and share them with the world. 

During that same year, I quickly researched user-friendly website platforms to create my website, thus saving money. The experience was quite challenging and sometimes even fun. The outcome, however, was underwhelming. Even though I had a professional logo, there was no organization, rhyme, or reason to my website. In addition, the images I added to my website were not professional and didn't align with anything.

Furthermore, I didn't possess the expertise to create the right pages for my website to make finding information easier for my website visitors. As a result, my website stayed in this condition for an entire year until I met someone who wanted to partner with me and kindly raised concerns about the look and feel of my website. That was just the kind of intervention that I needed to become aware of the fact that I was not on the right path with my website due to a lack of branding. 

Because my website lacked branding, it was not considered professional. As a result, I most likely missed out on many sales and collaborations because my website's look, feel, and messaging were unclear. For those that may be unclear on what branding is, by definition (according to brandingmag.com), it is a marketing practice in which a company creates a name, symbol, or design that is easily identifiable as belonging to the company. Immediately after the crash course in branding, I hired a local branding expert who helped me establish a consistent look, feel, and messaging for my business, FlightsInStilettos. The investment was well worth it because my sales increased, and my website is memorable and reflects the entire concept of my business through well-placed imagery and content. 

Suppose I was informed about the necessity of branding before launching my online business. In that case, I'm sure that the first year of my business would have been much more successful and memorable for my customers. 

Thankfully now, my website is used as a benchmark for effective branding.

Social Media: @flightsinstilettos

Website: shopflightsinstilettos.com