DURBAN - Women entrepreneurs have the potential to contribute to a significant increase in GDP and jobs over the next decade.
The South African government hopes small and medium enterprises will create 90% of new jobs by 2030 under its National Development Plan.
Thanks to technology and the internet, it is now easier for women entrepreneurs to start a small business. Selina Bieber, regional director for Turkey and Mena at GoDaddy, shares these tips about how you can get your enterprise going online:
Get your numbers in order: Before you dive in, get your finances together.
Set your rates: Decide roughly how much you want to sell your products and/or services for. If you aren't sure, work backwards. Consider the amount of time you want to work and how much you want to make. Calculate how much you need to charge to reach that goal.
Set up accounting software: Immediately start tracking your business expenses and managing invoices using an accounting tool.
Keep your finances separate: Instead of taking all the business revenue as income, create a separate account for your business funds.
Tell everyone you know: If you want to be your own boss, get used to self-promotion. This is where a strong web presence will pay for itself.
Get a domain name: As soon as you've figured out what you're going to do, and what you're going to call your new venture, choose and register the domain name. You'll want to use your custom domain to set up a branded e-mail account and use as the online address for your website.
Get professional e-mail: Set up a professional e-mail address - that includes your domain name. This can help build credibility for your business.
Create a website: Keep it simple as you start. Use a template-based website builder like GoDaddy Website Builder or Managed WordPress tool.
Create a social media account for your business: You don't need to launch an account on every social network at the beginning. But at least set up accounts in the places where your customers are most active, for example on LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook, to start promoting your business.
Share posts on your personal social media: Don’t be shy to use your personal social media accounts to share updates and content about your business. Let your network know what you're up to because they, or someone they know, may need what you're selling.
Get business cards: While some might think they're outdated, business cards are a great tool for making and solidifying connections when you meet people face-to-face.
Build your e-mail list: Create an e-mail list of people who would be interested in your business. Let them know what you're up to and give them an option to stay in touch (through your list).
Be ready to change and grow: In a few years or months from now, your business might look very different from when you first started. That's normal. As you grow your business, look for the things that can help make your venture successful and bring you the most joy. This can help you better serve your customers and yourself.