Website domains, social media and technology are all words that can strike fear into the hearts of even some of the keenest entrepreneurs. GoDaddy spoke to some successful Aussie entrepreneurs about their top tech tips and the importance of the right technology for start-up success.
While many Aussies dream about starting their own business or side hustle, tackling the tech required to bring their idea to life isn’t always easy.
Confidence is a big barrier for Aussies looking to starting a business, along with the worry about:
- Not being an expert
- Not being tech savvy
But plenty of Aussies have taken the plunge and just gone for it with their business idea and picked up some digital skills along the way.
Tech tip #1: Build trust in your brand with a website
Creating a website for your business isn’t just about having a place to show your wares or sell them to the world.
A website is an important tool for building authenticity and trust in your brand.
Andrea Webster runs retail, hospitality and workplace interior design business, Realeyes Design. She says her GoDaddy website is an essential tool to demonstrate the team’s proven history and experience.
“If a business does not have a website, you're not seen as trustworthy or reliable,’’ she says.
“For instance, if you just had a Facebook business account or an Instagram business account … that seems a little bit too transient.’’
While she says it may be tempting to think websites are not essential in the days of social media, she understands the value of having her own domain to impart trust, authenticity and staying power.
“We have to have a history and an experience level for our customers to believe in us. So that’s why [a website] is really important,” she says.
Fellow GoDaddy customer Thomas McNally from real estate photography business, Picture it Sold, agrees. “To me, a website is always very important because it shows your professionalism,’’ he says.
“If there's people out there that don't have a website, but have just got a Facebook page, I'd be a bit worried to be honest with you. So, having a website with a lot of information on there as well, and current information, I think is very, very important.’’
Tech tip #2: Play to your strengths on social media
The rise in online shopping during COVID-19 also led to a jump in social media commerce in Australia. This trend is only predicted to grow, according to the latest quarterly survey from Research and Markets.
Having a social media presence for your brand might seem a little daunting if you don’t have a marketing background. But there are plenty of ways to play to what makes your brand unique.
For Thomas from Picture it Sold, the key to getting great engagement and sales leads is through tagging real estate agents in his posts, as they are often very active on social media.
“Social media, Facebook has been great because whenever we do some cool photos or videos or drone stuff, we can tag the agent in it, and then they share it on their Facebook and Instagram as well,’’ he says.
“And then the great thing about that is as well, because say, John, the real estate agent, he's friends with a heaps of other real estate agents … so then when the people on his social media see the good work that we do, they'll actually contact us.’’
For Judith Eathorne of Cosy Pet Beds, social media has been a powerful sales tool and also a way to bring a human touch to her business. “I think if I knew [when I started] what we know now [about the power of social media] our business would have been completely different,” she says.
“With all your social media and all your web presence and everything, the whole point of is that you still have to be a person … it doesn't matter what social presence or media presence or web stuff you have, you've still got to be a real person.”
Related: How to build a social content calendar
Tech tip #3: Find apps that can make your life easier
There’s plenty of great digital platforms and innovations that can make your life as a small business owner a little easier — whether it’s help with accounting, marketing or creative skills.
Andrea from Realeyes Design uses an accounting and project management software that helps track and report on jobs.
“I can at the tip of my fingers tell how profitable a job is or what's next on our task list,’’ she says.
“It is just good instead of having endless Excel spreadsheets. I know:
- What's been quoted
- What's been invoiced
- What the profit level is
- What our expenses are
So that has been really invaluable.”
When it comes to timesaving tech, Thomas from Picture it Sold discovered a photo editing solution that saved hours of his time. He now outsources photo editing to a company in Vietnam.
“So we do, say, five or six photoshoots a day. When we get home, we'll upload the photos to Dropbox and then we send the company in Vietnam a link,’’ he says.
“And then in the hours that we're asleep … they edit all the photos.’’
Tahlia Plant, owner and founder of Brisbane-based soy candle and diffuser company Bulb and Fossa, says the dashboard on her GoDaddy website has enabled her to run her business better and easier.
“It allows me to see how much traction my website is receiving and easily track my sales and orders,’’ she says.
“I also love how the dashboard gives you suggestions on other things that will help your business grow, including connecting my social media platforms. I can then use this information to compare how I am performing this year vs previous years in terms of sales, customers, and order volumes.”
GoDaddy helped us go for it
For these entrepreneurs, their GoDaddy websites, email and marketing tools have made the challenge of going for it with their business idea that much easier.
Here’s what they like about GoDaddy:
- Andrea from Realeyes Design: “The ease of the website is something that I'm probably most pleased with. I set up my website myself, I was after something that was just plug and play … and you know what, we actually have some really good comments … so we often get complimented on it.”
- Judith from Cosy Pet Beds: “I love my GoDaddy Website, because I love the way it's so much easier for me to use, navigate, and update. If I need to make any changes, it's straightforward ... I'm kicking myself that I didn't go ahead with GoDaddy [when we first started], because, again, I think my whole online presence could have been completely different.”
- Thomas from Picture It Sold: “Probably the best thing I can say about GoDaddy is that whenever I've got any troubles, you guys always have a phone number I can call and speak to somebody straight away. So, whenever there's a problem, I can have it fixed within an hour or two. And that's huge.”
- Tahlia from Bulb and Fossa: “It’s the streamlining of everything being managed on one platform. So, it's being able to market your products, sell them there, plus being able to rotate and maintain stock levels.’’
When you’re ready to go for it, do what these business owners did. Trust GoDaddy to provide all the tech tips and tools you need to start and grow your new venture.
