Talk to the Market

Although the market (your customers) should be figured out long before even choosing a name, now is the time to really start to think about how to talk to them.

Customers need to find out about you to buy what you've got!

Use the 80/20 rule. 80% of your business will come from 20% of your customers. So, determine who the 20% are, and those are your customers (Michael Sanderson, St. Mary's University).

What will impress and motivate them?

For my new business, I have to figure out if I need to educate, differentiate, or engage. Since OHJAY will be a service business that will have a lot of young clients, Facebook will definitely be a popular engagement tool, as well as Twitter to inform people of jobs available from one minute to the next. A website is critical; not that it's overly hard to set up a basic website. There are sites available online (e.g. "1and1") that offer templates to get started for only a small fee every month. This is much more cost effective than having to hire a web designer.

The Name!

The name! It's the first contact someone has with your business. It's what they'll remember, and if it's good, then it will denote the qualities you're going for.

Here's how to get started in Nova Scotia:

1.) Go to your nearest "Access NS" location or online "gov.ns.ca" and do a name search.

(approx. $60)

2.) Once you order the name search it's a 2 day wait while it's reviewed.

3.) Then ACCESS NS sends you a packet in the mail telling you all about similar names of companies and you now have 90 days to register it (again by going in or going online and paying the fees).

Note: if your name is not approved you have to pay the fee for a second search.

If the second search is not approved then your 3rd search is FREE!!!

In my case, OHJAY has until February 5th, 2012!

Stay tuned for more on registration!!

Getting Started!!

Greetings All!!

My name is Andrew Keddy and over the coming months my "Nova Scotia Business" blog is going to document the process of starting a business in Nova Scotia.

I'm actually in the process of starting a business from scratch, something I've been looking to do since graduating UNB back in 2009!

One thing is for sure, I can't lose! If I succeed, I learn and make a lot of $$$; if I fail I learn priceless lessons about what not to do!

So if you're anything like me, and looking to start a business but don't really know where to start or where to look, let's struggle and stumble towards the heights of success together!

Welcome to business in Nova Scotia!!