START-UP ADVICE

MAKE IT
ADVICE
About the Author:
Xenios Thasyvoulou was initially an Engineer working for a FTSE 100 company. Within 6 months he realized he was allergic to the bureaucracy of larg
unemployable, at the age of 23 he began creating a service that allowed time-starved individuals to outsource work to multi-skilled individuals on a ‘per
com was born. Responsible for the overall vision and direction of PeoplePerHour.com, Xenios’ passion for product, relentless pursuit of innovation and
experience are very much defining points of the company’s culture and ethos.
1Set up the basics
Don’t underestimate the
advantages of setting up a
website. The benefits are
endless. You’ll immediately
extend your reach, be
accessible to customers on
the go and be at the click of
a button for all those lucky
buyers out there. But be ready...
rushing and starting with a basic, unprofessional
website will hinder not help. So make sure you’re
ready.
First, consider the demands. Can you handle an
increase in sales? Do you have the manpower
to fill orders and keep your customer service up
to par? Is your product easy to explain to new
browsers? Being able to keep up to date from
day one is essential so make sure you have the
time to commit to this.
Next, get your social media presence sorted.
I cannot stress enough the importance of
Facebook and Twitter to attract clients. It’s the
most likely way that you’ll be connecting with new
customers for the first time, so make sure it’s
engaging and informative.
Facebook and twitter are incredibly easy to set
up, but make sure it’s professional. As setting up
a page requires a profile owner to run it, your
personal page may be linked, so take down that
picture from New Years of you hilariously “owning
beer-pong”. You are a part of your company’s
online image now. “Be who you want your
customers to see.”
Get online with a
professional website
2Your website is your new
business card, your brand’s
handshake, and we all
know that first impressions
count. Make sure it’s clean,
clear and processional and
communicates your brand.
When considering the
overall look, make sure it’s
practical. No eye-hurtingly
busy backdrops please! Or
scattered, endless hyperlinks. Figure out what’s
important for your customer and make it easy
to use.
The screen that greets your customers could
be invaluable for promoting products and
promotions. It needs to show you off at your
best, so imagine your website as a store-front
and go from there. Consider your options and
choose what’s right for you but, most importantly,
for your customers.
You know more about your business than
anyone, so make sure you’ve remembered
everything. If your business is physically located in
bricks and mortar, but in a place that is referred
to colloquially, remember this. For example,
Cemetery Junction in Reading, Wiltshire. This is a
well known cross roads in the south of England
(made famous by Ricky Gervais’ film of the
same name) but doesn’t exist on a map. Locals,
however, wouldn’t dream of calling it anything
else. So when searching for a business in that
area you’ll be missed off. And miss out.
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