Browse: Home / Small Business Marketing Advice / The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today
Michael Port

The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today

By

March 18, 2011

People often ask me what I would do if I were starting business today. My answer has always been, “Follow the steps I outlined in Book Yourself Solid.” Cheeky, I know. The follow up question usually goes something like this, “Yes, I know, Michael, but can you condense the 90,000 words into, like, a couple of things?” Well, here’s goes, nothing… 

If I was dropped by helicopter into a town where I knew no one, and no one knew me I would develop and market my offering by: 

  1. Deciding who I will serve (target market).
  2. Getting crystal clear on the big result I will provide.
  3. Developing a process that will produce that big result for that market.
  4. Creating a brand and packaging, for that process (and me).
  5. Building a simple website that told the story of my offering and started a conversation with potential clients.
  6. Identifying the 20 most influential people in that market and begin building relationships with them.
  7. Choosing, either the speaking or writing strategy, to super-charge my marketing (for me it would be speaking), and finding the meeting planners or organizers, who could put me in front of my target audience, and begin reaching out to them

Within 6-months, I’d be booked solid. And, so can you. 

That’s a total of 7 things you can do to start your business today. It doesn’t mean you can get out of reading the book, though. 


45 Responses to “The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today”

  1. michaelport says:
    March 18, 2011 at 3:48 pm

    Ok, now I made it REALLY EASY –>The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/sz1TpSf

    via uberVU

    Reply
  2. seanmalarkey says:
    March 18, 2011 at 3:53 pm

    RT @michaelport: The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/sz1TpSf #keepitsimple

    via uberVU

    Reply
  3. michelleerfurt says:
    March 18, 2011 at 3:57 pm

    Ok, so this is totally a teaser to buy the book… but it’s still great advice for starting a business (ANY business): http://bit.ly/dZrK0M

    via uberVU

    Reply
  4. philgerb says:
    March 18, 2011 at 4:39 pm

    Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://bit.ly/h1Xa03 solid advice from @michaelport #in

    via uberVU

    Reply
  5. tfredrich says:
    March 18, 2011 at 4:52 pm

    RT Ok, now I made it REALLY EASY –>The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/sz1TpSf

    via uberVU

    Reply
  6. staceychavis says:
    March 18, 2011 at 4:57 pm

    RT @philgerb: Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://bit.ly/h1Xa03 solid advice from @michaelport #in

    via uberVU

    Reply
  7. michaelport says:
    March 18, 2011 at 5:15 pm

    Your entire business building process in 7 steps (and only 200 words) http://t.co/sz1TpSf

    via uberVU

    Reply
  8. michaelport says:
    March 18, 2011 at 5:19 pm

    http://www.bookyourselfsolid.com/small-business-marketing-advice/the-only-7-things-you-need-to-do-if-starting-your-... http://fb.me/Tg2uZaTu

    via uberVU

    Reply
  9. michaelport says:
    March 18, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    Thanks for all the RT’s! Wow. Seems like this one hit home (especially for newer biz owners) http://t.co/p4mvwP4

    via uberVU

    Reply
  10. BobBurg says:
    March 18, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    7 very quick steps. It’s a teaser article 4 @michaelport’s great bk, but still very valuable info! http://bit.ly/dZrK0M

    via uberVU

    Reply
  11. lesmckeown says:
    March 18, 2011 at 5:22 pm

    This is really good. RT @michaelport: Your entire business building process in 7 steps (and only 200 words) http://bit.ly/iaknMu

    via uberVU

    Reply
  12. lachlancotter says:
    March 18, 2011 at 5:22 pm

    Starting a business? start here RT @michaelport: Your entire business building process in 7 steps (and only 200 words) http://t.co/sz1TpSf

    via uberVU

    Reply
  13. LodestoneCS says:
    March 18, 2011 at 5:27 pm

    RT @larajf: The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/nu3A8UX

    via uberVU

    Reply
  14. Michele Valencia says:
    March 18, 2011 at 5:40 pm

    I’ll take the teaser and I’ll be buying the book! Great tips. Thank you!

    Reply
  15. k johnny varghese says:
    March 18, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    great,
    we often get lost when it comes to strategies and priorities, this formula of starting from a scratch is wonderful

    Reply
  16. sakinaag says:
    March 18, 2011 at 7:52 pm

    RT @BeUnreasonable: RT @michaelport: The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/sz1TpSf #keepitsimple

    via uberVU

    Reply
  17. Ali4Coach says:
    March 18, 2011 at 8:04 pm

    The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/eqMvmOo @michaelport

    via uberVU

    Reply
  18. honeypenny says:
    March 18, 2011 at 9:46 pm

    RT @lachlancotter: Starting a business? start here RT @michaelport: Your entire business building process in 7 steps (and only 200 words) http://t.co/sz1TpSf

    via uberVU

    Reply
  19. referral_master says:
    March 18, 2011 at 11:01 pm

    The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/BHPNmQj via @ziteapp

    via uberVU

    Reply
  20. moderncommunity says:
    March 19, 2011 at 4:50 am

    RT @seanmalarkey: RT @michaelport: The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/sz1TpSf #keepitsimple

    via uberVU

    Reply
  21. Successdeals says:
    March 19, 2011 at 11:37 am

    RT @michaelport: Thanks for all the RT’s! Wow. Seems like this one hit home (especially for newer biz owners) http://t.co/p4mvwP4

    via uberVU

    Reply
  22. jonas_linde says:
    March 20, 2011 at 8:08 am

    RT @erikstarck: The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/xLyADeb #entreprenörskap

    via uberVU

    Reply
  23. PointA_PointB says:
    March 21, 2011 at 12:05 pm

    RT @michaelport: Honestly, folks who can’t have conversations like this will have great difficulty having their own biz http://bit.ly/gaflSZ

    via uberVU

    Reply
  24. melpeake says:
    March 21, 2011 at 12:05 pm

    RT @michaelport: Honestly, folks who can’t have conversations like this will have great difficulty having their own biz http://bit.ly/gaflSZ

    via uberVU

    Reply
  25. ChuckHall says:
    March 21, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    RT @michaelport: Honestly, folks who can’t have conversations like this will have great difficulty having their own biz http://bit.ly/gaflSZ

    via uberVU

    Reply
  26. AwakeCreativity says:
    March 21, 2011 at 12:26 pm

    Always great advice about #smbiz startups via @michaelport http://bit.ly/hM4K8E

    via uberVU

    Reply
  27. michaelport says:
    March 21, 2011 at 7:31 pm

    Gosh, wouldn’t it be amazing to have all work/project conversations in this way http://bit.ly/ifJGMT

    via uberVU

    Reply
  28. alamocrossfit says:
    March 22, 2011 at 1:29 am

    The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/AOSklG8 Por Vida!

    via uberVU

    Reply
  29. thebaumgroup says:
    March 22, 2011 at 1:46 pm

    RT @michaelport Gosh, wouldn’t it be amazing to have all work/project conversations in this way http://bit.ly/ifJGMT via Sprout Social #YSM

    via uberVU

    Reply
  30. EugeneNayvelt says:
    April 20, 2011 at 5:49 am

    The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/yey5Muj

    via uberVU

    Reply
  31. What do you really need to get started online… « says:
    April 29, 2011 at 3:26 pm

    [...] what it takes to get started.  I thought that this summary from Micheal Port on the only 7 things you need to get started was spot on.  The very first steps (and the ones that people don’t spend enough time on ) [...]

    Reply
  32. Taskcomplet says:
    May 22, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/3cYkod1

    via uberVU

    Reply
  33. socialpotsamy says:
    May 31, 2011 at 2:05 am

    The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/F8HWWuz

    via uberVU

    Reply
  34. michaelport says:
    June 14, 2011 at 1:25 am

    The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/swGyMKb

    via uberVU

    Reply
  35. clickablecopy says:
    June 14, 2011 at 1:38 am

    RT @michaelport: The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/swGyMKb

    via uberVU

    Reply
  36. michaelport says:
    June 14, 2011 at 10:01 am

    RT @resherpa: The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/swGyMKb | via @michaelport

    via uberVU

    Reply
  37. TinaCook says:
    June 14, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/orbKrlS

    via uberVU

    Reply
  38. IntimateRainbow says:
    June 14, 2011 at 4:19 pm

    RT @TinaCook: The Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today http://t.co/orbKrlS

    via uberVU

    Reply
  39. AdamInColumbus says:
    June 23, 2011 at 3:17 pm

    Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today: http://awe.sm/5NLfR

    via uberVU

    Reply
  40. AdamInColumbus says:
    June 23, 2011 at 3:17 pm

    Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today: http://awe.sm/5NLfR

    via uberVU

    Reply
  41. AdamLehman says:
    June 27, 2011 at 4:25 am

    Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today: http://awe.sm/5NLfR

    via uberVU

    Reply
  42. AdamLehman says:
    June 27, 2011 at 4:25 am

    Only 7 Things You Need to Do If Starting Your Business Today: http://awe.sm/5NLfR

    via uberVU

    Reply

Leave a Reply