Work + Money

10 Tips for Running A Successful Business in LA

People are often asking me questions about my blog and business, so I wanted to give you 10 tips for running a successful business in LA. These are from my personal experience as a lifelong entrepreneur, my 12+ years working in marketing and advertising, and also blogging for The LA Girl.

There are many definitions for success. For some people, it means it’s making money and for some, it means you’re making an impact and helping others. I believe that The LA Girl is successful because it does both. I am running a profitable business with The LA Girl and I promote local businesses, community events and provide information and inspiration to women in Los Angeles. Here are some tips for those who want to start a business in LA or those who want some tips to grow their current business.

1. Have a clear plan. Make sure you have set goals for your business such as revenue, website traffic, email subscribers, etc. It’s easier to attain your goals when you know what they are and when you want to reach them.

2. Start your day with a morning routine. This is a practice of many successful business people. I start mine by walking my dog, affirmations, visualization, meditation, and journaling. Yes, I do this every morning!

 

3. Manage your time wisely. Many people (such as myself) juggle both a full-time job and a business. If you manage your time well, you can find the time to do both by maximizing your time in a day. You will also need a lot of self-discipline to stick to the schedule. Don’t forget to account for sitting in traffic in LA, that’s a huge time suck!

4. Know your message. If you haven’t mastered your message, you won’t be able to effectively communicate it to your target customers. When I’m writing blog posts or social copy, I make sure that I’m addressing the needs and concerns of LA girls.

 

5. Know your value. Sometimes when you’re just starting out, it’s easy to take anything that is offered to you. Keep in mind that blog and social posts take time to create and as much as you love samples and free product, it’s not going to pay your bills.

6. Know your competition. Analyze them and learn from them. Look for opportunities in things that they are not providing and offer those things to your customers. When I first started my blog, I found that there was not really many Los Angeles blogs that were written in the first person, most of them were magazine style. I decided to write my blog from the perspective of an LA girl, standing in front of another LA girl, having a conversation.

 

7. Use the right tools. When you’re running a business, you need to make sure you have everything you need operationally such as reliable internet and phone services. Frontier provides communications solutions from small businesses to enterprise.

Successful Business in LA - Frontier Communications

 

8. Have a solid marketing plan. There are so many ways to get brand awareness, traffic and sales. Whether you’re using social media or email marketing as your main marketing platform, be consistent

9. Get involved in the community by attending events, talking to people and spreading the word. You are your own greatest ambassador! I’ve joined networking and un-networking groups to meet other entrepreneurs and love being in a community of like-minded women who encourage, support and inspire me!

10. Keep learning! Read a new book every week, take classes to improve skills, and participate in workshops. Don’t stop feeding your mind.

If you’re just starting out with your business in LA or in the process of growing your business and would like to ask me a business question, tweet me right now @thelagirl.

This post is sponsored by Frontier Communications. All opinions are my own.