27 Tips to Launch Emergency Goods Business

Human beings tend to contemplate and then plan the things they need on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

From a middle-class to a wealthy class most of us plan.

Research, make a list and then buy the things which we deem necessary.

Only in rare cases people deviate from their normal routine.

And buy something that they have not deliberately thought about in advance.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

2. Get the real meaning of the business

In simple terms, emergency goods are defined as the products that individuals have to use on an urgent basis during the emergency of any kind.

A person has not intended to make that purchase.

But unavoidable circumstances are forcing him to do so.

Because it has become an absolute necessity that is out of his control.

Emergency goods are those that an individual has to purchase instantly without thinking about ifs and buts.

You will not find anything exceptional about them.

Instead, it is the need of the hour that makes them special.

Do not worry as these are easily available at numerous outlets.

It is important to note that the perception of emergency goods may vary from place to place.

And sometimes season to season.

Read also: 29 Tips to Open Small Specialized Company in Nigeria

Launch Emergency Goods Business

Emergency goods are generally those items which you have to buy but have not planned to do so while contemplating your purchase list.

Why will a person purchase something which he considers an unnecessary expense?

If I am living in a place where rainfall is regular.

I will buy an umbrella or a raincoat but not a long woolen jacket for those rainy months.

It will be a waste of money.

But if a warning is issued by the state that the rainfall can lead to failure of electricity for a day or two.

Then I will have to buy the necessary goods like flashlights, batteries, candles or lamps and other related items on an emergency basis.

View also: 28 Tips to Open Popcorn Outlet in Nigeria

Launch Emergency Goods Business

These goods that a person has to buy immediately without thinking things.

Through and in most cases do not have a choice of deliberating about it are emergency goods.

These are also known as convenience goods as you can buy them conveniently at convenience stores.

It is not necessary that an emergency good has to be something extraordinary and expensive.

Sometimes basic items become emergency goods.

Because an individual cannot work in those conditions without it.

At the time of crisis, it becomes doubly important that some items become available at an instant’s notice.

The best thing about emergency goods is that most outlets keep them handy.

So that the customers will not have to suffer unnecessarily.

It is the critical need for a product that forces someone to make an unwilling but necessary purchase.

See also: 20 Tips to Open Soft Furnishing Shops in Nigeria

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Examples

What will a person do if there is a sudden announcement in your locality that tonight there will be an electrical failure in the evening for four hours?

You will instantly try to go to your nearest convenience store and buy either candles or flashlights.

Or try to arrange for an emergency connection.

So that you do not have to live without light or fan.

This is what an emergency good is all about.

You cannot expect the weather to change instantly on any given day.

Suppose you have to attend an important meeting.

And you already have several things to carry with you to the office.

You look at the sky and see a warm sunny day without any hint of clouds or rain.

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Launch Emergency Goods Business

The first thing you drop from your bag is the umbrella or raincoat that you carry with you.

The joke is on you when it suddenly starts raining.

And you have to go out to meet a client.

You now have to buy another umbrella so that you can save yourself from getting wet and ill.

The umbrella at this time becomes your emergency good.

That you have to buy without the actual need for it because you already have one at home.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

Get the Concept

Remember, emergency goods include several things, and an important one is actually medicines.

If an individual suddenly is gripped by a severe headache.

And he is supposed to attend an important meeting in a few hours then for him.

The headache tablet is an emergency good.

See also: 33 Top Pathfinders to Business in Nigeria

Launch Emergency Goods Business

He will have to purchase and have one immediately without wasting time.

Similarly, once I was going visiting a site, and suddenly a nail scratched my arm.

It was a rusted one, and I had to be rushed to the nearby doctor.

So that he could give me an injection for tetanus.

In this case, the injection became my emergency good.

And I had to have it instantly.

This is what the concept of emergency goods is all about.

You cannot prepare for it in advance even if you want to.

Because no one knows that item he may need at a moment’s notice and that too.

Without any rhyme or reason.

Related: 28 Implementation For Starting A Small Scale Business in Nigeria

Launch Emergency Goods Business

1. Define your goals.

Do you want financial independence, eventually selling your business to the highest bidder?

Do you want something small and sustainable.

That you love doing and from which you want to derive a steady income?

These are the things that are good to know very early on.

See also: 28 Tips to Start Strollers & Accessories Business in Nigeria

Launch Emergency Goods Business

2. Create a business plan.

A business plan helps to define what you think you need to launch your business, large or small.

It summarizes the sense of your business in a single document.

It also creates a map for investors, bankers, and other interested parties.

To use when determining how they can best help you.

And to help them decide whether or not your business is viable.

Read also: 31 Tips to Start Building Plasterboards Business in Nigeria

Launch Emergency Goods Business

3. Write your business description.

Describe your business more specifically.

And how it fits into the market in general.

If you are a corporation, LLC, or sole proprietorship, state that, and why you chose to go that route.

Describe your product, its big features, and why people will want it.

See also: 32 Tips to Open Ironmongery Business in Nigeria

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4. Answer the following questions:

• Who are potential customers?
• Once you understand who they are and what they want.
• Come up with a marketing strategy.
• What price are they willing to pay for your product or service?
• Why would they pay for your product or service over your competitor’s?
• Who are your competitors?
• Do a competitive analysis to identify key competitors.
• Find out who is doing something similar to what you are planning.
• And how have they been successful.
• Just as important is to find the failures.
• And what made their venture fall apart.

See also: Top 30 Clothes Weaving Business Setting in India

Launch Emergency Goods Business

5. Write the marketing plan.

Your operational plan describes how you will produce your product.

And your marketing plan describes how you will sell your product.

When you create your marketing plan.

Try to answer the question of how you will make your product known to potential customers.

• You will want to include the type of marketing you will use.
• For example, will you use radio ads, social media, promotions, billboards, attend networking events.
• Or all of the above?
• You will also want to define your marketing message.
• In other words, what will you say to convince customers to choose your product?
• Here, you want to focus on your Unique Selling Point (also known as USP).
• This is the unique advantage your product has to solve your customers problem.
• For example, you may be lower cost, faster, or higher quality than your peers.

See also: Top 30 Pesticides/Agro Chemicals Business Setting in India

Launch Emergency Goods Business

6. Choose an idea.

It might be a product you’ve always wanted to make.

Or a service you feel people need.

It might even be something people don’t know they need yet.

Because it hasn’t been invented!

• It can be helpful to have people who are bright and creative join you for a casual brainstorming session.
• Start with a simple question like:
• “What shall we do?” The idea is not to create a business plan, just to generate potential ideas.
• Many of the ideas will be duds, and there will be quite a few ordinary ones.
• But a few may emerge that have real potential.
• Consider your talents, experience, and knowledge when selecting a concept.
• If you have a particular skill set or talent.
• Consider how these resources can be applied to meeting some sort of market demand.
• Combining skill and knowledge with a market demand increases your odds of having a successful business idea.
• For example, you may have worked with electronics as an employee for many years.
• You may have noticed a demand in your community for a particular form of electrical work.
• And combining your experience with the market demand can allow you to attract customers.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

7. Create a working name.

You could even do this before you have an idea for the business.

And if the name is good, you may find it helps you define your business idea.

As your plan grows, and things begin to take shape, the perfect name may come to you.

But don‘t let that hinder you in the early phases.

Create a name that you can use while you plan and don’t hesitate to change it later.

• Always check to see if the name is being used by somebody else before selecting it.
• Try to create a name that is simple and memorable.
• Think of popular brand names like “Apple”.
• These names are memorable, simple, and easy to pronounce.

See also: Tips to Start Recording Devices Installation Business in China

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8. Choose your partners wisely.

When choosing the person or people you’re going to build the business with, be careful.

Even if someone is your best friend.

It doesn’t mean that you will partner well in a business operation.

Start it with a reliable person.

Things to consider when choosing your co-leaders and support cast include:

• Does the other person complement your weaknesses?
• Or do both of you bring only one set of the same skills to the table?
• If the latter, be wary as you can have too many people doing the same thing while other things are left unattended.
• Do you see eye to eye on the big picture?
• Arguments about the details are a given, and are important for getting things right.
• But not seeing eye to eye on the big picture, the real purpose of your business, can cause a reaction that may be irreparable.
• Be sure your team cares about them and buys into the purpose as much as you do.
• If interviewing people, do some reading on how to spot real talent beyond the certifications, degrees or lack thereof.
• The area an individual is educated in is not necessarily the area they are most talented in.
• An interviewee may have a background in accounting for example.
• But their experience and your assessment of them indicates they may be a better fit helping with marketing.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

9. Come up with a pricing model.

Start by checking out your competitors.

Know how much are they selling a similar product for.

Can you add something to it (add value) to make yours different and hence make it a more enticing price?

• Competition isn‘t just about the goods or services themselves.
• It is also about your social and environmental credibility.
• Consumers are increasingly conscious of the need to show that your business is concerned with labor conditions and isn’t damaging the environment.
• Certification endorsements from reputable organizations.
• Such as labels and stars, can reassure customers that your product or service is more aligned with their values than one lacking the certification.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

10. Build your product or develop your service.

Once you have the business all planned, financed, and have your basic level of staffing, get going.

Whether that’s sitting down with the engineers.

And getting the software coded and tested.

Or getting materials sourced and shipped to your fabrication room (aka “garage”).

Or purchasing in bulk and marking up the price.

The building process is the time during which you prepare for market.

During this time, you may discover things such as:

Read also: 33 Tips to Open Consumer Goods Business in China

Launch Emergency Goods Business

11. Needing to tweak the ideas.

Perhaps the product needs to be a different color, texture or size.

Maybe your services need to be broader, narrower or more detailed.

This is the time to attend to anything that crops up during your testing and development phases.

You’ll know innately when something needs tweaking.

To make it better or to make it less like a competitor’s stale offerings.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

12. Secure start-up costs.

Most businesses require capital to start.

Money is typically required to purchase supplies and equipment.

As well as keep the business operational for the period.

Before your business becomes profitable.

The first place to look for financing is yourself.

• Do you have investments or savings? If so, consider using a portion to fund your business.
• You should never invest all your savings into a business due to the risk of failure.
• In addition, you should never invest money put aside for emergency savings.
• Experts recommend having three to six months of income put aside for this purpose.
• Or money you will need over the next few years for various obligations.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

13. Consider a home equity loan.

If you have a home, looking to get a home equity loan can be a wise idea.

Since these loans are typically easily approved.

Since your home acts as collateral), and interest rates are typically lower.

• If you have a 401(k) plan through your employer.
• Consider borrowing against the plan.
• Plans typically allow you to borrow against 50% of your account balance up to a maximum of #500,000.
• Consider saving ahead as another option.
• If you have a job, save a portion of your monthly income over time to cover your start-up costs.
• Visit a bank to inquire about small business loans or lines of credit.
• When doing this, always visit many providers to ensure you are getting the best rate.

See also: 32 Tips to Open Public Good Investment Business in Nigeria

Launch Emergency Goods Business

14. Manage your running costs.

Keep a close eye on your running costs and keep them in line with your projections.

Whenever you see something spent wastefully.

Like electricity, phone plans, stationery, packaging.

Look around and estimate how much you really need.

And minimize or remove the cost in every way possible.

Think frugally when you start up.

Including renting items instead of purchasing them and using pre-paid plans.

For services your business needs instead of locking yourself into long-term contracts.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

15. Pinch those pennies.

Plan to keep purchases of office equipment and overheads to a minimum when starting up.

You do not need amazing office premises.

The latest in office chairs and pricey artwork on the walls.

A broom cupboard in the best address can be sufficient.

If you can artfully steer clients to the local coffee shop for meetings every time (meet them in the foyer).

Many a business start-up has failed by purchasing the expensive gizmos.

Instead of focusing on the business itself.

Read on: 27 Top Iron Bending Business Ideas in Gambia

Launch Emergency Goods Business

16. Decide how to accept payment.

You will need to do something to get payment from your clients or customers.

You can get something like a Square.

Which is great for small businesses.

Since it requires the minimum amount of paperwork and the fees are minimal.

However, if you feel uncomfortable with technology.

You can inquire about a more traditional merchant account.

• A merchant account is a contract under which an acquiring bank extends a line of credit to a merchant.
• Who wishes to accept payment card transactions of a particular card association brand.
• Previously, without such a contract.
• One could not accept payments by any of the major credit card brands.
• However, the Square has changed that.
• So don’t feel locked in or limited to this option.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

17. Do your research.

The Square is a card swiping device which connects with a smartphone or tablet.

And turns that device into a sort of cash register.

You may have encountered this device in the businesses you frequent.

As they are becoming common at coffee shops, restaurants, street food stands and other businesses.

Look for a postage-stamp sized plastic square plugged into a tablet or phone.

Note that PayPal, Intuit, and Amazon all offer similar solutions.

Make sure to look into all options before making a selection.

If you are online business, services like PayPal offer an excellent way to receive payment and make transfers.

View also: 28 Tips to Open Fabrication Business in Gambia

Launch Emergency Goods Business

18. Get a website.

If you’re selling online, get your ecommerce in gear and either build a website, or have one built for you.

It’s your storefront, so anything and everything you can do to make people want to visit, and want to stay, do it.

• Alternatively, if your business is more oriented toward the “in person” .
• Experience, traditional marketing may be just as important.
• For example, if you’re starting a landscaping business.
• Focus on getting the word out to neighbors before starting a website
• When making a website keep in mind that simplicity and clarity are key.
• A simple design that clearly states what you do, how you do it, and what you charge is most effective.
• When making your website, remember to emphasize why your business is the best solution to a clients problem.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

19. Discover your inner publicist.

You might truly believe in your product or service.

But in order for it to be successful, everyone else must believe in it too.

If you’re new to advertising and marketing or you dislike doing the sales pitch.

Now is the time to overcome such feelings and put on the publicist persona.

You need to develop an excellent short pitch to convince people.

They need your product or service.

One that reflects the value.

Purpose and potential of what your business is offering.

Write down this pitch in many ways until you find one that you feel satisfied.

Says it all and is something you can say readily.

Then practice it like crazy!

• Depending on your business, it could be appropriate to have interesting, eye-catching business cards printed.

See also: 33 Tips to Start School Furniture Small Business in Nigeria

Launch Emergency Goods Business

20. Spend time developing an excellent social media presence.

This can be done well before the business is ready, increasing anticipation.

Use Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.

And any other social media you participate in to build excitement and spread the word.

You want to build a buzz so that people will begin following your progress.

Be sure to choose business accounts for your business and keep your personal accounts separate.

The messages you send should be tailored differently.

Depending on which account you‘re sending from.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

21. Implement your marketing and distribution plans.

With your product being built or services developed.

And a reasonable expectation on when either is ready for selling, begin marketing.

• If you will be advertising in periodicals.
• They will need copy or images at least two months in advance of publication.
• If you will be selling in stores, get pre-orders sold, and shelf space allocated.
• If you will be selling online, get that e-commerce site ready to sell.
• If you’re offering a service, advertise in appropriate trade and professional journals, newspapers and online.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

22. Secure space.

Whether it’s an office, or a warehouse.

If you need more space than your garage or your spare bedroom, now’s the time to get that.

• If you don’t generally need an office beyond your home, but may occasionally need meeting space, there are often places that can address those needs.
• A quick Google search on “business meeting rentals [your city/state]“ will deliver plenty of rental options in your area.
• Be sure to contact your local municipality about zoning laws.
• Some types of small businesses cannot be ran out of a home.
• And it is important to ensure your business is operating within its proper zone.

Read also: 30 Tips to Start Cavernous Carpet/Antique Business in Nigeria

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23. Launch your product or your service.

When the product is all built, packaged, coded, online, and ready to sell.

Or when your services are fully worked out and ready to go.

Hold a special event to launch your business.

Send out a press release, announce it to the world.

Tweet it, Facebook it, let the word resound to all corners of your market—you have a new business!

• Hold a party and invite people who can spread the word for you.
• It doesn’t need to be pricey.
• Purchase the food and drink from bulk discount stores.
• And get family and friends to help with catering.
• You can give them a product or service in return.

Launch Emergency Goods Business

24. Start early.

Don’t wait until opening day, or even until you know when opening day will be.

Be proactive in establishing brand awareness and generating anticipation.

A “coming soon” sign on your in-preparation storefront is a good start, but not enough on its own.

• Preserve the bulk of your initial marketing budget for the Grand Opening.
• But before that time utilize budget-friendly options like flyers, targeted direct mail, and a social media presence.
• Try to build your brand even before your location is ready.
• If you’re going to be selling handcrafted necklaces or handmade pierogies.
• Seek out a local craft or food festival where you can set up a table and sell your wares.
• Be sure to advertise your forthcoming retail presence.
• If you’re an accountant, maybe you can volunteer to offer tax advice at the local community center or library (and hand out business cards).

Launch Emergency Goods Business

25. Involve the community.

Establish your connection to the local community from the very start of your business.

Let people envision your business having a positive community impact for years to come.

• Invite the local press to your event, but also other local business and community leaders.
• Network with as many as possible and establish yourself as a member of the local team.
• If possible, align your Grand Opening with a community event, when local crowds will already be gathered. Make it seem like a part of that larger celebration.
• Sponsor the entertainment at the holiday lighting celebration or midsummer festival.
• Advertise both your business and your deep connection to the community.

See also: 27 Tips to Start Fast Food Restaurant Supplies Business in Nigeria

Launch Emergency Goods Business

26. Guarantee a positive customer experience.

Plan ahead and do whatever you can to ensure that attendees walk away from your Grand Opening.

With a positive first impression of your new business.

Oversights as simple as inadequate parking, long food lines.

Or running out of paper products in the restrooms can sour an otherwise enthusiastic reception.

• Have extra staff on hand to make sure customers don’t have to wait too long for service or attention.
• If parking may be an issue, try to work out arrangements beforehand with other businesses or community groups — perhaps setting up satellite parking at a nearby church, for instance.
• Send attendees home with a token of your appreciation — ideally something with your logo on it — along with a coupon / special deal for a return visit.