How to Start a Business on Instagram- The Easy Way
I've started about 7 different businesses now and I've found the quickest and easiest way to do so. Keep reading if you want to learn how to start a business on Instagram!
Step 1: Brain Dump
Step 1 is the Brain Dump. Get out a sheet of paper and just write. Or open a note in your phone- I go this route often because I have my notes synced to iCloud and I can access my lists from anywhere. Write all your hopes, dreams, passions, etc. What are you interested in? What can you talk about for hours at a time? What can you do without realizing time is passing? Write it all down.
Step 2: Organize the Dump
Step 2 is organizing your dump. Start a new list and organize it into 3 categories- Things I Know About, Things I Can Do, and Other.
Step 3: Pick Your Poison
Step 3 is when you start to make decisions. STOP. STOP IT. I can feel you pulling away. I can hear you thinking "Oh, wait, no, I can't do this." or "I can't pick just one!!" Listen, I was in the exact same boat. I have chronic decision paralysis. The most important thing I've learned so far in the business world is-
YOU CAN ALWAYS CHANGE YOUR MIND. PIVOT. GO ANOTHER WAY. PICK A DIFFERENT ROUTE.
Just. Start. Doing. It.
Pick SOMETHING. ANYTHING. And start.
So, go to your list and go through each of your 3 sections. And PICK ONE.
This is you- starting a business. EEK!
Step 4: How Much Money Do You Want Your Business to Make?
Step 4, my favorite. Shoot for the stars, my dears. Here's some things to think about first- who is your target audience? How much can they realistically spend on a product/service? You can conduct some market research first- do a poll on your Instagram story, or make a reel or TikTok asking people what they'd pay for whatever your selling.
Starting a business on Instagram quickly and easily revolves around digital products, in my opinion.
So, what are you selling? There are soooo many fun digital product ideas to choose from- eBooks, PDF guides, Courses, Videos, the list goes on. I personally have written 3 eBooks and created a PDF guide, but next, the former teacher in me, would love to create a course! For inspiration, go to Canva.com and search through their completely customizable templates. I guarantee there's one you can use for what you're selling.
Okay, back to the money. People are going to pay more for more perceived value, meaning, they'll be more likely to pay more for say, a whole course on something, than a 5 page PDF guide. Now, that doesn't mean you HAVE to make a course to make any money. It depends on what you're teaching/offering and what format would best translate your value to your audience through your business.
Step 5: Make the Product
Step 5, do the thing. If you're making a course, make it. If you're writing an eBook, write it. This is the most time consuming step in my opinion. To help, start with an outline, make sure it's organized well, then fill it in. I can't help you much here, this part is all you. <3
Step 6: Get it Out There
Step 6 is about getting your product to the world. In this case, your Instagram following. Recently I was introduced to a platform called Stan Store and it works pretty well for selling digital products. It accepts payments through the platform and has options for email marketing and funnel building as well. If you'd like to try Stan Store for 14 days for free, click this link. It's very user friendly. Once you set up your Stan Store, you can put the link to it in your Instagram Bio. I can do a whole post on Stan Store if you feel you need more guidance, just let me know in the comments.
Another way to get it out there is a Shopify store. I am currently building one of these, mainly because I already have a website and I'm leaning more towards having all my stuff in one place. Shopify has the ability to allow you to sell video content, unlike Stan Store which I thought was a neat idea.
The most important takeaway after you get your product onto a store and get the store linked to your Instagram- MAKE REELS ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. :) This is extremely overwhelming to me, so I started with 2 reels a week and increased from there. Some tips: edit your reels in Instagram, choose trending audio with <10k uses, keep them under 10 sec long, and put LOTS of value in your caption. Don't stress about likes, you want shares, saves and watch time to be your focus metrics. Consistency is key.
Step 7: Future Proof It
Some things to consider: You may want to look in to starting an LLC, to keep you safe legally. This probably isn't entirely necessary until you're making substantial money, but it might be! Just something to think about. Go ahead and reserve a website domain of your name- you might want it later on and it could be gone by then.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have a business on Instagram, tell people about it. "Hey I sell ____ on Instagram, wanna see?" Tell all your friends, family, strangers. Be proud of your accomplishments and never give up. It's okay to switch lanes but never pull the E-brake while you're driving. And you, my friend, are cruising now. ;) Please drop your new businesses below and ask any questions you still have!
XO,
Jessica
