You would think that starting a business takes a huge amount of effort. And it is true that if you want your business to be successful, you need to put in plenty of work. However, the actual act of setting up the bare bones of your business might not take you long at all. In fact, you can have it all done in just a few hours. More specifically, an online business is very easy to get started in a short amount of time. Whether you’re selling a product or service, you can soon have a website up and running or even use third-party services instead. Here’s how you can get started in no time.

Do The Legal Stuff

Before you do anything else, get the legal matters sorted and out of the way. You can easily start your business by registering for self assessment tax returns, making you a sole trader. If you want to create your business as a separate entity, so you’re not attached to any business debts, you can create a limited company. And if you want to create a business with someone else, you can set up a partnership. All of this is simple to do online through HMRC or Companies House. If you set up a separate company, you’ll also need to register for Corporation Tax. Once you’re earning over a certain amount, you’ll need to register for VAT too.

Get Graphics Quickly

Once thing you might want to start doing quickly is creating a brand image. Assuming you’ve chosen a business name, you will want a logo you can use on marketing materials, product packaging, and more. It’s easier than you might think to create a simple logo using a logo generator, so you don’t have to spend ages working with a graphic designer. You can also find free tools that make it easy to create graphics, like Canva, as well as stock photos, which can come in handy too. Think about how you want to brand your business and the colours you want to use.

Choose Website Building Tools

Getting your website set up will mean you can start promoting your business online. You might start off using third-party sites such as Etsy for selling products or Upwork for selling services. However, your own website will allow you to be more independent. You can quickly and easily build a site using the right tools. Two of the most popular are WordPress and Squarespace. As well as looking at the tools they have on offer, pay attention to those you can integrate with your site. For example, Shopify will help you get an online store set up.

Get Organised

Once you’ve got the basics sorted, you need to make sure you’re organised. Start with your finances by opening a business bank account and setting up a spreadsheet to track your money. Eventually, you might want something more sophisticated, like QuickBooks. Start thinking about how you’re going to market your business, and how you’re going to structure your time.

You could have a business up and running in no time at all. However, bringing in customers and clients is going to take a bit more work.