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The alcohol beverage industry is exciting and attractive to many enthusiasts who want to establish their own business. However, while starting any new business is a tricky endeavor on its own, the alcohol beverage business is a super tough one because of the countless rules and procedures you’d have to navigate until the day you put your ‘open’ sign on your storefront.
Because of that, many beverage entrepreneurs make the same mistakes when they begin their startup companies. Nevertheless, suppose you’re interested in placing your beverages on the open market and starting a drinks business, and you do your homework on time. In that case, you can avoid making the most common mistakes when opening a company like this or at least minimize them as much as possible.
To name a few, the most prevalent mistakes include a lack of market study, no marketing plan, a lack of a unique selling proposition, poor positioning, or a lack of finances. Furthermore, new entrepreneurs just love to enter the beverage market without knowing anything about it. So, what steps to make before launching a beverage company?
This article highlights four significant things you should know when you want to start your own drinks business.
Form A Corporate Entity
If you choose to start an alcoholic drinks business, you will have to face many rules and protocols, and of course, opt for a corporate entity that will suit your business operations. Naturally, it is crucial to contact a liquor license attorney to ensure that your new company complies with all applicable requirements before finalizing a business plan and applying for any licenses or permits.
An experienced liquor license attorney would be familiar with the laws governing your area and which form of corporate entity will suit your new business the best. They will deliver complete legal assistance to help you through some of the more complicated issues you must confront to protect your business, like avoiding penalties and other repercussions, reducing your company’s exposure for civil claims, and continuing to operate lawfully.
Perform Decent Market Analysis
The second and very significant step is to understand your market size and market variations. Regardless of how enthusiastic you are about your beverage business and how good your product is, it will not amount to much if you use the old “if you build it, they will come” strategy.
It is essential to understand whether or not the market size is expanding. Is your market fragmented or not? There are now many inexpensive and accurate tools for Internet market research, such as Google Surveys, Google Trends, and Google Keyword Planner.
However, if you have sufficient capital, the best thing to do is to purchase market research to obtain an in-depth examination of the industry in your market or area. Only when you’ve thoroughly researched and comprehended your market will you be able to go to the next phase.
Explore Other Routes To The Market
In the best-case scenario, your beverages will end up on the shelves of some of the biggest supermarkets. However, since the competition is so fierce, and customers like to stick with well-known brands, even if you manage to get your beverages there, they will withdraw them off the shelves if they do not satisfy expectations.
For example, you should be aware that nearly 60% of millennials and 56% of Gen X-ers prefer internet shopping to traditional brick-and-mortar retailers. Depending on the type of beverage you’re manufacturing, you could also look into your local scene and collaborate with pubs, clubs, restaurants, or even music events.
Good Company Management Is Crucial
Many new startup founders of beverage alcohol businesses tend to wear numerous hats, which means they must be equally skilled at handling money, advertising, manufacturing, distribution, and recruiting. Unluckily, this is rarely the case, and as a startup founder, you’ll need to have skillful people around you to help you shoulder some of the weight of the new business.
Moreover, if you neglect to improve your skill set and continuously gain knowledge, or if you do not accept advice and constructive criticism from more competent and experienced team members, your company may stagnate or go out of business. Therefore, it is just as important to distribute responsibility to other members of your team, plan and organize things, continually research the industry, and avoid burnout in the early stages of your new business adventure.
Final Words
Even though the market climate is more encouraging for beverage companies than a few years ago, getting one off the ground and sustaining the first five years is still highly challenging. However, the only way to succeed is to work hard, follow the crucial steps and toughen up. There will be many obstacles along your path to success, but with persistence and planning, you will be able to conquer them all.
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