You feel good about the business you’ve built. You’ve got the funding; you’ve got the business plan. You’ve got everything you need to run a successful company”¦or do you?   We’ve compiled a list of the top five things you didn’t know your company needed to help make sure you do.

A website

You would think in 2011 this would be common knowledge but 46 percent of small businesses don’t have a website, according to Entrprenuer.com, so it needs to be mentioned.   So, what are they waiting for? If you want to be successful, you need to be online.

An online presence

What good is your website if no one knows where it is? Once you have the website, drive as much traffic as you can back to that site. Start blogging. Create a Facebook page. Start a LinkedIn page.   Look into SEO so you can rank in Google when people are looking for your services. Once you have it, maintain it. Set up Google Alerts with your company’s name so you’re constantly aware of what’s being said.

A good team

We’re kind of hoping this one goes without saying, but the number one you need to run a successful business is a strong team. Your product’s great. Your business model is flawless. Don’t drop the ball on the team you have supporting those things. Your online presence is important, a company is still only as good as the people it has working for it.

Website monitoring

If you have a website, then you probably want it to work, right? You can go the software route where your or your in-house IT department takes control. Six Revisions posted a good list that can be used as a starting point. If you’re looking for a more robust end-to-end solution, though, these tools won’t cut it, so look for an outsourced NOC company.

Insurance

Whether you’re running a large warehouse or a four-person team, accidents can happen, and being unprepared is costly. When you’re looking for workman’s compensation coverage, look for companies that specifically help new businesses, like Work Comp Specialists in Florida, because they’ll be able to give you better rates than your big box companies. SBA has a list of all the state requirements.

About The Guest Author:   Lisa Schiller is a technical recruiter by day and a freelance writer by night. She writes for a variety of places, including 352 Media Group, which has clients such as Microsoft, American Express, Superpages, and iGLASS Networks.