At this point, you know everything there is about how to run a successful business. You’re ready to take the last and most exciting step: launching! The preparation you’ve already done has laid a solid foundation to support your launch, so you can focus on marketing activities and making your first sale. However, a plan of attack, especially as you’re trying to build traction, can help make your launch even more successful.

While every launch will be unique, there are some elements that can boost any business’ first few days of sales.

Use your network. Promote your store first and foremost on free channels that are already available to you, which includes your personal social media and your contacts list. Sending one-on-one emails asking for support, which can be as simple as a social share, can go a long way toward gaining traction.

Consider offering discounts. Rewarding early customers with a discount code that fits with your profit margins can help you get traction early on, especially when your store is new and may not have many customer reviews or social proof points.

Test paid ads. Even if you start with a small budget, paid ads can be one of the most effective ways to get in front of your ideal audience. Testing early and learning from your results can help you drive your first few sales and optimize your ad performance as you scale.

The lead-up to launching your business always has a certain thrill to it. Why?

Many entrepreneurs have told us that it's setting sail into the unknown that they find so thrilling; in the planning stages, they have so much control, but once a business is out in the world, you are now in completely uncharted territory. That's not the most comforting thought, but the call to adventure is just too strong to resist—so they answer the call, even when the voice in their head tells them otherwise.

That's what we respect the most about entrepreneurs: they're willing to leave safe harbor to pursue their dreams. And while starting a business isn’t easy, you shouldn't let go of a purpose left unrealized just because it's hard to do.

It's only out there, in the unmapped territory of your own personal growth, that you'll discover who you can become.