Open the door ready.
A new shop is judged from the road, then from a phone screen. Work through these six groups in order and the name, the sign, the card and the Google listing will all say the same thing. Print it and tick the boxes by hand.
General guidance, not legal or tax advice. For licences and registration, ask your accountant or the local authority.
New shop launch checklist
Name and look
Settle these first. Everything printed afterwards depends on them.
- A name that is easy to say and spell, and that no other shop nearby already uses
- A logo as a vector file (SVG or PDF) and as a PNG, in colour and in one colour
- Two colours and one typeface that you will use on everything
- One plain sentence on what you sell and who it is for
Sign and print
People judge a shop from the road, then from the card in their hand.
- Signboard letters sized for the distance people will read them from
- Visiting cards cut to the size your printer uses, with bleed and a safe margin
- Bill book, carry bags or packaging that carry the logo
- A QR code at the counter for your WhatsApp chat or your Google review link
Most local customers will look you up here before they walk in.
- Claim the Google Business Profile and verify it
- The same name, address, phone number and opening hours here as on the sign
- Photos of the shopfront, the inside and your best products, taken in daylight
- A plan to ask the first happy customers for a review, with no reward offered
WhatsApp and phone
For many customers, a message is easier than a call.
- Switch to the WhatsApp Business app and fill in the profile, hours and address
- A greeting message and an away message
- A catalogue with your five best items and clear photos
- Saved replies for price, address and timings
Online basics
Small and consistent beats large and neglected.
- Instagram and Facebook names that match the shop name as closely as possible
- A one-page site or link page with the address, hours, phone and map
- An email address on your own domain for orders and enquiries
- A profile picture that stays readable as a small circle
The first day and week
Habits formed now are the ones you keep.
- Photographs of the opening day, taken by someone other than you
- A note of how each new customer found you: sign, Google, a friend or a message
- A reply to every message within the day
- A review of what worked and what did not at the end of the first week
Useful tools while you work through it: signboard letter height, print size calculator, QR code generator and the Google listing check.
Prepared with Ingenious Hub, Jaipur. hello@ingenioushub.com · +91 95870 15816.
Asked often in this sector.
Something we haven’t covered? Ask us.
What should a new shop do first?
Settle the name and the look, then get the sign, the cards and the Google listing right before opening. Customers form an opinion at the door and on their phone, and the same name, colours and phone number should appear in both places.
Do I need a website to open?
Not necessarily. A claimed Google Business Profile and a WhatsApp Business number do most of the early work. A one-page site with the address, hours and phone is a good next step.
How do I check a business name?
Search the name locally and online, check the social handles, and check the domain. For a company or a trademark, ask a chartered accountant or an IP professional. This checklist is not legal advice.
Is it printable?
Yes. Use the print button, or save the page as a PDF, and tick the boxes by hand.
Opening soon?
Opening soon and want the name, sign and cards done as one brand? Tell us the date and what exists, and we will say what fits.
Start a projectWe reply within four working hours, from a person.