Now, you already invested in your business, and getting a workspace is super expensive. But what can you even do? How can you create this illusion that you’re not an at-home business? Well, with a few strategic moves, you can make your home business look just as professional and credible as any office-based company.
Your Website Needs to be Professional
First impressions count, and your website is often the first interaction potential clients have with your business. This has been stated online basically everywhere, but sadly, so many business owners still make this mistake. Now, you need a clean, professional, and easy-to-navigate website that can go a long way in establishing credibility. Invest in a custom domain name (no “.wordpress” or “.wix” extensions), and consider hiring a professional web designer if your budget allows. Basically, avoid templates since they have a look at them.
Use a Virtual Business Address
Nothing screams “home business,” quite like a residential address. So, to avoid this, consider using a virtual business address. You can even look into services like Regus or UPS, which offer mail forwarding and physical addresses in professional office buildings. You can use this address on your website, business cards, and marketing materials. This not only helps maintain privacy but also adds a layer of professionalism to your business.
Get a Dedicated Business Phone Number
Mixing personal and business calls can be a recipe for disaster- seriously, it’s such a bad idea! So, it’s going to be best to just go ahead and invest in a dedicated business phone number. You can use a service like Google Voice or Grasshopper, which allows you to have a separate number that can be forwarded to your cell phone. Plus, a professional voicemail greeting is also a must. This way, when clients call, they hear a polished and professional message rather than your personal voicemail.
How Professional is Your Branding?
This circles back to the website, as it’s similar. You don’t want to use Canva; honestly, that’s going to be a really bad idea. It’s not just about consistency but also about the overall appearance of your brand.
For example, if you’re printing product labels for products such as candles, if it looks apparent you used a template, then it’s a dead giveaway that this might be a small, unprofessional at-home business. Unfortunately, people are judgmental like that. So it needs to be professional, such as hiring a graphic designer and even looking into printing services for labels, stationary, you name it!
Think of the Background
Well, the background of your call that is, the last thing you want to do is to actually show your house. So think strategyically about tihs, but of course, you can use Zoom backgrounds too.
BY TECHIE MAMMA