Editor’s Note: Here at Dispatches, we are always looking for ways to help our readers do things. For some of our readers, that means helping navigate the working world, for others, it means assisting in the ever challenging question, “what’s for dinner?” For still others, it means figuring out how to balance family life with everything else. In an effort to aid in all of these endeavors, we have collaborated on this article written specifically for our readers.
There are lots of articles out there that tell people starting businesses to work from home during the early stages. However, that creates some issues for business owners might not anticipate. When you work from an office, you have lots of space to welcome visitors and hire team members. The same is not true when you clear out a spare bedroom and make it into a home office. If you want to make the most out of your home business consider finding creative solutions to make your business seem bigger.
Reserve meeting rooms when you need them
There is no getting away from the fact that you will need to meet with potential clients and customers from time to time. Whatever happens, do not ask those people to come to your home because that can make a bad first impression. Instead, you should search online for local meeting rooms that you can rent like those at Meeting Rooms and other sites. Many office buildings that host multiple companies will have spaces for people in your position. You can usually rent the meeting rooms by the hour, and so you won’t have to break the bank to make sure you appear as professional as possible.
Consider paying for a virtual receptionist
Specialists like those working for Virtual Headquarters focus their efforts on providing expert receptionist services to people in your position. The last thing you want to do is answer the business phone every time it rings because you don’t have enough time to deal with all that correspondence. So, you should hire a virtual receptionist who can answer your calls and deal with all matters a regular receptionist would handle. The advantage is that you don’t have to employ anyone or provide a full-time salary. You can use the receptionists as and when you need them.
Know when to outsource
Outsourcing receptionist duties is a wise move, but there are plenty of other jobs you could hand over to the experts too. For instance, many people in your position will outsource tasks like accounting, marketing (consider us, J & A Creative, for all of our marketing and branding needs), and customer service. That helps to ensure you never have to hire a permanent assistant, and you benefit from the knowledge of specialists. Marketing and customer service are the two most critical areas in which outsourcing will come in useful. If you fail to get those endeavors right, there is a reasonable chance your new business will never succeed.
Now you know how to make your home business appear bigger there is a chance you will see your business pick up speed. Of course, lots of people decide to work from home during the early stages and then expand when they begin to make a profit. That approach is excellent too! Just pick the one that works best for you and your specific circumstances. Err on the side of conducting more research, creating a plan for the future and doing the work!