Most people are aware that a home based business affords great opportunities. The capability to work at your leisure and to manage yourself is attractive. Taking it from this idea to a functioning plan is another story, and can be helped through the following tips.
Your business and your home should have separate phone lines. A business that has a separate phone line will always appear more professional, thus lessening the chances of the wrong person answering the phone.
It’s healthy to take short breaks over the course of your work day. Don’t use your break time to take care of complicated personal matters, however. Not being self-disciplined enough can lead to a loss in profits and missing important deadlines or opportunities. Both your body and mind will feel refreshed from physical breaks. For instance, do a bit of exercising or gardening.
Reward your customers for recommending your business to their friends and family. One of the best ways to promote your business is by word of mouth. When people hear about a product or service from someone they know, they’re more apt to purchase over a flyer they will throw out. Loyalty is built through incentives, too.
Business Cards
Business cards are a good thing to have. You can actually find very nice, professional looking business cards through a few different online businesses for very low cost or free. Include all of your important information, such as your business name, your name, contact number, email and website address. Your cards should also provide online contact info, like your site URL and your email. The more options your customer has, the more likely they will use one to contact you.
Come up with daily goals. There might be some things that don’t get done, but setting realistic goals will go a long way in accomplishing everything. Set boundaries to work at home so that family can respect your work time.
Know all local zoning laws and local ordinances. If you don’t, you could find yourself facing fines and possible shutdown of your business. Make sure there is no reason for someone to complain. If they do, at least you will know beforehand if the laws are on your side. That means little traffic and very discreet signage. Ideally, you want your neighbors to be unaware that there’s a business next door.
As you can see, it will require a little bit of work and dedication to make the jump. If you can manage to pull through and stick to the plan, you will be able to accurately represent your dream in the company’s image and create something that is long-lasting and profitable over the years.
There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in the Bronx , New York where you can make the most impact on the youth in the community.