Improve the image of your home-based business by implementing a professional business model
Creating a professional image when working from home can be challenging, but it is imperative to the success of your business. How many times have you been directed to a company’s website only to be immediately logged off because your site appears to have been created by a five year old? Wrong colors, misaligned text, “Page not found” errors; Any of these things can give your customer a false sense of business unprofessionalism that basically makes them unreliable, someone they definitely won’t buy from in the future. First impressions mean everything in the business world, especially when your competition is just a Google search away. So whether you’re starting your home business or have been for a while, this article is here to help you tweak a few things so you can attract and keep more valuable customers. for “walking the talk” of a big deal.
Since we just talked about providing a professional-looking (and functional) website, let’s get started on that topic. Most importantly, if you are not web-skilled or tech-savvy, for your own good, get some professional help! Do not use a “free website in just 5 clicks” type of service. It will remove any credibility you can gain with anyone. Once you have a web developer or designer on board, tell them about your business and what you want your website to accomplish. Do you want to generate leads? Do you want your site to act like an online brochure? Do you want visitors to download white papers or e-books? Do you want them to buy something from your electronic store? If you choose the latter (web storefront), I would recommend setting up with a merchant service provider to add shopping cart functionality to your site without relying on PayPal. Because you’re trying to appear bigger or more established than you can be (I’m only saying that because many people mistakenly assume that home-based businesses are unreliable and favor brick-and-mortar operations), you should take every opportunity you get. can to make your checkout process as seamless as possible. A merchant account is required to process online payments through a company like Authorize.Net. Paying to have your website professionally designed and launched will pay countless dividends for your business over time, so don’t be put off by the upfront cost of this service.
Going hand in hand with web design and development, we have all the other marketing and communication materials. Again, if you don’t have a creative bone in your body, leave this job to the professionals. Image is everything, from first impressions to building a visual bond with your customers, looking good makes your prospects think you’re good. If you look cheap, cheap, scruffy, and uncoordinated, those things reflect on what people will think of your company. I would recommend visiting 99designs.com. Although I have no personal affiliation with the site, your service would be incredibly helpful in accessing hundreds of designers bidding on your work. You can post your project describing your business, budget and desired result. Designers from around the world can post their estimates and compete against each other to win your business. Your other option is to look up some design or advertising firms and get competitive quotes from them. Just like the website, the upfront cost of essentially building your brand identity isn’t usually cheap, but it’s better than leaving bad first impressions on your potential customers.
Consistency is essential in helping you develop your professional business model. When I say consistency, I mean that in all aspects of your business, you must be consistent. A short list of things that come to mind are billing, brand identity/image, personality, meeting customer expectations, and level of service. When billing a customer, be sure to bill at the same time each month, with payment due dates in bold. If a payment date is not met, apply the established sanctions. Do not make billing exceptions; it’s unprofessional and makes you look like a pushover. Make sure every piece of marketing/sales/invoicing collateral that comes out of your hands looks like they’re put together. Keep color choices consistent, make sure your logo’s appearance is consistent, set guidelines for its use, and use nice stock when possible on printed materials. Your personality is important when dealing with clients. If you’re impromptu, fun, and laid back one day, and the next day you’re wearing a suit with a solemn expression on your face, you’ll confuse your customers. People want to know what to expect from a business. They want consistency. So pick a tone, a brand personality and stick with it. Consistency in a service level is so important that some consultancies spell out theirs in writing, in a contract. Make sure you set your bar high and consistently deliver on what you promise. If you guarantee availability 24/7, be prepared to receive calls at 3:30 am
One more quick tip to help you refine your professional business model: associate a business phone with a business phone number. 800 numbers are very popular and easy to get. If you’ve ever heard of Google Voice, they’ll even go so far as to let you pick whatever number your heart desires, as long as it’s not currently in use. Whatever you do, don’t trust your home phone line. An affordable phone for your whole family means your seven-year-old can also take customer calls for you, which is usually not what you want. Remember to answer your company phone as you would if you were working in an office, with a formal introduction. If you’re really busy, you might even consider integrating a way to put people on hold, complete with soothing elevator music.
If you implement these tips in your own home business, I guarantee you’ll attract and keep more ideal customers than you did by not following them. People won’t question your credibility and will never guess that your business is out of your home. As a home-based business owner, I know that sometimes the total cost of producing professional-looking materials can seem staggering. However, following my own advice and going the extra mile, I can tell you that none of my clients know that I work from home, which is great.
© 2011 Lorraine Wolfe