Sometimes it is difficult to find the perfect balance between the freedom of a home office and the image you want to present to your clients. There are several ways to improve this. One of these is a virtual office.
What, Exactly, is a Virtual Office?
The virtual office is where a small business will rent an address, at the very least, and sometimes other services to go along with this, in order to have a more downtown professional image to present to clients. This virtual space may not even be a physical space, and can be as simple as a managed post office box. However, renting a managed virtual office can have much more to it than a simple address alone.
Your virtual office can include a phone number that forwards to you phone. This allows you to use an area code or prefix that shows it to be in a more prestigious or business-like neighborhood. It could also include answering services that answer the phone in whatever manner you would specify. Mail-forwarding or pick-up is standard. With a virtual office, one can also often rent meeting space on an hourly basis. All of this together can give your clients the image of having a larger, more upscale business than would be presented by working out of the home.
How Does Virtual Space Help Your Business?
Firstly, there is the image. If you are working in a professional or consulting sphere, then it really will help to have a more formal face to present to your clients. This gives you an edge over other small businesses and can help level the field when you are competing against larger businesses.
There is a little more freedom. If you have an answering service as part of your virtual office, then you are free from answering the phone and being the “secretary” as well. Naturally not all businesses will want this, as some entrepreneurs try to differentiate by being directly reachable by their clients. This is something you have to decide. Some companies that offer virtual offices also offer administrative services to assist their clients. This can be typing services, bookkeeping, website updates, or nearly any service that can be outsourced easily to someone who doesn’t require the core skill that your clients are paying for.
Appear Bigger, Grow Faster
Not only does a virtual office make you appear like you are bigger than you are, it can allow you to grow your business faster than if you simply tried to do everything yourself in your house. Is it right for you? Well, that depends on your business. Even a seasonal landscaping company could use the services of having an answering service and non-residential address. It makes them seem more professional and more reliable. What image do you want to convey? Are you able to deal with picking up your mail or having it forwarded to you? These are things you need to ask yourself. If you have any desire to grow or to at least start making some real money in your business, then you will have to examine the options at some point. And a virtual office can really be a blessing, especially if you are working at home for the lifestyle benefits – a virtual office allows you to appear like you are available all the time, even when your out on your kid’s field trip!
Johanus Haidner - Johanus Haidner (BA, BEd, MBA) is a martial artist, writer, craftsman, artist and life coach in Edmonton, Alberta.
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