Article contributed by Heather Douglas.
Having worked with home businesses for many years, one of the challenges they constantly face is having to build credibility when they operate from an environment they seldom wish to share with their clients.
While it is heartening to see this slowly changing – especially as more and more corporates allow or encourage employees to work from home – working from home can still be a huge barrier when it comes to credibility.
There are lots of ways to overcome this, however, and even to turn it to advantage. While the topic is too vast to go into detail here, the top five steps we always recommend are:
– Treat your business seriously and others will do so too.
– You are your brand. Look and act as you wish your brand to be perceived.
– Use your agility and flexibility to your advantage. It sets you apart and can be a significant USP.
– Manage your home environment so you can always portray a professional image, e.g. have a separate phone line and don’t answer it when the kids are screaming or the vacuum cleaner is going at top volume (but do return the call promptly!)
– Relish the lifestyle your environment and flexibility allow. It will give you more energy to direct towards setting your business apart.
