Building a business from scratch is a dream for many of us, and it’s one of the most exciting projects you can undertake. However, most of us put off such big life changes for one reason or another, and it’s often money or time that get in the way. That’s why it’s important to research ways you can start your business on a limited budget, and use services such as virtual offices which are ideal for fledgling companies.
What is a virtual office?
There are many services that fall under the virtual office umbrella, and these can include:
- Having an address to use – mail will be redirected to you
- A virtual receptionist
- Office or meeting space when needed
- Virtual assistants
- Lobby and waiting area for meeting people
How you use these services will often depend on the provider; so if you usually work from home and need the place as purely an address, then you can often work out a reasonable monthly rate. If you decided to use meeting rooms and other facilities, this can incur an extra charge, but it’s usually flexible, so you don’t pay for time you’re not using it. This can make it much easier for you to stick to a budget, especially in those difficult first months.
Starting out
When setting up a business on a small budget, working from home is often an attractive option, as it means you don’t need to pay additional rent, and can sometimes claim tax relief on your rent and utilities that have been used for work purposes. However, most people don’t want to give out their home address, either for privacy reasons, or because they simply don’t want clients to think they can drop round uninvited. This is where having a business address can be useful, and it means you save money compared to renting a space.
Always in touch
When you’re just starting out and are dealing with endless phone calls and e-mails, it can be a little overwhelming, and you may feel the need to answer calls during personal time. This is why many new companies use services such as Message Direct, meaning they can get someone professional answering their calls, and will get all their messages in a timely manner.
Holding meetings
If you work from home, then it can be difficult to impress prestigious clients, as you can only meet them on their home turf or in a neutral location. That’s why fledgling businesses use virtual office services such as hiring a meeting room for the day, so they can give presentations and leave a lasting impression.
With so much work being done online, some self-employed people or small business owners simply don’t meet the people they work for. However, studies have shown that face to face meetings can be much more effective than dealing with clients online, and can result in more work being sent your way. That’s why booking a meeting room, even for a few hours, can do a lot for your business, and it gives you the best of both worlds. You can work from your home, yet have a professional environment to help woo those big clients.
In the early days of starting a business, every penny counts, and you don’t want to waste money on services you’ll rarely use, or half empty buildings, although it is worth investing in security models like active directory management. That’s why so many people who are new to self-employment or starting a business choose to use a virtual office. It means they can work from their home office, while still looking professional, and ensuring that clients are impressed by their service. Whatever sector you’re planning to set up in, consider using a virtual office in those early days as a way of slowly building your business up from the ground.