Creating a Professional Image While Working from Home

Published on this site: August 18th, 2006 - See more articles from this month

While working from home can afford you the luxury to work at home in your pajamas, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. It may be nice to sit with your feet on the desk, munching on Twinkies, and twirling the cord while you speak with your client on the phone, but it's not very professional.

When you work from home, it's easy for clients to infer that you run a Cousin Jim-Bob operation. By acting like a professional, delivering top rate service, and communicating clearly with clients, you'll come across as a true businessperson.

Contrary to what some "experts" may tell you, I don't believe lying to clients and putting on a false air of big corporate is the way to go. I have found that the more up front I am about who I am, how I am, and why I am that clients are more accepting of work on my terms. By being very up front about the fact that I am a professional who chooses to work from home and be with my kids, I attract clients who are very supportive of my endeavors and are a joy to work with.

Here are some general guidelines for maintaining professionalism in your home-based business:

1. Email - If you have a business web site, then see if you can set up a POP email address that matches your web site address. For instance, rather than being [email protected], you should try to set up [email protected]. It looks more professional and it reinforces the branding of your web site address and business name.
   
   
2. Telephones - Pay the extra money to have a second dedicated business phone line installed.
   
   
3. Answering machine - Set up a phone with an answering machine that can pick up if you are busy or tending to the kids. A money saving idea is to get a phone/fax machine. That way you get the functionality of two office machines for the price of one. It also takes up less office space. Also, consider purchasing a head set for added portability and free hands during client calls.
   
   
4. Get a PO Box - Using your home office address publicly potentially dangerous, but it doesn't come across as very professional. Keeping your home address confidential can help protect your privacy and keep unintended guests from visiting unexpectedly.
   
   
5. Create an office "suite" - If you must use your home address or if you live in an apartment, make your address appear to be more business like by adding Suite 101 to your regular address or using it instead of your apartment number.
   
   
6. Equipment - Get the right equipment for the job. If you need a high quality copier for your line of work, make the investment. If you can't pull off professional looking work, you may lose clients.
   
   
7. Communication - Working from home can offer lots of life's little interruptions, causing you to miss calls or work crazy hours. Your clients need to know that they are important. Returning phone calls and email quickly will reassure them that although you are home with the kids that you will still be very responsive and available to meet their needs. If you work "mom" hours such as 6 a.m. until noon or something different than the norm, be very clear with clients about that. It helps manage their expectations and it helps you to not be interrupted during family time. If you are clear about your work hours, clients will respect that.
   
   
8. Client Meetings - If you are in a business that requires client meetings, consider your league of clients and if it is wise to meet in your home. While kitchen table meetings may do for some businesses, a more sophisticated level of clientele might not go for that. Off-site meetings either at a hotel conference room or a coffee shop can offer the atmosphere and rofessionalism for the executive class of clients.
   
   
9. Autoresponder - An autoresponder acts as a highly effective automated sales tool. It can respond immediately to standard email inquiries when you are away. By setting up different emails and using several email responders, you can allow customers to get customized and automatic responses to various
   questions. For example, you could set up a frequently asked questions (FAQ) responder. OR you could set up another for pricing information. Still others could be set up with various tip sheets and articles.
   
   
10. Email Signature - An email signature is like a mini ad that is attached to the bottom of an email. Its message could be assimple as your name and email, or as elaborate as a flashing animated gif. And with a just few mouse clicks, you can add your signature to the bottom of your emails automatically. To sum it up, an email signature is a free marketing tool, with the power to reach millions about how your products could benefit them.

What do you include in an email signature? An email signature would include the following elements: your name, title, web site URL, phone number, email, teasers about product specials, mini bio about yourself, moniker, slogan, or catch phrase, affiliate product information, and a subscribe instructions for your email newsletter.