Home » Working From Home
Important: The information on this page is based solely
on personal experience and is not to be taken as gospel. It is intended to be a
simple tool to get you started. Ultimately, you need to do your own research and
make your own decisions about what is best for you and your business.
Working From Home
Everything you need to run your business is probably right there in your home, i.e.
a computer, printer/fax machine, desk, filing cabinet and a phone. There are no
leases to sign, no travel time and minimal, if any, additional equipment to buy.
You can address issues and be available for customers around the clock, which is
what it takes when you’re building your business.
So many people shy away from running their business from home for fear their customers
will know they’re doing business with a small outfit. Big deal. Yes, you’re small
but you’re capable; that’s what your customers really need to know. They need to
believe you are able to deliver whatever it is you’re selling.
First things first though; go down to City Hall and get a business license. They’ll
have some questions for you before they say it’s perfectly fine for you to do business
from your home. A big concern is traffic in and out of your house. If your business
structure is not suitable for an in-home business, they’ll let you know.
Okay. Got the business license! Now there is no point in trying to hide the fact
that you work from home. Chances are, your customer will find out eventually as
your relationship grows. They will hear the dog barking or the kids playing. They’ll
hear your spouse doing dishes or the TV blaring. Make it your badge of honor; don’t
try and hide it. After all, you’re selling a wonderful, efficient, reasonably-priced
service, right? Seriously, if they care that much about where you work, move on.
There’s a pretty big market out there for whatever it is you offer. If working from
home is a show-stopper for that prospective client, they are probably not the type
of client you want in the first place.
If it is crucial for your business to be listed in the phone book, you can have
a business
line installed in your home. There. Problem solved. Whoa, now! Before you rush to
call
the phone company for the business line, consider the following: Telemarketers will
haunt
you to your dying breath and the cost of a business line is about double the price
of a
residential line. Now that you know, weigh the pros and cons. When you’re just starting
out, it’s probably a good idea to get the business line. If people are checking
you out, the
first thing they will do is look in the phone book or call Directory Assistance
to see if you
really exist. It’s important to exist. It gives your prospective customer a sense
of security.
If you’ve decided on the business line, don’t counterbalance it with omitting your
address
in the telephone book. You just spent the money for the telephone number so that
you
could make customers feel better about doing business with you. Why would you make
your address a secret? Unless you’re living in a crack house, it’s probably okay
if they
know where you live. They want to know they are dealing with a real person. It’s
okay if
you’re not in the finest subdivision in town. They are not buying your house; they
are buying a service that you are capable of delivering, right? They should respect
your efforts to build a better life for yourself. If they don’t, move on. You can’t
please everyone, no matter how hard you try.
Work-From-Home Employees/Contractors:
If your business requires more work than what you can delivery single-handedly,
consider hiring contractors who also work from home. It’s amazing what kind of talent
you can find out there if you just look. Many, many skilled people, who want to
work, are available to help you, if they could only work from home. Like you, they
have their reasons for not venturing outside their home but that does not mean they
can’t do the job.
Post a help-wanted ad and see what you can find. You can pay a small fortune for
an ad in your local newspaper or you can
post one right here for free. Either way, when you begin to get resumes over
your fax machine, be patient; you’ll eventually find the perfect person to help
you!
Take some time to become familiar with laws surrounding employees versus independent
contractors. The IRS has a 20-factor test you should use before calling someone
an independent contractor. It is very important to know the rules up front. It will
cost you a fortune if you find out the hard way. Take a look at http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=99921,00.html before you place that help wanted ad. Whether they are classified as an employee
or an independent contractor, don’t let it slow you down in tapping the stay-at-home
workforce. It is a business owner’s goldmine! Just do it the right way.
If you’ve decided your newly-acquired help can be classified as an independent contractor,
you might want to have them sign an independent contractor agreement. Draft one
up and run it by your attorney before you enter into the legal agreement. Call the
attorney. Don’t skip that step! If you give them a draft to work with, it probably
won’t cost you nearly as much as if you ask them to draw one up from scratch.
Remember, there is a big market out there and not everyone cares about where
you do your work; they are concerned with how well you do your work. Good luck with
your home-based business!
Starting Your Business
It doesn’t have to
be difficult. Stop
spending time on
busy work and open
your doors.
Growing Your Business
Get tips and tricks
on building your
business. Don’t
wait for it to come
to you.
Working From Home
Save the earth and a
ton of cash! Work
from home. It’s
amazingly easy and
inexpensive
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