You've just received word that you've been laid off, or your position has been eliminated. The economy has certainly taken its toll on many individuals in the job market - and with national unemployment rates reaching towards 10%, it's apparent that your survival could require a "plan B."
Now, more than ever, more unemployed professionals are making the strategic decision to start a home-based business as an alternative to the prospect of taking months to re-enter the world of employment. Regardless of what type of business you choose to start, one of the greatest challenges facing the new entrepreneur is that of creating a professional image. After all, if you don't take yourself seriously, you will never be able to expect that your potential customers ever will.
I've compiled the top five tips you can use to get your home-based business off the ground, and ensure you have the pristine, professional image you need to springboard your enterprise to success.
1. Choose a business name that tells your customers what you do.
Many new business owners don't truly plan what they are going to name their company, and it shows in their bottom line. As an example, if you are contemplating starting a home health agency, a name like "Caregivers of Atlanta" let's prospective customers know that you provide care, and you are based in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Now, depending on the area you serve, you may not wish to incorporate a city name when your company serves the entire U.S. I'm sure you get my drift here. If we were starting the same home health agency, and decided to call it "Sunshine Agency," you can see that customers may encounter ambiguity. Make sure to choose a name that describes what you do, and be sure to reserve the name with your State Department and through a domain purchasing agent.
2. Don't forget to have top quality business.educationeasy.net business cards made.
I can't stress this tip enough. Order your business.educationeasy.net business cards as soon as you have your company's name selected, and the domain name paid for. There are a lot of ways to save money in your home-based business, but it's important not to "go cheap" on your business.educationeasy.net business cards. Once you have a logo and them on your business.educationeasy.net business cards, carry that through to your website.
3. Choose a quality virtual PBX and fax service, so that you'll never miss any communication.
Back in the 1980's I worked for a large banking institution in my hometown. Each day when I went to work, I would walk by the switchboard, where two women were sitting in front of a huge console, taking a cord from one plug and patching it to another phone extension. This was an unbelievable job, and I remember thinking how unbelievable it was that these ladies were so fast at transferring calls.
With the advent of the internet and VOIP, we can have a better quality switchboard quality and create a professional image with our phone system at a very reasonable cost. The best thing about these virtual PBX services is they incorporate a virtual fax, so you no longer have to seek out two separate services to accomplish your goals. You can set up an extension for your customer service department, billing department, your personal line, etc. You personally can record the messages you want your callers to hear, or you can utilize voice-over talent to project that professional image you wish to portray to your clients.
When you want to start a home-based business, it's important to consider the image your portray to your prospective customers. By following the tips we've outlined here, you'll have an excellent start to a prosperous future.
Christina Archer is the Owner and CEO of Christina Archer & Associates, based in Pickerington, Ohio. Christina specializes in the contract, temp to hire, and direct hire of health care professionals at hospitals and medical facilities across the United States. Christina is the group manager of "The R.N. Network" on LinkedIn, and offers job seekers unique tools, articles, and resources on her website. (I-Careersearch.com) Whether you are a hiring manager looking for a long-term recruiting strategy that will save you time and money, or a job candidate who is looking for the professional representation necessary to remain competitive in today's employment market, visit Christina's website for more information, at christinaarcher.info ChristinaArcher.info
Be sure to look for Christina's book, coming out in January 2010: "Landing Your Dream Job In Any Economy." The book provides a road map to finding and landing your next job, regardless of the latest unemployment numbers or the ebb and flow of the current economic conditions. Readers will learn how to conduct an efficient and expedient job search from beginning to end.
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