Working Small, Looking Big
Want to give the impression that your SOHO (small or home office) is bigger than your workspace implies? Get creative and put on a show that intones you’re bigger than a team of one.
• Lose the title. A business card with the title "president” or “owner” shows people you’re the boss – and that you might run a one-person show. Use “vice president,” "director," or “principal” or no title at all.
• Go toll-free. An 800, 888, 877, 866 or 855 number gives the impression that the company sells nationwide. Cost: A flat monthly fee of around $5 - plus a per-minute usage cost of anywhere from 7 to 15 cents a minute. This can be arranged through any long-distance carrier.
• Get a domain. At a cost of around $15 to $30 a year, plus a hosting fee, creating your own domain (www.mycompany.com), gives the impression that you’re serious about your business. Then, switch your email service to a provider that accommodates Eudora, Outlook or other email programs that allow you to use your domain name in your outbound email (bob@mycompany.com). This won’t work with proprietary Internet services, like AOL and CompuServe.
• Departmentalize your email. Contact your Web master to create new in-bound email boxes to read “sales@,” “information@,” or “webmaster@” plus your domain name. It gives the impression that your company has specific departments for different tasks. Besides, it will help organize your inbox.
• Rent an office address. Executive suites provide a prominent address and big-office features – like broadband Internet service, computer rental, and copy facilities – that can be rented by the hour, day, week, month or longer. Receptionists identify and answer calls with your company name, and retrieve and delivery mail and sign for parcels. Host client meetings or stage conferences on site. For a listing of member facilities, hit Execsuites.org.
• Log on to ship. Open a free account with FedEx, UPS or another shipping company. When you ship using the online service, airbills from your printer will sport your company name, address and phone number. This helps present a refined appearance, and hints that your company has its own mail room.
HOME OFFICE SUCCESS STORIES is a monthly electronic magazine distributed free for the asking, from Jeff Zbar's Goin' SOHO!. For more information or to schedule speaking engagements or seminars, contact Jeff at Phone:954-346-4393 Fax:954-346-0251, or via electronic mail at:jeff@goinsoho.com
