Deciding to run a business from home can be seen as the quick, easy, and affordable way of starting a business. This is true now as it has always been. It works and offers a number of benefits that make it appealing to new businesses.

Whatever the reasons behind the decision, a business run from home can work. However, using the home address as the official address, or to promote the business may not always be the best decision. Sometimes there are some very valid and important reasons why you should consider NOT using your home address.

If you’ve just started running a business from home – or you are at the planning stage and about to hit ‘GO’ – take time to read below and see if you need to think about whether using your home address is best for your business or do you need to consider something else…

First Impressions

Using your home address can work for a number of business types. In those cases, the client or user is probably not too concerned about ‘where’ the business is based as the work is more likely than not, done elsewhere. But think about your business, the impression or impact that might occur when a client, or that potential client you’ve been chasing, realises your business is home-based. Your home can, and should be, a special place for you but does it match your brand, your business, and how you project your business to clients, potential clients, and the wider world?

Imagine a potential client, someone you don’t know who is looking for a service or product you offer. Or perhaps your name/business has been passed on to a potential client from one of your existing customers. What is their most likely first step?

"Depending on who you believe but there is something like around
63,000 Google searches a second¹."

It’s a safe bet they’ll probably go online to take a look/check you out/read reviews about you and your business. As a result of this, they are likely to be reading or viewing on a map, your home address. When forming an opinion, a business with a commercial address is considerably more likely to be viewed as much more established, professional, and possibly even more genuine and trusted than a home address. At its worst, potential clients may wonder how “we” or “us” actually operate from a house or flat.

 The ‘What ifs…’

Aside from any perception issues relating to using your home address, you should also consider the “What if…” question when using your home address. What if… An unhappy customer isn’t satisfied with an outcome/service/product and decides they want to take it further and visit your premises. What if…someone decides to cold call your business by dropping in whilst they happened to be in the area.

Another specific issue with the “What if…” is the issue of mail – be it everyday business mail, unsolicited business mail & even deliveries. What about returns? If you sell products and for whatever reason they need to be returned what impression does sending them to a home address create with your client? Is your home address set up for all the additional items that may start arriving? Can couriers gain easily gain access to your property? What will your neighbours do, say, or feel about the increase in delivery vehicles? Are they prepared to accept your deliveries on your absence/on your behalf? Using a home address doesn’t just have an impact on you but also of those homes, houses, flats around you.

 Have you got permission?

One last point about a home address for your business. Do you lease or rent your property? If so, have you checked to make sure you have permission to register your business at that address? Some owners do not allow businesses to operate, let alone simply use the address, for business purposes.

So, what is the solution?

Businesses can operate from home and do so, very successfully. But if you want, or need, to avoid having your home address listed on an ever-growing number of online directories. If you prefer to have a divide between home and business. If you simply have an image, brand, presence for your business that doesn’t match your house or flat then maybe the answer is a virtual company address.

A virtual company address (also known as a virtual office, virtual address, a registered company address) enables you to continue running your business from home whilst having a commercial, professional address to be the address your clients and customers see and use. Plus, depending on the service, a virtual office can also give you a substantial number of benefits you simply won’t get by using your home address.

Here at Workspace House, our virtual tenants are treated like our physical tenants. We want to help you succeed, thrive, and grow. Whether your plans are to always be a home run business or whether you aspire to operate from your own offices, warehouse, or workshop, we’ll do our best to help.

Our low-cost, virtual office service enables you to access our support network, communicate and even work with other tenants, get discounts off our other services all whilst you continue to operate from your home.

In summary, you may have started your business from home to suit your family, to save money, to reduce risk, to not worry about commuting to the office. Time or money will be a major influence. However, this doesn’t have to be at the expense of the image you create for your business or mean you must accept and tolerate the hassles and worries of using your home address for your businesses.

Come and speak with us and see how using Workspace House for your official address can eliminate most of the problems you’ll face if you use your home address for your business. Call us on 01733 390707 or email us at office@pe27.co.uk

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^{1 Hubspot website June 2021 - 25 Google Search Statistics to Bookmark ASAP (hubspot.com)}