Home Based Business Opportunities - 5 Tips to Make Your Home-Based Business Not Appear "Homemade"

One of the toughest obstacles we face when working from home is making it seem that we're not, in fact, working from home. When customers call and there are children screaming in the background, pets barking and meowing and timers going off for laundry and cooking, it doesn't seem professional. Thus, how can we appear more professional?

Suggestion # 1: Have a clean, professional website with your own domain name
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Don't, under any circumstances, have a "free" website hosted on another domain name with other company's ads all over the place! This is one of the biggest no-no's out there! Decide, instead, that in order to appear expert, you must invest in a professional website. If you aren't skilled in web design, employ somebody to do it for you or barter with another home-based business owner who does do web design. Choose a domain name that is closely related to your business's name.

Tip # 2: Invest in a separate phone line or in a distinctive ring tone for that line.

Most phone companies offer a plan where you can have 2 or more numbers ringing to one phone line with unique rings. It's usually better to have a separate phone line in your office, in order to avoid after-hours phone calls from clients. This also allows you to "shut the door" on work when you're not there. Use a professional voicemail message or answering machine message and check the messages frequently.

Suggestion # 3: Think about how to display your business address.

How are you going to display your physical location? There are some various options available. Most home-based business owners will say they accept meetings by appointment only, to discourage customers from "dropping in" while they are still in their pj's and haven't had their morning coffee yet. In the event you don't want your customers to know you work at home, two other options are using a P.O. Box or attaching a "Suite" number to your address. If you use a P.O. Box, you will have to give your home address out for packages and something they need to courier to you, but it does offer anonymity and discourages drop-in visitors. In the event you attach a suite number to your address in order to help make it appear a "business office," make certain you mention to your postal carrier that you're running a home-based business and that's why there is a different address on there.

Tip # 4: Define your office etiquette rules to your family.

What exactly are the rules going to be for the children and members of the family when you are on the phone or meeting with a client? Are you going to set a timer so they know when you will be available? Are you currently going to have set office hours rather than meet with clients outside of these times? Are you going to have a play space in your workplace? This is especially essential if you're going to have small children playing nearby (quietly) while you work.

Tip # 5: Invest in professional-quality promotional products and marketing pieces.

Don't print off company cards from your printer, unless you've a top-of-the-line printer. Invest in professional-quality business cards and pamphlets. If you can, have some letterhead printed up, too, for contracts, letters to prospective clients and any communication that is business-related. If you are printing promotional items like T-shirts or apparel, coffee mugs, mousepads, etc., examine the quality of the products put out by the printer you wish to make use of. Do not just "price-hunt," look around for the best quality and invest in your business.

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Here are more references:
Home Based Business - Earn Loads Of Cash At Home
Make Money From Home - Have A Job Even If You're Just At Home