Work at Home
Three Steps to a Professional
Image
© 2003 Vishal P. Rao
One of the biggest reasons home-based business entrepreneurs often fail
to attract customers is that they also fail to create a professional
image. A professional image is an element of your credibility and
without credibility winning customers is an uphill battle.
Think of it this way: would you give your hard earned money to a guy
selling products out of an alley? Probably not. For one, you would
wonder where the good had come from. It would also be inconvenient
because your method of payment options would be limited. You would also
not have the peace of mind of knowing you could get a refund if it turns
out that your purchase is defective or does not live up to your
expectations. Just as you would have these concerns, so will your
customers if you do not create a credible image.
Many home-based business owners feel they can't afford to create a
professional image on a small start-up budget, but not only is creating
that image possible even with limited funds, it's something you can't
afford not to do.
Here are a few ways to create that image:
1) Provide Multiple Payment Methods
Most modern shops and businesses accept a variety of payment options,
including cash, checks, and credit cards in order to make it more
convenient for customers. Money orders and debit cards are also payment
options widely accepted. You should try to accept as many of these
payment methods as possible.
Additionally, online stores must be prepared to accept international
funds or risk losing a percentage of their audience.
Accepting checks is the easiest method you can incorporate into your
business. However, keep in mind that most people will be wary about
making the check out to an individual when they feel they are doing
business with a company. So you will need to create a business checking
account. These accounts can be opened at any financial institution.
Unless you have officially registered your company through the
government and received an identification number, your account will be
listed as you doing business as (dba) your company's name. With the
account, you will be able to cash checks made out to you or your
business.
Credit card, debit card, and international funds, on the other hand, can
be more difficult matters. At least initially, you may want to use a
service such as Paypal to handle these transactions. A PayPal business
account will cost you nothing to open, but a small percentage of the
funds will be automatically subtracted for each transaction. You can
also use Paypal to accept electronic check payments.
2) Provide Detailed Contact Information
Customers like to know who they are doing business with and how they can
reach them if there is a problem with their purchase. However, many
home-based business owners don't want to put their personal contact
information online where it is accessible by millions, and you do want
to protect your family's privacy. So instead, you need to create
business-specific contact information.
First, you need to rent a post office box. Various sizes are available,
and payments can be made every six months or every year. You can use
your post office box for all of your business correspondence and can
safely display it on your web site.
Second, you should either get a second phone line or a cellular phone
which is dedicated to your business. Not only does this allow you to
keep your family's privacy secure, but it also prevents your children or
loved ones from answering important business calls in an unprofessional
manner.
Also consider investing in a fax machine or using an online service such
as efax. Including your fax number with your other contact information,
not only provides customers with an additional method of communication,
but also creates an image of professionalism.
3) Deliver on Your Promises
It can be easy to start taking customers for granted once they have paid
for their product. After all, once you have their money, the hard part
is over, right? Wrong! Customers can become repeat customers if they are
treated well; they can also bring additional customers your way via
word-of-mouth referrals.
Treating them well means delivering on your promises, including shipping
products on schedule, standing behind your guarantee, providing
effective customer service, and promotion products honestly. Doing these
things sends a message to your customers that says not only that your
company is professional but also that you care about your customers.
These three ideas are just the beginning but they will help you begin
developing the image you want and need your company to have if it is to
succeed.
Resource box:
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For opportunities, ideas and resources to start a home based business,
visit:
http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com
For more articles by the author, visit:
http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com/library/reprints.shtml
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