Running a Business from Home: 5 Top Tips on How to be Successful
Whether you’re a seasoned ‘working from home’ person or new to this way of working, you’ve probably discovered that working from home is not as easy as you first thought.
A home-based business or home-based franchise comes with its ups and downs, but that doesn’t mean operating a business from home can’t be successful - it can. So, blow the cobwebs away and get ready to move your business forward by following our 5 top tips on how to be successful when working from home.
Avoid the kitchen table – set up a dedicated home office area
We’ve all heard the success stories of entrepreneurs setting up their businesses from the kitchen table; just think Richard Branson or Sir Alan Sugar. But in reality, that’s not a good idea. Start as you mean to go on and set up a home office. Here are a few tips to guide you:
Lighting is important - if you can set up your home office near natural light, it is even better. Research has shown that natural light helps us focus better and improves productivity.
Make sure your desk is fit for the purpose of work and that your chair is adjustable. You may find that working with a laptop is better than a desktop computer; if that’s the case, raise the laptop to ensure it is at the right height to avoid neck strain.
Set up your home office in a place where you have plenty of space around you. It is also good for avoiding distractions as well as being able to keep your work life and home life separate.
A good example of a home office is the one that it’seeze franchisees Nic and Sarah Johnson built in their garden. Nic and Sarah run their home-based web design franchise from this fabulously bright and spacious office.
Nic says: “Having a dedicated home office means we can separate work and family life while still having the freedom to work whenever we need to. It may only be ten steps across the garden to the home office but it’s enough of a separation to feel that we can focus on work yet still have the comforts of being at home.”
Don’t break the bank – aim to keep your costs low
Setting up an office to work from home within a small budget just takes a bit of creativity. Consider shopping from independent retailers for your office furniture and stationery rather than heading to the big chains. Look around you - it’s highly likely that much of what you need is already lurking in a corner of your home. Your office furniture doesn’t need to be brand new so buy second-hand if you can.
A web design franchise offers a great opportunity to tap into a high demand market. You don’t need to hold any stock, and initially, you don't have any staffing expenses until the business has grown sufficiently to support this. Once established, you may decide to rent premises, but this just depends on whether you’d prefer to work from home or from an office and is by no means a mandatory step. With more businesses than ever before realising the importance of going digital, there has never been a greater need for these services.
Investing in an it’seeze franchise offers everything you need to get your business off the ground and comes with immense support from the it’seeze franchise’s head office team. Our franchise package includes a designated region to focus on, your own website, comprehensive training opportunities, use of a professional CRM system to easily manage your customer base and sales, corporate marketing support, and business networking opportunities.
Avoid working varied hours of the day – stick to a work schedule
When running a home-based business, it’s easy to get caught up in working long and often strange hours. This is unproductive. Work out a schedule that’s right for you and stick to it.
Most of your customers and clients will expect you to work standard office hours, and expect you to be available during these hours. If they can’t get hold of you or they are receiving emails from you all hours of the day, it could cause you to become overwhelmed by your workload and look unprofessional.
Image is key – maintain professionalism always
There’s a new phrase on the block: ‘top dressing’! The latest fashion trend of smart on top and casual underneath is even hitting the online shops with Boohoo reporting a surge in orders for party tops and smart ‘upperwear’. But anyone who works from home is in good company, particularly when you’ve got celebrities such as Anthea Turner, Annabel Croft, India Hicks, Julia Hartley-Brewer and even legendary Gyles Brandreth sporting a casual look under the table.
When running a business from home, fronting the casual ‘bedtime’ look is not the best way to present your business. It’s great to be able to benefit from the comforts of home but with online meetings, make sure that at least the top half of you is dressed accordingly. If you haven’t yet changed out of your pyjama bottoms this is fine, but your clients don’t need to know!
Believe in yourself - but nobody is an island
A home-based business can be a lonely endeavour at times. Not surprisingly, there will be times when you feel discouraged and begin to doubt yourself, and your business. When this happens, don’t give up. Step outside and go for a brisk walk to boost your mood and mental wellbeing; it’s not good or healthy to stay indoors all day. Meet a friend for coffee or lunch outside of your home office; a change of routine is good for the soul, and it’s great to have a chat. Schedule your workday to include at least half an hour of ‘me’ time. Walk away from your desk and do something different.
You can be confident that you are never alone when you join it’seeze’s franchise network. The it’seeze franchise team is always on hand to talk through anything you need support with. Whilst franchisees are dotted all over the country, they’re just an email or phone call away and always willing to share their experiences and offer guidance. The team’s Business Development Manager, Alex Brook, is always there to listen and provide business guidance. it’seeze’s network of franchisees offer great support and help in running your business. There is also the it’seeze franchise forum, which is a hub of valuable information and advice from other franchisees.
Think running a web design business from home is the right option for you? Start your new career and join millions of other people UK-wide who are setting up their own small home-based businesses. For more information on it’seeze’s franchise opportunity, make an enquiry today.
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