Overcoming 2 Common Home Business Pitfalls
If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably run into a few obstacles of the non-financial variety.
Knowing how to deal with these 2 small business pitfalls can make your life a whole lot easier.
The Neighbors
You may be very enthusiastic about your new business; however, your neighbors might not be, especially if you see clients in your home office.
When you have a home office, you run the risk of offending the neighbors if their constant presence results in increasing traffic on your street. That’s why you have to let your neighbors know that this may happen beforehand.
This will help keep everyone informed and on good terms. If your neighbors are reasonable, then they will let you know of any concerns they have before they call city hall or the police to complain.
In time, some of your neighbors may end up being your customers!
Being Constantly On Call
If you work from a home office, you’ve probably already set limits on your office hours and when you’re available to work. But that doesn’t mean that your customers will see it that way.
Unfortunately, many people think that if you work from home, you’re constantly available. It’s not fair, but that’s the way it is. So, you have to make a conscious effort to draw the line between your work time and off time.
Here are a few ways to do that:
- Make sure your office has an entrance. This is one way to convey to customers that you are a professional and keep professional hours. Don’t allow customers to come into contact with the rest of your home.
- Let customers know your office hours. You can post a sign on your office door or window with your working hours. Request that all customers make appointments.
- Do not deviate from your ‘appointment’ policy. If customers show up unexpectedly, let them know (once again) that they need to make an appointment in the future. If they do it again, politely inform them that you have another commitment.
Running a small business is tough enough. Stick to your guns concerning the above 2 obstacles, and you’ll experience a lot less stress.
