|
A home business is still a business If you have a home business, then it’s a business and you should treat it as a business. This is essential for your brand image. Many people look less favourably on home businesses than on those that are run from a professional office. The reality is that many home businesses can and do flourish and operate as very professional businesses. When the owner treats it like a professional business, then customers will do the same. You can run your business in one of two styles: • inward facing – do what you like, be more relaxed and wear your pajamas all day; or • outward facing – put on your “business hat,” be professional on the phone and wear clothing appropriate for the type of client.
Here’s a story to illustrate this concept. My wife and I were looking for a new daycare centre for our child. We started calling and visiting locations. The daycares that were not run from home were professional, passionate and had time to answer my questions. The service I got from the home-run daycares was astonishingly poor and often shocking.
Communication problems One day I called a daycare, and a young child answered and took the message. Would Mom really get that message? Probably not. Many home daycares answered the phone by simply saying “Hello.” I expected the bare minimum of “Hello, ACME daycare, Joyce speaking. How can I help you?”
Disorganization We visited one home-run daycare after we had a great conversation with the lady on the phone. During the tour, she said things like, “This is where the kids put their coats and belongings. It’s a little messy right now. I should really tidy that up.” If it’s messy now, it will probably always be messy. Before a client or potential client comes over to your home business, tidy up. Wash the dishes, vacuum, dress up, and whatever it is that you are selling, make sure it is spectacular.
Questionable integrity The most shocking was the lady whom my wife visited. The information she had sent was amazing; it read really well and sounded very professional. The price was also a great fit for what we were seeking. I was very hopeful until I found out how hard the previous year had been for her with the kids in her care, bringing her close to a nervous breakdown. Then she informed us that her first-aid qualifications may have expired; she wasn’t sure.
Your image is easily tarnished You can say great things about your company, but the proof is in the pudding: if people believe your sales pitch, try out your product or service and have a poor experience, they will not be coming back for more. And they will probably share their poor experience and tarnish your name and any positive brand image that you may have created to date. This would be like me, a branding specialist and communication designer, trying to sell you a logo design but letting you know that the last client I had was very disappointed with my work, it was really stressful, and I don’t like dealing with people much. But you should hire me.
Keep failures to yourself We all have bad experiences running a business, whether it’s a home business or a multimillion-dollar corporation. But, put simply, keep a tight lip about them when talking to staff and, even more so, to potential new clients. As a home business, you may be perceived as not quite having made it yet. This makes it even more important that you pull out all the stops and treat each customer as if you are the best in your business, and in that moment, he or she is the most important person in your world. Any home-run business is still a business. Operate one that is professional and leaves its clients with positive experiences. You can always ask other successful companies for help and to mentor you as a fellow business owner. On the most basic level, look at shops and companies you like to do business with. How do they make service an enjoyable experience and keep you going back for more? Once you identify these successful elements, incorporate them into your business. From there, keep on learning and keep on enjoying the benefits that come with owning a home-run business. • Matt is the art director at Industrial Brand (www.industrialbrand.com), a brand strategy, communications design and web-development studio in Vancouver.
This article from Business in Vancouver January 26-February 1, 2010; issue 1057 |
