So you want to start a home based business. Just think, you can work in your slippers when you want to - what could be better? No commute, not having to play office politics, no income - Whoops how did that sneak in? Let's have a reality check about your home business. Can you work in your slippers? Sure, no problem. If you aren't going to be meeting face to face with your clients, it makes little difference how you're dressed.
Can you work when you want to? That really depends on a lot of things. If you are a freelance writer with little, if any contact, with
public, yes you can. However, if you are selling a product or service, and public will be contacting you , that may not work.
The normal office is open during working day, but wait a minute. Typical office hours are 9-5 and if you call their number, you expect an answer. If you don't get an answer, you will most likely try another source. But with Internet, wha are typical office hours? If you live in New York you are on eastern time, how about all your prospects on West Coast? When you're wrapping it up for day, they're just getting back from lunch.
So do you increase your office hours to cover all time zones. If you're on west coast, open earlier in morning - if you're on east coast close later at night. Right - wrong. That will be self defeating, as far as running your own home based business. Before you worked 8 hours a day and since you decided to get out of "rat race", you now have to work eleven?
The first thing you should do is to post hours when people can talk with you on your web site. But it is amazing how little attention some people pay to this. Calls will be received at all hours of day and night. Now, remember that anyone who does call, is a more serious prospect than one who simply responds to an email.
Should you have a toll free number? While many will argue that this is a more professional approach, it will increase number of calls from people who are referred to as "tire kickers". If they have to spend "their dime" for call, they will be less inclined to call unless they are serious.
