In the animal kingdom, one of the tactics animals use to gain success – i.e. not getting eaten by predators – is to appear bigger than they actually are. The same principle applies to businesses. Companies that portray a bigger, professional image are able to gain market share, despite the presence of cutthroat competition. While it’s a challenge for home-based business owners to maintain professionalism at all times, the following investments should help you appear bigger.
1. Branded Packaging
If you’re running an e-commerce business, you likely to sell and ship products of different sizes. Home-based retailers commonly use generic cardboard boxes for packaging in order to keep costs low. However, generic packaging screams marketplace seller. Branded shipping materials and boxes boost branding and offer leeway for quick size adjustments. If crafting a branded packaging program by yourself seems intimidating, look into fulfillment companies. They’re experts in branded e-commerce shipping and packaging services. Plus, they can manage your order handling, inventory management, and shipping processes if you require a turnkey solution.
2. Professional Telephone System
Every customer, employee, and prospective client will interact with you at some point over the phone. Therefore, it is vital to carefully set up your firm’s outgoing and incoming call journey to make the process as smooth as possible. Otherwise, you risk losing customers. A business VoIP service can empower business owners to have complete control over the processing of calls. Leading vendors also give you the ability to start conference calls, look up contact information, and check the status of employees, so you spend less time in transferring lines and searching for numbers. Overall, they deliver an effective phone handling process that ensures your business has a professional image.
3. Thought Leadership Content
You don’t have to be a CEO of a Fortune 500 to gain recognition in your field. By contributing to high-profile websites, you can showcase your thought leadership. Study your industry thoroughly before you send out a pitch. Cite scientific studies and relevant examples to come off as an established authority on the topic you’re going to talk about. And once your contribution gets published, share it with industry influencers and your B2B contacts to amplify its reach. In addition, you can send it out to your newsletter subscribers. If you’re able to establish yourself as a subject matter expert with content marketing, potential clients will inherently trust you more.
4. LLC Company
Though it requires a little investment, there are several benefits to having an LLC company, including a professional image. Procedures and laws may vary by state but converting to a limited liability company requires less legal paperwork than a C-corporation or an S-corporation. With an LLC, you can file taxes as if you’re a corporation, which means you can avoid being taxed via your individual federal tax return. LLC company owners are also protected from liability; you won’t be personally liable for any debts or judgments against the firm. Hence, if your business is subjected to legal proceedings, your creditors can’t seek your personal assets, like your car or house.
Though it may look canny, there’s nothing wrong with presenting a professional image to the world. As your business grows, you’ll hire additional employees to manage the operations, so by taking this route, you’ll be ready to grow right from the start.
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