Running a business from your bedroom might sound like something that only twenty-something entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley do. But the reality is that it makes good business sense. Operating from a property you already own and pay for massively reduces your fixed costs and helps you maintain your bottom line and keep costs to a minimum.
However, getting it right is never easy. While you might have some success, you might also fall into one of the many pitfalls that await entrepreneurs who embark on this journey.
The following are some tips for running a business from your bedroom. Check them out below:
Ensure You Set Aside A Dedicated Workspace
The idea of launching a business from your bedroom is mostly metaphorical. Some entrepreneurs at college do it from their dorm rooms while studying for exams, but they are the exception, not the rule.
Find a workspace in your home where you can work on projects without distractions or anyone walking through and disturbing you. Take time to find the best location in your property and wall it off if you have to.
Dress Professionally
You never know when clients will want to talk to you over Zoom, so always dress the part. Make sure you look like a professional when they call, even if you are home. Don’t do what many freelancers do and work in your pajamas. That’s never a good look for anyone with a public-facing role.
Dressing professionally, however, can also help in other ways. For instance, research shows that the way you dress can affect how you work. If you look the part, you are more likely to act the part. It can also increase your confidence, helping you get the job done when you’re facing a mountain of hurdles.
Offer Easy Payment Methods
You also want to offer clients a variety of payment methods to ensure you can earn an income. Ensure you can take payments over the phone and online if you have a website. Give your customers options so they can begin helping you generate revenue immediately. Don’t rely on cumbersome approaches, like checks. They’re on their way out.
Deliver Excellent Customer Service
Another piece of advice when running a business from your bedroom is to focus on offering excellent customer service. Make sure you build strong relationships with your clients so they trust you as a person, instead of relying on signaling approaches, such as having a fancy downtown office.
The best bedroom businesses strive to exceed their clients’ expectations. Going above and beyond is the best way to get around the lack of commercial premises and professional setup. If you can deliver the goods, people will appreciate it and reward you for it.
Get Into A Routine
While it might suck, getting into a routine is one of the strongest ways to build a more successful bedroom business. Automating as much of your day as possible can help you maintain a sense of normalcy and prevent various distractions from taking over. It also gives you the feeling that you are using your time productively and not wasting it on trivial pursuits that get in the way of you achieving your objectives.
Use Technology
As a bedroom-based business, you also want to leverage as much technology as possible. If it’s just you running the show, it can be hard to get everything done and avoid all the legwork.
The technology you use will depend on the type of business you run. These days, you can get SaaS bundles that include all the software you need via the cloud at discounted prices. Just find one advertised for your business to start saving immediately.
Make sure you focus on the key areas, including communication, productivity, and automation. Explore using AI tools to automatically do time-consuming tasks for you.
Finally, it’s also a good idea to seek feedback when running a business from your bedroom. This will give you a better sense of how customers are receiving your products and services, what they like about them, and how you can improve.
Gathering feedback can be challenging, so focus on anonymous surveys and incentives to encourage customers to respond honestly. If they only send kind words, you’ll never know how to improve your services.
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