Learn To Clear The Most Common Home Business Hurdles In 10 Minutes Flat

October 10, 2016

Modern advancements in the world of tech and communication have created a far better landscape for mompreneurs. They have enabled aspirational women from around the globe to chase their dreams with greater success than ever before. And in many cases, they find that operating from the comfort of home allows for even quicker growth and enjoyment.
Managing the business from home immediately removes some of the biggest fears. Most noticeably, it erases those worries about initial investments and commitments. However, running a home-based business still requires the same level of hard work. Moreover, it can often erect obstacles that more traditional start-ups wouldn’t necessarily face.
This is nothing to fear. As long as you prepared with a winning plan of action, you’ll be just fine. Here are some of the most regularly encountered issues, along with the most practical solutions.
Establishing A Routine
Having ideas and innovations is easy. Turning them into a profitable business is another altogether. Dropping everything to start a home business is a massive step to take. The only way you’ll make it succeed is with commitment, and that requires a strong sense of structure and organization.
Without the boundaries of a traditional career, you may find it hard to get into the routine of actively working. One of the best ways to overcome this issue is to build a home office, or at least establish a space designated for work. Not only will this aid organization, but it can help separate work from leisure too.
After all, a winning mindset is one of the most important elements for turning the business into a success. Many mompreneurs find it beneficial to get up, shower, and get dressed as they would a normal job. Either way, overcoming the distractions posed by working from home is key.
Managing Staff
When working from home, you’re unlikely to be hiring people to work with you from inside your property. Nevertheless, you’ll almost certainly find that the business requires multiple pairs of hands.
Whether you’re hiring permanent freelancers or outsourcing individual tasks doesn’t matter. You will still want to gain the very best results from the staff. Your management and interaction skills will play an integral role. Embracing modern tech facilities is crucial. This can mean using Skype and other video software. Alternatively, you may just want to utilize email in an effective manner.
Effective management of the staff will lead to quicker growth and greater productivity. From a personal perspective, it will remove a great deal of stress. This in itself can be crucial when trying to shut off to enjoy motherhood and juggle other commitments.
Looking Professional
Arguably the biggest worry for any home-based mompreneur is looking amateurish. You know that you’re capable of performing in an extremely professional manner. However, that self-confidence won’t secure a positive reaction from the potential customer base. But you shouldn’t start worrying just yet because there are a variety of hacks that can help you overcome this obstacle.
Let’s face it; operating from a residential address will go against you from time to time. That’s not to say all customers will judge your business on this feature. Then again, some will. A virtual office address could provide you with the professional vibe that’s needed to set that winning first impression. Besides, a prestigious address can make the company appear bigger and more experienced than it is.
You aren’t trying to deceive anyone, but you do need to give yourself the best chance of winning customers. Perceptions are everything, and the seemingly small gestures can make all the difference.
This is particularly salient when dealing with meetings and human interactions. If you have a hire virtual office space, you can book this out for the meeting itself. If not, you can always find a way of getting around the issue by taking the client to lunch.
First impressions count for everything in business. You might not necessarily seal a deal on the basis of those initial meetings. But you could easily wreck it. As long as you’ve taken the necessary steps to overcome the potential flaws of operating from home, you’ll have nothing to fear.
Standing Out
Expressing yourself in a professional manner will inevitably give you a better hope of gaining increased sales. However, it will count for very little if people don’t know about your existence. Given that you don’t have a store, on account of being a home-based business, making the most of marketing schemes is vital.
If yours is a mobile business, it’s worth looking at advertising on local radio or in local publications. But whether yours is a localized business or an online venture, the internet can be your greatest friend. Social media marketing is particularly useful. This is especially true when you target those campaigns to your intended audience.
Meanwhile, an effective website will always have a positive impact on your presence. Of course, you need the design elements to be right. However, it’s arguably even more important that people can find it. Professional SEO services like eBrandz can have a telling impact on your online visibility. Not only will this result in more traffic, but it will also work wonders for that professional image too.
As far as individual marketing campaigns are concerned, you need to show personality. Consumers will be far more likely to purchase from your business if they feel connected to you. Whether it’s using a blog or video technology to provide that insight doesn’t matter. The important factor is that you learn how to strike a chord. Do this, and operating from home will feel less significant than ever.
Gaining Converted Sales
Gaining that positive interest is one thing. However, your main target in business is to successfully generate sales. Many struggling mompreneurs think it’s down to their products or marketing schemes. In the majority of cases, a lack of trust in the company’s transaction services is the main cause of stuttered progress.
You’ll never complete a sale if customers are unable to finish their purchases. Therefore, investing in ecommerce software that accepts multiple payment types is essential. Alternatively, if yours is a localized business, you may need to invest in mobile card processing systems. After all, you cannot expect every customer to hold cash.
A trustworthy and accessible payment gateway is crucial for online and offline ventures alike. If you’re still struggling for sales, try using new marketing methods. Time promotions, for example, force customers to make a decision. More often than not, that will lead to increased sales.
Providing A Winning Customer Service
That first sale will always feel like a major breakthrough. After all, you’ve just gained a new customer. However, your home-based business should be focused on long-term aspirations too. As such, obtaining their long-term loyalty is vital. To do this, you must provide the best possible service along every step of their interaction.
Most home-based mompreneurs lack the space, time, and resources to satisfy a customer’s service needs. Professional services like Red Stag Fulfillment will take care of those elements. Not only does this leave you to focus on what you do best. More importantly, it provides you with the emotional security that goods will reach the consumer in the very best condition.
A winning service doesn’t end with the delivery, though. It’s only natural that customers will encounter issues from time to time. Most will forgive this as long as you show a commitment to find a quick and suitable solution. Investing in a phone rerouting service will allow you to provide client support without workflow disruption.
Perhaps more importantly, you need to install a suitable returns policy. Not only does this give the customer added protection, but it also offers you greater security too. After all, a clear document removes any ambiguity.
It doesn’t hurt to provide customers with the occasional freebie too. This could be a promotional product. Or it may be an item that would otherwise find its way into the bin. If it promotes a better relationship to increase your hopes of future sales, you’d be a fool not to capitalize.
Financial Management
Running a business covers a variety of elements. Ultimately, though, success boils down to one word. Money. Many new businesses struggle to keep a tight grasp on their financial situation. Home-based companies are no different.
Operating from home will result in lower overheads. Nonetheless, the threat of bad debts and other financial headaches are a major concern in those early days. In truth, the vast majority of failed companies don’t even make it past the one-year milestone. Poor financial management is one of the chief reasons. If you can find yourself a cheap accountant, do it. The time and hassle it’ll save you are priceless.
And if you find yourself paying for services, employees, or products that are no longer needed, you must cut them immediately. Every dollar wasted is one that could be used elsewhere to drive the business. Efficiency is a key attribute of any successful mompreneur. Get this right, and the other elements should fall into place.

Mark Asquith

That British podcast guy, Mark is co-founder of Captivate.fm, the world's only growth-oriented podcast host. A Harvard, TEDx, Podcast Movement and Podfest speaker (amongst many more!), he's a wildly approachable Brit and Star Wars/DC Comics geek.

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