Jewelry-Making Articles

Finding A Place To Meet Clients When Operating A Beading Business At Home

Many beading business owners choose to operate their companies from home for a number of reasons. With an appealing, functional website, it has become easier for entrepreneurs to launch the business of their dreams in the digital age. Working from home also eliminates the need to spend money on renting a commercial space in order to sell goods and services.

However, operating a business from home means that you have to find a way to communicate with everyone from distributors to clients on a professional level without an office. This can be difficult to do, especially if you don't have an area of your home that is dedicated to beading business matters away from your family.

"It's an intensely personal choice whether to open your home to the stresses of business life," Claire Tamburro, a designer who has a background in residential home offices, told Entrepreneur.com. "There are design challenges, issues with friends and neighbors. It can be done, but it is a big step."

That being said, many experts say that hosting meetings with clients at home should be avoided, even if it's where your office is located. Smarta.com reports that this often makes clients feel like the entrepreneur is unable to afford a commercial space and is not doing well.

The best solution is to initially offer to meet with people by traveling to where they are located, rather than inviting them to your home office or another location. Even though this may result in travel costs, it can potentially be deducted from your expenses in the future.

If you aren't willing to travel but you need to get business done with a certain client, you might be able to invite them to your home office under certain circumstances. The news source reports that this option should only be utilized for close friends or contacts that you are working with.

When you are meeting with someone at home, Entrepreneur.com states that using your dining room may be the best idea, especially if your office is full of clutter and distractions. By moving your meeting to the dining room, you'll have a large table to work with and an ample amount of space to comfortably talk. To make the space more suited for business, think about bringing in more lighting fixtures and perhaps a cabinet that can be used for storage.

If you have a spare bedroom, you could also turn this into a space for meeting with beading business clients. Think about bringing multi-functional furniture such as desks and futons for sitting and meeting. Hang some art on the wall to make the space quaint and comfortable. The best part about using a bedroom is it will also likely give you privacy and seclusion from the rest of the people in the house.

"You know your client," Mark Dutka, an interior architect, told Entrpreneur.com. "Just present yourself in your home and put your appropriate foot forward."

Women who are operating a beading business at home might want to take a few precautionary measures before inviting clients into their personal space, according to Women on Business. Safety should be a priority when it comes to meeting with strangers in your home at all times.

The news source reports that the room where you're meeting with clients should be located in the front of the house facing the street with plenty of windows. A phone should also be nearby in case you need to make an emergency call for help.

When meeting with a customer, make it a point to provide yourself with an exit at all times. Do not block yourself in with desks and chairs, and leave your office door open if you are meeting in a specific room.

If you don't have a home office space or you feel it's unprofessional to invite clients into your humble abode, there are several other options available to you. One of the most popular meeting locations for at-home business owners is coffee shops. This allows you to relax over a cup of joe without splurging on a big meal at a restaurant just to get a deal done.

Public locations such as libraries are also a great place to meet with clients. Best of all, you're guaranteed a quiet environment free of distractions while you're conversing.

It can be intimidating to think about how you're going to meet with clients when you operate your wholesale beading business from home. However, there are many options available to you - you need to just be willing to find a good fit for you. By keeping comfort and privacy a priority while searching for a meeting location, you can ensure that you have the right environment to conduct business.


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