Take Your Home Business Seriously, or They Won't

by Traci Anderson | More from this Blogger

19 Jan 2007 10:00 PM

Shortly after I left my full-time job as a social worker to pursue my home-based business, a girlfriend and former co-worker called me to join her for lunch. I was thrilled. It seemed like forever since I had left the house and enjoyed an afternoon meal with a friend. "When do you want to meet me?" she asked. Before I had the chance to respond, she replied, "wait a second, maybe we should just decide by my schedule since you aren't really working anymore anyway".

Needless to say, I was no longer excited about my business lunch with her. Did she really just suggest that I didn't have a "real-job"? When I launched my home business, I probably put in twice as many hours as she put into her office job, yet she clearly didn't take me (or my business) seriously.

After a considerable amount of sulking, I decided it would be more proactive to figure out why she didn't think my home-based business was a "real-job". I clearly needed to make some changes so that my customers, team members and fellow consultants did not get the same impression.

First, the last time she'd stopped by my home, I was wearing my baby-blue sneakers, my husband's boxer shorts and a spit-up stained t-shirt. I guess my attire didn't exactly scream "serious business woman".

Second, when she called my home, she probably could hear Dr. Phil in the background. While I love an occasional Dr. Phil break my callers probably don't want (or need) his unsolicited advice when they were trying to speak with me.

Third, my voice-mail message sounded something like this..."hey, you've reached Traci...leave me a message and I'll get back to ya". When is the last time you called a business and heard something like, "hey you've reached Home Depot...leave us a message and well get back to ya".

Needless to say, it didn't take me long to figure out that I was not sending anyone (including my friends and family) the message that I took my business seriously so I made the following simple changes, and it made a tremendous difference.

1). I changed my voice-mail message. "Hi, you've reached Traci. I work out of my home as an Independent Sales Director for ***. I can be reached during the hours of *** and *** this week. Leave a message and I will call you back as soon as I can."

2). I changed my image (at least when I was in public). I often wore my business-logo polo shirt and dress pants when shopping for groceries and business supplies. When I ran into friends and former co-workers, they would immediately say, "oh, you must be working today".

3). I became more aware of background noise. I set my phone up so that I could identify personal and business calls by the ring. If my children were screaming in the background (or if a really important Oprah episode was on), I would let the machine take it and would return business calls when things had settled down at my home. While it is wonderful that we can mix family and business, no one wants to hear a fussy child on the other end of the phone when they are trying to get work done too.

A few months later I invited the same friend to lunch with me. Before she had a chance to insult me again, I asked her, "I have a busy work-week but can pencil you in on Wednesday at eleven, will you be available?".

Here are some related articles you will enjoy: A Home Biz *is* a Real Job The Difference Between Jobs and a Business Home Business Resources

Learn more about Traci Anderson

Traci is a work-at-home-mom (WAHM) from beautiful Big Sky Country (Montana). She spends most of her time trying to keep up with two extremely energetic (but hysterical) Irish twins.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger

Kori Rodley Irons (8277) 20 Jan 2007 06:19 PM

These are good suggestions! I refer to the process as "training" people to understand that you are working--even if you're not heading off to a job. I've been at it long enough that people now get a little sheepish as they think I work far more than the average person instead of "not really working." You're absolutely right that we have to take outselves seriously and set the example that we are still hard-working professionals--with schedules, customers/clients, deadlines, AND the bookkeeping of running our own businesses. And, you're right--no one wants to hear a fussy child--or a snarky teenager. We have caller i.d. on every phone and my kids have been threatened--if it's not for them--don't pick it up! My voice mail also identifies myself and my business and until I can afford a separate line for family and one for business--work comes first during "business hours."

I think that people are becoming increasingly understanding that more and more people telecommute--but we still have to present ourselves as serious business people--even if we are working in our slippers!