Do You Lose Business Because You Don't Have An Office?

24 replies
I would be interested to know what you think?

I mean - I've had prospects try to shake me down by asking to see the "office".

At which point, I ask which one - Manchester, Huddersfield or Leeds...

That usually shuts them up.

But... do you think that you can run a successful offline business without an office? I personally do think so...

However, how do you handle meetings?
Seminars?
Workshops?

It would be great if people can share their ideas, as I think ti can really help out...
#business #lose #office
  • Profile picture of the author QuickSurf
    If you want, just get a virtual office, cheap, usually around 80-200 a month where I live so you get a physical address to use (mail, and so clients don't see your home adress), and you can use their meeting rooms to meet with clients.
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  • Profile picture of the author .
    i believe you need the office if you pretend to play the "corporate game" ... in my case, part of my success is that I'm not a company, and that's how I brand myself.

    My office is in my house, close to the beach and I don't accept customers because my house is full of my kids toys.

    If you brand yourself like a company, I guess you need an office. but if you explain them why you are proud of not being a company then it's easier.

    Can we meet in your office?
    - I don't have a office.
    What? What do you mean?
    - I don't have an office.
    Well, what kind of professional doesn't have an office.
    - Well the kind of professional that spends more time working from home, than commuting or in corporate meetings. In fact if you hire me, I can work better from home and spend more time and money in improving my skills to provide you a better service... instead of spending money in rent, secretary and "drinks" with clients.

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    • Profile picture of the author QuickSurf
      Originally Posted by rankinghero View Post

      i believe you need the office if you pretend to play the "corporate game" ... in my case, part of my success is that I'm not a company, and that's how I brand myself.

      My office is in my house, close to the beach and I don't accept customers because my house is full of my kids toys.

      If you brand yourself like a company, I guess you need an office. but if you explain them why you are proud of not being a company then it's easier.

      Can we meet in your office?
      - I don't have a office.
      What? What do you mean?
      - I don't have an office.
      Well, what kind of professional doesn't have an office.
      - Well the kind of professional that spends more time working from home, than commuting or in corporate meetings. In fact if you hire me, I can work better from home and spend more time and money in improving my skills to provide you a better service... instead of spending money in rent, secretary and "drinks" with clients.

      It depends, in the U.S. for example, having a physical address can make a big difference in offline, I've seen people lose tons of clients and $$ by not having one. I had a physical office for a commerical finance and consulting biz I owned, even though I worked from home too...people I dealt with (known Developers etc) would have never worked with somebody that worked from their house and didn't have an office no matter what proof of transactions you've done or testimonials you have (but that was a brutal industry lol). Having a physical address gives a big impression and trust... if you want to do it cheap and still work from home, just get a virtual office for like a 100 bucks a month, just so people can see an actual address and if you had to meet with any of them you can use the buildings/office meeting rooms.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Peters Benn
    We occasionally tease prospects we think are going to be difficult by not mentioning the office.

    When they ask, then we show.

    I do wonder what would happen if we had nothing to show.

    We all know, that the quality of your offline work has nothing to do having an office or not.

    A virtual office seems like a good bet either way for people?

    I guess the flipside is how you find working at home?
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  • Profile picture of the author DavidSimpson
    I don't think it is necessary at all, unless you are the type of person that gets distracted easily and can't focus at home, or you have kids and they "won't" let you get any work done.

    You can do everything by Skype and/or Go To Meeting if you want.

    Just think what you would do if you got clients that were far away. It's about positioning yourself as the expert. If someone won't work with you just because you work from home, either it's a sales issue, or they are probably going to be a problem client that you won't want anyway.

    Offer to start small and show them results and then build on that.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve Peters Benn
      Originally Posted by DavidSimpson View Post

      I don't think it is necessary at all, unless you are the type of person that gets distracted easily and can't focus at home, or you have kids and they "won't" let you get any work done.

      You can do everything by Skype and/or Go To Meeting if you want.

      Just think what you would do if you got clients that were far away. It's about positioning yourself as the expert. If someone won't work with you just because you work from home, either it's a sales issue, or they are probably going to be a problem client that you won't want anyway.

      Offer to start small and show them results and then build on that.
      Hi David,

      I couldn't agree more - positioning is very important. Still, most days, I get at least one email from someone worried that they can't do well because they don't have an office...
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      • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
        If someone asks about my office, I explain that I have clients all around the world who trust me because they've read my books and know my reputation to the extent that they hire me sight unseen.

        Someone who can't make their peace with that is not a good client for me.

        Marcia Yudkin
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        Check out Marcia Yudkin's No-Hype Marketing Academy for courses on copywriting, publicity, infomarketing, marketing plans, naming, and branding - not to mention the popular "Marketing for Introverts" course.
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    • Profile picture of the author QuickSurf
      Originally Posted by DavidSimpson View Post

      I don't think it is necessary at all, unless you are the type of person that gets distracted easily and can't focus at home, or you have kids and they "won't" let you get any work done.

      You can do everything by Skype and/or Go To Meeting if you want.

      Just think what you would do if you got clients that were far away. It's about positioning yourself as the expert. If someone won't work with you just because you work from home, either it's a sales issue, or they are probably going to be a problem client that you won't want anyway.

      Offer to start small and show them results and then build on that.
      It really depends on the industry, like in the finance sector... everyone I know that works from home has a virtual office if not a physical one. I had a nice physical one just so I could get out of the house lol. In that industry you can try to brand yourself or position yourself as an expert all you want and it won't matter... I had clients that would tell me that "yeh some schmuck actually tried getting my biz/or called me saying he could do this or that etc, and didn't even have an office, like I'm gonna work with joe schmoe from home".... usually something along those lines with a lot more colorful words LOL (but that was the type of industry we were in).
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    • Profile picture of the author QuickSurf
      Originally Posted by DavidSimpson View Post

      I don't think it is necessary at all, unless you are the type of person that gets distracted easily and can't focus at home, or you have kids and they "won't" let you get any work done.

      You can do everything by Skype and/or Go To Meeting if you want.

      Just think what you would do if you got clients that were far away. It's about positioning yourself as the expert. If someone won't work with you just because you work from home, either it's a sales issue, or they are probably going to be a problem client that you won't want anyway.

      Offer to start small and show them results and then build on that.
      It really depends on the industry, like in the finance sector... everyone I know that works from home has a virtual office if not a physical one. I had a nice physical one just so I could get out of the house lol. In that industry you can try to brand yourself or position yourself as an expert all you want and it won't matter... I had clients that would tell me that "yeh some schmuck actually tried getting my biz/or called me saying he could do this or that etc, and didn't even have an office, like I'm gonna work with joe schmoe from home".... usually something along those lines with a lot more colorful words LOL (but that was the type of industry we were in).

      In pry 99% of IM/offline marketing (offline with online products etc, or maybe most services) it pry won't matter.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steve Peters Benn
        Originally Posted by QuickSurf View Post

        It really depends on the industry, like in the finance sector... everyone I know that works from home has a virtual office if not a physical one. I had a nice physical one just so I could get out of the house lol. In that industry you can try to brand yourself or position yourself as an expert all you want and it won't matter... I had clients that would tell me that "yeh some schmuck actually tried getting my biz/or called me saying he could do this or that etc, and didn't even have an office, like I'm gonna work with joe schmoe from home".... usually something along those lines with a lot more colorful words LOL (but that was the type of industry we were in).

        In pry 99% of IM/offline marketing (offline with online products etc, or maybe most services) it pry won't matter.
        Quicksurf - some really good content here - I know it will be very useful for everyone reading!
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        • Profile picture of the author QuickSurf
          Originally Posted by Steve Peters Benn View Post

          Quicksurf - some really good content here - I know it will be very useful for everyone reading!
          Plus it's nice to actually get out and work/chill in your own office... I don't mind working from home, but not a fan b/c besides going to the gym.. feel like I'm stuck inside all day lol.
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  • Profile picture of the author tonyscott
    Hi Steve, just signed up for your bootcamp. My office is my kitchen and I do meet clients here, or in a cafe, or at their office or in a pub. Have hired a meeting room to punt up my local directory.

    I don't think it matters for business, certainly not where I'm located, but it can be problematic domestically if I have to put in a long week.

    Tony
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  • Profile picture of the author Dexx
    I've never had someone even mention wanting to see my office before...

    I've been asked how big my "team" is, but that's about it...

    What is usually happening when that question is asked? Sounds like they are seeking confirmation of your businesses "credibility" perhaps...

    ~Dexx
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    I dont lose clients over it... but I miss having an office, and plan on starting another one. The cost is made up for by the increased profits you get from supervising the people who work for you directly. Not to say virtual people dont work, but its good to have a few people in an office buzzing away together too...the buzz helps productivity.

    I get tired of working at home... believe it or not.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rocketguy
    I have a real office and it is actually pretty affordable. I am only there anymore when someone "wants to meet me at my office" but it is something I need just in case.
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  • Profile picture of the author redlegrich
    Well, it's nice having an office to hang around at. In Seattle if you say you work at home and can meet at a coffee shop no one cares one bit. No I can see if you are in certain industries that might be an issue, but when doing marketing or "Internet stuff" I haven't talked with anyone yet who cares. Additionally many big companies are encouraging their staff to work at home. I don't think it's that big of a deal anymore. Go to a coffee shop at 10:00AM, it's mostly business people in meetings!
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  • Profile picture of the author danielp310
    Nowadays it is not as important to have an office...working from home is very normal and it will be even more popular in the years to come...

    I go to starbucks all the time to work on my laptop but everytime time I go all the tables are taken by people in business meetings...Sometimes I have to drive to 3 different starbucks to find a table...I would sit outside but its cold now here in Cali.
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  • Profile picture of the author dialseo
    I agree it's all about how you present yourself. I've been able to succeed with meeting clients at public places or restaurants, using a P.O. box, and getting a VoIP phone line.

    I also suggest getting fax to email. Try to accommodate the things an office would.
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  • Profile picture of the author ryanjm
    When we start up our offline IM in a few months we're definitely going to get an office. I think it would be considerably harder to land $1k+/mo clients without an office. Plus, like many of you said, it's nice to get out of the house and be working together with other people. Keeps you more focused and motivated.
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  • Profile picture of the author InHwan Park
    i have been looking into those rent-a-office services lately but only because i need working space for my sales team to clock in and out from. so far when i was a one man show in offline marketing, i never had a problem with working at home. but most of my clients were referrals from other clients and a certain fundamental level of trust was already there from the beginning.

    i don't think an office is necessary but if you are looking to hire a team and hold seminars and educational "classes" than you should look into getting a space to do them in.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Grant
    I've quite a few clients and have never needed an office. I always ensure I meet them at their place, always a nice little inspection for me.
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  • Profile picture of the author jushuaburnham
    Having a physical office is just an another expenses indeed for the rent, I'm just working at home sound thrifty while some of my employees full time and part time are just working home based as well and we're get connected. So far I see nothing complication in it as far as the business is concern.
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  • Profile picture of the author paulie888
    It's not been an issue for me at all, as I work and advertise virtually and have yet to contact a prospect or customer that lived within 500 miles of me! Everything is done over email, the phone and Skype, if needed.

    Paul
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    • Profile picture of the author JamieSEO
      Skype, phone and email are fine for me about 95% of the time.

      For the other 5% I just catch up with them at a local coffee shop or restaurant.

      Never had any complaints about the fact I don't use an office.
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