Building Your Home Business System
Many home based businesses fail within six months of starting.
This is usually because the new business owner has not put in place, the proper systems to run a home based business.
In this article I've included a few tips that should help you to organize your new business.
Office space It is important to have a proper workplace for your home business.
Many people try to work out of their garage or a corner of their bedroom or even in a portion of the family room.
This tends to cause disorganization.
Curious children getting into things in your workspace can also be a problem.
If you don't have a specific space set aside for your home based business you need to make one.
Set up an office space specifically for your business, even if most of your work is done outside of your home (as with building contractors or plumbers).
Setting up a specific desk, file cabinet, and telephone line for your business is important.
If you don't have a room in your home that is exclusively used for your business, you need to have at least a portion of a room set aside.
This area shouldn't be used for anything else.
Telephone Your home base business should have its own telephone number and an answering machine set up specifically for your business.
If your clients can get a hold of you via the telephone you need to have a way for them to contact your online.
Sharing your home telephone line with your home based business can cause problems.
If you have teenagers or other family members who are prone to use the telephone a lot you may not get an important business calls.
Setup rules for your business phone.
It should be used for business use only.
Whoever answers your business phone needs to do it in a professional manner.
This is important if you want your business to be taken seriously.
Organizing Data and Supplies Your office should have a secure filing cabinet to organize your business documents.
You should keep all important data in this filing cabinet.
All receipts and other forms need to be kept where you are not going to lose them.
It's also important to keep documents and other business related materials put away so that someone doesn't spell something on them.
Losing important paperwork can be very costly for your home based business.
Selling products that look like your children have been playing with them is also not good for your business.
Computer Data on your computer should be password protected.
If you don't password protect your business documents it's possible that children or even other family members can go in and accidentally delete your home based business data.
Losing computerized business records can also be very costly for a new home based business.
Financial Management System Another big mistake that new home business owners tend to make is not having a separate financial management system for their business and your own money.
Your business should have its own bank account.
You should give yourself a payday.
Avoid giving your self advances, even when you feel you have earned them.
Keeping track of business expenditures is important.
If your financial records are mingled in with your grocery shopping it's going to become very difficult to keep track of funds.
This is usually because the new business owner has not put in place, the proper systems to run a home based business.
In this article I've included a few tips that should help you to organize your new business.
Office space It is important to have a proper workplace for your home business.
Many people try to work out of their garage or a corner of their bedroom or even in a portion of the family room.
This tends to cause disorganization.
Curious children getting into things in your workspace can also be a problem.
If you don't have a specific space set aside for your home based business you need to make one.
Set up an office space specifically for your business, even if most of your work is done outside of your home (as with building contractors or plumbers).
Setting up a specific desk, file cabinet, and telephone line for your business is important.
If you don't have a room in your home that is exclusively used for your business, you need to have at least a portion of a room set aside.
This area shouldn't be used for anything else.
Telephone Your home base business should have its own telephone number and an answering machine set up specifically for your business.
If your clients can get a hold of you via the telephone you need to have a way for them to contact your online.
Sharing your home telephone line with your home based business can cause problems.
If you have teenagers or other family members who are prone to use the telephone a lot you may not get an important business calls.
Setup rules for your business phone.
It should be used for business use only.
Whoever answers your business phone needs to do it in a professional manner.
This is important if you want your business to be taken seriously.
Organizing Data and Supplies Your office should have a secure filing cabinet to organize your business documents.
You should keep all important data in this filing cabinet.
All receipts and other forms need to be kept where you are not going to lose them.
It's also important to keep documents and other business related materials put away so that someone doesn't spell something on them.
Losing important paperwork can be very costly for your home based business.
Selling products that look like your children have been playing with them is also not good for your business.
Computer Data on your computer should be password protected.
If you don't password protect your business documents it's possible that children or even other family members can go in and accidentally delete your home based business data.
Losing computerized business records can also be very costly for a new home based business.
Financial Management System Another big mistake that new home business owners tend to make is not having a separate financial management system for their business and your own money.
Your business should have its own bank account.
You should give yourself a payday.
Avoid giving your self advances, even when you feel you have earned them.
Keeping track of business expenditures is important.
If your financial records are mingled in with your grocery shopping it's going to become very difficult to keep track of funds.
