Читать книгу Start & Run a Graphic Design Business - Michael Huggins - Страница 98

If working from home is a choice you make, or the only option available at first, there are ways to guard against the pitfalls.

Have a door to close: Be sure your space has a door that you can close when you conduct phone meetings or work on design projects. That way you make it easier to avoid distraction and interruption when you need to focus. Be careful if you are considering an open area of a well-used part of your home. Disruption by loved ones can present a problem when it comes to efficient work flow.

Create a set of business rules in advance: The best way to avoid the problem of the clash between family life and business life is to plan for it. Make a set of rules for how you will behave during business hours. Define what your hours will be. Outline proper behaviors for that time. Let everyone know when it’s okay to interrupt and how they should do it. It sounds a little controlling and formal, but it makes dealing with the stress of business at home so much easier on you and others. The last thing you want a client to hear is, “Hey Dad! Look at what Jordan stuck up his nose!”

Soundproof, if possible: When I first started my business in my home I actually renovated the lower level to accommodate my office. When I had it built I soundproofed the office as much as possible to protect my client phone calls from the sounds of suburbia, such as screaming kids and barking dogs. It was a real image saver especially when I was making my big deals on the phone with clients.

Make your place of business feel professional: If you have a home office and you want to invite clients in, be sure it feels as professional as possible. Try to overcompensate for the home feeling your clients will get when they walk up to your doorway. Let the environment feel like an office the moment they walk through the door. If possible, try to have clients’ access through an entrance other than the front door to the house.

Chances are you won’t be able to post a sign in your neighborhood due to local laws. Check with city hall to confirm this before you start bolting huge signs to the front of your house. If you can post a sign, put it out front for clients to see as soon as they drive up to your house. It still won’t communicate the prestige you will want in your business, but at least it will make them feel comfortable that they are in the right place.