There are plenty of solopreneurs who struggle to get business because they don’t feel like they are being taken seriously by potential business partners. The good news is that you will be able to make your venture appear larger than it really is if you stay focused on your niche and act in a professional manner. Just because you are at a growing stage of your business, you should not lose out on great opportunities. Below you will find a few tips on how to make your home business look bigger than it is. You can indeed fake it until you can make it.
How To Make Your Home Business Look Bigger Than It Is
Professional Website
The first thing you will need to take care of is a professionally designed corporate website, A simple cheap blogger template will not do. You will be able to get premium, industry-specific templates created for less than you would think and change the game completely. Most potential partners and customers visit your site before they make a decision whether or not your service is something they need. If it looks cheap, rushed, and is full of spelling mistakes, you will certainly not get their business.
Communication
Your communication will also need to be professional. Take care of your business manners, especially if you are trying to get into the business-to-business area of work. You will need to dress appropriately, use the right salutations, and find the balance between promotion and providing value. If you are too keen or even pushy, you will make your potential customers run and they will never come back to you.
Dedicated Phone Line
If you would like to get your potential customers and partners contact you on the phone, it is important that you have a professional dedicated phone line. You must keep your home and your business life separate, and this means that you need a line for just customers. You can get a virtual number that is redirected to your mobile, or a free phone number to encourage your prospects to get in touch. You might even be able to have your online phone account if you usually work by the computer.
Physical Address
It is important that you have a physical business address, too. If your prospects see that you are operating from a residential area, they will figure out that you are running your operations from home. It is possible to get a mail address solution for a monthly and yearly fee, so you can get people to send you their correspondence or reply your mail. Your letters and parcels will be sent to your home address after they have been received by the service provider.
Marketing Materials

If you would like to create a professional brand image, you will need to get your marketing materials designed by a professional. Take care of the design of the business cards, leaflets, and brochures you send to potential clients or give out at local networking events. You might consider creating a digital version of each marketing material, too, so you can send it via email to people who have shown interest in what you have to offer.
Professional Graphic Design
No matter how creative the message of your blog is, if you are using a cookie-cutter marketing method and a poor graphic design, you will never win over more serious customers. Make sure that you get a logo that can be used on your website, your social media accounts, and your marketing materials. Choose consistent colors and sizes, fonts for your materials, and don’t try to save money by trying to DIY your graphics.
Video Marketing

You can also raise your online profile by engaging in video marketing and adding this branding tool to your marketing strategy. You will be able to get a video creator to create your content or hire a studio. Alternatively, you might be able to make explainer videos from presentations that will explain your audience what you are about, what your unique selling proposition is, and how your services or products will benefit them. Online videos are great for branding and marketing purposes, too.
Social Media Presence
If you would like to be more visible online, you will certainly have to add social media channel to your marketing funnels. You will need to identify the different platforms that are relevant to your industry and are popular among your target customers. If you are in the consultancy business, you might be better off increasing your presence on LinkedIn, but if you are a clothes designer or cake maker, you will benefit from being on Facebook and Instagram more, not to mention YouTube, where you can show people how you work and showcase your results.
Trading As Name
If you want to be taken seriously, you will need more than your own name to trade by. Create a business name, even if you are just a sole trader, and get it registered with your local government, so nobody else can use the same logo and the exact same phrase in their business. Find something that seems professional and catchy, but don’t forget to communicate your unique offers and value proposition, add a slogan and engaging graphics, so you communicate the same brand image across all channels.
Professional Email Address and Headers

When it comes to sending emails and proposals to clients, there’s nothing worse than a communication that looks like it was just thrown together. If you use G Suite, you will find plenty of professional templates for case studies, presentations, proposals, so you can organize your content in a logical way and make it look like it came from a large corporate firm.
When you haven’t managed to grow your venture yet, and are running a business from home, you will need to pay attention to the appearances. Looking unprofessional and unorganized will not get you customers. Make your home business look bigger than it is. Fake it until you have enough customers to grow your business, and boost your profile on various online and offline channels.
Image Credits: Shutterstock, Shutterstock, Shutterstock, Shutterstock
Ah ! Now I need to get cracking on the home business 😉 Indeex one of the mistakes people make is to ‘save’ money by skimping on the basics like professionally designed websites etc . Mom and Pop stores have lost their cachet in terms of credibility and we have to present a more professional image .
Yes, Sunita. I am a firm believer in investing up front in things that matter.