If you are running a small business from your spare room or your summer house, one of your greatest challenge might be to think like a big fish instead of a small one. Some people will tell you that you have to fake it until you make it, and it certainly applies to branding your small home based business. Below you will find a few tips on how to make your one-man band look more professional.

Your Website

The first thing you will have to do is work on your website and make it look like it was designed by one of the marketing gurus, instead of a five-year old kid. Avoid using cookie-cutter options, and use a custom template if you are creating your own website. Invest in network security and get a network performance test to check your site is safe and fast. Alternatively, get a discount code and trust a professional with your branding, giving you consistent brand messages and images.

Marketing Communication

The next thing you need to focus on is your digital marketing strategy for your small business. You need to design your sales funnel taking into consideration what your customers want, their user experience, your budget, and your unique selling points. You might not be the biggest, but maybe you are offering personalised service and great customer service other firms don’t.

Address

There comes a time in your business when you will need to create a professional profile on directory sites, and you might want to display your location on your site’s impressum, too. Unfortunately, you will not be able to fake this, so - unless you would like to put your home address on your site - you will need to get a virtual office service. These are available for a couple of dollars a month, and can help you raise your business profile.

Telephone Communication

It might also be a good idea to focus on your professional phone numbers and make sure that you are able to appear businesslike. You can get a local phone number or a free one, and get it answered by a call center for a monthly fee, or simply redirect it to your mobile. The good news is that you will know that the call is from a potential client, so you will answer it the right way. This is a good way of legalising your home business and making it look more like a real venture, not a home.

Your Social Media Pages

No matter if you are an Instagram person or are looking for people to connect with on LinkedIn, you will have to create a consistent brand image. This is something people often forget about. Always separate your personal profile from your business one, and make sure that you are looking as focused and professional as possible. Add your bio to every account, and get a professional photo shoot to impress your potential clients.

Looking professional as a small business owner is a challenge. Use the above tips to look bigger than you really are.