When you work from home, but also on a one to one basis with clients, you may have a certain feeling of trepidation whenever a client asks to meet in person. After all, there’s only so many times you can ask them out to lunch or for a coffee. If they want to come round just for five minutes and drop something off for you, or they’re passing by and ask if you’ve got 20 minutes just to chat something over, your house will be the only option! But seeing as it’s your home, and it’s not made to be impressive to anyone other than you, you’re going to panic about that first impression. What’s your client going to think when they step through the front door? The next few minutes of mad-dash cleaning and trying to look professional will be a whirlwind! Yet, there’s a lot you can do to eliminate this fear and make your house a lovely place to be. It already is, but tips like these will make sure you’re able to maximize the impact and Look Of Your Home Business!
Offer Refreshments
This is always the best thing to do when you’ve got a guest! Make sure you offer them something to drink, and even set out some healthy and yummy snacks they can take at their leisure. Pop them in a tray with decorations for that extra touch.
Spruce Up Your Curb Appeal
A client’s mind can be made up before they’ve even stepped foot inside your home business. Now, we don’t say that to scare you, but we do need to ensure you’re aware of the value of curb appeal. If you home doesn’t look good from the outside, they’re not going to expect it to look good inside either. As such, make sure you tackle your front garden’s look. Invest in a weed eater to mow back any intrusive plant life, keep your pathway/gravel edges nice and neat, and make sure there’s no paint missing or mold growing. You should also keep your guttering system clear, especially if it’s visible from the ground level, and have your external drains cleared out every now and then.
Decorate with Them in Mind
Your home is your home, and it’s up to you how it looks. That being said, if you’re carving out a professional space, try to decorate with your professional purpose in mind. If you have a spare room for working in, anticipate bringing clients round for a face to face and create a ‘meeting zone’ within it. If you’re working in a summerhouse in the garden, make sure it’s both well decorated and easy to get to. Or if you just have a corner of a room where you’ve set up a desk and a laptop, temporarily appropriate another space in your home and turn it into your boardroom. If that means you need to do a 5 minute deep clean on the kitchen, as it’s the only room with a table, so be it!
Don’t Be Afraid of the Personal Touch
The moment a client accepts that they’ll be coming to your home for a meeting, they accept that a certain level of your personal life will be present. As such, don’t be afraid of those personal touches coming through. It’s OK to have a personal life within your home, even when professional contacts are around – just as long as you can treat your client with importance and dignity. For example, make sure the bathroom is clean, just in case they need to use it. Similarly, if you’re inviting them through to your office, don’t make them walk through a hallway littered with children’s toys. Not only is it a trip hazard, but it means you’re welcoming them into a mess, and that’s not a great first impression to give. Otherwise, a few items cluttered around is perfectly fine, and it’s OK to have accompaniments like scented candles, well loved stationary, or your morning cup of coffee in the meeting with you.
At-home Client Meetings: What to Remember
When you’re happy to bring clients into your home business, you do the one thing no bigger company will ever be able to: show them a truly personal level of customer service. As such, remember that your home doesn’t need to be strictly professional. Make sure it’s clean, and that your working area has the client in mind, but otherwise, the first impression you’re going to make won’t be anywhere near as bad as you think!
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