Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/15024
Home-Based Business By Nina McIntosh W here you work can make a big difference. Working out of your home is inexpensive and convenient, but it’s a little like wearing your old, favorite bathrobe to work—it might be more comfortable, but you’ll have to work a lot harder to convince the client you’re a legitimate professional. Having an office makes a clear statement that you are a committed practitioner. It says to both you and your clients that this isn’t just a hobby, and that you’re serious about your work and willing to invest in it. You might be able to communicate that attitude if you work out of your home, but the statement is stronger in an office setting. Skin care professionals must be aware of appearances. We have to make sure clients feel safe with us and we feel safe with them. A professional office space can reassure a wary client we are legitimate. Having your practice in your home risks revealing more about yourself than you may want. As a professional, you want to keep your personal life out of the relationship with your client—not to be distant or aloof, but to keep the focus on the client and on creating a relaxing environment. A client coming into your home will pick up a good deal of information about you—the neighborhood you live in, if you keep your house tidy, whether you live with someone else, and even, depending on where your kitchen is, what you’re cooking for dinner. All this information may be distracting to clients or cause them to have reactions or form judgments about you that can interfere with their comfort. Another drawback of a home office is that it may unconsciously feel like a host-guest relationship to both of you. Clients need to be able to fully relax during a session and not feel as if they have to be polite in someone’s home. And practitioners sometimes have the challenge of discouraging clients who want to linger on to chat. An office is a more neutral space. Many practitioners who have tried both settings report they attract a broader range of clientele when they work out of an office. CREATE A PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT Whether you choose to work out of your house or use an office, here are some pointers for creating a safe, professional environment. As much as possible, avoid showing the client your personal space. If you choose to work out of your home, use a room that’s set aside just for your professional work. The message to clients is that this is a space solely for their relaxation. (There’s also an advantage to being able to shut the office door at the end of your business day and focus on your private life without reminders of work concerns.) If possible, a good arrangement when working from your home is to have a separate entrance for clients or a way for them to get to your office without taking a tour through your private living space. Having a separate bathroom for clients is also ideal. The very best solution for working out of your home would be to have a studio—an office with a bathroom—in a separate building. Let the office be warm and inviting, but not overly personal. Wherever your office is, you want it to feel inviting to your clients, but not overwhelmingly personal. If you work out of your home, you don’t want your office space to look like a bedroom with an esthetician treatment table in it. Eliminate bedroom- type furniture and large numbers of personal pictures and other personal items. There’s no harm in having a couple of family pictures in the room, just don’t overdo it. Profession-related or generic artwork is often a better choice and sets an appropriate tone. Similarly, avoid making your office into a display of your personal beliefs—political, spiritual, or 26 successful business handbook www.ascpskincare.com