The Secrets to Running a Remote Business

The idea of being tied to one place isn’t appealing to some people. If you want to run a business, you might not like the thought of setting up in one particular place. However, there is another option. You can create a business that you can run remotely, with no need for an office or any premises. Of course, to do this, you need to choose the right business model. There are companies you wouldn’t be able to set up if you didn’t have a permanent home. Preferably you need to be able to run your business without meeting clients in person. It works best for service-based businesses, rather than those selling products. So how can you do it?

Give Your Business a Permanent Home

Your business might not technically have an office or premises, but it should look like it does. When clients look at where you’re based, they may not want to find that the answer is “wherever I feel like it.” If you don’t have any sort of base, they won’t be able to track you down. That thought can put some people off as they worry about things going wrong. Having an official address, even if you don’t work there, is a good idea. You can use a virtual business street address to give your remote business a home. Your mail can go to the address and be forwarded to you by mail or by email.

Gather a Remote Team

Of course, if you want to have an entirely remote business, you should work with remote staff. You can get almost any service provided to you remotely. If you need graphic design, content writing, admin support or anything else, you can find someone to do it. Look for independent freelancers or choose larger businesses providing virtual services. When you choose the people you work with, you need to consider a few things. For example, what time zone will you operate on? Does it matter if someone is working eight hours ahead of you?

Make Sure Your Communication Is Solid

Communication is vital if you’re operating a remote team. It’s important to work out the best ways to keep in touch with everyone. They may also need to be in contact with each other, without your help. You should look at different ways of communication, from phone and email to instant messaging and video chat. Work out whether you need to schedule communication or have everyone available during certain hours.

Get the Right Tech

As well as communication tools, you might need other technology to help everyone get their work done. You need to think about what your business needs are and what your workers need. Perhaps you need a CMS system for people to access their work. You might require customer relationship management software to track calls or emails. File sharing is important too, so make sure you have something like Google Drive or Dropbox in place.

Running a business remotely can give you more freedom. It could allow you to travel or work more flexibly around other commitments.