If you want to be taken seriously in your home business it’s important that you maintain a level of professionalism. This can be difficult when you are not working outside the home. It can be easy to grasp onto a casual look and attitude from within the four walls of your home.
I made the joke to my husband last Friday that it was going to be casual Friday at my job. I had on my Green Bay Packer’s shirt in celebration of their playoff game victory. But I really did take my casual Friday seriously because the majority of the time, despite working from home, I try to make sure that I look decent.
That means I actually do something with my hair, put on some makeup and some nice looking clothes. Now I don’t break out the high heels or anything but I feel much more professional when I take time to put myself together.
It’s really not all about the clothes, though. Your home is most likely a pretty laidback atmosphere, compared to an office setting for example. But you don’t want to develop a laidback attitude when it comes to your home business. You want to be taken seriously so it’s important that you maintain a professional attitude.
In any dealings you have whether it’s with a customer, an editor or whoever else you may encounter in your home business you want to come across as professional. If you are speaking to a client over the phone it isn’t professional to have screaming children in the background or the dog barking.
You also don’t want the person on the other end to hear your television blaring or you clicking away at the keyboard. These are ways that will quickly detract from your reputation as a professional.
Sure, you work from home but don’t use it as an excuse to let things go. Even in a home-based business you should be professional.
Related Articles:
What Will 2011 Bring to Your Home Business?
Getting an Organizational Tune-Up
Keep Learning about Your Field