One of the biggest challenges you can face when you run a home business is people not being taking your business seriously. You can have issues with family, friends and strangers alike. The good news is that there a number of ways to deal with these negative people.
1. Are You Serious About Your Home Business?
The first person you need to be serious with is yourself. Invest in your business education and learning, produce a business plan and take steps each day to make your plan become a reality. Develop a website with a domain name that either features your name or a relevant keyword related to your niche or industry. Write a regular blog to build your authority, expand your business and attract new customers.
2. Open A Business Bank Account
Open a business bank account. Keep your personal finances separate from your business finances. It will help you feel and look more legitimate.
3. Have A Solid Business Plan
Just like any other successful business, your home business must know who your target market are, what you want to sell to them and what resources you’ll need to provide those products or services. People buy from people that they know, like and trust. Why should people buy from you and not one of your competitors? Decide how you’ll get customers and when you’ll carry out your work.
4. Follow Your Plan Every Day
If you keep putting your home business last because you’re doing things for other people,no one will ever take your business seriously. Set aside specific working hours that you only break for emergencies. Sometimes family members will not like your system, but the more you stick with it, the more that they will come to understand that you are working and can’t be interrupted.
5. Show Them the Money
It may sound hackneyed, but family members and close friends will often respect you and your home business more when you are making money. They might not even realize you’re making money if you don’t tell them. For example, let your friends know how your home business paid for your recent holiday.
6. Get A Business Mentor
Learning from somebody who has gone before you and achieved success can make a big difference to your home business. A business mentor can examine your work, help you make progress with your marketing campaigns and help you solve problems along the way.
7. Don’t Tell Them You Stay At Home
It’s especially hard for women to change from being a stay-at-home mom to a work-at-home mom. People will see you as the same as always, particularly your family. When someone asks what you do, don’t say “stay-at-home mom” or “work-at-home mom”. Tell them what you do, for example, “I’m a freelance copy-writer” or “I sell ABC products to XYZ target audience.”
