Running a home business can put you at a disadvantage right out of the gate. People may not take you seriously, with friends asking how your little “home business” is faring, and clients reluctant to entrust their business to a company without a brick and mortar location. You can use printed paper products to make your home business seem bigger and more professional, however, and increase your chances of making it big.
Start with a custom printed business card. Your business card is often the first thing a potential new client will see, and it could be professional and slick, not printed off your home printer on a perforated sheet of flimsy cardstock. Have your name, email and phone number listed (get a separate phone number for your business if at all possible.) You may also want to add your social media handles for networking.
You should also order custom stationery and printed matching envelopes. Nothing screams “amateur!” more than using plain white paper and having to write the return address on envelopes by hand or resort to tacky stick on labels. If you want to be seen as a professional, you have to look like a professional, and a true professional will order custom printed professional paper products from a professional Long Island print shop.
Your other paper products should fall in line with this recurring theme. If you have a logo or a motto on your business card, replicate that on your stationery and envelopes, and add it to your invoices, work orders, bills and receipts as well as to notepads, printed calendars and even promo items like mugs, can cozies, pens and other giveaway items.
A word about logos – nothing can kill your fledgling company faster than a tacky, cheap looking or tasteless logo. Use a professional print shop artist to help you come up with a tasteful, sleek design that uses color and bold lines to represent your business’ strengths. The logo should be easily sizable so you can plaster it on the front of a t-shirt or shrink it down small enough to fit on a wristband. Your logo can also go on things like coupons for repeat customers, direct mail postcards, and so on.
As a small home business, you should support local businesses in your area. Nothing says disrespect like sending your business to a faceless online entity or overseas vendor. Keep as much as possible of your business related spending in the community, and you may even end up with some reciprocity in trade!
A local Long Island print shop can work with you to create professional paper printed products that can take your home business from part time to full time in no time!