Earn more credibility without renting a full-time office?
Look, here’s the thing. The digital age puts a premium on first impressions like never before. 75% of customers base their opinions about a business’ credibility online by just looking at their website and presence.
The issue…
If your business operates out of your home or private residence, your professionalism is immediately compromised. Potential customers look at your residential address and mark you as unprofessional.
The good news is that a virtual business address changes all of that in an instant.
Instead of renting a physical space, which comes with a lot of overhead, you can get a premium location with great street visibility on your digital content.
Contents
What you’ll find out:
- Why you should care about Professional Image Online
- Virtual Addresses and Credibility
- Virtual Address Benefits for Small Business Owners
- How to Select a Virtual Address Provider
Why you should care about Professional Image Online
The location of your business is more important than you realize.
Here’s how.
When consumers look up your company online, they decide within one second whether to trust you or not. If your residential address is the first thing they see, that quick opinion might not go in your favor.
If you are an LLC or a small business trying to compete with larger corporations, it can be even more significant.
In that case, a virtual address for LLC registration allows business owners to use a professional commercial address on all their marketing materials. That’s a game-changer when it comes to how your potential customer perceives you.
Think about it. The first thing you see when you browse online is not a real physical building or real street.
You see a site. A design. A layout.
94% of first impressions are design-related. Your business address is part of that overall impression.
How Virtual Addresses Build Credibility
This section explains what credibility really means.
What is it
Credibility is something you should build in every business relationship you have. If your potential customers do not consider you credible, they will not buy from you. It’s as simple as that.
A virtual business address builds credibility in different ways:
- It separates your business from your personal life
- It creates your presence
- It also protects your privacy
- Plus, your location at home stays off all public records and marketing materials
- And last but not least, you need a physical address to register your LLC in most of the states
Isn’t that cool?
But that’s not all…
When you list your professional address on your website, Google My Business profile, and business social media accounts, you create a continuous brand image. This continuity signals to your potential customers that you are an established business.
The Trust Factor
Remote and hybrid work opportunities are at an all-time high right now. 65% of companies currently offer work flexibility to their employees. This rise has a significant reason behind it.
Remote and flexible work opportunities are on the rise due to customer demands and technological advancements. But what does that mean?
It means that now more than ever, you might be one of the business owners without a physical office.
That used to be a major problem for the professional image…
How do you appear professional if you do not have a physical office building?
Virtual addresses solve this issue very well. They give the appearance of an established business location and help you present a professional image. Your customers get to expect professionalism, and you get the flexibility you need.
Virtual Address Benefits for Small Business Owners
Running a small business is not easy.
On the one hand, you have your customers. On the other hand, there are the overheads and bottom-line cash flows to consider.
That is why most business owners take their address choice very seriously.
Cost Savings
Renting a full-time office space can get expensive fast. The location you want plus the utilities and insurance might drain your company’s resources.
But what about a virtual business address?
Virtual addresses take care of almost all the money-consuming concerns while you get a prestigious business address for your startup at a fraction of the costs.
Mail Handling Services
Most companies that offer this kind of address will automatically provide mail handling services. All of your business mail gets received at the street location and forwarded to you as well as scanned and digitally forwarded.
Your packages, legal notifications, and invoices would get scanned and sent to you via email.
Meeting Space Access
Business has to be flexible, after all.
What happens when a client you want to meet in person and you do not have the office for an hour-long meeting?
You can always have access to physical meeting space thanks to some of the virtual business address providers, many of which offer access to meeting rooms and conference centers.
Business owners who rarely need to meet with their clients in person benefit the most from this.
Enhanced Privacy
Don’t forget privacy.
You have probably noticed how much of your personal information is public when you sign up for a new business.
In addition to that, there is also your residential address that might put you at risk.
You can always rely on a virtual business address to take care of the location for you and allow you to keep your house address to yourself.
How to Select a Virtual Address Provider
All providers are not the same, and selecting a good virtual address provider could be very tricky.
You are going to need to look for these critical features:
- Real street address – If a provider is selling P.O. boxes, walk the other way
- Mail scanning and forwarding – Mail is critical to any business
- Meeting room availability – Even if you do not think you need it now
- Reputable location – A real street address in a business district matters
- Flexible pricing – Look for providers where you only pay for services you use
Pulling It All Together
At the end of the day, you need to know this one thing…
A virtual business address is one of the most vital and smartest investments that a small business can ever make towards its professional image online. And it’s not all about looks either.
A virtual business address helps you cover multiple angles at the same time:
- You can cut costs dramatically since it is way cheaper than a full-time office
- You project a professional image to your customers
- Privacy is never an issue
- Flexibility is a bonus, and it’s what you will get
Here is the thing, customers will make a snap decision about your business.
They would decide in under a second whether to trust you, and if you appear unprofessional. It would be a big no for any of your target consumers.
A virtual address would help you build the presence your startup needs and help you level the playing field and earn the trust of potential customers before they ever have a word with you.
That is how it should always be for every successful growing business.
Even if you just started or you want to upgrade your current business profile, you will find that a virtual address works, and it starts working immediately.
