Question: For an online business working from home, what address do you put on a website & give to clients? I refuse to give out my home address.

Answer: As a online business working from home I can understand not wanting to put your home address on your website for safety reasons. A few solutions are…

• Only list your city & State on your website
• Use the P.O.Box to receive mail from clients
• Virtualize your communication as much as possible…
  • Have clients fax instead of mail you signed contracts & proposals
  • Use website forms to create your client questionnaires

Question: Is it OK to use a Gmail address until business picks up?

Answer: Yes, it’s okay to use Gmail to receive email but, I recommend using your domain name to send & receive business email for brand and relationship building. Your website hosting should include email so, it’s not extra expense.

Question: I can’t afford a business phone yet, is it wise to direct customers to an email address only?

Answer: Yes and no. First, it’s not necessary to get a business line there a lot of affordable options to solve the phone number issue.

• You can use a follow me service like FreedomVoice or Kall8
• You can use voice mail only services like Google voice
• Then there’s Skype, my recommendation, for less than $100 a year you can get a phone number, make & receive phone calls right from your computer or cell phone. You can also send text & IM messages.

Second, it’s okay to not put your phone number on your website as long as you make sure that you provide a way for website visitors to contact you…

• Include your email address
• Use a support system or help desk
• Or use a contact form

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During your visit be sure to take a look at the free startup resources available to help you start your service-based business online