Gift Rep Sandy

Posts Tagged ‘business phone’

Setting Up Your Company

Part of getting your business started is setting up the business framework.  There are many books and agencies available to help you set up your company that will go into much more detail than what is listed here.  Since each state and city regulations are different, it is best to contact your local city hall, county, or Secretary of State to inquire about requirements such as business licensing, permits etc. If you have a Small Business Development Center in your area, normally located on a college or university campus, they can be a wonderful resource, for getting you started.

Following are some ideas and suggestions:

1. Decide on a business name.  Some sales reps use their own name as all or part of the name of their business, for example, “P. Jones Enterprises”, rather than a DBA or “doing business as” for their business name. Some of the most famous firms in the world, such as Hershey’s, use a family name as part of their company name.

2.  Set up a separate phone (whether cell or land line) for business calls.  Use an answering machine or voice mail, and make sure you can access your messages from long distance, when you are traveling or during sales presentations. Frankly, in this day and age, a cell phone makes the most sense, but I started with a phone attached to an answering machine (voice mail is still not available here in the hinterlands), and it worked for a while.

3.  If you plan to use email as a way to communicate with your customers and vendors, AND I STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT!, use a separate email address from your personal email, to filter your emails as they arrive, making it easier to manage and respond to important business correspondence.  Also, if you use an email address that incorporates your business name, will create subliminal advertising for your business, and creates a more professional image.

4.  Open a separate business checking account for all your business related expenses and deposits.  Distinguishing business from personal expenses is a big time saver come tax time, and eases record keeping, and makes the IRS happy!

5.  Depending on where you live, and your personal situation, you may want to set up a separate address, usually a PO Box, for your business mailing address.

6. Use a separate room or den in your house as your office, at least in the beginning. Note that the IRS allows you to allocate a pro-rata portion of your home expenses as a business deduction. However, watch the rules carefully, as this is a major red flag item for audits.

In summary, the success of your business is entirely in your control and owning your own results is one of the most satisfying facets of becoming a self employed sales rep!

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