So you have started a home business and it has seen decent success. Congratulations—that is an impressive feat in and of itself. Now, you may be wondering if it’s time to grow, and if so, how. Here are the steps you should consider and possibly take when looking to expand your home business.
Launch a New Product or Service
A good way to begin expanding your business is to start offering a product or service that complements something you already offer. For example, if you make clothing items, you can expand into making bags or other apparel as well. If you offer editing services, you could consider expanding into ghostwriting. As a businessperson you should always be growing and learning, and if you can realistically offer more products or services your value as a professional will grow.
Outsource
This is an excellent option for expanding your home business that doesn’t involve upgrading to professional office space or hiring new employees. Outsourcing is usually much cheaper than either of those alternative options, and can allow your business to provide more and better products or services to your customers. Tasks you can easily outsource include accounting and clerical work so you can spend more time actually working. Social media management can also be very helpful to outsource.
Rent Office Space
Eventually, your business will have grown so large that it does not make sense to remain in a home office. It may even be against the law to do so, especially if you need to hire employees or meet with clients at your home. If you choose to move into professional office space, and especially if you will be meeting with clients at your office, consider getting official name plates, like those offered by Australian Laser Tech. They will make the business appear more official and ensure everyone knows the names of everyone else.
Hire Employees
If you have gotten to the point where you can afford it and it makes the most sense to do so, you can begin considering hiring employees. This is a major step to take, as it will mean your business has grown beyond your one-man operation and has started to take on the appearance of a more traditional company. Make sure you are ready before you take this step and consider outsourcing first. But if you find yourself turning down work because you’re too busy or you’re ready to expand into commercial office space, it might be time to consider some additional help.
There are a number of ways you can expand your home business. Once you have decided on the methods you think will be most effective for your operation, implement them and continue to grow.
