With traditional brick and mortar stores struggling in the city these days, smaller online firms are finding it easier to adapt to the economic changes brought about by the pandemic. Starting a business from the comfort of your home is a good way to earn extra income and contribute to the local economy while also pursuing something you are passionate about. Below, we will cover the basics of starting your own home-based business in Atlanta.
Establishing Your Home Office Space
One of the first steps is making sure you have enough home office space to establish a business. In a previous article on improving your work from home setup, Amber Randhawa gives us tips on how to save space while personalizing your work area. Your home office needs to be both comfortable and functional. Depending on the type of business you will be venturing into, you may want to have more vertical storage space to keep your stock, or a bigger work desk if you will be creating handmade items.
Investing in Online Marketing and Web Design
Without the benefit of a physical store to attract customers, Entrepreneur advises home-based businesses to invest in a website since it is the best way to offer your services and get your brand name out there. You don’t have to be tech savvy to start a website. There are a lot of web-hosting services that offer templates to make it easier for you. You can also begin with launching your business through social media before working your way to having your own site. Instagram and Facebook have both made it easier for small online businesses to feature their products and services and interact with customers..
Compliance with Local Laws and Regulations
As a home-based business, nothing better shows that you are a professional firm than by making sure that you comply with all the necessary laws and regulations. One of the first steps suggested by the Atlanta City Government is to determine the legal structure of your business. Most small businesses choose to go with sole proprietorship, although this doesn’t protect the owner’s personal assets from the business. An LLC however allows the owner to separate their assets and liabilities from those of their business. ZenBusiness breaks down setting up an LLC in Georgia into five simple steps. The first step is of course deciding on your LLC name. After setting up your legal structure, a general business license is required of all businesses operating within Atlanta’s city limits. This will determine the tax you pay as well.
Expanding your Billing Options
Even though you will be operating from your home, you will still need to be able to expand your billing options. The worst thing that can happen is for a customer to opt out of buying your product or service because of inefficient payment methods. If you are offering consulting or writing services, most companies opt to pay by credit card so it’s good to have this payment scheme established. If you already have an e-commerce website, you can also set up direct payment options with a merchant service provider. Do the necessary research on the most common payment methods of your target market, and make sure that you have these options covered. Establishing these early on will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.