Office question

I don't know about an increase, but I believe it has helped tip the scale to the positive for me due to the impression of professionalism it gives.

The real benefit of an office for ME is that it helps me to focus on my work by separating me from the home. It is also an aid for organization. It helps me to keep in mind that I am at work and running a business. It keeps me hustling to earn my living.

It is also a place to LEAVE my work when I come home to do other things....

Ditto everything greg said
Yes we get a lot of comments about professionalism a lot of my clents have met with other djs at restaurants or in their homes.
we dont have a sign on the door for security reasons but our van is obviously parked outside all the time.

kyle

how about some pics of this office of yours adam or some stills of the trailer. As bigas you are you must have a website and digi cam right?

Of course it makes your business more Ligit! in the past year, I have not had a prospective client walk into my office that has not booked us.

however I dont think it was just the office.

My business continues to grow at 25%+ each year, what I have noted was that when I told people I had an office, they seemed to believe I was more of a real business man instead of a person on the side. I tell them my office is off college street, and it keeps them from thinking I have an office in my backyard (silly kids)

Wait a min..

DJ Scottie said:

in the past year, I have not had a prospective client walk into my office that has not booked us.

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Ok, how many prospective clients have you had in the past year?? Hell, I've had a few not book..

I have the BEST OF BOTH WORLDS......a VIRTUAL OFFICE:

It has a physical address.

It has a conference room, with table & chairs.

My landlord will call me whenever "I've Got Mail" (not very often, because MOST mail goes to my home PO Box).

The price for the Sacramento address for one year? ONE BOTTLE (1.75 liters) of PATRON SILVER (one of the most expensive Tequilas at $80 a bottle).

I was paying $120 per year for a P.O. Box with no services whatsoever.

NOW I've got an actual office building (owned by my landlord, whom I met on YELP), with a place to meet clients (if needed).

I've told my landlord that if I used the conference room, I'll take him & his office assistant out to lunch at his favorite burger joint!

Last week, a last minute client dropped off the contract & money order at my "office", where Wendy (the office asst) greeted her and cheerfully took her paperwork. She then called me to let me know the $$$ was there!

(In the old days, I would have had to HOPE that the US mail would deliver a last-minute contract & retainer in time, to my PO Box)

NOW I have an actual physical location......PRICELESS (AND cheap too!)

MC, we did that for a while and it worked out nicely. They have a lot of nice virtual space and set up scenarios here too

I have seven offices conveniently located around town. The only thing that sucks is I have to share them with the guy who sells donuts and coffee. I figure since he brings in so many potential clients through the door I don't charge him rent.

One of these days I need to get my own place, I just don't have the cash flow for that. Plus I'm cheep.

I do have a space above my sister's hair salon. I can wall off an area to create a nice size office. She'll give it to me rent free if I do the work. Clients would need to walk through the salon to get upstairs. The only real issue I have is the smell from the nail people. I'd have to vent the office well.

Maybe this fall.

AlbanyAMS said:

Ok, how many prospective clients have you had in the past year?? Hell, I've had a few not book..

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I have not kept track.. but its most likely around 30ish that have come into the office before booking. Most of our bookings do not come in to meet with us before they book, many of our bookings come from word of mouth, or they have seen us before.

Or they have met us at a wedding show

I guess I don't think that comments from others regarding "how professional, or you are more legit" mean anything. After all, it's like someone telling you that the widget you just developed is a great idea...but if the idea doesn't give a good ROI, or doesn't sell... then it's just a good idea. Ask yourself, how many more bookings do I need to get, just to break even on the extra overhead of the office? Then, how many more do I need to verify it's a good idea to continue doing it?

To me it's extra overhead that I don't have with an office in my home, and a studio in my home. Everything I need is present at that location. I still run a very high end business that is successful.

My thoughts have always been, if you outgrow your home office, then yea, go for the separate building...but I would guess that would have to encompass about 200 events per year before you get to that level.

I am just getting ready to start another person (one of my DJs) with me in the office about 20 hrs per week. She is going to focus on all the details I can't get to... stuff like internet presence, keeping in touch with halls, etc...

I've seen that those are the items that relate into extra business growth... presence and follow up.

How does one get involved in a "virtual office" more importantly how do you find one?

This is something I've contemplated for a while... I know I couldn't afford to lease space on my own but a shared office would be nice if that is what is meant by having a Virtual Office.

Virtual Office is like a UPS Store on steroids you get the mail there, packages there, you can sometimes have a switchboard or virtual pbx and conference space to use. You dont actually get an "office" just a place to work and work out of. This does work for LOTS of people and may be a viable plan for you

jokerswild said:

I couldn't afford to lease space on my own but a shared office would be nice if that is what is meant by having a Virtual Office.

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I couldn't afford it on my own.

Rule of thumb: you have to TRIPLE the expense in revenue generated.

Assuming a typical office (300 sf) is $500 per month (including utilities & triple net):

I'd have to generate $1500 per month in ADDITIONAL revenue to make the office space "profitable."



No way, Jose'--- I'd rather have the "address", with a conference room that I can use if needed.

My "landlord" will even put the suite number (Suite G) on the "broom closet" if that's what Google ever requires (could happen real soon).