Want to start a business from home without giving your address away to the entire internet?

Running a business from home is more popular than ever. In fact, 55% of small businesses are home based. But there’s one problem most home business owners don’t realize until it’s too late…

Your home address becomes public record.

When your address is added to an LLC filing, business license, website footer, Google My Business profile, or ANYTHING made public… there’s no way to keep it private. Customers with beef to pick, direct mail marketers, aggressive vendors. They all get your address.

Does that sound safe to you?

Luckily there are a ton of digital tools that allow business owners to create a professional image without ever revealing a home address. It can also be done on a shoestring budget.

Let’s dive into:

• Why Home Business Privacy is Important
• The Digital Tools You Need to Build a Professional Business Presence
• How To Keep Your Home Address Out of Public Records
• How to Create a Professional Image (Without Breaking the Bank)

Home Business Privacy: Why Does it Matter?

Alright let’s dive right in here…

When a business is formed or registered to a home address. That address gets published on state records. It shows up on domain name registration websites. It appears on any invoices, contracts, website footer, or printed marketing materials.

Talk about oversharing.

Basically anyone can type that business name into Google and immediately learn where the owner lives. This is especially troubling for solo entrepreneurs that run a business out of the house with kids in the next room.

Protecting your home address when running a business is easy. Simply search for “a virtual office near me” and find a service that offers a real street address for business mail and registration.

Another downside of using a home address is lack of professionalism. If you’re receiving contracts, paying vendors, and meeting with clients… they will see that home address and assume your business isn’t a legit “brick and mortar” style company. Could cost you money by scaring away potential clients.

Virtual Business Tools That Let You Operate ANYWHERE

In the past, having a professional image meant renting an office or opening up a brick and mortar storefront. Those are still great options for growing businesses. But if you’re just starting out or working from home… you don’t need to spend thousands upfront on professional tools.

You just need the RIGHT tools.

Thanks to technology there are virtual services that allow businesses to operate online without a physical office. Here are some of the tools every business owner should use.

Virtual Business Address

Have you heard of these before? They provide a real street address that you can use on all business documents. Then they receive your mail, scan it, and email you digital copies. You can even instruct them to forward specific mail to your personal address. Clients see a professional address on paper while you run your business from anywhere.

VoIP Phone Services

These services allow you to get a virtual business phone number that can ring on any device. No need to install a landline in your home office or keep a second phone nearby. You can keep your phone number with you 24/7 while keeping business and personal calls separated. Services like Google Voice or Grasshopper are great and very affordable.

Professional Email Addresses

Rather than using a free Gmail or Outlook email address… set up a custom email that matches your domain name. ([email protected]). It’s one of the simplest ways to look more professional when talking to clients.

Video Conferencing Software

Want to meet clients in person without actually going anywhere? Software like Zoom or Google Meet can help. You can take calls from the comfort of your home office while still looking presentable.

Cloud Storage & Collaboration

Google Workspace and Dropbox are just a couple of the many options for storing your files in the cloud. Make edits on any device without having to physically hand out typed copy drafts.

These digital tools will allow your business to operate without anyone ever knowing your home address. You can conduct business from home, look professional on paper, and separate your private life from work life. All without spending much more than a traditional brick and mortar office would.

Let’s take a look at where your business address currently lives online…

Keeping Your Home Address Out of Public Records

This may come as a surprise to most new business owners, but…

Your home address isn’t just listed in one place. Depending on how you set up your business it could appear in business registrations, domain name records, google business profiles, printed materials, social media pages, and much more.

How do you keep it secure?

Business Registrations: Use a commercial address or Registered Agent service to file LLC or business formation documents. This will prevent your home address from showing up on public records.

Domain Privacy: Register your domain name (website address) with privacy enabled. Otherwise your home address and phone number becomes searchable with a simple WHOIS lookup.

Google Business Profile: Just like when you created your Google Account, you have a Google Business Profile. Opting to create one with your virtual address will not only help with privacy, but local SEO too.

Invoices/Contracts: Any paperwork that leaves your hands should be branded with your business address. Invoices, NDA’s, contracts, business cards, brochures. Anywhere your business is printed should have the same address listed.

Can you guess how many small businesses DON’T even HAVE a website? Roughly 33%. That stat is wild.

If that surprises you, you’re not alone. Most small business owners have never even considered their online footprint. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.

Setting up a Professional Business Presence on ANY Budget

Ready to have some fun?

The great thing about digital tools is that they don’t have to cost a lot of money. The average cost to set up all of the above tools can be done for under $100 per month. That’s less than most people pay for Netflix these days.

Here is the basic framework every home business owner should follow.

Get a Virtual Business Address

Already covered this. But it’s number one on the list for a reason. Not only does having a virtual address keep your personal information protected, but it opens up a world of possibilities for receiving business mail and keeping your info private.

Build a Professional Website

Doesn’t have to be anything fancy. But putting together a simple website with a one-page homepage makes you look legit. You can easily build your own website in less than a day using WordPress or SquareSpace.

Get a Business Phone Number

No more answering work calls on your cell phone. Having a virtual phone number keeps all of your business communications separate from personal texts and calls. VOIP phone services can start as low as $3/mo.

Professional Business Email

All great websites have a professional email address associated with it. ([email protected]) Something you can be contacted at instead of a @gmail or Outlook address. Domain names nowadays are cheap and easy to set up.

Create Basic Branding

Your business deserves a logo. Don’t worry you don’t have to be a graphic designer to create one. Use a free tool like Canva.com to design your own professional logo in minutes.

Bring It All Together

Your home business privacy should be a priority. You worked hard to pick the perfect spot for your business. Don’t give it away to people that don’t deserve it.

Remember:

• Use a virtual business address on ALL public-facing documents.
• Get digital with tools that replace expensive office equipment.
• Keep your home address off of public records.
• Create a consistent professional brand image that clients will recognize.
• Start with these 5 steps. Once you have the foundation built you can always improve your business image down the road.

It’s your business. Don’t hide your address from the world anymore. Build a professional presence online today.