Why a Virtual Office Is Perfect For Bootstrapped Startups

Starting a new business is never easy. The endless parade of administration, promotions, and legal requirements is often compounded by a lack of capital. Startup businesses seldom have the staffing or funding necessary for a twentieth-floor Madison Avenue office. If you're looking to keep overheads low in order to grow your bootstrapped startup business, a virtual office is the perfect solution.

Virtual Offices Provide A Professional Appearance

Among the many perks of a virtual office is a professional atmosphere that can rival the appearance of any established business. A virtual office allows a start-up to have a commercial address, lending start-ups the credibility of having a physical office location and the privacy of keeping home and business addresses separate. When face-to-face client meetings or partnership negotiations are necessary, a virtual office provides meeting rooms that can present a clean-cut corporate image. This professional image - much sought-after by startup businesses - can translate to major gains in sales and client retention.

Virtual Offices Provide Professional Resources

In addition to a strong appearance, most virtual office companies offer a number of professional services such as call answering, manned reception, administrative support, and videoconferencing tools. These resources, generally only available on big budgets, can benefit small businesses in a virtual office setting, making it easier for startups to hold their own against larger competitors. In a tough economy where more than half of all startup businesses fail within five years, it's difficult enough for new businesses to gain a foothold. For a bootstrapped startup business, any tool that levels the industry playing field is a valuable tool indeed.

Virtual Offices Are Easy On The Budget

Perhaps the most appealing feature of the virtual office is that it costs a fraction of the price of a physical office. When renting out a physical office, a business is responsible for paying for rent, heat, hydro, Internet, and running water - even at night and on weekends, when the building isn't in use. A virtual office, in contrast, often houses several different businesses, meaning the cost of rent and upkeep is shared. Each business only pays for the time and resources they actually use. In a traditional office building, a business must have receptionists and janitors on payroll. In a virtual office, the building owner bears this cost - a cost that is then shared among multiple corporate tenants. Businesses A, B, and C may share a floor in a virtual office, so each individual business pays a fraction of the cost of renting out the entire floor. Furthermore, Businesses A, B, and C may only need the office space from 9 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon. Businesses D, E, and F may then rent out the same space from 6 at night until 2 in the morning, and do business with clients twelve time zones away. Therefore, a virtual office is available at a significantly lower price than a traditional office. A virtual office is the perfect solution for any cash-strapped business. It provides a professional appearance and corporate-level resources at a low price. If your startup business is looking to cut overheads, a virtual office may be the perfect solution.