Safety Tips for the Home-Based Office

Most of you will probably be home-based and some of you may be home alone during the day or night depending on when your spouse works, or you may be single with no children. A lot of consideration must be taken regarding your safety under these circumstances, especially if you often invite clients to your home or you offer "walk-in" services.

So these are just a few safety tips to make sure you and your business are in safe hands.

Safety Tips While on the Phone:

• Be careful not to mention marital status, or imply in any way that you'll be home alone at any time, especially in the evenings. Voice yourself in a professional and self-assured fashion so it's clear to the caller that you won't be "pushed around."
• If your phone has the option of programming speed-dial phone numbers, it's wise to program your local emergency number and the number of a friend or associate who lives close by.
• When recording your outgoing message on your answering machine or voice mail, use "we" instead of "I." This gives the impression to potential clients that you do not operate your business alone.

  Before I was married, I lived alone and ran my home business out an apartment. I used "we" instead of "I" in most of my print material advertising and on my web site as well. That became such a habit that sometimes I still forget and use "we" or "our."

• Do not ever use an outgoing answering machine or voicemail message that states clearly "I am not home at the moment." This is dangerously inviting trouble.

  Instead say "We are unable to take your call" or "We are currently with a client" or something along that order, as long as it is professional and it makes the impression that you do not live there alone.

• If you are single and live alone, no one needs to know that. A tip that may work well is to buy a few used men's items; a pair of shoes, work boots, a man's coat, and place them neatly, but visibly around your house or office area when you're expecting a client.

  This gives the "impression" that a man lives there and may be coming home at any moment. Or he may be upstairs or in another room quietly resting while you conduct your business.

• Make sure that you have an easy escape route from whatever room in the house you use as your office. You don't ever want to get trapped inside your own house.

  A business associate of mine keeps an aerosol can of air freshener close by at all times. A very inconspicuous type of "Mace" in an emergency, and much more effective.

• If time and finances allow, a course in self-defense is always worth the investment, even if it happens to be a book or videotape, at least you can learn some basics for emergency use.
• If you welcome clients by appointment only, then you have the option of not opening the door to anyone that knocks, or rings the bell. How do they know that you're not "indisposed" [showering, bathroom break, or other] if they decide to just stop by on a whim.
• If you must leave your home office, leave the television or stereo on to give the impression that someone is home, but unable to answer the door.

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