What address should I use when I set up my business? Do most people simply use their home address? Has anyone had any issues with putting their home address on their webpage etc? Alternatively does anyone use a PO Box, does this create the right impression or does it look like you want to be anonymous? I'm asking a lot of questions I know but once I know what I'm doing I hope to repay the favour to other forum members!!
Edited: I just want to add that I think many people might not trust a bookkeeper with a PO box, am I correct? A home/office address must be preferable.
Thanks again
GinnyBee
-- Edited by GinnyBee on Tuesday 11th of January 2011 01:19:18 PM
There may be legitimate reasons for having a PO Box number but I know myself - if I was looking to have my financial records looked at - it wouldn't be someone from a PO Box number looking at them.
There may be alternatives to a PO Box number - a virtual office maybe.
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Never buy black socks from a normal shop. They shaft you every time.
That's pretty much what I thought Peasie. I asked because in doing research I've seen several PO Box addresses used and wondered what people's opinions of them were.
Okay now I might be going to sound silly, but here goes anyway - what is a virtual office?
Basically a virtual office is somewhere where they have staff that will answer the phone for you in your business name, take a message and pass it on to you and also you can use the address for post and and they will forward it to your home address.
You can also book meeting rooms either at your main designated office or at other places that the company own around the company or world.
Professional address - A prestigious building to be used as the business address. [19] A professional address alleviates the privacy and personal security concerns of running a home-based business. [20] A user can expand into new markets by utilizing a provider with multiple locations to establish a professional presence in the desired growth markets.
Mailing address - The professional address can be used for accepting, sending and forwarding mail without the connotations of a PO Box. Under US law, a PO Box is to be clearly indicated and so not conducive for most corporate entities in this regard. Some VO providers offer 24/7 access to individually assigned and locked mailboxes. This allows the staff of a VO user to have a centralized location as a convenient vehicle for the secure transfer of paper documents 24/7. A mail-only provider may be subject to USPS CMRA regulations.[21]
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Never buy black socks from a normal shop. They shaft you every time.
If you rent, and sometimes if you have a mortgage, you are not allowed to have your address on any business correspondence.
Seems to be a very common reason for using such a setup with ICB members.
Very rarely we hear of a story where a tradesman (builder/plumber etc) turning up on the door at 8am on a Sunday morning with a bag full of receipts But I guess it is a way of getting a new client
Hi GinnyBee, Roweford Associates do virtual office services and mailing addresses.
One of my collegues started his own PC repair business has been using them for almost a year and said that they're really good. He has a Birmingham City Centre B1 address for about £15 a month, although we live in Cornwall and uses their call handling services. They take all of his calls and call out his engineers for him. Think they have given him his own Birmingham phone number too so it looks like he has a head office in Birmingham.
Anyway, he said its really cheap and good customer service so it might be worth looking at. Heres the website www.rowefordassociates.co.uk
The royal mail do offer free-post addresses for a fairly low cost. Whilst the address doesn't look great (it's a combination of letters/numbers) clients will like it as they can send things to you for free, plus it keeps your personal address secret if you work from home
But I guess it is a way of getting a new client 
