Socially speaking, a virtual office works wonders
Businesses like Social You, an independent digital
agency based in Andover, Hampshire, are helping to underpin the economy.
Small and medium enterprises contribute
nearly half of all private sector turnover in the UK, with the digital economy
making up over 10 per cent of GDP.
Social You was set up by Emily Wilkinson and Dan
Eastley and specialises in web production, user experience and strategy. Like many start-ups, Social You aims to keep
its cost-base as small as possible, and the company’s modern approach to
business means it uses freelancers all over the country to deliver client
projects. However, it still needs a
fixed base.
“Even though our work is
digital,” explains Emily, “it is still important for us to have a physical
address.”
For Emily and Dan, the best solution was to opt for
a business mailbox from their local Mail Boxes Etc. store, rather than take
space in a serviced office or rent their own business premises.
“When starting up, it’s important to give
yourself separation between work and home.
Having a mailbox gives us a professional high street address – Suite
462, Andover House, George Yard sounds so much better than our home address –
but without the overheads of a large office,” continues Emily.
“This also benefits us online, allowing us to
register our business officially with important search engines and social
channels. It gives us extra gravitas
too. Without a professional address
listed on our website, potential clients might wonder what we’re hiding.”
A business mailbox also gives Social You a physical
location where their letters, packages and any signed-for deliveries will be
received and kept safe. “As we’re often
out and about meeting clients, it is hugely useful to have someone available to
accept our post and parcels. With a mailbox,
we’re also given 24/7 access if we require it, which is great because we’re not
tied to popping in before the store closes.”
Not
just an address
Image matters in business, and smaller firms
sometimes struggle when pitching to big companies simply because their size may
go against them. A professional address
can help here too. “The size of projects
we deliver depends on major organisations approaching us for support,” says
Emily. “Having a business address,
instead of a home one, helps us to be discovered by larger enterprises and give
us a professional image.”
But a mailbox address is just one aspect of the
support provided by the team at Mail Boxes Etc. Andover. SMEs have to ensure they can get the business
services they need, at the right price, when they need them – without investing
in expensive kit or taking on expensive staff.
Mail Boxes Etc. also offers its business clients a choice of print,
postal services and parcel shipping, as well as office supplies.
“MBE is handy to use when we’re delivering our own
direct mail campaigns,” says Emily. “We
can just pop in and drop off our parcels.
There’s always someone on hand to discuss prices, size restrictions and
options for shipping. As we’re not
sending large quantities, it is useful to be able to chat to someone in person
too.” MBE Andover has helped with several
of Social You’s campaigns, which have included personalised cookies and
Winchester Tea Bags.
There’s also a social element to this for Emily and
Dan: “When you start your own business,
it can be easy to work all hours. Knowing
that we need to head into town to get our parcels and business post can be a
great way to have a break and catch-up with other people. We look on MBE Andover as part of our team!”
Looking for a Mailbox for your business? Visit our website for more information.