Hoping to invite clients into your home for a more personable meeting? You may want to reconsider before you do that, especially if you haven’t put much thought into your home office. Yes, how you present your home may influence the success of a client meeting. With the home being such a personable space, it can be difficult to recognise any informalities in your home that can influence perspective. Creating a home office space that celebrates personability, whilst also maintaining professionalism is key. In this blog, we will cover all of the key considerations when creating a home office space that is fit for client meetings. Focusing on a simple backdrop is okay for video calls, but there is no hiding when clients enter your abode. Consider the following:
Balancing comfort with professionalism
First and foremost, understanding the balance of comfort and professionalism is important when creating a space fit for client meetings. On one hand, you want to take advantage of the luxury of having the space to work from home. You might wish to include artwork of family members and funny gifts around the room, but does this reflect the aims and nature of your company? This is where the professional comes into play. Look at your room from an outsider’s perspective. Would they be impressed? Would they feel comfortable? Would they appreciate the time it had taken to create your specific set-up? Ask yourself these questions, and begin to make changes where necessary.
Dedicated rooms are ideal
For some, a home office is not always just a home office. The space for working may also be a makeshift room for yoga, or a sitting room once the desk and computers are turned off. Ideally, you need your space to be free from your directions. So, if you currently work in your living room and are trying to adjust the space for clients, you might wish to split the room with a temporary wall divider. This will enclose your dedicated working space, and help your clients to recognise the professional nature of the meeting.
Wifi connectivity
Imagine you are trying to pull up a presentation for your client, but the signal keeps crashing because you’re in a black connection zone. This does not look good on you, and will not fill your clients with confidence. Instead, make sure that your home office has created connectivity which prevents any signal dropouts. You can do this by choosing a signal provider who offers the best connection in your area, whilst also making sure you place your wifi box into a sufficient area of the room
Bright lighting
The quality of lighting in office spaces often goes underrated. Do you think you will come across as a reputable company that does not cut corners if you have light bulbs that have blown out? We don’t think so, but luckily office lighting does not have to be complicated. Not only will good spotlights illuminate the essence of your office space, but they can also help you to feel more awake. No time for mid-day naps when their money moves to be making, so be sure that your home office is well-lit.
Dedicated chairs
If you are lucky enough to have some extra space in your home office, you might want to consider breaking up the room slightly. Of course, have your desk and a meeting chair/ chairs adjacent, but what about when you’re chatting away with a more trusted client? Will they be more comfortable sitting across a desk from you, or sitting more casually on a comfy sofa with a coffee? We are all for relaxed seating areas in home office spaces, so consider adding in a three-seater sofa with perhaps an accent chair facing the space.
Projector screens/ Mounted TV
Even if you are a technophobe, there is no escaping the necessity of technology for effective working. Especially when it comes to presenting to clients, will it look better on your computer screen, or displayed on a flat-screen TV on the wall? We think the latter, although you can also opt for a projector screen if you are looking for something more affordable. Just make sure the screen is visible, not affected by natural sunlight and is easy to connect to from your current devices.
Decoration
Last but certainly not least, we always like to include some modern homeware pieces here and there to express your taste. From the simple addition of greenery in faux plants to homeware gifts you may have stored away that would look great on your desk, decorating your office does not have to be complicated.
Bottom line
Overall, making your home office ‘fit for purpose’ is more than simply buying a desk and laptop. If you wish for clients to feel the professionalism and attention to detail you wish to portray, you need to think about what you are including in your home office. That way, you can maintain relationships, and also help clients to detach from the ideas of colloquialism as they enter your home.