Start Your Business - Free Office Space Offered to Start-Ups

Following Jun 1st featured article, many of you emailed me to ask for more tips on how to keep cost down for start-up businesses and whether leasing an office is a smart way to spend your start-up capital.

Starting your business does not always necessarily mean dishing out a lot of cash. Always do your research and the key is to get organised before your target launch date!

The following alternatives can save you money:

Virtual PA
There are companies (including Zentime) that will do all the admin. work related to your business without you having to hire full time staff. Virtual PA's is an increasingly popular trend especially in difficult times as business owners see the benefit of reducing head count but still efficiently getting the paperwork done - keeping their books current and in order. Virtual PA's can work from home, at your office for one day a week or whenever required instead of being on your payroll 5 days a week. This is a cost effective way for start-ups to complete tasks such as invoicing, book keeping, e-marketing newsletters and diary management, but keep the cost down. You can be a home-based business and have your work done for you by a virtual PA remotely.

Virtual Business Address
There are also companies that you can pay to use their office space and meeting rooms for important client meetings. A monthly fee of around £30 can give you access to professional boardrooms for client meetings, telephone answering or messaging service and most offer same day mail forwarding services at an additional cost. This frees up time, allowing you to focus on marketing your business and being on the road instead of monitoring the phones. Most of these companies also offer prestigious postal codes to enhance the image of your start up business.

Regus Workspace
Did you know that Regus provides a scheme offering free access to millions of pounds worth of office spaces to start-up businesses? I read this and thought what fantastic news! We need more companies like this.

Workspace solutions provider Regus has formulated a campaign to support UK entrepreneurs by offering free use of its business centres. Business mentoring sessions will be offered at its facilities to individuals seeking start up advice. Under the scheme, Regus is providing unlimited use of its business lounges and cafes in over 1,000 locations worldwide. Entrepreneurs can choose to have free use of day offices and meeting rooms or free office space for three months. Regus hopes that the idea will allow up to 50,000 start up firms to get established. Look at Regus Workspace