Virtual Office Rental v Renting a Hotdesk
When you're a freelancer one of the slightly tricky things is having a credible business address. On the one hand you want potential clients to see you as you as the real deal, a professional who will provide what they need at a lower cost than say hiring an agency. On the other hand you're aware that some will think of you as working in your bedroom in your pants and not take you seriously.
To counter any negative sentiment you decide to secure a "proper" business address so what are you choices?
When you look at renting your own office the costs can be prohibitive, especially if you look at the costs of office space in London for example. Based on this the two main options are a virtual office or a hotdesk and these are the pros and cons of each.
A Virtual Office
The Pros
With a virtual office it's possible to get a really swanky address for very little money. Also, the choice is huge and they're easy to setup, often on-line without even speaking to someone. In a nutshell your business will instantly benefit from appearing to have a real office and that might swing it for some if they're considering hiring you. Finally, a virtual office is very green, there's no commuting and no heating or electricity bills.
The Cons
If a potential client wants to meet you at your office you might come unstuck and at the very least you'll need to fess up that your office is not actually your office. Also, it's not that difficult to suss out that an address is used for virtual offices, so again your cover might be blown. As the office is virtual you'll still need to use that potentially useful space at home for working whilst ensuring you have a reliable connection to the internet. Finally, you'll still be working from home on your own without any of the benefits of having coworkers - some might argue about this being a negative thing!
A Hot Desk or Coworking Space
The Pros
A hot desk in another company's office or a coworking hub is a real desk at a real business address. You can meet clients there and you'll be seen as a bona fide business. You'll be able to tap into the ecosystem in which you're working and enjoy the benefits of other people's networks of contacts. The infrastructure, such as a reliable internet connection, are someone else's problem, all you need to do is turn up and plug in and you're off.
The Cons
A hot desk is going to cost more than a virtual office. You might not have much security of tenancy. Your coworkers might not compliment your business and needs.
So Which is Best
Here at Share My Office we're big fans of coworking space or hotdesks. We think the good things that can come from mixing with others can only benefit startups and small businesses. To us sharing someone else's office is good for them and good for you. So take a look at what's on offer and dive into a shared office.
