Annex Brands Stores Offer Some Tips to Help Home-Based Businesses Create a More Professional Image

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 27, 2012) - Setting up a home-based business seems very straightforward: desk, chair, computer, an Internet connection, and you're in business. That's the easy part -- creating your professional image may be a little trickier. But, as Build a Better Image week, Sept. 17 - 21, approaches, business services provider Annex Brands says there are steps that home business owners can take to present a truly professional impression to their clients. And, in celebration of Build a Better Image week, participating members of the Annex Brands franchise network, comprised of PostalAnnex+, AIM Mail Center, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship stores nationwide, are offering to help home business owners take one of those steps by offering three months free rent on a six month private mailbox rental to anyone who mentions this article.

"The key is to take the 'home' out of your 'business' as much as possible," says Steve Goble, vice president of marketing communications for Annex Brands. "For example, a P.O. Box doesn't look as professional or established as a private street address, but using your home address for business purposes can create security and privacy issues for you and your family. A private mailbox rental can solve both of these issues and ensure that your business packages and mail are secure until you are able to pick them up."

The following suggestions from Annex Brands can help entrepreneurs establish a professional identity for their home-based business so they can build credibility and trust with their clients.

• Have a Separate Phone Line for Work. Establish a dedicated work phone line to help maintain your family's privacy and ensure that work-related calls are answered professionally.
  
  
• Name Your Business. Giving your business a name presents a professional image to your clients. One low-cost option is to register your business under a fictitious business name, known as a "DBA" (Doing Business As). A more expensive option is to file papers for incorporation. Once you have named your business, use that name on your letterhead, business cards, and Google+ Local listing.
  
  
• Have a Professional Email Address. Using free email services like Yahoo! or Hotmail does not create a professional image and may even give an appearance of impermanence. Instead, purchase a domain name that uses your company name from a service like GoDaddy.com, and then create an email address for yourself on that domain, i.e yourname@yourcompany.com.
  
  
• Use Quality Stationery and Printing. Your printed material should also project a professional image. Annex Brands business services providers like PostalAnnex+, AIM Mail Center, Handle With Care Packaging Store or Sunshine Pack & Ship stores offer high quality paper and printing for your stationery, business cards, and other promotional material. If you don't own a high quality printer, they can also print your materials on the quality paper of your choice.
  
  

"An Annex Brands business services provider can be a home business owner's best friend," said Goble. "We offer shipping and business services, private mailbox rental, notary service, office supplies, web site and e-commerce services, stationery and more -- everything that the home-based business needs to build a better image to project to their current and prospective clients."

For more information or for additional details and restrictions on the offer of three months free rent on a six months private mailbox rental, please visit www.AnnexBrands.com.

About Annex Brands 
Annex Brands, Inc. is a franchisor of the PostalAnnex+, Navis Pack & Ship, AIM Mail Center, Handle With Care Packaging Store and Sunshine Pack & Ship brands. Formerly known as Postal Annex+, Inc, Annex Brands is headquartered in San Diego, California. Its brands offer shipping and business services such as moving van, freight shipping, small parcel and overnight document delivery services, private mailbox rental, notary service, high-speed copying in black & white and color, office supplies, web site/e-commerce services, faxing service, printing, stationery, rubber address stamps, key duplication, greeting cards and assorted gift items, all in a convenient, service-oriented environment. To find out more about the company, visit www.AnnexBrands.com.