Home Business: help customers find your business

Make sure customers and suppliers can contact you

You will need to provide contact details for your business to your customers, clients and suppliers. Once you have established your details, you may want to have business cards designed and printed.

Phone

Setting up an extra phone line can help keep your business calls separate from your home phone. Ensure you set up voicemail so that your customers, clients or suppliers can leave a message if you are unable to answer your phone.

Internet and WiFi

Ensure you have internet access and WiFi if needed for your business. You can choose to use a ‘cloud’ based system for storing electronic data. This means you can backup vital information that is then accessible to you over the internet instead of just storing it on your computer’s hard drive.

Email, website and social media

You can set up a free email account for your business quickly and easily online. You may also wish to establish a website and social media accounts so that your customers can find out more about your products and/or services and have a range of ways to contact you. Your website may be the first point of contact your customers have with your business, so ensure your website is professional and user-friendly.

You may wish to register a domain name for your business. With an ABN, you can register a website name that ends with '.au'.

Cyber awareness

If you are managing transactions online or by phone make sure you are cyber aware. Cybercrime is a dishonest or criminal activity online or by phone that can include instances of deceptive conduct. Read our top tips for protecting your business against cyber crime. If you’re concerned about cyber security you should consult an expert to help assess your business and develop a security strategy.

Mailing address

You can set up a post office box (PO Box), GPO Box or Locked Bag with Australia Post. Your mail can then be stored until you’re ready to collect it and you can keep the same postal address if you move house. Australia Post also offers a service called Mail2Day where you can receive notifications that there is mail waiting to be collected.

Virtual Office

This is a paid service that can provide a professional address without the need for a dedicated physical office. This service may also include a phone answering service, mail handling and access to meeting rooms. If you do not require customers, clients or suppliers to visit your home, a mailing address or professional address can help alleviate concerns about privacy or security.

Specialist digital and marketing advice

The NSW Government’s Business Connect program provides free and personalised business advice in one-on-one sessions on topics such as business planning, marketing and cash flow.