When you are just starting your divorce legal services business, there is no need to spend a lot of money on a fancy office set up. On the other hand, you don’t want to be meeting clients in coffee shops or other public places. Not only is it unprofessional, but your clients will be discussing very personal issues and privacy is critical.
At Divorce With Dignity, we counsel our new Providers to start small and reevaluate as your business grows. In the beginning, you only need 150 to 250 square feet of office space. There are several reasonable options for selecting a location for your divorce legal services business –
- Executive office suites – These offices often come furnished, and may offer other amenities such as a receptionist, faxes and copiers, mail services, and conference rooms.
- Share an office – Look for a complement business, or a company of similar size to yours. Besides the cost benefit, you may be able to share business wisdom and camaraderie.
- Negotiate for lower rent – Now’s a great time to negotiate, as there are lots of spaces available.
- Home office – This option can work, but only if you have a separate area where you can meet clients and where it won’t interfere with your living space.
There are several factors besides cost and space requirements to be considered when selecting a location for your divorce legal services business.
- Area – Since your business will not be based primarily on walk-in customers, you don’t need to be where there is heavy foot-traffic; you can look for space in an office block in less busy areas.
- Convenience – In addition to commute time and parking availability for yourself, you need to think about your clients. Make sure they have easy access to your office. If in a suburban area, most people will probably be driving to your office, so you may want to have plenty of free or low-cost parking nearby. If in an urban area, you may want to locate your business convenient to public transportation.
- Safety – Does the location you are considering offer well-lit parking areas? Depending on the area, you may also consider locating in a building with a security guard.
- Zoning / signage / taxes – Be aware that laws and requirements regarding zoning, signage, and taxes can vary from city to city. Also, if your office will be in your home, be sure to check into any zoning restrictions for your area.
These are all important factors in deciding where to locate your divorce services business. But in the end, what’s even more important than location is providing excellent customer service. Being able to offer a comfortable and safe place for clients to talk about divorce, and helping them to achieve a peaceful divorce with dignity in a compassionate manner is what really counts.
At Divorce With Dignity, this is our primary goal. If you feel the same way about your peaceful divorce services business, why not consider joining our network of Providers? We can help you with all aspects of starting your business, including how to choose the right location and get set up properly, and provide training on best practices of running your business. We invite you to learn more.
