Why freelancers can benefit from a virtual office

More UK workers than ever are leaving their steady, full-time jobs and taking their careers freelance. The freelance economy itself is worth almost £120 billion per year and a huge 63% of UK employees are willing to consider self-employment. It’s easy to see why—workers get to be in charge of what jobs they take on, working to their own schedule, and can work from anywhere in the world.

However, as with more traditional ways of working, there are some pitfalls to the freelancer lifestyle. With no set location, you’d need to organise your own office space, ensure deadlines are always met, and make sure your clients are happy. On top of all this, you’d need to remain on top of your own admin duties, while keeping any overhead costs as low as possible. This is where virtual offices come in handy.

To put it simply, these “offices” are official addresses, as opposed to an entire office, which companies are able to rent at a low rate. At Landmark, we offer virtual offices at all of our office locations around the UK. Our packages offer a wide range of benefits even for the newest of freelancers, as outlined below:

Enhance your credibility

Virtual offices offer something that your home office can’t—a prestigious address. Using your home address as a freelancer may eradicate the cost of renting an office, but also has the potential to raise some concerns. Potential clients may question the legitimacy of a home-based company, and you could stand to lose business as a result.

A virtual office, however, gives you an office address at a fraction of the cost of renting physical space, which is especially useful if you’re based in a major city with extortionate rental prices. This allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds, keeping your costs as low as possible and maximising your profits, while still showing clients your professional bona fides.

At Landmark, membership to our virtual offices includes access to conference rooms, allowing you to host any client meetings in a professional setting as opposed to a cafe or even your own home. This boosts your professional credentials and reassures your clients that you’re serious about working with them, which is particularly important for any newer freelancers who may not yet have a reputation or portfolio.

Stand out against your competitors

As the number of UK freelancers across all industries continues to increase, you stand to face an increasing amount of competition. While your portfolio and networking skills are crucial to landing jobs for big clients, your business address may be another defining factor when it comes to securing proposals. Appearing as an official organisation with a registered office address can help establish yourself as a leading figure within your sector.

Having the right address can also boost your online visibility, as it will appear when clients search for your business, whether on Google, Bing Places, Yelp, or Facebook for Business. Clients may be more inclined to work with you if they can see that you’re based at a prestigious city location, as opposed to somewhere in the suburbs. We have a range of office addresses available for your needs, from central London to Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Protect your privacy

While having a business address offers you legitimacy and a way to stand out against competitors, it can also work to protect your privacy. A business’s registered address is simply the one used on the Public Register of Companies, and any member of the public can access this via the internet. If you choose to work from home, but also have this as your business address, any member of the public will be able to find out where you live. Similarly, you run the risk of publishing your home address on any marketing material produced, or letterheads and email signatures, putting your home and personal belongings at risk, as well as making it harder to create a healthy work-life balance.

Taking out a virtual office membership with Landmark gives you the freedom to build your freelance career from home without risking your privacy.

Save time on admin

Launching and maintaining your own business—even a one-person, freelance operation—comes with a lot of admin, whether this is handling phone calls, or sorting through and tracking mail. Although dealing with a large volume of phone calls could be good news for your freelance career, it can also waste a lot of important time, especially if the calls aren’t beneficial. Along with a registered address, renting a virtual office with Landmark also comes with a receptionist service to screen calls on your behalf. Our dedicated phone handlers can answer your business calls according to a script you provide, email you any important messages, or simply forward the calls directly to you, depending on what works best for your company.

We also offer a mail handling service, so you don’t get an influx of business-related post sent to your home. This post can either be forwarded to your home address or held to be collected at a time that suits you. It’s also especially useful if you’re frequently on the go and don’t want post delivered to your home while you’re away.