Since many of us operate our businesses out of our home, I thought a great topic to visit would be creating a great home office space. The location where we complete our work is SO important! It needs to be functional and comfortable! Good office space helps us to be effective and to keep our sanity! I thought I’d share a few ideas for creating a mom-friendly home office that makes for exceptional – and happy – work.

Mom-Friendly Home Office = Limited distractions!

Your office probably shouldn’t be located in the center of your kitchen, or any busy room for that matter. Choose a room or location that is away from most of the home’s traffic. A spare bedroom or a basement make great options. If one of those isn’t available, you can still create an effective space by portioning off an area of a larger room.

Mom-Friendly Home Office = Adequate work space!

If you need a table top or extended desk area to assemble products or mailings, make sure you have it. Use the top of filing cabinets or bring in a spare card table if you have limited funds or space to work with.

Mom-Friendly Home Office = Well-Organized!

Create a system that works for you! This goes for your hard copies and your digital copies! Keep your spreadsheets updated and in order and keep your filing cabinet the same way! Both you and your customers will appreciate it!

Mom-Friendly Home Office = Involves the kids!

Making your office kid friendly will allow you to get some work accomplished while your children are close by. Set up a small area for them, with their toy computer, some quiet toys and books that will keep them occupied while you return a few e-mails and make a phone call or two.

Mom-Friendly Home Office = Details Matter!

Don’t forget about some of the seemingly small things. Good lighting, a comfortable chair and enough storage space are all critical elements. All of these can strongly affect your work environment!

I’ve learned that when I have the right home office – whatever that means for you – that I’m happier and I do better work. So, I hope these tips help!

Hope you are having a great week!

Madison Crenshaw is a mother of two and a serial entrepreneur originally from the Southern US. In the last decade, she has made the DC area her home. She is a savvy businesswoman who is always looking for the next big opportunity. She is an expert at networking and knows how to make her presence felt. She is a strong believer in the power of education and has been actively involved in her children's education. In her free time, she loves to travel, explore new cultures, and spend time with her family. She is passionate about making a difference in the world and is always looking for ways to help her community.

I won’t deny that small, mom owned businesses are generally among the best when it comes to customer service. Kudos to you! However, a recent experience – that I’d rather forget! – made me think it wasn’t such a bad topic to bring up here.

Customer Service is a Learned Skill

In a previous life I was a waitress and let me tell ya, dealing with cranky pizza eaters at 11:30 p.m. wasn’t always fun. However, I’d like to think it taught me some important lessons that I’ve carried with me through both my professional and personal lives.

It is extremely important that you are not only considerate to your customers, but available and accommodating as well. Below are just a few of my favorite customer service tips that can be learned by anyone!

Be Accessible!

Your website (or social media page) should list not only an e-mail address but also a phone number so that you can be reached if need be. If someone can’t contact you with a question, they most likely aren’t going to feel comfortable sending their hard-earned money to you.

Respond!

I know you have your own, busy life with kids and tons of responsibilitie. And, I’m not saying that you need to respond to every e-mail within minutes of receipt, but within 24 hours would be good.

Be graceful!

Don’t argue, it’s not worth losing a customer, or future customers over. Even if you don’t feel as though you did anything wrong, be understanding and helpful.

Listen!

When a customer contacts you with a complaint or a compliment, listen! What they have to say is important and could give you crucial insight to what your customers want and what they expect.

This can only help you!

Go the extra mile!

Once you have a customer, keep them! It’s the little things, like a thank-you note included with the order, or future discounts for referrals, etc. that will keep them coming back!
Hopefully this was helpful, and at the very least reminded you about some important aspects of customer service.

Have a great {or horrorific} customer service story to share? Shoot me a message – I’d love to hear it (and share anonymously with the broader group if you’re willing)!

Madison Crenshaw is a mother of two and a serial entrepreneur originally from the Southern US. In the last decade, she has made the DC area her home. She is a savvy businesswoman who is always looking for the next big opportunity. She is an expert at networking and knows how to make her presence felt. She is a strong believer in the power of education and has been actively involved in her children's education. In her free time, she loves to travel, explore new cultures, and spend time with her family. She is passionate about making a difference in the world and is always looking for ways to help her community.

A name leaves a first impression. A name gives a customer their first glimpse into your company and what you do. A name is passed by word of mouth. A name will last a lifetime.

So, needless to say, the name of your business is a pretty crucial element to your overall business plan. How in the world do you ever begin to name your business?

How to Come Up with a Name for Your Biz

There are several questions you can ask yourself that may help you begin to formulate a name.

  • What does your business do?
  • What is unique about what you do?
  • What type of impression do you want to leave? Classy? Quality? Bargain?

It is a good idea to come up with three to five potential names and move on from there. Then you can begin to narrow them down. You’ll need to do a trademark search, to make sure you aren’t infringing on anyone else’s company name.

You can do it yourself by visiting The United States Patent and Trademark Office. And, it’s also a good idea to search the internet and see if anyone else is using the name without a trademark. Or, if your budget allows, you can always hire a lawyer to perform a comprehensive search for you.

Once You Have a Name, What’s Next?

After determining if your name(s) are available you can make your final choice. Do some research, ask others what they think. You might use these items to help eliminate some of your finalists::

  • Is the name easy to pronouce?
  • Is it relatively short and easy to remember?
  • Do you have a catchy slogan in mind that will accompany it well?
  • Is it descriptive and accurate?
  • Do you like it?

Conclusion – Don’t Take the Name Too Seriously!

Well, I think we can all agree that naming your business is serious business! But, at the same time, it’s okay to have a little fun with it. After all, when you’re an entrepreneur, you wear many hats.

So why not embrace the ‘Chief Name Picker’ hat, too? Just remember, when all is said and done, it’s the quality of your product or service that really matters. And if you pick a name that makes you giggle, then who knows – you might just find that your customers start giggling too.

Happy naming!

In today’s world, entrepreneurship is incredibly common; we live in a time when people are encouraged to follow their dreams, start their own company, and find the business success they have always wanted.

Given the sudden increase in the number of entrepreneurs in the world, it’s unsurprising that some have chosen to redefine the concept of starting and running a business. Rather than following the conventional route of hiring staff or partnering with a like-minded friend or family member, some entrepreneurs have chosen to do things very differently indeed and chosen to embark on the exciting journey that is solopreneurship.

What is a solopreneur? 

A portmanteau of the words “solo” and “entrepreneur”, a solopreneur is a businessperson who starts and runs a business alone. This is in contrast to more standard business models, where the workload is usually shared with a partner or full-time staff members.

So, solopreneurs do everything for their business?

Not necessarily – in fact, it would be quite unusual for a solopreneur to perform every role required to sustain a modern business. Usually, solopreneurs will turn to external agencies to assist with various important aspects of their business; seeking graphic designers, advertising advice, and specialists in IT consulting for businesses to help ensure the business has all the fundamentals it needs to succeed.

However, as these services are outsourced rather than completed by in-house staff, the business is still considered to be run by a solopreneur.

What are the benefits of running a business as a solopreneur? 

Solopreneurs have the freedom to dedicate their time to delivering results for their business; there’s no need to deal with issues such as recruitment or employee management to deal with.

What’s more, solopreneurs are in complete control of their business and its future, which many find empowering, and they also realize the dream of being their own boss in its entirety; they can arrange their schedule and their working hours exactly as they prefer, as there’s no need to align with employee requirements or base themselves in a specific business location – they can work wherever they want, largely whenever they want.

What are the downsides of running a business as a solopreneur? 

For most, the biggest downside is the lack of support: solopreneurs are the sole decision-maker for their business, which can often be a significant weight to shoulder. However, this downside can be offset by networking with other solopreneurs and joining business forums online; these measures help to ensure that they always have somewhere to turn when they need advice, guidance, or support.

In addition, solopreneurship can sometimes be lonely – but again, this can be addressed by choosing to use coworking spaces, joining business community groups, and so on.

Could life as a solopreneur be right for you?

If you feel that you would thrive in an environment where you are the sole decision-maker, and that you’d prefer the flexibility of being able to set your own working patterns, then solopreneurship could definitely be an option that you may want to consider.

It’s also worth bearing in mind the fact that running a business solo isn’t a permanent commitment; you could start out working alone and outsourcing to various agencies, but then decide at a later point that you’d like to hire employees too – and there’s absolutely nothing to stop you doing so. As a result, if you’re intrigued by the idea of solopreneurship, then it might be worth giving it a try at least initially and seeing how you get on.

Madison Crenshaw is a mother of two and a serial entrepreneur originally from the Southern US. In the last decade, she has made the DC area her home. She is a savvy businesswoman who is always looking for the next big opportunity. She is an expert at networking and knows how to make her presence felt. She is a strong believer in the power of education and has been actively involved in her children's education. In her free time, she loves to travel, explore new cultures, and spend time with her family. She is passionate about making a difference in the world and is always looking for ways to help her community.

As a mom of two, I know firsthand that running a business can be a challenge. You have to wear many hats, from CEO to accountant to marketer, and that can be overwhelming. When it comes to marketing your local business, it’s important to stay up to date with the latest trends and strategies. After all, you don’t want to be the last kid on the block when it comes to reaching potential customers.

So, if you’re looking for ways to spread the word about your business and get the customers you need, here are three great marketing strategies that I swear by.

Networking

Networking is a great way to get the word out about your business. Whether you attend local events, join a local business group, or even just chat with friends and family, networking can be a great way to make connections and get your business out there.

Plus, it’s a great way to make friends and meet people who can help you grow your business.

Social Media

In today’s world, social media is a powerful tool for getting the word out about your business. Not only can you reach a wider audience, but you can also create relationships with your customers and build your brand. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any of the other social media outlets, you can use it to get the word out about your business.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is a great way to get people interested in your business. Whether it’s a blog post, an email newsletter, or even a video, you can use content to provide valuable information to your customers and get them interested in what you have to offer.

And there you have it, three great ways to market your local business. Now all that’s left to do is get out there and start spreading the word!

Oh, and one more thing… don’t forget to have fun! After all, this is your business and you should enjoy it. So, go ahead and crack a joke or two, your customers will appreciate it.

Madison Crenshaw is a mother of two and a serial entrepreneur originally from the Southern US. In the last decade, she has made the DC area her home. She is a savvy businesswoman who is always looking for the next big opportunity. She is an expert at networking and knows how to make her presence felt. She is a strong believer in the power of education and has been actively involved in her children's education. In her free time, she loves to travel, explore new cultures, and spend time with her family. She is passionate about making a difference in the world and is always looking for ways to help her community.

What’s the first image that pops in your mind when you think of people who work from home? If it is somebody wearing casual pajamas and lying-in bed with their laptop, you’re one of many to have fallen into the trap of the working-shirking from home cliché.

In fact, the idea of office-based productivity is so deeply anchored in the collective mindset that it is increasingly difficult for most home-based workers to feel positive about their performance. It doesn’t mean you can’t tackle challenging projects and heavy workload in your home office.

On the contrary, home-based employees and freelancers are more likely to maximize their productivity and creativity. Indeed, removing most office-related interruptions and disturbances – from commuting stress to co-workers’ disruptions – can improve not only your mental focus but also the quality of your input. In other words, people who work from homework more and better. However, they tend to be worse about their contribution, doubting their professionalism and compensation with prolonged working hours.

How do you create a professional feeling – for yourself and your clients – when you can’t rely on the office to give your business skills the structure the universal conscience expects? How do you convince others to take you seriously and see beyond the PJs cliché?

It’s the question that keeps countless solo entrepreneurs and freelancers awake at night. Injecting professionalism in an environment that is not commonly associated with high-quality work is challenging, but it’s not impossible! Here are a few ideas to get started:

Working from home doesn’t have to mean losing professionalism!

Working from home doesn’t have to mean losing professionalism!

Dedicate a room at home just for your work

To keep the PJs cliché at bay, you need to pay close attention to your working environment. You may not need to commute to the workplace, but it doesn’t mean you can’t have an office. On the contrary, creating a home office enables you to keep your work and your home separate.

If you’re still trying to complete projects on the corner of your breakfast table, it’s time to plan some much-needed improvements. Designing your home office is crucial, not only to your productivity but also to your perception of your work. You’re more likely to take your work seriously if you’ve got a space for it.

Organizing your home office is the secret to making a small room feel just as competent and professional as the typical business workplace. Consequently, you need to focus your attention on establishing a clear storage system. You can’t afford to keep loose sheets and stationery in random piles on the desk.

Knowing where everything is is the administrative baseline of your office. Keeping everything tidy and clean is the foundation of office management. And finally, keeping track of your budget through the organization replaces the work accountant. In short, you’ve got yourself a functional office place at home.

Getting the right equipment is fundamental

You can’t cut costs on your work equipment. At the top of the list, you want to make sure you’ve got the office devices you need. You can’t achieve anything without a reliable laptop or computer and a broadband connection.

Your home office also needs a printer – nobody can go entirely paperless –, work software tools and a phone – whether mobile or a Google Voice line. Additionally, as each business is different, you will need to explore your equipment requirements in depth. If you need to meet clients regularly, you might be interested in finding out more about leasing a car for your independent business, for instance. A car lease would give you access to a new vehicle, which encourages a positive first impression when you visit clients.

If you take it seriously, others will

Your behavior can influence the way you feel about your business. There’s no denying that working in casual pajamas can be a comfortable option, but that’s precisely what gives an unprofessional impression.

Indeed, your brain instinctively becomes more relaxed when you wear your night clothes, meaning that you won’t be as productive. Instead, if you make the conscious decision to dress up for work, you create a mental barrier between home life and professional life. It’s all it takes to build a professional attitude at home.

For your family and friends, seeing you getting dressed for work and staying consistent with your schedule encourage them to take you seriously. As a result, relatives are less likely to disturb you when you’re at home because they know you’re working.

Practice your conversational skills with clients

People who work from home tend to have fewer professional interactions during the day. Consequently, conversations with clients can feel a little awkward or forced at times. There’s no secret. You need to prepare for all questions so that you can shine with expertise and professionalism.

Ultimately, you’re an independent, so your clients need to ask you questions they wouldn’t ask a company. Be honest and open about your career. If you’re new to the freelancing world, let them know where you come from. A carefully crafted portfolio is crucial during these interviews, but it doesn’t replace your personality.

Keep your skills up to date

You can’t expect clients to trust you with their projects if they fear your skills aren’t suited for the current market. As an independent professional, you can’t afford not to keep up with the latest business trends.

You should make sure to take business classes on everyday business requirements as well, from business writing to entrepreneurship. There’s nothing worse than an expert who lacks business know-how. You can boost your professional profile with free classes as well as paid for online studies.

Make time for a real break

Last, but not least, when you work from home, you tend to skip breaks. As a result, clients can get in the habit of contacting you at any time, which can affect your professional interactions. You need to establish healthy breaks throughout the day, for yourself and to encourage clients to think of your services as a business. Take the time to eat at lunchtime or to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning. Applying an office break policy to your home business is a game-changer.

Professionalism is the complex mixture of how you act, how you think and how you feel. For home-based workers, it’s about creating an environment that is suitable for the business mindset, from what you wear to the equipment you purchase.

Madison Crenshaw is a mother of two and a serial entrepreneur originally from the Southern US. In the last decade, she has made the DC area her home. She is a savvy businesswoman who is always looking for the next big opportunity. She is an expert at networking and knows how to make her presence felt. She is a strong believer in the power of education and has been actively involved in her children's education. In her free time, she loves to travel, explore new cultures, and spend time with her family. She is passionate about making a difference in the world and is always looking for ways to help her community.

When it comes to your small business, you want to do everything in your power to ensure that things are going smoothly. But there may be some unexpected factors that could be impacting your customer conversion that doesn’t have to do with your business model or products.

Here are three unexpected things that could be slowing down your new business sales and what you can do to get them back up again.

Unhappy Customers are Customers that Don’t Convert

Using only video marketing on your website

It’s true that video marketing can do wonders for your business. Experts say that using a video on just your landing page can increase conversions by 86% and 70% of marketers say that video increases their conversion rates better than other marketing formats. Movement even gets your consumers’ brains going.

But it’s important to remember that consumers like to get their information fast. It only takes 10 seconds for people to form an impression about your brand and 0.05 seconds to form an opinion about your website.

If your website only provides information about your business through a video and nowhere else, and that video provides the information slowly, consumers will click away from your website fast. Include information in videos and in written formats so your consumers can get their information in a way that works best for them.

What’s more, you want to make sure your video marketing has audio and captions. Non-hearing consumers won’t be able to interact with your website if there aren’t any captions and hearing consumers won’t be able to multitask if they have to watch the screen to know what your business does.

Not having a phone number or address listed on your website

When you’re operating a small business and you’re working from home or your business is completely digital, it can be tempting not to list any phone number or address on your website. After all, putting a personal phone number or listing “101 Storybook Ln Apt #4” on your website may not feel very professional. But not listing a phone number or address on your website can make consumers feel uneasy, like you may not be a real company.

Of course, renting an office space and getting a permanent land line may not be in your budget. So what’s the solution?

We’ve found great success using inexpensive voice-over-internet phone lines (e.g. Google Voice) and virtual addresses (e.g. DaVinci Virtual) to provide that added level of comfort that the customer often need.

For example, in our trampoline dropship business, we saw a near 50% increase in sales by simply adding a phone number to the header and an address to the footer of our website!

Having an Unprofessional or Confusing Checkout Process

The less friction you introduce into the sell, the higher the conversion rate will be. This is common sense, and yet we see business after business injecting unnecessary processes into the checkout process.

This relates to both in-person and digital transactions.

We lived overseas for quite a few years in a country where the checkout process at many stores was ridiculously complicated! I remember going to one of the big local electronics stores to buy an HDMI cable, and spending 20 minutes in the checkout process. To simply buy a cable I had to:

  1. Tell the store salesperson which cable I wanted.
  2. The salesperson then personally took the cable to counter where someone would package the item in a bag, and staple the bag shut.
  3. I was sent to a separate window (and person) to pay.
  4. Once paid, I had to take the receipt to a second window where I received my “warranty”.
  5. With the receipt and warranty in hand, I returned to the counter where my cable had been packaged and that individual stapled the receipt and warranty to the bag.

As a customer, the entire process was a huge turnoff that dissuaded me from shopping there ever again. It would have been much easier to grab the item, take it to a self-checkout, and walk out the door 30 seconds after picking up the item!

The same can be true of online checkouts. Does your online store have too many steps? Too many pages from when the customer selects ‘Buy’ until the point when the customer finishes the process? If so, you’re losing sales!

Madison Crenshaw is a mother of two and a serial entrepreneur originally from the Southern US. In the last decade, she has made the DC area her home. She is a savvy businesswoman who is always looking for the next big opportunity. She is an expert at networking and knows how to make her presence felt. She is a strong believer in the power of education and has been actively involved in her children's education. In her free time, she loves to travel, explore new cultures, and spend time with her family. She is passionate about making a difference in the world and is always looking for ways to help her community.

Are you a mom looking to start a business from home? Are you a creative Mom looking for business-minded resources and ideas? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Today we’re excited to announce that MarketMommy.com is officially up and running again!

Introducing MarketMommy.com

We’re thrilled to introduce you to MarketMommy.com, the go-to resource for Moms who want to start their own business from home. Here you’ll find resources and ideas to help you come up with the perfect business concept, get started, market the business and grow it.

Whether you’re a crafty Mom looking to start an Etsy shop, an aspiring entrepreneur looking for the perfect business idea or an experienced business owner looking for some tips and tricks to grow your business, MarketMommy.com has you covered.

What to Expect for Mom Business Owners

At MarketMommy.com, you’ll find articles, videos, and podcasts to help you every step of the way. We’ll cover topics like coming up with business ideas, starting your home-based business, marketing your business, and growing your business. You can also join our community of like-minded Moms who are also entrepreneurs. It’s a great place to ask questions, get advice and find the support you need.

So, if you’re a mom looking to start a business from home, count on MarketMommy.com for the advice, tips, and support you need! We’re in this (business) journey together!

A Bit of Humor –

Every post on Market Mommy needs a bit of humor. I’ll do my best to include humor throughout all of the content I create in the coming years.

And so in that spirit, I heard a joke the other day that I thought was perfect for this announcement:

Q: What did the Mom entrepreneur say to the other Mom entrepreneur?

A: “Let’s make a business out of this!”

Thanks for joining us on this re-launch of MarketMommy.com! We’re so excited to be back and to help you start and grow your own business from home.

Madison Crenshaw is a mother of two and a serial entrepreneur originally from the Southern US. In the last decade, she has made the DC area her home. She is a savvy businesswoman who is always looking for the next big opportunity. She is an expert at networking and knows how to make her presence felt. She is a strong believer in the power of education and has been actively involved in her children's education. In her free time, she loves to travel, explore new cultures, and spend time with her family. She is passionate about making a difference in the world and is always looking for ways to help her community.

 

As a small business owner, you likely have a lot of parts of your company to juggle that many larger business owners are able to delegate to others. For example, while many business owners with larger companies have someone directly responsible for managing shipping, you might have to handle it yourself as an entrepreneur. Good shipping is important to customer experience, and 72% of businesses say improving customer experience is their top priority. If you’re looking to improve your company’s shipping as an entrepreneur, here are just a few things you should know.

Doing It All Yourself Is Tricky

If you’re looking to invest in having your own trucks to manage transporting goods and shipping products to customers, be prepared to spend a lot and have a lot of work to do. If you only have to ship the occasional large item and you already own a pickup truck, you may be able to manage it well enough. Pickup trucks currently account for 16.4% of auto sales in the United States, and many of those are to entrepreneurs who need a vehicle capable of hauling items.

However, as soon as you start looking to manage a fleet of trucks of your own, you’re dramatically increasing the amount of work you have to do. Trucking with a fleet of your own can seem appealing at first, largely because of how much it improves your ability to ship farther distances and engage an international market. Approximately two-thirds of Canada-US trade is moved by truck, and owning your own fleet makes that more of a possibility in the future. However, maintaining trucks is difficult, and purchasing trucks that are ready to make long trips like that isn’t cheap. You’ll need to be ready to maintain your trucks, including updating any coatings they have in order to keep your products safe. Coatings have two primary functions: decoration and protection. Owning and maintaining a fleet costs your company money, so depending on your shipping needs, you may be better off outsourcing your shipping to carriers.

 

Keep Track Of Carriers

If you’ve decided you won’t be managing your trucking and shipping yourself, what’s the next step? You’ll first want to find a carrier that’s trustworthy and you know will be able to get your products to your consumers within a reasonable time frame. Shipping across all industries has seen increasing expectations when it comes to delivery speeds thanks to the rise of e-commerce, so you’ll want to find a carrier with trustworthy estimates. Don’t feel like you have to take the first carrier you find; do some price comparisons first and see which will offer you the best prices long-term for large amounts of shipping. Also, keep convenience in mind – will you have to bring your items somewhere to be shipped, or will someone be able to pick them up from your place of business? Do some homework on your options and you’ll be sure to save money over time.

Calculate Costs Fairly

Finally, one of the most important factors you’ll have to consider when improving your shipping policies is how much it’s going to cost both you and the end consumer. Few people are excited about having to pay for shipping, again thanks to the rise of affordable or even free shipping among leading e-commerce giants. If you’re worried about how shipping costs will look, try integrating the cost of shipping into the cost of your products. Of course, this only works if your shipping costs are stable enough to predict, so be careful about how you approach this. Ultimately, it’s important to not sacrifice your operating costs for the sake of improved shipping, so work to find a pricing model that’s most suitable for your business and industry.

The Bottom Line: Your Bottom Line Matters

Overall, shipping costs can be difficult to navigate, especially if you’re operating as a small business or even a single entrepreneur. Luckily, there are plenty of options available for smaller companies looking to ship their products as long as you know where to look and what you’re able to spend. Use these tips to help set up your shipping and you’re sure to see improved profits and reduced operating costs over the life of your business.

Madison Crenshaw is a mother of two and a serial entrepreneur originally from the Southern US. In the last decade, she has made the DC area her home. She is a savvy businesswoman who is always looking for the next big opportunity. She is an expert at networking and knows how to make her presence felt. She is a strong believer in the power of education and has been actively involved in her children's education. In her free time, she loves to travel, explore new cultures, and spend time with her family. She is passionate about making a difference in the world and is always looking for ways to help her community.

Did you know that the average US office employee can get through as much as 10,000 sheets of paper in a single year? When this is scaled up across all employees working within even a very small-sized business it amounts to an eye-watering number.

All businesses, big and small, should look to save paper not only because it can save them a lot of money but also because it can have less of an impact on the environment. So if you think your paper usage is still a little too high then here are 5 things you can do to help reduce it.

1. Store all documents electronically

The easiest way to reduce printing is not to print at all. If your company is still in the habit of printing and filing as a storage solution then it’s time to change to Cloud Solutions. By storing all of your documents electronically on the cloud not only will you have access to them from anywhere in the world with an internet connection but you’ll be saving a ton of physical space and paper wastage too. We all know that 99% of the documents we have filed in the office never get looked at, so they may as well not be looked at online instead.

2. Reuse scrap paper as draft paper

There’s always a lot of waste paper hanging around the office from letters, misprints and draft documents etc. This paper could be repurposed as scrap paper. Keep a scrap paper pile for making notes, doing any drawings and conducting any brainstorms on and also use it for any non-essential draft printing to save on using up valuable quality paper. When you’re done with the reused scrap paper, you will have given it a second lease of life and can then recycle it.

3. Print double-sided rather than single-sided

Printing double-sided can help to reduce your paper usage by half, which is an instant improvement. Encourage all employees to print double-sided as standard unless absolutely necessary.

4. Build a paperless culture

The best way to ensure that everyone in your workplace is saving paper on a day to day basis is by building it into your workplace culture. Clearly define your company values and include one on working sustainably and consciously to help reduce unnecessary paper wastage. Ensure that your office is also well equipped to support proper recycling processes by providing plenty of recycling bins and opportunities for people to use draft paper.

5. Proof and preview

It may never be possible to cut out printing in your workplace altogether but you can make sure that when you do print you are careful to avoid mistakes.  Proofread and preview every document very carefully to avoid mistakes and misprints which will cause you to need to print more than one version.

You can use browser extensions such as Grammarly to help you with your spelling, punctuation and grammar and always have a third party read the document as they can often pick up mistakes that your eyes have missed.

Madison Crenshaw is a mother of two and a serial entrepreneur originally from the Southern US. In the last decade, she has made the DC area her home. She is a savvy businesswoman who is always looking for the next big opportunity. She is an expert at networking and knows how to make her presence felt. She is a strong believer in the power of education and has been actively involved in her children's education. In her free time, she loves to travel, explore new cultures, and spend time with her family. She is passionate about making a difference in the world and is always looking for ways to help her community.