Managing your reputation is not always easy. You work really hard to build a respectable brand and then someone comes in and tries to tear it down. Luckily for you though, here are some great online reputation management tips and tools that can help you stay on top of the game.

Think Domain

The first thing you have to do is buy domain names. Yes, multiple ones. Buy .com, .org, .net, and almost every other domain extension associated with your brand so that no one else can use it against you. If you use an exact match keyword domain name, then it may be hard to get the .net and .org versions, which is fine. But if you are a VA mortgage lender, you best be sure that you own every exact match domain name for your brand. And thanks to Google suggest, things like ‘reviews’, ‘sucks’, and ‘scam’ along with your brand keyword are a lot more prevalent, so buying domains with these keywords in them (ex. brandsucks.com) can help manage your reputation.

Choose Your Tool and Start Monitoring

My favorite tool for monitoring your brand on the web and blogosphere by far is Google Alerts. It’s simple, free, and sent straight to your email. You can have it set up to send an email once-a-week, once-a-day, or whenever something comes up. And since most people use Google to find businesses online, knowing what Google is keeping track of is very important. Set up a Google alert for your brand name and you can even use it to keep track of other keywords (and competitors if you really want).

Content Builds Brands

The biggest thing you can do is be a content creator. The real-time web is now in the search engine results. And the pervasiveness of Facebook and Twitter mean that people will seek you out on these platforms for good or bad. You must participate in them. It would be foolish not to. Set up an account (personal and/or company) and start engaging and creating content. Also, make sure to have a blog that is consistently being updated. Use it to post news, industry trends or whatever fits for your company/brand. This will become valuable if you ever need to respond to a situation.

Manage Your Social Web

Use a program such as HootSuite that allows you to manage all three social networks with one easy to use interface. It allows you to schedule tweets, status updates, and even integrates with Ping.fm. Plus, by keeping your search column open, you can monitor your brand at all times allowing prompt response. And you can post to your Wordpress blog through the application. Having an application like this can greatly increase your productivity regarding online reputation management. If you don’t like HootSuite, try CoTweet or something similar but managing a company’s social media platforms cannot be done on twitter.com itself.

Proactive Not Passive

By actively managing your reputation online now, it will make it a lot easier when something bad actually does happen and you need to do damage control, so it’s good to be proactive and not passive about this. If you have a voice, you’re much better positioned against attacks, and will gain credence with the online generation.

About the Author: Kevin Kaiser is a entrepreneur who deals with online marketing and reputation management for start-ups he’s involved in and can be found writing at Startup Biz Blog.

Photo Credit: nicasaurusrex

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Small business owners don’t always have the luxury of having an exorbitant budget to spend on travel and lodging expenses related to client presentations.

Luckily, videoconferencing technology has brought the presentation to their front door step.

While videoconferencing has become a fairly standard practice, many small business owners still lack the basic knowledge of proper videoconferencing etiquette. I hope this post can help shed some light on the proper considerations when preparing and engaging in a web conference.

Test, Test, Test

As the old business adage goes, time is money. The last impression you need to be making to your client is that you don’t value their time and by simple deduction, don’t care that you are costing them money.

Significant time should be allocated to setup and testing of all systems prior to the start of the videoconference. Inattention to these details sends the wrong signal and can potentially ruin the possibility of a successful business relationship before it’s had a chance to blossom. Discovering all issues and resolving them in advance to the meeting ensures that the conference starts on the right foot.

Details to consider when setting up include:

• Camera placement – When placing the camera, try and fill the frame as much as possible with people, rather than extraneous room objects such as tables, chairs, etc.
• Camera and TV presets – Check and make sure that your TV’s brightness and contrast is optimally set. This ensures that you can see the client and more importantly, their gestures and reactions to your presentation. Additionally, make sure that your camera is optimally set to make certain that those on the other end of the meeting can properly see you.
• Lighting – Lighting is one of the few variable factors in a videoconference and needs to be considered when setting up. Sunlight from windows can throw off the camera’s exposure, making it difficult for the client to see you. Having drapes or shutters drawn will help mediate this problem.
• Microphone volume – Unless your client is accomplished at reading lips, problems with your microphone could render the videoconference meaningless. Not only should you check and see if the mic is working, but you should verify that the volume is at a sufficient volume.
• Computer Applications – Collaborate with your client’s IT specialist beforehand and make sure that all software applications such as PowerPoint or Word will work successfully.

Dress in Your Sunday’s Best

On the day of the presentation, set your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier than normal to make certain that you will allow an adequate amount of time to look your best.

Men should certainly shave/trim all facial hair. Dress attire should be professional, but busy patterns should be avoided.

Cameras seem to have difficulties interpreting these detailed patterns and may create unwanted artifacts in image quality. Believe it or not, pastel or muted colors tend to do best on screen.

Extend Greetings

Once the conference begins, treat it as any other meeting. Just because it’s broadcasted over an Ethernet cable does not mean that introductory formalities should be forgotten.

First, ask if they can hear you. Once sound is confirmed, introduce yourself. Speak in a normal voice and avoid shouting.

Microphones are fragile pieces of equipment and loud sounds can lead to uncomfortable feedback or echo for those on the other end of the call.

Try not to interrupt and/or “double talk”. Not only is it rude, but “double talking” is another source of unwanted feedback/echo. Lastly, when listening or passing the microphone, verify that it is muted.

Consider Learning Styles

All people learn differently. For every person who considers themselves an audible learner, there is another who considers themselves a visual learner.

Best practices would tell us to use both audible and visual sources in our messaging. In fact, studies have shown that hearing AND seeing a message has been shown to increase message recall and message understanding.

I can’t verifiably show that using these steps will help improve your web conference communication, but I’d like to extend it as a challenge. Follow these few tips in your next videoconference and I’ll let you come to your own conclusions. I think you’ll be surprised with the results.

Guest post by DBS>Interactive, a Full-Service Web Design and Internet Marketing company located in Louisville, KY. Pay them a visit at http://dbswebsite.com for more information on how DBS>Interactive can help you with your Internet marketing needs.

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What constitutes really great customer service? What constitutes really awful customer service? While conducting research on this subject for budget hosting company 34SP.com, I came across a few examples that really stretched some boundaries.

Some Truly Awful Service

Although these are stories of big brands, the lessons learned can be applied to small business customer service as well. Here are a few brief examples – all of them pretty bad.

Verizon’s Callousness

Let’s say that someone in your family dies. It’s a bad time, lots of stress and details to be sorted out. What if you tried to cancel the dead person’s phone service, but the phone company wouldn’t let you? What if you even produced the official death certificate and they still refused to shut the account off? That is precisely what happened to Cynthia Lacy according to a published report at the St. Petersburg Times eEdition.

Ms. Lacy’s father passed away in June of 2009, but since Ms. Lacy didn’t have her father’s PIN number to access the account – Verizon didn’t discontinue the service until March 2010. This is despite the fact that Ms. Lacy sent the company a copy of her father’s death certificate. It took the intervention of the media shining the spotlight on her case to get it resolved. You can read the whole story here.

Kevin Smith “Too Fat to Fly”

Then there is the recent dust up involving Hollywood direct Kevin Smith and Southwest Airlines. Mr. Smith is known for directing such films as Clerks, Mallrats, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and the recently released Cop Out.

During a recent flight, Mr. Smith was asked to leave the plane prior to takeoff for ”being too fat”. Being a media savvy promoter, Mr. Smith proceeded to live-Tweet and fully publicize his ordeal. According to published reports (this story was picked up by numerous large national media outlets including Wall Street Journal, USA Today, ABC, and the Los Angeles Times) Mr. Smith said he was already seated on the flight with armrests down and seatbelt fastened.

The Southwest captain deemed him a ‘’safety risk” due to his weight and he was ejected from the flight. The ensuing backlash abated somewhat when Southwest issued apologies on Twitter and on the Southwest website.

From the apology post, ”First and foremost, to Mr. Smith; we would like to echo our Tweets and again offer our heartfelt apologies to you. We are sincerely sorry for your travel experience on Southwest Airlines.” So good job by Southwest to admit a mistake and take responsibility. If you’d like to hear a lengthy description of the incident as told by Kevin Smith himself, you’ll find it here.

Toyota’s Fall From Grace

Automobile manufacturer Toyota recently demonstrated that even a firm known for high quality and service can quickly fall from grace.

The short story here is: Toyota began to receive complaints regarding ‘’sticking accelerator pedals”. Since the problems were first revealed, the company has continued a slow-motion service and communication debacle. In late January the company issued this statement, ”Toyota announced it would recall approximately 2.3 million vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals on specific Toyota Division models.

Toyota has investigated isolated reports of sticking accelerator pedal mechanisms in certain vehicles without the presence of floor mats. There is a possibility that certain accelerator pedal mechanisms may, in rare instances, mechanically stick in a partially depressed position or return slowly to the idle position.”

Subsequent quality issues arose with the brakes on the Prius as well. Although the company has now taken more aggressive steps to correct these issues, rival car manufacturers have eroded the company’s market share in new car sales. You can follow all of the details via Toyota’s news pages.

So What’s the Key to Great Customer Service?

If there is a common thread of learning that connects these incidents it is: proper communication is key. First, properly communicating and adhering to strict operational rules regarding how the business is run to employees. This means that everyone in the organization knows and understands policies and proper procedures. Second, communicating with the customers and being as transparent as possible in the face of any problems. Companies that excel in communicating often excel in service as well.

Recommended Reading

So how to deliver truly great customer service as a small business? The Ten Commandments of Great Customer Service outlines some salient points in this regard. I suggest that the company’s mentioned above should focus on number 7: ”Know how to apologize”.

Derek Vaughan is a web hosting industry veteran, marketing consultant and writer. Mr. Vaughan has architected the marketing growth of several prominent web hosting success stories leading to acquisition including Affinity Internet, Inc., Aplus.Net and HostMySite.com. Prior to his entry into the web hosting industry, Mr. Vaughan was responsible for online marketing at The Walt Disney Company where he marketed ecommerce for the ESPN.com and NASCAR.com brands. Mr. Vaughan received his M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University and currently serves on the HostingCon Advisory Board.

Photo Credit: B Rosen

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Faced with a tough economy, many small biz owners and entrepreneurs are finding it necessary to be creative, flexible and strategic to keep their doors open. To stay “in the black” they must seek ways to both increase their income and reduce their cash output.

For this reason, bartering, the age-old practice of trading services or goods, is experiencing a rebirth.

The Case for Bartering

Many find that this method of doing business allows them to expand their network of associates and vendors, create “profitable alliances” and offer or receive valuable resources they or their peers would not otherwise be availed to, due to budgetary restrictions.

The practice of bartering is said to date back to 6000 B.C. with the tribes of Mesopotamia. Since then, everything imaginable has been exchanged in the form of fair trade—from cattle, to cars, to family heirlooms, to sitting services.

For writers and creative artists, these arrangements can provide a host of benefits and create win-win situations for all parties involved.

Real World Examples

Marcie Hill, President of the Write Design Company states that bartering practices have worked out well for her. She states that keeping the lines of communication open is crucial, and notes that restrictions should be put in place for harmonious relations and repeat business.

In 2009, my “bargaining dollars” allowed me to reap these rewards:

• I got my computer fixed (from virus invasion) and new gadgets installed (valued at a price of $200.00), in exchange for creating a Blog and web content for a computer repair guy.

• My upstairs washroom and kitchen cabinets received a painting “overhaul” for writing services I provided for an interior decorator.

• I got free music C.D.s and some photography work performed for editing a business plan.

I saved a bundle. And you can too.

But, as with any business transaction, there are drawbacks that can cause detriment to the novice negotiator.

Here are a few tips to maximize your “earnings” and your experience

1. Get everything in writing. No matter how long or the nature of your relationship, misunderstandings can occur. Putting the terms and conditions in writing helps to provide clarity and accountability.

2. Never enter into a bartering relationship with someone you wouldn’t otherwise do business. No matter how convenient this type of set up might be, if the performance is shabby, or the ethics are questionable, then you’ve still netted a loss.

3. Determine who is responsible for what deliverables, and set a deadline. I learned this lesson the hard way when a person with whom I entered into a bartering contract didn’t finish her end of the bargain until three months after I honored my end of the deal. Needless to say I won’t be working with her again soon.

4. Decide if the value of the services or goods will be assessed by the number of project hours and/or market value. Sometimes perception of what is considered “equal” can vary.

5. Agree on conflict resolution measures. In other words, what happens if one person is satisfied with the end product and the other isn’t? Who can terminate the arrangement and how? Will advance notice be required?

Addressing these five issues up front will insure greater odds for success and greater “net profits” in business bartering.

Author Bio: Jennifer Brown-Banks is a professional, veteran freelance writer and Blogger with over 500 publishing credits both online and in print publications. She authors several relationship columns and produce feature pieces on an array of topics. She is the former Senior Editor of Mahogany Magazine.

Photo Credit: Tomás Fano

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A question I get asked frequently, either on Twitter, or here at Small Biz Bee is “Where can I find some free help writing my business plan?” – and I keep replying to those questions with the same 4-5 websites and suggestions.

Which got me thinking – if there are that many people out there taking the time to ask me where they can find some help with their business plans, there must be 100’s more who just haven’t gotten around to emailing me yet. And then I said to myself “That sounds like a pretty helpful blog post”, so here we go…

Top 5 Online Sources for Free Business Plan Help

1. SCORE.org – Free Business Help

SCORE offers a plethora of small business help for free. Much of it can be found online, but if you prefer more personal interaction SCORE counselors are based all across the United States, have a variety of industry expertise, and can help you with your business plan for free.

2. SCORE.org – Templates

That’s right, I’m listing SCORE twice, this time for their wide variety of helpful business plan templates all available for free from there website. If you just need a little bit of a roadmap to get you started thinking about your own plan, these templates are perfect for you. SCORE Template Gallery

3. Bplans.com

Bplans offers expert business plan advice. They have over 500 sample business plans you can review, tips on how to write a business plan, outlines, suggestions, and much more. A great place to start if you ask me.

4. SBA – Business Basics

It seems to me that the SBA gets looked over as a solid online resource for business help. There website is chock full of good information to help you build your business and craft your plan. I’d suggest starting at their Small Business Planner section, you’ll be surprised at all the great stuff you’ll find.

5. Entrepreneur.com

Whether you’re just starting out, need funding or want to monitor the health of your business, creating a business plan is your first step on the path to success. Read the extensive how-to to get started on your plan.

Get Started!

There you have it, five great free resources to get your business plan started today. If I missed a great free business plan resource let me know about it in the comments below.

Photo Credit: xJasonRogersx

These days the word ‘hype’ is frequently given negative connotations. It is true that one interpretation of the term is an excessive or exaggerated claim of a product or service’s importance, but originally the term was used to describe more cleverly worked promotion and fostering of positive word-of-mouth.

The TV Teaser

The latter definition can be seen working extremely well in modern television, where yet-to-be-aired TV shows will play very short adverts or give 5 second snippets of a show, just to get people talking about it.

This, often coupled with poster and viral campaigns promoting messages such as “its coming!”, help to get the rumour mill going into overdrive.

Play on Curiosity

Humans are the most curious animals on earth (perhaps second to cats) and not knowing what something means, especially when we seeing clues all over the place, drives us crazy. We start talking to friends about what it all means, start Googling clues that the ads have given us and even start writing blogs about what we think might be “coming”.

 Your new business venture might not have the funds or the reach to carry out a ‘hype’ campaign to the same scale, but you can definitely adopt some of the principles to get your new business venture into people’s consciousness before you even launch.

 Here is just one way that you can generate hype with a relatively low budget.

 Create a mystery website, and then promote it.

 Chances are you will at some stage have a full website built for you business that will outline all your products or services, as well as contact details and news etc. Before you set this live however, why not put a very simple, yet intriguing 1-page site live that just hints at what people can expect soon.

You might want to use interesting imagery, a tag line or even some poetry to get visitors wondering what exactly your business is all about. A great idea is to place 2-3 short video clips on the page that don’t give too much away, but just add to the intrigue.

Videos are a rich media that people like to analyse more than copy and are often distributed better. If you’re really clever you can include subtle messages or website addresses in your videos that will encourage people to dig deeper.

 Take a look at this video for Derren Brown’s “The Events” which aired last year in the UK on Channel 4. 

 
The program was all about trickery, illusion and subliminal mind control and the advert alone built up so much hype, Derren received record viewing figures for the show when it aired. Here is another video speculating what the advert’s hidden messages where:

Even if you don’t include video on your website, you can still get one produced pretty cheaply that you can use to create something of a viral campaign.

The video doesn’t need to be professional produced, as an amateurish feel often adds to its draw. Promote the video on YouTube, but also get your messages out on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Reddit and as many other social sites as you can.

If you work the whole process correctly you can generate so much buzz surrounding your business that when it comes to launch time you will hit the ground running, and stand the best chance of making it through the most difficult early stages where most new companies struggle.

 BIO: Duncan is an internet marketer and business consultant representing a London-based spa days company. He often blogs about top marketing techniques and getting the best ROI from promotional activities.

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Photo Credit: Alex Cameron

Around this time of year I start doing a lot of online ordering of custom printed merchandise for spring events my business manages. This means I am searching numerous supplier websites trying to find the right items, at the right prices, from companies I know can deliver on time.

It also means I see first hand how some small business (and larger businesses for that matter) integrate their online stores, customer service, and product delivery.

One merchant I deal with has a procedure that I can’t figure out if I like or not…

A Little Background

This supplier I’ve been dealing with for a couple years now. They have a quality product, for a good price, and they deliver on time…overall I am very satisfied using them for some of my branded merchandise needs.

But, they have me flummoxed when it comes to one of there practices.

On their site I will choose the items I want printed, make numerous choices on the printing options, and finally see a final product and cost for my order once I’ve added the items into the shopping cart. Until my items go into the cart I don’t fully know what my costs are (there’s the item costs, setup fees based on printing options, and miscellaneous charges for extra services).

So I get everything into the cart, look at my costs, and then decide if I want to purchase as is or make some changes to the order to get back on budget. Sometimes I make changes and complete the order, other times I go a completely different route altogether and abandon the cart to start another search on their site.

My Question for You

Which leads me to my question for you all. Every time a cart is abandoned they follow up with a phone call to me to inquire about why I abandoned the cart (they have my info on file since I order from them regularly). They usually say “we notice you were looking at custom printed pink flamingos but did not complete your order, can we help you finalize it?”

Okay, I get it – shopping cart abandonment is a real thorn in online retailers sides, but really, a phone call every time I leave a cart – even if during the same session on their site I place an order?

I’ve suggested that if I could see total costs before placing items into a cart I wouldn’t be abandoning the cart as often, but I don’t think there is much energy around changing that since then they wouldn’t be able to see uncompleted orders.

This must work on some level or they wouldn’t commit the resources to make the calls all the time, but it has me wanting not to check things out on their site because I don’t want the phone calls if I change my mind.

The whole thing has me confused. Is this the best way to go about dealing with abandoned carts? Is it good service, or just annoying? I don’t know…so I need your help figuring it out.

You Make the Call

So which is it….great service, good business, or just annoying? Let me know in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Divine in the Daily

Marketing  for any small business is incredibly time consuming, and if you’re only one person or a small army of hardcore marketers, you want to make sure you’re optimizing around acquiring new customers and re-selling to current customers.

Focus on the RIGHT numbers

While marketing can be a volume game, it’s easy to measure the wrong metrics and to aim for the wrong goals. We came across that problem when we were shooting for high volume traffic, but it wasn’t converting as we expected. The Key Performance Indicator should have been sales, not traffic.

Spend money to get money back

Sure, goodwill is a good idea. Advertising is good for branding purposes too. But will these things help you reach your goals, which mean more revenue and more profit? Will goodwill turn into an amazing piece of press for your company that in turn will lead to sales? Will that branding campaign cause more people who were initially hesitant to purchase at one point, to actually pay for your product or service at another time? You have to have justification for your initiatives, as well as proper metrics to measure the effectiveness of the programs; otherwise you’re just wasting time doing things that might not be working or things that do not work as effectively as other things.

Double down on what’s working

It’s important to know what is affecting the bottom line and focus more of your efforts on what will help you reach your business’ goals. Cut out the fat and stop doing things that aren’t as effective as other things you can do or things that aren’t effective at all.

Test, Test, Test!

If what you’re doing works well enough for you, then that’s great, but if you want to take your business to the next level, test out ways to make what you’re doing even more effective. Try out new things with CRM like offering different sales and promotions, rearranging your website and its contents for readability and usability, or just testing a few things with your email marketing.

 About the Author: Danny Wong is the Lead Evangelist for Blank Label, a provider of men’s custom dress shirts. He specializes in Small Business Marketing and Search Engine Optimization.

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Photo Credit: jsmjr

Small businesses are more mobile today than ever. No longer are we tied to physical locations, or limited by technology in communicating with partners all around the world.

This is extremely exciting on one hand – great freedom for the business owner, larger reach, and an opportunity to work with the best and the brightest from literally around the world.

On the other hand this freedom offers up a real challenge when it comes to collaboration.

Assembling Virtual Work Teams

What is the best way to put together a work team that may not be centrally located to where you do business?  How do we build teams, and transfer necessary information across work groups? 

These are questions I think many small businesses owners are asking themselves. And the good news is that many online collaboration tools are now available to help facilitate the new way in which we do business.

What to Look for In Online Collaboration Tools

There are many choices, and numerous advantages in using an online collaboration tool. Here are the five main things you need to look for when deciding which provider is right for you.

#1 Security

Got to put this at the top of the list. If you are going to be putting a lot of your work, confidential or proprietary information, onto the web in order to collaborate you need to be sure the provider you choose is secure. Do they auto backup data?  Do you have the option for enhanced security on your pages (https)? Don’t let a breech in their security become a breech in yours.

Do your homework – Online Security Safeguarding Your Business (via3.com white paper)

#2 Flexible and Reasonably Priced User and Storage Options

You want an online collaboration solution that offers enough storage for all the documents and files you expect to be sharing across your work teams.

Also you want to be sure you can add user accounts as your work teams grow. Most providers will offer graduated pricing based on the storage you need and the number of users. Look around until you find one that looks like it will allow you to grow as your business grows without any hidden upgrade fees, or sky high pricing.

#3 A Robust Suite of Tools

The basis of online collaboration is to collaborate, right?  You’ll want to be sure your provider offers a suite of collaboration tools to fit your needs.

The basics should include:

• Tasks management
• Contact management
• File sharing and storage
• Private messaging
• Chat
• To do lists
• Message boards
• Email integration
• Calendars

The sky is the limit when it comes to features, you’ll also find that some providers offer:

• Blogging
• Polls
• Photo sharing
• RSS feeds
• Wikis
• Social media tools

Pick the one that offers the right selection of tools you’ll actually use. All the bells and whistles sound nice, but if you’re not going to use them you could be paying more for these features just to have them sit there.

#4 Simplicity of Design and Function

Using online collaboration should make your life easier, not more stressful. Look for a simple to use tool that encourages users to, well, use it!  If it is too hard to understand, too cumbersome to work with, and more trouble than the end result, you’re going to have a hard time rallying the troops to make the switch to online work groups.

#5 Offers a No Obligation Free Trial

You really don’t know what you’ll be getting from any provider until you are in there using the software day in and day out. Do not sign up for something until you’vehad a chance to test drive the product and make sure it works for you and your business. Most will offer at least a 2 week trial so you can get the feel for how the system works before committing.

What are the Choices?

The choices are vast, and you will need to do your research. Early this year Business Pundit put out a great article, The 10 Best Collaborative Web Tools for Business , which should help you in your search.

They list their top 10 providers, as well as pros and cons of each, and a comprehensive overview of the software and service. OfficeMedium (latest sponsor of this blog) was rated as the #1 choice.

If online collaboration is something you’ve considered we recommend you head over there and check them out, see if what they offer is right for you.

Final Thoughts

The world is getting smaller, and we small businesses owners are able to do business in places we could only dream of a few short years ago. Online collaboration could mean a greater reach, with more efficiency to the small business. If you’re considering getting your teams together virtually, do your homework on the options out there and try out some of the solutions that look like they could work for you. 

Photo Credit: lumaxart

 The following is a guest post from Amanda Mitchell  a freelance writer who specializes in getting the most of technology for small businesses. You can reach Amanda at mitchell_amanda (at) ymail.com

You’ve started a small business and quit your day job. Good for you! But just because you’re working from home now doesn’t mean you won’t be interacting with others on a daily basis. If you run a service-based business, you need to communicate with your clients. While e-mail and instant messaging can be useful to convey quick messages, the time may come when you need to have a real conversation with your clients. If you’re in New York and they’re in California, meeting at the office is out of the question. This is where conference calls come in.

Be careful, though. Working from home can cause some people to get a little too comfortable. You might be sitting at a desk, working on a computer, but if your professional dress code entails flannel pajamas and fuzzy slippers, it can be very easy to forget you’re dealing with professionals who are expecting you to be professional too. A few simple tips will help you prepare for your conference calls, and keep your professional reputation intact.

Get dressed

There’s nothing wrong with working in pajamas, sweats, or even a muumuu, if that’s your thing. Part of the reason you wanted to work from home was that you knew you could be just as productive while you were comfortable as you were when you had to dress up in constrictive business attire. Maybe even more productive, right? But interacting with others via e-mail, instant message, or social media is very different from actually talking to them.

If it helps you maintain a professional demeanor during the conference call, get out of the pajamas and into some real clothes, even if it’s just jeans. It will remind you that it’s not an ordinary day where it’s just you, your computer, and your Twitter friends, and will help you stay focused.

Get the kids out of the room

A lot of people start businesses from home to spend more time with their kids, or simply to avoid paying nearly what they earn at a regular job on the daycare they’ll need while they’re at work. Setting up shop at home makes all the sense in the world, until you have to get on the phone with your clients and your kid is having a meltdown.

A crying child is not good background noise, and may cause your clients to wonder whether you’ll be able to get their project done while facing the demands of home. Your kids are important, but so is your business, and your clients deserve your full attention during a phone call. If your kids are school age, schedule the conference call during school hours. If they’re not, wait until nap time. If this doesn’t work for your client’s schedule, especially if they’re in a different time zone, ask a friend or family member to come over and keep the kids busy while you take the call.

Don’t eat

It may sound like common sense, but if you have to schedule a conference call during what would normally be your lunch time because it’s when your client is available, you may think there’s nothing wrong with having a sandwich while you talk. They can’t see you, right? No, but they can hear you, and the sound of chewing or lip smacking is not going to endear you to anyone. The last thing you want is a mouth full of tuna salad right when the client asks you to explain your project time line so they can approve your budget.

Sure, some meetings are held over meals, but this is a conference call. There are no visual cues or body language to enhance your communication, and it’s even worse if you’re the only one eating. All they have to go on is your voice, so don’t obscure it with food. This also goes for chewing gum, or hard candy. No, and no. Have a glass of water nearby, sure, but no eating. Period.

Turn off the TV

Some people need the ambient noise of the television, the radio, or their iTunes library to keep them on task. It may not distract you, but it will definitely distract whoever is on the other end of the line. They need to be able to clearly hear what you’re saying. Not to mention, hearing Oprah in the background may make them wonder whether you’re actually getting any work done.

Keep things quiet, behave professionally, and your clients don’t ever have to know you work in your pajamas.

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Photo Credit: Mike “Dakinewavamon” Kline