Office Space: How’s Yours?

[goillini52]

Office was going great until like 5 minutes ago. My husband found out Vonage Business costs us $117 and we pay the TWC $30 for a fax line. Wants to disconnect my office phone system so I loose my number I had for the last 5 years, that has been advertised and is on everything. He said I could get 4 residential magic jack for a one time yearly fee. Tell my customers to you call this number first, then if you can't get through to us then call this number, or this number or this number. Meanwhile half my customers would think I was out of business if I disconnected my phone. This coming from a guy who spends $900 a month on a Benz

You can't transport your #? If not, send your customers your new business cards with your new #. Might be a good time to send them a thank you card(and hint for referrals).

 

[DHK]

Transfer your number to Google Voice for a small fee. Then direct Google Voice to direct all calls to whatever number you designate.

 

[LostDollar]

Office was going great until like 5 minutes ago. My husband found out Vonage Business costs us $117 and we pay the TWC $30 for a fax line. Wants to disconnect my office phone system so I loose my number I had for the last 5 years, that has been advertised and is on everything. He said I could get 4 residential magic jack for a one time yearly fee. Tell my customers to you call this number first, then if you can't get through to us then call this number, or this number or this number. Meanwhile half my customers would think I was out of business if I disconnected my phone. This coming from a guy who spends $900 a month on a Benz

time to discuss the income related to the cost. (And maybe more if you pay for the benz.)

 

[nonie]

I give six turning 65 seminars per month in five different counties. One seminar serves three counties. I give all but one of them for free at the local libraries. One library stopped allowing them unless I had a 501 C3. I found a hotel meeting room for $106 for the day that includes coffee, water and assorted Danish, cookies and muffins for that county.

I need an office, these people want to meet in person and think of me as a true educator and professional. I've met my share of clients at McDonald's but I feel unprofessional. Most of the people that attend the seminars don't feel comfortable with me coming to the their home. I never had this problem with my Medicare Advantage people. So that's really weird. I will say that I've met some extremely wealthy people most of them are upcharged for part b and d. So you really don't want your millionaire client to meet you at McDonald's. I can't really have conversations about other financial needs at such a public place. I think I lose out on potential bigger business because of the office situation.

I think in this business if you want to take your business to the next level, you need an office. If you just want to do Medicare Advantage business you may not need it.

I work the more rural areas about 1 1/2 hours from Dallas, TX. I have an office about an 1 1/2 hours away. I got that office because people in that county didn't want to do business with me since I didn't live in the area. I never encountered that with MA business in the same county. Now that I have the office, nobody wants to meet. The other two counties that I give seminars the people don't really care about an office. They ask about an office but are OK with me coming to their homes or meeting in a public place. My problem is having to run between clients when I have several in one day.

I actually have the office in the county that is the least lucrative for turning 65 but was the most lucrative for MA. Most of the people that attend the seminar, in the county where I have the office, already have health retirement benefits. After doing this consistently since July I've tracked where I'm getting the majority of my business and its not in the county where my office is. I will be relocating that office to one of the other countries.

I will continue doing seminars in the the rural areas but will also expand closer to Dallas. I will get an office in the DFW area so I can be stationary and allow clients to visit me. I will also move my other office to the county I'm getting most of my business. I will have two offices one near my home and one in a rural county. In the rural areas, there aren't any instant office, conference room situations, I looked.

My seminars are well attended and are starting to be very lucrative. I'm getting referrals, being invited to speak at their churches and I'm selling other types of insurance. I'm still waiting on the Annuity business. I think the office will help with that.

You also can't have the seminar in your place of business per CMS. So please consider that for the person that's looking for office space where they can have their seminars.