Equipment, Supplies and Services for Your Business 1

What Equipment, Supplies, and Services Do I Need to Get Started?

Whenever I meet someone who says they have an office in their basement I conjure up images of the first home office I ever saw. It was my father's workshop—a tiny area off to one side of the basement steps that was furnished with an old, scarred workbench and a beat-up metal stool There, under the glare of a single, bare light-bulb, my father would spend his evenings changing vacuum tubes in TV chassis and trying to coax the broken-down sets back into working order for the people who had asked him to do the repairs.
Television sets and technology have changed a lot since then. And so have the equipment and supply needs of many home offices and away-from-home small businesses. Most businesses today couldn't exist without one or more computers; others feel the world will crash in around them if their fax machine breaks down or their Internet connection is unavailable. Some still function quite well with nothing more high-tech than a telephone and a file box.
The variety of equipment available today can make it quite confusing at times to know just what to buy. Generally, if you remember to let the business dictate what equipment you need rather than your emotions, you'll make the right choices. Here, though, are some guidelines to help you determine what you may need when you are starting out.


Can I work at the kitchen table?

One of the great things about working for yourself is you can work anywhere you find convenient. That means you could work at the kitchen table, the dining room table, the coffee table, or the backyard picnic table. In fact, if the work that needs to be done requires nothing more than a paper, pencil, and your imagination you could plop your body into an oversized tire tube and work while you cool your heels in the backyard swimming pool. What you should consider in choosing a permanent spot to work is how you will keep your work materials organized so they are always together. If you don't want to make space for a formal office in your home at first, buy an inexpensive file box that will let you keep all your papers and notes together in an orderly fashion.

Do I need to get business cards?

Business cards are one of the least costly and most helpful promotional tools. The card tells people what you do and puts that information in a format they can easily store in a wallet, copy into a phone directory, or file in a card directory so they can have your name and number the next time they need what you sell. Thus, you should get business cards and get in the habit of handing them out to everyone you possibly can.

Do I need to give myself a title on my business card?

If you are trying to give people the impression your company is bigger than a one- or two-person business, or if you like titles, you can give yourself a title, such as president. If you don't like titles and don't have to impress anyone, you don't have to use a title. The name of your business and your name, address, and phone number should be all you need to include.

Do I need business stationery?

Business stationery is another essential. Even if you don't often write business letters, there may be times when you need to write to suppliers or customers. If you want your letters to look professional and important, you need letterhead stationery and envelopes printed with your business name.
If you don't think you will need business stationery often, use your computer and printer to print your own, or order just a small quantity from a quick-print shop. After seeing how long it takes to use it up, you can reorder a larger quantity if appropriate. Don't wait until the day before you need the stationery, however. It can take a week to two weeks for a printer to print a job.

TIP: If you hire a designer to create your logo and/or letterhead, be sure they give you a copy you can use in your word processing program. Many contracts, proposals and other materials are mailed electronically. If you email a proposal and cover sheet to a client, you're going to want your logo and letterhead to be on the documents you mail.

Do I need expensive business stationery?

The type of business you run will dictate how impressive your business stationery needs to be. If you run a simple service business and get customers because of your efficiency and your reasonable prices, very expensive-looking stationery would be a poor choice. Customers might equate expensive-looking stationery with an expensive service.

If you are in a business where you are expected to be dignified and highly professional, however, you will need to use the best quality paper you can afford.
Your printer should have samples of different papers, stationery designs, and type styles available. He or she may also have books of pictures or symbols you could use if you want artwork on the letterhead, business card, and envelope. You can also purchase stationery by mail from several different companies. These companies all have catalogs showing available designs.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure whatever paper supplies or forms you buy work with your printer before ordering in large quantities. Certain papers are too thick to feed through your printer or photocopier, some make the ink from an inkjet printer look blurry or smudge easily; some won't accept the ink from a laser printer properly (the ink will crack when the paper is folded or will smudge). If you use a laser printer, watch out for raised ink letterhead and envelopes. Many raised inks melt from the heat of laser printers.

Many printers and mail order houses usually know what paper works with what printers and are more than happy to help you make the right choice. Be sure to tell them what kind of equipment you will be using, and if there is any question about what will work, ask them to give or send you a couple of sheets of paper to test.

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