Ok, so you purchased your first PO Box. Now what? Well, you’ve taken a small step forward into the world of "virtual" business. But what does going "virtual" really mean?

A PO Box allows you to work from anywhere and gives you the peace of mind that your mail will be protected. A PO Box gives your business a physical address – without going to all the expense of leasing or buying office space. All of this allows you to go "virtual." But you should be aware of how others in your industry may view you.

Many people may think that your PO Box is not as "professional" as having a brick and mortar store. While operating without a dedicated physical office may not affect your products and/or service, it may affect your credibility in your industry. It’s therefore best to talk with professionals in your business industry that you can trust to see what they have to say.

Still, for many types of businesses and professionals going "virtual" with a PO Box is in the best interests of you and your customers or clients. Why? Because you’ll save a lot on the expenses you would have paid for leasing or purchasing an actual office. You can then take those savings and pass them onto your customers (or net a greater profit margin for your business). You’ll also save money which you can put into expanding your business, especially when you’re in the early stages of development. So, what if you have customers or clients that you need to meet in person?

When you have customers or clients that want to meet in person, offer to meet at their locations or find a neutral location where you both can meet. You may even be able to split rent with another business or use a particular office on an "as-needed" basis to meet your customers or clients. It’s really all about how you present the situation. If you act like you’re struggling to get by and just purchase the PO Box until something better comes along, that attitude will likely show through to your customers and clients – which you want to avoid.

Keep in mind that a "virtual" businessperson or professional doesn’t need a physical office. As long as your products and/or services meet or exceed your customers’ expectations, most people will likely not care if you work virtually or not. In fact, some may want to know how you went "virtual."

Finally, we’ll wrap up this article with some "virtual" PO Box thoughts to keep in mind.