If you’ve recently started a business in the United States, you probably have realized that a business address is essential. But what if you’re remote or home-based?
A virtual mailing address is typically used by home-based entrepreneurs and companies who don’t maintain a physical business location. There are several reasons why using a PO Box, or home address is undesirable, and since you need a business address, a virtual mailbox becomes a perfect solution.
What is a virtual mailing address?
A virtual mailbox or virtual mailing address is a real street address in a commercial location where you can receive mail, but you don’t need to physically work there. You can provide this virtual address when creating your LLC, on your website, and to clients rather than using your home address. It’s a far more affordable solution than renting physical office space you wouldn’t use just because you need a legitimate business address. On receiving mail at the location, you can have it scanned, shredded, stored, or forwarded to you as the case may be.
Although it contains the word “virtual”, a virtual mailing address is actually a real street address. It’s virtual because you don’t have to be physically present in that location. The address is often provided by mail forwarding services.
Flexibility and remote working trends
The world is moving towards flexible workspaces, and many data analysts believe that the traditional fluorescent-lit office with cubicles with soon become history.
Before the pandemic, only about 20% of people worked from home, according to research by Pew Institute. The figure skyrocketed to over 70% during the pandemic but hasn’t plummeted as fast. In fact, about 50% of small businesses in the US today are home-based.
More people realize that they do not need a traditional office space to operate a business. Many businesses work fully remotely and highly productively, from e-commerce stores to consultancy services and digital marketing.
Why use a virtual mailbox instead of a virtual office?
If you have heard of the virtual mailbox, chances are you have also come across the word “virtual office.” While both entities are real street addresses, they work differently. A virtual office offers office-related services, such as phone answering and an on-demand conference room, but a virtual mailbox is geared towards mail.
A virtual mailbox would be a good fit if:
- You receive a lot of mail. If you’re a home-based business, you don’t want to fill up your home with business mail. Especially when you have family, work and personal life should be kept as separate as possible.
- You consider cost. While a virtual office will charge you specifically for each mail received, a virtual mailbox is already tailored for this service, so there are no added charges.
- You travel a lot. Getting mail is always challenging if you’re always on the road. Asking your friends and family to pick up your packages from the post office or your doorstep isn’t always convenient. A virtual mailbox company will hold your mail until you take action.
- You need to view documents instantly. Thankfully, some mail forwarding services are fully digital; they offer a mobile app. On receiving your mail at their facility, they scan the document into PDF format. You can view the scanned document from the app and decide whether to shred or forward it to your location.
In essence, a virtual mailbox is best when you receive mail regularly but wouldn’t need a meeting room or other office-related services. A virtual office service will be the best choice if you don’t get so much mail but require office-related services.
Flexible office locations with virtual mailing addresses
A virtual mailbox offers a real street address that you can use as your business address when registering your business. Most states require a real street address, so a PO box isn’t acceptable for LLCs.
You can use a virtual mailing address to establish a business presence in any state you want to expand your business. You don’t have to live there. This is beneficial when you desire to serve a busy city that will offer you more business leads.
The bottom line
If you are a remote entrepreneur, there are many reasons why you should consider a virtual mailing address. It can establish you as a reputable business, make mail handling more convenient, and keep your home address and personal life private.
And if you need to expand your reach to other cities, it’s easy to do so with a virtual mailbox. Simply obtain as many virtual addresses as needed and use them as your business address in those locations without setting up a single office space.
