If you are an avid Instagram user, you probably know at least 10 businesses operated by individuals who started everything on their kitchen counter. There has been a significant increase in operating online-only businesses but that is not to say that things are easier when you don't have a brick and mortar shop.

Running a small or home business can pose some significant challenges when trying to compete in any given market. Unfortunately, many clients or customers may perceive the “big fish” companies as the better option when it comes to products or services, assuming they have the resources and staff to fulfil their needs better than a smaller business.

While bigger isn’t necessarily better, sometimes you have to make adjustments to compete, anyway. If you’re operating solo or with just a handful of employees, you could be missing out on potential opportunities due to this unfortunate perception. Performing a SWOT analysis can help you identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, allowing you to make more informed decisions and capitalize on potential growth areas.

I am grateful to Laura Gayle, Business Woman Guide, who is guest-writing the below guide full of tips to help your small business seem bigger.

1. Upgrade your email address

If you’ve been using a free email service like Yahoo or Gmail, it’s time to make a change ASAP because those simply scream “small” or “home business.”

It’s worth the effort to set up your email with a customized domain to give the appearance of being a fully staffed company. Set up various email addresses for customer service, sales, or other “departments” so the public thinks they are reaching different contacts — even if they aren’t.

2. Get a corporate mailing address

If your business address is a residential one, this is likely to be a deterrent to potential clients. Rather than using your home address, look to set up a corporate address through a mailbox service or an office-sharing program.

Keep in mind that even if your home address sounds “commercial,” Google Maps is at the tips of everyone’s fingers, so it’s best to avoid using it if you want to register in the public mind as a larger business.

3. Relocate your business

Is your local market flooded with competitors? Are you continuously strapped for cash because you live in a high-rent district?

If the answer to either of these questions is 'Yes', then you might want to consider relocating to a less saturated city — such as Phoenix, for instance, which offers a lower-than-average cost of living along with a lot of opportunities for young professionals. B

y entering a more open market with lower expenses, you can save money, reinvest it back into your company, and work to position yourself as a bigger fish in a smaller pond.

4. Utilize your space better

To appear as if you’re one of those big fish, it’s a smart strategy to start acting like one. Reinvigorate your space in ways that help you to run your business more seamlessly so you can better focus on growing your core competencies.

• If possible, designate an area of your home to use solely for your business. (Tight on space? Convert a closet into usable workspace, or install a collapsible table near a window.)
  

• Upgrade any outdated lighting to a sleek, modern, and efficient design.
  

• Bring plants and natural images, textures, or materials into the space or locate near a window for natural light.
  

• Add some flair with colour or other personal design preferences. For instance, get custom mugs with your business logo and name printed on them.
  

• With a newly organized space, you can work more efficiently, which frees up some time for marketing, promoting, and networking to grow your business and make it more visible. And the more visible you are, the larger your company will appear.

5. Shift data to the Cloud

Once your space is on point, take the opportunity to upgrade your hardware and/or software, as well. Working with outdated software and equipment demonstrates that you can’t afford better. Even if you truly can’t afford better, your business persona doesn’t have to advertise this.

Instead of storing your company’s essential documentation and precious client information on outdated hard drives, move it to the cloud! A great thing about cloud storage is that it totally levels the playing field for businesses of all sizes, along with offering other cost-effective benefits:

• Scan and upload documents to a cloud storage account to cut the clutter and make your workplace a more pleasant environment.

• Get automatic upgrades and access to the latest applications.

• Forget your worries about security! Hackers target small businesses because they anticipate there being no serious security measures in place; by moving your important information to the cloud, you immediately upgrade your security levels.

• Cloud computing is easy, safe, and efficient. As a bonus, you can access your data and applications from anywhere at any time, potentially helping you enhance your work-life balance.

6. Re-evaluate your company name

Are you using your own name as your company’s name? If so, it’s time to “divorce” yourself from your company and give it a rename.

A solo name makes your company sound small — like a one-person show. Some studies suggest this can be a huge disadvantage. If you want to appear as one of the big boys to those clients seeking large firms, your goal is to make your company sound like it’s massive.

Be creative! Plan your name as if you were running a corporation.

7. Get a virtual assistant

Pretending to have an assistant can go a long way toward disguising your small or home business status, so expand your “imaginary workforce” by at least one.

Using virtual receptionist technology can be helpful in reaching this goal — plus, it can help free up the time you’d otherwise spend answering phone calls and responding to emails.

8. Build a strong web presence

These days, your website is your welcome mat and your social media presence is your personal greeting. You can’t afford to have either of them looking like you’re a small-timer. Consider these measures to level up:

• Upgrade your website to a modern layout.

• Update your content regularly to help keep visitors interested and gain better traction with search engines.

• Running a small or home business can pose some significant challenges when trying to compete in any given market. Unfortunately, many clients or customers may perceive the “big fish” companies as the better option when it comes to products or services, assuming they have the resources and staff to fulfill their needs better than a smaller business.

If you want to be taken seriously, you need to get serious when it comes to your web presence: This is one area you absolutely can’t afford to neglect if you want to effectively compete.

Appearances can be misleading. You can be top-notch in your field, but if you can’t accurately market or communicate this prowess to your target audience because of common biases, you’ll never get the opportunity to share your expertise and talent.

However, by reinventing yourself with the façade of a large company, you can place yourself in a stronger position to compete and win this battle.