Innovation doesn’t happen in a vacuum (unless you’re an astronaut). For the other 99.99% of us, that creative spark of inspiration usually ignites when we solve a problem for ourselves. Sony co-founder Masaru Ibuka made electronics personal when he invented the Walkman – so he could listen to music on flights. Tom Monaghan of Domino’s Pizza fame devised the modern pizza box as we know it – before Monaghan, pizza showed up at your door in a bag! The contemporary toothbrush was dreamed up by Dupont de Nemours because…well, I think you know why. So where did the enterprise virtual mailbox come from?

Necessity isn’t always the mother of invention, but often it’s a first cousin that lives around the corner – innovation! With COVID lockdowns Americans became more entrepreneurial, founding nearly 25% more businesses in 2021 than the previous year. The rise of the digital nomad – a worker not dependent on geography for a paycheck – has enabled entrepreneurs and employees in exciting new ways. The world is primed for your business genius.

Whether you’re a founder, a digital nomad or contemplating becoming one or the other, you will require an address. Not just any address, but a physical address where your legal business can be registered. Somewhere you can receive packages. Don’t forget checks, important financial paperwork, engraved invitations, and, of course, holiday newsletters from relatives desperate to show off their kids’ dubious talents. (More on junk mail later.)

This is our domain, the space we live to create and innovate. Global mail, that is. Not amateur newsletters. We were founded in another time of change as a way for expats to receive their US mail wherever on this green earth they chose to hang their hammocks. Today, we’ve grown into something a little more. More than a virtual mailbox company with three mail processing centers – we’re in the business of empowering entrepreneurial dreams.

Start-up to Grown Up

US Global Mail itself was once a start-up. Many of the leaders and team members who built the company from the ground up are still here – and haven’t forgotten the lessons they picked up on their journey.

Important lessons learned and tested over time that are practically the Ten Commandments for starting a successful business:

1. Know your customer. Even better: BE your customer. If you were sporting their kicks, would you buy from you? Why or why not? This is not a one time thing. From the day you put out your shingle, don’t just get to know your customers (which you should absolutely do), but literally buy from yourself to ensure a good customer experience.

1. Start with a minimum viable product. Folks at big tech companies drop this term as the acronym MVP. This means you launch your product or service with just enough features to perform user testing. Then, do the leg work. Do you agree with the research? Why or why not? If you do, are you going to disregard the new data? It’s your call. That’s why you’re the boss.

1. Don’t pinch pennies on marketing. Creative marketing gets attention, great customer experiences get sales. This equation is so simple it’s practically basic arithmetic. Attention + Good Experience = Conversion. 

Starting a small business can be a thrilling time. Your business plan is airtight. Your financing secured, for now. The world is your oyster and there’s a pearl hidden behind every elevator pitch. You’re responsible for your own daily grind and you love every hour you work – even the hours… after hours. 

You don’t see a list of obstacles in your way, but solutions you have to offer your customers. Your brilliant business idea might be so original that the competitive landscape appears more like a barren Mars-scape. When opening day arrives, as your finger hovers above the proverbial red launch button, you have the nagging suspicious you’ve forgotten something…something crazy critical to your business.

Take a breath. This – is – normal. It’s called anxiety and everyone gets it at one time or another. It’s how you use that manic energy that matters. 

1. Get organized and stay organized. Make lists. Prioritize. Leverage the tech on your phone to create tasks for yourself and commit to finishing them by a specific time. 
2. Understand that you’re never going to be done with everything on that list. Every time you cross off one item, two more will spring into your mind. That’s the nature of a new and growing business. Which is why…
3. You should take time to decompress. Getting into the grind the instant your feet hit the floor in the morning and going until bedtime is…not…healthy. Even if your business demands it, you can’t physically maintain a debilitating work load for very long (look what happened to Elon). You may not get any free time, so it’s important to carve some out for yourself. At the very least: eat three squares a day and catch the latest episode of your favorite show. The last thing you need – or anyone around you wants – is to burn out and leave all the plates you’ve been spinning hanging midair.

1. Del-a-gate. It’s a gig worker’s world and we’re just trying to work in it. Meaning you don’t need to hire teams of people and pay them more than you’re making yourself just to get a job done. If you need clerical and organizational help, hire a virtual personal assistant. Need a website designed, go check out some portfolios on Fiverr. 

It’s too easy for something vital but not top-of-mind to slip off your radar or To Do list. Especially when you’re on the road or out of the country on business. This is one area US Global Mail can truly spare you a tension headache.

Set up a virtual mailbox or mailroom now. Think of it as the least expensive employee you’ll ever have. For one thing, you can begin free for 30-days. Assuming you can’t get enough of our customer service and will forever remain a loyal customer, you can always change to a different plan that allows for larger quantities of recipients, companies and scans. 

What’s a virtual mailbox?

But perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself.  What exactly is a virtual mailbox? It’s a mail service that does it all so you don’t have to. Instead of picking up the mail, your letters and packages are sent to one of our US mail processing facilities. Everything is automatically scanned and securely uploaded to your USGM account, where you can decide what you want to do with it. Your account and the items and packages associated with it can be managed through your password-protected inbox.

• Want to see what’s inside? Request a scan and we’ll get right on it.
• Want to forward an item to another address? It’s a click away.
• Want your incoming checks to be sent directly to your bank for deposit? We can do that automatically. 

When you subscribe to an enterprise plan with US Global Mail, we’ll even securely shred and recycle your junk mail. Every day. You can even notify us if you want a document securely shredded.

This should go without saying, but we’ll put it out there anyway: if you’re comparison shopping for a virtual mailbox, check us out head-to-head against our competition – and don’t forget to check the reviews!

Know thy competition. You definitely have competition. Even if you’re simply competing with the time someone normally spends gaming, you’re still hustling for that action. The smart move is to visit their website and/or store. Buy from them. Return your purchase to stress test their customer service. When you do customer research, ask your participants to rank the competition and find out where you fit on that continuum. If your competitor is doing something right and making money from it, there’s no shame in adjusting your vision to accommodate a smarter, more effective idea. Don’t forget to check their customer reviews too.

A word on reviews

They’re important. (Ok, two words.) Whether you’re looking for a new plumber or virtual mailbox service, chances are that you – like most people – are more likely to buy if you read glowing customer reviews.

You want to be assured of seamless mail service, of gallant (and you-oriented) customer service representatives. Reviews on Google, Trustpilot, Site Jabber and even the Better Business Bureau are your gold standard. 

That said…you can’t believe everything you read.

Just like every person in the history of the planet has had a bad day, every company gets a bad review. Look for a preponderance of good reviews very lightly peppered with a bad review here and there. There’s a world of reasons someone might pick up their pen with poison intent, and most have very little to do with the company. But if you do see that a majority of reviews about a company you’re researching are negative, it’s probably best to seek out a different virtual mailbox company.

As a matter of fact, US Global Mail was recently honored as the #1 Mail Scanning Service in the world by Top Consumer Reviews magazine.

Don’t be shy about asking for a review from your very first customer. People want to know what other people are doing – and how well or poorly they’re doing it. As mentioned, people are much more likely to buy when they see positive reviews. Asking for honest feedback is also a great, old-fashioned way to get to know your customers a little better.

Entrepreneurs around the planet know and employ the services of US Global Mail and have been quite specific in their reasoning. You can see some of our reviews here. We highly recommend you visit the aforementioned reviews websites via the aforementioned links too.

Business Class Mail

Living and working from the open road or a coworking space overlooking the Caribbean, means a physical US address – not a P.O. Box – will be advantageous for you.

First, there’s your professional image – or brand if you prefer – to consider. When you use a US-based address, it shows the world that you are serious about your business and that you are committed to serving your customers.

1. Your brand can’t wait. Your image matters as much as your reviews. When people talk about your business, they’re talking about you. That’s why you should embody your company when you’re with customers. (Also, your logo should be professional. Don’t cheap out.)
2. Second, a virtual business mailbox will save you money. Paying a staff to sort your mail doesn’t make financial sense. Renting an office space in the US, or anywhere else for that matter, can be debilitatingly expensive. Especially if you live in an urban center where the insanity of the real estate market constitutes the most prevalent form of small talk. (I’m looking at you LA and NYC!)
3. Third, a virtual business mailbox can help you stay organized. When you receive mail electronically, it’s easy to keep track of what is important – and dispose of what isn’t. We’ll even forward checks to your bank.
4. Never pass up a chance to promote your business. When you do, remember that people buy benefits. Not features. For example, when someone purchases a virtual mailbox, they’re buying convenience and security. When they purchase a virtual mailbox from US Global Mail, they’re also enjoying up to 80% off international shipping rates. (See how we slipped that little promo in there?)

Small Business Is Big Business

According to PayScale, the average small business owner income is $60,648 per year. But, total earnings can range up to $127,000 per year! 

Whether you’re an intrepid digital nomad, a founding father (or mother) or fall somewhere in-between, that kind of money can be a game changer! 

Of course, those are the smart and successful businesses. The ones that survive the early years by bending technology to their will and letting customers do the same to their ears. 

We hope you’re able to put our hard-won lessons to work.

If you’re in a sharing mood, we’d love to hear what you think is the most valuable piece of business advice you’ve ever received.

Don’t forget to share this with someone who could use it!