The rise of electronic communications hasn't done away with the use of snail mail in business. Physical mail still floods businesses daily. This means the average business owner still needs a mailing address company mailing address to receive it. Continue reading to learn how to get a business mailing address.
What is a business address?
A business mailing address is the one you use for official business correspondence. The address could be a physical street address or a PO box address. Entrepreneurs with home-based businesses can use their home address for business. But there is no separate action needed to get a business mailing address in this case. The need for a business mailing address arises when you use an address other than your own for business. You can get a business mailing address to receive business packages and correspondence. You can also choose to include it on business cards and official communications. Doing so will tell clients, customers or partners your work location.
When do you need a business mailing address?
Before we review how to get a business address, first things first: do you actually need it? There are many scenarios that would make it prudent to get a business mailing address.
- You run an LLC (limited liability company). This entity requires you to name a registered agent. This is a third party who can receive official correspondence for the business. You must provide a mailing address for the registered agent. The address must be in the state in which you conduct business. Plus, it must be a real street address. A PO box address will not suffice.
- You don't run a home-based business or hold office space. In this case, getting a business mailing address is a must if you plan to receive any type of mail.
- You run a home-based business but want to keep your home address private. A business address comes in handy if you're not prepared to let business contacts in on your place of residence.
- You receive confidential documents that other members of your household should not see. This applies to home-based business owners who work on sensitive matters.
- Your business mail doesn't fit in your personal mailbox. You may need to get a business address if you often receive large or irregular-sized packages. Your personal mailbox may not accommodate these packages.
- You want to convey professionalism. A business address can make you look more reputable and established than a home address.
How to get a business address or business mailing address
Below are five options for getting a business mailing address:
- Reserve a PO box. When highlighting how to get a business address, this is one of the most straightforward methods. A post office (PO) box is a lockable, numbered box at a post office. It comes with a PO box address or a real street address you can give out to others. When you reserve a PO box at USPS for a fee, it gets assigned to you or your business. You can choose the PO box size that fits your needs. You can pick up the mail that collects in your PO box at your convenience.
- Register for a virtual mailbox. A virtual mailbox is a digital mailbox. It comes with a physical street address. But the actual mailbox lives online. Content sent to the virtual mailbox gets scanned and digitized. You can then read the digitized mail from your computer, phone or tablet. Virtual mailbox service providers include Earth Class Mail and Traveling Mailbox.
- Rent a business mailbox. UPS has a mailbox rental service that grants you a lockable box at one of its stores for a fee. The mailbox comes with a real street address.
- Rent a local coworking space. Coworking spaces like WeWork and Regus provide shared, communal quarters for working. The mailbox services of the space vary, but you can often use the mailing address of the space as your business address for as long as you rent.
- Rent or buy a business address, such as an office space. This is the priciest but also the most permanent option. Use the street address of the building in which you work as your business mailing address.