If you own a small business, you may feel the need for some office space, but simply don’t have the money for it. A full-time office lease is expensive, and it can be a daunting commitment: what if it doesn’t work out? What if business slows down? You could be left with a hefty bill.

Fortunately, there is a solution that gives you the best of both worlds: a virtual office. With virtual office space, you get all of the benefits of a full-time office with minimal commitment, and for a fraction of the cost of a lease.

Virtual offices can be used as part-time office rentals. Usually located in an office building filled with similar offices, you can rent out fully furnished, internet-connected offices of different sizes for as long as you need them. Many virtual offices are even available on a monthly or weekly basis.

With a virtual office, you can have your own place to get some much-needed work done; or, if you have a few employees, you can all work together in your own private collaborative space.

But that’s just one of the ways virtual offices make your life easier. Do you ever wish you had a receptionist, but can’t afford to hire one right now? With a virtual office you can have a virtual receptionist, who functions just like a regular receptionist: they can answer your calls, take messages, and transfer important calls directly to you, no matter where you are.

But the virtual receptionist works for the virtual office building, which means you get all of the benefits without any of the responsibility: you don’t have to hire, train or vet the receptionist, which saves you time and money.

A virtual office also functions as a virtual address, so you can give your business a professional address for your business cards and for your mail. And the virtual receptionist will always be on hand to accept important packages.

Having a business address will also help your Google search results: with a business address, you gain a Google local search result. Why should that matter to you? Because one out of every five Google searches is a local search, which means more people will find your business when they conduct Google searches.

If you need to meet with important clients in your business, a virtual office can help there, too: most virtual offices have conference room space available for rent, for as little as an hour at a time.

If you’re ready to take your business to the next level professionally, a virtual office is a smart, affordable choice. No matter what your business needs are, a virtual office is sure to help.