The metropolitan city of Atlanta, Georgia has the ninth largest population of all metro areas within the United States and, according to Forbes, is considered to be a top business city and a primary transportation hub of the Southeastern United States. Corporations such as Home Depot, Coca-Cola, United Parcel Service, Turner Broadcasting, and Delta Air Lines are all headquartered in Atlanta. Atlanta has also been in the news lately, as a contender for Apple and Amazon expansions. Though rooted in traditional Southern culture, Atlanta has easily established itself as one of the top international cities in the U.S., rich in culture when it comes to dining, shopping, and the arts. The city has also established itself as a major air transportation hub for both domestic and international travelers. The advantages to expanding your business to Atlanta, Georgia are numerous.
Atlanta’s Economy
Recent reports show Atlanta’s economy is amongst the top ten largest in the nation and in the top twenty worldwide. Atlanta has also ranked fourth with regard to cities and the number of Fortune 500 companies headquartered within the city’s boundaries, only trailing behind New York, Dallas, and Houston.
Booming Industries in Atlanta
Top industries with a significant presence within Atlanta include agriculture, trade, transportation, utilities, professional business services, education, hospitality, financial and manufacturing. Atlanta has a substantial financial industry presence, with SunTrust Banks home office located in the city and a district headquarters for the Federal Reserve System located in the city as well.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the busiest airport in the world, as determined according to Airports Council International (ACI) measures, including passenger traffic, cargo traffic, and traffic movements (landings and takeoffs) totals. Dubai International Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, and all combined airports of London rank as the second, third and fourth busiest airports in the world. Since it was first built in the 1950s, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been instrumental in the city’s economic growth.
Benefits of Doing Business in Atlanta
In addition to the size of its economy, richness in culture, and its airport, other benefits to expanding your business to Atlanta, Georgia include a highly skilled workforce, direct access to international markets through deep-water ports, and a pro-business tax structure that includes a relatively low corporate income tax rate and a single-factor apportionment, which allows for only gross receipt sales of Georgia businesses to be taken into consideration when determining a company’s income and tax rate related to that income.
Although Atlanta’s business-friendly tax structure is a very attractive factor to consider when considering the idea of expanding your business to Atlanta, Georgia, the high number of quality workers may be an even bigger draw. Some of the talent in Georgia results from renowned educational institutions in Georgia, such as Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Savannah College of Art and Design.
It is no wonder that companies like Amazon have looked to Atlanta for expansion. According to Amazon’s website, they reportedly received “238 proposals from cities and regions in 54 states, districts, and territories across North America.” Amazon HQ2, as the company has dubbed its next headquarters, will be the company’s second headquarters in North America. The Amazon website also says, “We expect to invest over $5 billion in construction and grow this second headquarters to include as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs – it will be a full equal to our current campus in Seattle.” Atlanta is on the recently released shortlist, which includes 20 cities. All of this points to the advantages and attraction of expanding your business to Atlanta, Georgia.
Though Amazon is a very large corporation, the Atlanta business climate is favorable for businesses of all sizes, including startups and mid-level organizations, and it seems that the attractive features of the area are only gaining traction.
How to Expand Your Business into Atlanta
For business owners who are considering expanding business to Atlanta, Georgia, here are some tips and points to research and guide you through the process:
- Formulate a business plan detailing business structure, goals, responsibilities and timeframes
- Determine whether you will need a physical location or if the business will operate virtually
- If you do need a location, consult with the City of Atlanta Zoning Enforcement Division with regard to zoning laws and selecting a customer-friendly location
- Obtain a zoning verification letter, if necessary
- Look into financing options, such as venture capital, grants, government-backed loans and loans offered through traditional lending institutions
- Determine the legal structure for your new location, if it will differ from your original location
- Register your business with the state of Georgia
- Register for any state and local taxes that may apply for organizations expanding their business into Atlanta, Georgia
- Obtain any required business licenses and permits
Another important aspect to consider when expanding your business to Atlanta, Georgia is the need to establish a local presence for the business while working to gain consumer trust and overall brand exposure in the area. A business that offers something as simple as Atlanta, Georgia area codes (404, 470, 678) for consumers to easily reach the company could help a business that is new to the area to launch their expansion and lay a foundation in the community. Even prior to opening a physical location (if that is at all necessary for the business), virtual phone numbers can help your business expand into Atlanta. Global Call Forwarding offers Atlanta, Georgia virtual phone numbers to get your company started in the initial stages of expansion.
Global Call Forwarding offers virtual phone numbers for those expanding their businesses to Atlanta, Georgia, as well as virtual phone numbers for locations all over the world for business owners looking to expand to new markets. Business expansion gives a business the opportunity to expose the business to a larger audience, potentially resulting in an increase in profits.
Customer preferences and conveniences are critical to the successful operation of a business and, in today’s global economy, businesses often have to expand in order to keep up with the competition. If you are considering expanding your business to Atlanta, Georgia, contact Global Call Forwarding to offer your new consumer base local phone numbers through which to contact you and fuel your business’ growth in this new market.
