The Dos and Don’ts of Maintaining a Professional Image
If you’re just starting up with a new business, then building your reputation and brand will be an extremely important step of the whole process. There are many ways of ensuring that you’re the business that consumers or other businesses choose to deal with, but let’s look at some of the major dos and don’ts
Do
Have a strong brand – Branding is incredibly important for businesses of all sizes, but many smaller businesses often forget that it’s a vital part of their image. If you can create a brand that looks strong and carefully thought out, your company will appear that bit more professional. Logos for instance can help the name of your business stick in people’s heads.
Have excellent service – Consumers expect a lot these days, and small businesses in particular can be made or broken on the back of how good their customer service is. If you’ve got an immediate rival, the service you give to people could be one of the main differentiators between you and them. Make it count, whether this means providing really fast delivery with a company such as TNT or simple refund procedures.
Be presentable – Whether you only meet your customers in the meeting rooms of posh office blocks, or you have a coffee shop on the corner of a high street, you need to make sure that you, your employees, your products and premises all look presentable at all times. People do indeed judge on first appearances.
Don’t
Look amateur – It’s all very well running a local business and priding yourself on your small size and community spirit, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be an authority. You want customers to come to you and feel like they’re dealing with a reputable company that knows what they’re talking about and can provide the relevant services.
Copy other companies – Uniqueness can be a highly valuable business asset, and being too similar to other companies will certainly harm your image, because it will appear diluted. Learn from the best in your particular industry, but don’t copy them.
Be difficult to contact – Lack of contact, whether this means replies to emails or phone calls, can appear very unprofessional indeed. Consumers these days want everything immediately, especially in the online space. If you can give them a reply very quickly, you’ll look that bit more professional, and ultimately, more likely to win their custom.
