The prime aim of all businesses is to attract and engage customers to browse and buy products and services.
However, apart from offering excellent products and reasonable prices, creating trust through a professional image and service is essential for success.
For start-ups aspiring to cultivate a professional image, here are seven tips that can help.
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Create A Compelling Brand
Making a memorable impression on customers is simple to do when you have a professional and unique brand that stands out from the competition and defines your business.
Once business owners have created a strong brand. They should aim to use it consistently across all marketing channels. From printing it on professional checks to placing it on the website and social media pages.
Threading the brand throughout a company’s marketing material will increase brand recognition and give customers the confidence to buy.
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Business Website
A website for every business is an absolute must. After all, customers interested in a company’s services or products will often search for a business online to find out more.
According to CXL, 87% of buying decisions start with consumers conducting research online.
However, with no website, companies risk appearing unprofessional and untrustworthy.
A few basic requirements for a professional website include the following:
- Business Domain: Choosing a memorable, relevant domain for the business is essential to make it easier for customers to find the company.
- Mobile optimization: The site should adjust to the span of a customer’s screen to allow for easy viewing and scrolling.
- Consistent Branding: The business’s brand logo, slogan, and theme should be visible throughout the website.
- Contact details: A telephone number, email address, and business address will give customers confidence that a company is contactable.
- Social Media Business Pages
Social media gives companies an extensive opportunity to reach out to, attract, and interact with new and existing customers.
Signing up for social media channels will boost brand professionalism among key audiences and subsequently increase trust.
By uploading useful, relevant content on social channels and participating in online posts and discussions, businesses can build traction and connect online with an array of potential consumers.
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Set Up a P.O. Box
In consideration of adding an address to the contact page on the website. If, like most start-ups, your business is operating from the garage or kitchen table. It may be wise to set up and use a P.O. Box address.
In turn, a company will look more professional, and the P.O. Box will maintain the privacy of the business owner’s home address.
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Dedicated Telephone Number
To shape a professional image, creating a dedicated telephone number and business email address is a must.
This will make it easier for company owners to separate business and personal emails and calls. It will also give customers confidence a company is legitimate.
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Reputation Management
Statistics reveal potential customers are much more likely to rely on other customer reviews than the promises presented by a company.
Moreover, consumer research from Bright Local reveals the average customer will read ten reviews online before deciding whether to buy. As such, encouraging happy customers to create reviews is crucial.
Company owners can incentivize satisfied customers to create a review on their website, Google business listing, and social media pages. By, for example, entering buyers into a prize draw to win a voucher.
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Maintain and Upgrade the Premises
The interior and exterior image of the company matters Particularly for entrepreneurs with a physical business that receives customers or clients regularly.
A few quick-fix solutions to ramp up the professional image of the business premises include;
- Upgrading outdated decor in favor of light-inducing wall and floor colors will make the premises feel airy and spacious.
- Declutter and organize the premises.
- Order a professional sign-making company to create a business sign for the building.
- Tidy up external areas, e.g., mowing the lawns and pruning the bushes.
The guidance above will enable start-ups to take the right steps to appear less like an amateur and more like a pro. In turn, customers will gain a positive and lasting impression of their business which will help them along their buying journey to make a confident purchasing decision.
