You’ve got everything you could possibly need planned out and you’re finally ready to enter the race. You feel as though you have every angle is seen to and every base covered, and it’s time to make that money.
There’s nothing quite like owning a business. You can learn about it in school, go to college and get a degree on it, or work under a successful boss, but once you’re out there on your own, you’re truly thrown into the deep end. It can, at times, feel as though you’re just starting out with the basics all over again because you have so much actual experience to gather for yourself.
A priceless part of owning a business and trying to make your name is the way in which you conduct yourself along the way. Many people start up a business and focus on their work whilst taking little care of the way they are perceived. First impressions are key and people really do care about the way someone looks, unfortunately, so you have to have that attractive and convincing aura about you.
It’s not something that is out of your reach, however, as there are things you can do to up the curb appeal of yourself, your business, and any employees you may have. Let’s look at some now.
A Lovely Office
If you have a number of workers and the funds to rent an office space, then you should probably get looking for a fresh little office to work in. It should be wonderfully organized, and kept clean and tidy – but those are two obvious points as nobody wants to operate in a horrible environment. If you have any meetings scheduled with clients or contacts, then you’ll want them to be welcomed into a nice office area so that they’ll be comforted and convinced by your intentions. Imagine being invited to a meeting and walking into something out of a horror movie – it wouldn’t be nice, huh? You’ll want to build a good reputation, and the place in which the work gets done is a fantastic way to start.
Website And Social Media
Every business now seemingly has a website and a social media presence, and rightly so. The vast majority of people now have access to the internet and an account on a social networking platform, so it’s wise to strike while the iron’s hot. A fully functioning and professional website that tells users exactly what they want to know is a sure-fire way to score points in terms of curb appeal. Having an organized and informative social media appearance will also attract people.
Some like to have typical email addresses that a nice and simple to remember, and that’s fine, but buying a hosted email service can take the look to another level. You can have an email address and server that is linked to your business and not to a separate free service. Names like ‘Gmail’ or the famous ‘@Hotmail’ can be detrimental if you’re trying to convince others of your professionalism. There are many services out there, so you can get professional email hosting today if you wanted to. Obviously, you’ll want to steer clear of any silly or profane names, too, if you do elect to continue without.
Overall Reliability
It sounds obvious, but a way to improve your reputation and to come across as more professional is to deliver on promises and produce a marvellous end product. If you’re a little late with something or you could do a little better with your job, then potential clients, customers or contacts will be immediately alerted to it. Being consistent and getting great results will do wonders for you as word will get around.
The Way You Communicate
This is similar to the idea of your online presence and your email addresses being more attractive but more general. You’re going to be dealing with a lot of people over the phone, through emails, and maybe through instant messaging services, too. It’s only right that you conduct yourself properly. In your emails, you should keep them structured and have an appropriate signature – remembering to use the correct grammar along the way. In terms of speaking on the phone, you should adopt a more professional tone and lose the casual behaviour. As much as people might be comforted by a laid back and informal person to begin with, they’re going to want to be talking to somebody that knows what they’re doing themselves.
