What First Impression Does Your Business Give Off?

Tips to make your place of business give off the right impression 

It’s said that a person will have already made a solid impression of you within the first seven seconds of meeting, but it only a tenth of a second for people to determine traits like trustworthiness. For customers when coming into your offices or place of business, it's no different. Your customers will be consciously or subconsciously have formed an opinion on the effectiveness, reliability, and trustworthiness of your business, long before any words or actions are exchanged.

Why do first impressions matter so much in business?

The first impressions you give a customer or client will set the tone for your future business, and once a first impression is made it becomes very hard to change.  For new customers, the most common first impression comes from either your web presence or your place of business. For this article, we’ll look at the more traditional side of first impressions in your office, storefront or place of business.  

Appearance is king
They say to ‘never judge a book by its cover’ but much like showing up to a meeting properly groomed shows respect for your peers and your business; having a clean, organized and inviting environment shows your customers and your employees you respect them and organize your business in a professional manner. Follow these tips to make sure your business is as inviting to potential customers as possible.

 Strong signage 
For anyone walking past your business, this will likely be the first thing they take notice         of. Good signage can capture customers interest. One of the biggest draws for people to come into a business is an interesting and creative use of storefront signs. This may include one large sign to identify the store, and then smaller signs to boost the interest level. A whopping 68 percent of customers made a purchase of products or services after a sign caught their eye. So it is important to make sure anything displaying your brand's logo or special offers are clearly displayed and consistent with your brand’s tone.

Make Cleanliness a priority
Dirty windows, stained carpets or dusty surfaces all speak to a level of care that’s simply not there. If your business is sending a message to your customers that you don’t care enough about your environment, why would you care about their needs? Many businesses make sure they have a regular window cleaning, floor maintenance, and janitorial services to ensure the all the little details are being taken care of.

 Create a welcoming environment
Having a welcoming environment means your customers or potential clients feel comfortable working with your brand and it gives more chances to keep your customer’s focus on your message. 

• Have adequate lighting that sets the tone of your brand.
• Consider playing music that's in line with your target market. It's a great subconscious indicator that someone's inside and ready to interact with customers.
• Clear out the clutter, regardless of the type of business you're in, having a messy cluttered environment can be too hard for your customers to mentally digest. Streamline the experience for your customer to highlight the thing or handful of things you want them to be paying attention to. ​

 Following these tips you should be able to look at your place of business with fresh eyes and determine what needs to change, to put your best face forward. If you feel like you need a little extra help, consider speaking us at Executive Business Maintenance. We specialize in building maintenance and janitorial tasks, reducing the stress of worrying over each first impression.