How to Make Your Business Look More Professional
To impress clients and find new opportunities, if you have started your own business, you must always be as professional as possible.
Much of this is down to you; the way you dress and speak to people always makes a difference and ensuring that you look smart and are polite yet can put your point across in meetings is essential. This may take some time, and experience is always important, but once you can do it and impress at the first meeting, then you are winning the battle.
It’s not all about you, however. Some of the professionalism of your business comes from the business itself. You need to set the wheels in motion, but then everything should speak for itself. Here are ways that you can make your business look more professional.
Get A Dedicated Phone Number
You can certainly use just a cell phone to run your business. In the past, a cell number in an advertisement or on a website might have stopped people from getting in touch; it just wouldn’t have looked professional.
Today it is much more usual. However, that’s not to say that people are completely happy to use a cell number. There can be complications, and it can be unprofessional.
If you are using your cell phone for your business, what would happen if you accidentally casually answered the phone? What would happen if you accidentally dialed a client from your pocket or purse?
What would happen if you were in a meeting with a client, and your cell phone ringtone went off, and it wasn’t appropriate? You would not look professional.
It’s best to have a dedicated phone line and number for your business. You can even get an 800 number if you want to. These numbers can be directed to your cell phone if that is easier, but at first glance, it looks much more professional.
Get an Office
Do you work from home? Many people do, and it can work out well.
However, if you have several staff (or are planning to hire people), if you need to store stock, or if you have regular client meetings, it might be better to find an office outside of the home. Not only will it look more professional when you speak to clients, but it will give you an address that is not linked to your family home, and it will give your business an air of professionalism.
Rents can be expensive, and you might not be able to afford them at the start. In this case, contacting Armstrong Steel and looking at their range of buildings could be an option. You could have a steel building in your yard or near to your home, which would help you out.
Have Business Cards
Having business cards is a small thing, but it is something that can make a difference and ensure you look professional. In a client meeting, at a networking event, or even leaving cards out on the counter of your workplace will enable you to let people know who you are and what you do, no matter what the situation.
It’s far better to have business cards than it is to write your details on a scrap of paper or miss out on the chance to let an important person know who you are all together because you had nothing to hand to them.