Prestige is what separates the big fish from the little fish. It’s what makes you stop being treated like a small business. It’s more than outward professionalism. It’s a dedication to quality that comes from the core. If you’re not working on it from all angles, you’re just never going to get it. So, here are the ways that you had best start building some real prestige for your business.
Your people
The following steps aren’t going to work at all if you don’t have your people working to maintain the prestige themselves. By your people, we also mean you. This is where professionalism comes in. This is where you train your people (and you) to not only to do their jobs. But to maintain the habits that are going to get them (and you) taken seriously. Habits like real time-keeping skills. No-one can be late when they work for you. Don’t accept it without a real reason. Habits like etiquette. Communication needs to be well-mannered and respectful. And habits like trustworthiness. If someone says they’re going to do it, they need to do it. No meeting should go un-followed-up on, no customer inquiry left unanswered.
Your look
Your people also need to be presentable. A professional dress code should be part of the office culture. But what good is a sharp dressed man or woman if they’re in an environment that just looks shabby? Make sure your office is built like the office of a prestigious company. Start with a fantastic looking welcome area with great reception furniture. The office beyond it can suffer some of the indignities of keeping a working space operational. The front, however, should be pristine and great looking. Your visual branding should also play a big role in your physical space. Don’t decorate without considering how your company’s image could help the office.
Image sourced by LoboStudioHamburg
Your presence
It’s not just your people and your office that others are going to see. Professionals and customers alike are most likely to look for the online presence you set up. Having just a Twitter or Facebook account isn’t enough. You need a real website and not one that’s going to screw up your online presence. You need to brand both your imagery and your writing. You need a voice that speaks to what your customers want and the objectives of the business. You need to keep on message and not veer into topics that your customers don’t want to hear. Most importantly, you need to keep communication positive. Don’t feed the trolls online, stick to positive social proof and focus on what you can offer. Not what your competitors don’t.
Prestige needs to start with you. You need to have the drive, professionalism and enthusiasm to make your business a part of yourself. Then you need to spread it outward. Grow it like the roots of a tree. Sink it into your team, into your office, your site, your branding and everything you do. Then your business will start to get the kind of treatment it deserves.
This article was provided by ellie jo