That isn’t saying you aren’t professional, instead it is saying that perhaps as a small business owner you don’t have the same amenities as the larger businesses and as a result can’t make it look as professional as you would want it to be. Allowing your business to appear professional means you’ll get more customers, more respect, and better relationships between suppliers. Remember, nobody wants to do business with a company that appears amateurish.
Always Answer The Phone
Even if you have to put them straight on hold, you should always answer it. It is the sign of a well run business. Think about the amount of times you’ve tried to get through to a company, not succeeded, and had to phone another company instead? You don’t want that to be you. You want to make the most out of every potential customer out there. Hire a receptionist or a secretary if you think you need to, this way you will cope with the extra burden of calls. If you don’t want another staff member to worry about you could even consider hiring a virtual receptionist. These firms can be cheaper than hiring someone and still allow you to relax knowing every single call is answered in a kind, friendly way.
Use Appropriate Paper Based Materials
This means your letters, cheques, invoices, etc. You need to make sure they are all uniform and look great. Create letter heads on the computer that are ready to write letters into. Add your company logo onto each one to give it that extra touch of class. The same for your invoices and cheques. Never create one by hand, print them off. Doing this keeps them all uniform and easy to read for the people you’re charging or paying. Everything that comes out of your business is a representation of your business, remember that, and you won’t go far wrong. This can help you become recognisable, if every invoice or cheque you send is different then you’re making it harder for businesses and clients to instantly recognise your brand, and brand is everything.
Market Like A Pro
Your marketing should also be done in a proper way, otherwise your business will look stupid. If you want, hire a marketing firm. They can make a real difference, especially if you find one that operates within your business niche. If you want to do it yourself, that’s fine. Just remember to keep everything you do in your business’s name professional. When you write content for a blog or your social media page keep it relevant and applicable to the world today, do not make it clickbait or people will get annoyed and it will reflect badly upon your business. Consider hiring writers to help you if you aren’t sure, this will give you the expert look without the costs of a marketing firm. The same can be said of a marketing video. Only create one yourself if you have experience doing it. Otherwise, always seek external help.