Every business wants to appear as polished and professional as they can. Otherwise, you will struggle to get new clients and customers. You come across as amateurish, like someone who doesn’t care about appearances. This translates to the quality of products and services offered, albeit subconsciously, in the customer’s mind.
Still, it doesn’t take a genius to understand that appearance is vital in business, so you should do everything you can to appear as professional as possible.
As a small business, though, you need to put your funds in the right place. You may not be able to afford to do what big corporations do to come across as professional, so instead, choose your measures wisely. To give you an idea, here are some places you can start.
How to Make Your Small Business Look More Professional
Start With A Functioning Website
You cannot expect to appear professional without a website that actually works. To make this possible, it’s probably best you stop trying to do it all yourself, and instead consider web designers that will follow your vision and create something that customers and clients will be happy to visit.
This website should be easy to navigate and have all the information required to let visitors know who you are. Too many companies try to fill their pages with meaningless buzzwords because they think it makes them sound more important than they are. You should do everything you can to avoid this.
Also, fill in an About Us and Contact page so visitors can learn more about the staff and get in touch if they need to.
Note: Having social media profiles is not the same thing as having a functioning website. You do not own your social media profiles. A social media platform can ban you at will, and there is no recourse. You do, however, own your self-hosted website.
Use Better Photos
The advent of smartphones made it easy to snap quick corporate pictures and easily upload them onto company social media pages and websites. However, as these are typically done by employees with no real photography experience or skills, they can look amateurish.
Instead, consider hiring a professional photographer then upload them onto the right channels. You will likely want to use professional photography for headshots, printed collateral such as brochures, product photos, and company banners, at a minimum. This isn’t to say you must hire a professional for every set of photos used. However, for the significant photos and events, the quality in the professional photos will pay for themselves over the long term.
Share Branded Merchandise
From pens to pencils to USB flash drives, and even polar camel tumblers with employee names on them, branded merchandise makes you stand out against other businesses who rely on basic Bic pens you can buy from the dollar store.
This shows dedication to getting your name out there, and considering how many people borrow and share pens or other equipment throughout the day, it’s a great way of getting your name out there. This holds true even for those people who don’t need your business right now.
Branded merchandise makes you immediately recognizable. It means that anyone who has come across your merch before will know who you are when they see your logo elsewhere. This can be good for appearing more professional and worth taking note of.
If you’re looking to appear more professional as a small business, then start with these three options. They cover most bases and ensure that no matter who you are or what you do, you can impress potential clients before they work with you. You’ll surely impress them even more once you are finished, too.
Ciao,
Miss Kemya
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