Make Your Small Business Appear Larger Than Life
by Dimitria Bell
The big companies with the well-known names have no problem making their presence known and, in some cases, you may trust them enough to buy their products simply because you know they are so large and have what it takes to back it up. Should a package be lost in the mail or break in a week, you know that you have recourse because the large stores will still be there. The smaller businesses, especially the ones online, there isn't quite that same promise of stability. But if you’re a small business and you know you have what it takes to stand behind your products and services, how do you communicate this to your clients and potential customers?
In a word, professionalism. You need only implement a few basic things and follow through with a professional style to give your clients peace of mind. You will need:
- An impressive phone system. You need, at a minimum, two lines. If you
can afford an answering service, even better. Multiple lines with options
to press a button and get a different mail box is the best option yet. A
phone tree system says that you are a company and you are here to stay as
does a toll-free number. A business line will get your company in the white
pages and, if you need local clients, that’s important. Scrimping here is
not an option. Your customers need to be able to call you and if they get
an answering machine or, worse, your three-year-old answers the phone, it
won’t look good.
Hosted PBX systems provide a great alternative to investing in a lot of hard-to-maintain hardware. You can manage your clear digital phone system through a web browser, and best of all, they are a lot cheaper than the older, analog alternatives.
- Upgrade your outer trappings. This means that you should opt for the
finer business card paper, create a professional logo and brand everything
from pens to your website. If you have a small online business, you have
a website and you need to make sure that it’s professional looking and easy
to navigate. Web hosting is another area where you don’t want to pinch pennies.
If you have a brick and mortar business, you still need to have a website.
Hire a designer for your site and an interface designer as well as a writer
for the copy. What you shell out now will come back to you in spades with
impressed customers. These days, the Internet is more often consulted for
local needs than the phone book.
- Fake it ‘til you make it. If you are the sole employee of your business, refer to yourself as "we." It gives the impression of more people available to serve your clients and that’s important. If you don’t have a separate address for your business, invest in a PO Box which is more professional sounding than most residential street names.
In general, you want to go above and beyond to assure your clients that your business is strong. Answer inquiries as soon as possible, offer multiple ways for your clients to pay for your products or services, and make customer service your priority. With a little extra effort, your one-employee business can give the same impression of strength as a national chain.
About the Author
Dimitria Bell is a customer relations associate with Press8 Communications. Press8 provides quality business internet phone service featuring an advanced but affordable hosted PBX system. For your business VoIP needs, choose Press8 Communications.
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