What do your business premises say to your customers? How do people feel when they have to visit your location, and how do you feel when heading to work?
Everyone knows they have seven seconds to make an excellent first impression, but not everyone knows what aspects go into making a good first impression in business. For brick-and-mortar locations, there are a few things you need to look at and potentially improve when it comes to making your business’s physical identity stand out for all the right reasons.
Is It Clean?
Are you greeted with dirty footpaths, overflowing trash cans outside, cigarette butts littering the path, or unwashed windows? Take a moment to stand outside and really look at what other people are likely to see when they head to visit you.
It’s highly likely that you have become so used to seeing your premises this way you fail to recognize the severity of issues with your appearance. It might be worthwhile asking someone to join you to help you see what isn’t meeting high standards so you can start cleaning things up.
Is It In Disrepair?
Are you neglecting to get repairs carried out? Is your main entrance door temperamental, and you need to push it a few times to get it to open or close, or does the door handle not work and need jiggling around? Are you walking around cracks in the sidewalk, or are parking lots covered in potholes? While these might not seem important to you, they can be highly off-putting to those looking to frequent your premises.
Check out anything that needs repairs and get it fixed. Call a locksmith to replace faulty door locks, book a commercial concrete contractor to fill in damaged concrete areas, and ensure that those issues plaquing staff and visitors are handled to boost first impressions.
Is It Appealing?
In those seven seconds approaching your business, a person will form an idea in their mind of your company and your standards and hold it against you and the business. They will take this feeling with them, influencing everything thereafter.
Suppose you want to start as you mean to go on. You need to make your premise as appealing as possible. If you have an office block, not only do you need to do the points above, but you need to make it visually appealing too. You require a clear and considered logo, a well-thought-out entranceway, some plants or greenery to boost first impressions, and, if necessary, vibrant yet tasteful window displays and signage that represents your company.
For example, if you are a small bakery or retail outlet, harnessing the power of fragrance can be beneficial as it can use attractive lighting and music to create the right ambiance for your store.
Don’t forget the role your reception or welcoming staff will have on your first impressions. You could have the most stunning building and be doing everything right outside, but if they don’t get a warm welcome upon entering your business, this will all be undone.
There are many small parts that go into creating a good first impression for your business; these points can ensure your physical location if you don’t let yourself down in any way.
