is Business Image Important?
What does your business image say? Every business has its own professional image in the marketplace. When you stop to think about your image, what would you like it to be? Does your customer perceive it the same way as you do?
Business image is an opinion or concept. The opinion or concept can be from a customer, supplier, manufacturer, advertiser, creditor, banker or anyone your home business deals with. It is determined by appearance and verbal or nonverbal communication. It can be how your phone was answered, what an email sent looked like, an invoice being paid on time or your appearance during a sale. There is an infinite number of ways that your business portrays itself to others.
I have found that image ties into customer service and consistency also. How do we treat our customers? Do they receive the same standard and quality of product and service every single time? What a customer believes about your business good or bad that is your business image in their eyes. Once a perception is made it is very difficult to break that impression.
Advertising gives home business owners the chance to portray who they are to their customers. Once the customer responds to the advertisement are they going to get the same professional image that the advertisement provided? Will business live up to the image made? I have created a few ideas to help keep your image intact.
Business Image Ideas:
>>Make the first contact count.
>>Keep your focus on the customer.
>>Be consistent in your media message.
>>Be consistent with your product.
>>Do not try to fake it.
>>Make the First Contact Count
The initial contact anyone has with your business is no different then when they meet a stranger for the first time. People usually have about 3 seconds to decide if they like the person and or business based upon the attitude, sincerity, appearance and feeling received. What is perceived within those brief seconds speaks volumes. Make every business contact count. Set your image to match what you want your business to project. No small detail should be left unnoticed. It is a lot of work to create the right image but the rewards for your home business will be incredible.
Keep Your Focus on the Customer
Customers are the backbone of any business. What their image is about your home business will affect your bottom line. Be consistent in all that you do with your customers. Be sure that they know and feel that they can expect the same treatment every time, whether it is the way the phone was answered a response to an email. No surprises!
Be Consistent in Your Media Message
What business image are you trying to project in you media campaigns? Is one advertisement giving a different business image then another? All good advertising campaigns use the common thread of what your business image is and then weave the same message into each ad.
Be Consistent with Your Product
One of the fastest ways to tarnish your image is to have inconsistent products or services. The product may be the same but does not look exactly like the one your customer received before. The service the first time was terrific but this last time it was really poor. Possibly the packaging or some other aspect is different or inconsistent. Consistency reflects on your home business. Businesses that always offer the customer the same level of products or service will gain the business image as dependable, trustworthy and easy to do business with.
Do not Try to Fake It!
If your business image is not what you want or expect it to be, then sit down and make a plan to change it. The home business is yours and it is up to you to make the changes necessary for your business to be a success. Trying to project a professional image that is not you or your business is not going to work. You may be able to pull if off for awhile but sooner or latter you will not be consistent and your business contacts will begin to see a different image then they first did.
Paul Kopp is the Founder and CEO of Kopp Enterprises, Inc. Paul has been a Home Based
Business owner for over 7 years. Currently he operates 2 online businesses and
also is involved in numerous non internet related businesses. Paul created
Home-Based-Business-Solutions.com to give quality information and resources
to start and run a home based business smoothly and profitably. He covers all
the topics from A-Z for home based businesses. This article and others can be
found at his
Business Resource Center.
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