Five ways business appearances matter for a first impression
What is the point of impressing clients or customers? Do they still require the same efforts as they once did before digital media, or has the digital world helped already to create the first impression?
The truth is, everyone still needs in-person interaction when it comes to business. Whether it’s a digitally run business or a hybrid working style, having real-life interactions can help build loyalty and trust among customers.
1) It strengthens relationships
One of the biggest benefits that come with updating a business appearance, is that it helps strengthen relationships. Whether those clients or customers have already bought from the business or may be looking to, a good first impression can help to sway their loyalty.
Building relationships in business is one of the great advantages that can come with driving more sales for the company. With 84% of companies that work to improve their customer experience, reporting an increase in their revenue, it matters to upgrade business appearances where possible for the benefit of the customer.
2) It shows professionalism
With attention to detail, business appearance can be impressionable by showing customers that the company is professional. Depending on what is setting the impression, whether it’s a piece of marketing, to the company website, or the office building itself, each has its own influence.
Professionalism is all about how the company is presented in its appearance. For example, how long has it been since the company website was last updated? Perhaps it’s been five years or so? That small period of time can equate to a lot when it comes to the internet because it’s constantly changing.
The same goes for an office building. There are certain furnishings that can go out of style eventually, so it’s important to think about updating them. Nothing is worse than a client coming into the space and seeing torn or broken furniture. It’s worth looking at fixings wholesalers and suppliers of interior decor, to update the space as and when it’s needed.
3) It creates trust and reliability in business
With any business relationship between customer and company, it’s important that trust and loyalty exist. This can be built upon the experience that the customer has when interacting with the business. These interactions are important to execute from the very beginning when the customer first comes across the company.
The better the experience that the customer has, the more trust it’s going to have in the business over time. That trust is going to make customers reliable when it comes to putting through more sales.
Look at what the business is doing to offer a great first impression and where it might be failing to achieve that in areas of the business.
4) It can be hard to change a viewpoint after it’s been made
The biggest roadblock that can come with converting more leads to customers or encouraging customers to return, is that once a negative experience happens, it’s hard to change. Once a customer has a certain viewpoint of the business, it can be hard to make them think differently.
In any scenario where the customer is seeing the business, it’s important that its appearance is the very best it can be. That way, they’re more likely to have a positive experience with the brand that will be positive and will encourage them to return.
For new customers, it’s all about getting them further down the buyer funnel and when they see a business that doesn’t impress them, they may not venture any further.
5) It improves the happiness of staff members
Staff members are the mold that keeps the organization ticking along. Without them, it’s going to be a lot harder to achieve any success. A company’s appearance can often influence and impact the staff’s happiness. From what they wear, to their own surroundings within the workplace, it’s all important to get right in order to keep them satisfied.
If customers aren’t satisfied, then chances are, they’ll likely look elsewhere for that satisfaction. Losing employees isn’t something you want to happen so it’s good to remember that business appearance matters for the employees, just as much as it matters for customers too.
Always be driven to make the best first impression possible
As a company, it’s good to be active in making the best first impression, whether it’s the first customer or the 1,000th. Every customer should get the same high-quality, business appearance when they approach the business for the first time. It makes an incredible difference to the success of the company.
Photo by Humphrey Muleba
