#EANF#
Presenting Your Business Professionally
It is of utmost importance to present your business as professionally and outstandingly at all times to the public. Potential customers will be looking for a professional business from the start making it your job to make sure that you present your reputation as such with the way you conduct business to the personnel you choose to employ.
If you do not accomplish this task then you run the risk of losing out on clients or customers before even being given a chance. An unprofessional appearance will cause them to look elsewhere for services. Poor presentation of your business can cause immediate and long term damage. Everything is taken into account with your professional appearance such as your location or even your letterhead.
You would not have a lot of confidence in a company whose place of business is falling apart or in need of a major repair. In the same sense, if you are using stationary and invoices that look amateur or have inefficient equipment/vehicles then your appearance is that you cannot achieve proper working conditions, thus reflecting poorly on your potential as a business.
If you want to stand any chance against other businesses it is very important to make these kinds of things priorities. Appearances may not be everything, but they are a considerably large factor in this sense. You may offer better services to your customer, but if they are greeted with a sloppy appearance they may be too wary to even extend the business relationship that far.
The same applies to your employees. If they look sloppy or unknowledgeable of the company and its services this puts a bad image in the customers mind and can also bring about damage. It is important for employees to take the extra step to impress the customer and keep them coming back.
It is near impossible for a new business starting out to stand a competition with a reputable business that has been around for many years. The new business needs to demonstrate its professionalism and confidence in its services or it is likely to fail within the first year.
In order to gain customers and clients it is important that the business owner is proud of their services and offerings. If you are pondering starting up a business of some type, these are important items to consider before you begin. Every new business just getting on its feet must strive to look and perform their best on a professional level. The above tips help take into play the possible success versus failure of your business.
Six Tips To Present Your Visiting Card In A Professional Way
Is there a preferred way of handing out a visiting card? What impression do you create in your customer’s mind while you hand over your visiting card? Read on to find the answers.
Your objective in handing out your card:
If you are making a sales visit, your objective is more than just introducing yourself with your visiting card. Your objective is to accord enough value to your card, that your prospect finds it worthy enough to be filed in his rolodex. He should see your name in his choice set, every time he considers using a service offered by you.
It is essential to follow a certain simple rules to achieve that objective. Here are the 6 rules:
1. Your visiting card is YOU:
Your visiting card represents you. This is not just because it bears your name, designation and your organization details but because it represents far more than the material written on the card. Your prospect will treat you with the same respect that you treat your visiting card. Take a moment to reflect how you handover your card now.
2. Invest in a good quality visiting card holder:
If your card is crumpled, it reflects as a poor self identity. A crisp card taken out of a professional looking card holder leaves a good first impression. It tells your prospect that you deserve to be treated with the same respect. So, invest some money to get yourself a good quality visiting card holder. Make it a habit to pull out your card only from that case.
3. Keep it readily accessible:
Searching for your visiting card reflects poorly on your organizing skills. Allocate a certain place where you keep your visiting cards, and you should be able to access it in less than 2 seconds. The time you are with your prospect is valuable. Do not waste it in searching for your card.
4. Present it with your name facing the customer:
Your customer should be able to read the material written on the visiting card. Do not cover any portion of your card with your fingers. Hold the card on its sides and present with your name facing the customer.
5. Stand up while extending your card:
This gesture tells that you accord value to your card. This also increases the chance of your card being read and later being filed in your prospect’s rolodex.
6. Give a ten seconds introduction of the service you provide:
Very few prospects actually read what is written on your card. So, it is always a good idea to tell them about how you can add value to your prospect with your service. Read our blog on how to create a 2 minute pitch to introduce your service effectively. This pitch comes in handy to make a quick presentation with just your card as a visual aid.
Follow these simple rules and see a visible difference in the way you are treated by your prospects. They will listen with far more interest to the presentation that you make later.