As a business owner, the last thing you want is to make a poor first impression on clients and customers who visit your premises. If you are honest with yourself, what type of first impression is your business giving out?
You have seven seconds to make an excellent first impression with your business, so how can you ensure you don't have to ask for a second chance to win people over?
Clear Entry and Signage
Your customers and clients need to be able to find you, and part of this is having your location and entrance signposted. The last thing you want is for people to get lost or have to call you to find their way inside. Use straightforward and easy-to-read signage to indicate your location and that your entrance is easily accessible, especially if you share the building with other businesses.
Clean
Your building and interior need to be internally and externally clean and tidy. Nothing is more off-putting than meeting a potential supplier or partner only to find they don't care for their building. You must ensure your windows and doors are clean, your entranceway is uncluttered, your sidewalks are clean and clear from debris and rubbish, floors are polished, carpets are vacuumed and cleaned, and all surfaces, including walls, shine. You must adhere to high cleanliness levels to make an excellent first impression. Commercial cleaning companies can help you to get your business premises up to standard so you can be confident everything is as it needs to be.
Front of House
If your reception area or your retail store has a window display, it must be up to the standard your clients and customers will expect. It would be best to keep things clear and uncluttered, and any reception or security staff must display exemplary behavior to everyone who enters the building or needs assistance. Treat everyone respectfully, make eye contact, acknowledge their presence, and be helpful.
The interior of your entrance or reception area should be clear, fresh, and uncluttered to give the right impression. The same goes for your display windows and store entrances. The last thing you want is for people to be put off by messy displays, worn units, and stock or a window display that looks unkempt and out of date.
Lighting
Your lighting needs to illuminate the space to help people see where they are going and feel comfortable outside when walking alone or after dark. Light up doorways, entrances, parking lots, and any pathways people need to navigate, e.g., coming off the main walkway to the back of a property, loading yards, and more. This can increase security, bring attention to your business, and help you gain attention.
If your building or premises doesn't make a good first impression in the first seven seconds, you might not be able to recover. So please pay attention to how your building and land look to others from the outside and put effort into ensuring it always gives the right impression.