When competition in business is so fierce, it’s imperative that you stand out, make a good impression and appear professional to customers. It can be difficult for smaller companies to keep up with their more established competition for this reason, however if you go about things in the right way- no one need know you’re a home business, a new venture or a first time entrepreneur. Here are a few ways you can set the bar high and ensure your small business is out to impress.

Invest in Your Website and an App

Your website is crucial; in many cases will be the first thing that people see of your business, so if it loads slowly, contains errors, is cluttered with adverts or generally looks unimpressive overall then it will massively put people off. While custom web design will be a significant cost for a new business, it’s always worth the money spent. Your website should of course be optimised for all devices, but you could go a step further and have an app created too. There are lots of talented app developers online, so spend some time having them turn your vision into reality. When a customer downloads your app you essentially get your business into their pockets which is a great place to be- you’re only ever a click of a button away.

Get a Business Email and Phone Number

Nothing looks quite as amateur or spammy as a website which uses a generic email account such as Outlook, Hotmail or Gmail as their contact address- or a mobile phone number. These things alone can be enough to put off potential customers, even if everything else looks good. Invest in a business phone number, 0800 or 0845 look professional but at the very least ensure you have a landline number. Have your web designer set you up a professional business email when they create your website.

Improve Your Online Presence

If a potential customer is considering making a purchase from you, but is unsure if you’re legitimate or trustworthy- one of the things they will do is search you online. Having a good online presence can reassure people and give them the confidence to place that first order with you. Your online presence will largely be your social media accounts- having active accounts that are responsive to queries, retweet things like customer reviews and photos and post regular updates will help to show that you’re in it for the long haul. A business blog can also show that time and effort has been spent on your business, that you’re not just a scam company who will disappear with the customer’s money.

Build Up Customer Reviews

Good reviews will impress a potential customer and show them that you’re reliable and trustworthy. It shows that others have shopped with your business and had a good experience giving them confidence that the same will be true for them. After each transaction, send a polite follow up email or note asking if they could write you a review, these make a such a difference especially to newer or less known businesses so it’s something to focus on as an entrepreneur.

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