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Being perceived as professional by outsiders is a common challenge for small businesses. Many startups reach a stage where meeting clients in cafes no longer cuts it. Here are 10 simple ways that your company can make itself look bigger it is.
When pressed, many startup entrepreneurs will admit that if their customers knew how small their operations were, they wouldn’t be taken seriously.
Some businesses win a tender or major contract and are pushed into the next level of growth before they are ready. But if you can deliver what’s required, there’s no reason why clients need to know that it’s just you (and perhaps a few key employees) behind the scenes pulling all the levers.
With today’s software, technologies, automated systems, virtual offices and assistants, it’s never been easier to play bigger than you are.
While I’m not suggesting faking things you really need – like qualifications, permits or the stuff you need to stay out of jail – there are plenty of ways in business that faking it until you make it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
All you need is courage and the conviction to see it through and deliver on your promise.
Note: Faking it Til You Make It has nothing to do with lying or misrepresenting yourself. It’s about seeing what you can be, projecting it and delivering upon it.
Here are some tips that have worked for me and some of my customers.
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1. Dress Sharp
I can’t help it. I judge books by covers. And most people in business do, too. Dress sharp. Enough said.
2. Have a professional email address
johnmeister79@hotmail.com isn’t exactly projecting a big business success story. Get your own email server, a hosting provider with your business domain name or investigate other cheaper/free alternatives (like Google Apps).
3. Have a top quality business card
We’ve all had it. That embarrassing moment when someone hands you a screamingly cheap business card. What do you say? “Oooow, well done. You obviously saved about $150 on printing a really good business card.” Your card is a communication tool. Use it to say you’re a quality product.
4. Use different email addresses
Set up accounts@mybigbusiness.com, sales@mybigbusiness.com, you@mybigbusiness.com, etc. – even if it is you who is responding to all of them. No one needs know you’re a one-man band. (While I know of people who answer the phone and pretend to put it through to ‘accounts’, then take the call, I don’t recommend this unless you’re a great method actor or want to sound like a Simpson’s episode.)
5. Have an impressive website.
Impressive doesn’t mean expensive, but it’s your storefront to the world. For many clients, it’s the first stop when trawling for prospective suppliers. Don’t engage you’re mate’s son who’s studying design, unless he is going to create a cracking website you’ll be proud of.
6. Get a proper workspace
When “Let’s meet at Starbucks” means “I don’t have a smart space, so let’s meet at a café” it’s time to move on. Bureaux members, no matter how big or small, have access to the smartest boardroom and meeting facilities in the country and use it as they need it, keeping appearances up and costs down.
7. Expand interstate (virtually)
A business card with offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane suggests a large operation, and in some cases it’s a necessity to have. It’s easy and inexpensive to benefit from virtual addresses where your mail and calls are answered and re-directed through a virtual receptionist and smart postal address.
8. Get a smartphone
If clients see you on the phone, show them your systems are the best. A brick mobile from the 1980s outdates you and your business. A smartphone can also make you more mobile and efficient.
9. Have a ‘Yes, we can!’ attitude.
If asked to do something you haven’t done but know you can achieve, say yes. Have the “Well how do we make this happen?” moment in private, then get on with the job at hand.
10. You tell Me!
Send your tip for how small business can look like big business. The best tip will win a free one-month membership (worth almost $500) to Bureaux that can be used in Melbourne and Sydney.
Rowena Murray is Director of Bureaux Business Lounge Australia.
josh said on October 19, 2009
You are definitely on to something!
Another point I would put is:
Dont cheapen out on your website, for most of us, we naturally search our potential business partners online and if you have a website, make sure its not still looking like it belongs in 1997. It will not cost too much to update the information on your website. I see your website is like your resume for your business.
Marshall said on May 9, 2010
I agree with many of these comments. Here are some tips I've been implementing with my business. Ill try to be kind of specific to help those new to small business.
Phone system should be set up with a good pbx provider such as freedom voice. It can cost you anywhere from just $10 a month up to $80 a month and a great asset to your company. This makes your business look just as big a even your largest competitors. Extensions, hold music, Question and answer setup for tasks like automated hiring.
Than theres toll free or custom toll free phone numbers. This can make or break some business's. For example there are many 1-877 numbers that are not yet taken. What sounds better 440-959-4932 or 1877-Attorney. Having a custom number and pbx together can do wonders for your business.
Your website is also very important and should be done by a professional. If you have a website created, you should use it wright though. For example have mini sites or landing pages created to capture your users info for further follow up. Hire someone off sites like elance or freelancer to both build your site and set it up for the search engines. Remember, no-one will find your site unless your keywords are right.
If you really want to look professional, hire a website spokesperson for about $300 to introduce your site and product to your future customers. Not only does this make you look very professional, it also doubles the rates of those joining your program.
When choosing a domain name make sure its something memorable and professional at the same time.
Following up with your customers on a timely manner is also very important. Use an automated email program like constant contact. Set it to get back to your customer within 4 hours not right away. You want to look personal and professional but not automated and faceless.
Finally if you want to look both professional and automate your business use a program like earth class mail. This program will allow you to set up P.O boxes in locations that will impress your clients. For example 2172 Santa Monica blvd instead of P.O box 13344 des moines, Iowa 43543. Doesn't the first one sound like a very professional business to be right on Santa Monica Blvd.
This program will also scan and email all of your mail and deposit your checks for you at a cost of about $40 a month.
The secret is using third parties that specialize in the parts of your business that you don't. You can't be everything at once, it just doesn't make you come of as professional.
If you set up your business this way it will cost you a few hundred dollars a month at most while saving you thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of work.
Finally, If you have the money it is a good idea to hire a personal assistant to help you on the time consuming tasks. They can cost as little as $4 an hour and do a great job helping you look big. If you want to learn more about this subject check out articles like outsource your life or the 4hour work week by timothy ferris. It will completely change the way you handle your business.
emily said on October 19, 2009
Great article Rowena! I can vouch for what a difference Bureaux can make to a small business!
Benny Z said on October 19, 2009
Good article. I was mentally ticking each box as I was reading!
For people doing it on the cheap, two things that are vital are phone numbers and addresses.
I predominantly work from home (who likes sitting in a warehouse all day?) and I live in an area that may not be considered the nicest. So my PO Box is in South Yarra, and I had a 1300 number connected. Both of which look great on my professionally designed and printed business cards. Both of which are also significantly cheaper than vitual offices.
Eyal Chipkiewicz said on October 19, 2009
Carry a set of strategically chosen business cards in your portfolio/organizer, and make sure your client catches a glimpse!!! Some large suppliers of your industry even if you haven't yet engaged them, a couple of your clients competitors... all these will help establish a sense of... well... trajectory, even before you can actually claim the miles on the pedometer!
Kim.D said on October 20, 2009
Ten excellent tips! Advertising with promotional products is another great way to make your business stand out. To make a lasting impression, ensure your first impression is a great one and leave prospective customers or clients with a memorable item to remember you by.
Rachel said on October 20, 2009
This goes in line with some of the existing tips on here, but using a Google Voice number that can ring one skype number to everyone in your company is a great way to make it seem you always have someone at the receptionist desk. Using Skype numbers to give yourself internation accessibility is also great..not only does it project an air of being big, it makes you truly function on an international level, just be prepared for the demands of a 25 hour world. I wouldn't recommend PO boxes for addresses in other cities, unless you are a magazine or someone expecting extremely large amounts of mail from anonymous people, but getting a lawyer in another city to access your mail or having a mail referring system is great.
If you do have an office space, even a small one, be sure to know how to treat clients like a big office would...even if you don't have a receptionist, if you can have someone on staff that receives meetings, asks if they want tea or water, someone to professionally answer phone calls...even if you make this a small part of the job description for someone on staff, it makes a big difference in the impression a client comes away with.
DigiGifts said on October 20, 2009
I totally agree that giving the impression that you are larger than you are has a number of positive factors. Not only does it give your customers a false sense of security, it also makes your competitors sit up and take more notice of you.
Another clever little task to help make you look larger than you really are is to be registered for GST. Yes this does have some drawbacks such as processing a BAS regularly (quarterly or annually), but in the future you will love the benefits of this task. Usually business which have a turnover of $75,000 or more must registered for GST, so by doing this you are giving the impress that you have a high turnover. In the future when you do have a high enough turnover you won't need to worry about changing how you manage your funds to cater for GST. You will also already have all your accounts and finances in order due to regularly processing a BAS. Its a win win situation for the future of your business.
Tony said on October 20, 2009
One of my favourite tips is to take another person with you on a sales call. This can make your company look larger than it is. The other person has to be experienced, professional and an asset to the discussion, otherwise it can backfire.
Secondly, utilising a virtual assistant is a great idea. Not only from a time management perspective, but also having a different voice that customers hear can give the impression of a larger company. And they are usually reasonably priced.
Dean Stewart said on October 20, 2009
Always talk in plural format. Terms such as we, us, the team etc. Use you kids, family, wifes maiden name, to make the company look larger.
DigiGifts said on October 22, 2009
Yes, I agree with this comment too. Even sole traders can adopt this practice and make their company sound much larger than it is just by describing themselves and the company in the plural form. "I'll get the technical team to look into that.", "We will review your enquiry", "I'll have to consult with my business partner", etc, etc. They all give the impress that you are much larger.
Nobby said on October 20, 2009
I would suggest double checking all correspondence for mistakes.
Never send out email, letters or even blogs, just like this one, which have mistakes in them.
It diminishes the perceived professionalism of the person responsible.
David said on October 20, 2009
For really first class service, never, ever meet at a coffee shop with a new client. Remember, 'you're here to help' and step one is acknowledging they're busy. Most clients prefer to meet you on their turf - at least the first few times. Believe it or not, new customers are also eager to impress and will prefer the opportunity to meet you at their office. As well, it helps you absorb the tone and style of their operation so you can tailor your relationship in the future.
I wouldn't, as someone suggested, have the card of their competitors tucked in their portfolio - a client definitely doesn't want potential suppliers or consultants having conflicting interests. By all means have business cards from good suppliers such as an accounting firm or even stationers - show that you only deal with quality companies.
Don't be too eager to drop everything and go running when they ring or if you're trying to set a meeting up. Comments such as "I'm having a meeting near you this afternoon - I can shuffle the time around to suit you" are also quite credible.
If you are asked directly where your office is or how big the company is (quite likely and reasonable questions), explain that the company is for example: "We're a group of consultants who have joined forces to give ourselves 'critical mass. We've known each other forever" In honesty and sensibly, it's always easy to build up big and taper down with consultants who are contractually restricted from poaching your clients.
If the client wants to meet at your 'office', explain that you work from serviced offices. There is nothing wrong with that and in fact, serviced offices are easy to get at a moment's notice and aren't that expensive relatively. Most Serviced offices have a tenants directory at the front and those directories usually take a standard slip name which can be made up at reasonably short notice. Having Your name at the front is a really strong signal. The serviced office will be able to organize it or tell you where you can get one made.
Government Grant Guru said on October 20, 2009
Use reference numbers in proposals and invoices starting at a high number such 8373643 instead of 00000001. Makes it seem as though you have been doing business for a long time.
When sending emails for proposals etc, use the cc for another two people in the organisation (Which all come back to you anyway).
Refer to yourself as a Sales Rep, Senior Consultant etc not MD or CEO
City Slicker said on October 20, 2009
We're proud of our office, which occupies a floor of a building in the middle of Melbourne's CBD. We're also proud of our PBX, which has IVR: Press 1 for Technical Support etc, queuing and redirection. This is supported by a 1300 number for users. We've also gone through the pain and cost of buying the .com version of our .com.au domain name (as SEEK and others had to do), and registering our trademarks.
As to dressing sharp: we wear t-shirts and jeans to the office unless we're meeting someone outside the office. You'd probably find that other successful entrepreneurs do too (e.g. Atlassian's founders: Cannon-Brookes and Farquhar).
We have just 2 full time people, but we have a world of support services: 2 law firms, book keeper, accountant, LAN and development environment support, hosting support (for our production server), PBX and VOIP support, security and on and on.
I don't know that we're out to look any bigger than we are ... just be comfortable in our environment and well set up for the job we have to do.
Gaurav said on October 21, 2009
Excellent tips! And while these things are important, there's also a point where you have to realize that you're a small company and that's what differentiates those big huge faceless heartless buildings from you. I guess Jason Cohen explains it wonderfully here: http://blog.asmartbear.com/youre-a-little-company-now-act-like-one.html
Walter Adamson said on October 22, 2009
The tips make sense but focus on the physical. One of the key business reasons for small businesses to use social media is to appear bigger than they are, more expert and more influential.
Walter Adamson @g2m
Social Media Academy, Australia
http://xeesm.com/walter
Rob Lawson said on November 13, 2009
Great tips - starting in a home office, I had the phone diverted to a bureau is essential, an outstanding business card, leather folder, slick web site, quality suit, smart polished shoes, fresh breath are all essential. The one aspect that has built our business has been attitude. I pretended my diary was full for 2 weeks when I first started marketing iQuantum 7 years ago. Within 3 months, my diary was booked out for 2 weeks and has remained so ever since. If you want something done, ask a busy person, they know how to get things done. The other big guiding principle is stop selling; let people buy off you. Ask loads of questions and see if they fit your profile of an ideal client. Not all business is good business.
Anne-Marie Birkill said on December 4, 2009
Or join an incubator like i.lab (ilab.com.au) - and have access to professional office space, meeting rooms, presentation equipment not to mention mentoring, coaching and business development support......
Grant said on February 27, 2010
It is important to convey the impression that your business is well established. Many will look in your contacts section of your website to see if you have a location and where you have a location - a number of web based businesses do not even show a location!
Additionally, to expand on point 7, you may extend your reach across a metropolitan area with different virtual addresses - some people prefer to deal with businesses they perceive setup in their area; and shun businesses they perceive as being too far away to provide good service.
There is more information on the benefits of a virtual address on: http://www.gecentre.com.au/virtual-address-sydney.html.
This site provides direct contact details of virtual office centres in the Sydney Metropolitan area: http://www.serviced-offices-sydney.com.au
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If you want something done, ask a busy person, they know how to get things done. The other big guiding principle is stop selling; let people buy off you.
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Colin Pritchard said on August 24, 2012
I think these 'virtual' services are the key to faking it. And in this tough economic climate it's such a cost effective way of giving of the impression of expansion and professionalism. And that of course equals credibility! UK peeps the best I know is http://www.alldaypa.com
Aside from that, yes, a decent website is crucial. I'm sure we've all hit a site that's poorly designed and hard to navigate, and just bounced right off there within 3 seconds. In this digital age that is not good!