Don’t skimp on the flyers. Michel Hogan of Brandology says businesses need to appear professional, and that includes putting a decent job into things like stationery, flyers and any type of promotional material.
“There are a lot of businesses that don’t put much effort into this area, and it shows. Making all of your materials look good, and consistent, will make your business appear a lot more professional and larger than it actually is.”
“It doesn’t mean you have to put thousands of dollars into it, you can even make this stuff yourself. But make it as though you were paying someone to do it.”
Many companies dismiss value and mission statements as hokum, but Aussie Farmers Direct chief executive Braedon Lord says giving your business a definitive vision and an overall theme, will make clients respect you.
“If you think about what we do at Aussie Farmers, we have a solid foundation that we only have Australian food. That has enabled us to open doors, appeal to consumers and get into their heads.”
“The values statement has to be an overall vision for the company. As you grow, you should be able to stick to that promise. That plays into our word-of-mouth strategy, because people are more likely to recommend you to others.”
Chris Thomas says setting up a virtual office is a good way of providing your business with credibility if you can’t afford a full-time receptionist.
“Having someone to answer the phone when people call gives a really good impression,” he says.
Getting around and visiting clients is essential for a small business. These experts say using a company-branded vehicle is a good way to make your business appear respectable and professional – just don’t go over the top.
If you want to get the attention of some bigger potential clients, then you’ll need to brag a little, these experts say. Once you’ve been able to obtain a few large contracts, you need to use those to leverage some more business.
The more attention larger businesses give you, the more chance you have to brag about that attention. Saunders says once SMEs start working with their bigger clients, they need to show it off by either mentioning them in meetings or putting them up on a website.
“Absolutely get your marketing right from the very first day. Don’t scrimp out on that, really work hard to secure at least one major client, and then once you’ve got them, leverage off them as much as you can because you need to establish credibility, and quickly.”
Patrick Stafford is a freelance journalist and a former deputy editor of SmartCompany.
