Professionalism sets you up to be respected; it shows that you, in turn, respect your business and your clients, and it shows that you have good business work ethic as well as caring enough to be professional in the first place. Therefore, ultimately, having a professional edge is all about promoting your business in the best possible way.
Below is a guide on how to best give your business a more professional edge.
Appearances Are Important
While it’s true that you shouldn’t judge based solely on looks, unfortunately in business appearance does matter – and a professional appearance at that. Whether you have fantastic service and talent to offer won’t matter if your clients don’t give you the opportunity to prove it after you’ve failed to make an adequate first impression which lacked professionalism.
This first impression could be in a variety of forms, whether it’s a quick look at your company logo, a browse on your website, or meeting you for the first time in person to see you dressed in jeans and trainers within a boardroom environment.
Understand what it means to look professional and apply this to everything you do, including your business’s online presence.
Consider How You Get Around
Your means of transport, especially if your business centers around traveling with clients or traveling to meet clients, can make a great deal of difference when it comes to a professional image. If you are required to pick clients up from the airport, send a business car with an attentive driver instead of a mainstream and impersonal taxi, for example.
For the ultimate luxurious edge with personalized air travel, you might even ask how much does it cost to rent a private jet?
Always Fulfill Your Promises
Being professional means adhering to your word. Nothing is more unprofessional than false promises made in business, and failure to deliver on the service or product you are offering. This will only prove to clients and even your own employees that you cannot produce what is expected in business, and this will only form problems between your business and its progression.
It’s tempting in business always to want to offer a fantastic deal in the shortest delivery time possible, but it’s much better to be realistic – and clients will appreciate honesty. It may sound impressive to say you can deliver a service within the week, but if in reality, it’s going to take three weeks, then tell the client that because they need to know the truth.
Be Professional Internally, Too
Being professional doesn’t mean treating your clients like royalty and then disrespecting your own team members. Professionalism needs to extend to every corner of the business, including when clients aren’t present. Being professional to your staff, and encouraging professionalism between team members, means a more respectful and rewarding work environment, and therefore a more productive and successful one. This, in turn, will translate to your business working more efficiently – and, therefore, more professionally for clients.
