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Want to give your small business some added credibility? You don’t have to wear an expensive suit or drive around in an expensive car. Here are just five cheap ways to improve your company’s professional image.
Create a professional email address
One easy way that you can make your company seem more credible is by using a professional email address. Rather than using a generic ‘@gmail.com’ address, change it so that it’s ‘@yourcompany.com’ – this can make a huge difference. You can also add a professional signature to your emails, which could even include a company logo.
Build your social media presence
Having a lot of followers on social media can make you seem like a more popular company. Whilst you can pay a social media marketing company to boost your following, it’s possible to do this naturally for free with a bit of perseverance. Start by inviting everyone you know to like you page on Facebook (if you’ve got employees, you can get them to do the same). Try to encourage any new clients to follow you. You can then start creating engaging content that naturally draws people in. If you are willing to pay some money, using Facebook’s promoted content feature could be effective.
Collect testimonials from clients
Testimonials are examples of positive feedback from your clients. With permission from your clients, you can display these on your website so that anyone visiting your website can read them. Testimonials can be great for your credibility as a new business by proving that you’ve made customers happy in the past. You can also encourage customers to leave positive reviews on sites like Trip Advisor and Trust Pilot for a similar impact.
Wear a name badge
Another cheap and simple way to compose yourself more professionally is to wear a name badge. This can be used to not only display your name but your brand, making yourself easily identifiable to customers. Having your name on display can also give people a point of reference and help endear people to you. There are many companies such as Imagin Badges which you can use to produce professional name badges. These could be pinned on to your clothing or sewn onto a uniform.
Print off business cards
Business cards are a popular and effective way of promoting yourself. They allow you to quickly and conveniently offer your contact details when meeting someone new who could be potentially interested in your business. You can also post business cards through people’s doors, pin them to public noticeboards and hand them out at trade fairs. All in all, they help to spread awareness of you brand making your company seem more professional. Companies like VistaPrint can help to produce cheap business cards for your business. You may even be able to download software to print off your own affordably.