When you have a small business, it’s important for your customers to feel confident that you can provide the level of service they have come to expect from your bigger competitors. One way to earn more business is by appearing larger – even if you only have few employees, if any. Here are a few ways to instill confidence in your customers by making your business look more established and legitimate.
Get More Reviews
One of the first things people check before they choose a business is their online reviews. They want to know the experience other people have had working with you. The more reviews you have, the more business it looks like you’ve gotten. Ask past clients directly if they would leave you a review on Google, Yelp, Capterra, or whatever platform works best for your company. If you ask right after they’ve had a great experience and provide the direct link for them, then you’re more likely to get a yes.
Use Phone Menus
Even if you’re the only one answering the phones, you can appear larger by using IVR menus. This means that when someone calls, they’ll make a selection – such as to place a new order, for customer questions, to contact billing. Their selection will appear on your caller ID so you can answer appropriately. Picking up the phone with, “billing department, how can I help you?” instead of a generic greeting will make it seem like you have more departments and people working to help each customer.
Set Up Department Emails
Similarly, directing people to department email addresses instead of individuals gives the impression that multiple people are ready to assist with questions. By having customers email support@yourcompany.com instead of firstname@company.com, you can keep your emails more organized. Plus, if anyone ever changes their name or leaves the company, you won’t miss out on any incoming emails.
Get Personalized Mail Supplies
If you mail invoices or ship anything, give a better first impression with personalized labels, envelopes, and shipping supplies. You won’t have to write your return address over and over and you’ll get a more polished look. Budget-friendly options like Vista Print even offer packaging tape so your items can be branded inside and out.
Polish Your Website
For businesses today, their website is the first impression for a potential customer. Your website should be modern, mobile-friendly, and fast. Try a service like SquareSpace to set up your website without any coding required. Because modern websites are more visual, use a free service like Unsplash or RawPixel to find stock images to fill the pages. You’ll be surprised at how well a website novice can make your company come to life!
