Starting a Business All-In-One For Dummies

Chapter 3

Taking Stock of Your Business Image

In This Chapter

• Taking steps to ensure that your business makes a consistent, positive impression
• Compiling an inventory of the impressions your business makes
• Assessing and strengthening your marketing communications

Right now, even if you're not doing much marketing, your business is making an impression. Somewhere, someone is encountering your ad, seeing your logo, calling your company, visiting your website, reading a review or article about your business, or walking through your door. Maybe someone is driving by the sign on your locked-up shop at night or running across your business name in a web search.

As a result, right now people are drawing conclusions about your business. Based on what they're seeing or hearing, they're deciding whether your business looks like a top-tier player, an economical alternative, or a struggling startup — all based on impressions that you may not even be aware that you're making.

This chapter is about where and when your business makes impressions and how you can align your communications so that people form the opinion you want them to have.

Making First Impressions

You've heard the saying a thousand times: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” The advice is self-evident and sounds easy enough to follow until you realize that your business most often makes its first impressions when you're nowhere to be found. In your stead is your website, your Facebook page, your voicemail ...