.png){kind=small}
Here at Blades Media we are very against that “Instagram filter” effect, where you portray things to look better than they are. Unless it has some honesty behind it, we generally keep it to ourselves. When it comes to business though you want to look like a professional business. We don’t mean the floor to ceiling glass office, town car and fancy suits, we are talking more about the basics which would make any business owner look more established and more desirable to new customers. Sometimes no matter how good you are at what you do, people will judge a book by its cover.
Tip 1 – Google My Business
Cost: Free
Google My Business or GMB for short, is Googles inbuilt directory. Forget the yellow pages, forget Thompson local, say hello to GMB. GMB allows you to apply all the criteria which is important to your business including contact details, service area and your services. The 2 great things about GMB is it is free forever and if you do not have a website you can use GMB to rank in Google.
Tip 2 – Custom Domain Email
Cost: Domain Per year fee from £11.99 + Email hosting from £4.60 per month
I often get emails from people telling me they will fix my website and they are always from some shoddy email address (tammy_ray1993_0101@gmail.com) If you are a professional services with a Hotmail, live, me or gmail account you don’t look professional and often get spotted as spam. Not only that, these emails are quite easy to hack and since it is a free consumer email, you do not get any help. What would you do if your account got hacked?
Finally, kerb appeal. Which looks better
Or
To have a custom email firstly you need a domain. If you already have a website that is great! Use that domain. Secondly you need an email host. Gsuite is generally the cheapest with the best security benefits. We have also personally found it easier to setup.
Tip 3 – Land Line
Cost: From £4.99
Not a lot of people are not aware that it is possible to have a local number without a having a phone line. With a diverting number it is possible to have a geographical number which points directly to your mobile. There are many different options you can choose depending on your budget and needs including internal menu systems, call back via landline number and operational times. Not only does this make you look planted, as you change your mobile you can just change the divert.
Tip 4 – Business Cards
Cost: £75 + printing
Having a vista print business car is certainly not going to hurt your business but it is not going to help it leaving a lasting impression. The point of a business card is to give a potential client something to remember you by. The more you invest in the finish and the feel, the more chance you have of getting a call back. We invest in super heavy, triple layer cards with a matte finish. In the hand they feel weighty and nice to touch. This may sound a bit strange, but we have had many people call us based on our business cards as they like playing with it. Little things make a big impact.
There are many more ways to give your business a boost and in the future we will dive deeper into that. For now, this simple and either free or cheap options will make you stand out from the crowd. If you need any help with setup or just some advice, call our team on 01202 287 088 or email at hello@bladesmedia.co.uk