KEEPING UP APPEARANCES - How Small Businesses Can Make Themselves Look Big
Released on = May 8, 2007, 12:14 pm
Press Release Author = Evan Carmichael
Industry = Small Business
Press Release Summary = You wake up at 6 a.m. to start your work day, only you aren't heading into town to sit at some comfy corner corporate office suite. Sure, you might still put on a suit and tie, but you are in fact only headed as far away as your own basement. With your cat and dog as your only source of company, you begin to settle into your home office for the day.
Press Release Body = TORONTO, CA - May 8, 2007 - You wake up at 6 a.m. to start your work day, only you aren't heading into town to sit at some comfy corner corporate office suite. Sure, you might still put on a suit and tie, but you are in fact only headed as far away as your own basement. With your cat and dog as your only source of company, you begin to settle into your home office for the day.
It is a familiar picture for entrepreneurs, and one that most of them have experienced at one point or another. In the early stages of any small startup, entrepreneurs need to make do with whatever they can. Whether it's borrowing their mother's computer, or working out of their own basement, small business owners use all the resources they have at their disposal to start and grow their company, even though that may not be much.
They might be operating at a disadvantage, but according to entrepreneurship expert Evan Carmichael, entrepreneurs have at their disposal a number of tools to help them take on their larger competition. "You may be a one-person operation," he says, "but your customers and your competitors don't have to know that."
The first and most important step to making your business seem bigger than it is, says Carmichael, is to make sure you have the right telecommunications system in place. "You need to always be reachable," he says. "Even if you can't afford 24-hour receptionists, having a cell phone or a separate phone line that can act as a 24/7 fax machine will help." Carmichael also suggests outsourcing your calls to a toll-free number, where customers can call at any time of day. Not only will this be free for them, but it will also give customers the impression that your company is in the big leagues.
Another crucial tool that entrepreneurs should not overlook, suggests Carmichael, is the Internet. "Creating a professional website with high-quality graphics and useful content will go a long way to making your company seem larger than it is," he says. The key word here, however, is professional. A poorly designed website will do more harm to your business than not having one at all. "Having an online presence is also a good way for entrepreneurs to use their creativity in building credibility," says Carmichael. For instance, he suggests they create a 'Contact the CEO' link, even if they're the CEO, and the accountant, and the receptionist all in one.
Making yourself accessible online and via telephone is important, but what about when you just have to meet a client face to face, or make a presentation to a potential investor? Do you really want to bring them into your house with your dog running around and your laundry hanging up? For those times, says Carmichael, consider renting an office or a conference room for just a few hours each month. "When there's that big fish that you are just dying to reel in, bring them to your rented suite," he says. "It is a cheaper option for you, it presents you in a professional manner, and chances are they'll assume it's your permanent office."
Whatever steps you take to make your business look larger than it is, Carmichael implies the importance of raising the bar. "As entrepreneurs, we need to do whatever it takes to be taken seriously, especially in our startup days," he says. "Set high standards for yourself, and be willing make the investments you need to play with the big boys."
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Evan Carmichael is available for an interview. Please contact him at evan@evancarmichael.com.
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