Your Business Exterior And You As A Team!

Your Business Exterior And You As A Team!

If someone were to ask you about your business exterior and you, what would be your response? Silence or an excited response like, “look for yourself”! Even though our world is seemingly more digital, we do occasionally step outside – the exterior needs our attention too.

Read more about your business exterior and you according to this contributed article.

7 Reasons Your Business Exterior Is Extra Special

 

 

The premises have been negotiated and you are only bothered about one thing – the interior. After all, the inside of the store is where the magic happens. It’s the boudoir of the business industry.

Without an interior that shines, gleams, and promotes all the right things then shoppers won’t make conversions. You may not know much, but this is high on the list of things that you understand for sure.

The exterior, then, pales in comparison to the beating heart of the store. Sure, it needs cleaning and maintaining every now and again, but it doesn’t deserve a chunk of your time. There are other, more important things to take care off.

It’s easy to see where this attitude originates. Homeowners think the same way. To them, it’s all about interior design and exterior design is left on the periphery.

However, there is an issue, and it’s the fact that the outside of your premises plays a bigger role in success than you may imagine. Yep, everything from the windows to the brickwork and the color turn consumers off and on, almost like a light switch. Here are seven reasons why the store’s front is extra special and deserves more attention.

Love At First Sight

Whether it’s offline or on the internet, every business follows the same rules. The main one is simple and has existed since the dawn of time – attract customers. Without men and women walking into the store or proceeding to the checkout online, there is no way to turn a profit.

Sure, some businesses do it without charging fees and relying on advertising, but the odds are high that you’re not a blog or social media site. You’re a store, and stores have to sell units and services if they are going to boost their return on investment. Deals and promotions draw in shoppers, as does a word of mouth marketing scheme, but the usual suspect is the exterior.

Human beings make judgments as soon as they see something. And, they place a lot of emphasis on their initial decision. Think of the last time you searched for a house. After seeing the outside of the property, you would have decided whether you wanted to buy it or not. The same rule applies to businesses, so it’s essential to make a positive first impression.

Professionalism

Consumers aren’t only searching for love. They want to see professionalism, too. It’s easy to forget that people don’t want to part with their money. Well, they do, yet they need a great excuse. After all, there are major obstacles in their way and a person must be able to validate their decision.

For instance, it may not be a necessary purchase. Or, the person in question may not have the cash to splash at this very moment. As vital is the fact that they are worried that they won’t get value for money. All of these pitfalls are influenced by an organization’s level of professionalism.

A shopper may not have the money or the need to buy anything, but a fantastic level of customer service can change their minds. It’s like a form of subtle manipulation. And yes, their experience begins as soon as they lay eyes on the store.

Trust plays the biggest role, however, because customers won’t spend money in a store on which they can’t rely. A sharp, clean exterior tells them that your outfit isn’t run by cowboys.

The Marketing Effect

What springs to mind when you hear the term “advertising.” Like the majority of entrepreneurs these days, there’s a good chance that your mind jumps to online marketing.

The first thing to note is that a digital presence is essential in 2018. Without a website, one that is optimized for mobile users, it is almost impossible to maintain a healthy position in the market. Billions of people go online every day and the firm wants a piece of the pie.

The second thing to keep in mind is that it isn’t the be-all and end-all of traffic. Regardless of an internet connection, physical, human men, and women still walk past the store on a daily basis. And, they aren’t checking the website when they glance to their left or right.

Nope, what they see at that moment is what impacts the decision-making process. An amazing window display, then, can pique their interest enough to turn 90 degrees and browse the interior.

However, this will never happen if they can’t see the advertisement in the first place. Dirty windows are not only signs of a lack of professionalism; they are blockers. Unblock them and the chances of your marketing strategy reaching more people are bound to increase.

 

Curb Appeal

As far as the store is concerned, it’s the exterior that draws in customers. The website is an excellent resource, but the fact is that people shop digitally for a reason. Consumers go online because they can’t be bothered going into the store, or don’t have the time.

In the long-term, the site’s impact may help the physical store with traffic, but the two are by no means inextricably linked. Store owners have to figure out how to survive without the help of their technically advanced cousin, and the exterior is the answer.

We know that shoppers make quick judgments based on looks, we are also pretty sure that visual merchandising is effective. Plus, there is the reputation factor too. Now you can add to that the mirror theory.

The premise is easy – customers relate the exterior to the rest of the company. For example, if they see paint falling off the walls, words such as “dirty” and “grimy” will pop into their heads. The terrible thing about this is that they relate these phrases to every area of the business.

Therefore, curb appeal has far-ranging effects on foot traffic. Logic suggests that to project a wholesome image of the organization as a whole, you need to take care of the outside of the premises. It starts with tidying up garbage but can go as far as adding a new coat of paint to the brickwork.

Health And Safety

Let’s not get it twisted – looks are important.

People don’t want to come across as vain but it’s the truth. Still, some issues are as important, and health and safety are two prime examples. No one wants to take their life in their hands when they go shopping.

As dramatic as it sounds, there have been instances of deaths as a result of poor exterior maintenance. A British bookstore, https://www.waterstones.com, was involved in controversy when a letter from the logo fell and killed a passer-by.

Of course, the consequences of this are almost impossible to come back from, what with the inevitable lawsuits and negative PR. A big company may survive, but a small one will crumble in no time whatsoever.

Taking care of the premises, then, is what makes the exterior of a store vitally significant. Customers simply won’t go near the front doors if they think they’re going to trip over a slab of asphalt. Https://www.helitechonline.com/concrete-leveling/ is a helpful tool if the outside of the property is dangerously uneven.

Aside from the ground, there shouldn’t be anything that can fall from a height. By all means, add the logo or brand name to the storefront but ensure it’s bolted on tight. Also, test it in all weathers. Bright sunshine is nice, but wind and rain can cause materials to degrade, and that leads to accidents.

 

Checkout, Sleep, Rinse And Repeat

Entrepreneurs assume that the aim is to increase the customer base. New customers are important, and there is a major shift towards recruiting them, yet they aren’t the lifeblood of the business. That mantle goes to the loyal, returning shoppers that purchase products and services on a semi-regular basis.

With market saturation at an all-time high, you can’t expect them not to shop around for a bargain. But, people that place an order once or twice a month are valuable customers. Their money keeps the profit margin ticking over at a steady pace.

However, they are not going to return if there is a chance they will suffer an injury. No matter how good the product is, it isn’t worth breaking a leg or spraining an ankle. Yes, loyalty makes people do weird things, but a trip to the ER isn’t one of them. For customers to maintain their commitment, they need an easy, accessible and danger-free experience.

Cost

Plain and simple – a lack of maintenance is expensive.

For one thing, the local authority will hit you with fines if they think it is a health hazard. Plus, they can force you to renovate if they believe it’s the type of eyesore that impacts the economy. But, the thing to keep in mind is the tenancy agreement.

The building is falling apart and it’s affecting sales. The logical thing to do is to move, but you can’t because the lease is for ten years. In short, this is a nightmare that may bankrupt the business.

How important is the company’s exterior to you? Are you taking good enough care of it?

My Final Thoughts About Your Business Exterior And You!

Yes, you know the proverbial phrase – location, location, location – it is no stranger to your ears. In like manner – exterior, exterior, exterior – it is important to your business perception especially if you operate a physical store in addition to your online business. I hope you will heed these tips and ensure that when you think about your business exterior and you, you smile because you’ve got it covered!

Images courtesy of Pixabay, Geograph, and Wikimedia.

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