It takes just a fraction of a second to make an impression. People judge a business quickly. So it is essential to create a professional, reliable, and reputable first impression. It is vital because people have plenty of choices in the market, and they mistrust most.
Your business is starting from zero when it comes to trust. If you think, why? It’s because you are starting a new business that doesn’t have a proven track record like those already present in the industry. So, what can you do to make a first impression and lay the foundation for a reliable relationship?
Here, we will discuss five tips to make a first impression that will last longer.
Create an authentic brand
The first step to reassure customers of your reliability is to create an authentic brand. You need to build a distinctive brand identity which is essential for two reasons — presenting the face of your company that aligns with your values and tells the audience about your business; it shows what your brand is all about.
Your brand is the building block of all business decisions. Customers will interact with everything from your custom logo design to your mission statement, website, services, and branding materials. And, this all thing evolves from the image you create for your brand.
So, it becomes vital for you to sit down and think of your brand identity before starting your business.
You may find it simple, but this step is crucial if you’re putting your business plan on paper. Your marketing and sales strategies depend on your brand identity that ultimately determines the success or failure of your business.
Create a professional but user-friendly website
Once you have figured out the values of your business, it’s time to work on an online presence by creating a website. Your website works as an ambassador of your business. It stays there online 24*7 and helps build relationships with your customers.
So, get a website that’s user-friendly and makes a lasting impression.
Make sure to optimize your site’s load speed. Choose a color palette that matches your logo’s color. While creating a website, you can make your own logo using a DIY tool or hiring a designer. The color palette and your logo should go well with all your marketing materials.
The font that you use should be readable and brand relevant. But don’t go overboard with your font choice; keep 2 to 3 fonts throughout your website.’
Pay attention to the placement of the navigation menu. Also, don’t forget to provide social proof to make sure customers trust you. Leave plenty of white spaces on your site so that the visitors may not have any problem finding the information they need.
We recommend working with industry professionals to create a custom website. Professional web designers have the skills to build a user-friendly site that emphasizes your brand. If a custom website is out of your budget, you can use a template and keep your overheads low. Customize the website template with original illustrations for an appealing look and feel.
Build authority using a blog
Before you build trust among people, start building authority. People expect businesses to show their expertise in the field. Creating quality content is the most effective way to build authority. The content you create will answer your customers’ questions.
Content marketing can help you improve conversions, connect with your audience, build trust, and generate leads. At present, customers expect authoritative, consistent, and high-quality content from brands. Also, it’s the content that will help many potential customers to find your business.
So, for all these reasons, you can create a blog where you can put all your lead-generating, valuable, and authority-building content.
The visual look of your blog should also convey the same meaning and authority. Anything messy with the visuals and content will put your credibility in question. So, take your time and create a professional blog that embodies the essence of your brand.
Use email marketing to foster relationships
Today’s customers are web-savvy. They are research-centric buyers. Before turning them into loyal customers, you need to make them a customer first. And for that, you have to interact with them.
It takes repeated interactions to win over today’s web-savvy, research-centric shoppers. They can find your business via organic search and from where you can start interacting with them.
Email is one of the many ways to keep them hooked or stir their interest. So get their email address and use email marketing campaigns to capture their attention.
When a new prospect finds your website through an organic search or a friend’s recommendation, that counts as one interaction.
Consistent and brand-specific emailers showing special offers, products, and services are key to leaving a lasting impression.
Do not send an email without any purpose because it will end up annoying your target audience. Once you have created a relevant email list, you can target them by putting an email marketing campaign in place. To continue making a lasting impression, choose a professional email template that helps you establish communication with your audience.
Keep the elements of the template the same as your brand essence. Contradiction in your marketing materials and brand identity may lead to confusion for your audience.
Create social media profiles
Having a strong social media presence is vital for leaving a lasting impression. Almost every business is going online and creating social profiles. You also need to go social to target your audience, give them an open platform to interact with you, and address their grievances.
Remember, people don’t like to wait for their grievance redressal. As and when you address their grievances and provide solutions, your business becomes the talk of the town. People start noticing your brand. And, if you’ve provided a solution to a problem, they start mentioning your brand. Those who aren’t your audience, but when they find such things on social media, they get impressed by them.
This way, your brand leaves a lasting impression.
Confusion
In this era, when everything is moving at an accelerated pace, businesses sometimes ignore the significance of the first impression. It goes a long way in establishing your credibility. So, it’s worth considering and implementing through your website, brand identity, email template, blog design, and social media profile. Keep polishing them, and these ideas will make a great first impression.
