Congratulations on your acquisition of a new office for your business! Whether you’ve just opened your doors or only moved from an old location, starting off in a new office is exciting and stressful – there’s certainly a lot on your mind and plenty to do. However, one thing you might not be thinking so much about as you get your interior all set up is the exterior, besides probably putting up a sign. Do not ignore your office’s curb appeal – it can greatly benefit your business.
The Importance Of Having Your Business Look Nice
Curb appeal is a critical factor when deciding whether to buy a private home, and for a business it is no different. Even if you only see clients by appointment or rarely see clients at all, it’s still worth it to have your business look professional and attractive from the outside. Anyone who comes to your office for an important meeting, negotiation or job interview will instantly make their first impression, and you want it to be a good one. Curb appeal is even more important to your business if you rely on foot traffic or walk-ins at all.
Clean It Up
The first thing you will want to do is ensure there is nothing unattractive about the exterior of your office. Fix any broken or damaged windows, clean the windows and power wash the siding, and repaint or repave the parking area.
Hire A Professional Landscaper
You will likely be doing this anyway, just to ensure the landscaping around your business is properly maintained. But you should also consider making some serious changes in the beginning as well. Add bushes, mulch, rocks, retaining walls and perhaps even water or fountains to make the exterior of your business look more attractive. Take out any eyesores, such as dead trees or out-of-control overgrowth.
Consider More Serious Renovations
More serious renovations to the front of the building itself might be worth it. This may not be an option in certain situations, such as if your landlord won’t allow it, but if you can, it’s worth considering. For example, if your office is for an accounting firm but you purchased space that used to belong to a massage parlor, redoing the exterior with a more modern sleek look better suited to an accounting office will look more attractive and professional. If you do more serious renovations to the exterior of the building, be sure to get any interior renovations that you think you might need done at the same time.
Infuse With Your Brand
Your brand is your business identity, and developing and maintaining one is becoming increasingly necessary in order to stand out from your competitors. The most obvious example of infusing your office’s exterior with your brand is to put up a sign that displays your logo and perhaps your slogan as well. Other elements from your brand that you could use include color combinations, altering the outside of your business to look more like what would be expected from a professional office in your field, such as a Dentist Calgary sw office, and attractive window displays.
Do What You Can
Even if you don’t have much control over how the front of your business looks (like if it’s in a strip mall or other complex), there are little changes you can make to increase your curb appeal. You can hang posters or banners from your windows, or any glass interior doors that are visible from the outside. You can place statues, potted bushes, a welcome mat or other small items by your office to make it look more attractive and professional.
At the end of the day, you want customers and other professionals alike to be interested in and respectful of your office from the first moment they see it. Never let the exterior of your office look like it is not being upkept. Avoid having it look bland, and instead brand it. With a new business office that looks the part, you’ll attract and impress customers, clients, other professionals and potential new employees much more easily.
