Some of the best business owners and brand names are known for being controlling. Beyonce famously controls her image with an iron grip. Apple is deeply protective of company culture and image. While to some it may seem overkill, keeping an eye on the little things across your business is good business. Here are three things you might be overlooking that can have a big impact on your business.
The Look of Your Invoice
Having a professional looking invoice is a small but mightily important thing. Your invoice is your money in the truest sense. The less professional it looks, the less professional you look.
All your invoices should have your brand logo and should be clear and easy to read. Invoices get directly in front of your client, and you want it to be as professional as your work.
Consistency Across Social Media Handles
Consistency is king today. You want not only a cohesive brand, but a cohesive method of speaking to your audience.
A good place to start is to make sure that you have the same name across all your social media handles. And here’s something to consider: are you using personal social media accounts to promote your business? If you are, consider why. Does it make more sense to shift to a new account for the business? Criss-crossing persona updates with business promotion is a fine line- consider your social media plan for a more consistent message.
Your Newsletter Greeting
How many times have you gotten a newsletter that starts of ‘Hi,’ or ‘Hey,’. Can it get more impersonal? People who signed up for your newsletter are inviting you into their inbox. They want to hear from you; don’t turn them off by treating them like one lump.
In your newsletter service you should be able to set it up so that the software automatically generates the first name of each person receiving an email. This is a nice touch for each reader.
You could also take it a step further and name your following. Lady Gage famously calls her fans ‘monsters’, and the Grateful Dead still has people who proudly identify as ‘Deadheads’. If you do decide to come up with a name, you can address your emails to that title and remind them why they wanted to be a part of your world.
It’s easy to get caught up in doing the latest and greatest thing for businesses. I think that the best thing any entrepreneur can do is to speak genuinely to their audience. Treat your clients and customers with respect and dignity- they are people first, and clients second. Taking the time to notice the little things in your business will go a long way.
