Whether you have a small mom-and-pop diner or run a large corporation, appearance matters. The face of your business reflects you as a company. It can also be a good indicator of the pride you have in your work and physical presence. In fact, your business can make or break the first impression that you give to customers.
So how do you make your business look great for customers? There are small day-to-day tasks that you can perform to ensure that your physical location is in tip-top shape. There are also large overhauls that can bring new life to the appearance of your business.
Taking the time and money to make sure your business shines is an investment in its long term viability. You want to create a space that entices customers and makes them want to stick around. And that welcoming vibe can pay off for you in a more loyal customer base and higher profit margins.
Make Your Business Look Great by Showing Off Your Brand
Your business’ physical locations are another chance to tell your brand’s story. You’ve likely spent a lot of time, thought, and money creating the personality of your brand. So why not inject it into your physical location to allow it to shine?
Creative ways to add your logo to your decor are a sure win. A fun mural with a repeated monochromatic pattern of your logo creates a personalized yet toned-down look. Or make a statement by displaying your brand’s logo in LED lights or with a custom-made sculpture.
Color is a huge part of creating a vibe. Use the colors that you use primarily for your branding to drive the color scheme of your business. Everything from walls and flooring, to furniture and signage, should have a cohesive and complementary color scheme. Make sure it all aligns with your brand’s hues for a pulled-together look.
Think about what makes your brand special and use it to create a unique space. Maybe you are an eco-friendly business. Add furniture made from recycled content or artwork made from repurposed materials to make a green statement.
If you are a kid-focused brand, bright colors and bold graphics can make little ones feel right at home. Or, if your brand is all about luxury and opulence, stick with sleek tones and sophisticated decor. Staying true to your brand will make customers feel comfortable in your space and help you appeal to your target audience.
Clean Offices That Look Great to Both Clients and Employees
One of the first things that clients notice is the cleanliness of the space they are in. A dirty, disheveled area is a big warning sign to potential customers. Plus, employees are less productive and sometimes even less healthy in an unclean space. Making sure you have your offices neat and tidy is a simple way to appeal to everyone that enters them.
Offices need to be both clean and organized to welcome guests. Make sure your employees have adequate storage for paperwork and office supplies. Provide organization systems so that they can create a place for everything. Not only will they be able to find things more easily, but they will also be more likely to put them away.
Controlling the clutter is only half the battle. Cleaning surfaces is essential to removing the dust and grime that results from the busy office environment. This fresh and clean space not only looks more appealing to your clients, it feels and smells better too.
Hire a regular office cleaning crew to come to your workplace and freshen it up weekly. You might even need this done more often during busier times. Your office will be a fresher and brighter space that everyone will love.
If you have a big client meeting approaching, it’s a good idea to have your cleaning crew come specifically prepare for the big day. This ensures that your office is in tip-top shape for that big pitch or contract negotiation. A pristine office shows that your business takes pride in what they do. A trait that’s likely to spill over to other areas of work and make a great impression on clients.
Lighting is a Key Component to Creating Visuals that Customers Adore
No matter how well planned out your design aesthetic may be, the lighting can destroy the visual appeal. Great lighting can also take a well-designed office to the next level. The trick is to find the just-right lighting for the nature of your business and its decor.
Bright LED lighting floods a space with light and creates a radiant space to welcome customers. This type of lighting is perfect for businesses where attention to detail matters most. Hair salons, dentist’s offices, and jewelry stores can all benefit from full, plentiful light.
Allowing some daylight in is also a great way to brighten your space. Make sure windows are free and clear of light blocking barriers. You can also add skylights to draw the eye upward and create an airy vibe.
However, bright is not always best. Maybe your business is a wine bar, fine dining establishment, or comedy club. In this case, dim lighting can be your best friend. It allows you to create the intimate mood that customers are looking for.
The best strategy when planning lighting for your business is flexibility. Make sure your lighting is on multiple switches so you can turn some sets of lights on or off as necessary. Dimmable lights are a super-flexible bonus. And don’t be afraid to experiment with different hues of light bulbs to see what works best in the space.
Creating a Welcoming Vibe That Customers Will Love the Look Of
Many times, commercial spaces can come off as incredibly sterile. Adding a few cozy touches can create a welcoming space that customers will love. This can draw them into your place of business and encourage them to stay longer.
Even the most industrial of businesses can benefit from a soft touch. Comfy couches in the waiting room can make your production facility more welcoming. Medical buildings can pay off from special touches like plants or a water feature in waiting areas.
Make retail shopping an experience by creating a boutique vibe. Style dressing rooms with comfy chairs and stylish decor to take trying on clothing to the next level. Place a fridge with bottled water by the door so customers can sip while they browse.
Bathrooms are often overlooked in business properties. However, they are a chance to add a great feel to your space. Fun murals, unique decor, and interesting fixtures can take your bathroom from functional to stylish. Make an effort to match the decor to the rest of your space to create an overall appealing look.
Curb Appeal that Appeals to Customers
Don’t just focus on the interior of your business. The exterior of your space is one of the first things people notice. And just like residential properties, the curb appeal has the potential to make or break the first impressions of customers and passersby.
Make your outdoor spaces functional as well. Add a bench for customers to take a break. If your business serves food, set up a beautiful spot for al fresco dining. No matter what your business type, strategically place trash cans and recycling bins to keep your outdoor areas clean and litter-free.
Just as keeping the interior of your business meticulously clean should be a priority, the same can be said for the outside. Have exterior walls and walkways power washed regularly to avoid the unsightly dust and grime that builds up over time. A fresh coat of paint on exterior walls can also bring new life to your building.
Be mindful of often overlooked surfaces that need to be kept clean and fresh. Make sure your parking areas are kept neat and crisp and have parking lot lines repainted routinely. Check that any entryway doors are wiped clean of fingerprints and smudges.
Look to Nature to Make Your Business Look Awesome
Landscaping is essential to keeping your outdoor areas neat and tidy. Everything from weed control to lawn mowing should be kept up with. If you are part of a development where this is taken care of, monitor your outdoor space to ensure it’s getting taken care of routinely. If this responsibility falls on you, hire a lawn care company that is experienced in working on commercial properties.
This is also a great opportunity to add splashes of color and welcoming greenery to your space. Well thought-out foliage shows that you’re willing to go the extra mile to make your business look nice. Rows of bright blooms and planters of colorful perennials can help your exterior look stunning. Lush greenery can create an exotic vibe and add ambiance to entry and walkways.
Bringing a little bit of nature inside can transform the atmosphere of your space. Succulents and air plants are a low-maintenance yet trendy way to add charm to your space. Flower arrangements are a nice touch that adds a pop of color to your areas.
Integrating elements from nature into your design can create an incredible statement. Add a wall of reclaimed wood planks or have your logo crafted from recycled metal. Add a water feature to waiting areas for soothing sights and sounds. These organic additions to your space create a comforting place for your customers to feel at home.
Make Your Employees A Part of Your Business Appeal
Your employees are the face of your business. How they greet customers and interact with them is a big part of helping them feel welcome. The way your employees look is also one of the key components of your business’s image.
If uniforms are a must in your industry, select them with your brand in mind. Choose easy-to-wear colors and think about how they will look when worn within your business. When your employees’ uniforms complement the design of your interior, it adds to the polished vibe.
Maybe you can give your employees the freedom to dress how they choose. Map out a loose set of guidelines that encourages professionalism while still allowing them to express their style. The combination of employees in diverse fashion choices can create a trendy and eclectic look for your business.
Or, you might want a combination of individual expression while still retaining a uniform look. Create a dress code of basic color choices for your employees. This will allow for personal freedom while also creating a cohesive vibe for customers visiting your business.
Signage That Your Customers Will Appreciate
Signage is a big part of the appearance of your business. It’s a powerful way to communicate with customers. But it also should be approached by keeping a balance of beauty and function in mind.
Make sure you are up to date on all of the current regulations regarding signage. Emergency exits, handicapped parking, and fire routes should all be clearly marked. Make sure your signs are in good shape and replace them when wear and tear occurs for a polished look.
Use directional signage to help customers navigate your business. Paths to things like various departments, restrooms, and check-out stations should be clearly marked. This is especially important if your business is housed in a large space. Multi-floor buildings should have signage directing customers to the proper floor for their needs.
Promotional signage is an awesome marketing tool when used effectively. It can also add to the visual interest of your space. Make sure your signage is created with high-quality graphics and a clean, appealing design. If you have multiple promotional signs displayed, make sure they are all cohesive for a pulled-together look.
Update Your Business’ Decor so it Looks Great to Customers
You might have repeat customers that visit your business often. Updating your decor from time to time keeps things fresh. It also shows customers that you are willing to make an extra effort to stay on top of the appearance of your space.
Seasonal transitions are a great way to refresh the look of your space. Obviously, there is the traditional holiday season that you can decorate for. But think outside the box and create a festive vibe at other times of the year to make your business more appealing.
Spring is the perfect time to display potted flowers in your office or hang a cheery wreath from your store’s front door. Vases of blooms and bright pillows can transition your waiting areas perfectly to summer. Pumpkins and gourds at your entryway can show your customers that you are welcoming the crisp fall weather.
These transitions add a special touch to your space that customers will appreciate. Even little things like switching out waiting area magazines or a display board with seasonal information can show them that you are committed to a well-maintained office. And that on top of it attitude will show them that your brand has that same outlook.
Create the Perfect Furniture Layout to Entice Customers to Your Business
Furniture is one of the hardest things to decide on when designing the interior of a business. You want it to look great, but you also want it to be comfortable and functional. Plus, you have to keep both your employees’ and your customers’ needs in mind when choosing and placing furniture in your space.
In an office, it’s important to create a consistent look between workspaces, especially those that are visible to customers. However, you also want to make sure your employees have the comfort to work efficiently. Adjustable desks and chairs allow for each employee to customize their workspace while maintaining a cohesive look.
If you have a waiting area for customers, be sure it’s designed to be comfortable. Plush couches and chairs make the wait much more bearable. Look for ones that are easy to clean to keep them looking great long term. Add things like art and decorative accents to waiting areas for more visual interest.
In high traffic businesses, it’s often best to keep furniture simple and at a minimum. You don’t want customers to feel overwhelmed when they approach your too-full business. Plus, a tough-to-navigate layout will immediately turn off those with strollers and wheelchairs.
2 Local Gals Can Help You Keep Your Business Looking Awesome for Your Customers
2 Local Gals is the premier cleaning company for businesses all across the Salt Lake City area. We are committed to creating pristine commercial spaces so you and your employees can focus on serving your customers. Our attention to detail and impressive work ethic ensures that your business will give customers an awesome first impression.
Our office cleaning teams will visit you regularly, maintaining a tidy, and meticulously cleaned workspace every time. We will be sure that your work environments, common areas, and restrooms are sanitized and free of dust, dirt, and grime. The result will be a healthier, fresher, and more productive workplace.
From the inside out, we will create a welcoming environment that’s sure to impress your customers. The result will be the obvious fact that you take pride in your brand and the chance to serve your customer base.
How can we help you create a space that your customers love being in? Request a free quote today for your specific space. Or, give us a call for more information and to discuss what combination of services would work best for you. We can’t wait to help make your business shine for its visitors!
