Sometimes it’s easy to get so caught up in the day-to-day tasks of running a business that you forget to take a step back and view it all with a critical eye. Do my customers see what I think they see? What do complete strangers think when they come across my website? Are my employees in line with my vision for the company? Do they even know what my vision is? Depending on the answers to these questions, you may have some work in store for you to improve your company’s image. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Be consistent in all aspects of your business. Consistently excellent, that is. When it comes to your logo and other designed materials, stick to specific fonts and colors so your brand is immediately identifiable. For your written content, ensure all copy is written in the same voice and is perfectly edited. Customer service-wise, ensure all employees are on the same page as to how clients and customers should be treated and encourage them to go the extra mile.
2. Be seen as a trusted resource. If someone asks you a question, try to find the answer. If you sense two likeminded business friends might hit it off, introduce them. If a friend is hunting for a service provider, take the extra time to find the phone number of that company you loved a few years ago. Not only do these kinds of actions give you good karma points, but they also put you in a favorable light in the eyes of those who were benefited; in the eventuality they need – or one of their colleagues needs – the services you provide, they’ll immediately think of you.
3. Know your audience. Have you identified your business’ target market, or are you marketing yourself to the masses, hoping something might stick somewhere? My hope is you know your target market; however, if you don’t, now is the perfect time to figure that out. Why? By identifying your target market, you can hone your messaging – from your website content, to your social media posts, to your advertising – to that audience and, thus, become more relevant to those who can really benefit from your product or services.
4. Be clear. If a customer asks a question, give him a clear, easily digestible answer. If you’re providing a quote to a client, detail – in real, jargon-less English – exactly what that quote will get them. (This will help reduce misunderstandings and resulting ill will.) If an employee is in charge of specific tasks, make sure she knows exactly what those tasks are. Any opportunity to communicate clearly is an opportunity to improve your company image, internally and externally.
5. Get to the point. Then elaborate. Ever notice that, unlike novelists, journalists put the most interesting, attention-grabbing info at the top? This formatting is called the inverted pyramid and is used to quickly share the main point of a story. The most important information comes first in what’s called the lede, and the writing that follows is there to support it by providing the facts, telling the story, and so on. However, that lede – that initial statement – is what people really need to know and are more likely to remember. The same is true in your business. Whether it’s in your written content or your introduction to a new contact, grab the audience with your most important info before you lose them.

These five items are easy to begin working on immediately and, with time, will elevate your company’s image. What ideas would you add to this list?

Melissa Biernacinski serves as partner with Words by a Pro. Email Melissa at melissa.biernacinski@wordsbyapro.com.