Details. We notice them. Especially when it affects our day:
- Too much salt in your entree.
- Music that is too loud at a venue that you can barely hear the other person talk.
- Poor lighting.
- Cold coffee when it reaches your table.
- Flat soda.
All those examples reflect details in our daily lives that we can’t help but notice. Whether we say something or not to improve our situation is completely up to us; however, it’s safe to say that all have a negative impact on how we feel about our experience.
If we were to take the same attention to detail and apply it to our business interactions, shouldn’t we also assume that others are noticing those details about us? Can we really afford to leave those interpretations to chance? Do we not want to have some input into how others perceive us and our business?
Marketing yourself and your business are essentially the same. Each should reflect the other and details, no matter how small, should never be overlooked. For example:
- How do your business cards look? Are they made to stand out or made to look like they were printed at home?
- Is your logo look legible? Does it “speak” to your target audience? Does it accurately reflect your business?
- What does your website look like? Is it easy to navigate? Does it have a “call to action?” Does it look professional and that thought was put into creating it?
- Do you have a quality presentation available to you? If you do, how does it look to an outsider?
- What other types of business collateral do you utilize? Does the branding all match?
The answers to the questions above will give you a clear view on details that require attention. These details can either elevate how others perceive you or completely tarnish it. Another way to look at it is this, if your best customer was looking for a referral to someone you knew would you pick the person/company that pays a lot of attention to detail or one that does not.
Keep it disciplined.