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Four Ways To Make Your Small Business Appear Big

Are you running your business on a shoestring budget? Are you

constantly asking yourself, "How can I compete with "big"

businesses when I'm barely keeping my head above water?" The

solution is easier than you may think: Change your clients' and

prospects' perception of your business by using these four

simple techniques:

Business cards - Your business card is one of your most

important marketing tools. Oftentimes, you may not have the

money to buy expensive business cards and settle for free

business cards that sometimes include the manufacturer's

marketing information on the back. Although these cards are free

(not really because you pay for shipping), they give clients and

prospects one perception of your business: CHEAP! There

are many online business card printers such as Professor Print

(www.professorprint.com) and 48 Hour Print

()www.48hourprint.com) that provide quality

cards at an affordable price that can enhance your company's

image.

Email - As you design your company's marketing materials,

be sure to include your company's email address along with other

pertinent information. Due to cost or lack of knowledge, you may

opt to use a free email account such as Hotmail, Yahoo!Mail, or

your ISP's email account. Although this may save you money, it

labels your business as small and untrustworthy. Invest in a

truly unique email account from providers such as GoDaddy (www.godaddy.com) to establish your company's

identity and brand (ie. yourname@yourcompanyname.com).

Attire - Your first impression is a lasting impression.

Whenever you attend business-related functions, always strive to

be the best-dressed professional at the event. Not only does

this boost your confidence and self-esteem but also helps to

establish your credibility and your company's credibility in the

eyes of others. Believe it or not, it only takes five to ten

seconds for people to form an opinion about you before you have

said a word. You never get a second chance to make a first

impression.

Website - In this day and age, every business, small or

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large, needs a website. Clients and prospects expect you to have

a website where they can find out more about your company's

products and services. By having a professional and informative

website, clients and prospects will be unable to distinguish

your small business from your big business counterparts.

Take an assessment of your company using the above four

techniques. Make the commitment to improve problem areas. If you

follow these simple techniques, you can transform your company's

image from small to big.

About the author:

Lisa Sims is the President/CEO of The IT Mechanic, a

technology consulting company that provides website design,

software development, and software evaluations for

organizations. She is also the founder of The Business

Professionals Network. For additional information, please visit

www.theitmechanic.com

or www.bpronetwork.com.