About ten years ago, my Yellow Page Directory Salesman told me that many people open the yellow pages and decide to do business with the company that has the largest advertisement. He said they do this because they figure “at least they can afford the ad.” Of course, he was telling me this to try to convince me to spend thousands of dollars per year with his company in advertising. While this may seem absurd, there is a profound nugget of truth to my Rep’s sales pitch – Image matters! It may not be everything like Andre Agassi proclaimed, but typically during one’s first impression, perception is reality!
The most successful businesses know this and take advantage of it:
- The big corporation that hires the best athletes to pitch its product
- The Attorney with a big corner window office
- The Realtor that shows up to take you house hunting in his Mercedes Benz
All of these businesses are setting the stage for an important first impression. They all want to say, “I am successful, my company is successful, we have helped many people like you, and you should hire us or buy our product because we are the best at what we do!”
But there’s a dilemma here, isn’t there? A successful image and a fabulous first impression are expensive, right? Not necessarily…
- What if you could “hire”, the best reception staff, a top notch admin support team, and enterprise qualified IT personnel without having to pay their salary?
- What if you could work from a big corner window office without having to pay for the build out, sign a long term lease, or spend thousands to furnish it to the hilt?
- What if you could impress your potential clients in the “Mercedes Benz” of boardrooms without having to spend a dime on the space, furnishings, or high-tech a/v equipment?
Many of our clients acknowledge doing just that as their reason for utilizing an Executive Suite or Office Business Center. According to Scott Nordfelt of Perfect Promotions, “In the past we have had over 2000 sq feet of office space, up to five staff members, and all the insurance that goes with that responsibility. The overhead was huge and we had to make changes to survive in the new economy. I am now proud to say we have cut our overhead by as much as 40%.”
When you get right down to it, image does matter! Of course, once you’ve made the best first impression you can, you have to back up your image with innovative products, expertise in your field, and top notch customer service; but a stellar image doesn’t have to break the bank or jeopardize the financial stability of your company!
Keith Warner
Managing Partner, Silicon Valley & Marketing
Keith has over 15 years experience as President and co-owner of American Executive Center prior to joining PBC (rebranded to Pacific Workplaces), and is a highly regarded figure in the OBC industry. He holds a B.S. in Finance from Santa Clara University.