Be professional or lose business

A week ago, during an interview about how communication styles affect your success with customers on ThatRadio.com, I had the chance to air one of my biggest bug-a-boos - business people who don't take the time to be professional. It isn't an expensive proposition but it can make all the difference in the world in terms of creating a trusted relationship with your customer and in protecting your brand.

The first contact with a customer is often on the telephone. Sometimes it is in person, but regularly, in our age of rush, rush, rush, we find ourselves listening to voicemail rather than a real person. Those voicemails are the gateway to your business. If you can't afford a professional voicemail, then for heaven's sake, take the time to write a script for yourself and make it professional.

Please don't pretend it is your house. It is your business. So, no "Yo, this is George, you know what to do." And if you run a home business, it is even more important to recognize that your customers are calling to find a professional business person. As cute as your three-year-old might be, that is not the voice they want to hear when they call.

Another prevalent non-professional behaviour is the use of yahoo, msn or gmail as your email address. These free email services are used regularly for scam and spam emails. You could find your communication to your client going into their trash bin. Not only is that a risk, but your credibility and stability could be questioned.

At the very least, use the email from your provider. An email extension that says rogers.com, sympatico, etc. is a little bit more credible. At least it shows you have a provider for your business and are not just sitting in an internet cafe somewhere accessing your email.

Best case scenario is obviously to develop and purchase your own business URL. This needn't cost an arm and a leg. There are several sites that offer registration of URLs as low as $20. And there are companies, such as Black Sun, that offer web support of your URL for as low as $10 per month.

Do some research. Ask business associates the name of their service provider and whether they are happy with the deliverables. Even if you are a novice at website and URL management, tapping into your business associates' knowledge and experience can get you on a good path. Or check in with your local small business centre. They often have experience in this area and can guide you.

You don't necessarily need to put up a website just because you have a business URL, but if you do, make sure that your website reflects the credibility, stability and professionalism of your business. Just because your nephew has Front Page, doesn't make him a web designer. Keep it simple, keep it clean. There is rarely any need for animation. Keep in mind you have about three seconds to engage your customer or they move on to someone's else website.

In closing, professionalism doesn't mean you have to become dehumanized. Deliver the personal touch that helps grow your business. And remember all the things that touch your customer reflect on your business and on your brand even your voicemail and email address.