| You Only Have One Chance to Make a First Impression - are you making it a Good one? - Did you know that people form an opinion of you within the first few seconds of meeting you? What you look like is the first thing that will have an impact on the opinion people create. It is also the largest part of an overall judgment and therefore the most important place for you to focus.
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- The second thing, but equally important, is what you say. Have you ever heard of the saying “all style, no substance?” You only have one chance to make a first impression. Whatever people decide to believe about you will be difficult to change if you get off on the wrong foot. Your business is no different. You really need to make a good first impression with your business too!
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- Picture this: You are ready to open your doors to your new business. You have stocked the shelves, trained your employees, and the place looks great. You are ready for customersŠor are you? Pretend you are a customer and walk in with an objective eye. Is the glass in the front door clean and uncluttered, are the shelves clean and is the product displayed carefully? As an employee cheerfully comes to greet you, you noticeŠarghhhŠstreet clothes! That’s when it hits you. Uniforms? Yep, that’s what’s missing.
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- Don’t think uniforms or promotional items are necessary?
- As long as an employee is wearing a nametag it’s ok, right? That’s where you’re wrong. That good first impression may very well have just been ruined. Street clothes in business are a no-no. It is unprofessional.
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- There are a few good reasons why employees should wear company uniforms. Number one, it distinguishes them from other customers. If a customer needs help they can quickly identify who works there. It looks much more professional, and having your company name or logo on the clothing is one more way of creating a brand in the mind of your customer. It also unifies the look of your business. It is important that everything you do in your business is consistent, so it promotes the brand you have created. You and your employees are the ambassadors of your business and you need to look the part.
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- When you and your employees wear the company clothing out in public you will also be promoting your business. Give clothing out to friends and family for them to wear and promote you as well. People will see it everywhere and it will constantly remind them of your business.
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- Uniforms don’t have to be boring.
- TMS Promotional Wear has been providing uniforms to companies for over 21 years now and we have watched the trends change from formal to business casual. Golf shirts and dress shirts are still popular but we are getting many requests for something a little different. Today there are so many different styles to choose from and lots of great new fabrics, including breathable poly/cotton blends and material that wicks perspiration away from your body to keep you cool when it’s hot. There are also several ways to decorate the fabrics with your company logo. The most popular, by far, is embroidery. It just so happens that embroidery is our specialty! It looks great and it’s not expensive. We have many choices to fit all budgets, large and small, and we specialize in making small business look as professional as the big players.
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- Planning is everything
- Budgeting for uniforms of some kind should be in your business plan from the very start. You should also be sure to include some promotional giveaway items with your company logo and phone number on them. Customers love to receive gifts. It shows you appreciate them and studies have shown that customers who receive promotional gifts are much more likely to refer you to others. It promotes loyalty too.
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- So, before you write off the idea of getting company uniforms, explore your options. You might be surprised at what you can do and at what a great first impression you and your team could be making. Give TMS Promotional Wear a call and find out what we recommend. We are always happy to help.
Dan Burke is a promotional industry professional dedicated to the business success of his clients. To find some great new promotional products or more resources visit http://www.TMSpromotions.ca or contact him by email at : dan@tmspromotions.ca Reprint Info: This article is freely available for reprint provided the copyright notice and resource box at the end of the article is left intact. If you are using this article in a website or eBook, please make sure that the link to www.TMSpromotions.ca is live or clickable.
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