Let’s say you went to a conference to decide where to buy your business supplies from. You met a lot of people and got their contact information. When you came home, you sorted the materials and decided who to do business with.

That small pile of materials might include:

• A professional, well-designed business card. It provides the information you need to recall who the person was. This includes their business, title, and contact information. The card could also include social media profiles or a website.
• There might also be a generic business card. On that card, there would be a name, business, title, and contact information. Nothing special.
• A hand cut piece of paper that looks like someone Xeroxed their business card onto it. It has the same information as #2, but it looks sloppy. Like someone made it last minute.
• A napkin with “Bill, 555-555-1234” written with a pen.

Talk About Your Business with More Than Words

The above materials all get the job done. They provide relevant contact information. But they also present subtle messages about the person who gave them out.

All other things being equal, which of the examples reflects the professionalism you’d like to convey?

People judge your business based on the physical media you provide to them. Before they even get a chance to connect with you.

Marketing is as much of a psychology game as it is a numbers game. Think of all the small decisions you make every day. You don’t always stop and think about every choice you make. But you want to be appealing to your client in conscious and subconscious ways.

Your Website Says A Lot About Your Business

This includes the design and usefulness of your business’s website. People will assume that you’re an organized person if you have an organized website. And an informative website will make you come across as an informed person.

Here are a few ways to up your website’s professionalism:

Use a Professional Domain Email Address

Which of these email address seems professional and which would you rather stay away from?

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

The first email address is the most professional one.

The other email addresses have decreasing levels of professionalism. The last email address has no business connection at all.

Many people think the most important part of an email is the subject line. The subject line is important. But the most important part of the email is actually the “FROM” field. When people see an email from a professional they trust, they will almost always open it.

Professional Photos Are Better Than Selfies

It’s a good idea to have a headshot of every key person in the business. And a staff group photo if appropriate.

If you don’t hire a professional photographer, at least make sure your photo follows some basic rules.

A good photograph should be:

• Well-lit
• Well-framed
• In focus
• Taken with a decent camera

Never use a webcam photo or a selfie with your phone. And don’t use photos from an event with a cluttered background.

Actually Look at Your Website

We recommend reviewing your website on a regular basis. Especially if you create your own content. The way you format content in Microsoft Word will not always be the same way it gets formatted on your website.

It’s worth asking if your site looks professional. Or does it look like a basic template you filled out and forgot about?

If a potential client saw your website, would they know what to do next? Would clients know how to contact you? Would clients know what you expect of them? What might they expect between the initial contact and an actual appointment?

Having a friend or colleague give feedback on your website every few months is also helpful. They can see it with a fresh pair of eyes and point out areas of improvement you may not have noticed.

Always make sure your business hours, location, and contact information are correct. People have lost customers because of a bad address or an invalid email address.

At CoachingWebsites, we build professional coaching websites. We have a whole team here to help you. Contact us to learn more about how you can build a professional coaching website that attracts new clients.