You can judge a business by its façade. That’s very different from the classic idiom, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” That first glance by a prospective customer is important for small businesses. Many times, a small business owner/manager will concentrate mainly on business location, product or service price, and value. Often missed is the appearance of the building façade or exterior.
The frontage of a small business can impact a potential customers or buyers. Does the building exterior look professional and welcoming? In today’s world, small businesses are always looking for ways to stand out from the competition. One of the best approaches to gain this advantage is to project a professional looking building façade.
Mindset Behind Early Perceptions
It’s human nature for a person to jump to conclusions. Studies have shown that within a very short period of time (3 to 7 seconds) people have their minds made up regarding any matter. A real “turnoff” for potential customers can be a business which portrays a weathered façade with peeling paint and a messy display window.
The Business Façade as a Marketing Strategy
The general public is bombarded with all types of marketing initiatives ranging from advertisements to social media posts. Small businesses allocate financial resources encouraging purchases and sales from potential customers. However, sometimes investing in the business façade is overlooked. A building façade can be considered a subtle marketing tool. In fact, a building’s exterior says a lot about a business.
A potential customer doesn’t have to talk to anyone in the store to determine the image a business wants to portray. Clean windows, manicured grounds, and a fresh coat of paint says to the public that this business values its appearance and wants visitors to feel welcomed.
In today’s very crowded business environment, it can take a quick glance by a prospective customer as to whether that person decides to enter the business or not.
Real Advantages of Business Façade Interest
A business façade brings more than just beauty. There’s an actual return on investment (ROI) to the business:
- Increased Pedestrian Traffic: If the outside of the business looks inviting, there’s a greater chance that on a “spur of the moment,” people will enter through the front door.
- Looked Upon as Better: A classy building exterior gives the public an impression of top-notch quality and competence which can then justify a higher price for its products and/or services.
- More Powerful Business Identity: Since the outside of a business is a key selling point, the façade should reflect the character of the business.
- Enhanced Customer Loyalty: The combination of an appealing business façade, along with top-notch customer service and competitive prices, is the winning formula for returning customers and recommendations.
The Components to an Outstanding Building Facade
As mentioned earlier, the building façade or exterior is the first impression to potential and current customers. Here are a few pointers on how you can judge a business by its façade at first sight:
- Signage that can easily be seen and read both during the day and at night.
- Pristine exterior which includes clean windows and areas free of litter.
- Maintained lawn and shrubs.
- Windows utilized as product/service exhibits
A Spending Plan for a Building’s Exterior
There’s a false impression that a large outlay of money is required to enhance a building’s exterior. That thought can’t be further from the truth. A beautiful storefront can be very affordable by implementing the following measures:
- Applying a new coat of paint.
- Removing outdated appliances or equipment.
- Sprucing up outside decorations.
- Updating outdoor signage.
- Eliminating outdoor litter
Create a Seamless Transition
Delivering top notch products or services is a number one priority for every small business. As simple as it sounds, every small business owner/manager have an appealing building’s façade at the top of the list. Featuring an inviting building exterior is not an extra, but a necessity. It’s the first thing a prospective customer experiences before even talking with an employee.
Therefore, there’s one question small business owners or managers should ask themselves about the building’s façade. Would actually walk into their buildings to buy something? If the answer is a resounding, “No,” then it’s time to freshen up the building’s façade. Every dollar allocated to building façade improvement will go a long way in accomplishing the golden trifecta of growth, trust, and profitability. That’s because you can judge a business by its façade.
