Image is Power and Influence

In the study conducted in 1999 by CEO Magazine and Hill & Knowlton, they explained that: 96% of CEOs believe that reputation is essential for their company. 77% believe that a positive reputation helps sell their products and services. 61% think that a positive reputation makes the organisation attractive to employees. 53% believe that a positive reputation increases credibility during crises, as Tamás Csordás, M.B.A stated.

So why is a corporate image important for a brand’s perception and reputation? How can a business or individual use a corporate image to their and the company’s advantage? Here are three tips that you can implement right now.

“Presenting a positive representation of yourself is a key component of experiencing professional success…..Creating a professional look can help you command attention and serious consideration at work.” Indeed.com

Dress and Grooming
Whether or not we know about it, humans constantly scan for clues. Research conducted by Willis & Todorov, 2006, found that it takes only a split second to make a first impression. Part of the first impression is how we dress and groom. Clothing and grooming tell a story, so how do you and your employees measure up?

Each morning or evening, could you give a few minutes of thought over the clothes you will wear the next day and ask yourself if it best represents the message I am selling? And does it further the company’s reputation?

Grooming is presenting oneself in a clean and tidy appearance and manner. Imagine if a flight attendant served you on a long-haul flight with a curry stain on their tie and sweat marks on the back of their shirt. What would you assume of this person and the company? You would always want to stay within your pitch and image.

Take a second to check your grooming before leaving the house and entering work. Carry and store items of clothing just in case of accidents. Being prepared is vital.  ‘Positive Reputation = Capital’ Nyárády and Szeles

Customer Service
When you read a restaurant or café review, what do you notice? People will talk about the products first and the service second. Good customer service is essential as it inspires client retention and brand loyalty, assisting in business growth. What makes excellent customer service in a tech-obsessed world? The human touch. How can we provide the human element in client relations?

When a client or customer enters the premises or business property, greet and assist them within thirty seconds; if there is a few people to greet, take up to one minute to say hello.

Use positive speech when addressing a product or dealing with a situation. The right words can prevent miscommunication and arising disputes. For example, instead of using ‘Ava is not available, can I take a message?’ use ‘currently Ava is away from reception, can I have Ava call you back?’

Business Communication
“Effective communication is a vital tool for any business owner. Your success at getting your point across can be the difference between sealing a deal and missing out on a potential opportunity.” Queensland Government, Australia
All businesses do it…and that is to communicate, constantly sharing and giving information between clients, customers and employees. Doing so keeps businesses busy and products or services sold, bought and delivered. How can we communicate efficiently and effectively?

Only some people are Harvard scholars and have perfect sentence structures! Quickly dealing with this is using paid online apps such as Grammarly or free platforms such as Google Docs or even your email service. These are helpful tools for analysing the text’s spelling, grammar, punctuation, and clarity.

Email is great for transmitting almost anything, and business heavily relies on this resource. Have you ever gotten two emails from the same person? The first is the original email telling you to ‘see the attached document’ and the second apologising for not attaching the document. Forgetting to send attachments with your email is crucial to maintaining consistency and trust. Why not connect the copy you want to send before typing your message and sending it?

We can conclude that knowledge about dress codes, business etiquette and effective communication are soft skills that will guide you in building the personal and corporate image you want to convey to have the desired success.

Article Published In: Protocol Today Magazine