How to Improve Your Corporate Image

There’s an old saying that “perception is everything.” And while this adage can apply in many facets of life, it is especially true when it comes to the business world. How you’re perceived by employees, competitors, clients, and prospects will play a significant role in your ultimate success or failure. So how do you ensure that you’re portraying the proper image to the outside world? Here are several tangible ways to help improve your company’s corporate image.

Cultivate an Online Presence

It’s no secret that the internet is crucially important to today’s business world. When building an online presence, the most obvious place to start is with your website. Your website should not only look professional in design, but it should also be informative and easy to use. Your website is one of the best places to tell your story, so make sure to take the time to develop content in a way that will resonate with your audience. Business isn’t often won solely because of a website, but it can most certainly be lost by one.

The next step in honing your online persona is to have an active social media presence. Your social profiles are a great place to connect with your audience. However, be careful with self-promoting posts. It’s more important to share educational and relevant content that is of actual value to your audience. By doing so, you become viewed as a trusted resource rather than a self-serving entity.

Look the Part

A professional appearance in relation to your industry is crucial to your corporate image. But it goes far beyond a simple dress code. In order to fully take charge of your corporate image, your employees need to look professional both inside and outside of the office. We see this every day in our industry. Companies who have people on the road realize that their drivers represent them and want them looking sharp. However, if employees are utilizing their own vehicles for business use, the company has no control over what type of vehicles their employees are driving. This essentially results in the company ceding control of their image over to the employees. A sales person showing up to a client or prospect’s location in a brand new Mercedes S-Class conveys one image. Showing up in a beat up 1975 Chrysler Cordoba conveys a completely different one. Neither may be the image the company wants to portray, but in that situation it’s unfortunately out of their hands.

So how are companies dealing with this dilemma?

Some companies have taken the approach of mandating that their drivers utilize vehicles that are 5 years old or newer. The problem with this approach is that it still leaves wiggle room for vehicles that contradict the image your company is trying to portray.

As a result, many companies have decided to move to a company-provided vehicle program. This type of program boosts a company’s corporate image by allowing the company to determine what vehicles are appropriate for the message they wish to convey to the outside world. It also allows the company to ensure consistency among their employees in terms of vehicles. By implementing a company-provided vehicle program, companies can ensure that their drivers will always look polished and professional when out on the road.

Develop Consistent Branding

From business cards and marketing materials, to your website and social media profiles, your company should be developing consistent branding across the spectrum. And while your logo itself is important, and should be carefully crafted, branding goes beyond that. Take a look at all of the materials that bear your company’s name. Is the language consistent? What about the design? Are you using the same colors in your materials? All of these elements play a crucial role in developing consistent branding. Once you have settled on the design elements, you must them implement it across all company content.

Consistent, professional branding allows customers to recognize your business at a glance, and will help improve your corporate image to the outside world.