It’s a cliché that first impressions last in business – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.
And while many marketers focus on capturing customer attention through online tactics like website design and SEO, or offline activities like direct mail and TV adverts, they often neglect the one physical area that has a powerful early impact on potential clients – the reception.
With a friendly and professional meet and greet team and a fresh, funky, branded layout that offers an excellent user experience, this zone can instantly make guests feel comfortable and confident.
With that in mind, here are three ways to make your reception area an awesome marketing tool.
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Reception desk signage
Once a guest crosses your threshold, the first thing they’ll probably do is look for assistance from staff at your reception desk, so it’s vital that this is clearly signposted and, if possible, positioned straight in front of their field of vision.
But to make things even more crystal clear (and superbly stylish), order a sign from Neon Poodle and place it prominently above the reception module, either above head height on the wall or suspended from the ceiling.
It can either simply confirm that they’re in the right place (with wording that includes your brand name and ‘reception’) or, if this fits your voice and values, something cheeky and charming like ‘hey good looking, how can we help?’.
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Waiting area
The chances are that you want your waiting area to feel warm and welcoming rather than cold and clinical – get the vibe right and guests will feel like they’re enjoying an activity, rather than waiting for something more exciting to happen.
You should match comfy, kitsch seating with a cool coffee table where some quirky and interesting company literature is casually placed alongside glossy magazines titles that fit diverse tastes. Then, be sure that you’ve either got a fridge that’s well stocked with beer and soft drinks or that you can offer tasty tea and coffee.
To top it off, include a Pac-Man replica arcade cabinet from Very to let visitors while away the minutes in an immensely enjoyable way.
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Door
Before guests even get to sample your awesome reception atmosphere, the first thing they’ll encounter is your door.
When it comes to colour, red evokes a sense of passion and yellow suggests positivity and creativity, so if these shades match with your brand colours, you’re onto a winning formula.
The style of door is down to personal choice and security is as important as a chic look, so this may influence whether it’s solid wood, wood with glass panels or is entirely crafted from glass.
And don’t forget to buy a customised welcome mat from a firm like Kleen-Tex – as well as keeping your carpet nice and clean, it can include a brand tagline that instantly makes visitors feel at home and inspires trust.
Put this hat-trick of tips into play and your reception area will market your brand magnificently from the get-go.
That’s our list! Share your own reception are revamp advice in the comments section.
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Getting new customers costs 5-25 times as much as retaining existing ones – TheMarketingblog https://t.co/OwyY56mbJs pic.twitter.com/ljMaaFiJZS
— Will Corry (@slievemore) May 7, 2019