Harvey MacKay, American businessman, author, and trainer of successful people said, “You only get one chance to make a good first impression.” That goes for businesses and job interviews. Be aware what people see as first impressions.

Before anyone physically sees your establishment, they are often alerted that you exist by postings on social media. Always include your physical address in each post or on your page.

If you are announcing a business that is just being prepped to open and you are posting ‘teasers,’ do not make readers ask where the business will be located. Put the address in your post. If you skip the address listing on most posts, many will not see the one post where you mentioned the address. There are others who will not bother to ask, but will just keep scrolling. By giving the address, it adds to the tease and lets clients start to ‘see’ the business as they drive by and as they find your photos of the interior progress on social media. People are generally excited about new businesses and silently ‘cheer’ as they make progress.

Keep social media information current. When your location changes, or even the city changes the street address but you haven’t moved, update your new address, on old social media pages too. It’s a world of GPS being used to find you.

It is imperative that owners/managers take a fresh-eye look at the exterior of their properties at least once a weekly. Do the signs have all of their letters and are they in good condition? Are the windows clean? Is the entry way inviting? If there are rugs, are they cleaned or changed out frequently? If a filthy rug is the first impression, it makes one wonder what the kitchen in a restaurant looks like.

When disparities are found they need to be rectified as soon as possible. If you have a door that is tricky to open, perhaps it needs to only be turned to the left instead of the right, put a small sign on the door informing potential customers. I recently was one of six people who couldn’t enter a local café because of a door snafu, even though the place was supposedly open. Loss of revenue and good will was the result.

When you post an upcoming event, annual happening or not, always list the dates in the post. Repetition is how people learn. Everyone is busy and may not get the dates written on their personal calendar.

The name of a new business also makes a lasting impression. Should you open under one name then have to change it in a few months, for whatever reason, please completely drop the old name. People can adjust, but when both names are given, there is confusion as to what to call it. If the business keeps using both names, customers don’t track. Time, resources, even telephone book listings and social media posts are wasted. Choose a name and use only one.

There are many new businesses opening up. Remember those first impressions.