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How many times have you encountered people in business and the image of the business or the person is so poorly presented it causes you to have a poor opinion of the services offered? It makes no difference if you are the owner or the employee; pride in yourself is evident in your daily dealings with people. Image is very important in business.

Here are some of my suggestions for success:

1. Dress for success. No matter what profession you are in, everyone has a dress code. For a financial advisor it is a suit, for a landscaper it could be a logoed t-shirt with appropriate length shorts or pants, for a theme-park employee it is the usually a polo-shirt and khaki shorts or pants; most everyone has a dress code and it is up to you to portray your profession correctly.

2. Communicate effectively. As business owners and professionals it is part of our job to meet and greet people on a daily basis. When doing this you are also presenting your company. Speak clearly and effectively when meeting with people. Practice what needs to be communicated so your potential customers are aware of your company's offerings and services.

3. Professional grooming. Do you ever wonder why some businesses have dress codes? Your attire and grooming affect all business endeavors positive or negative. It also reflects the pride you have in yourself. Clean and neat go along way when meeting with people. Put your best foot forward, this might be your next customer.

4. Storefront cleanliness. If you own a business with an office or retail storefront, the image the store has reflects on you and your business. If people are turned off by unsightly messes, dirty floors, disorganized overstocked shelves, do you think they will come back or recommend people to your store?

5. Know your business. Some people buy businesses or work for businesses they have no idea what they represent. For instance, an owner of an ice cream store normally has a high turnover of young employees. Have an education class for your new employees. Do not have people presenting your product with no product knowledge or customer service skills. If you are a professional, take a course in what you are offering. Perhaps your profession is sales'take a sales training course. There are courses and educational seminars offered frequently in various fields.

6. Continuing education. Strive to increase your knowledge by taking continuing education courses, read books, subscribe to newsletters with articles of benefit, take online courses; the sources for education are many but to be successful you need to keep learning. Your value to your business or to your employer grows with the knowledge you have to offer.