Professionalism. What exactly is that? It is such an all-encompassing word, and describes things such as your wardrobe, your correspondence, your office space, your language. There are so many areas that can be covered in this article, but I am only going to discuss one particular topic -- you and your home office. By this, I mean how you present yourself and your business to potential and existing clients.
When I am working, I am hidden in a virtual world where I communicate via email, phone and fax. I very, very rarely meet with clients face-to-face, and when I have done so in the past, I chose to meet them at a mutually agreed upon location (ie: coffee shop, library, etc.) This offers me many liberties as far as my personal appearance goes. I don't exactly 'work naked' but if I feel like wearing my pyjamas to the office, I do so. If my hair is running in ten different directions, that's okay too. If the shirt I am wearing is still sporting the coffee stain from the unfortunate spill that morning, no one is the wiser.
However, if you are running a business where customers or clients are visiting you at your home, you need to pay attention to these details. Not only do you need to ensure that your personal appearance reflects the type of business you are running, it is crucial that you have a designated business area that is kept neat and orderly, and one that you have confidence that you can meet with your client without interruptions. And you also need to ensure that these details are taken care of, even when you are not expecting a client to show up.
I'd like to share a story about how I learned (the hard way) that meeting with your clients at your home office can be a tricky, tricky business. A number of years back, I used to provide desktop publishing services to my clients. Most of them were either in far off cities or other provinces, except for one client whom I will call Jenny. She was a very important client, and most of my time was spent working with her on a number of projects. Usually, when I had completed a project, I would courier the finished product to her office location, but on one particular occasion, she asked if she could pick it up due to time constraints. Even though this was the first time I would meet Jenny face-to-face, I trusted her implicitly, so naturally I agreed. We arranged a time later that afternoon where she would come by my office (also my home, remember) to pick up the paperwork. I made sure I gave myself enough time to change my clothes, tidy my office and send my family out for a walk to avoid interruptions.
Jenny showed up at my door 45 minutes after hanging up the phone. You see, she was unexpectedly "in the area" and decided to stop in a little earlier than planned, and she hoped this was okay.
My hair was carelessly tossed into a lopsided ponytail, my clothes were mismatched and wrinkled, and I'm not even sure I had had an opportunity to brush my teeth. The office was a disaster -- paperwork strewn about, toys all over the floor, breakfast dishes still on my desk. I had just put my son down for his mid-day nap, which he was convinced he did not need, and his wails of protest permeated the house. The dog was barking to be let outside. The TV still blared an episode of "Barney" ... have I painted the picture for you?
Although I told Jenny that it was not a problem, in my head, I screamed, "NO -- it is definitely NOT okay!" But the damage had already been done. After excusing my appearance, the mess and the noise, I invited Jenny into my office for a moment while I grabbed the envelope. I handed it over to her, with further apology for the situation, to which she replied, "Don't give it a second thought! It's nice to know that you're actually a regular human being!" After she left, I thought about this comment quite a bit, and while it was comforting to know that she understood the situation, it was also depressing for me that she had once viewed me as a professional, and in one fleeting moment, that perception was destroyed.
Jenny remained a client of mine for a number of years following that experience, but I think something in our business relationship changed. Her email requests became less formal and my project quotes were no longer professionally prepared documents but simple emails. Nothing in the work performance lacked professionalism, mind you, but because I had lost that perceived level of professionalism, the relationship no longer demanded the same level of respect.
So you see, in the world of a home-based business, perception can be everything. You can be a highly-paid, highly-respected business owner to your clients, but make no mistake, that can be erased in the blink of an eye.
From that day forward, I always kept the thought in the back of my mind that someone could show up at the door at any minute. Whether it is from an existing client, or a potential client, we are all susceptible to the "pop in." I did everything in my power to keep the mess to a minimum, my appearance became more of a focal point, and I never, ever leave my dishes on my desk.
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