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It doesn’t matter what business you are in, you will be judged by any prospective clients on the quality of your documentation, long before you actually get to provide them with a product or service. You could potentially be losing customers without even realising it. So in order to ensure that customers aren’t put off by your documentation, check out these three top tips for optimising your image.
Spruce Up Your Print Publications
There are all sorts of documents that you could have in print form, from brochures to legal documents. Brochures in particular are your first opportunity to impress potential customers, so you need to make sure that they are a true representation of your company and your product. Formatting and layout are key to keeping someone reading your document, and it’s not easy to get it right! The right balance of corporate logos, photos, artwork and information is required.
Although you could design print publications in a number of ways, using a professional application, such as Adobe InDesign, allows you to put together great professional looking documents. If you don’t have the expertise in-house to produce documents that satisfy your customers, then it is always worth considering outsourcing this type of activity.
Hold Attention with Slick Interactive Documents
How many times have you given up investigating a product or service because links are broken, audio or video content doesn’t work, or the information you want is difficult to find? Design interactive documents with your customers in mind. Again, layout is key, as you have to balance attention grabbing images with links to more specific information, whilst also making sure that the route to that information is clear.
Interactive documents probably have the highest value as they can be instantly sent to prospective customers. There are many mediums that you could potentially use, from audio to video, slideshows to eBooks. Keep your customer interacting with the document through correct balance and pleasing display. You don’t want potential clients getting frustrated and put-off because they can’t find the information they need.
Create A Professional Web Presence
Building your own website these days is so easy to forget that designing an effective web page takes skill, knowledge and an appreciation of customer requirements. A poorly designed web page can put people off your company before they even read a single piece of information. Wobbly layouts, poorly worded content and wacky colour schemes can all serve to drive away potential customers and clients.
Ensure that logos are clear, photos and artwork add valuable information to your website, and your pages are easy to navigate. All prose should be written in easy-to-understand language, with correct grammar and spelling, to give your company the best image possible.”.
Your business deserves the best! Make sure your documentation looks as professional as your company actually is. Don’t underestimate the effort it takes to get it right or the impact that it can have on your future business.
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About the Author
Emily Cooper, owner and Virtual Assistant at The Admin Assistant, was born with a passion for administration and organisation. With vast experience working in various high-pressure office environments, Emily created The Admin Assistant to provide remote administrative solutions to individuals and businesses across the globe. Emily’s knowledge, skills and strong work ethic, combined with current and emerging technologies, help her clients to work smarter, not harder.
