The Startup Slump | Making the Most Out Of A Small Situation with Interior Design
A startup company is the simultaneously the best and worst time of many businesses’ lifespan. At the beginning of a startup, the outgoing costs are low, the incoming is usually either good or great, and profits are piling up in the bank accounts of the business owners. However, sometimes startups are unable to lift off the ground, not because they don’t have a worthy product or a good salesperson, but because they present their premises poorly.
Maybe what you need is an executive chair from one stop office interiors, or a new waiting area for your potential clients, but to get the right items for your startup, what you might consider is getting some help from us. We’ve compiled a few key things that can help you make the most of a small situation in startup country.
Behind the Design Times
The first hurdle to be overcome by any startup business is the roadblock of changing design trends. Making sure your business’ branding is up-to-date is essential, as anyone looking to try your product or service wants to know they’re getting the best possible product or service available, and the initial indicator of that level of quality is the branding the company has.
Old, out-dated, or tired and worn designs won’t draw in people, and can even have the opposite effect of making them avoid a business due to it looking out of date or behind the times. Hire a professional graphic designer to design your business cards, logos, and branding, and you will appear fresh and new-looking to all your customers.
First Impression Session
Market research is an important, but also costly, venture for any business, and some startups might think they don’t need it, but regardless of cost, there is a reason that market research continues to be a thriving field. People’s impressions of your company are more important than you might realise, and ignoring the glaring remarks or criticisms of your vital first few clients is essentially nailing closed the lid of your company’s coffin.
To get some low or no cost market research, try offering your first few clients better deals in exchange for filling out a brief questionnaire, or getting honest and blunt acquaintances or friends to suggest improvements. The purpose of this isn’t to actually let these people shape your business, but rather to get an idea of how people see your business, so you can shape it yourself.
Minimalism Makes Something out of Nothing
As for the actual office layout, minimalism is a good way to keep things cheap but stylish, and promote an air of modernism in your new (but small) office space. Decorating the room with very, very simple paintings or sculptures will take away the edge of an undecorated office without breaking the budget, and your customers will feel that the waiting area is more distinguished than your overly cluttered competitors.
Once this first impression is made, it’s hard to shake, and redecorating in future is not to be feared, but rather, embraced. A changing office layout is a sign of adaptability in a business, and it lends itself to letting your customers feel like part of a movement, especially if they are your first customers in that area. This all comes together to form a distinct air of being a part of this changing, adaptable, stylish new business, which is a powerful motivator to become a returning client for some.
With these simple skills, your startup can actually start up, and you don’t necessarily need to break the bank to get there in the meantime. Make sure to manage your client’s expectations of your work, and everything else will be fine.
