3 Ways to Signal You're Worth a Premium (Without Saying a Word)
Value is in the eye of the beholder.
For proof, take a look at the eye-popping prices paid for everything from concert tickets to fine works of art. While others may see just another band or painting, devotees see an experience or a feeling worth paying up for – way up.
There’s a similar dynamic at work when it comes to your professional services business. And it comes down to one simple question: How are you demonstrating your value to prospective customers?
Here are a few ideas for making your value obvious – without being super obvious about it.
1. Roll Out the (Virtual) Red Carpet
First impressions are a big part of signalling your expertise and value. That’s why smart business owners have long designed their storefronts with clean, attractive curb appeal to stand out from the crowd and entice potential customers.
For many companies these days, of course, a prospect’s first impression happens online. But the philosophy of curb appeal still holds true.
Why? Because 61 percent of website visitors will leave if they can’t find what they’re looking for within about five seconds. That’s right – your business can be great, but customers may never find out if your website doesn’t grab them right away.
So what can you do to make sure visitors stick around? Spruce up your digital curb appeal and grab them early with solid design elements such as…
Visual appeal, including high-quality images, a simple color scheme, and a clean, uncluttered layout.
Clear navigation that makes it easy to see where they are and where they should go next.
Fast load times that ensure they won’t be stuck staring at a spinning circle instead of your value prop.
Clear and concise messaging that explains what you do, for whom. Don’t make them scroll to find it.
None of these elements are revolutionary, of course. They’ve been standard design principles since web commerce became a thing.
But it’s surprising how many businesses aren’t paying enough attention to them – and how many potential customers those companies are scaring off in under five seconds.
2. Make Sure Your Meeting Space Means Business
There’s more to most professional services businesses than what happens on their website. As important as your site is for getting a potential client’s attention, demonstrating your full value is about selling your services and laying the groundwork for a long-lasting relationship. And that key stage of the journey ideally should happen face to face.
But what does your meeting space say to customers? Is the message more “uh-oh” than “let’s go”? Consider the options:
A coffee shop can be a great place for an informal chat with a longtime client, but it certainly doesn’t scream prestige to a new prospect you’re trying to wow.
A home office may be a comfortable place to grind through day-to-day tasks with your dog at your feet, but meeting clients at the kitchen table with the washing machine chugging away in the background is not a recipe for success (or impress).
A basic shared workspace is a step up, but unless you’re in the “move fast and break things” world of chasing VC funding, it likely lacks the privacy and professionalism your clients are looking for.
A premium proworking space, meanwhile, features the kind of privacy, physical security, and professionalism that gives a prospect immediate confidence that they’re dealing with a trusted, reliable partner who’s worth the price they’re asking.
The content of your meeting – that is, what you plan to do for the customer – is of course the most important part of what you’re trying to accomplish. Delivering those ideas in the right setting can make all the difference.
Think about it: you wouldn’t serve a gourmet meal on a paper plate, because that would diminish both the experience and the perception of the food's quality.
The same is true for your business, which deserves the sleek, professional setting of a polished proworking space.
3. Show Off the Company You Keep
Independent practitioners and small business proprietors are often unknown quantities to the prospective clients they’re pitching – it’s kind of the nature of the business.
And while your elegant website and sophisticated office can be great selling points for your services, you’re still essentially asking those clients to take a chance on you. (Related: if you're looking to attract more warm leads who come in the door trusting you, check out our guide to building a referral practice.)
This is where little impressions can make a big difference. For example, who’s working around you? You may not have a huge staff to spotlight, but the lawyers and architects and financial advisors sharing your proworking space can help tell a story to a client: You belong to this professional ecosystem.
Just being part of that kind of environment can subtly convey the kind of trust and authority that mere words cannot. And most clients will agree that those are traits that are well worth paying for.
Brag Without Bragging
Your business delivers great service that’s every bit worth the premium price you’re charging for it. But telling that to prospective clients isn’t enough – you have to show them.
With a clean, easy-to-use digital “front door,” a sleek, comfortable physical meeting space, and a community of like-minded professional associates, you’re demonstrating to customers that you may be small, but you mean business. And that’s why you deserve theirs.
See how a premium workspace can help show that story. Book a tour today at a Firmspace location near you.