Think about the last time you were out and about and you saw someone wearing their pajamas in public. How would you feel if that person approached you? Would you wonder (even a little) if that person was in their right mind? Would you rather talk to someone wearing, say, jeans and a sweater? A long time ago, someone told me that you don’t just dress to feel good about yourself; you dress to show your respect for other people. I believe that this carries over into the way you “dress” your company, particularly for small businesses. 

The moment a person sees your website, she begins to formulate ideas of what your business is like. It’s human instinct to categorize, sort, and organize people, places, and things so that we can better understand what, exactly, it is that we’re dealing with. We come across a lot of websites that look like Geocities templates from the mid-90s, and already we’re slightly distrustful, and a little hesitant to get in contact or conduct business with the business owners. It’s the same set of feelings that might arise if, say, you walked in to a business meeting and the CEO was wearing an out fit a la Kriss Kross. Ahem. (I know some of you are going, “But I’d LIKE THAT!”)

When you present your business in a professional, clear, and updated fashion through careful design management, you’re sending the right message to your audience. You’re expressing that you respect them enough to put the time and effort into your visual presence. You’re demonstrating that you’re approachable. And, perhaps most importantly, you’re saying, “Hey, we’re sane people you can work with. We’re want you to spend some time here.” That time is what will turn lookers into buyers.