I was driving through Penrith last week and noticed a business van in front of me. What made me notice the van was that the phone number was without a ‘9’ at the beginning of it. Although a ‘minor’ thing, this immediately told me that it had been a very long time since this business vehicle had been upgraded.

More importantly, it told me that this business does not have attention to detail. The older vehicle would not be an issue (assuming that it functions well and looks presentable). But the fact that they had not bothered to invest in some new signage on their car gave me a negative first impression of their business. If they haven’t updated their signage, what else is out dated? If they are not concerned about how their business presents (that is, their image or branding) then do they really care about their customers?

Those questions are assumptions. But they are assumptions that I wouldn’t want anyone making about my business. No matter what industry or sector your business is in, first impressions count. Your business should exude professionalism and first rate customer service. And everything that your customers see or hear about your business should show them exactly that.

The van with the outdated phone number might be an amazing business. But personally, there is no chance of me becoming a customer of theirs based on my first impression. It is always worth regularly checking over your branding – or better still, getting someone objective to look at your business with fresh eyes. And if you need some sprucing up, make sure you get it done quicker than the van without the number nine!

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

As someone with a home office, I enjoy immensely the clothing benefits that accompany it. I can wear jeans most days and when it’s cold I can wear my ugg boots and no-one knows! But is the way we dress REALLY that important?

As much as we might want our expertise, skills and confidence to be the first thing that people notice, it is the way we dress when we are around clients, potential clients and other stakeholders that creates 90% of the first impression. And this varies for each business. It would not be appropriate for a tradesperson to arrive for a job wearing a suit. But arriving at my house with a branded polo shirt or t-shirt and clean attire will go a long way to projecting a professional image and promoting trust. Conversely, a solicitor wearing jeans and a midriff top is not likely to inspire me with confidence. And although slick talking and a winning smile may help to change my initial impression, why create a barrier? It is important to dress appropriately both for your industry and client base.

Some may argue that dressing in the way that people expect can also mean that you are not creating a particularly memorable impression – you look the same as everyone else in your industry. There is definitely room for self-expression: for example, you might be known as the person who always wears red shoes. But if you approach your dress sense in a "what you see is what you get" style, it may come across as idiosyncratic, rather than unique. Your boot-scootin’ gear might be awesome for the weekend, but not necessarily appropriate for projecting the brand of your business.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

I've been realising more and more that business relationships have many comparisons to personal relationships - and are often as complicated! I've come up with a list of "relationship questions" to work out if your business is a "good catch":

• what first impression does my business make? Does it catch the eye of potential clients or does it blend in with the crowd?
• is my business attractive to potential clients? Is it "well dressed"/well presented?
• what values does my business project to potential clients? Are those values consistent across all my business activities? Does my business express those values clearly from the outset in all it does?
• how well does my business "woo" potential clients? Does it give an impression of confidence and trust?
• how does my business foster ongoing relationships? Does my business communicate regularly?
• are all my clients treated with respect? Does this show in all the ways my business interacts with clients?
• how are "relationship problems" dealt with (i.e. complaints)? Am I committed to solving issues in a timely and sensitive manner?
• are “anniversaries”/milestones celebrated with clients?

Just like in personal relationships, it can be difficult to objectively answer these questions, because we can have an impression of ourselves (good or bad!) that may not be entirely accurate. What we THINK we are projecting might be very different to how people perceive us.

A savvy woman would ask her girlfriends to give her honest feedback about how she "comes across" - not always an easy thing to do but for anyone who really wants to improve their chances of "relationship success", it can be a fruitful exercise. So too in business, asking for objective opinions about your business is extremely valuable, even if it may be hard to hear!

My suggestion: ask a range of people the above questions about your business. Choose people who know your business well and some who have little knowledge of your business. Although not everyone can answer all the questions, you'll get some really interesting and valuable feedback.

And in the words of Zig Ziglar: “You cannot perform in a manner inconsistent with the way you see yourself.”

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender