Sometimes it’s great being a small business – you get to know all of your employees, you’re very agile, and your clients often feel like they’re getting that personal touch.  Other times however, it can be a hindrance being small, and larger companies and customers are less inclined to listen to what you say, no matter how good it might be.  When this happens, you need to be a little bit more creative in how you present yourself.

Strength in Numbers

When talking to a larger business, it’s always good to talk about your teams and your colleagues in the plural.  Rather than saying that your IT guy will sort something out, talk about how you and your employees will work together to find a solution.  Plenty of use of the word ‘we’ will get you much further than ‘I’.  You shouldn’t outright lie, as this could well see you into trouble, but make sure that you give the impression that there are multiple people working on your client’s needs, not just yourself.  You might think it looks good if the boss is getting his hands dirty, but big businesses want to know you’re not stretching yourself too thin.

PM small businesses visit by Number 10, on Flickr.  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic License.

Be Accommodating

If one of your clients or partners is wanting to come and visit you, don’t let them arrive at a tiny, cramped office.  It’s much better to book out a meeting room that will make them feel far more welcome.  Showing them that you’re large enough to accommodate them will also show them that you’re large and competent enough to accommodate their business needs.  You should be able to find meeting rooms in any major city, and most towns, too.  In London there are many choices, with companies like Landmark PLC offering space in some of the capital’s most prestigious office towers and skyscrapers.

Build Your Brand

A strong, recognisable brand will go a very long way in demonstrating that you are heavyweights in your particular market or niche.  The very best small businesses will spend a lot of time and effort in cultivating their brand to make it powerful.  It’s only natural that people will assume a very strong brand belongs to a large business, not a small handful of people.  This isn’t an easy one to get right, and it can take some time perfecting, but it’s probably the very best way of making your small business look like a much larger one.