Cliché phrases aren’t cliché in vain. In most cases, it means that something has become common sense to the point that it should not be emphasized anymore. Such is the case with the phrase “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression” which is a very true and very important one, especially when it comes to trying to successfully run a business. It takes not a few seconds, but milliseconds for your potential clients to scan your reception area and hear the first whisper of their intuition regarding whether they are likely to collaborate with you. So, here’s some help when it comes to what you need to consider as to make them come back twice instead of think twice about you.
Let General Design Pave the Way
You need to take care of the basics first which means making sure the area is practical enough for both your clients and the receptionists. This means considering the height of the reception desk (if planning to include one) so that it can be at the proper eyesight level of greeting visitors. The desk should also be spacious enough to hide clutter and allow receptionists to organize well everything they need.
Next, you need to provide adequate sitting for your clients. Although you should always prioritize comfort, there’s no need to go overboard as for certain types of businesses it can look out of place. For instance, contemporary designer lobby furniture can be great for the IT sector or some other industry of the creative type. Physicians, lawyers, and other more serious businesses, on the other hand, can stick to traditional styles. Very soft sofas that offer a lot of coziness and a homelike feel, on the other hand, are most compatible with spa centres. If you want to go the extra mile, you can combine chairs, sofas and loveseats so that the area caters to everyone’s needs.
Once you make up your mind on the different pieces of designer lobby furniture to include, you can also add some greenery and a clock. A popular option for lobbies are the double ring clocks made of steel or timber.
Let the Logo Have a Say
Featuring a clearly visible, high-quality version of your logo in the lobby can help you immediately communicate confidence to your visitors. It should go without saying that the logo ought to be large enough, but be careful not to go overboard as it won’t have the positive effect you expect and it will appear intimidating instead. Think of some creative, high-impact way to make it stand out without crossing the line. For instance, you could use backlight or make it hover on the wall with the help of Perspex.
Let Colours Play
Although plain white walls are everyone’s safety net when it comes to professionalism, white can be a pretty mute colour when it comes to making it say something about the character of your business. Choose a corporate colour or a combination of colours instead and you don’t even have to feature it/them in great amount, sometimes one tastefully painted wall is more than enough to creatively claim your space.