First Impressions

People make their first impressions of both you and your business within the first few minutes of stepping into your office. It is crucial to make a good impression from the minute your guests step through the door until the moment they leave. It is important to maintain a level of professionalism while at the same time making anyone who comes to your office for a meeting comfortable.

The reception area of your office should be setup with a receptionist's desk facing the main entry to your office with the receptionist facing people as they come through the doors. She should be able to great your guests immediately and lead them to a seating area where they can wait while the receptionist calls you out for your meeting. Simple comfortable furniture is a great idea for this seating area, specifically a couch and two chairs. You should have a coffee table in this area as many people will have briefcases and presentational materials. Whether the rest of you office is setup cubicle style or if you have opted for a more creative solution the office should have a sense of continuity, and should not a random mix of styles and colors. The most effective presentation of your office is going to come from choosing a theme for the entire office.

The theme for your office can be whatever you like, but a theme complimenting the type of business you are running is best. Choose the theme and then start with painting the walls accordingly. Giving your walls some color and gets rid of the feeling of being trapped in a big white box. You will find your employees respond better in a colorful environment and will be more productive as a result. The furniture should be simple and go well with the colors you have chosen for the walls. This includes the executive offices, they should coordinate with the theme of the rest of the office and should compliment the space your guest has come though to get to your office.