The 1 man band image

[daveashton]

Hi

I just wanted to know why many people on here make thier companies look small i.e. one-man bands, or provide dead giveaways that they are?

If we act like a one-man band (sorry person band now that we have to be politically correct) we will get treated like one.

[barry.hynd]

Hi Dave,

An interesting observation. I try as much as possible to project the sense of a larger company than a small one as my feeling is that people are more receptive to the bigger companies. It would be interesting however to see how far you could push this without there being some breakage somewhere. Quite an interesting topic. Lets hope that others will give some input.

[Ozzy]

Hi Dave,
You do create an interesting argument, but one that I actually have a different opinion on.

When I used to run a web design company a few years back I spent the first 6 months trying to create a large corporate image, and the company struggled. After attending a "motivational" presentation I changed my approach and sold my company on the small personal service. Sales took of.

If you try to pretend you are big when you are not people will see through it and that could damage your reputation. Be honest and sell your company for what it really is and I believe you earn the trust and respect of your clients.

[daveashton]

Ah

But if you create a corporate image people will assume you are profitable, stable and professional by default. If you the explain that you are small expanding company very few people will be concerned.


There is a lot of data on this and image is 9 tenths of the law. Yes people like the personal service but they want to work with a company that has a professional/ corporate image and not the image of a 1 man band.


Interestingly the more vital that the service or product is delivered/ works, the more this is important.

[Ozzy]

I don't disagree with your view, as I feel it plays an important part if your target market is large corporates (blue chips). They pay higher prices for perceived high quality service and delivery guarantee.

I have a tender in front of me for another business I am involved in. We could do the job for half their budget and still make a profit, but I know if I do that we wont get the job as we'll be too cheap.

However, when dealing with SME clients who prefer to deal with other SME's and look for the more personal service. I think your image needs to reflect your target market, and the SME market place is considerably larger than the Blue Chip.

I know right away that your argument may be that you can have few BC clients and make a higher profit, but BC clients could tie you in knots with red tape, long payment terms and at times be extremely demanding in both resources and time. Having more lower paying SME clients where you have a more personal relationship with them, and hence more understanding supply agreement with can at many times be better suited to a startup or just young company.

An interesting debate me thinks...

[Ozzy]

...and one that ended as quickly as it began 8-)

[Alpha]

Yep

A deafening silence :D

You sure know how to silence a packed room Ozzy

[Ozzy]

Well I actually think its a very valid subject because it is something a lot of new businesses come up against - how to portray themselves to their potential clients.
Do I create an image of a large corporate company to create the impression of substance and possibly reliability, or the image of a smaller friendlier firm with a more personal service ?

[Alpha]

But surely the ideal is the professional corporate image with the personal touch of being able to deal with a named person who will personally look after their account.

This is the main task of the marketing people to pitch the message at the target audience.

There can of course be the two extremes...the one man band who will be able to service private customers but companies who will have greater emphasis on having the service immediately when required will require a company with more resources. At the top of the ladder are the large corporates who require many assurances of service and reliability (contractually) and therefore will deal with other blue chips and larger companies only as they are the only ones likely to have the infrastructure required.


Looks to me as there is no one 'correct' answer.

Does that open the discussion up?

[Jodimyatt]

I try to do both, going for the corporate image by a decent looking website, member of trade bodies, and professionally produced stationary.
Yet I feel small clients which the majority of my support contracts is aimed at do not want a huge corporation, but a friendly and personnel service
But I think the most important way to be portrayed is professional and honest and this is something I always try to portray.

[10 Yetis]

Hmm... my first post for a while..

I think it is a difficult to find the right balance.
I too was involved with a company a few years ago that was a very small operator that tried to portray a large image and it was strugle to keep up the image of a big player.

To be honest I think your skills should stand for themsleves so regardless of your size you should convey a corporate image that inspires confidence in those you engage with.

A vital (and fun) part of any business is watching it grow and managing the associated changes as you go along and then shouting about your growth/succes as you go along (free PR opportunity!).

[Ozzy]

Alan, as you say the perfect balance is the large corporate image image (as this is perceived to be more professional) with the personal service that everyone likes.

Its a shame that in general large is perceived to mean professional when quite often the opposite is true. A smaller firm can give a much more professional and quality service, but the larger corporates have more money to get "get out clause" contracts drafted to ensure they are never in the wrong.

There is always exceptions to the rule, and many different twists, but I cant help but feel there is this large divide between the SME market place and the Corporate - and the two very rarely cross paths.

[Alpha]

I personally prefer the SME market as it is can adapt far more quickly, is vibrant and not handcuffed by faceless figures who are purely driven by the needs of its investors. (odd attitude I know coming from someone who was employed by some of the largest corporations).

If only I can get them to bring the areas of planning and control into the arena then they would (I believe) grow rapidly but still be able to respond to the challenges ahead (as you know only so well Ozzy)

[Ozzy]

Planning?? Control?? I wish you wouldn't use such language on a public forum :)
One of the greatest challenges to any business is to try and foresee what the market is going to do next, and that is a benefit that smaller businesses do have - as you say, in that they can adapt at the drop of a hat.

[malcdawes]

As I am new to these forums - or is it fora? I am interested in the one man band image. I believe whatever image you wish to protray, the service you provide should reflect excellence in customer service. I have a major bank as a client. they want the big company image in order that you can even get a look in. Once you are providing them with a service (or product0 it is essential you provide the personal touch. This is not perceived so much as being a one man band but more about providing exceptional service.

I do think that portraying a large (ish) company image also depends upon the business you are in and who you deal with as mentioned in other posts on the topic.

[philjeffs]

I am an independent sureyor, and that independence is very important. It means my advice and opinions are based on my knowledge and best beliefs, but are not based on a desire to pitch for more work by providing any sort of biased report. Surveyors tied to larger firms who offer other services may feel themselves pulled in that direction.

I hope that I acheive the right sort of impression and reputation by being a sole trader, and being proud that I can stand on my own feet.

That works for me, but I do accept in other trades a bigger 'presence' might gain market share.

Phil

[annethedonn]

Now now boys!!! The corporates are the worst payers that's all I know! My brother runs an entertainment company and has one line with one number for Joe Public (cheap & cheerful prices) & another line for the Corporate clientele (much more expensive) but the end result is pretty much the same! Then there's the issue of VAT etc... I went Ltd because it apparently gives a more professional image & so did my brother. Also, your registered office/address pays a big part. It's all swings and roundabouts - I think we should all just agree to disagree!!!

[VeryMark]

When I worked for large corporates I preferred small suppliers because they generally gave better service, but it wasn't always easy to use them if they weren't on the approved list - half the battle in a big corporate sometimes is fighting other departments, and there can be a horror of initiative in case someone is going on a frolic.

Sometimes what the customer in the big corporate can be looking for is something that will help in his internal war with other departments.

Having been on the other side gives me a better insight now, but at the end of the day it's about giving a personal service in the most professional way you can - that means you need backup, a network, help you can call on when you need it, a network, agility, good response times - oh, and a forum like this helps. After all, Mormon, Quaker and Jewish people often tend to have a better chance of success because of the network they've got to help them.

[daveashton]

Several points have been raised here and there is a lack of clarity on the definitions so..........

1 man band image: This to us is a sole trader and not a "smaller company" which to us sounds like it has multiple people.


re

I am an independent surveyor, and that independence is very important. It means my advice and opinions are based on my knowledge and best beliefs, but are not based on a desire to pitch for more work by providing any sort of biased report. Surveyors tied to larger firms who offer other services may feel themselves pulled in that direction.

This is great in principle, but if a sole trader approached us and they made it obvious they were a sole trader it would make us consider

1: Will they be there in 6 months ( in many cases 1 late paying or disputed account or if sales dry up for even a short period it can mean that they cease trading)
2: What if the person is ill half way through a project i.e. who will fill in or will the project be stalled?
3: What come back do we have if it goes wrong?
4: If they are so good why have they not grown?

Creating an professional image is key to stop these objections/ worries hindering the sales.

Unfortunately many people/ companies on here present the former and provide some simple information that shows that they are sole traders.

[Ozzy]

1: Will they be there in 6 months ( in many cases 1 late paying or disputed account or if sales dry up for even a short period it can mean that they cease trading)
Not necessarily. A sole trader could be someone who has made the decision to remain a sole trader as they have no interest in becoming a big blue chip. This does not mean they are not financially secure, it just means they do not want to have the headache of staff.
A sole trader could just as easily have many thousands in the bank!

2: What if the person is ill half way through a project i.e. who will fill in or will the project be stalled?
This is something that needs discussing with the sole trader. Would they have a network of freelancers to aid and support them in a project? As the customer you choose to offset the most likely significant cost savings against the most unlikely possability of the sole trader being ill half way through a project.

3: What come back do we have if it goes wrong?
Exactly the same as you would if they were a larger company, if not a better come back. The sole trader would most likely not have the security of a Limited company to fall back on so if you really wanted to, you could go after all their personal assetts such as home, car and dog to recover costs if something went wrong.
A larger company will have the Limited liability behind them so you can only go after any assetts the company owns, and the chances are the assetts will be hidden in a shadow company so you get very little.
4: If they are so good why have they not grown?
So answer above. Why should they grow bigger if they do not want to. That bears zero reflection on the quality of service they provide or indeed how stable they are as a company. It may simply reflect that they do not wish to grow into big offices, high staff levels and the likes.
On a personal level I used to run an Internet Consultancy company as a sole trader. I never advertised and never took staff on but I earned £6k plus a month salary from it. I chose not to grow that business nor take staff on because I didn't want to, I was happy with what I had. If it wasn't for that business I would not have been able to start Quick.
I closed it because I found it boring not because it wasn't viable.

Creating an professional image is key to stop these objections/ worries hindering the sales.
I agree with what you are saying here but you seem to be making the assumption that Professional and Sole Trader cannot go hand in hand. Why can a Sole Trader not also be Professional? I believe they can so do not see a problem with presenting yourself as a professional sole trader.

Unfortunately many people/ companies on here present the former and provide some simple information that shows that they are sole traders.
Again, I do not see what the problem with that is?