Finding the value of an interior designer in the face of tight budgets

You started that small business with great hopes. You aspired to be the next Starbucks or Chili's Restaurant. Every business owner wants to be different than all the rest of their competition. It is especially important to do just that in the face of this economy. As a business, the main goal is to make money. When you're on the other side of the fence as the consumer, does the atmosphere of the business influence whether you come back or not? In most cases it does. You’re not going to send your children to a preschool that looks run down and out of date. You also would not stay in a hotel that was in the same condition. There is something in our brains that equates "old" with dirty, not creditable, and not the "best".

We have always heard the saying "first impressions" are given only once. Think about some of your most favorite restaurants. Think about the way it makes you feel when your there. Yes, I'm sure the food and service make a big difference, but for now, just think about the ambiance. Think about if the lighting was too bright, or if the table clothes where lime green. It would change your whole perception about being there. It might even change the way you taste your food. Now, think of these same odd perceptions, but from your customer’s point of view. First impressions should be viewed as cash flow. A negative first impression is negative cash flow and a positive impression is positive cash flow.