A decade ago, Andre Agassi popularized the phrase "Image is
everything." The tennis star emphasized creating just the
right outward appearance to gain that extra edge over opponents. In
the same vein, homebased entrepreneurs are often looking for a
similar edge in the image-oriented game of marketing. Striving for
just the right look, many homebased business owners develop
elaborate strategies-and sometimes even crazy schemes-to make their
businesses look bigger than they really are. Why would they go to
all this trouble? The rationale is, if your operation appears more
substantial to potential customers, you're more likely to get
the sale because size somehow translates into credibility.
But does a "big business" image really mean potential
customers will choose your firm over a smaller-sized company? And
to what degree does this form of packaging create ethical problems
for both entrepreneurs and their clients? What happens when
you're assigned too large of a job because your client assumes
you have several business associates? And imagine the damage to
your credibility when another client discovers the several
departments you outline on your brochure are really only you--with
different e-mail accounts.
In today's business environment--where entrepreneurial icons
like Martha Stewart and Netscape's Marc Andreesson are revered
and independent professionals are changing the workforce
landscape--running a single-person enterprise is much more accepted
than it was only a few years ago. And for many entrepreneurs, their
solo status is a source of pride. So is it still necessary to
present yourself as being bigger than you are? In the face of tough
competition, you may be willing to fudge a few details, but
consider the effect this misrepresentation has on your
relationships with clients, your credibility and your own
self-esteem. The following examples demonstrate the various
ways-some subtle, others quite pronounced-that company image can be
manipulated, and some of the ethical ramifications of these
business policies.
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Multipersonnel Illusion
Many homebased businesses deliberately choose business names to
create an image that there's more than one person running the
firm. For example, the name "J. White and Associates" may
lead customers to believe they're dealing with a company that
employs several others besides the owner. Another example is
"The Jones Group," which implies a multitude of employees
when in fact there is only Mrs. Jones. One homebased company in
Rhode Island lists its business as "Smith, Brown and Co."
(not the actual name) when in fact Mr. Smith is the company,
and his wife just lends her maiden name to the company image.
Another entrepreneur operates a public relations consulting firm
from her home with "& Associates" following her name.
Her brochures highlight five company divisions, each apparently a
specialized department handling unique clients for either speaking
engagements, promotional events, press releases and so forth. The
entrepreneur is listed as the senior manager heading up the overall
company operation, when in fact she does every job herself and has
no partners, associates or employees. But could this creativity get
you into trouble? We suggest you choose a DBA-as well as present
your company in print-with care, so as not to intentionally mislead
potential customers.
Azriela Jaffe, author of several small business books including
Create Your Own Luck, cautions, "When
you choose a name that portrays the image of a larger firm and then
a prospect reveals it to be a lie when inquiring about your firm,
it can backfire and lead the prospect to question your integrity
and wonder what you're trying to hide. I recommend only using a
name like, ‘and Associates' if in fact you regularly work
with, and refer to, other professionals in the course of doing
business. Otherwise you call attention to your attempt to cover up
something you seem ashamed of, namely, being a solo
professional."
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