Make sure your products, materials, signs and other elements of your business send a unified message.  For example, use the same lettering style on your windows, business cards and all other printed materials.  And keep a unified color scheme.  If you update the colors on your sign, also update them on your trucks, shopping bags, letterhead and any other visual communication tools.

Don't underestimate the psychological effects of color.  It's no accident that fast food restaurants often use orange (orange is stimulating, inducing customers to eat and leave fast), or that hospitals feature warm grays accented with pale mauves and deep blues (they soothe).  So choose colors that you and your staff think will create the right environment for your company.  Better yet, get professional advice from an interior designer.

Be Consistent
Make sure that a strong, unified image carries through to all aspects of your operations - particularly your employees.  For example, if you want to project an image of expertise and good service, these qualities must be manifest throughout the sales cycle, from the competence of the first person to whom customers speak to the efficiency of the delivery crew.

Remember that first impressions are especially strong and lasting. They set the tone for all business that follows.

Maintain a Professional Image
Customers place considerable importance on a professional image. So stay away from homemade signs, haphazard paint jobs, amateur advertising or cheap-looking
printing.  Stay away from everything, in fact, that looks sloppy or unprofessional.

Even if you want to avoid an expensive, upscale image - either because you can't afford it or you fear it might intimidate potential buyers - your customers still deserve an attractive, well-maintained appearance.  That's why the large successful discounters have a look that may be utilitarian, but it is never cheap.

The same professionalism must extend to the appearance of your staff. If you need to adopt a dress code, be sure you're the first to comply with it; employees take their cues from you.  Moreover, clothing that complements the nature of your business and the expectations of customers can provide a competitive edge.  For example, sales staff might wear lab coats in a medical supply house or sportswear in a sporting goods store.  Alternatively, they could model the clothing, jewelry or accessories they sell.

And don't overlook the obvious.  Pay careful attention to good hygiene and personal grooming.