Business ambiance key to success.

• Position: Your Life - Impact of ambience of professionalism and appearance of an office

Most of our communication does not come from our mouths. We communicate nonverbally with our bodies, facial expressions, and attire. The place where you do business speaks to how well you do business. If you can amaze your clients as soon as they walk in the door with your professionalism and appearance, your relationship with them will be that much easier to manage, points out Robert Bielsky, chairman of Manhattan Commercial Realty, New York.

"It's important to create a positive, business-like ambiance in your workspace so clients get the right impression." The following Bielsky tips will help you impress clients and project the proper image.

Everyone is selling--always. Train all of your employees to greet visitors, even if they do not have a functional role with that visitor. They should offer any help if the visitor seems lost or confused. Whether your company is large or small, every one of your employees is selling your product, all the time.

Get a great receptionist. The receptionist is the first impression when someone enters your office. Your receptionist needs to be friendly and helpful all of the time, even when busy performing other tasks. He or she should lead the clients to their destination (not just point the way), or seat them in a guest area and offer a refreshment.

Create a personalized lobby board. Write something large and clear near the entrance that greets your client so he feels welcome and knows he or she is in the right place. It also shows that you are prepared for the meeting and that you value his or her business.

Keep it clean. Maintain a clean workplace in every area a visitor can see--especially the entrance. Have a nonemployee look at the space from an objective point of view and offer criticisms. Are there worn spots in the carpet, or is the paint fading? If you cannot keep your workspace organized and free of clutter, your client will think you do not run a business very efficiently. Put everything away, file your paperwork, and remove any refuse. Clutter creates feelings of tension and you do not want the client feeling anxious in your office. If you are too busy to tidy up yourself, hire a professional cleaning service to come in at night and straighten up. They will not file your documents, but they will keep the bathrooms pristine, the floors vacuumed, and the dust from gathering.

Have refreshments available. Invest in a coffee and water system and keep it available to the customers; do not hide it in...