Hey business owners: If you have had a “sales” conversation with another business and you have decided on another firm or different direction, use common sense and let that person know you are not going to hire them. Trust me, it’s not like we can’t handle rejection! We are in business for ourselves, right? We really don’t feel all that bad about it as that’s part of business. And by telling us we didn’t get the business, it helps us make decisions about taking on other clients. But not saying anything, not even an email to let us know, is basically a rude business practice that makes me question whether I really want to do business with you.

In business today, the world is small. It doesn’t take much to tarnish your brand. Your brand identity is built through all your interactions in business, including your marketing materials, how you answer the phones, to how your service and support organizations treat your clients. So when you deal with vendors, extend the courtesy to them that you would your clients, business partners and other people associated with your business. I know people don’t like delivering negative messages, but if you treat your vendors this way, do you treat your customers any differently?

What does this mean for the smaller companies trying to compete?

It means you must take your image seriously and treat the effort with the same importance as all of your marketing efforts. It is time to stop undermining your marketing efforts by ignoring your brand. There are really good designers and Web developers available that can work within your budget. Don’t assume that the cost is out of reach. Speak with a smaller firm about your needs as many are willing to work with you and help you get what you need within your budget. Seek out someone who can help you break up the work into a plan that can be rolled out over time. It is actually better to start with a good design and build on top of it later.