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10 Ways to Develop You Small Business Image in Your Overland Park Office Space

Developing your brand and image as a business can be a crucial step to making sure your start-up business continues to take off. Brand image can be approached from a variety of angles, from customer service, to advertising, to going back to the core values of your business. Consider these tips, suggested in the article Ten Tips to Help You Build and Grow a Stand-Out Small Business Brand when approaching the task of making your brand more appealing:

#1 Be Unique

Think about what makes your business different. How do you stand out from other similar businesses in your industry? Be sure to market what it is that sets your business apart.

#2 Understand Your Brand

This extends beyond your logo or products. Your brand is the overall experience f your customers, and includes your customer interactions, social media, marketing, visual elements of your business, and how you do what you do. All of these elements should work together to present a positive image of your business.

#3 Get the Right Logo and Name

This is important for getting customers to consistently recognize your business, so make sure a name and logo reflects what your business does and is appealing to your customer base. They should also convey the personality of your business and what you stand for—it is a lot to wrap into a name and logo, but it is worth the careful consideration to find something that will really appeal to your customers.

#4 Let Your Customers See Your Face

Don’t leave your small business to run itself. Keep your employees motivated and your business structured by staying actively engaged. There is a balance to be maintained – your business should be able to be productive without you there at all times, but businesses tend to be more successful when employees can thrive off of your energy and customers can associate a face with a service.

#5 Develop a Voice

One way to distinguish yourself as a unique brand is to develop a consistant and recognizable “voice” – the tone of your interactions with customers in person, via social media, or on the phone. To decide what your voice is, think about brands that you like and would like to learn from – what do they do that makes doing business with them enjoyable?

#6 Be Your Own Biggest Fan

Success is not always about being the best salesman; sometimes a better form of sales is being the most excited about your own business. Be an advocate for your brand by showing your passion for your business and spreading that enthusiasm. Make sure customers and employees understand the story behind your business, what makes your mission and products special, and what you have been able to do for people.

#7 Build a Community

You want to be the kind of brand that customers trust and respect, and building a community can be an alternate kind of advertising that fosters this type of business reputation. Many companies spend a lot of time and energy developing a community both online and off through resources like Twitter, Facebook, or blogs, as well as participation in local activities such as fundraisers, charities, or planning and hosting their own events. It is important both to develop a following on social media and to also be a recognizable presence out in the community.

#8 Decide What Your Value Is

Your value might be some sort of emotional benefit to your customers that sets you apart from your competition. What is your unique angle on your industry? What is it that you do well that differentiates you? Think about how you value things like product quality, innovation, customer service, or some combination of values.

#9 Develop a Reputation for Reliability

Most importantly, live up to what you say you will deliver. Failing to do this can be a surefire way for a small business to flouder, since they are particularly dependant on referrals. Ensure that you have happy customers—who will be loyal customers—by making sure that you can keep all promises that you make.

Cultivating a brand image for your business with a positive reputation takes time and a multi-faceted approach. It is important to not only have values and a vision for what your business can be and do, but to embody those values yourself as a business owner and be consistent in carrying out that vision.

If you are interested in commercial space for lease in Kansas City for your small business, give a DDI Commercial real estate broker in Kansas City a call at 913-685-4100 a call today to set up a tour of one of our spaces. If you are not sure what you are looking for yet, we can also talk to you about our variety of available spaces and help you calculate square footage for your business’s needs!

Qualities of a Good Workplace Team in an Overland Park Office Space

Many business today are realizing the advantages of teamwork and trying to foster more collaborative environments in their offices. If you are committed to growing teamwork in your workspace, here are a few common traits of team-oriented staffs to keep in mind, as suggested in the article “Building a Sense of Teamwork Among Staff Members”:

Honesty – people tend to trust each other more when they feel that they can be more open about things, which leads to tighter knit groups that avoid suspicion and gossip.
Acceptance of Work – while most people would rather choose what to do at work, good teams are made of people who can accept assignments from others, which is a more realistic work model. People who work on teams are also often held accountable by peers to get work done on time and done right the first time.
Goal-oriented – people who work well on a team have already collectively accepted their purpose and direction and collaborate to achieve these aims. A good team leader motivates a team by explaining clearly how their specific project goals fit into the bigger picture of the goals of the company.
Results-directed – a good team constantly asseses their progress, rather than just getting mired in the process of something. By consistently assessing their results and adjusting any future action accordingly, a good team continues to operate smoothly and effectively.
Empathetic – good team members are also able to put themselves into each others shoes and consider how their actions and attitudes effect other members of the team. They are also able to listen respectfully to each other’s points of view and keep in consideration the needs and work styles of their coworkers.
Hardworking – the reality is that sometimes projects take longer than expected, but a good team is able to work together until a job is finished. Some teams can begin to fall apart when things get down to the wire and some members start to contribute less time and effort.

If you are trying to promote a team oriented environment in your office, consider how you can promote these values among your employees—often this kind of mentality starts with good leadership! If you are interested in business space for rent in Overland Park, give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call today at 903-685-4100 to learn more about our available spaces and talk about setting up a tour!

Checklist for Leasing Overland Park Office Space

There are a lot of different factors that go into the decision to rent a commercial office space. Here are a few things to check off your list of considerations as you get closer to signing the dotted line on a lease, as suggested in the article “Location and Leasing”:

Consider the possibility of expansion. Will your business grow in the next few years and need more space? Ask if you can put a provision in the lease that allows you to expand into more space if necessary.
Check for local competitors. Technology has made this step easy: just go to Google, enter the what type of business you have, and click the “local” link at the top of the page and put in your type of business to see the location of similar businesses in the area.
Understand your lease and expenses. Know what type of lease you have, such as net or gross, and if you have net, make sure you know what kind of net lease it is and what expenses you will be responsible for related to CAM charges, insurance, taxes, etc.
Keep your options open. Talk to your landlord about having options at the end of your lease term. It is a good idea to aim for a short term lease to give you flexibility in case of growth and to reduce the pressure of a long term rent obligation. However, you will want to try to give yourself the possibility at the end of your lease of either renewing it or moving to a new space based on your needs at that time.
Consider factors besides rent. While you don’t want to pay for a space that is beyond your means, try to factor in other things when judging a space, such as location.
Consult a lawyer. You might want to retain a commercial real estate attorney to help you negotiate your lease. Given what a huge investment renting a space can be, especially for a small business, it might be worth the cost of a lawyer to make sure that you have negotiated the best possible lease.
Take your time. There are plenty of possible options out there, so take your time to do careful research. It is also a good idea to give yourself plenty of time to search and negotiate if you know that you need to move out of a space by a certain date.

Leasing an office space can big a big transition and investment for a business, so make sure you take the time to check each step off your list!

If you are interested in renting office space in Kansas, give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100!

Questions to Ask When Analyzing Your Business’s Overland Park Office Space Needs

Before you make a decision on what kind of office space you want—small or large, short-term or long-term lease—it is important to carefully look at your business and decide what you need in a space. Here are a few questions to consider as you plan for a new office space lease, as suggested in the article “Basic Square Footage Needs”:

What kind of growth do you anticipate for your business in the next year? In the next five years? Having some idea of how much you will grow can help you determine both your space needs and the length of a lease.
How do you typically interact with your clients? Do they usually come to your office space, or do you use technology to get in touch with them? This will determine what you need in terms of waiting rooms or reception areas, versus what kind of technology you need a space to be fitted with.
Will you need an increased number of employees in the next few years? If you know that certain projects or growth will require an increase in your staff, be sure to think about where exactly you will put them.

These kinds of questions can help you determine whether you need to think big vs. small, or short term vs. long term when it comes to your office space lease!

If you are interested in renting office space in Overland Park, KS, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to find out more about our affordable office space in Overland Park!

13 Overland Park Office Space Lease Facts To Know Before Negotiations

If you are new to the renting commercial real estate process, there are some terms and ideas that you should familiarize yourself with before you dive in. Understanding these leasing details, described in the article “Commercial Real Estate: What You Need to Know Before Leasing,” will help you enter negotiations with a little more confidence:

Gross Lease. This is the most simple type of lease to understand, as all of your expenses are bundled up in the price per square foot.
Net Lease. In a net lease, you pay for both price per square foot and for a specified amount of other property expenses. A double net lease includes insurance and taxes, while a triple net lease includes insurance, taxes, and maintenance.
Percentage Lease. This type of lease is most common in retail spaces and requires you to pay base rent for square footage plus a certain percentage of your sales.
Lease Length. Most tenants want a short term lease plus options to renew. This option allows you flexibility if you outgrow a space, but it also gives you the option of sticking with a space that is working well for you. However, keep in mind that landlords prefer longer leases, so a longer lease term might give you more negotiating leverage for something else.
Other Expenses. Commercial leases are not like residential leases; in commercial leases the landlord is not necessarily responsible for property maintenance and fixing things like HVAC systems, for example. Make sure that you clarify in the lease who is responsible for what costs.
Rent increases. Landlords will typically try to charge you annual rent increases, also called escalations, which are based on the consumer price index or a similar calculation. Be sure that you fully understand and are prepared to deal with these increases before entering the lease.
Signage. If your business requires signs, make sure you discuss any regulations for posting signs.
Subleasing. You as a tenant will want to push for the option to sublease your space if necessary. This offers you a bit of a safety net if you cannot pay rent or need to move to a different space.
Build Outs. If you are planning on altering a space you need to talk to your landlord about what is allowed and who is paying for improvements. Sometimes if you sign for a longer lease term a landlord might be more inclined to help with the cost of build outs. Remember also that if you cannot use a space while it is being altered, you want to try to avoid being held responsible for rent during that time.
Exclusive Use. An Exclusive Use clause prevents a landlord from leasing a nearby space to one of your business’s competitors, which might be especially important if you rely on foot traffic.
Co-Tenancy. Sometimes properties have “anchor” tenants that other tenants depend on for foot traffic. If this is the case for the property you are considering, you might want to consider a co-tenancy clause, which gives you the freedom to end your lease if that tenant leaves.
Assignability. If you need to sell your business, you will want to make sure your lease allows you to pass the lease along to the new ownership.
Exit Plan. In the event that you absolutely have to break your lease, you will want to have negotiated for minimal penalties, such as only 2 or 3 months worth of termination fees.

Do research ahead of time to make sure that there are no surprises during your negotiations or later in your lease!

If you are interested in an Overland Park office space for lease, give a commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100!

Factors to Consider When Leasing Equipment for an Overland Park Office Space

While leasing office space equipment has many advantages, there are also a lot of other factors to consider that might not make it the best fit for your business. Here are a few things to think about if you are considering renting your equipment, as suggested in the article “Leasing Business Equipment”:

If you are planning on renting for just a short period of time, this might be a cheaper option, but long term renters should be aware that the lifetime cost of renting a piece of equipment will usually be higher than purchasing it.
You are forfeiting ownership interest by renting, which means that if you have become dependent on the equipment and want to purchase it at the end of the lease, it might be too expensive.
One way to try to establish equity in an asset is to negotiate for some of your rental payments to go towards the purchase price so that you might be able to fully purchase the item at the end of the lease.
To avoid unwanted legal effects, you might want to consider hiring a lawyer to help you with the equipment lease before agreeing to it.

Do some research before leasing equipment and decide if this is the best option for your business.

If you are interested in Overland Park office space for lease, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of an affordable office space in Overland Park!

Costly Mistakes in Overland Park Office Space Leasing and How to Avoid Them

Making a mistake on a commercial real estate lease can be a major financial setback for your business. Here are a few common mistakes tenants make and some tips for avoiding these mistakes, as suggested in the article, “The Eight Mistakes Tenants Make When Leasing Office Space“:

Mistake #1: Entering negotiations unprepared. Often tenants do not know exactly how much space their business will need when they enter negotiations, and could wind up with only 12,000 SF when they actually needed 15,000 SF.

Solution: Have an architect do a space program to determine exactly what size office space you need. Many architects will do this for free as a favor to a good broker. Working with a broker might also help you avoid this problem, because they will raise questions that you might not have considered, such as what floor load capacity you need or if you have any unique telecom needs.

Mistake #2: Not thoroughly inspecting documents. It is important to brace yourself for a lot of paperwork when you begin the process of negotiating a lease. An extremely common tenant mistake is not carefully reviewing all of the documents they sign. Landlords are trying to make a profit on the lease, and while their terms may be legal, they might not necessarily be fair or designed to help your business. It is also important to double check to make sure that the property is zoned for what you need and that your landlord is conforming to safety codes.

Solution: The obvious way to avoid these issues is to carefully go over your entire lease and any other documents, possibly with legal help to ensure that you avoid pitfalls you might not be aware of. One small thing you can do to avoid a potential major expense is hiring someone to inspect the HVAC (heat and air conditioning) unit in your office space before signing a lease. Often landlords will claim it is working without actually having it checked. If the unit is not working and you take possession of the space without knowing, it could cost you quite a bit of money down the line to repair.

Mistake #3: Overpaying on rent. Often tenants rush into agreeing to a rental rate without investigating what tenants at similar properties pay, and they end up paying way more than the going rate. Be familiar with the commercial real estate market in an area before beginning to negotiate your lease.

Solution: This kind of knowledge is very basic to commercial real estate brokers, so consider hiring them if you want to minimize the potential for mistakes. They can help you figure out what an appropriate rental rate is, as well as what kind of security deposit you should expect to pay—and they will save you some time by doing all of this research for you.

Do not allow yourself to be put in a position of financial stress because of leasing mistakes. Begin the process prepared and seek help when needed to get the best possible lease for your business!

If you have questions about how to calculate square footage for your business’s needs, give a DDI Commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100!

4 Steps to Promoting Health and Wellness in Your Overland Park Office Space

With summer approaching, now might be a good time to get the whole office involved in an effort to be healthier. Here are some steps you can take to promote health and wellness in your office, as suggested in the article, “Steps to Adding a Wellnesss Program“:

1. Gather input from the office. Try to assess what kind of health program would interest your employees. Survey the office with questions on topics such as smoking, exercise, and hereditary health issues. Find out what their personal health goals are so you can tailor your program to serve their needs.

2. Consider your budget. Once you have assessed what your employees’ needs and wants are, the next step is to see what you can reasonably afford to do. What kind of budget do you have available for this undertaking? Can you afford to put some workout equipment in the office for employees to use during a break?

3. Develop a program. Once you know what your employees want and what you can contribute, come up with a plan that includes clear objectives and activities. Here are some suggestions for things to include:

Company golf outings
Discounts to a local gym
Healthy eating education and healthy recipe exchanges
Lunchtime Walking Club
A Fitness Challenge that tracks progress and offers incentives for employees who reach goals.

4. Get started! Put your program into action! Keep track of successes and failures, solicit feedback from employees, and be flexible. Your program might not be perfect the first time around, but if you are open to suggestions and changes, your employees will probably appreciate your efforts and show more interest in getting involved.

Send out some surveys and get your office on the road to health soon!

If you are interested in office suites for rent in Overland Park, give a DDI Commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100!

3 Tips for Improving Your Business’s Customer Service in Your Overland Park Office Space

Here are a few simple tips that can help your business improve your customer service and build a positive rapport with your clients, according to the article, “5 Ways Small Businesses Can Boost Their Customer Service“.

Respond Promptly. It is important to respond to clients’ requests and concerns as quickly as possible to make them feel they are being heard. Even when you do not have an answer for them at the moment, sending them a brief note explaining that you are looking for an answer and when you expect to have it for them can reassure the client that their needs are important to your business.
Go Above and Beyond. It seems that so often people dread working with a business’s customer service department as an unpleasant experience. Prove to your clients that your business really wants to help them by being friendly, working diligently, and keeping them updated. In addition, if a client asks you to do something you would not normally do for them, consider taking the time to do it. Take it as a compliment that they trust you to help them.
Acknowledge Mistakes. Take responsibility for mistakes you made with a client and let them know how you will fix them or what your new plan of action is.

Taking simple steps to improve your customer service can lead to more positive feedback from your clients!

If your business is interested in moving to an office space in Kansas, give us a call at 913-685-4100 to set up a tour of an office space for lease in Overland Park!

Renewing or Moving Out of Your Office Rental Space in Overland Park

When deciding whether to renew your office space or find a new one, the best thing you can do is give yourself plenty of time to research and make this decision. Here are a couple of reasons why it is important to start the process early, as discussed in the article, When to Renew Your Lease:

Moving Takes Time. It takes a long time to pick a space, negotiate a new lease, and carry out the moving process. Landlords know this, so most likely your lease includes a Hold Over Provision, which will slap you with some steep fines if you are not out of your current space in time.
Give Yourself Leverage. If you are debating between moving and renewing, looking at other spaces early will make your landlord more likely to offer you a good deal to keep you as a tenant. If you wait until the last minute, the landlord will know you do not have a lot of options and will then have the upper hand in negotiations.
Research the Market. Take time to familiarize yourself with what market rates are, because it is possible that you are currently paying too much. If you go to your landlord armed with this knowledge, they might be inclined to lower your lease rate because they want to keep you as a long term tenant.

Do not wait until the last minute to decide whether to move or renew!

If you are looking for Overland Park office space, give a DDI commercial real estate broker in Overland Park a call at 913-685-4100!