Does your building have curb appeal? According to the experts, first impressions are made within the first seven seconds, so you don’t have much time to impress your guests. You want your building to make a good first impression, so as a maintenance manager, curb appeal matters.

What are some of the best ways to give your building a makeover and increase your curb appeal? There are several steps you can take to improve the look of your building.

Take care of your parking lot

In most cases, the very first experience guests have with your property is the parking lot. If there are potholes, missing lines, or torn-up sections, it may be unsightly and make accessing your business more difficult.

Upgrade your signage

Is it a trek from the parking lot to the building? Is there a specific entrance visitors need to use? Make sure that your signage is in good shape and keeps visitors informed. Losing their way because your signage is unclear likely does not convey your desired message before guests even reach your front desk.

Your business sign should also look professional and clean so visitors can see right off the bat that you take pride in your business.

Make repairs

If you’ve been holding off on completing exterior repairs, now’s a perfect time. Right away, a visitor seeing broken stairs, walkways, or windows, may get the impression that your team is neglectful or too busy to take care of these issues.

While not technically a repair, maintenance of small things like caulking, cracked brick, and peeling paint are all things you should keep your eye on as seasons change and address them as soon as you can to keep your building looking its best. Sometimes all your building needs is a power wash to get it looking brand new!

Add lighting

Visitors often leave the premises at dusk and as well as upping the safety factor, additional lighting can add a sense of style. Don’t forget your walkways, too, as lighting can brighten up the trip from the entrance to the parking lot.

Pay attention to landscaping

Flowers add a nice touch to the building and can be updated seasonally for colour and aesthetic. For lower maintenance options, plant perennials or bushes that can be simply maintained with water and the occasional trim.

Your lawn care is also important. Be sure to irrigate and keep your grass looking great. Also, don’t forget to get rid of any dying shrubs or grass as part of your landscaping, as well as weeding and mulching for the most appealing effect.

Contrary to the old saying, people do judge a book by its cover. It’s important to stay on top of the maintenance that leads visitors to make their first impression about your building and your business.