What small businesses must tell their markets

When we meet a new group of people we judge them immediately for three things, how ‘warm’ (friendly, trustworthy) and ‘competent’ (efficient, effective) and how ‘prestigious’ (up-market, middle market) they appear to be. Well tested theory maintains that we inherited this reaction from our ancient ancestors. Those who failed to make such judgements, or got them wrong, did not survive. So we make the same judgements today including about small businesses claims Dr Dian Wang who recently completed his doctorate at the University of Chester. His work analysed what nearly 200 small businesses said about themselves by interviewing their owner-managers or analysing their websites.