You can accomplish a lot with a little investment and boost your client traffic up to 30 percent. Here are some creative ways to spiff things up.  Tame wayward extension cords, tend to neglected landscaping, rebuild the porch, de-clutter countertops are just a few suggestions!

Dated. That's how the eye of a discerning consumer views your facility if it's been more than five years since you've changed your look.

But why does it matter what your facility looks like? It's all about the medicine, right? You know the story. Clients can't judge your medicine, so they'll judge your appearance. Let's take a look at what pet owners might see when they visit your facility - and what every facility can do to improve.

Take a Closer Look

Walk through your facility with a camera and review any evidence of cobwebs and clutter. Then consider these 10 ways to beautify your facility.

Tame wayward extension cords.  You bought high-tech equipment to improve the quality of the medicine you facility and now that high-speed dental drill is leaning against the wall in the surgery. Hire an electrician. You'll pay about $100 for each outlet you add. Considering that loose cords are a fire hazard and can be a threat to patients who see them as chew toys, this is a smart fix.

Tend to neglected landscaping. Your facility may be obscured by overgrown bushes, tree branches, and the very plants designed to make your facility more welcoming. Get in the thick of your thickets and trim out the overgrowth. Remove plants that are withered or sick looking. Before you replace them, do your homework and talk to a landscape expert. Slower-growing plants that don't require much water are a good choice. One suggestion is to choose plants and trees that change colours at different times of the year and also choose pet friendly plants and avoid those that are common allergens. Keep plants and trees a safe distance from the path to the entry, so that animal elimination doesn't kill them.

Rebuild the porch. If it's sagging, it's time. You can rebuild and put up new columns for not a lot of money.

Apply a fresh coat of paint. Painting your interior is cheap and easy, and it makes a world of difference. Paint most of the walls a crisp white or some definitive colour that makes everything look clean. Then feature your reception desk or your corner store with a bold colour. Painting can make a big impact on the outside of your facility, too - as long as your colours send the right message.

Replace windows that obscure, reflect, and distract. Your building will appear friendlier if you replace dark-tinted or reflective glass with clear glass. Retail people learned a long time ago that you need to have clear glass windows. There is a strong correlation between retail stores that fail and how dark their windows are.

Update waiting area seating. Don't stress yourself out looking for seating that's going to last forever. It won't - and you don't want it to. In five years, current colours and styles will look dated. Instead, look for sturdy chairs with a reasonable price tag - patio furniture often works well - and choose a variety of styles. For example, you might set up a few bistro-style tables with a bench or some loose chairs that clients can group around tables.

Declutter countertops. Remove the fliers, cans, bottles, bags, and stacks of paper. You want your facility to look current, clean, calming and professional. If you have merchandise in the waiting room, display it in a corner store - a destination that will make people want to go and check it out.

Use a mix of lighting. An ideal lighting scheme includes natural and incandescent lighting. If you use fluorescent lighting, look for those on the warmer end of the spectrum. Accent lighting, such as track systems over the reception desk, are functional and add interest. Also employee productivity improves when you increase the natural light of a work environment.

Muffle noise. Installing fabric-wrapped panels on the walls to absorb sound will help. These can also add colour and interest to your facility, and you can use them as bulletin boards. Check your doors as well. Cats and people startle when a door squawks or slams. A dose of lubricant or new weathers-tripping will do wonders.

Nix dead plants. If the ferns are wilting, clients may wonder about your ability to keep their pets healthy. Plus, house plants are homes for bugs and mould. Instead, consider fresh cut flowers twice a week on the reception desk.

IT REALLY WORKS

The money you spend on a remodel is an investment that can pay for itself many times over. Dan Chapel, AIA, owner of Chapel Associates Architects in Little Rock, Ark., gives this example: one of his clients recently undertook a substantial remodel that included tearing out landscaping, building a new sign and porch, changing the shape of the roof, painting the building, laying new asphalt, and re-striping the parking lot. "It was like we'd built a new building." Chapel says, "People who'd lived in that community for 10 years came in to say. "I can't believe you put an animal facility here."

The kicker? The clinic had been at that location since 1959. For an $80,000 investment, the facility owner saw a 30 percent increase in business, which Chapel says is common after a remodel. "It more than pays for itself" he says.

Quick-fix outdoor checklist

Use this list to boost your facility's curb appeal.

When clients drive by your facility at 60mph, they have only a split second to develop an opinion. When they pull into your lot at 10mph, they see another level of detail.  And when they're walking to your building at 3mph, their visual acuity is even stronger. Your building has to work on all those different levels.  Here's a quick look at steps you can take to make the outside of your facility shine:

• Clean windows inside and out regularly
• Power-wash walls, paths and porchesClean your gutters
• Hide your trash and recycling containers
• Paint any walls and structures that are faded or peeling
• Repave cracked sidewalks 
• Re-stripe the parking lot
• Rebuild your porchPaint your door and replace the door handle
• Create a focal point at your entry, such as a water feature, pergola, or sculpture.

Source: By Portia Stewart Annual Conference 2009 Veterinary Economics