This feng shui blogpost is about relationships — with your clients. One of the best ways to use feng shui to help with your business relationships is to take a critical look at your reception area or waiting room. This is your client’s first impression of you. In feng shui we say that environment mirrors consciousness. Hence, your space reflects your personality, your integrity, and the value of your services. While thinking about the unique message you want your reception area to convey, follow these common-sense rules of good feng shui:

• Post signage in the hallway and on the door. Make your name clear and easy to read.
• Say “Welcome,” whether on a doormat or a small sign on the reception desk, especially if a receptionist is not always present to greet your clients during the workday.
• Choose a reception desk with a closed front to stop energy flowing from the doorway and to create a boundary between the public and private areas of the office.
• Have a coat rack or coat closet available, especially in cold climates.
• Offer comfortable seating with all of your clients in mind—provide children’s seating and a small play area for a family clients, or chairs with armrests if you routinely work with seniors.
• Supply reading material that is current and topical.
• Add healthy live plants to soften corners and to supply oxygen, energy, and life to a transitional and often quiet space.
• Display awards or commendations, as well as artwork that you and your colleagues select to represent your company.
• Place a small fountain with a soft gurgle in the space if your building allows. An aquarium also works well. A water element will relax and focus your waiting clients. Whatever accoutrement you choose, keep it fastidiously clean.
• Add a rug to hardwood or tile floors to dampen sound, warm the space, and slow the energy. This also relaxes waiting clients.
• Keep the space well organized and uncluttered. A tidy space will telegraph your work ethic.

Tell your firm’s story with the décor, paint, furniture, and accessories in your reception lobby. An environmental law firm might create an accent wall with a mural of the rainforest and furnish their space with bamboo tables and chairs. A local bank might feature a Wall of Fame with photos of clients’ products and services.

When you use feng shui to create a reception area that expresses who you are and the value you provide, you’ll make a meaningful first impression.