Your business MUST have a professioanl image.
Potential Customers make a consious decision about your business based on what they see, and more importantly, what their impression is. For example, someone is driving down the road and they see a small business, say an Antique Shop. If what they see is an attractive building with a neat and professional appearence, they're likely to pull in and take a look around the place. Further more, if they receive a warm welcome greeting by the poeple that work there when they walk in the building, they're going to feel more at home and are likely to stay for a longer period of time and look around.