The last time we've identified 4 key areas where you can
build trust on your site. We'll show you how to implement
trust-building techniques in these 4 areas.
The areas to focus on are:
1. Transparency:
2. The Human Touch:
3. Customer Care
4. Privacy and Security:
So let's get started on these 4 methods through which you
can build trust.
Method 1: Be Transparent
Unless you own physical stores or happen to be a trusted
brand name reseller, one of your very first hurdles in
building trust is showing your online visitors that you're
"real." All you need to do is be transparent.
On your site, clearly state your address, phone number and
better yet, reveal your picture, credentials and signature.
Follow these guidelines to make your website more
transparent:
Show Photos of Yourself or Your Staff
All else being equal, if you give people the option of
dealing with a real-live person or a faceless corporation,
they will choose real people every time.
If you're a small business, you are effectively your own
brand. Use this advantage by prominently displaying your
photo and signature on your website. If your site relies on
your expert advice or name you might want to put the
picture on the first page. Otherwise the picture could be
on the About Us or Contact page.
A digital image of your signature (make one up if you're
afraid of someone copying your original signature) can also
be used to create trust. This signature can be placed below
your Guarantee or Sales Letter.
Create a Logo
No matter how small your business, by all means - place a
logo on your site. A decent logo can be purchased online
for under $100.
A logo immediately establishes trust and credibility as
long as it looks well designed. Don't worry about
establishing your "timeless" corporate logo over days of
brainstorming and soul searching. You can do that over time.
If you have a site up right now - consider getting a
temporary logo from a logo mill and placing it prominently
on the top left hand corner of your site.
Eye-tracking studies show the upper-left corner to be the
most viewed section of your site and this is an ideal place
to put your logo, company name and anything else you wish
to sink into the customer's mind such as your brand
statement.
A logo is so important for building trust that you should
fork out that $39 and get a generic logo while you build
your company's identity and image and decide on your
permanent logo.
Contact Information
Display your contact info prominently on your Contact Us or
Customer Support page. The contact info should include your
physical address, phone number and email address.
We've heard of a website that saw its orders jump by 30%
after it added a phone number to every page on the site.
If your site targets customers within the US but you happen
to be outside the US, consider using Skype to buy a US
phone number which forwards on to your local phone number.
For only a few dollars a year you can have a US number
being forwarded to your landline or mobile phone anywhere
in the world.
Where should you place your contact information? Your
complete address should be on your Contact Us Page. Also
include a phone number and email. We also recommend
including a phone number on the upper right hand side of
EVERY page on your site.
If you do not have the capacity to handle too many calls,
an email address will do. Keep in mind that phone numbers
create a higher level of trust.
Your Bio or Company Profile
What should the bio or company profile contain?
1. Any piece of information that makes the visitor LIKE
you. One of the first principles of sales is that people
buy from people they LIKE. What's likeable about you? It
could be a unique hobby, the fact that you have grandkids,
or that you love your pets. Share yourself online and don't
be shy.
2. Information that makes the visitor RELATE to you. People
buy from people who are SIMILAR to them. Your gardening
site likely attracts a lot of gardeners, so create a bond
with them by sharing information on yourself so they can
see just how similar you are.
3. Information that shows your EXPERTISE. If you're an
expert on the topic your site is devoted to - share this.
People respect experts. If you do not wish to create a
single face for your company, write about your business
story instead. Talk about how the business was started,
your vision, goals, the early hardship you encountered, the
joy of running the business and the way it was growing.
These all make for excellent stories. And these honest,
personal stories build trust.
Language
The internet is a conversational medium so talk like a real
person and avoid annoying corporate-speak. In fact, one of
the surest ways we've found to identify incompetent
businesses and experts is by observing the language they
use on the web.
When a website opens with "our goal is to optimize the
client-business relationship by strategically aligning core
elements of your web infrastructure to create a highly
convergent....." we know this company knows little about
the web business. On the Web - speak like a Human Being!
----------------------------------------------------
Bjorn Brands is a successfull enterprenuer who transitioned
from having his own building company to a great online
business. Check out his site and see for yourself how he
can help you do the same at http://www.moneyacces.com
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