Steps To Improve Your Business Credibility

Credibility is critical in order to convert website visitors into clients or customers. Consequently, website credibility is a requirement for a successful web presence. If you are a fortune 500 company building your website, you don’t have to worry about establishing credibility. You have an established brand name, most likely recognized worldwide. Unfortunately, the rest of us will have to work hard to establish credibility online.

In the process of building a successful online business, you have to establish credibility. Take steps to establish your site as a credible business. Credibility does not guarantee sales, but, without a doubt, it will improve your sales conversion. As you consider your strategy for building credibility, think of the companies you consider credible. Think of the characteristics that make them credible. Is it their, customer service, product, quality of service, image in the community, philanthropy?

Make your site personable. Post pictures of real people. Don’t use stock photos of models. Your clients want to see the people behind your business. On your “About Us” page, take a picture of your team members and provide a brief description of their job descriptions. Posting the pictures will have a positive impact on your customers. In addition, your team will have a growing self-respect.

Make your contact information highly visible. Don’t hide your phone number if you want your customers to call. If your business is unable to support phone calls, don’t list your number. Instead, implement an easy to use “Contact Us” form. Your physical address should be listed on your site. If you are a home-based business and you don’t feel comfortable listing your address, get a PO Box. It is an inexpensive solution. Real businesses have real addresses.

Do not use auto responders. Ten years ago, when people were receiving ten percent of the e-mail they are receiving today, it would have been a great idea. Today, auto responders are the sign of amateurs. With a few exceptions, you should not use them. Don’t ever send an auto responder to an e-mail. Your customers don’t care that you have received their e-mail. They want an answer to their query, and if your response doesn’t include the answer, you have no business sending the e-mail.

Building Business Credibility

Make your website an asset to your visitors. If you are an accountant, your website should be an educational tool. Communicate tax code changes, and explain how the changes might affect them. Provide relevant content that may be of interest to your clients. Talk less about how great you are, and more about your customers’ needs. Provide hints, articles, interviews, podcasts, or even short video clips about relevant topics.

Write articles about your expert area. If you have a dry cleaning business, you might write articles about the benefits of the earth friendly chemicals you use. You can post the articles on your website. In addition, you can encourage other website owners to post your article on their sites. In exchange, you could post an article about their services on yours. Update your website content regularly. Your customers will appreciate a website with relevant content. A stagnant website communicates neglect.

Have a professionally designed website. Gone are the days when any website would be acceptable. If your cousin built your website, you might make him very proud but your customers will be less amused. Amateurish websites communicate a message that you are a hobbyist, and not a real business. You wouldn’t want your cousin to do your corporate taxes, or remodel your office, so don’t ask him to build your website either. The right website will require a professional company with expert designers, programmers, and Internet marketers. Your website is your business, treat it accordingly.

Having a website with spelling errors, bad images, and poor design is worse than having no website at all. Avoid errors of all types. Encourage your customers to bring errors to your attention. Your customers can provide you with feedback as they browse your site, and you can quickly make the necessary changes.

Clearly, explain what security measures you take to keep client information safe. If you pay for a third party security logo such as HackerSafe or ControlScan, make sure your customers understand the benefits. I would recommend ControlScan as opposed to HackerSafe because the word, Hacker” may have more of a negative effect than positive.