18 ways to prove credibility of your business online
Author: Ivana Katz

Most first time entrepreneurs make a huge mistake by
concentrating all their efforts on driving visitors to
their website, but fail to prove credibility of their
business. Think about your own online experience and what
you look for in a business whose services/products you wish
to order.

Unfortunately many people are still afraid to shop on the
internet because they've heard horror stories from their
friends and colleagues who have lost money in various
online scams. And we know how fast news of bad service
travels!

In order to convert visitors into paying customers, you
need to prove your credibility... you need to show your
potential customers that you are trustworthy, reliable and
that you will deliver what you promise.

These are some of the EXTREMELY important issues your
website needs to cover:

1. Professional Design

Ensure your website is clean, easy to read and navigate.
You need to make sure your visitors can find what they are
looking for. Most websites either display their navigation
bar on the left or at the top. And since most people are
used to this type of navigation, it's best to stick with
it. It also helps to include your navigation bar at the
bottom of each page to save your visitors from having to
scroll back to the top. Stay away from:

- Flash intros, revolving globes, bevelled line separators,
animated mail boxes

- Loads of pop up or pop under boxes

- Autoplay music. Allow your customer to play music only
if they choose.

- Hit counters of the free variety, which say "you are 27th
visitor"

- Date and time stamps, unless your website is updated
daily or weekly

- Busy backgrounds.

2. Testimonials

Include testimonials from your current customers to show
your potential clients that you are trustworthy, reliable
and that you offer great service and/or products. Make
sure the testimonials are real and if possible provide
contact details of the person who supplied you with the
testimonial. If you don't have any right now, get them!
Simply email your customers and ask for their feedback on
your business and service. Most happy customers will
gladly provide this.

If you are starting out and don't have any customers yet,
volunteer your services or give away some of your products.
Then ask your customers to provide you with feedback - if
you've done a good job or your product is useful, they will
be more than happy to do so.

3. Before & After Shots

If appropriate, show your customers problem pictures and
beside them show the picture of resolution, with an
explanation of your service/product's benefits.

4. Photo Gallery / Portfolio

Even if you do not wish to sell your products on-line, you
may wish to showcase your goods or services in a special
photo gallery. They say "pictures speak a thousand words"
and on your website it is particularly important. Some
examples of photo galleries & portfolios include:

- photographers - photos they have taken,

- marriage celebrants - ceremonies they've performed,

- entertainers - photos from their performances,

- dress designers - garments they've designed

- web designers - websites they've created

- cake decorators - special cakes they've made and decorated

and the list goes on.

5. Money Back Guarantee

The longer the guarantee, the more effective it will be.
It could be 30 days, 60 days, 1 year or lifetime. Remember
you are trying to take the risk out of doing business with
you.

6. Privacy Policy

Privacy continues to be a major issue for customers
shopping online. Concerns about how their information is
going to be used is a major barrier when making a sale.
Internet shopping experience is built on trust and privacy
is the number one ingredient in trust. So let your
customers know you will not sell or rent their details to
third parties.

7. Contact Details

Place contact details in as many places as possible. Make
it easy for your customers to contact you. Create a
special "Contact Us" page, include your details in "About
Us" page and also at the bottom of each page. Information
to include: business name, physical address, mailing
address, telephone, fax, email, emergency number, website
address.

8. Trade Association Memberships

If you belong to trade associations or professional
business organizations, societies or clubs, ensure you
include all the details so that potential clients can
verify your reputation.

9. Resources/Articles

You can easily source free information on the internet.
This will ensure that customers will keep coming back to
your website, even if it is just to get information. The
more they visit, the more you will stick in their mind as
an expert and the next time they are ready to order your
products/services, you will be their first choice.

10. Provide fresh content

Content is still the king. You should include as much
information as possible about all your products and
services, such as brands, pricing (even if you can't be
specific with your prices, you should at least provide
ranges - eg. carpet cleaning $55 - $66 per room), shipping
costs, etc. Ensure your content gets updated regularly and
that all your information is truthful. Don't exaggerate
your products' benefits and features - your customers will
quickly see through any dishonest claims.

11. Media

Include any information, photos of your products, staff etc
that have appeared in the media - print, TV, radio or
internet. If you have written articles that have been
published, ensure you also include them.

12. Product Reviews

If your products have been positively reviewed on other
websites, ensure you place a link to them. What someone
else says about your product carries far more weight than
what you say.

13. Return/Refund Policy

To make your customers feel more comfortable when making a
transaction at your website, you should provide then with
your return/refund policy. Ensure it is easy to understand
and spelt out step by step. Let them know what the order
process involves and how they can be refunded if problems
arise.

14. About Us Info

This is a very important page as it tells your customer
about who you are and why they should buy your products,
services and/or trust your organization. It can also
feature your business hours (if you have a bricks and
mortar store) or when they can speak to a real person.
Many companies also include their mission or purpose on
this page, details of their staff (photos, biographies,
qualifications), recently completed projects. Other
information to include: ACN or ABN, logo, directions to
your store/office.

15. Security Information

If you sell products online or allow people to pay you via
your website, ensure you include your website security
details, such as the encryption that is used when they
enter confidential information into your forms or shopping
cart. Spell it out in simple terms to ensure your
customers understand it.

16. Awards

Ensure you include details of any awards that you or your
business have won.

17. Spell Check

Spell Check your website to make sure there are no spelling
or grammatical errors. Check that all links are working
and graphics display correctly. If your website has a lot
of mistakes, people will wonder about the quality of your
products and services.

18. Be active in your community

This can be your local community or on-line community. You
can sponsor events, teach classes or simply post useful
information on message boards and in newsgroups.

Remember, if you lack credibility, customers will not buy
from you, so it is extremely important that you do all you
can to show them that you are trustworthy. Put yourself in
their shoes and try to think like them - what obstacles
might there be in their mind which prevent them ordering
from you?


About the Author:

Ivana Katz of Websites 4 Small Business makes it easy for
you to get your business on the internet. If you're looking
for a professional and affordable website designer, visit
http://www.web4business.com.au and download a free website
plan.