8 Easy
Ways to Boost Credibility and Online Sales
by Leva Duell
Credibility is a big concern on the Internet.
If you're selling products or services online, it's essential that potential
buyers trust you. Follow these strategies to build trust with your web
site.
Obtain your own domain name. Your domain name is your unique address
on the Internet such as http://www.yourname.com. To find a list of domain
name registration services and check the availability of your preferred
domain name, go to http://www.internic.com.
Pay for hosting. Why should you pay for hosting when there is free hosting
available? To have a short domain name and convey a professional image,
you must pay for hosting and obtain your own domain name. Free hosting
has many limitations and often provides only limited space for personal
use. Your URL (web address) will be long and look like http://www.freeserver.com/yourname/your
filename.htm. Most free hosting companies place advertising on your
web pages that distracts from your message and slows down your pages.
And it's difficult to get listed in major search engines when using
a free hosting service. Hosting fees average $15-$30/month. Pay this
low fee to increase credibility and gain your prospects' trust.
Provide useful content. Content is the most important component of your
web site. It gives visitors and prospective buyers a reason to come
to your site, return, and refer others. It builds credibility and makes
you an authority on a particular topic. Examples of content include
articles, reports, newsletters, software downloads, discussion boards,
book excerpts, and resources. Tailor the information to your ideal audience.
Update frequently. Studies show that people will spend more time at
a site that changes regularly. Add new information often to motivate
potential buyers to return to your site and build trust. It may take
from four to seven visits before they buy. Remove outdated information.
For more information about content, read How to Attract Visitors to
Your Web Site at http://www.FiveStarWebDesign.com/content.htm and How
to Keep Visitors Coming Back. at http://www.FiveStarWebDesign.com/return.htm.
Make it easy to contact you. Provide contact information or a link to
your contact page on every page. Include the name of a contact person,
business name, email address, 800 number, fax, and street address. Mention
a local phone number (international prospects can't use 800 numbers).
Make purchasing easy. Convenience and instant access are the most attractive
features of doing business on the Internet. Make your order form easy
to find. Provide plenty of links to your products/services page and
order form and lead your prospects to your order form. Accept credit
card payments. Give your customers several ordering options, including
a secure online order form, and ordering by phone, fax, email, and regular
mail. Some people won't trust posting their credit card online but will
provide their credit card information over the phone or fax. Overcome
buyer resistance with a money-back guarantee.
Boost credibility with testimonials. Testimonials from experts and satisfied
customers demonstrate the benefits of your products and are a powerful
way to boost your prospects' confidence. Testimonials are much more
effective than you touting your products. They convey benefits and confirm
your claims. For maximum effect, provide the full name, title, company
name, city, and state of the people providing testimonials.
Use correct spelling and grammar. Typos will weaken your credibility
and sabotage sales. Spellcheck all documents and any changes you make.
Remember that words like your, you're, their, there, its, and it's are
not caught by spellcheckers. Read your web site carefully. Have others
read it too and consider hiring a professional proofreader.
Apply these strategies to build trust and increase sales.
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secretarial business and cash in on the high demand for secretarial
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We Provide a No-Risk 90 Day Instant Money-Back
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