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Monday, January 25, 2010


Building Credibility Online - 4 Helpful Tips to Build Credibility on the Internet 

Internet marketing has become much more competitive in recent years; and as a result, consumer confidence has lowered. The trust factor has been lost in many people surfing the Internet, and it is harder to build up a reputation than it has ever been.  Here are a few things you can do to help show your customers that you are there for them all the way, and not just some fly-by-night individual or company that has only dollars signs in their eyes.
Credibility Building Tip # 1: Be Accountable.
In everything you do, be accountable. Be accountable for your actions, your products and your services. In order to get this done, you will have to be available for your customers in one way or another.
Have you ever had the experience of buying a service or product, and trying to contact customer service for some type of support? In this day and age, it has become a given that many times support will not be offered, and you will be on your own to fumble your way and find your own answers on the Internet. Marketing has taken an all time low with scammers trying to make a fast buck.  When you're first starting out, you will need to answer your e-mails as fast as you can and let people know that you are there for them. As you build up your business, you can hire customer service representatives to work on your behalf. The main concern here is letting people know that you are there to back up your product or service.  Many times people just contact customer service to see if there is anyone at the other end. At other times, customers really appreciate an answer to their question, even if it does not give a solution. They are thankful to just get a reply to an email or support ticket.  If e-mails cannot be answered quickly enough, you will lose customers. Try to answer all of your mail within a 24-hour period; and if you're unable to do so, let people know that you will respond within 48 or 72 hours. People can usually deal with this time period if they know ahead of time that there will be a short wait.
Credibility Building Tip # 2: Offer a Photo.
A photo of yourself, or you with your family, allows people to see that you are a real person, and not an unknown. It is best to show people who you are, and it really does not matter what you look like.
Some Internet marketers have a misconception that they should look all shiny and polished; when in reality, the average customer can relate better to someone who presents himself honestly.  Fast cars and money jars full of gold used to be applied for Internet marketing advertising, but the average consumer distrusts this type of flamboyant hype and is more drawn to honesty and integrity.  It is also best to use your real name along with your photo. It is a sign that you have nothing to hide, and are willing to present your true self.
Credibility Building Tip # 3: Show Your Results.
People want proof before they buy a product, in many cases. And if you can show them that your product or service outperforms others, then you have a much better chance of selling to them.  It is a good idea to make a video of you using the product yourself, so that others can see that if it is good enough for you to use, then it must be good enough for them. You can also show the results you got by using this product or service right on your video.  Making a video of yourself in this fashion will also raise your trust factor by again making yourself more real. The video is very easy to make, and if you plan it out ahead of time it won't take long at all.
Credibility Building Tip # 4: Stand Behind Everything You Offer.
Your guarantee is everything, and most Internet consumers are looking for a guarantee before they make a purchase. You need to stand behind everything you offer, and let people know about this before they make their purchase.  It is important to make your guarantee stand out above the crowd of other guarantees. Let people know what they can expect before they make their initial purchase, and then stick to it no matter what.
Whenever you offer a product or service, your reputation is at stake. Take a look at what you are offering and make sure that it is something that delivers value and not a devalued moneymaking scheme.  As an affiliate, test everything you promote or you might find yourself losing some credibility by offering a bad product.  Your credibility, your honor and your values should be part of your Internet marketing business. If you can show others that you have set this kind of standard, then you will have many followers that will stay with you forever.  Want to discover the most incredible and intuitive membership site software today? Then go to http://www.memberspeed.com for details on the world's leading client and content management system, considered as the professional's choice all-in-one e-commerce solution.