There’s plenty of money to be made in online business and still plenty of room for new companies to get a slice of the pie. Whether you’re selling your own products online, starting a store of your own, or providing services, however, there’s going to be a lot of competition out there. Besides finding the most profitable and sustainable niche you can, trust is going to be a key deciding factor. Customers are right to be picky, with the long history of scams and cheap moneymaking schemes online. So, how do you get your business the trust it deserves?
Show that you’re a real-life human being
It’s easy to do make money relatively anonymous online, but people are naturally skeptical of businesses that show little of the people who run things and work there. An address can help, but if you’re using your home as a base of operations, it’s easy to see why you would be hesitant to give out your home address. It might feel a little too exposing and you could be rightfully concerned that it doesn’t inspire a great deal of faith from customers so using a mail forwarding address can offer your brand a bit more of a professional polish. Make sure you have an “About Us” page that gives at least a little detail, such as name and photograph, on you, the owner.
Build that brand
The look and voice of the business play a huge role in the brand reputation that it will develop. You have to be ready to invest in creating a brand that looks truly professional. In the online world, this means having a website created by a professional, with unique visual elements, and a logo and business name that stands out amongst the crowd. It also means coming up with a brand story that’s true to your aims while at the same time talking in the language most relevant to what your consumers want and expect from you. The brand story is the cornerstone of what you talk or write about in your marketing and can be based around the problem that your products or services help customers overcome.
Get your customers on side
Your customers are the best verification you can ask for. Consumers tend to trust other consumers over brands that they have never used before. For that reason, you need to get word-of-mouth building for you as soon as possible. There are a few ways to stimulate its growth. Get on social media and talk with your customers, encouraging them to share feedback and show their support. Ask them for customer reviews and testimonials both for the website and for the many online review sites, too.
Lastly, all of the tips above are underpinned by the fact that you need to do exactly what your business promises it will do. If you talk the talk without walking the walk, that trust will only last so long so be careful what you promise customers before you’re certain you can deliver it.