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Originally published in SiteProNews, February 04, 2008

The last time we've identified 4 key areas where you can build trust on your site. We'll show you how to implement trust-building techniques in these 4 areas.

The areas to focus on are:

1. Transparency
2. The Human Touch
3. Customer Care
4. Privacy and Security

So let's get started on these 4 methods through which you can build trust.

Method 1: Be Transparent

Unless you own physical stores or happen to be a trusted brand name reseller, one of your very first hurdles in building trust is showing your online visitors that you're "real." All you need to do is be transparent.

On your site, clearly state your address, phone number and better yet, reveal your picture, credentials and signature. Follow these guidelines to make your website more transparent:

Show Photos of Yourself or Your Staff

All else being equal, if you give people the option of dealing with a real-live person or a faceless corporation, they will choose real people every time.

If you're a small business, you are effectively your own brand. Use this advantage by prominently displaying your photo and signature on your website. If your site relies on your expert advice or name you might want to put the picture on the first page. Otherwise the picture could be on the About Us or Contact page.

A digital image of your signature (make one up if you're afraid of someone copying your original signature) can also be used to create trust. This signature can be placed below your Guarantee or Sales Letter.

Create a Logo

No matter how small your business, by all means - place a logo on your site. A decent logo can be purchased online for under $100.

A logo immediately establishes trust and credibility as long as it looks well designed. Don't worry about establishing your "timeless" corporate logo over days of brainstorming and soul searching. You can do that over time.

If you have a site up right now - consider getting a temporary logo from a logo mill and placing it prominently on the top left hand corner of your site.

Eye-tracking studies show the upper-left corner to be the most viewed section of your site and this is an ideal place to put your logo, company name and anything else you wish to sink into the customer's mind such as your brand statement.

A logo is so important for building trust that you should fork out that $39 and get a generic logo while you build your company's identity and image and decide on your permanent logo.

Contact Information

Display your contact info prominently on your Contact Us or Customer Support page. The contact info should include your physical address, phone number and email address.

We've heard of a website that saw its orders jump by 30% after it added a phone number to every page on the site.

If your site targets customers within the US but you happen to be outside the US, consider using Skype to buy a US phone number which forwards on to your local phone number. For only a few dollars a year you can have a US number being forwarded to your landline or mobile phone anywhere in the world.

Where should you place your contact information? Your complete address should be on your Contact Us Page. Also include a phone number and email. We also recommend including a phone number on the upper right hand side of EVERY page on your site.

If you do not have the capacity to handle too many calls, an email address will do. Keep in mind that phone numbers create a higher level of trust.

Your Bio or Company Profile

What should the bio or company profile contain?

1. Any piece of information that makes the visitor LIKE you. One of the first principles of sales is that people buy from people they LIKE. What's likeable about you? It could be a unique hobby, the fact that you have grandkids, or that you love your pets. Share yourself online and don't be shy.
2. Information that makes the visitor RELATE to you. People buy from people who are SIMILAR to them. Your gardening site likely attracts a lot of gardeners, so create a bond with them by sharing information on yourself so they can see just how similar you are.
3. Information that shows your EXPERTISE. If you're an expert on the topic your site is devoted to - share this. People respect experts. If you do not wish to create a single face for your company, write about your business story instead. Talk about how the business was started, your vision, goals, the early hardship you encountered, the joy of running the business and the way it was growing. These all make for excellent stories. And these honest, personal stories build trust.

Language

The internet is a conversational medium so talk like a real person and avoid annoying corporate-speak. In fact, one of the surest ways we've found to identify incompetent businesses and experts is by observing the language they use on the web.

When a website opens with "our goal is to optimize the client-business relationship by strategically aligning core elements of your web infrastructure to create a highly convergent....." we know this company knows little about the web business. On the Web - speak like a Human Being!

Bjorn Brands is a successfull enterprenuer who transitioned from having his own building company to a great online business. Check out his site and see for yourself how he can help you do the same at http://www.moneyacces.com

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