Every day, new people make their first online purchase. It
could be a physical product that will be shipped, a
download, a service, a membership, or any number of things
that are for sale online. Some of the purchases are small,
and don't appear to be risky on the surface: a 7 dollar
membership, or a 19 dollar ebook. But even for these minor
purchases, the buyer has to take a leap of faith that when
they hand over their hard earned money during a cyber-space
transaction, they are really going to get something in
return.
To help your visitors feel confidence in their purchase
and feel assured that they won't end up being ripped off,
there are several ways to establish your credibility.
The foundation for establishing trust is simple: make sure
that every bit of your sales copy is truthful. When what
you say is true, it just sounds true. Certainly, you want
to be persuasive in describing your offer and benefits, but
resist any temptation to exaggerate or evade.
Then there are the details that make you believable
because they are real and sound real. For example, rather
than rounding off or estimating when using numbers, be
specific. Instead of saying, "More than 60," say the exact
amount, "67."
Include a human presence on the site such as a personal
photograph. Also, give contact information, and so forth.
The site is also imbued with a human presence by giving
evidence that can be verified of your expertise. That is,
if you have earned credentials related to the product or
service or if you have written and published articles on
relevant topics, refer to them.
Use favorable materials from outside sources. Examples
include independent test results, reviews, quotes from
experts about similar products to yours, awards, etc. These
third party materials virtually amount to endorsements. And
of course, if you have endorsements, highlight them in your
copy.
Always use testimonials. Online, include these early in
the copy. Text testimonials are fine, but if you have audio
testimonials they are better because they are proven and
tested to increase results. If you have not already begun
collecting testimonials, start today. Begin by asking
people who are your customers already for feedback. To get
testimonials for a new product, give fr^ee trials, no
strings attached. Just ask for a testimonial only if they
feel it is truly deserved.
Good testimonials have certain characteristics. For one
thing, they have both first and last names. Comments from
Lisa Z aren't nearly as credible those from Lisa Zellerman.
When possible, include city, state, and perhaps some
identifying information. For example, Lisa Zellerman, first
time homeowner. The testimonial should be brief, a sentence
or two. It should focus on something specific. And it's
best if it describes measurable results.
Use some or all of these strategies to establish
credibility and trust, and you will greatly enhance your
sales. In the end, it doesn't matter if your offer is
terrific and your product is miraculous unless the prospect
believes in you.
Consultant and author Loren Beckart, VP of Marketing at <a
href=http://www.ClickTracs.com>ClickTracs Advertising,</a>
offers additional articles and resources to help you
promote your internet business. Visit: www.ClickTracs.com
