Does your business have credibility?
Of course, you think your business has credibility but what do others think and how can you ensure that others see your business as credible!
Credibility = the quality of being trusted and believed in
Trustworthiness, reliability, dependability, integrity, reputation, status, believability…
Origin: mid 16th century: from medieval Latin credibilitas, from Latin credibilis
Why should credibility matter to you?
Credibility can be considered to be a higher achievement than success.
While you may feel successful, credibility is the way that others look at you. If others look at you as a reliable resource and decision-maker they know that they can rely on you, trust you and do business with you.
How do you become a credible business?
Building trust, earning trust and getting trust. If people like you then you have a chance for them to trust and ultimately want to do business with you.
If you are an expert in your field show that you are an expert. By being confident in your abilities you show people that you are reliable and someone they can count on.
Ensure that you are genuine and consistent in your messaging. Consistency in all aspects of your business and with your actions towards new and existing customers. This consistency must flow into being honest and dependable in all aspects of your business.
Continually trying to improve all aspects within your business gets you and keeps you on a path of credibility.
Is your website credible?
All visitors to your website will quickly scan the page/s to find the information they are looking for and may only spend 15 to 30 seconds before they move away and go elsewhere. If your visitor spends time beyond that they have seen your value and hopefully plan to take action.
Tips for your website:
- Plain language using commonplace terms that are easy for everyone to understand throughout your website
- Easy website navigation that meets standardised website expectations
- Make it very easy to contact you and to find your contact details throughout
- Have your phone number and address, this is essential for all businesses to show credibility
- Having a frequently asked question (FAQ’s) page is ideal for many types of businesses
- Consistency with your blog, if you are going to blog weekly, monthly or even quarterly. Make sure you stick to this.
- Share your expertise via your blog and make sure your website is worded in a way that makes it more about your visitors than about yourself.
- Testimonials and reviews for service and product businesses help to provide credibility to your audience
- Professional design is not something that everyone can do. While anyone can create a website, not everyone can ensure that it meets professional expectations. For example: Have your logo to the top left, keep the background of your website white or a light colour, have a search box and ensure it is secure and mobile responsive – just to name a few
- Use quality images with a high resolution, never have blurry photos
- Make your policies clear and easy to find. Free delivery or delivery costs for example should not be something anyone has to search for
Is your social media credible?
All visitors who see your social media posts and your social media pages will scan them for credibility. You need to ensure that your posts are meeting your visitors’ expectations.
- Regularly review your social media biography and contact details, is it all correct
- Ensure that you are consistently posting so that there are no big gaps between when you are posting
- Use plain conversational language to illicit a conversation
- Choose images that are of great quality
- Ask and answer questions of your followers
- Use various types of posts – images, links, products, services
- Share the benefits that your business offers without being spammy
- Promote your business through paid ads
Is your conversation credible?
When you are directly speaking to a new or existing client and providing promises, you need to ensure that you deliver on these promises. You know the saying ‘Under-promise and over-deliver.
We all get spam emails and calls that promise us the world, you don’t want your business practices to be like a spam email.
Remember that your conversation is everywhere. From your website to your socials and on to speaking directly via the phone, email and in-person, keep it all honest and credible.
Online there is a lot of misinformation and disinformation, you don’t want your business to end up in the same basket where people are looking at you with the same eyes. Take the time to ensure that you constantly work on your credibility and build trust with everyone who comes across your business.
Do you need help building credibility in your business? Contact Kelly @ My Sassy Business.
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