“In the 1960s, if you introduced a new product to America, 90% of the people who viewed it for the first time believed in the corporate promise. Then 40 years later if you performed the same exercise less than 10% of the public believed it was true. The fracturing of trust is based on the fact that the consumer has been let down.”

- Howard Schultz?

This powerful quote about consumers and trust is especially true online.  So many consumers have been taken for a ride online that they are gun shy.  So, how can your web site exude trust to your prospects and web site visitors?

Here are a few items I’ve assembled to help you and your business out:

– Professional Web Design. Clean, crisp and relevant comes to mind when I think of a professional web design.  If you are selling a product or service, your web site design itself needs to put prospects at ease instantly.  I can’t stress how important it is to NOT skimp on this.

– Testimonials / Reviews / Accolades. Instill trust on your web site by sharing success stories or even showing other companies that your business has worked with.  This instantly gives some credibility and helps to build trust.  I would caution businesses to make certain that these testimonials / reviews are genuine and NOT made up.

– Security Certificates. If you are an online retailer, you need to make certain that consumers know your web site is safe. An $80 annual investment in a security certificate from a REPUTABLE vendor can work wonders and lets consumers / prospects know that you are concerned about their needs / privacy / safety.

– Phone Number. This is such a simple fix, adding a phone number to your web site home page can instill instant confidence as well.  People like to know that they can call someone if they ever need to.  They may not ever use it, but just knowing that they can is powerful.

– Clear Messaging. Speak the language of your prospects, speak to THEM.  The clearer your message is about your products and services, the more your web site speaks to them, the more they ultimately trust you.

– Up To Date News. If your business still has that press release dated from 1998 featured on your home page, you could be quickly losing trust from web site visitors.  With so many options for prospects to get news / information, etc., online, your corporate web site needs to be the source of relevant news and information.  The more recent, the better.

These are just a few of my own thoughts on what builds trust. The important thing is that you take a 30,000 foot view of your web site and put yourself in the shoes of the consumer. Would you trust buying from your own web site? If you need a hand or a second set of eyeballs, give me a call: in Orlando: 407-830-4550, Nationwide: 866-998-6886.

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