I find this a most interesting and somewhat complex subject, as there has to be TRUST in any business relationship before any exchange is made. This can be quite difficult to achieve, when you have never met your customer (prospect) face to face in another part of the country...or even the world.
Having been on the www over five years, here are a few pointers that we find helpful in the online sales process:
1. Have your OWN DOMAIN NAME
(not expensive - less than $20 a year from www.000Domains.com
We have three of them at:
http://www.craiglock.com)
http://www.nzenterprise.com and
http://www.novelty-gift.com/
2. Offer GUARANTEES (money-back) on your products or services
N.B:
3. Emphasise transaction SECURITY in the form of a secure payment system and a secure server.
4. OFFER TESTIMONIALS
5. Have a PRIVACY POLICY for your online business. Offer a Privacy Statement
6. Have CONTACT INFO on your web site. People then know to get hold of you, if they want further info... or if there is a problem (they do occur from time to time, but a problem is only an opportunity in disguise!).
7. Offer a BRIEF BIO - a little bit about yourself and how you are qualified to offer your product or service. This builds trust in your abilities.
8, Have a FEEDBACK FORM on your web site for visitors comments about possible improvements... and finally and most importantly,
9. BE YOURSELF, YET BE PROFESSIONAL IN YOUR WRITING (on your web site). Just be YOU, when writing script on your website or in your ezine articles . Ensure the information is accurate - write with absolute integrity and honesty. Also suggest using a bit of HUMOUR in your writing. I try to use a "dollop", as I believe reading a computer screen is not a very exciting pastime (except to "geeks"). It's also a sedentary (big word) activity; so the least I can do for our site visitors, as a reward, is attempting informing and trying to entertain at the same time with doses of my "rather strange/wacky/ zany" humour. Hopefully it works!
and finally,
10. "GIVE AND THOU SHALT RECEIVE." GIVE FREE INFORMATION ... AND YOU WILL SURELY RECEIVE FAR MORE IN RETURN. (Everybody has unique knowledge and expertise in certain areas - specialised skills, which can help others through SHARING). This is the basis of "the Golden Rule", the Law of Giving, which is the basis of all the religions of the world (I think!).
Become a "busy internet marketing bee" in building your online credibility
Follow all these steps and people then will be attracted to your web site (and regular TRAFFIC is THE BASIS/KEY FOR/TO SALES), like bees to a honey-pot (that's a simile, by the way!).
Here's to finding your "pot of gold" at the end of the internet marketing "rainbow".*
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