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10 Ways to Build Trust and Build Your Business
by Charlie Cook
You wouldn't buy a car if you
didn't think it could get you home. And you wouldn't purchase it
from a dealer you thought was robbing you blind on the price and
might not stand behind it if the engine fell out as you drove it off
the lot.
Before making a purchase from
you, buyers need to trust that your products and services will do
what they are supposed to. Does your marketing help establish the
trust necessary to convince prospects to buy from you? If you're
struggling to attract clients and customers, use the following
tactics to convert prospects to clients.
1. GET TESTIMONIALS No matter how great your credentials are or how
much experience you've had, people pay more attention to what OTHERS
have to say about you.
Pick up the phone and call your customers to ask what they thought
of your product or service, what they liked about it and how it was
helpful. Edit their comments, get their permission to use the
comments and then feature these testimonials in your marketing
materials.
2. USE ARTICLES INSTEAD OF ADS We have come to distrust ads and to
believe what we read in published articles. Invest your time in
writing articles to establish yourself as an expert. If you run ads,
include testimonials in them.
3. GIVE SOMETHING AWAY When you give something to people, regardless
of the cost, they are more likely to trust you and return the favor
by buying something from you. Use an ebook, article, workshop or
free demonstration to build trust.
4. GET REFERRALS When you need a new doctor, lawyer, plumber,
carpenter or a place to eat you ask a friend for a referral. You
trust the recommendations of people you know, and in fact, that's
how the majority of people find jobs. Don't wait for the occasional
referral to come in spontaneously; implement a proactive system to
generate referrals.
5. EXCHANGE ENDORSEMENTS Team up with a business you trust that also
targets your market. Get them to include an endorsement of your
products and services in their marketing and do the same for them.
While a personal referral is ideal, an endorsement is a close
second. This tactic can double your marketing reach at zero cost.
6. GIVE EXAMPLES Tell a story instead of making impersonal and
dramatic claims of what you or your product does. Use case studies
to tell what you did for whom and the difference it made in their
life or their business.
7. PERSONALIZE YOUR MARKETING Its a common misperception that to
sound credible your marketing should be dry and impersonal. People
do business with people. You need to help prospects get to know you
and trust you. Let your passion and personality come across in your
marketing as well as your professionalism. Include a picture of
yourself, with a smile, in a prominent place on the first page of
your marketing materials.
8. REDUCE PERCEIVED RISK Buyers' biggest concern is how well your
product or service will perform. Providing a guarantee may help, but
in most cases its not going to make the sale. Clarify the value you
provide and state your commitment to seeing that your clients are
not only happy, but ecstatic about your product and services.
9. MAKE CONTACT EASY If you want clients to get in touch with you,
show them how. Put your phone number at the top of your marketing
materials and tell them to call. When you call them, give them your
phone number again at the end of the conversation and tell them to
call. If you have a web site, put a contact form at the bottom of
your home page.
10. STAY IN TOUCH The people you see and talk to on a regular basis
are usually the ones you trust the most. Communication isn't the
only ingredient for developing trust, but it is a critical one. If
you sell services or high end products, a personal phone call is one
of the best ways to answer prospects questions, and to establish
trust. Contact your prospects and clients regularly and get feedback
on what they are concerned about.
You want to convert prospects to clients and clients to repeat
clients. Use these ten marketing tactics to build trust and you'll
find more prospects buying your products and services.
2003 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.
The author, Marketing Coach, Charlie Cook, helps independent
professionals and small business owners attract more clients and
grow their business with the 5 Principles of Highly Effective
Marketing. Signup for the Free Marketing Guide and the 'More
Business' newsletter, full of practical marketing tips at
www.charliecook.net |
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