If you run any type of online business, chances are, you're looking to increase your credibility with your target audience.
Here are a few simple, yet sadly, often overlooked, ways you can do that:
1. Be consistent. Publish your newsletter when you say you will.
Someone who considers herself an online marketer actually sent an email stating something to the effect of "sorry I haven't been in touch lately [it'd been well over a month], I've been busy"…"here's some info about my great new product".
There's really nothing else to say after that example.
2. Make your public email address a *real* one with a *real* domain.
If you love gmail, yahoo, or msn…great. Use that for your personal or private emails. Your public email account should represent your business URL or name.
I'm sorry, but I don't get a warm fuzzy feeling about your business when I see something like SusieTheGetMoreClientsCoach@gmail.com (I made this up) as the public way to contact you.
3. Offer something of value for FREE. Go ahead, give 'em the "how".
Yes, I know…you're online to make money. But if you don't share a sampling of what you know and how SPECIFICALLY you can help them, there's no reason for them to give you a try.
In this world of "give the what and the why, but not the how", I'm requesting that you step out and give some "how". It's good for your soon-to-be-clients and it's good for your reputation and it's good for your karma. 🙂
There are, of course, several other ways you can increase your credibility online, and offline.
I'd love to hear what you think of these and any others you'd like to offer our readers (yep…another way for you to build credibility is to post relevent content on others' blogs — consider this your hint). 🙂