Developing Your Credibility
An important part of building a successful Internet business
is developing your credibility. Although the Internet has opened
a whole New World of opportunity for all of us, it has also created
a breeding ground for scam artists. Internet users are very reluctant
to order online and share their personal information. For this
reason, you must take every opportunity to build your credibility.
Domain Name
The first step in establishing a credible Internet business is
to invest in a domain name. This will instantly convey to your
visitors that you take your business very seriously. Web sites
hosted on free servers are not taken seriously and will suffer
a serious loss of business. Your visitors may feel that if you
don't have your own domain, you may not be a credible company.
They'll simply take their business elsewhere.
Contact Information
It is very important that you provide your visitors with your
complete contact information. This information should include
your "real" postal address and not a Post Office box
number. A business that hides behind a PO box loses credibility.
It's perfectly acceptable to use a PO box as long as you also
include your postal address. A great way to display your information
is to create an "About" page. Your "About"
page should include all of the following:
• A personal or professional biography • A photograph
of yourself • A complete description of you and/or your company
• Your web site and/or company objectives • Your name,
address, phone number and email address
An "About" page is a very important part of building
your credibility -- especially if you're selling a product or
service. You must do everything in your power to put your potential
customers' mind at ease.
Privacy Statement
A credible business should let their visitors know exactly what
their policies are in regard to the personal information they
collect. A great way to disclose your policies is to create a
"Privacy" page. Your "Privacy" page should
include all of the following that apply: • How do you plan
on using your visitors' information?
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