The Power of Testimonials and Success Stories
There are a lot of sharks online these days. You can’t really be sure who is a legitimate business and who is not. I’m sure we have all visited websites that look really professional and then when we make an enquiry we discover they are not quite what they said they were. You must overcome this by building credibility.
Genuine Testimonials
One of the most powerful ways to do this is through testimonials. Video testimonials are ideal since they can’t easily be fabricated like a written testimonial could. If you see a real person explaining their experience it is much more believable.
Many of us are concerned about the cost of doing video testimonials. The reality is you don’t really need a high end video production. In fact, that can seem a little staged and false. A simple handy cam video across a boardroom table is all you need and it tends to appear far more genuine that way.
If you don’t have the time or find it hard to get people behind a camera, written testimonials are still good. Try to get a photo of the person so people can identify with a real person and include as much personal info as you can. For example, you place the name, where they are from, their age and whatever else may be relevant to your customers. Anything people may relate to and engage with.
Build Your Business Around Your Identity
Another big thing I’ve found to build credibility online is to be true to yourself. It seems to me all the small businesses try to appear big and the big businesses try to appear small (and more personal). If you are a small business why not build the business around your own identity and personality. Use your name and photo where appropriate.
Since many of the relationships are built with you personally why not leverage that advantage. Some I have suggested this to say they don’t want to remain a small business therefore they don’t want the business built around their personality. A lot is being said about building a business brand, but I really think as small business owners and entrepreneurs, we can build upon what we already have going for us. Take what you have and use it to your advantage.
