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One of the main factors that turn potential clients into paying customers is trust!
People purchase your products and services because they trust you above everyone else to meet their very specific needs and wants and solve their specific problems.
When all factors are viewed as equal (including trust level) customers will default to cost.
If you want to rise above the competition and avoid being price-shopped, you need to build more trust, and one of the best ways that you can show potential clients that you are trustworthy is through your website.
In this article, I will walk you through eight things you can do to create a website that builds trust.
#1 PROFESSIONAL DESIGN
In order to compete in today's oversaturated marketplace, it is important to have a website with a clean, modern, and visually appealing design. A well-designed website reflects professionalism and attention to detail, which can contribute to building trust.
Don't think your website design is that important? Think again. A recent survey by Hubspot found that 90% of people stated that website design is the most important factor when it comes to deciding whether or not to trust a business.
#2 SPEAK TO YOUR IDEAL CLIENT
Have you ever met someone and immediately thought to yourself, they really get me? This is what it's like for your potential customers when your website clearly articulates that you know who they are, you understand them, and you know how to meet their needs and solve their very specific problems.
Trying to be everything to everyone in business is the equivalent of being an overzealous people-pleaser. Like an obnoxious "yes-man" who is just trying to tell you what you want to hear.
Don't be afraid to speak directly to your ideal client. You can do this on your website in a few different ways:
Taglines and Hooks - The worst thing you can do is to use boring, fluffy, and generic taglines. Instead, dig deep into who your ideal client is and what their specific needs, wants and problems are, and right your taglines and hooks to address these particular things.
Website Copy - Your website copy should always be customer focused and written in a way that articulates that you know who your ideal client is. People don't care about who you are as much as they care about what's in it for them if they work with you.
Images - All of your images should appeal to your ideal client. And, when I say all, I mean all! When it comes to website images, the rule is quality over quantity! Particularly in an aesthetic-based business such as weddings or beauty, one "bad" photo that does not appeal to your ideal client is enough to make them fearful that you won't be able to understand their vision or meet their needs.
The first step in being able to speak directly to and connect with your ideal client is to know who they are and more importantly, what motivates them. I show you how to do this in my recent article "The Three Most Important Things to Know About Your Ideal Client"
#3 CONSISTENCY
There is an old saying in business, "If you confuse them, you lose them!"
Just like inconsistency can lead to distrust in people, the same is true with your business and your website. Make sure that you are sending a clear and consistent message throughout your website and your social media by way of the look and feel of your site, your images, and your website copy.
#4 HIGH QUALITY CONTENT
A great way to instill trust in your potential clients through your website is by providing relevant and valuable content that addresses your audience's needs, questions, and concerns.
Blogging is one of the best ways you can do this. Keep in mind, however, that just like your website images, when it comes to blog posts, it's all about quality, not quantity.
Write blog posts that are directly in line with your ideal client. What interested them? What are they curious about? What are their fears and concerns? A clear, concise, well-researched, and well-written blog post will send the message to your ideal client that you listen, you know who they are, you understand what they want and you are the best choice to meet their needs and solve their problems.
#5 LAYERED INFORMATION
Potential clients are coming to your website to get information about your business. You want to give them the information they need but trying to cram every bit of information down their throat on every page of your website can be overwhelming and turn potential clients off.
The key to providing information is to layer it and lay it out in a way that makes logical sense. Here are some examples:
Home Page - Your home page is like the billboard and directory for your site all in one. Lay out your website in a hierarchy with the most valuable and relevant information first. Lead your potential clients to the places on your site that are most important and most likely to instill trust.
Service Page - Your service page should be a clear and concise overview of what you have to offer. Instead of trying to cram every bit of information on your service page, give direct calls to action throughout your site. This can be done by adding links and buttons that lead visitors to more information such as your contact page, FAQ page, portfolio, or even a blog post.
#6 PORTFOLIOS AND GALLERIES
We have all heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Having the right images on your website is one of the most important components for instilling trust in potential clients.
I have mentioned this before but it is worth mentioning again...when it comes to your website images, think consistency and quality!
Showcase only your best work that is in line with and appeals to your ideal client.
If you have an extensive portfolio, it is a great idea to lay out your work in a way that is easy for your website visitors to find the images and galleries that most interest them. This can be done by creating individual featured portfolios. You can CLICK HERE to see an example of this in one of your website templates. Or CLICK HERE to see how we use a sorting feature to help organize our portfolio.
#7 TESTIMONIALS AND REVIEWS
Testimonials and reviews are a great way to show social proof and reassure potential clients that others have had positive experiences with your products or services.
#8 ACCOMPLISHMENTS & MEDIA MENTIONS
Displaying your accomplishments such as schooling, degrees, industry certifications, awards, or affiliations can help solidify your credibility and expertise.
Displaying your press and media mentions is also a great way to instill social proof in your potential clients. If you have been featured in publications, television shows, or blogs, make sure and add these logos and badges to your website.
While giving yourself a shoutout for all you have achieved will help solidify social proof, remember, that people don't care as much about you as they care about what you can do for them so, always make sure that your accomplishments are not the entire focus of your branding or website.
I hope that this article has been helpful to you! If you would like to discuss more ways to build a website that builds trust, CLICK HERE to set up a free consultation.