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Is Your Website Image Up to Par?
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By L A Parmley
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One major problem you must overcome when selling virtuallyanything on the internet is that many people still don't quitetrust it. You need to help them overcome their fears by creatinga professional image. You need to convey trust and make yourpotential customers feel as though they can safely buy from you.Everyone knows about scams. No one wants to be taken advantageof by one.
Depending on what you're selling, joining the Better BusinessBureau is a great idea. If your competitors are members of theBBB, you might really consider it. Even if they aren't, joiningthe BBB certainly won't hurt.
The Bureau will now recognize internet businesses and provideyour website with an Online Better Business icon. Call yourlocal agency to determine if you meet the qualifications. Ifyou've been in business long enough, you probably qualify.
Contact Info Be sure you provide adequate contact information onyour site. Consumers want to know that there is an actual personbehind the site and they may want to contact you. Otherwise,they really don't know if the site is current. Therefore, youshould provide several different contact methods.
For one, provide an address. A street address generally worksbetter than a P.O. Box.
Secondly, you definitely need to provide an email address forcustomers to send their questions to. This email address shouldend in your domain name. For example;promote@buildyourwebpresence.com.
Never, ever use an AOL.com or yahoo.com account for yourbusiness email. It won't look professional enough for people tobelieve that you are a valid company.
Alternately, you may also invest in a support desk, or even justput a contact form on a webpage on your site. These alternativestend to have a more professional appearance than just an emailaddress and they can keep your clients' emails from winding upin your bulk mail folder.
Toll free numbers When it comes to entering credit cardinformation over the internet, be prepared to cater to skeptics.Many consumers still do not feel the internet is a safe place totype in their credit card number - no matter what you do.Providing a toll free number is the best way around this. Youcan get one for a relatively inexpensive cost from TTI National.
A toll free number can be conveniently routed to any phonenumber you provide. So, you can have your customers ring rightto your home phone or your cell phone. Even better yet, you canhire a phone answering company to take your calls for you. Thereare many companies willing to answer phones 24 hours a day, 7days a week. That way, customers have no excuse not to orderyour product, even if they are afraid to type their credit cardnumber into a web form!
In addition to the added convenience of phone ordering, having atoll free number conveys a sense of professionalism. Manyconsumers will look for a toll free number before decidingwhether or not they want to buy from you. Others will want tocontact you before they purchase. No matter how complete yoursales description is, there are some people out there who justwon't be satisfied until they hear a human voice. This isespecially true with higher priced products.
Turn-around time When people contact you by email, your contactform, support desk or call your toll free number, make sure yourespond within 24-48 hours. This is of utmost importance. Anylonger than two days turn around time is considered unacceptableto most people and will be considered unprofessional.
When answering questions, especially by email, be complete andthorough in your response. Add-in whatever information may behelpful. Be polite and courteous - most of all, listen. Itsounds simple, but you'd be surprised how rare proper mannersare in business.
Remember, think about how you would like to be treated and dojust that.
By being nice and timely in your response, you will win peopleover. Most of America is run by giant corporations. Think aboutthe type of run-around you get by calling one of America'sgiants. It's either the automated phone system that loops aroundor the pat email responses with no personalization to themwhatsoever.
Small businesses are at an advantage in that regard. Bedifferent...show your customers that you actually have time forthem!
Copyright ? 2005 by L A Parmley. All rights reserved.
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