Real People Build Trust
Web Commerce Today, Issue 19, February 15, 1999
I receive many catalogs. I learn from print catalogs what the best minds in the catalog industry are doing. Many of these "secrets" can be adapted to the Web, as well.
The MicroWarehouse (http://www.microwarehouse.com/) computer catalog usually features a smiling customer service representative wearing a telephone headset. It's often on the cover, and appears on many pages inside, too. In my most recent copy, every two or three pages has a small 2" x 3" block with the photo of one of their other customer service reps with words such as, "Hi, I'm Amanda, at MicroWarehouse."
Why do this? To build trust.
Trust is key to sales of any kind, and in particular, online sales. People will make a purchase only if they trust you to deliver the goods quickly. With all the anonymity on the Internet, people start off with some distrust. You'll have to minimize this in order to make a sale. Trust is gained in several ways. Here are some of them:
1. Brand identification. If people are familiar with a brand name store such as the Gap, they will trust it to do business honestly and efficiently. Building a brand name is very expensive, but it pays off in trust when it comes time to order. Though it's not the same as having a brand name store, if you carry brand name products, some of that brand name trust will rub off on you and increase customers' willingness to do business with you.
2. Good experience with you the last time. Once you've successfully delivered a product to an online customer without any hassles, then you've built trust upon which the next sale is based. And you're in the process of building your brand image.
3. Competence. Your competence is reflected by your site in many ways, from the professionalism of the design to the accuracy and completeness of the information you provide. If you look competent that engenders trust, even if the customer didn't know about you before.
4. Real people. Customers won't have built-in trust for an unknown store. But people tend to trust other people. The more you can communicate to your customers that you are a real person, the more trust you'll build, and that will result in increased sales.
If you've been to Wilson Internet Services recently, you'll see my photo appearing more and more places. I recently put it on the order forms for my newsletter and other services. Why? Vanity? No. I don't think I'm very handsome. (Not ugly, mind you. Just not handsome -- I wanted to make sure you understood that I'm not ugly. No vanity here, of course.) When people see a photo of another person, it is a trust builder. You're no longer a nameless institution, you are a person.
If you're a woman, you might hesitate putting your photo on the Web. I would. But you might include yourself in a group shot with others in your business.
Example: Bird Watcher's Marketplace (http://www.birdwatchers.com/). Notice the reference also to a brick-and-mortar store in Grand Rapids. That's a confidence builder, too.
The "About Us" section of your site is important if you're an "unknown" quantity to the customer. I encourage you to tell the "personal" story of your business. It builds trust in you as a "real person," and will increase your sales. For a great example, see The Babytoes Story (http://www.babytoes.com/story.html).
If you're a large business, why don't you follow the example of stores like Wal-Mart and feature pictures of some of your employees. (Warning: Get a signed and witnessed "Model Release," to protect you from lawsuits from disgruntled employees later. See http://members.aol.com/thedrawing/model.htm and http://www.gonesouth.com/artsupport/model.pdf) If you're a smaller business, consider a photo of yourself, or a group shot of some of your staff members. Happy and friendly is preferred over somber and reserved. It's good business to let your customers know that you are "real people."
Related Articles
Dean Cruse, "Give a Little of the Human Touch," ClickZ, January 5, 1999. (http://www.searchz.com/Articles/0105993.shtml)
Ralph F. Wilson, The Lights Are On. Is Anybody Home? 8 Confidence Builders to Grow Your Online Business," Web Marketing Today, September 1, 1998. (http://www.wilsoninet.com/articles/nobodyhome.htm)