Authentic is a word that gets muddied and thrown around a lot, but the truth is consumers are looking for sincere and quality content to convince them why your business provides value to their lives. Given the choice between a business or brand that clearly tells a story and a business who is putting on a fake face, the outcome is clear. Your clients want to get to know you. Don’t let your marketing strategy scare away your prospects – while glitter and dazzle may draw people near, it won’t hold up if you don’t have something real underneath. Save your fancy wrapping for presents this year and let your authenticity drive your digital strategy instead. Here are some best practices to building a trustworthy online presence:
Rule #1 – Begin by defining who you are as a brand. Your name, your social media presence, your associations online, your color choices and website design all play a part in defining your voice.
Rule #2- Clearly express your core values and don’t deviate from them. There is value to be gained in looking up your competition online and defining how you can stand out from the crowd, if you remain true to your original values and presence. Don’t caught up in what everyone else is doing.
Rule #3 – You can provide value and share your authentic self without sharing every detail of your life. While admitting weakness and areas where we can grow is a valuable life tool, you don’t need to share every intimate aspect online. Pick and choose – remain professional with your comments, content and social media while honestly sharing your success stories, providing value, and engaging with prospects.
Rule #4 – People are visiting your website to comparison shop, learn more information on a subject or often even, they are ready to buy and looking for you to close the deal. Keep in mind that your website is all your potential clients have to go on while deciding if you can solve their problem and if they should trust you more than competitors. Images, wording, site usability – it all makes a difference in how you are perceived. Your choices can make or break whether a user is converted into a sale.
Most importantly, never forget that you are one-of-a-kind, and your brand is too. Don’t be afraid to use your individuality to build a strong online presence no one else can re-create. Website users can tell the difference between truth and falsity, even on a subconscious level. If you need help defining your presence and online strategy, contact Intuitive Websites today.
